A strong go-home show for Impact, with one of the best crowds they’ve had all year. Mike Bailey vs Kevin Knight and the main event really stole the show for me, and gave us a really solid night of in-ring action. With both the tag matches also being a lot of fun, and are definitely worth giving a watch for some enjoyable wrestling (King/Jean vs Yuya/Hendry being more comedy focused, while Sami/Swann vs Moose/Myers just having some good pro wrestling). All of the Slammiversary matches which I felt needed more/better build (Ultimate X, four way tag, Lio vs Sabin, Trinity vs Deonna), all got the build that was necessary for them and the storylines were well-progressed. Every match had a purpose, and nothing really felt out’ve place. This built the hype for Slammiversary now, and has left me very excited for Saturday.
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6
In the last stop on the road to Slammiversary, we’re in for a great night of action, as Deonna Purrazzo puts out an open challenge for her Knockouts world championship. The Impact Zone will also get to see Yuya Uemura & Joe Hendry take on Kenny King & Sheldon Jean, as well as Sami Callihan & Rich Swann taking on Moose & Myers, as both teams are competitors in the tag title fatal four way tag match at Slammiversary.
GOOD Zachary Wentz vs Chris Bey
In his first match back in Impact, Zachary Wentz puts on a good opener against, one half of the tag team champions, Chris Bey. While you’d expect this to be a fast-paced X-Division opener, which it was partly, the two men also shown off some more well-rounded wrestling instead, which was quite enjoyable. Wentz wins with a nasty headlock DDT, which is LA Knight’s finisher for those unaware. Bey sells it incredible and made the move look very dangerous (something I wish people would do for LA Knight aswell). Trey Miguel distracted the referee, by attacking Ace Austin at ringside, which let Wentz cheat, to aid him for the win.
Result: Zachary Wentz by Pinfall via Headlock DDT
Bailey Higham WR Star Rating – 3.25 Stars
As the head backstage the Rascalz ask Director Of Authority, Santino Marella, for a tag title match, and Santino turns it down, which is followed by the Rascalz telling Santino that he’ll regret it. I really don’t want the Rascalz to be associated in the Santino/Dango storyline if that’s where they’re planning to go. I just feel like there’s better potential direction for them.
Very good video package to build towards Aldis vs Shelley, which I quite liked as I feel like the World title matches need hype like this, as these video packages make them feel like a big deal.
GREAT Mike Bailey vs Kevin Knight
The crowd were loud for this match, which you love to see. The crowd erupt when Speedball comes out, which is lovely to see. Really hope Speedball makes a main event push soon, he’s really gotten over, and he’s proven he can hang with the best. Speedball has proven that he cannot have a bad match, and he’s further proven it here, as he has a really entertaining, fast-paced match with Knight. This is the best build we’ve gotta to the Ultimate X match, and has really made me excited for it. Kevin Knight’s athleticism is crazy, and they really do a good job showing it off here (Knight hurricanrana’s Bailey off the second rope and it looks majestic). After some more, simply breathtaking, fast-paced action Mike Bailey gets the win with the Ultimo Weapon, in a match that shown how great Kevin Knight can be, and got me really hyped for the Ultimate X match.
Result: Mike Bailey by Pinfall via Ultimo Weapon
Bailey Higham WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
Masha Slamovich and Killer Kelly have a backstage video, where they challenge The Coven for the Knockouts Tag Titles, in a match I’m very excited for. They also wear the chains, which is a very good touch.
In Joe Hendry’s pre-match promo, he brings up the stripper Kenny video, and then follows it with his usual routine, before introducing Yuya Uemura.
AVERAGE Joe Hendry & Yuya Uemura vs Kenny King & Sheldon Jean
As King does his entrance, the crowd chant for him to take his jacket off, purposefully zipping it up all the way (he refuses to take it off due to the stripper accusations). The crowd continues to be great, as they constantly chant “Take it off” whenever Kenny is on the offensive. Hendry, being the lovable guy that he is eventually takes the jacket off King, and gets the crowd to chant “stripper Kenny” at him. King, feeling violated, runs to the back, leaving his protégé stranded, letting Hendry deliver the standing ovation for the win. Obviously not a great match by any means, but a fun crowd pleaser that planted the seeds for Jean betraying King.
Result: Joe Hendry by Pinfall via Standing Ovation
Bailey Higham WR Star Rating – 2.50 Stars
We get another promo package, with Lio Rush cutting a great promo, talking about how he’s not about the nostalgia and how he’s gonna dethrone Sabin for the prestigious X-Division Championship. Really like how he highlighted how prestigious the belt is. Adds to the importance of the match.
We then cut to a good backstage interview from Sabin, as he tells Lio that he is the final boss and he’s not gonna be dethroned at Slammiversary.
GREAT Moose & Brian Myers vs Rich Swann & Sami Callihan
This is a good tag match here. Fast paced action early on before they break, until we’re faced with a beatdown on Swann, which leads to a very inventive hot tag, where Swann jumps out’ve a roll up to get it. This match is great build for the fatal four way tag, as both teams take each other to the limit, with Swann & Callihan seemingly having it won twice. Moose has to resort to a low blow to help him get the win, which gives Moose & Myers some needed momentum for Saturday, as they needed to bounce back from the loss to ABC in Australia.
Results: Moose by Pinfall via Spear
Bailey Higham WR Star Rating – 3.50 Stars
We then get Subculture cutting a quick promo, further hyping up the fatal four tag, as they claim that they are gonna win the belts for all the different subcultures. Fine promo, doesn’t really add excitement for the fatal four way tag, but it was alright.
Alan Angels cuts a great promo about how he plans to spread his wings like an Angel would, and how he’s gonna make his mark at Slammiversary. Good build for the Ultimate X match, can’t wait to see Angels finally showcase more of his X-Division skills.
GREAT Deonna Purrazzo vs Jody Threat
On paper, this match is very interesting the champion, Deonna Purrazzo, against, the unbeaten, Jody Threat. Jody gets some great frenzy-like offence in, before Deonna puts a stop to it with a nasty arm breaker. Deonna, who is known for her great technical wrestling, adds a great element to the match, as she constantly targets the injured left arm of Jody Threat. I really liked Threat’s spurts of offence throughout the match, as her style is very entertaining when she’s an underdog trying to get back into the fight. Deonna locks in a nasty Fujiwara variation for the win, after a really good competitive match, that shown that Jody can hang with the top knockouts.
Result: Deonna Purrazzo by Submission
Bailey Higham WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
After the match, a massive, chaotic brawl ensues with all of the knockouts involved in storylines for Slammiversary. Near the end of the brawl, Trinity comes out to aid the faces. Deonna and Trinity do the both people holding the title spot, which leads to them finally fighting each other, giving the main event some much needed aggression.
A strong go-home show for Impact, with one of the best crowds they’ve had all year. Mike Bailey vs Kevin Knight and the main event really stole the show for me, and gave us a really solid night of in-ring action. With both the tag matches also being a lot of fun, and are definitely worth giving a watch for some enjoyable wrestling (King/Jean vs Yuya/Hendry being more comedy focused, while Sami/Swann vs Moose/Myers just having some good pro wrestling). All of the Slammiversary matches which I felt needed more/better build (Ultimate X, four way tag, Lio vs Sabin, Trinity vs Deonna), all got the build that was necessary for them and the storylines were well-progressed. Every match had a purpose, and nothing really felt out’ve place. This built the hype for Slammiversary now, and has left me very excited for Saturday.
Overall…
Matches: 0.5/1 Stars
Show Structure: 0.75/1 Stars
Atmosphere: 1/1 Star
Storytelling: 0.5/1 Stars
Production/Theme: 0.25/1 Stars
Overall Rating: 3/5 Stars
Photo Credit: Impact Wrestling – July 13th 2023
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