So last week just happened to line up with a very bad Thursday for me. I don’t miss many of these, so please excuse the absence for last week. Now I’m going to go into this episode without knowing what happened last week, so see how well they fill in blanks or recap. Normally I tend to disregard that aspect since I watch weekly, so this will be a slightly adjusted perspective.

I can tell by the YouTube loading graphic, that we’re getting Violent By Design vs Motor City Time Machine tonight! One can only assume that’s the main event, but even if it isn’t, it’s definitely a big selling points. Especially with The Guns being revealed as Jay Lethal’s partners at All Out.

Let’s see what’s IMPACT’s got this week!

.@TrueRajSingh wanted some RESPECT but was interrupted by @TheSamiCallihan attacking @SteveMaclin and @TheMooseNation!!#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/bGuflIOVmy

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) August 26, 2022

Ratings:

• Knockouts Tag Titles: Mia Yim & Jordynne Grace vs VXT (Deonna Purrazzo & Chelsea Green): VXT retain via The Due Collector – ***
• Karl Anderson vs Mike Bennett w/Maria Kanellis: Karl wins via Gun Stun – ** 1/2
• Jason Hotch vs Bhupinder Gujjar: Gujjar wins via Gargoyle Spear – N/A
• Vincent vs Josh Alexander: Alexander wins via C4 Spike – *
• JesSICKa vs Alisha Edwards: JesSICKa wins via Tomestone Piledriver – Squash
• Violent By Design (Eric Young, Deaner & Joe Doering) vs Motor City Time Machine (Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin & Kushida): Time Machine wins via Cradle Shock – *** 1/2

Results:

Opening package goes over that there was a 6 man elimination match for number one contender last week between Sami Callihan v Moose v Eddie Edwards v Rich Swann v Steve Maclin v Bandido. Eddie won, with only a little kendo stick help, so Honor No More is cookin right now.

Knockouts Tag Titles: Mia Yim & Jordynne Grace vs VXT (Deonna Purrazzo & Chelsea Green)

Jordynne and Chelsea start, and Jordynne has her in a headlock and refuses to give Chelsea breathing room for a little bit. Chelsea tags in Deonna, Deonna gets in a little bit of offense but Jordynne gets the best of things and a Paintbrush slap sends Deonna tagging in Chelsea. Jordynne has Chelsea up for a Suplex, and Deonna kicks her legs out from under her, turning it into a Facebuster and some momentum for VXT.

The momentum shifts a lot during this match. VXT show better intentional tag team chemistry, where Grace and Yim just kinda fall back into timely tags and occasional assistance. Jordynne tries to take a hot tag, but the VXT duo does stop any immediate pinfall failure. As for the flow, it keeps going back and forth, Jordynne takes a rough Crossbody from Deonna and all four women get a decent high spot against one another. Stereo dives, Jordynne hits Purrazzo but Chelsea clocks Mia. Numbers game works out, The Due Collector (tandem Pendulum) gives VXT the win!

Karl Anderson vs Mike Bennett w/Maria Kanellis

Apparently this holds some weight for the upcoming tag challenge, where if Karl can win; Maria is banned from ringside during the Tag Title match.

Nothing of crazy note early, Karl hits a Lariat that sends Mike ass over head onto the outside, and we get a commercial break. Coming back, Mike is in charge and the energy has spiked up slightly. Mike is taking it to Karl, and even goes for a nice heel spot of an extended rope run, getting people hype for a high impact move, and instead; Mike puts the brakes on and just thumbs Karl in the eye.

Mike is able to get across some personality, as Karl plays the old fashioned babyface, slowly coming back after a Shotgun Kick levels Mike. Maria jumps onto the apron, Taven shows up to try and use the numbers game but big LG is healthy, Chokeslam on the apron. Mike is on the backfoot and distracted, Gun Stun, and Maria is banned from ringside whenever the tag title match happens! The BC Babyfaces ride high.

Honor No More get their tag team title shot next week!

.@RealTSteelz was talking SMACK until @Kelly_WP showed up!#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/pm9Gx5DXNm

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) August 26, 2022

Brian Myers comes out on commentary for this match.

Jason Hotch vs Bhupinder Gujjar

I will give Hannifan, Rehwoldt and Myers credit. They know this match is worthless and they create the story beats and entertainment through commentary. Hotch gets a couple moments, which commentary puts over, but Gujjar wins with little real effort and Myers shits on the Gargoyle Spear, as well he should. It’s not a good finish.

Myers heads to the ring, to talk to Bhupinder. Myers cheap shots Gujjar, hits the Edgecution then tries to intimidate Scott Armstrong. Armstrong buys time for Gujjar, Gujjar hits the Gargoule Spear and Armstrong counts the pinfall as if it was real. Gujjar walks off with the title, turnabout being fair play and what not.

.@gailkimITSME just made it official! @DeonnaPurrazzo vs @mashaslamovich NEXT WEEK and the winner meets The Knockouts Champion @JordynneGrace at #BoundForGlory!#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/8dMOueR94X

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) August 26, 2022

Vincent vs Josh Alexander

Vincent is trying to stick and move, a little Stun Gun, Satellite Russian Leg Sweep, Redrum connects, but only for 2. He starts muttering to the crowd that he’s trying to help him, which buys time for Alexander to recover a little.

After missing a Knee Smash in the corner, Josh throws around Vincent a little. C4 – nope, slips it, but Josh goes for the Ankle Lock. Vincent gets to the ropes, goes for a Flying Guillotine, but Alexander powers through into a Falcon Arrow, then a C4 Spike. A little more fight than expected, but the result is chalk.

Honor No More music hits, and Eddie comes out with a microphone. Eddie continues a weird angle that Vincent started of ‘even though they’re opponents doesn’t mean they need to be enemies’. Some greater evil, now this could be hinting at if IMPACT decides to partner with another company or maybe its a veiled shot at wrestling vs sports entertainment. I will give Eddie some credit, this is probably his best promo ever. It’s a low bar, I’m fully aware, but it’s progress. He’s getting crowd reaction, he’s playing off it, they’re rejecting him because he’s the heel…all solid Wrestling 101. HEATH ATTACKS EDDIE MID RAMBLE and Josh doesn’t flinch.

JesSICKa vs Alisha Edwards

The Decay music hits, Rosemary comes out expecting the old spooky stuff and then a high energy club rock theme kicks in about “Let’s Get Sick!”. Bright colors, high energy, she’s SICK. Alisha is excited to see the new change but she’s not even a challenge for a goofy version of Havok.

JesSICKa does her own version of the Flip Flop and Fly. Low Crossbody Pancake, Lish got Squished. Lish tries a Crossbody, turns it into a “Cause I’m Sick” Tombstone. It’s goofy, but I’m not mad at it.

Violent By Design (Eric Young, Deaner & Joe Doering) vs Motor City Time Machine (Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin & Kushida)

Doering starts against Kushida. Definitely weird to see Doering lead off, much less against a Junior like Kushida. Doering brushes off Kushida and tag in EY. But a quick blind tag to Shelley gives us some high speed Time Splitters action. Deaner comes in and now we see some Machine Gun combinations, then finally some triplicate offense.

Shelley being the linchpin for some of the offensive spots is fun, EY doesn’t fully go over on the Flair Flop, but it’s by design and they have a cool spot where Shelley and Kushida retrain him and Sabin hits the KENTA style Stalling Dropkick. Doering comes in to act as Big Bear, he’s Iron Tough.

Action slows down but we get personality spots. VBD slows things down and goes for the grueling heel tactics as they work over Sabin. The other two Time Machine guys are frantically trying to do something, hype the crowd, just do the good babyface stuff. Malfunction at the junction for VBD give Kushida the chance to tag in and start to ramp up some energy for Time Machine. Time Splitter tandem action starts working the team back into the match.

Five hole dive turns into more of a giant opening dive, with some quick Knee Strikes from Shelley and Kushida. Sabin looks to finish Deaner, but Deaner counters with the Victory Roll for 2. Shelley turns things around for Sabin, Sabin hits a Cutter on Deaner, but Deaner doesn’t allow the Cradle Shock and tags in EY. EY takes out Sabin, Doering takes out Kushida and Shelley, so Sabin is currently a little outnumbered.

Running Powerslam from Doering into Dynamite Savage (Flying Headbutt/Savage Elbow), for 2! Deaner cuts off Sabin from a tag and looks for a Deaner DDT to finish the match. Deaner talks too long and Kushida literally shields Sabin. Shelley slides in, High Speed Dirt on Deaner, Cravat/Cartwheel Dropkick on EY and now it’s a 3v1 on Doering. Time Machine cuts down Doering. Yakuza Kick, Superkick, Bicycle Kick into Cradle Shock on Deaner for the Motor City Time Machine victory!

Overall Score: 7.25/10

I will say that the show did a decent job telling me the important story beats from last week that bled into this week. On top of solid enough in ring action; and at least when the wrestling was lacking, they had alternative ways to get the story across while being entertaining. I will admit I’m surprised that Masha is getting a shot at Deonna. Granted there’s plenty of ways for Deonna to excuse a loss, it just seems a little fast. Tasha excels in angles like she’s in with Kelly, where she’s being hunted. She can cut a solid promo, she looks good, her biggest issue is really just not being a very good wrestler. So trying to push more gimmick into her wrestling style of possibly wrestling with fear or against an obviously superior opponent is a way to cover her weaknesses.

Speaking of gimmicks, JesSICKa is interesting. I don’t hate it, I don’t like it as much as Susie or Susan – but it’s not bad at all. I’m intrigued to see where it goes. And Victory Road will have a Barbed Wire Massacre match with Sami, Moose and Maclin. Not sure if it’s a Handicap match or Triple Threat, but we have nearly a month to work that out.

Now we just get to wait and see what the end game with Honor No More is. But I did enjoy the episode, solid stuff.