With Under Siege taking place next Friday, this week’s episode of Impact Wrestling was all about setting the stage for that event. Excellent matches – including Trinity’s first in the company, and an action-packed 6-man tag team main event – and strong promos helped set the table for what should be a really good show next Friday.
Match 1: Trey Miguel vs. Laredo Kid
Miguel’s X-Division Championship wasn’t on the line in this one. Early on, Miguel tried to keep a slow pace, but got caught with a huge Flying Torpedo Dive to the floor. A nifty 619-esque move saw Miguel sweep Laredo’s legs out from underneath him and Laredo hit the apron face-first. Miguel then went back to a slow grind on Kid, keeping him down with boots and a nice Spinning Elbow Smash. Laredo fired back and got a 2-count after a Sit-out Powerbomb and a Moonsault. He then hit a nice Standing Flip DDT that stunned Miguel who surprisingly kicked out. The pace picked up with both of them trying to put the other away. After a quick exchange, a desperate Miguel yanked off Laredo Kid’s mask. Kid frantically covered his face with his hands, leaving him vulnerable for a roll-up pin.
This was a good opener. A year ago, Miguel would have seemed like a really unlikely heel – but he’s been really effective in the role, and the crowd loves to hate him.
Winner: Trey Miguel
Chris Sabin confronts Trey Miguel
After the match, Miguel ran down the crowd and boasted about himself. He said that the crowd had better respect him or he would hold the show hostage. He sat down in the ring and said he wouldn’t budge. Chris Sabin – who challenges for the title at Under Siege next Friday – came to the ring. Sabin said that Trey should only expect respect when he showed some of his own. Sabin said that Miguel has only shown disrespect by spray-painting the X-Division title. He named a number of historical X-Division champs and said Miguel has disrespected all of them – including himself, as a former 8-time champ.
Sabin said that he respects Miguel, which is why he has come out there. To look Trey in the eye and tell him face-to-face that he will beat him at Under Siege. After the dressing-down, Miguel looked froggy, but didn’t jump – instead, he rolled out of the ring and left.
Strong promo by Sabin here.
Trinity was in her dressing room getting ready for her match against KiLynn King later tonight when Jai Vidal interrupted her. Jai said that Gisele Shaw was angry after seeing the selfie that Jai had taken with Trinity last week. Trinity told Jai to tell Gisele that if she’s angry, she should accept Trinity’s open challenge at Under Siege. Jai said he’d pass on the message to Gisele who will be returning from injury next week.
Sami Callihan and Rich Swann sit-down interview
Sami and Rich did a sit-down interview together. They talked about the first match they had against each other, and how that led to a life-long friendship – in fact, a brotherhood. They went through their past conflicts in Impact and how they may have been at opposite sides of the ring and in the baby-face/heel dynamic. But they always knew they would each have one another’s back. Rich saw what The Design has been doing to Sami lately, and said he was going to help Sami end The Design.
Match 2: Ace Austin (w/ Chris Bey) vs. Jason Hotch (w/ John Skylar and Brian Myers)
Austin out-wrestled the “Good Hand” early on, using mat skills to keep Hotch grounded. But Hotch craftily whiplashed Austin’s face into the ring ropes and took over. Hotch held the advantage for some time including rocking Austin with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near-fall. Ace fired back with some big Spinning Kicks and a Double Foot Stomp on Hotch’s head. Austin had Hotch in position for The Fold, but Skylar interfered, prompting Bey to fly in and take him out. Hotch and Austin continued their battle, exchanging moves and pin attempts. In the end, Hotch pushed free from a roll-up, sending Austin too close to the ropes where he was sucker-punched by Myers behind the referee’s back. A stunned Austin fell backwards into another rollup by Hotch and this time he couldn’t kick out.
This was a solid match. The whole pairing of the Good Hands with Myers only accentuates how boring all three of their personalities are. If that’s what they’re going for, it’s working.
Winner: Jason Hotch
In the back, Steve Maclin told Champagne Singh and Shera that they somewhat redeemed themselves in his eyes after they took out Heath last week. He said he had another assignment for him tonight, and led them down the hall.
In the back, Gia Miller interviewed Jordynne Grace. Gia noted that Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo looked a bit shaken up when they accidentally collided during last week’s tag team match, and asked Grace if that will give her an edge when she challenges Purrazzo at Under Siege. Grace said that she wants Deonna to be 100% when they meet so there will be no excuse when Grace beats her for the title. Alisha Edwards barged in and irritatingly accused Grace of doing it to Purrazzo on purpose. Grace threatened to beat up Alisha, who hastily retreated.
Match 3: Trinity vs. KiLynn King (w/ Taylor Wilde)
Trinity started off with some fire, hitting King with various big boots and knees in the opening minute and nearly getting a pin after a Splits Legdrop. King tried to slow down Trinity, but only got a Standing Stinkface for her trouble. Interference from Wilde on the outside helped King take control, and she hit Trinity with some big shots all over the ring, including a vicious Clothesline that flattened Trinity and a huge Suplex – not to mention some more cheap shots from Wilde when the opportunity presented itself. The ref finally caught Wilde red-handed and ejected her from ringside. With the odds evened out, Trinity was able to come back, hitting King with a huge High Cross Body, a pair of Clotheslines, and a Disaster Kick. King fired back with some big power moves of her own. The action went back-and-forth for some time, including a Yay-Boo exchange in the middle of the ring. After escaping a Pump-handle Slam attempt, Trinity hit King with a V-Trigger and then transitioned that into a nifty submission move that Trinity calls Star-Struck, from which King could not escape, forcing her to tap out.
This was a really good match. This was a great showcase for Trinity, and King also looked good, getting in some big offense. The crowd really liked Trinity and gave her a big-star reaction.
Winner: Trinity
After the match, Jai Vidal came to the ring and told Trinity that Gisele Shaw has accepted Trinity’s open challenge for a match at Under Siege. Jai tried to sucker-slap Trinity but she caught his arm and hit him with a Crescent Kick to the head.
In the back, Maclin, Singh, and Shera swarmed PCO and beat him down. Shera slammed him onto a pile of flattened out cardboard boxes, and then Maclin got into PCO’s face and trash-talked him. They stacked a couple of cinder blocks onto PCO’s back and then Maclin smashed them with a sledgehammer. PCO howled in pain and Maclin and his cohorts took off.
The Coven walked up to Jessicka, who was sitting in front of the doorway to the Undead Realm, and sad because Rosemary had not yet returned from there. They suggested Jessicka go in there and get Rosemary, but she said the doorway was locked and their magic wasn’t powerful enough to unlock it. They said some menacing words to each other, and The Coven left.
Match 4: Jody Threat vs. Sierra
Threat completely dominated Sierra, hitting her with several power moves in rapid succession. Sierra barely mounted a comeback before the beating continued. Fortunately for Sierra, she would be put out of her misery in short order after a German Suplex and an F-416.
This was a glorified squash match for Threat, who the fans are really seeming to get behind.
Winner: Jody Threat
In a backstage hallway, Eddie Edwards and Alisha walked up to Frankie Kazarian. Eddie said that he and Frankie would have to be on the same page tonight if they had a chance in their tag team match. Eddie said that Frankie fancies himself as a locker room leader, but tonight, Frankie should follow his lead. Frankie sarcastically agreed, taking a shot at Eddie’s former leadership of Honor No More.
In his office, Dirty Dango cleared Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice of being the ones who attacked Santino Marella a few weeks back. He said they were too stupid to pull off that kind of scheme, and they were so stupid that they saw that as a good thing. They accused Joe Hendry who popped into the scene. Dango accused Hendry of the crime, but Hendry denied it and tried to walk away. Dango grabbed Hendry and they tussled. In the struggle, Dango’s shirt got torn, and everyone saw that a clump of his chest hair was missing. They deduced that it was his hair that had been left behind at the crime scene. Exposed as the criminal he is, Dango lashed out, slamming Hendry’s head against the whiteboard, before walking out of the room.
Match 5: Moose, Frankie Kazarian, and Eddie Edwards vs. Alex Shelley, Jonathan Gresham, and Yuya Uemara
The reason for the strange bedfellow tag teams in this one was that all six men are going to be in a Number One Contender match at Under Siege. After a bit of a feeling-out process between everyone on both teams, Eddie was isolated in the wrong corner after a big Knee Clip by Shelley. The face-heel dynamics were interesting in this one, given the unusual tandems. But the crowd certainly enjoyed watching Gresham hit Edwards with a Springboard Moonsault and then immediately follow that up with a Flying Dive to the floor on Kazarian, taking the show to the final commercial break.
Unfortunately, after the ads were finished, my TV and PVR were plagued with a power outage, and I missed the last half of the match. I’m told from someone who was able to see the match that things flew by and there was plenty of solid action throughout, and every one of them getting some highlight reel moves and moments. In the end, the tension between Eddie and Frankie hit a breaking point and the two started fighting. Kaz laid Eddie out with a big Clothesline, and then Shelley hit Eddie with Shell Shock to get the pin.
Reportedly this was a stellar main event. From the little I saw, I don’t doubt it. And I expect the 6-man match at Under Siege will be equally as good.
Winners: Alex Shelley, Yuya Uemara, and Jonathan Gresham
Impact Wrestling - May 18th, 2023
Cicero Stadium - Chicago, IL
The show – or at least what I could see of it before the technical gremlins invaded my TV – was a strong one. Trinity’s debut match was very good with a big-star feel. The attack on PCO should lead to some fun revenge next week.