Andrew’s IMPACT Results & Match Ratings: 1.13.2022

We come out of Hard to Kill with no new champions but a lot of new opportunities. Deonna gets a shot at Rok-C and the ROH Women’s Championship. Moose is handing out title shots and Mike Bailey is working on increasing his early stock in IMPACT.

Should be interesting to see where this first episode out of a major PPV takes us!

Ratings:

• Chris Bey vs Laredo Kid: Kid wins via Laredo Fly – *** ¼
• Jake Something vs “Speedball” Mike Bailey: Speedball wins via Ultima Weapon – ** ¾
• Masha Slamovich vs Vert Vixen: Masha wins via Northern Lights Bomb – N/A
• IMPACT World Championship: Moose (c) vs Zicky Dice w/VSK & Brian Myers: Moose retains via Uranage – N/A
• Raj Singh vs Jonah: Jonah wins via Tsunami – N/A
• Winner Take All: ROH Women’s World Championships vs AAA Reina de Reinas Campionship: Rok-C (c) vs Deonna Purrazzo w/Mattew Rehwoldt (c): Deonna wins via Venus de Milo – *** ¾ – TITLE CHANGE!!!

Results:

The show kicks off with a very mad Massive Cassidy. He storms the ring, calls out Moose, but Moose doesn’t bite. Instead he appears on the tron, states that there will be a World Title match tonight but not involving Cassidy. The big man storms to the back to try and lay into Moose, but Scott D’Amore stops him and then ROH resurfaces!

Matt Taven and Vincent are at commentary trying to get the headsets off D’lo and Tom “New Name” as Taven keeps calling him. D’lo starts to comply but eventually gets sick of them and fights back. Mike Bennet grabs him, they all lay him out on a table for PCO to dive and ROH makes an early statement.

Chris Bey vs Laredo Kid

Trey Miguel is out on commentary and of course to fill in blanks since he needs a number one contender. Early back and forth action starts to swing after Chris Bey pulls off the Tiger Wall on the post, to flip behind Laredo and take control of the match. Coming back from commercial we get a lot more of Chris Bey having his way.

Bey stays in control until we get to the outside again and Bey starts trading barbs with Trey. Bey slips a little between his Pump Kick so Laredo uses the fact it wasn’t flush to Back Body Drop Bey into the top rope as Bey bounces off the rope, the apron and then onto the floor. Bey gets run around a little, and Laredo goes for a High Speed Suicide Dive right as Bey starts to turn and situate himself. Laredo hits a driver for a near fall and we just get some solid action from Laredo.

Trey Miguel is a little cringe, but the fact that he just speaks in memes and Tom Hannifan is more than willing to play in that space actually makes commentary pretty amusing through this match. Bey fights back with a Spinebuster, big Brain Buster, but only a near fall. Bey tries to finish things off but Laredo fights back, rocks Bey on the corner, and we get a Laredo Fly and a 1-2-3 for Laredo Kid.

After the match we see the IMPACT squad from Hard to Kill looking to find the ROH crew. So there will be some random brawling to look forward to!

Jake Something vs “Speedball” Mike Bailey

Ace and Madman Fulton are doing guest commentary for a match between the two guys that beat them on the Countdown to Hard to Kill show. You know, I’m aware of who Mike Bailey is…but looking at how he enters the ring he reminds of a young Eric Bischoff steering into the martial arts gimmick.

Rope run early spot turns into Bailey showing his speed but Jake’s strength gives him an early advantage until a Dropkick sends Jake to the outside. Back Handspring fake out bow just annoys Jake. So when Bailey goes to hit the ropes again, Jake grabs the legs, pulls him to the outside and hits the Apron Powerbomb. Jake starts throwing around Bailey, rocks him with a bit Forearm, for a 2 count. Bailey tries to make a comeback but the big Thesz Press keeps Jake’s momentum mostly intact. Once they hit the ring, Bailey flies, Jake catches him, Bailey gets out of the Powerbomb, Sole Butt, Axe Kick, Buzzsaw Kick into a Corkscrew Senton.

Jake starts working his way back into the match, Speedball catches him with that corner Tornado Kick and then the Shooting Star Double Kneedrop, which he calls Ultima Weapon. Speedball is 2-0.

Masha Slamovich vs Vert Vixen

Good Masha gets to kill more Indie talent. What kind of name is Vert anyway? Masha makes light work, ending with her Nothern Lights Bomb and looks like a potential threat to Mickie James.

Josh Alexander walks out as Masha is walking up the ramp and they exchange nods before Josh makes it to the ring. Josh basically goes over the laundry list of what he’s been through to prove he deserves his World Title shot. He makes very similar claims that Massive Cassidy made about having to go through him to get to the ring. Then Charlie Haas’ music plays.

Charlie eludes to World’s Greatest Tag Team and similar pedigrees between both of them. Then issues a challenge. Josh starts nice saying he’d gladly give him the match after he gets his title shot. Haas cold cocks Josh to make a point, pull apart and I guess we all know where this is headed.

.@CharlieHaas is here and just challenged @Walking_Weapon!

#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/e78EG0rgxG

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) January 14, 2022

IMPACT World Championship: Moose (c) vs Zicky Dice w/VSK & Brian Myers

Zicky cocks his fist, Superman Punch is….ineffective. Zicky tries again, gets caught in an Uranage and Moose pins him with one foot. Oh yeah, Moose came out in street clothes, disrespecting the hell out of Zicky.

Massive Cassidy storms the ring after, Zicky stumbles into the crossfire to give Moose and out but Moose forgot the title…so Cassidy makes his intentions very clear. And then decides to make an example out of VSK as Moose collects the belt and then retreats.

Raj Singh vs Jonah

Well Raj is gonna die and we can prove that Rohit was the talent in the Desi Hit Squad. Jonah comes out to eat Raj because who cares about Raj. I’m just glad we get more of Jonah’s theme. Send him to the Morgue Jonah!

Raj maybe did a thing or two but it wasn’t close. Jonah murdered a man and capped it off with the Tsunami. He did play a classic game of Fling the Singh.

Backstage, Decay and Inspiration have a moment while we find Eddie Edwards laid out. Then Jonathan Gresham gets questioned about his involvement with the attacks and Steve Maclin pokes the bear to get his chance at the ROH Title.

Winner Take All: ROH Women’s World Championships vs AAA Reina de Reinas Campionship: Rok-C (c) vs Deonna Purrazzo w/Mattew Rehwoldt (c)

Early on we see Rok-C show her skills basically just playing Deonna’s game better than Deonna. It takes Deonna until she catches the younger champion on the ropes, pushes her off and manages to take some control with a more sadistic approach.

The Suzuki style of approach works perfectly as she finds different ways to attack Rok-C’s arm, and we even get an interesting World of Sport style of spot that leads to Deonna working over the arm again. Deonna posts herself though and that gives Rok-C option to his a Flying Thesz Press, Snapmare, a few quick attacks, a Satellite Rusian Leg Sweep and attempts the Rok-Lock but her arm gives out.

Fujiwara attempts from Deonna, Rock-C turns it into a cradle, a little bit of back and forth, Code Rok from Rok-C, but Deonna kicks out. Code Rok attempt, Deonna blocks that, Mexican Arm Drag, into a Fujiwara attempt, Cradle Counter, Rok-Lock, Rok-C kicks off the bottom rope to try and reapply, but Deonna turns it into a Fujiwara. Rok-C refuses to tap, grabs the referee’s pants to stop him from calling for the bell, so Deonna breaks Rok-C’s grip, changes the Fujiwara into the Venus de Milo and Rok-C verbally submits.

ROH people hit the ring, attack Rehwoldt, TNA style group brawl to go off the air.

Overall Score: 7.25/10

So the major thing we drew from this episode was a great main event, solid story beats moving forward with the guest commentary and that IMPACT isn’t afraid to allow Hannifan a little creative freedom in referencing his old job and relationships. Rehwoldt and Myers both had amusing things to say, Trey Miguel was tolerable and Ace with Fulton wasn’t too terrible either. Hannifan really adds an interesting wrinkle that hasn’t been in IMPACT commentary in a long time.

Aside from that, a few squashes don’t give us much to elaborate on, but Speedball looking great and Rok-C really making a great first impression on the IMPACT crowd was something special. Watch at least the main event, the rest of things were more building blocks to bigger things. Solid show though.