SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
IMPACT WRESTLING TV REPORT
OCTOBER 19, 2023
MEMPHIS, TN AT GRACELAND LIVE
AIRED ON AXS TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
-Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt
-Recap of last week’s events.
-“We own the night” intro.
(1) “SPEEDBALL” MIKE BAILEY vs. SAMURAY DEL SOL
Del Sol answered the open challenge that Bailey issued last week. They went move for move to a stalemate then bumped fists. After another exchange, they pushed each other and it escalated to punches. SDS ducked a Bailey dive to the floor, then connected with a moonsault from the top rope to the floor. Back in the ring, SDS had the upper hand. Bailey came back with rapid fire kicks. Bailey landed a series of kicks and a running shooting star press. SDS battled back. They landed dropkicks at the same time.
They fought on the floor and connected on dropkicks at the same time again. They battled on the apron. Bailey kicked SDS from the ropes to the floor, then connected on a dive. Fans chanted for Bailey. SDS gave Bailey a driver off the ropes. SDS led the fans in a “Lucha” chant. Bailey caught SDS with a slam. SDS escaped a Tornado Kick, but Bailey got the Ultima Weapon to the back for the pin.
WINNER: “Speedball” Mike Bailey in 9:00.
(D.L.’s Take: What a way to start the show. This was all action with plenty of high-flying. Del Sol is a great addition to Impact but I would like to see him in something more focused. Bailey has momentum going into his big match against Will Ospreay at Bound For Glory.)
-Dirty Dango promo segment. He was with Alpha Bravo and Oleg Prudius. He called Memphis “ghetto” and made jokes about the Flying Elvises. He talked about Bravo making mistakes and said they may need an audit. He talked about Oleg beating John Wick. He said that Bravo would throw himself on a grenade, but Oleg was the grenade. [c]
-ABC promo. Chris Bey and Ace Austin said the Rascalz were ducking them. They said they were ready to regain the belts and would have a great match, but they would teach the Rascalz a lesson.
(2) KENNY KING (w/Sheldon Jean) vs. HEATH
They traded punches at the start. Heath clotheslined King, who regrouped on the outside. They fought at ringside. Heath decked Jean. Heath suplexed King back into the ring. They fought on the outside and Heath appeared to tweak his ankle. Back in the ring, King went after Heath’s ankle. Heath battled back, but King cut him off. They clotheslined each other. Heath made a comeback as he continued to sell his ankle. King went for a pin with his feet on the ropes, but the referee stopped his count. Heath gave King a spinebuster for a two count. Heath punched Jean off the apron. King came back with a kick and the Royal Flush for the pin. [c]
WINNER: Kenny King in 9:00.
(D.L.’s Take: Solid match. This would seem to be the end of their brief feud.)
-Frankie Kazarian promo from last week after the main event. He said he loved Eddie Edwards and they share a bond going back to the training at Killer Kowalski’s school. He said he and Eddie would drive Impact to new heights and that they respected each other.
(3) BLACK TAURUS vs. CRAZZY STEVE
This was a no-DQ match. Steve bailed out of the ring but Taurus followed him. Taurus had the early advantage. The action spilled to the floor. Taurus looked for weapons under the ring. [c]
Taurus slammed Steve through two chairs that were set up in the ring and got a two count. Taurus gave Steve two sling blades. Steve made a comeback and gave Taurus a rana into the mat, followed by a cannonball for a two count. Taurus gave Steve a big punch. Steve backdropped Taurus over the top rope onto a pile of chairs on the floor. Steve pulled a fork out of his briefcase. They fought over the fork on the floor and into the ring. Taurus had the advantage and Steve pleaded for mercy. Taurus threw the fork out. Steve went after the eyes of Taurus and gave him a DDT for the pin.
WINNER: Crazzy Steve in 10:00.
(D.L.’s Take: They didn’t too anything too risky, although I’m sure the chair spots hurt. The Crazzy Steve journey continues. I thought they might set something up with him and Tommy Dreamer here for BFG, but that didn’t happen.)
Brief promos from Brian Myers, Eric Young, Dirty Dango, Bully Ray, Jake Something, Jordynne Grace, Joe Hendry, Frankie Kazarian, KiLynn King, Kenny King, Jody Threat, Gisele Shaw, Eddie Edwards, and Alisha Edwards about the Call Your Shot Gauntlet match at Bound For Glory.
-Moose, Brian Myers, PCO, and Rhino were shown coming to the ring. [c]
-Gia Miller interviewed Trinity and Mickie James. Gia asked if it would be tough to transition from partners tonight to opponents at BFG. Trinity said they wouldn’t have a problem. Mickie said they have respect for each other and the best women will win tonight and the best woman will win at BFG. Gia complimented them on their attire.
(4) RHINO & PCO vs. MOOSE & BRIAN MYERS
Myers and Rhino started the match. Rhino used his strength to get the upper hand. Moose and PCO tagged in. They exchanged chops. Rhino chopped Moose. Rhino rammed Moose’s head into the turnbuckle. Moose punched Rhino. [c]
Moose and Myers kept the advantage on Rhino. Rhino suplexed Moose then made the tag to PCO, who ran wild on Myers. PCO legdropped Myers. PCO gave Myers a reverse DDT. Moose pulled Myers out of the way of a moonsault. Rhino suplexed Moose. As Rhino was going for the Gore, Maclin pulled him out of the ring and attacked him. Bully appeared and stood in Maclin’s way. PCO did a dive onto Maclin. Moose hit the spear on PCO and got the pin.
WINNER: Moose and Myers in 15:00.
(D.L.’s Take: Decent tag match that set up the Monster’s Ball match at BFG.)
-MK Ultra promo. Masha Slamovich spoke in Russian. Killer Kelly said that Deonna Purrazzo and Tasha Steelz had stepped in their world and there was no escape. Kelly said when you step in the ring with MK Ultra, you get broken. She said Deonna and Tasha would fall at BFG. Good dramatic promo. [c]
-Promo for the Mike Bailey/Will Ospreay match at BFG.
-Backstage, Rhino told Bully Ray he didn’t trust him and he didn’t need his help. After Rhino walked off, Bully said “You’re welcome.”
-Scott D’Amore moderated a sitdown interview with Alex Shelley and Josh Alexander all in separate rooms. Scott they were separated because they had an altercation last time they were in the same ring. Shelley was mad that Alexander got the first question. Alexander said that Shelley was the face of the company. Shelley wanted to know why Alexander gave the “rah rah” speech at Impact 1000 instead of him. Shelley said Alexander has been on a six month vacation. He accused Alexander of trying to get out of the match. Shelley told Alexander to be quiet while he was talking. Alexander said he would never back out of a fight. He said he was worried about Shelley’s mental well-being and said he was going insane and babbling. Alexander said Shelley was buckling under the pressure. Shelley left the set and said to take us to break. [c]
-Shelley attacked Alexander, who was still sitting for his interview. Scott D’Amore broke it up.
-Hannifan and Rehwoldt ran down the matches for Bound For Glory.
(5) TRINITY & MICKIE JAMES vs. GISELE SHAW & SAVANNAH EVANS
Shaw and Evans attacked Trinity and Mickie before the bell. [c]
The bell rang during the commercial break. Trinity legdropped Shaw. Trinity dove over the top rope onto Shaw and Evans. Shaw used a distraction to get the advantage on Trinity. Shaw and Evans tagged in and out to keep the upper hand on Trinity. Trinity fought her way out and finally made the tag to Mickie. Mickie gave Shaw a rana followed by a Thesz press from the top rope. Evans gave Mickie a backbreaker and Shaw dropkicked Mickie. All four wrestlers fought. Trinity and Mickie kicked Evans. Mickie gave Evans a DDT for the pin. Trinity and Mickie raised each other’s hands but Mickie looked at the belt as they continued to hold hands.
WINNERS: Trinity and Mickie James in 13:00.
(D.L.’s Take: Standard tag match. No blow-up between Trinity and Mickie, but they are going at the respect and friendship angle pretty hard, which usually lays the groundwork for a turn.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: An effective go-home show. The in-ring action was good, but mainly served the purpose of setting the table for their big show of the year, Bound For Glory. Most of the promos were kept short, but did well in building anticipation for the BFG matches. I liked the interview segment with Alex Shelley and Josh Alexander because it showed that Shelley is on the verge of cracking. An entertaining show overall and the BFG lineup looks stellar.
Darrin Lilly is a Pro Wrestling Torch contributor who writes the weekly Impact Wrestling TV results and co-hosts the Impact Wrestling podcast for the site with John Laslo. You can find him on Instagram and Threads at dklstl or on You Tube at Darrin’s Wrestling World, including a new video recapping his attendance at a recent WWE Smackdown taping.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.