With the holiday last week, I wasn’t home to cover IMPACT so it’s going to be a fun night of how much I remember and how well they frame the stories.

We’re on the road to Hard to Kill, so we need to remind people about Over Drive and then move forward. I’m also curious if we get any resolution on the VBD stare down after EY lost. I really don’t want EY to get kicked since that will be a sad group of mid card sacks of shit. But I guess we’ll see.

The Motor City Machine Guns are going to get their IMPACT World Tag Team Title Shot NEXT WEEK!@fakekinkade @SuperChrisSabin @HEATHXXII #Rhino#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/LPx1fK0fSe

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 2, 2022

Ratings:

• Rich Swann vs Bully Ray: Swann wins via DQ – * 1/2
• Moose vs Bhupinder Gujjar: Moose wins via Lights Out – * 3/4
• Steve Maclin vs Frankie Kazarian: Kaz wins via DQ – **
• Last Rodeo: Deonna Purrazzo vs Mickie James: Mickie wins via Victory Roll – *** 1/2

Results:

We get the Over Drive highlights, so I’m guessing they did their usual Thanksgiving fun episode. Bully Ray walks out to start the show. Bully recaps things, explains how he kept his word while running down the crowd, intimidating children and doing solid heel work. 

It goes a little long, but thankfully Rich Swann eventually gets sick of the diatribe and rushes the ring. Swann gets in a few pot shots, but Bully bails out, tries to walk away and gets a plancha. The referee comes out and the match will kick off the show!

Rich Swann vs Bully Ray

Bully jaws a little, lays in some punches and power moves but Rich eventually turns the tide. The quick step over back kick and a Frog Splash for 1. But then Bully catches Rich on the top rope, Tree of Woe and starts wailing on him.

Bully keeps control of Swann until Swann drops down with the Jawbreaker and then we see him start using the speed and athleticism with kicks and top rope moves. Bully stifles Rich, goes for the Avalanche Senton as he flirts with the referee and misses. Rich hits a 450 Splash for 2, and then we see a little back and forth, before Bully grabs his chain and hits Rich in front of the referee. So the DQ happens but Bully doesn’t care. Bully gets a chair and other weapons from under the ring and starts beating on Rich.

Bully really likes these zip ties, Tommy Dreamer comes out to stop Bully though. They argue, Bully shoves Dreamer and then D’Amore hits the ring to try and quell this. Bully is defiant, even D’Amore is getting fired up and looks like he wants to fight Bully. Dreamer trying to keep D’Amore away from Bully is funny and pretty great. 

Moose vs Bhupinder Gujjar

Definitely not a match I expected. 

Moose gets in the early shots, but Gujjar starts to fire back and he gets some solid shots sending Moose to the outside. Gujjar takes to long to pander after the Dropkick and Moose has him eat a Big Boot into an Apron Powerbomb.

Gujjar shows more fire but Moose cuts him down. Moose goes for the Lights Out, but Gujjar dodges sending Moose into the corner. A few shots, Ripcord Knee, Slingblade and now…tuning up the Gargoyle Spear but Moose side steps it like Samoa Joe. Gujjar leapfrogs the Lights Out again, but Moose puts the brakes on and fires back connecting with the Lights Out and the win.

Moose starts to rant and says that he doesn’t want any of the idiots to to talk about Bully Ray or “Say his name”, and then JOE HENDRY’s music hits! There is already a “This is Awesome” chant just with Joe Hendry and Moose standing in the ring. Hendry fights Moose off mostly and Gujjar hits the awful Spear out of nowhere to get Moose to powder out. 

.@MeanGiaMiller caught up with @SpeedballBailey to talk about @KennyKingPb2's "Mission"!#IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/nc9XdzFf5h

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 2, 2022

Steve Maclin vs Frankie Kazarian

Maclin starts off with some big strikes but Kaz ducks the line and hits the Springboard Reverse Elbow, and begins his offensive. Kaz beats on him in one corner then Maclin tosses him out and we see some back and forth. Neither are really landing big strikes, Maclin keeps some control with smaller strikes and knees against the ropes, but nothing really definitive.

A few of Maclin’s shots piss off Kaz and they Hockey Fight a little but Maclin keeps all of the control. Kaz does finally start a comeback and we get some of the classic Kaz Flying Forearm, Guillotine Legdrop and Slingshot Cutter. Maclin powder…and grabs a chair. So…another DQ finish?

Last Rodeo: Deonna Purrazzo vs Mickie James

They do a good job pacing things back and forth early on. Deonna fights back and starts to rock Mickie, the Slingshot into the bottom rope gives Deonna full control. Headlock Takeover and tries to wear Mickie down, Mickie fires back but Deonna refuses to give her the advantage. Mickie finally manages to slow her down with a Headscissors and now we get Mickie dropping Deonna down, Mickie goes to the top for the Thesz Press, but Deonna pushes her off.

Commercial break kicks in, and Deonna hits a Brainbuster for a few sequential pinfall attempts, but Mickie refuses to stay down. Camel Clutch from Deonna is wearing down Mickie but she manages to fight out. A few back elbows, then Mickie goes to the ropes to try offense but Deonna stifles. They struggle and Mickie finally gets Deonna on the outside, Dropkick and Thesz Press to the outside.

Mickie throws Deonna in, Missile Dropkick, Neckbreaker and looking for the Mick D-T, but Deonna stops it. Tornado DDT attempt from Mickie, but a Pump Kick from Deonna drops Mickie for a 2 count. Queen’s Gambit attempt, Superkick counter from Mickie for another 2. Mick D-T again, but Deonna blocks and swings around driving Mickie down into the Fujiwara. Venus Di Milo gets locked in too close to the ropes.

Locomotion Victory Rolls, Deonna tries to grab the tights, but Mickie counters through and picks up the win with a little tights pull of her own.

Jordynne’s music hits. She basically says they both put things behind them, and challenges Mickie at Hard to Kill. Career versus Title. 

"ELIMINATE THE SICKNESS!!!"@TheEricYoung @CodyDeaner #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/prKamHFMbN

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) December 2, 2022

Overall Score: 6/10

Honestly, Bully went on a little long, Moose’s promo was a little too similar to Bully just being a piece of shit. Plus the match quality aside from the main event was lame, two DQs is redundant…so yeah, not sure what to make of this.

Career versus Title for Knockouts is nice but then after that we had the vignette killing off Eric Young so VBD is a mid card faction. Which I guess is a little sad since this is the best Deaner we’ve ever seen, but he’s still not a credible on the card.

So it was a weird show, but Joe Hendry always makes things a little better.