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Killer Kelly looked to continue her undefeated streak Thursday night/Credit: Impact Wrestling
Killer Kelly had made life a living hell for former Knockouts champion Tasha Steelz in the weeks entering Thursday’s episode of Impact Wrestling and this week, she sent a message loudly and clearly to the Boricua Badass by way of another emphatic victory.
The enigmatic newcomer’s latest triumph came on a show that continued the build to the promotion’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view on Oct. 7 and featured several high-profile tag team matches featuring both current and former world champions.
Who emerged victoriously, leaving the broadcast with momentum on their side?
Find out with this recap of the Sept. 15 episode.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
“Speedball” Mike Bailey’s numerous defenses of the X-Division Championship showed signs of taking their toll on the Canadian-born competitor. Thursday, he put the title on the line against Mascara Dorada, who earned the title opportunity by way of a victory in a Four-Way match.
An ultra-competitive match concluded with Bailey once against fighting from underneath, cutting off a moonsault attempt by the challenger, and delivering the Ultima Weapon for the win and successful defense.
Honor No More’s Kenny King attacked from out of nowhere, laying Bailey out and setting himself up to be a
This was an excellent way to kick off the show, with nonstop action between two superb in-ring performers. Bailey has really established himself as one of the best wrestlers in the world here in 2022 and has laid claim to Match of the Year recognition by way of his in-ring performances.
King attacking makes sense and continues the trend of Honor No More targeting championships as the faction looks to establish its dominance. A match between him and Bailey should be very good.
Result
Bailey defeated Dorada
Grade
B+
Top Moments
In a pre-taped video package, Eric Young and Deaner recruited followers for Violent By Design, using physicality as needed to convince them to pledge allegiance to the cause.Impact EVP Scott D’Amore confronted Bailey backstage and informed him he will defend the X-Division Championship against Ring of Honor star and former booker, Delirious, at Victory Road. He also announced the return of the Triple Threat Revolver for the event to determine the No. 1 contender to Speedball’s title.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
Could Moose and Steve Maclin coexist long enough to defeat the team of Black Taurus and Crazzy Steve of Decay?
The answer was a resounding “no” as the underdog babyfaces scored the win over the high-profile stars with whom they shared the ring.
The match was fine for what it was, but the biggest takeaway came afterward in the form of Sami Callihan appearing and driving a wedge between Maclin and Moose. He unveiled footage from earlier in the day of Maclin vowing to take out Moose before the former world champion does the same to him.
A brawl between Moose and Maclin ensued before Callihan drove them both from the ring and stood tall.
For a feud that has three genuine main event competitors involved, this still feels very cold. It should be hotter and the Barbed Wire Massacre match will probably be appropriately violent and badass, but it feels more like a Band-Aid on so-so creative than the culmination of a long, intense feud that it should be.
Result
Decay defeated Moose and Maclin
Grade
C
Top Moments
Taya Valkyrie, Jessicka and Rosemary were backstage, where the former told the latter that it is she who is at the root of their recent dissension. Not Jessicka.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
A week ago, a cryptic Killer Kelly told Tasha Steelz she likes it when people watch and Thursday night, the Boricua Badass did just that, joining the commentary team as the red-headed enigma battled Alisha Edwards in singles competition.
The aggressive Kelly made short work of Alisha, tapping her out to the Killer Clutch.
After the match, the victor and Steelz crawled to the center of the ring, coming face to face. Kelly told Steelz she would see her at Victory Road, adding yet another anticipated match to the Sept. 23 card.
Everything that Kelly has done since arriving at Impact has been fantastic.
From the vignettes announcing her debut to the character work she has put in, she looks and is presented like a star. She is going to be a force to be dealt with in the Knockouts division and should be a shoe-in to be champion, at least once, within the next year.
Imagine a showdown with Masha Slamovich.
Result
Kelly defeated Alisha via submission
Grade
A
Top Moments
The mid-ring face-to-face between Kelly and Steelz was really well done and set up a big PPV match to boot, making it doubly effective.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
The battle between Impact World champion Josh Alexander and Honor No More continued Thursday night as The Walking Weapon teamed with Rich Swann to battle Knockout Tag Team champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett, accompanied as always by Maria Kanellis.
A competitive match culminated with No. 1 contender Eddie Edwards appearing at ringside and capitalizing on a distraction by Kanellis to blast Alexander with a kendo stick. Heath, still on his one-man quest for vengeance against Honor No More, entered the squared circle and delivered the Wake-Up Call to Bennet, drawing the DQ.
Not only was the match itself good, but so was the creative pieces at play.
Not only has Heath positioned himself as a vigilante-like force, continuously targeting Honor No More for their attempts at prematurely retiring him, but he has also been at odds with Alexander over his incessant interference in the champion’s business.
Here, it cost Alexander and Swann gold.
How the issues between Heath and Alexander eventually rear their head on the road to Bound For Glory, and even at the show itself, remain to be seen but that little bit of side drama has added to what would have otherwise been a straight babyface vs. heel faction storyline that we had all seen before.
Result
Honor No More defeated Alexander and Swann via submission
Grade
B
Top Moments
D’Amore approached Alexander, Heath and Swann backstage and told them to settle their differences or suffer because next week, they face Bennet, Taven and Edwards in a huge six-man tag team main event.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
Mickie James continued her redemption tour this week, looking to beat anyone she has to in order to prove herself worthy of a shot at the Knockouts Championship. A loss, though, and she would be retired from the squared circle for good.
Her opponent? Indie star Hyan, who was trained for competition by WWE Hall of Famer, Booker T.
Hyan gave her a tougher-than-expected match but in the end, James finished her with the Mickie-DT, securing another win and ensuring her career continued for another week.
Then, Gisele Shaw entered the Impact Zone.
The Quintessential Diva challenged James to a match and the future Hall of Famer was eager to accept.
James vs. Shaw is an interesting match-up and is a logical next step for James as she graduates from one-off opponents to actual members of the Knockouts division.
Result
James defeated Hyan
Grade
C
Top Moments
During a backstage segment involving Zicky Dice, Johnny Swinger and Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace, it was revealed the latter will face Max The Impaler at Victory Road. The indie standout is Masha Slamovich’s hand-picked opponent for Grace.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
Despite nearly two decades of success, The Motor City Machine Guns and The Good Brothers had never clashed in a traditional, two-on-two tag team match prior to Thursday night’s main event.
Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley controlled a large portion of the match, targeting the knees of “Machine Gun” Karl Anderson while cutting him off from his partner, Doc Gallows.
Gallows eventually tagged in and the action broke down but it was, appropriately enough, the Guns and their isolation of Anderson that led to the end of the match. With the Big LG out of the picture, Sabin and Shelley put Anderson away with the Skull and Bones for the hard-fought victory.
One is never really sure of what they are getting from the Good Brothers at any given point. Sometimes, the team is uber-motivated and hellbent on proving they can hang with any team from any other generation.
Others, they are not.
Luckily, we got option A this week. Anderson and Gallows strapped on their work boots and delivered the sort of performance that a match between two respected, celebrated teams such as them and the MCMGs deserve.
The crowd inside the Impact Zone treated it as such, too, raining down on the performers with chants of “this is awesome,” before popping for the post-match show of mutual respect.
From a storyline perspective, this meant nothing. It advanced nothing, nor was it the conclusion of a long, drawn-out storyline. It was a one-off and there is nothing wrong with that.
The right team went over and as revealed on commentary, sets Sabin and Shelley up for a date with Aussie Open.
Result
Motor City Machine Guns defeated The Good Brothers
Grade
B+
Top Moments
The post-match embrace felt a lot like the end of The Good Brothers’ time in Impact, if only for the time being.
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