IMPACT WRESTLING TV RESULTS (8/24): Lilly’s report on Shelley vs. Myers, Trinity vs. Threat

IMPACT WRESTLING TV RESULTS
AUGUST 24, 2023
CHICAGO, IL AT CICERO STADIUM
AIRED ON AXS TV (RECORDED)
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

-Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

-The show started with PCO on his way to the ring. PCO did a dive through the ropes onto Shera and Raj Singh on the floor. PCO attacked people at ringside as the crowd cheered for him. PCO put Singh on a table at ringside and leaped from the top rope onto him. Bully Ray appeared on the big screen. He mocked PCO and said PCO would never get to him. Bully said he wasn’t leaving his hotel room because Impact couldn’t guarantee his safety. He said PCO could look for him but he wouldn’t find him. Bully said he would get PCO and would be the one to take him out. PCO yelled at the screen and left up the ramp.

-Hannifan and Rehwoldt appeared on camera at ringside and addressed the situation.

-“We own the night” opening aired.

(1) TRINITY vs. JODY THREAT

This was a non-title match. Jody took Trinity to the mat early. Trinity tossed Jody and did the splits on her for a two count. Jody gave Trinity a series of clotheslines in the corner, followed by a suplex for a two count. Trinity and Jody exchanged strikes. Jody dropped Trinity with a punch. Trinity fired back with a kick and made a comeback. Jody speared Trinity and both wrestlers were down. Jody gave Trinity the running double knees. Jody drove Trinity to the mat for a two count. Trinity drove Jody headfirst into the mat and got a two count. Trinity wrapped her legs around Jody’s waist and drove her to the mat and got the pin. Deonna Purrazzo was shown looking on in the back.

WINNER: Trinity in 6:00.

(D.L.’s Take: A mirror of last week’s match with the challenger Deonna facing KiLynn King.  A good warmup match to make Trinity look good against a quality opponent going into the title match at Emergence.)

-Jake Something video package. Jake talked about facing Sanada at Emergence. He said people might not know who he is but they will find out. He ended by saying “What’s my name?” [c]

-A graphic came on the screen that said “In Memory of Terry Funk, 1944-2023” along with his picture, as a voiceover offered condolences.

-Highlight video of the Multiverse United 2 show.

-Gia Miller interviewed Josh Alexander. He talked about his five month journey back to the ring after his injury. He said he had nerves and doubts. He said he felt he was back where he belonged at the Multiverse show. He said after Emergence, he would be ready to get back into the title picture.

(2) LAREDO KID vs. DEANER (w/Kon)

Kid wanted to shake hands at the start, but Deaner pushed him away. Kid took Deaner to the mat. After some criss-cross action, Kid caught Deaner with a rana. They fought on the outside. Deaner used a distraction from Kon to clothesline Kid. Back in the ring, Deaner used his legs to snap Kid’s neck and go on offense. Kid make a comeback and got a two count after a driver. Kid did a dive from the top rope to the floor on Kon. Deaner gave Kid a DDT as he got back in the ring and got the pin.

WINNER: Deaner in 4:00.

Deaner took the mic after the match. He said that Eric Young created Deaner in his own image but all it got Eric was a knife in his chest. He said Eric came back to finish his story but he is no longer in control; Deaner is. Deaner said he is now the author and the designer and he says how this story ends. He said it will end at Emergence and challenged Eric to a no-DQ match.

(D.L.’s Take: Too short to amount to much, but Kid got in some good moves. Mostly a setup to introduce the no-DQ match at Emergence.)

-A retro 80’s style video aired to promote Johnny Swinger taking on Kenny King for the Digital Media Title. The voiceover said that Dave Penzer better learn how to announce Swinger as the new champion. [c]

-PCO was looking for Bully Ray backstage. Gia Miller tried to interview him but he just yelled out Bully’s name and kept searching.

(3) ABC (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) vs. THE GOOD HANDS (John Skyler & Jason Hotch)

Skyler did mic work before the match. He denied being hired by the Rascalz, then insulted Chicago. Ace and Skyler started the match. Ace took Skyler to the mat. The Hands tried to double team Ace, but he fought them off. ABC double teamed Hotch. Ace got a two count on Hotch after a double team move. Ace suplexed Hotch. Bey dropped an elbow on Hotch for a two count. [c]

The Good Hands got the heat on Ace. Hotch worked on Ace’s arm. Ace caught Hotch with a spin kick. Bey got the hot tag and took on the Hands by himself. Bey gave Skyler a slingshot DDT for a two count. Skyler knocked Bey into Ace. Hotch sent Bey sailing over the top rope. The Hands double teamed Ace and got a two count. Fans chanted “This is awesome.” Bey legdropped Hotch and did a dive on Skyler on the outside. ABC hit the Art of Finesse on Hotch and Bey got the pin.

WINNERS: ABC in 15:00.

(D.L.’s Take: This built to a solid tag team contest. ABC continues to shine and The Good Hands look good every time they are featured.)

-Subculture promo video. They talked about facing the Rascalz at Emergence and proving that they are the best.

-Joe Hendry & Yuya Uemura video. A voiceover said that they would embark on a journey of discovery starting at the Countdown to Emergence show. [c]

-Trinity/Deonna Purrazzo video recapping their feud.

(4) CHRIS SABIN vs. SAMURAY DEL SOL

This was Del Sol’s debut in Impact. Del Sol sent Sabin out of the ring early. Sabin dropkicked Del Sol and worked on his knee. Sabin put Del Sol in a submission but he reached the ropes to break it. Sabin continued to work on the knee and put on the STF until Del Sol reached the ropes. Sabin dropkicked Del Sol’s knee again. Sabin dropkicked Del Sol again and got another two count. [c]

Sabin put Del Sol in another submission. Del Sol escaped but Sabin continued to stomp him. Fan support was split. Del Sol made a comeback with kicks. Del Sol did a short rana on Sabin and sent him headfirst into the mat. Del Sol caught Sabin with a springboard crossbody block for a two count. Sabin gave Del Sol a DDT. Sabin clotheslined Del Sol. Sabin powerbombed Del Sol and floated over into a submission. Sabin got a two count after a bridging suplex. Del Sol made a comeback. Del Sol did a dive on Sabin on the outside. Back in the ring, Sabin caught Del Sol with a running knee. Sabin finished off Del Sol with the Cradle Shock.

WINNER: Chris Sabin in 19:00.

(D.L.’s Take: Strong win for Sabin. He was on offense for most of the match, but Del Sol got flashes of offense.)

-Part 3 of the Crazzy Steve interview. Steve said that his sight has been taken from him and his voice. He said he needed Tom Hannifan to help with his message. He said he is tired of being abandoned and forgotten and being on the receiving end of evil. He said if he can’t be an antidote to evil, he should be the plague. Steve grabbed Hannifan’s hand and Hannifan said Steve was hurting him. Hannifan called for help. Steve got increasingly angry and said he found his blindness to be deliberate. Steve got angry and knocked over furniture and attacked some of the people that ran in to help. He sprayed a mist in a guy’s face. He yelled he was comfortable with evil, violence, and being the psychopath in your story. [c]

-MK Ultra video. They talked about their title defense at Emergence. The video had red lighting and dramatic music underneath.

-Video package recapping the Frankie Kazarian/Eddie Edwards feud.

-Hannifan and Rehwoldt appeared on camera and ran down the matches for Emergence.

-PCO entered a hotel lobby and called out for Bully Ray. He walked down the hallway and continued yelling. The other guests could not have been happy about this.

-Brian Myers and Alex Shelley entered the ring for the main event. [c]

(5) ALEX SHELLEY vs. BRIAN MYERS — Impact Wrestling World Title match

All the wrestlers in the tag team match at Emergence were banned from ringside. Dave Penzer did the in-ring introductions. Shelley rolled up Myers for a two count early. Shelley worked on Myers’ arm. Shelley rolled up Myers for a two count and turned it into a Border City Stretch. Myers reached the ropes to break it. Shelley continued to work on the arm. Each wrestler had fan support. They fought on the floor and Myers rammed Shelley into the apron. [c]

Shelley and Myers exchanged punches. Shelley fired up and knocked Myers to the mat. Shelley sent Myers face-first into the turnbuckle. Shelley put the Border City Stretch on Myers. Myers turned Shelley over for a two count. Myers kicked Shelley and followed with an implant DDT for a two count. Myers speared Shelley for a two count. Shelley kicked Myers and got the Sliced Bread for a two count. Shelley put on the Border City Stretch again. Myers tried to reach the ropes, but Shelley rolled him back to the center of the ring. Myers tapped.

WINNER: Alex Shelley in 15:00.

After the match, Moose and Bully joined Myers and attacked Shelley. Hannifan said that Bully had lured PCO away from the building. Josh Alexander and Kushida ran in for the save. Backstage Lio Rush had attacked the fallen Chris Sabin. The fight continued in the ring as the show went off the air.

(D.L.’s Take: Good main event and Shelley’s streak continues of delivering exciting title matches and looking like a dominant champion.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: Not the most note-worthy edition of the show but it served its purpose of being an effective go-home show. Lots of video packages and wrestlers looking strong going into matches at Emergence. The Crazzy Steve segment took a turn, although not totally unexpected. Good main event to cap off the show.