Greetings and salutations all! We are firmly on the road to Slammiversary and this weeks show will really start setting things up for that huge show on July 15, 2023. On this weeks show Steve Maclin and Bully Ray will test their tag team skills as they team up to face Frankie Kazarian and Eddie Edwards. Also in the “Can they co-exist” edition of Impact we have Mike Bailey teaming up with Jonathan Gresham as they face Kon and Angels of The Design. We have tons of action so without further ado, let’s get to it.

Brian Myers & The Good Hands (Jason Hotch & John Skyler) VS oVe (Sami Callihan, Madman Fulton & Jake Crist)

This trios match was a fun way to start the show. It wasn’t anything special or amazing but it was good. There was a lot of back and forth 50/50 action. Moose ends up running down and pushed Crist from the top rope. This caused Callihan and Fulton to run after Moose. Myers tags back into the match and hits a Roster Cut on Crist for the win.

Winner: Brian Myers & The Good Hands (Jason Hotch & John Skyler)

In the back, Sami Callihan and Frankie Kazarian are chatting and strategizing about their upcoming match. They are yelling back and forth at each other and both aren’t sure they can trust the other. Edwards swore on the grave of Killer Kowalski that he can be trusted.

Also in the back, Callihan is mad throwing things. Rich Swann goes up to him and apologized for not being there for him at Against All Odds. Swann said he knows how Moose and Myers can be and told Callihan he will make him a priority and be there for him…

Dirty Dango VS Bhupinder Gujjar

This match wasn’t as long as I thought it was going to be. Dango took down Gujjar and strutted his stuff to the crowd giving Gujjar the window to charge at him. Gujjar gets pushed to the corner but he rolls out and kicks Dango. Dango evades more kicks and launches himself onto Gujjar. Gujjar goes for a Gargoyle Spear but Dango moves out of the way and hits the inverted DDT.

Winner: Dirty Dango

Dango grabbed the stage manager’s cell phone to film something. Santino Marella came out, and a distracted Dango was tossed back in the ring by Gujjar. Santino locks in The Cobra.

The closing moments of the BIT match were shown where Jody Threat beat Nevaeh. In the back they were chatting and Cortney Rush and Jessicka were seen also walking around. Rush and Jessicka talk about their old characters. Nevaeh suggest to them that they figure out their origin story. Death Dollz like that and run away.

Zicky Dice is training to be a ref with Johnny Swinger. Dice eventually passed and got his license, shirt and a certificate with the help of Swinger. Dice also got a  speech about he was entering a brotherhood of unsung heroes. Swinger now things he is firmly on the way to 50 wins.

Mike Bailey & Jonathan Gresham VS The Design (Kon & Angels) (w/ Deaner)

Bailey and Angels gets things started. Gresham and Bailey are working well as a team and even shake each others hands. Kon takes both men down. Angels focuses the attack on Gresham while Kon is all over Bailey on the outside. Bailey fights back with some chops and starts firing kicks. Bailey with a Missile Dropkick and a Shooting Star Press bu Kon just gets up with Bailey in his hands and ends up hitting a Power Slam on him. Gresham with a Pop-up Cutter on Angels. Bailey and Angels battle it out in the ring while Gresham and Kon are fighting outside.

Angels accidentally runs into Deaner at ringside. Bailey lands a huge kick to the jaw of Angels. Back in the ring, Bailey hits a Tornado kick and goes to the top rope but Angels follows him up top and hits a big Spanish Fly. Deaner yells at Angels from the apron. This distraction causes Angels to miss a frog splash. Bailey lands tornado kick followed by Ultimo Weapon for the win.

Winners: Mike Bailey & Jonathan Gresham

Gia Scott is with Trinity and she asked about the possibility if Gisele Shaw winning the title in Australia next week causing their match to become a 3-way at Slammiversary. Trinity isn’t all too concerned.

Jimmy Jacobs appeared with a statement from Nick Aldis saying he wouldn’t appear on tonight’s show due to threats from Alex Shelley’s fans after last week’s show. Shelley interrupts and says he didn’t buy it. Jacobs said Aldis would be there next week and when Shelley left, he said it took Shelley 20 years to win the big one and it’s already gone to his head…Shelley with a Superkick to Jacobs.

Killer Kelly VS Taylor Wilde (w/ KiLynn King)

Both women lock up to start the match. Kelly eventually hits Taylor with some kicks. Kelly hits the ropes and KiLynn pulls one down causing Kelly to fall outside. Kelly slowly gets back into the ring and Wilde takes full control of her and hits various attacks that are focused on the back and spine of Kelly

Wilde puts Kelly on the middle rope and tries to choke her. Wilde with a 2-count. Kelly then finally mounts a comeback and hits headbutts and Suplexes Wilde right into the corner. Kelly with a running Dropkick for a 2-count of her own. Both women try small packages for pins. Kelly into a Killer Clutch on Wilde, Wilde rolls back and gets out but Kelly catches Wilde in a sneaky roll up for the win.

Winner: Killer Kelly

After the match, The Coven attack Kelly but Masha Slamovich makes the save with a chair. Masha takes out Wilde, Kelly takes out King. The Coven run away.

We see highlights of Ray and Maclin taking out D’Amore last week. Gia Miller is with Scott D’Amore and asks him about taking a leave from being president. D’Amore says he’s ready to get down and dirty at Slammiversary. He says it’s going to rain holy hell in Windsor and that one of them will not be walking out of the bout.

Digital Media Championship: Joe Hendry (c) VS against Yuya Uemura

Kenny King and Sheldon Jean are out for commentary. This was a short but fun match. Uemura with the early advantage but Hendry comes back and hits a few Suplexes followed by a Clothesline. Hendry with an Elbow but Uemura comes back with a Neckbreaker for a 2-count. Hendry comes back and takes Uemura down and keeps him down on the mat. Both men eventually come back up and they trade punches in the ring. Uemura with a HUGE Clothesline. Uemura with a Bodyslam then heads to the top. Hendry comes back up and cuts Uemura at the top but eats a Forearm. Yuya hits a crossbody but Joe rolls through and catches him. Hendry hits the Standing Ovation slam for the win

Winner: AND STILL Digitial Media Champion; Joe Hendry 

Steve Maclin & Bully Ray vs. Frankie Kazarian & Alex Shelley

Bully throws Kazarian around in the heel corner. Maclin comes back in and grounds Kaz with a chin lock on the mat. Eddie and Kaz stay on the same page by double suplexing Bully. Eddie flies out of the ring onto Bully while Kaz hits Maclin with a hurricanrana. Ray chased Alisha around the ring and Maclin attacked Edwards. Eddie is thrown out as Ray grabs a chair but Kazarian intervenes alloweing Edwards to get back into the ring.

Maclin puts a chinlock in on Eddie inside. Bully comes back in and stomps on Eddie’s left leg. Maclin returns and punches Kazarian off the apron. Eddie and Maclin then go back and forth. Edwards find the opening to get the TAG!

Kazarian got the hot tag and cleared the ring of both Ray and Maclin. Maclin back in and get the upper hand. Maclin goes for a KIA but Kazarian countered it. Now Kazarian with a reverse piledriver for a 2-count. Kazarian then locked a Chikenwing Crossface on Maclin. Edwards goes for a Superkick, but Maclin ducked it and it hit Kazarian. Ray and Maclin hit a combo back suplex/neckbreaker to get the pin and win.

Winners: Steve Maclin & Bully Ray

Next weekend’s Impact Down Under pay-per-views from Australia announced matches:

  • Friday: Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry defends against Eddie Edwards
  • Friday: X-Division Champion Chris Sabin defends against Frankie Kazarian
  • Saturday: Impact Tag Team Champions Chris Bey & Alex Shelley defend against Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)

Next Thursday’s TV from Atlanta:

  • X-Division Champion Chris Sabin defends against Trey Miguel
  • Trinity vs. Jai Vidal
  • Nick Aldis will explain his actions from last week to Alex Shelley
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Impact: June 22, 2023

This was a very average episode of Impact TV. The in-ring was good enough, and we had enough build towards the Australia shows and Slammiversary. The Australia shows seem a bit rushed and out of canon that are wedged during the Slammiversary build up. That said, I am liking the overall direction.