By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
Impact Wrestling TV (Episode 989)
Taped in Atlanta, Georgia at Center Stage
Aired June 29, 2023 on AXS TV
Highlights from last week’s Impact Wrestling show aired. The Impact intro themed aired… Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt were on commentary. Dave Penzer was the ring announcer… Entrances for the opening match took place…
1. Chris Sabin vs. Trey Miguel for the Impact X Division Championship. Sabin and Miguel started the match at a stalemate, trading counters. Both men rolled around the ring and tumbled outside of the ring during the collar and elbow. Sabin managed to trip Miguel off the apron and backed down Trey with chops. Trey came back with a baseball slide when Sabin pointed at his hand.
Sabin hit Trey with a Back Suplex. Miguel escaped an octopus hold and raked at Sabin’s eyes. Trey got a two count after chop blocking Sabin. Sabin got a two count after a back elbow. Hannifan plugged the Impact Australia shows on FiteTV. Trey got a nearfall off a Ushigoroshi. Sabin dodged a Lionsault for a window of opportunity. Sabin rallied with a few strikes and a Yakuza Kick in the corner.
Sabin got a two count after hitting Trey with a Superplex. Trey escaped a cradle shock attempt and got a two count after a CQC combo. Trey hit Sabin wit a Scorpion Kick. Sabin came back by slamming Trey’s knees into the mat. Sabin hit Trey’s knees with a dropkick. Sabin put Trey in an STF and Trey broke it by grabbing the ropes. Trey hit Sabin with a kick and Slingshot Huracanrana.
Sabin reversed a Meteora Dive into a STF. Sabin was about to nail Trey with a Cradle Shock, but a returning Zachary Wentz ran in and hit Sabin with a knee to the face for the DQ.
Chris Sabin defeated Trey Miguel via apparent DQ in 9:32 to retain the Impact X Division Championship.
Zach Wentz (f.k.a. Nash Carter) had a angry look in his face. When he and Trey locked eyes, they did their old Rascalz hand wiggle gesture. Trey and Zach put the boots to Sabin. Impact World Champion Alex Shelley ran out to send Trey and Zach into retreat…
Trinity was shown backstage, heading to the ring…[c]
John’s Thoughts: A good match with a nice return for Trey’s old Rascalz running mate. Here’s hoping the things that led to Zach’s WWE release are behind him. I’m very intrigued to see what Wentz does as a heel because we’ve never seen him in such a position. My guess is we’re not in store for his old Michael Kelso impersonation which I’m all for because the That ’70s Show gimmick the Rascalz had only could go so far. This sets the Rascalz up for a feud with the Motor City Machine Guns who seems to be very busy in Impact as the top singles champs, which isn’t a bad thing as their star power can be spanned across several stories now.
Trey said the more things change, the more they stay the same. Trey said the Rascalz haven’t been in Impact in over 3 years. Trey reintroduced “Zachary Freakin’ Wentz”. Zach yelled in the camera and talked about how he has his brother’s back. Zach said that the fans abandoned him even after Trey left and came back to Impact.
Zach talked about also leaving Impact and going through hell, leading to the fans also turning their backs on him. Zachary said it’s only fitting that the Rascalz come back to take back everything. Zachary said there will be no more cutesy treehouse (Their 70s Show weed circle). He said it’s just brothers, forever. Trey yelled “smoke em if you got em and the Rascalz got all of em”…
Deonna Purrazzo joined the commentary table for the next match. Replays aired of Jai Vidal attacking Trinity in recent months. Hannifan asked Deonna if she’s out to have Trinity’s back or to scout her Slammiversary opponent. Purrazo said it’s maybe a bit of both. Hannifan noted that this was Trinity’s first intergender match in her career…
2. Trinity vs. Jai Vidal (w/Gisele Shaw, Savannah Evans) in an intergender match. Jai ran away early on and hit Trinity with a cheap shot. Jai slammed Trinity into the corner, teased a slingshot stomp, but slapped her instead. Trinity tossed Jai into the corner and returned the favor with a sliding slap. Trinity used a headscissors to hit Jai with a standing stinkface. This freaked out Jai.
Evans dragged Jai to ringside. Trinity hit Jai with a baseball slide. Evans grabbed Trinity’s feet when Shaw distracted the referee. Jai got a two count after Trinity was tripped. Jai slammed Trinity to the mat by the hair. Jai got a two count after an elbow drop. Trinity got a two count after a sunset flip. Trinity hit Jai with a Jawbreaker and rallied with dropkicks.
Trinity hit Jai with a Disaster Kick for a two count. Trinity hit Jai with a crossbody. Trinity kicked the rope into Jai. Trinity hit Jai with a draping Pedigree. Jai Vidal tapped out when Trinity locked in Starstruck.
Trinity defeated Jai Vidal via submission in 5:10.
Evans and Shaw attacked Trinity after the match. Deonna Purrazzo went to ringside and decided to watch Trinity get attacked. After waiting a bit, Purrazzo finally went for the save. Trinity and Purrazzo cleared the heels from the ring. Purrazzo’s theme played as the two Slammiversary opponents started each other down to end the segment…
John’s Thoughts: A good win for Trinity who continues to benefit from strong crowd reactions wherever she goes. I know they have to kill time until Slammiversary, but I hope they don’t cool Trinity down by having her feuding with the ice cold Gisele Shaw act. Gisele needs to be put off TV for a bit and rebuilt because Impact has made her into a stepping stone rather than be an intriguing adversary. I’m not a huge fan of the Jai Vidal act either because he comes off as a boring version of Caleb Konley’s Kaleb with a K character. Savannah Evans just feels out of place.
Ace and Bey vs. Moose and Brian Myers vs. Rich Swann and Sami Callihan vs. South Wales Subculture was announced as the tag team title match for Slammiversary. Footage of The Good Hands defeating OVE last week was shown where Moose interfered…
Moose was sitting down in a lounge wearing a business suit. Brian Myers and the Good Hands showed up. Myers said that Moose was his good buddy and he’s happy that this partnership is working out. Moose said with their talents combined, they will become tag team champions. Moose said it would be his and Myers’s titles, not the Goods Hands.
Moose told Myers to ditch the dead weight Good Hands. Hotch and Skyler looked worried after Moose left and Myers said not to worry about it. Skyler asked Hotch what just happened? Hotch said “I think we just got jobbed”…
Lio Rush’s impact debut was hyped…
Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice were bragging about a recent win that Johnny Swinger earned (I guess it was on Before the Impact?). A referee showed up and told Zicky Dice that due to his shady officiating, he and Santino ruled that Swinger’s win doesn’t count. Swinger asked “Sanmartino said that”? Dice said this was wrong and they call him Zick Patrick around here. The referee said if Dice cheats again, he will have his referee license revoked…
Lio Rush got a televised entrance and his opponent was already in the ring…
3. Lio Rush vs. Jack Price. Lio stalled by doing stretches. Rush gave Price a disrespectful slap. Price caught Rush in his arms. Rush escaped and put Price in a standing switch. Rush showed off his amazing footwork and running ability. Hannifan noted that Rush was a winner of the Super Junior tag league 2022. Rush ground his elbow in Price’s face. Price was dumped off the apron.
Price came back with overhead elbows over Rush. Price blocked a huracanrana. Rush escaped a power bomb. Rush hit Price with a suicide dive. Rush hit Price with a modified Trouble in Paradise. Rush hit Price with the Final Hour Splash for the win.
Lio Rush defeated Jack Price via pinfall in 3:37.
John’s Thoughts: Good showcase debut for Lio Rush who I assume is in for more than just a cup of coffee based off this enhancement win. If Rush’s maturity issues are well behind him, Impact has a blue chipper on their hands. The guy can do wonderful things with his speed and footwork. On top of that, he really found his voice as a top quality talker during his time in WWE as Bobby Lashley’s mouthpiece.
The show cut to one of Dirty Dango’s docu-style interviews. The first question was “how did it feel to get struck by the Cobra”. Dango said getting hit by the cobra was all his fault because Santino has no offense whatsoever to speak of. Someone off screen was wondering what Dango was doing, and Dango called him an amigo and said that he’s cutting a promo.
Dango said the real question is how Santino even got into professional wrestling. Dango said Santino was slapped around by Jim Cornette. Dango talked about how Cornette saw Santino laughing at the show down in OVW, leading to Jim dragging Santino to the back in front of the boys to get slapped in the face. A rough cut showed Dango telling the off screen civilian that the promo will be on TV.
Cut back, Dango talked about how the powers that be in the Evil Empire (WWE) thought that Santino might sue them so they had to give him a job. Dango said this paid off in the long run because 14 years later, and Santino’s daughter Bianca Carelli (NXT’s Ariana Grace) has a job with WWE. Dango got into the camera and asked Santino if Bianca is getting slapped around. Dango said he’s only asking because like father like son, er, daughter…
The show cut to Santino cutting a promo at the arena. Santino said that Dirty Dango is out of his mind for what he said. Santino said that because D’Amore is on a leave of absence, his hands are tied as the person running the ship in Impact. Santino said he’ll have more free time after Slammiversary once D’Amore gets back to his job. Santino said he supposed to be focusing on his post-in-ring career, but it’s jerks like Dango that drag him back in.
Santino said he’s going to humiliate Dango with his grappling skills. Santino said come Windsor, Dango will be humiliated more than he’s ever been humiliated. Santino said Dango is mocking Santino’s work ethic, but he works hard and has earned everything his entire career. Santino said he worked so hard that he broke his neck. Santino said Dango will pay and is a son of a bitch for bringing up Bianca…
John’s Thoughts: On one hand, that was a nice fiery promo by Santino who we rarely see ever cut a serious promo. On the other hand, it’s a bit tough to take him seriously when he’s keeping up the fake accent and beating people up with the snake sock that comedian Jon Lovitz gave him all those years ago. In a way, it feels like Dirty Dango’s amazing gimmick revamp is being wasted on a joke character. Let’s see how this goes because maybe they’ll turn us around on Santino. If anything, Dirty Dango is killing it on his end and is must see TV every week.
Footage from last week’s main event aired where there was a lot of “miscommunication”…
Eddie and Alisha Edwards were chatting backstage. Frankie Kazarian confronted Eddie and said he doesn’t want to believe that Eddie would backstab him after swearing on the grave or their deceased trainer Killer Kowalski. Alisha asked if Kazarian was calling Eddie a liar.
Kazarian said it didn’t even look like Eddie was aiming for Maclin with that superkick. Eddie said he tried to be a team player, but Kazarian’s ego is getting too large. Eddie said they might just be better opponents than a team. Kazarian agreed…
Entrances for the next match took place…
4. Masha Slamovich vs. KiLynn King (w/Taylor Wilde). King started the match with a high kick and body slam. Masha whipped around King by the hair. Masha hit King with a CQC combo. Masha reversed a baseball slide with a sliding kick. King blocked a Suicide Dive with a forearm. King worked on Masha with methodical offense. Wilde choked Masha when King distracted the referee.
Masha reversed King into a double stomp. King came back with a shortarm lariat. Hannifan noted that this was the 989th episode of Impact and that Impact’s 1000th show is coming up in September. Masha got a moment of respite after hitting King with a Saito Suplex. Masha hit King with a sliding Pele Kick and a corker kick. Masha hit King with a spinning heel kick for a two count.
King escaped a Snow Plow attempt and hit Masha with elbows in the corner. King got a two count after a Death Valley Driver. Masha and King traded forearms. Masha came back with a backfist and kick combo for a nearfall. King punched Masha off the apron. Masha avoided a wrecking ball kick. Masha hit King with a Corkscrew Tope.
Wilde tossed Masha into the ringpost when King distracted the referee. Masha escaped a pump-handle slam attempt. Killer Kelly showed up and choked Wilde with a dog collar chain. Masha hit King with a hook kick and Snow Plow for the win.
Masha Slamovich defeated KiLynn King via pinfall in 8:10.
Kelly confronted Masha in the ring wearing the dog collar. Masha put on the other half of the collar around her own neck and left linked with Kelly. Hannifan noted that symbolically Masha and Kelly are now linked as allies…[c]
John’s Thoughts: While I do want to see Masha rebuilt to the dominant force that she once was when she joined Impact, I don’t think Masha lost much here having a competitive match against KiLynn King because it allows King to look good in defeat. KiLynn has been surprising in singles matches with how good she’s been (I go to that time she gave Trinity a run for her money in Trinity’s Impact debut). Masha and Kelly could use the boost of earning the tag titles; but I can also see this spin out into continuing the feud between Kelly and Slamovich if they want to keep King and Wilde strong.
An ad aired for the Alex Shelley vs. Nick Aldis world championship match at Slammiversary…
A Scott D’Amore promo vignette aired to introduce viewers to D’Amore’s in-ring career. Pictures and B-roll footage were shown of a young and athletic looking Scott D’Amore who was involved in football and wrestling. There was even a news article that said that Scott D’Amore faced WWE Intercontinental Champion Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. D’Amore said he was trained by “The Canadian Destroyer” Doug Chevalier.
He said he was also trained by NWA rookie of the year Mickey Doyle. D’Amore talked about how he was also invited to train with many greats at the WCW Power Plant. Tommy Dreamer said that Sabu introduced him to D’Amore and told Dreamer to get Scott booked on an ECW show. Alex Shelley said that D’Amore was actually really good. Shelley said D’Amore’s fame was up there with Edge, Christian, Rhino, and Al Snow as standouts from the mid-west.
Chris Sabin talked about how he first saw Scott D’Amore at a WWE house show where D’Amore wrestled Kurt Angle. D’Amore said he found his calling as a trainer. Tommy Dreamer said that D’Amore straight out invented the Canadian Destroyer (Take That Petey Williams!). Dreamer said that D’Amore has probably trained more current and future hall of famers than anyone. Sabin said he wouldn’t be where he is today without Scott D’Amore.
D’Amore talked about all the greats that went through his dojo like Rhino, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Bobby Roode, Eric Young, Joe Doering, and others. He said he thinks 15 world champions came from his Dojo. Shelley talked about how selfless Scott D’Amore is by covering people’s rent, scholarships, temporary housing. Kushida talked about how he was just a small kid and wrestling fan when Scott D’Amore took him in.
Kushida said he was broke had no money, but D’Amore trained him for free. Kazarian said he treasures D’Amore as a friend. D’Amore said he may not be ever known as a world champion, but he relishes his journey in pro wrestling and wouldn’t trade it for anything…
John’s Thoughts: Scott D’Amore needs to give every person in that video package a pay raise based off how huge they put him over. In all seriousness, that was a really well done video package that finally introduced D’Amore’s in-ring career to probably 99.9% of the audience. I say that because all TNA fans know him as is as that annoying guy with a hockey stick that managed Team Canada. This does help a bit to justify some of his immense plot armor.
Gia Miller interviewed Scott D’Amore and asked him if he’s able to jump back in the ring at Slammiversary. He said he’s not sure, but he has no excuses this time. He said he has no suit and headset. D’Amore told Gia to move the mic aside so he can show off his Can-Am Dojo t-shirt. He joked that Santino will fine him for advertising non-Impact merch.
He said he’s been training with the Motor City Machine Guns. Gia noted that former NHL Player Darren McCarty will be the guest enforcer of his match against Bully and Maclin and if that might change Scott’s strategy? Scott said he’d rather have Wendel Clark as enforcer because he’s a Toronto Maple Leaf. D’Amore said he doesn’t think they need an enforcer because he’s not looking to follow any rules.
John Skyler and Jason Hotch interrupted the interview. Skyler talked about how Bully Ray, Moose, and Brian Myers have ditched them recently. Skyler said it’s all Scott D’Amore’s fault due to D’Amore nailing Hotch with a Canadian Destroyer. Hotch said that since D’Amore is on a leave of absence, he’s due a receipt since he’s an in-ring competitor now.
Skyler joked that he’s due for those unnecessarily long CVS receipts. D’Amore joked about the Good Hands having abandonment issues. He said he’s only wrestling at Slammiversary, but he knows a French Canadian Frankenstein Monster that’s always ready for a fight. He said even though he can’t book matches, he’s good friends with the guy running the show at the moment. D’Amore screwed over the heels as usual by pitching The Good Hands vs. PCO in a handicap match for next week. This caused Skyler and Hotch to facepalm…
Yuya Uemura made his entrance. His opponent is Kenny King. Tom Hannifan noted that Yuya’s first win in Impact was against Kenny King last September (Yuya has won a match in Impact?). A picture-in-picture showed that Joe Hendry was in the production truck with Josh Mathews, setting up something.[c]
5. Kenny King (w/Sheldon Jean) vs. Yuya Uemura. While the wrestlers locked up, the commentary team wondered what Joe Hendry was doing in the production truck. Yuya gave king a punch and knife edge chops. Yuya hit King with a hip toss and dropkick. King begged for mercy and stalled at the ropes. King gave Yuya a cheap shot right hand and pummeled Yuya with punches.
Yuya escaped a Royal Flush attempt. King blocked a bulldog and hit Yuya with a PK. King worked on Yuya with a body stretch and methodical offense. Yuya hit King with a Suplex and Bulldog for a two count. Yuya reversed a delayed vertical suplex into a DDT.[c]
King and Yuya traded strikes. Yuya hit king with a flying clothesline. King knocked Yuya off the top rope and dragged him back up. Yuya shoved King off. King avoided a crossbody dive. Yuya dodged a spin kick. Yuya rallied with right hands. King hit Yuya with the Eddy Gordo Kick. King hit Yuya with the Royal Flush for the win.
Kenny King defeated Yuya Uemura via pinfall in 7:35 of on-air time.
Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry made his entrance on the stage. Joe said he appreciated it when King interrupted his match so he has to return the favor. He said Kenny King needs respect so he has a gift for him. Hendry said he has a special music video for King. The video aired with Joe Hendry playing a piano. The video was titled “The Kenny King Story”.
Hendry snug that King was wrestling for a long time since 2007. The graphic joked that King went missing in 2013. Hendry said he found something dark from King’s past, which was revealed on the Renee Paquette podcast. Hendry said King was his most successful in 2013 when he became a male stripper. Hendry led the crowd in a “Stripper Kenny” song. The video ended with Kenny King’s stripper pic where he’s holding a rose.
King was showered in “Stripper Kenny” chants. Sheldon Jean tried to console Kenny. The segment ended with Joe Hendry’s theme playing…
John’s Thoughts: For some reason, I feel like this isn’t the first time Kenny King has beat Yuya before a presumed loss against a babyface. Fun post-match song from Joe Hendry. I feel like a way too many babyfaces mock Kenny King for his reality show or stripper past, but it was fine here and Hendry delivered the jab well with one of his custom songs. Still hope they rebrand his toy belt that nobody cares about (which Dango has lamp-shaded many times). This might be worse than Booker T’s red toy belt that nobody cared about, which ultimately became Jeff Jarrett’s red toy belt that nobody cared about.
Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt checked in from the commentary table. Hannifan announced that there will be an Ultimate X Match at Slammiversary for a future shot at the X Division Title. The match will be between Mike Bailey, Jonathan Gresham, Kushida, Kevin Knight, and Alan Angels. The following matches were announced for next week: Jonathan Gresham vs. Alan Angels and Frankie Kazarian vs. Eddie Edwards. Hannifan plugged the Australian shows on Fite TV. They sent the show to Kevin Kelly’s weekly NJPW on AXS plug…
A replay was shown of Nick Aldis blasting Alex Shelley in the face with the World Title from two weeks ago…
An ad aired for the Impact Australian tour…
Nick Aldis made his entrance in a 3 piece suit. Hannifan noted that Aldis was supposed to appear last week, but he delayed it out of safety for his family. Aldis talked about how he’s been harassed for weeks. He said he tattooed the world title on the face of Alex Shelley. Aldis jawed with the crowd who booed him. He said he owes Shelley an explanation and he invited Shelley to the ring.
Impact World Champion Alex Shelley made his entrance. Shelley said Aldis is standing in his ring and how it’s time to smack that stupid smile off Aldis’s face. Aldis told Shelley to stay at a distance if he wants to hear what Aldis has to say. He said he saw what Shelley did last week to poor Jimmy Jacobs who was just delivering a message on behalf of Aldis.
Aldis said that was unprofessional and promoting a unsafe working environment. Aldis said Shelley has a spot in the crowd because Shelley fancies himself as a man of the people. Shelley said that is not an insult because he’s the Impact People’s champion. Shelley took a seat and wondered if Aldis feels he’s in a safe environment.
Aldis said Shelley is starting to believe his own propaganda. Aldis said the ten person tag a few weeks ago was a debacle. Aldis talked about being a team player. He said he was the most logical person to tag into the match, but Sabin tagged in Shelley to make Aldis look bad. Aldis continued to jaw with the crowd that was booing. Aldis said it was a concerted effort by the Machine Guns to make Nick Aldis look like a putz.
Aldis said it was enough with all the good guy stuff and he had to put Shelley in his place. He said Shelley is acting like a fake revolutionary even though the Machine Guns have had their way with the business for years. Aldis said people like Shelley use their propaganda to get rid of guys like Aldis. Aldis said they use the fans and the wrestling media to mischaracterize Aldis.
Aldis said he started in the business like Shelley did, but made it to the world title way Aldis said while people praise Shelley for innovating wrestling, Aldis was being praised by Harley Race, Dory Funk Jr, and Ric Flair. He said he represents the history and tradition of the business. Aldis said he doesn’t like the dark path that Shelley is trying to take the business.
Aldis said the honeymoon and transitional champion reign will be over at Slammiversary. He said he’s not only going to beat Shelley, he’s going to embarrass, humiliate, and expose Shelley. Shelley said “Oh mah god, just shut up”. The crowd did a Daniel Bryan esque “yep” chant. Shelley said no one paid to hear Aldis whine, moan, and bitch. Aldis told Shelley to shut up. Shelley said to come down and “make me”.
Aldis asked Shelley if he wants him to come down to ringside. Shelley said “yep”. Aldis went to ringside and brawled with Shelley. Shelley had the upper hand, but Aldis turned the tables by raking Shelley’s eyes. Aldis tossed Shelley into the ring post. Aldis was about to hit Shelley with the world title again, but Chris Sabin ran out and snatched the belt from Aldis.
Aldis distracted Shelley and Sabin, which allowed Lio Rush to blindside Sabin. Rush and Aldis beat down the Motor City Machine Guns. Aldis hit Shelley with the World Title. Rush hit Sabin with the X Title. Aldis and Rush posed with the World and X Division titles before laying them on top of the champions. The show closed with Rush and Aldis standing tall…
John’s Thoughts: Great mission statement promo from the freshly turned heel Nick Aldis. Wonderful stuff here. He did a good job to keep the crowd engaged while introducing them to great petty heel logic. His old school heel persona that he cultivated in the NWA really shows how much he’s grown as a performer compared to his first run in Impact (which ended in TNA fashion with Mickie James getting run over by a train). Shelley’s “yep” thing is starting to get a bit old, but other than that he was really good on his end. The Lio Rush blindside was a nice surprise and sets up for a good X Division Title match against Chris Sabin if that’s the direction they’re heading to at Slammiversary.
As I noted at the top of the show, The Motor City Machine Guns are doing a great job carrying multiple storylines all over Impact. They have Aldis and Rush in singles programs (Rush has history with Sabin and Shelley being a part of the Search and Destroy faction in ROH) . They have the Rascalz coming after them in tag team and X Division form. They also teased doing something with Ace Austin and Chris Bey (which will be the match at Australia). At one point 3 or 4 years ago it seemed like the Machine Guns were winding down their wrestling career, and now they’re carrying a company and multiple tag divisions on their backs. Really happy for both guys, especially Shelley who’s been snakebitten with injuries his entire career and is in the midst of his best run as a wrestler.
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