Greetings and salutations! Another week of Impact Wrestling as we inch closer and closer to Slammiversary. But before we head to Windsor, Ontario on July 15, we head to Australia this weekend. Lio Rush is back in Impact and he is set for action. Will Nick Aldis address why he attacked Alex Shelley two weeks ago? So many questions, so without further ado, let’s get to it.

The show kicks off with a recap from last week’s show, and we go straight to the action.

X-Division Championship: Chris Sabin (c) vs. Trey Miguel

The match starts with a lock up and Trey gets the early advantage. Both men lock up again and they duel back and forth and end up outside of the ring. The action finally got started as both men trade punches at ringside. Miguel, once again with the advantage, rolls Sabin back into the ring. Sabin kicks Miguel off the apron and eventually hits a huge clothesline that rocked Miguel. Sabin with a Suplex that lead to a 2-count. Sabin with a kick and another cover, but the match continues.

Shortly thereafter, Miguel is able to get control of the match after knocking Sabin with a few punches. Sabin is on dream street and Miguel knocks Sabin down again with a Back Elbow, that leads to a 2-count to the former champ. Sabin comes right back to things as he kicks Miguel in the gut, and follows that up with a clothesline. Miguel ends up in the corner, and Sabin kicks him a few times then hits Suplex. Sabin now goes for a Cradle Shock, but Miguel gets out of it and goes to work on Sabin Sabin is able to attack the knees of Miguel by driving them on the mat, and following that up with a Dropkick to the left knee.

Sabin locked in a Crossface but Miguel is able to get a much needed rope break to have the match continue. Trey with a Hurricanrana and goes for the Top Rope Meteora, but Sabin right after being hit, locks in another Crossface. Sabin is ready to put Migeul away and hit a Cradle Shock, but a returning Zachary Wentz attacks Sabin causing a DQ finish

Winner: AND STILL X-Division Champion; Chris Sabin

The Rascalz hug and continue their beat down of Sabin until Alex Shelley comes out for the save.

In the back, Trey Miguel is interviewed and he says that its been three years since The Rascalz were last at Impact. Miguel says that he is not after the X-Division title anymore and they have their eyes set on the Tag Team Titles.

Trinity vs. Jai Vidal

Deonna Purrazzo is on commentary for this match. Vidal gets things started before the match even started and attacked Trinity from behind. Trinity comes back and hits a Dropkick and slap across the face of Vidal. Trinity with a choke but Vidal is pulled out of the ring by Savanah Evans. Trinity follows Vidal outside of the ring, and hits a Drookick that launches Vidal towards Evans, knocking her on the barricade. Gisele Shaw is now distracting the ref as Evans and Vidal lay the boots to Trinity.

Vidal with a cover but it wasn’t enough for the win. Trinity with a few punches to Vidal but gets yanked on by the hair. Vidal now with an Elbow for a 2-count. Trinity attempts a Sunset pin from the corner, to no avail, but she hits a Clothesline and a Back elbow. Trinity now climbed to the top rope and hit a Crossbody. Evans is back on the apron, and Trinity hits a Starstruck for the win.

Winner: Trinity

After the match, Shaw and Evans team up on Trinity and lay the boots to her. Purrazzo leaves commentary and makes the save.

Backstage, Brian Myers confronts Moose and hypes him up ahead of their tag title match at Slammiversary. Moose tells Myers to ditch the dead weight in The Good Hands.

footage of Johnny Swinger beating Bhupinder Gujjar on BTI. Zicky Dice was the ref. Now, Swinger asks Dice to put 1-0 on his record as he wants to reach 50. Another ref walks up and says he spoke to Santino and because of their collusion, the win doesn’t count

Lio Rush vs. Jack Price

Rus with a slap to get things started. Rush avoids any of Price’s offense. Rush throws Price to the corner, lands some kicks. Price goes outside, Rush follows and gets a punch for his efforts. Price set up Rush for a Powerbomb on the outside, but Rush escapes. Rush eventually hits a Suicide on Price. Back in the ring, Rush with some more kicks that send Price down. Rush up to the top rope and hits a Final Hour Splash for the win.

Winner: Lio Rush

Dirty Dango with some words for Marella. He said that Jim Cornette once slapped Santino Marella backstage and now with his daughter in the business, he wonders if she’s being slapped around. Santino responds and says Dango is out of his mind. Marella says that he should be retired but he will make Dango opay in Windsor at Slammiversary.

We see a replay of Bully and Maclin beating Edwards and Kazarian last week. Eddie and Alisha are chatting abut the communication issues with Kazarian. Kazarian walks up and wants answers from the Edwards.

KiLynn King vs. Masha Slamovich

Slamovich with a  handful of hair whips King around. King is on the outside and Slamovich is about to dive but King stops it before she jumped. King with some punches on Slamovich sending her to the corner.  King with a few stomps before Taylor Wilde pulls and holds Slamovich right in front of the ref. King with a lift but Slamovich rolls thorugh for and does a Double Stomp on the stomach of King. Both women trade punches, and this ends with Slamovich hitting a Suplex on King. Slamovich with the boots to King, followed by a Spin Kick which only lead to a 1-count.

King with a DVD for a 2-count. Both women once again trade punches and Slamovich hits a Spinning Back Fist. King retreats to the outside of the ring. Slamovich now his a Suicide Dive. Slamovich throws King in and as the ref checks on King, Wilde slams Slamovich and throws her back in the ring. Killer Kelly is now out and chokes Wilde with a chain. Back in the ring, Slamovich hits a Snow Plow for the win.

Winner: Masha Slamovich

After the match, Slamovich and Kelly look at each other with the chain….

A vignette airs on Scott D’Amore’s in-ring career. Scott, Dreamer, Shelley, and Sabin all discuss his career and the careers he’s helped as a coach

Gia Miller is with D’Amore. SHe asked if hes ready and D’Amore says he’s very much ready. D’AMore says that he’s not sure why they need a special enforcer in the match in Darren McCarty as he doesn’t plan to follow any rules. The Good Hands show up and blame D’Amore for their bad luck as its been bad since the Canadian Destroyer back in March in Windsor. D’Amore apolgizes to them and says that he will talk to Sanitno and as an apology will see if they can face PCO next week.

Yuya Uemura vs. Kenny King

Uemura takes down King with an Arm Stretch. Both men back up and King back Uemura to the corner. Uemura with some chops on King in the corner then applies a Headlock. King gets out and takes a breather but hits a cheap shot over the refs shoulder. Uemura comes back and is about to hit a Bulldog but King throws him off and hits a kick to the chest. King is now firmly in control of Uemura. King with some submission locks, and a Spinebuster, but it was only good for a 2-count. King with a Stalling Suplex, but Uemura reverses it and hits a DDT.

Back from the break, Uemura goes for several punches that all land on King. Ueura to the top rope, but King cuts him off. Uemura with a Crossbody, but misses. King with a Spin Kick, but Uemura moves out of the way and hits a few Forearms. King with some kicks on Uemura, then hits the Royal Flush seemingly out of nowhere for the win.

Winner: Kenny King

King and Jean celebrate until Digital Media champ, Joe Hendry comes out. Hendry debuts a new song for King that makes fun of him for being a male stripper.

It’s also announced that Slammiversary will include a five-way Ultimate X match featuring Jonathan Gresham, Mike Bailey, Kushida, Kevin Knight, and Angels.

Nick Aldis addresses Alex Shelley

Nick Aldis is out and asks for Shelley to come out so he can explain why he knocked him over the head with the belt. Shelley comes out but before he can get into the ring, Aldis said that he feels unsafe after Shelley’s unprovoked attack on Jimmy Jacobs. Aldis says that Shelley can sit with the fans, as that’s a safe distance. Aldis says that Shelley acts like a hero, but the truth is that hes a fake. Aldis says that as soon as Shelley got a seat at the table, he did everything he could do to get guys like him out. Aldis called Shelley a transitional champ and promises that the his reign will be over at Slammiversary. Aldis promises to humiliate and expose Shelley for the fake that he is.

Shelley finally tells Aldis to shut up, gets up and takes off his jacket. The two men brawl. Aldis throws Shelley to the ring post face first. Sabin runs down for the save as Aldis grabbed the title, but Lio Rush comes out and attacks Sabin. Aldis and Rush take out The Motor City Machine Guns. Aldis hits Shelley with the world title, while Rush hits Sabin with the X-Division belt. Aldis and Rush hold up the titles to end the show….

 

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Impact: June 29, 2023

Very much an ‘okay’ episode of Impact. We are getting the slow burn into Slammiversary which is shaping up to be a good card, but this weeks TV felt very passable. Hope things go red hot after the Australia tour this weekend.