Greetings and Salutations all. We are heading into Rebellion weekend and with that in mind and this being the go home show, I suspect that we are in for a lot of stories to reach their climax before the big show Sunday. One of the looming questions heading into this week’s show is whether or not Mickie James will be wrestling on Sunday or not. We should also see Steve Maclin and KUSHIDA make their final push as they are set to collide on Sunday to determine the new World Champion on Sunday. With so much n the go, let’s get right to the action.

The show kicks off with a great video recapping the two world Champions story lines. The video caps off with a recap of Josh Alexander handing over the title last week.

Kenny King (w/ Team Bully) VS Frankie Kazarian (w/ Team Dreamer)

This match will determine whose team will have the advantage at Rebellion in Toronto on Sunday. The match started with King hitting a twisting slam on Kazarian. This early advantage lead to the early part of the match going in King’s favour. With Kazarian on the ground, King tried to put the match away with a Camel Clutch. King followed this up with a Spring Board Leg Drop which was good for a 2-count. Kazarian got back into the match and showed some signs of life though. Kazarian went for a Chicken ring but King was able to push backwards into the corner and hit a Sunset Flip for antoher 2-count.

With King firmly in control again he hit a Tiger Driver but couldn’t get the win. As the match kept going, Kazarian found himself in control of the match for a bit. Kazarian locked in a Chicken Wing but Brian Myers ran down and ended up on the apron to distract the referee. Moose runs in and Speared Kazarian giving King the opening to go for a pin and score the win.

Winner: Kenny King

After the match, Everyone brawls in the ring and Myers used a chain on Dreamer. Moose and Myers posed with team Bully putting them in the match making this a 7 on 5 affair now.

We see footage from earlier as the Canadian National Anthem is playing and Steve Maclin interrupts. Maclin said that there isn’t anyone in Impact that could beat him. KUSHIDA comes running out and they brawl away. Security couldn’t even separate the two. KUSHIDA knocked Maclin off the apron onto all the security guards to end the fight for now.

Laredo Kid VS Lince Dorado VS Rich Swann VS Black Taurus

This was a fat paced match from bell to bell. Things got started and Taurus steam rolls through everyone in the ring, sending them to the outside. Taurus goes through the ropes with a twist and takes everyone out yet again! Everyone made it back in the ring and ended up in a corner of their own allowing Taurus to continue his dominance over everyone as he splashes through everyone but it was Dorado who Super Kicked him to stop him opening the window for everyone to Super Kick Taurus at the same time. Taurus ended up outside and as Loredo Kid tried to splash onto him, he was caught but Rich Swann topples them both with a dive of his own. Dorado then takes everyone out as he springboard off the top rope to take everyone out.

Taurus slams Dorado and Kid with a tower of doom before Swann hits a splash on Taurus. Swnn with a Neckbreaker on Dorado and Kid rolls back in the ring and hits a Forearm shot on Swann in the corner. Dorado then hits a Backbreaker on Kid and a Golden Rewing Stunner on Swann and Kid at the same time. Taurus went for Dorado but Kid broke it up but Taurus turns his attention to Kid and slammed him. Swann with a Samoan Drop on Dorado. The action continues as all men are used as human weapons on each other but Taurus throws Dorado onto Swann outside and in the ring,  Kid counters a move and crucifix bombs Taurus but couldn’t put him away. Taurus was back and and he side steps a few attacks from Kid and then goes up to mthe top rope with Kid and Kid hits the Spanish Fly off the top rope and gets the cover and win.

Winner: Laredo Kid

We see a vignette for Bullet Club vs. Motor City Machine Guns in an Ultimate X match at Rebellion this Sunday live from Toronto.

Backstage, Rosemary and Jessicka were together and Rosemary attempted to enter the undead realm to retrieve “The Valkyrie”. Rosemary convinced Jessicka that she shouldn’t enter the undead realm as it was too dangerous. Rosemary tried to enter anyways , and the casket she would walk through did not let her. Her access has been cut off by black magic. The two decide that they need to think things through some more.

Taylor Wilde (w/ KiLynn King) VS Jessicka (w/ Rosemary)

Wilde was scared and intimitated by Jessicka as any offense Wilde had was no sold. Jessika ended up in the corner and Wilde finally got some offense in. Jessicka uses her strength to fight through Wilde’s offense and puts Wilde on her shoulders. Wilde slips out and hits a Backstabber on Jessicka. This didn’t phase Jessicka for too long as she came right back and hit a Bionic Elbow on Wilde and followed that up with a running low Crossbody. King with a ref distraction and hit a Fisherman’s Neckbreaker for the win before Rebellion.

Winner: Taylor Wilde

In the back, Jordynne Grace vows to become a three-time Knockouts Champion. She is amped up since she’s been waiting since January for a rematch.

Backstage, Alisha is with Eddie Edwards. Alisha addresses giving Eddie a second chance. She says PCO was holding him back, so she intervened. Eddie says he keeps coming back, and that is why he will bury him on Sunday.

Joe Hendry & Dirty Dango VS The Design (Callihan & Angels) (w/ Kon & Deaner)

Before the match, Joe Hendry cut a promo and got Dango to say “we believe”. The match started and Callihan and Angels tried to get the early win. Angels with a Neckbreaker and a pin attempt. Dango and Callihan fight back and forth in the middle of the ring and Dango hits a Russian Leg Sweep. Dango does a dance and hits a Leg Drop. Angels distracts Dango for a bit and this allows Callihan to hit a Death Valley Driver.

Angels with punches on Dango and several low effort pin attempts. Dango is able to get the tag for Hendry and he unloaded on The Design. Eventually, Kon distracts Hendry with a trip allowed Angels to hit a Sliced Bread. Angels lands a big frog splash but Dango breaks the cover.  Shortly thereafter, Angels holds Hendry for a chop but Deaner and Sami have a confrontation outside the ring as Hendry choke slams Angels in the ring for the win.

Winners: Joe Hendry & Dirty Dango

After the match, The Design attack Hendry and Dango until Santino Marella comes down. He puts on the cobra and strikes Angels.

We see vignette for the crowning of a new World Champion at Rebellion

PCO cut a promo about how he couldn’t die and he was coming to face Eddie Edwards at Rebellion.

Backstage, Bully Ray cuts a promo with his team and says that we thought we knew who was on his team but we were wrong.  Moose and Myers are officially replacing The Good Hands on his team to make it 5 on 5 again.

Tasha Steelz defeated Gisele Shaw (w/ Savannah Evans & Jai Vidal)

Right as the match got started, Shaw immediately rolled out of the ring and asked for a makeup touch up from Vidal. Shaw ends up back int he ring and Steelz hit a forearm that sent Shaw back to outside. Shaw got back up and sent Steelz outside of the ring and began to distract the ref. The ref distraction allowed Evans to hit a chokeslam on the apron. A few minutes later, Shaw locked on a camel clutch on Steelz. Steelz fought out with elbows and forearms, but Shaw ends up Kneeing her right in the head. With Steels in the corner, Shaw ran and hit her legs and followed that up with a double stomp. Shaw continued her offense with a Spinning Suplex on Steelz for a 2-count. Shaw followed that up with a chin lock but Steelz fights out again and hits a few Forearms on Steelz. Steelz now with a Neckbreaker and a basement Dropkick for a 2-count of her own. Steelz went for a Springboard Bulldog but Shaw counters it and hits a Lariat on the back of Steelz head.

Steelz went for the Black Out, but Shaw countered. Steelz kicked Shaw off the apron and then went for a dive, but Shaw moved out of the way making Steelz crash hard on the floor. Shaw and Steelz fight outside and eventually was distracted by Vidal. Shaw threw Steelz into the steps mand went for a running knee but Steelz moved and Shaw hit the steel steps. Shaw was down and Steelz went for a dropkick straight to her knee Steelz hit a Jackknife and score the pinfall win.

Winner: Tasha Steelz

Backstage, Santino Marella checked in on Mickie James before her announcement. James said that the doctor just called with the news…

The Verdict…

The entire building cleared out per James’ request. Mickie James was in the empty arena, and talked about how the Last Rodeo proved that she still had it and could fight. James said that any Knock Out in the back could beat her, and she would be happy to lose in the ring. James said that she wasn’t 20 years old again, but is getting older.

As she was talking, we see Deonna Purrazzo watching in the back with Jordynne Grace. Back in the ring, James said that she needed to do what was right for the locker room and the business, and that she was not cleared to compete at Rebellion.

She then put the title down in the ring along with her hat. We get the offical updated image for the Knockouts title match at Rebellion featuring Purrazo and Grace. The camera zooms in on James’ title and hat in the ring. Is this the end of Mickie James?

3.5

Impact TV: April 13, 2023

This was a straightforward episode of Impact TV. It’s a damn shame that Micke James is out of the match and i like the added touch of her possible retirement. Overall, this was just a fine episode that set up Rebellion on Sunday.