Impact Wrestling will wrap up their two show Australian debut tour with another pay-per-view from Wagga Wagga.
The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) will attempt to win nearly all of Impact’s men’s titles as they challenge Impact Tag Team Champions Ace Austin & Chris Bey. Shelley is the current World Champion while Sabin is the X-Division Champion.
Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo will defend against Gisele Shaw. If Shaw wins, she will defend against both Purrazzo and Trinity at Slammiversary.
Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry will look to go 2-0 in title defenses this weekend as he attempts to fend off the challenge of Moose.
Brian Myers will battle Frankie Kazarian as Kazarian’s original opponent, Steve Maclin, was hurt on Friday.
Other matches include Killer Kelly vs. Steph De Lander; Robbie Eagles vs. Adam Brooks; Eddie Edwards vs. Slex; and the Natural Classics vs. The Velocities in a clash of Australian talent.
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Adam Brooks defeated Robbie Eagles to become the inaugural Oceania Pro Wrestling World Champion (13:01)
Oceania Pro Wrestling is a new Australian events company that is looking to bring international promotions into the country and has been instrumental in making this Impact Down Under tour a reality. They are looking to establish their own championship, which presumably will be defended at shows they promote along other promotions.
Brooks is opening an Impact PPV for the second night in a row in search of a win while Eagles also lost in yesterday’s X-Division three-way and wants to both pick up the win and capture some gold. Brian Myers was supposed to have been in this match, but will replace Steve Maclin (who got injured last night) and will face Frankie Kazarian later on tonight.
They started out with wrist locks and Eagles transitioned into a headlock before they started trading quick pinfall attempts. Eagles hit some quick head scissors that sent Brooks to ringside and then looked to follow up with a dive, but thought better of it and backflipped back into the ring instead.
Brooks tried a crossface, then suplexed Eagles into the turnbuckle and rolled to ringside, where he swiftly ate a running kick by Adams from the apron. Brooks proceeded to knee Eagles in the head and then hit a flying knee off the second turnbuckle for a near fall. Eagles came back with chops and rabbit elbow to the back of Brooks’ head.
Eagles hit running double knees in the corner and went for the Ron Miller special, his inverted figure four, but opted for a knee drop instead. Brooks trapped Eagles face down on the turnbuckle and delivered a kick to the face before hitting a TKO on the top rope that sent Eagles to the outside. Brooks followed with a dive and jumping DDT from the apron for another close two count.
Brooks was limping due to damage done to his knee by Eagles as the two got into a strike exchange. They traded spots and counters until Eagles hit a poisonrana, followed by Sliced Bread. Eagles locked in the Ron Eagles special, but Brooks eventually got to the ropes. Eagles went for a 450 splash, but Brooks got his feet up and hit a Swanton bomb to get the pin and title.
– The announcers ran down the card and recapped yesterday’s results which you can look up in yesterday’s report.
Gisele Shaw promo
Shaw talked about being a powerhouse, but also did her tape study and can be a technical wrestler. She said she would leave Wagga Wagga the new Knockouts champion, said she would break Deonna Purrazzo’s arm, and called her a bitch.
The Natural Classics (Stevie Filip & Tome Filip) defeated The Velocities (Jude London & Paris De Silva) (4:45)
The Natural Classics are part of NJPW’s Bullet Club through its Australian Rogue Army subgroup and were part of NJPW TAMASHII tapings over the past few months, as were their opponents. The Velocities also have been three-time tag team champions in their home promotions, PWA, wrestled for the NWA and in Europe, for promotions such as RevPro and OTT and had some bangers with fellow Australians, Aussie Open.
The Natural Classics face-palmed their smaller opponents before the match, earning a double dropkick for their troubles before being thrown to ringside with some impressive double team spots before the match even officially started.
Tome Filip got double-teamed early before Stevie came in and wiped out De Silva. De Silva managed to thwart both guys and dove for a hot tag, just as his partner got pulled off the apron. Finally, De Silva managed to tag in London, who ran wild with dropkicks and a flying wristlock/headscissor combo. He followed up with a springboard Stundog Millionaire on Stevie.
The Velocities were looking to hit a top rope move and a dive simultaneously but both got thwarted. The Natural Classics then hit a power bomb/neckbreaker combo on De Silva to pick up the impressive victory here. This was great while it lasted, but could easily have gone twice as long.
Deonna Purrazzo promo
She mocked Gisele Shaw for learning a submission hold but said she was not a technical wrestler and that she herself was the master of the Fujiwara armbar, the best female technical wrestler in the world, and a three-time Knockouts champion.
Impact Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry defeated Moose to retain (12:17)
Those two had some battles over the Digital Media championship earlier this year, including in a Dot Combat match at No Surrender.
Hendry cut a promo before the match and talked about being at the Wagga Wagga zoo yesterday and saw a lot of different animals. He then went to his Victoria hotel bar later that night and saw a dancing moose, which prompted an according chant from the crowd. He said the moose was not dancing to a song, but to two words: “We Believe.”
Hendry hit a shoulder block to start, but Moose didn’t budge. They started a test of strength that Moose initially got the better off, then kicked Hendry in the gut. He went for a corner charge, but Hendry just casually walked away while Moose ran into the turnbuckles. Hendry hit a suplex, but Moose popped right back up and they fought at ringside.
Hendry sent Moose into the ring post and then proceeded to smash Moose’s head into the apron ten times, which he eventually succeeded in after a brief interlude. Moose briefly appeared foggy, but managed to kick Hendry as he re-entered the ring. Moose chopped Hendry in the corner before hitting a uranage for a two count.
Hendry eventually blocked some of Moose’s punches and even did the Hulk Hogan “You!” finger point before hitting a cutter for a nearfall of his own. He followed with ten punches in the corner to complete the 1980s throwback. A fallaway slam followed before Hendry went for the Standing Ovation, which was blocked.
Moose hit a beautiful dropkick and power bomb for another near fall. Hendry evaded a spear that sent Moose into the corner, but still got rolled up. Hendry hit a lariat and an impressive pop-up power bomb that almost won him the match as the crowd erupted into “This is Awesome!” chants.
Moose hit a huge superplex from the top rope and held on to deliver another one, but instead Hendry suplexed him, which left both men at the mat. They traded elbows before Moose caught him in a backslide for another near fall. Moose rolled him up once more but grabbed the tights in plain sight of the referee, who stopped his count to reprimand Moose. Hendry used that opportunity to roll up Moose for the win.
Quick trivia note: Hendry beat two former Impact World champions on back-to-back nights here.
Impact wrestlers at a special needs school
Another clip of some of the wrestlers talking at an alternative school for students with mental problems aired. This was really nice and it looked like they talked about some issues close to the kids’ hearts.
Eddie Edwards defeated Slex (11:49)
Slex beat Adam Brooks last night while Edwards lost to Joe Hendry. Both men also wrestled for NOAH in the past and Slex just returned from a tour with the group in May.
Edwards rolled to ringside right away as he was not happy with his crowd reaction. He eventually returned to the ring and proceeded to head butt Slex. Slex came back with some chops and quick arm drags that left Edwards visibly worried.
Slex used his speed to send Edwards to ringside and briefly worked him over on the outside. Edwards caught him with a hard right on a dive attempt though and they ended up on the apron where Edwards hit a high kick and slam onto the hardest part of the ring.
Edwards was in control and worked over Slex for a bit, before dropping him with a nasty elbow on a whip in. Eddie looked to be setting up for the Die Hard Driver and they had a battle of suplex attempts that Slex eventually won. Slex got a near fall off a crossbody, but got caught in a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count.
Slex picked Edwards off the turnbuckles, hoisted him on his shoulders and hit a spinning fireman’s carry into a power bomb, a move he calls the Business Bomb. Edwards ended up at ringside and got caught with a tornado DDT off the apron and a top rope moonsault once back inside the ring for another near fall.
Edwards hit a backpack stunner and Tiger Driver, which each scored him a near fall. He followed up with the Boston Knee Party to pick up the win.
– Another Wagga Wagga holiday highlights video aired.
Steph De Lander defeated Killer Kelly (9:53)
De Lander cut a quick promo, talking about being better than all of the fans and Kelly.
Kelly once more slid towards her opponent on all fours, but De Lander quickly attacked her before finding herself on the receiving end of an onslaught. De Lander rolled to ringside, evaded a soccer kick and hoisted Kelly on her shoulders to no particular avail. She still managed to throw Kelly shoulder first into the ring post.
Back in the ring, De Lander took over, sat Kelly on the top turnbuckle and followed with a running kick and suplex. Kelly came back with forearm strikes, but quickly got clotheslined back down for a two count. De Lander choked Kelly in the ropes and followed with another suplex.
Kelly powered back up and got into a striking battle, but got beaten down again. De Lander locked in a bear hug, but Kelly fought out, trapped the arms, and hit a few head butts for good measure.
Kelly hit the shotgun basement dropkick in the corner for a near fall and then looked to lift her opponent up for a Death Valley Driver, who countered with a German suplex for a two count. Kelly got De Lander to tumble, then hit a running kick and went for another cover back inside.
De Lander got back in control for a bit, but Kelly managed to hit a DDT for a two. Kelly went to lock in the Killer Clutch, but De Lander repeatedly backed her into the corners and broke the hold. She hit a slightly ugly looking F5 to pick up her first victory in Impact Wrestling.
Frankie Kazarian promo
Franke Kazarian talked about how Steve Maclin was supposed to have been his opponent tonight, but Maclin apparently suffered an injury in his World title match last night. So, Kazarian will face Brian Myers instead. He said Myers could go back to playing with toys later but he would beat him tonight and Eddie Edwards next Thursday on Impact Wrestling.
Frankie Kazarian defeated Brian Myers (14:45)
Myers immediately dover out of the ring as the match started. As he got back inside, Kazarian also left the ring, which enraged Myers.
Eventually they properly started the match and traded wrist locks and head locks for the first few minutes. The pace eventually picked up when Kazarian hit a side Russian leg sweep and then bashed Myers’ head into the turnbuckle. He followed with a DDT for a two count.
Kazarian tried getting Myers on the top rope, but he slipped away and threw Kazarian to the mat. Myers continued to employ nefarious tactics and was firmly in the control for the next portion of the match. Kazarian came back with a rollup, followed by a small package for two quick nearfalls.
An enzuigiri by Myers stopped Kazarian in his tracks as Myers went for a chin lock and kick to the back. Kazarian got a few strikes in, but quickly fell victim to a DDT before getting locked in another chin lock on the mat.
Kazarian escaped via a belly to back suplex, a number of elbows, power slam and leg drop, Kazarian went to the apron, delivered a guillotine leg drop, and a floatover DDT for another two count.
Myers counted a chicken wing attempt into a Michinoku Driver for another two count and went for the Roster Cut, which was turned into a sunset flip. Myers got another near fall with a spear, then went up top and hit a top rope elbow for yet another close near fall.
Kazarian distracted Myers with another roll up, then locked in the chicken wing, forcing Myers to quickly tap.
Impact Tag Team Champions ABC (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) defeated The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) to retain the titles (19:03)
These two have been battling each other in various matches and promotions for exactly one year now, having first met at Against All Odds in July of last year, which was also the debut match of ABC as a tag team.
Shelley and Bey started out and milked the crowd for almost two minutes. They quickly ended up on the mat trading holds. Bey hit a spinning uppercut to the back of Shelley’s neck before they traded punches. Sabin blind tagged in and hit a lariat on an unsuspecting Bey.
Austin tagged in and caught Sabin in a headlock before trading offense. The MCMG double teamed Austin before Shelley took him back down to the mat. He locked in a straight jacket choke. Austin eventually tagged out and hit a dive on the MCMG at ringside.
Shelley fought both members of ABC off, tagged Sabin and the MCMG once more overwhelmed ABC. Sabin had Bey firmly under control, then tagged in Shelley and hit a combo surfboard/bulldog on Bey, but not before taunting Austin about it.
Bey sent Sabin into Shelley twice to stop the MCMG’s momentum. Austin came in and ran wild, including hitting a leg drop and top rope double dropkick on both opponents which sent them to the outside. Austin evaded attacks by both men on the apron. Back in the ring, ABC isolated Sabin, who briefly made a comeback but got dropped with a head kick. Shelley managed to slam Austin into the turnbuckles, but also got taken out quickly.
Bey went for the Art of Finesse, but got caught and double teamed. He evaded a clothesline by Sabin who hit Shelley, followed by them taking MCMG down with a Double Art of Finesse (reverse springboard stunner).
ABC went for the One Two Sweet, but got thwarted with Sabin eventually hitting a cutter on Bey after some innovative tag team spots. MCMG hit a (kind of) assisted Sliced Bread on Bey for a close near fall. ABC took out Sabin, hit the One Two Sweet on Shelly, then hit an assisted top rope cutter, followed by the One Two Sweet on Sabin to pick up the victory and defend their titles in a wild and fun match.
After a few tense moments, both teams shook hands and embraced after the match.
Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo defeated Gisele Shaw to retain (17:04)
If Shaw wins here, the Slammiversary Knockouts title match between Purrazzo and Trinity becomes a three-way with Shaw added to the mix as champion
Shaw immediately rolled to ringside, channeling her inner Brian Myers, I guess. They ended up on the mat with Purrazzo locking in a head scissors but Shaw escaping. Shaw tried the same move, but found herself on the wrong end of a wrist lock as Purrazzo proceeded to work over her arm.
Shaw offered a Roman knuckle lock into a test of strength that went back and forth, until Purrazzo managed to take Shaw down. Shaw hit a wheelbarrow roll up, then went for a leg submission, which quickly got countered. When both were back on their feet, Shaw grabbed a head of hair and rained down a few chops on the champion, but quickly got rolled up, which Purrazzo transitioned into an armbar. They ended up close to the ropes, sow Shaw easily forced a break.
Shaw smashed Purrazzo head first into the mat, then began attacking the left arm. Shaw kept working the arm over and locked in a hammerlock. Purrazzo escaped, but got thrown into the post shoulder first, further injuring the arm.
After a brief interlude at ringside, Shaw went for a cover right as they re-entered the ring. Shaw went for an arm bar on the injured arm and threw some elbows on it for good measure. Purrazzo powered out and managed to throw Shaw into the post shoulder-first to pay back the earlier attack.
Shaw fell to ringside but made it back into the ring at five. Purrazzo proceeded to chop Shaw with one arm, hit a side Russian leg sweep and went for the Fujiwara arm bar but could not lock the hold in due to her own injuries. Shaw went for an Fujiwara armbar of her own, but Purrazzo got her feet on the ropes.
Purrazzo hit a pump kick, ate a superkick but still managed to hit a Flatliner and lock in a Koji clutch, but Shaw escaped. They traded elbows and Shaw hit Shock and Awe for a close near fall. Shaw went for the Fujiwara arm bar again, but Purrazzo knocked her off. Shaw went right back to the move, but Purrazzo rolled out again. Shaw went for the arm bar a third time, but Purrazzo escaped and locked in Venus di Milo with one arm, forcing Shaw to verbally submit.
Final Thoughts:
Another fun show and strong showing of Impact Wrestling. The show had everything from a high impact modern style to old school wrestling and great entertainment. I hardly get to watch Impact these days, but that is more a problem of too much wrestling and rather than not putting on a good product. If you want to get your wrestling fix in with a weekly two-hour show and the occasional streaming special and PPV, Impact Wrestling in 2023 might just be the wrestling product for you.
