Tag: Impact Over Drive

Impact World Champion Josh Alexander defends against Frankie Kazarian in the main event of Friday’s Over Drive, live from Louisville, Kentucky.

Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace and Masha Slamovich will revive their recent rivalry as they square off in a Last Knockout Standing match.

Impact Tag Team Champions Heath & Rhino will defend their titles for the first time as they take on Matt Cardona & Brian Myers while Knockouts Tag Team Champions The Death Dollz will defend against Tasha Steelz & Savannah Evans.

In the X-Division title tournament finals, former champion Trey Miguel will take on Black Taurus for the first time.

Mickie James will look to keep her career alive as she takes on Taylor Wilde while in a tables match, Bully Ray faces Moose.

The pre-show will feature a six-way featuring Kenny King vs. Mike Bailey vs. Yuya Uemura vs. Bhupinder Gujjar vs. Jason Hotch vs. Rich Swann; and Bullet Club’s Chris Bey & Ace Austin against the Motor City Machine Guns.

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Countdown to Over Drive:

The show started with Mike Bailey’s music ending and the bell ringing for the first match on the preshow, jumping right into the action.

Rich Swann defeated Kenny King, Mike Bailey, Yuya Uemura, Bhupinder Gujjar & Jason Hotch in a six-way

Everyone dumped King to the floor as soon as the bell rang. King didn’t stay on the floor for long and found himself a target of Bailey’s rapid fire kicks. Hotch dropkicked Bailey and them mocked the kicks before being taken out by Uemura, who started suplexing everyone.

Uemura turned 28 today, so I wondered if Impact would have him win here for his birthday. Gujjar hit a tope on everyone. Bodies started flying around the ring to the floor with Bailey hitting a moonsault and Swann hitting a phoenix splash onto everyone on the floor. Bailey and Swann entered the ring and exchanged fast paced offense.

Bailey kicked Swann as he came in with a corner charge, but was shoved off the ropes by King who then slammed Swann. Hotch kicked King and a charging Uemura before rolling through the ropes into the ring and hitting a neckbreaker on Swann and Uemura and double stomp on Swann.

Gujjar seemed out of place in this match, getting very little reaction from the crowd, but you have to start somewhere. Gujjar lifted Hotch in a fireman’s carry, and Bailey flew in and hit an Ultima weapon on Hotch while he was on the shoulders of Gujjar, driving both to the mat. That was incredible. King threw Bailey from the ring and then handed the match to a confused Swann who hit a handspring cutter on Hotch for the win.

– A recap video aired of the story around Bully Ray. The production was weird here, as we were getting audio from the video and in the arena at the same time, so it was echoing a fair bit. Regardless, it ended up recapping why we are seeing Bully Ray and Moose in a tables match tonight.

The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley) defeated Bullet Club (Chris Bey & Ace Austin)

This was an excellent match that could have been a great main card match, but since there was no real build to it, it makes sense to have it here. Bey and Austin are off to Japan for a month for the Jr. Tag League, and Sabin and Shelley will continue to defend their titles on NJPW Strong while going for the Impact Tag Team Championship as well.

Bey and Austin tried to isolate Sabin in the early part of the match, but he out worked them with his experience and was able to hit some good double team moves on Austin with Shelley. Shelley managed to work over the arms of Bey and Austin at the same time, but as he clotheslined Bey to the floor Austin was able to hit him with a pump kick.

Austin baited Sabin into the ring, which distracted the referee, and they were able to use some cheap shots on the floor to get the advantage over Shelley. Bey and Austin used some smooth offence on Shelley, ending with a double stomp to the back from Austin for a 2-count. Shelley was able to hit a flatliner into the middle turnbuckle on Austin to tag Sabin into the match.

Sabin hit a rolling fisherman’s suplex with a bridge for a 2-count. Austin and Bey tried to isolate Sabin again, but failed again, with Sabin dodging them and hitting a flying crossbody on Bullet Club. Both men ate a clothesline from Shelley, but weren’t down for long, pulling Shelley and Sabin from the apron. Sabin and Shelley slide into the ring and hit stereo German suplexes before hitting a Magic Killer on Chris Bey for a 2-count.

Bey slipped out of an attack and sent Shelley crashing face first into his own partner. Bey and Austin then double teamed Sabin, finally succeeding in some attacks on him. Bey hit a tope con giro while too sweeting Austin. Bey tried to hit the Art of Finesse on Sabin, but Sabin caught him and hit a German suplex. Shelley did a crucifix pin on Bey before Sabin rolled over into a jacknife pin for the victory.

Main Card:

After the excellent opening video package, the show jumped right into the first match.

Bully Ray defeated Moose in a tables match

This match was far better than I expected, though it was cleverly laid out to have Moose do a lot of the heavy lifting in the working department. Moose was outstanding in this one, and I can’t help but think it is regressive to have Ray beat Moose, but Moose is good enough to get his heat back. It just feels like he is circling with little direction, and Ray beating him doesn’t really help with that.

Moose started the match hitting a low blow on Bully Ray and a spear to leave him on the mat. Moose setup a table in the corner of the ring, but turned around into a spear from Bully Ray. Both men ended up on the floor, and Moose tried to put Ray through the timekeeper’s table, which would count, but Ray suplexed him on the floor.

As Ray setup another table in the ring, Moose nailed Ray with a chair to drop him. Moose tried to use a uranage to put Moose through the table, but Ray fought him off and hit him with a chair. Moose fought out of a uranage attempt from Ray and hit a pump kick. Moose tried to hit a frankensteiner off the top rope, but Ray caught him and hit a sit out powerbomb off the top rope.

Moose broke out of a Bully Bomb, ran up the ropes, and tried to hit a crossbody, but Ray caught him with a cutter on the way down, effectively hitting a 3D on Moose. That spot was awesome. Ray tried to spear Moose through a table, but Moose moved and Ray crashed headfirst through a table in the corner. Since Moose didn’t put him through it, the match had to continue.

The announcers drove home that this was the first tables match he has been in, so he might have forgotten the rules. Ray managed to avoid being put through the next one, and Ray speared Moose through the table.

– A cute promo aired of Tracy Brooks and her son predicting that Kazarian was going to win the Impact title tonight.

Knockouts World Tag Team Champions Death Dollz (Taya Valkyrie & Jessicka) (w/ Rosemary) defeated Tasha Steelz & Savannah Evans to retain

This was a solid tag match here, but it really made Steelz seem weak after losing the singles match on Impact and the tag match here. I have no issues with Death Dollz going over, but that match on Impact was odd.

Steelz started the match with Valkyrie, and I reiterate that it was dumb to beat the contender before the match last night on Impact. Valkyrie resumed where she left off, beating up Steelz. Jessicka threw Steelz to the opposite corner and told wanted to face Evans. Evans and Jessicka hit each other with hard forearms in the middle of the ring.

Steelz was able to turn it around for their team, hitting Valkyrie with a dropkick and yanking on the hair to keep the advantage. Valkyrie was eventually able to fire up on Evans, hitting a pump kick and a clothesline on Evans, but Steelz attacked Jessicka on the apron, drawing the attention of the referee, allowing them to drag Valkyrie back to their corner.

Valkyrie managed to shove Evans away with her foot and tag out to Jessicka, who dropped both Evans and Steelz before hitting a low crossbody on both for a 2-count. Jessicka managed to pick up Steelz and hit a Sick Driver for the 3-count.

– Bullet Club were backstage with the Motor City Machine Guns, and they told MCMG that they were going off to New Japan to get more experience, that they would come back better than ever, and that they were gunning for the NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Titles. The Guns said that they have been to Japan hundreds of times, and that NJPW makes people better.

When they get back, they could have a shot at the Openweight titles, and possibly the Impact Tag Titles too. At this comment, the Major Players showed up and laughed at the Machine Guns saying that they would be tag champs, and there is no way that MCMG would be Impact Tag Team champions again.

Mickie James defeated Taylor Wilde

This was a very good match. James, despite being on her “Last Ride” is still fantastic in the ring, and despite not being very active in wrestling, Wilde is still very good. I really enjoyed this one.

James and Wilde locked up and exchanged throws while maintaining the lockup. The basics continued for a bit with James and Wilde maintaining wrist control as they exchanged moves. Wilde had James in a headscissors on the mat and James did a headstand and flipped over onto her feet, which was extremely impressive.

Wilde cartwheeled over James as she did a drop down, and James got up and hit a monkey flip before both women hit dropkicks at the same time and reached a stalemate. Wilde hit a headscissors takedown and James got up and hit some forearms. Wilde grabbed a waist lock, but James rolled forward, sending Wilde crashing to the floor.

Wilde pulled James from the ring and drove her into the apron. Wilde hit a suplex for a 2-count on James. Wilde did a surfboard stretch, but her shoulders were down, so the referee started counting, leading to Wilde breaking the hold. Wilde hit a an elbow drop to the back of James before locking in a chinlock, as Mickie continued to sell her back from the apron attack on the outside earlier. Wilde and James exchanged some hard forearms ending with Wilde hit a forearm to the back of James.

James managed to hit a neckbreaker, but Wilde blocked a MickDT and hit the ropes, but James hit a flapjack. James tossed Wilde off the ropes, but missed the Thesz press from the top rope. Wilde hit a German suplex for a 2-count and immediately went into a camel clutch. Wilde turned it into a Gedo clutch, which the announcers and referee missed, so James just kicked out and after a few waist lock exchanges James hit the MickDT for the pinfall.

Deonna Purrazzo walked down to the ring and said that James wasn’t in Impact to better the Knockouts division, and that she was selfish and she wanted to make it all about her. She blamed James for Chelsea Green leaving, and that James was the one person that she has never beaten, so she is looking to end James’ career in their next match.

Impact World Tag Team Champions Heath & Rhino defeated The Major Players (Matt Cardona & Brian Myers) to retain

This was a very well worked tag match. Since all four guys spent a lot of time in the WWE system, this was similar to many of their tag matches, but that isn’t a bad thing. The formula works and it worked here.

Rhino and Myers started the match, with Rhino and Heath making the Major Players look like comedy geeks. This was actually great. Heath put Myers in the tree of woe and they pulled Cardona’s legs, driving him into Myers’ head. This greatly distressed both men for a variety of reasons.

Myers and Cardona were able to use some nefarious tactics on the floor to get the heat on Heath, and Cardona and Myers made him pay for that embarrassing situation in the tree of woe. Heath sent Cardona flying into the foot of Myers in the corner, which led to him slowly crawling towards Rhino, but Myers came in and cut him off. As Myers was showing off, Heath rolled him up, but Myers kicked out and attacked again.

Heath hit a flapjack on Myers and almost made it to Rhino to tag, but Cardona pulled Rhino off the apron at the exact last moment. That was a great spot. The Motor City Machine Guns made their way down to ringside to watch the title match, as the Major Players invited them to in the previous promo. Chris Sabin said very loudly, “You’re doing great! You have a great tan!” sarcastically to Cardona, which made me laugh.

Cardona went for the reboot on Heath, but Heath back dropped him over the top rope and tagged out to Rhino, who started suplexing Myers all over the ring. Rhino fought off Cardona but ate a flat liner for a 2-count from Myers. The Major Players then hit a double DDT on Rhino, but Heath made the save. Heath dumped Cardona to the floor and Cardona tried to get a chair from the Motor City Machine Guns, who took it away, leading to Myers turning around into a gore from Rhino for the pinfall.

Trey Miguel defeated Black Taurus (w/ Crazzy Steve) in a tournament final to win the Impact X-Division title

It’s clear Miguel couldn’t win this match without cheating, so the finish made sense to me in terms of making Miguel a heel and giving Taurus an excuse for the loss. I am hoping this will involve Taurus looking for revenge in the future. This was an incredible match, and one that is worth going out of your way to watch.

Miguel tried to do a headlock takeover on Taurus, but that did not go well for him. Miguel’s efforts to outwrestle Taurus did not work very well because Taurus was physically stronger, but also just as fast, flipping out of a wristlock. Miguel tried for a lucha arm drag, but Taurus just stood there and lifted Miguel up. Miguel responded with a hurricanrana, and then Taurus hit one of his own. After several arm drags and a double dropkick, they had a stand off.

Taurus chopped Miguel in the corner before running up the ropes and hitting a corkscrew headbutt which was incredible. Taurus got a 2-count, but the crowd really started to get behind him now. Taurus tied Miguel up with an inverted cloverleaf, spinning Miguel through the air and forcing him to reach the ropes to break it.

Taurus hit a huge pop-up Samoan drop for a 2-count. Miguel hit a series of hard kicks after a forward handspring that finally got Taurus reeling. Miguel hit a running meteora on Taurus for a 2-count. Miguel and Taurus exchanged forearms in the middle fo the ring, with both stepping the strikes up and running the ropes as they hit them, ending with Miguel hitting a hard kick and Taurus hitting a headbutt before a double down.

Miguel hit a handspring enziguri for a 2-count. Taurus hit an enziguri while Taurus was on the top rope, before heading to the top. Taurus did a gorilla press slam off the top rope into the ring for a 2-count. Taurus missed a corner charge, flying over the top rope to the floor. Miguel hit a top con giro over the ropes into a hurricanrana on the floor. Incredible. Miguel then hit a meteora off the top rope for a 2-count.

Miguel tried another hurricanrana on the floor, but Taurus countered with a powerbomb into the ring post. Miguel sprayed some green spray pain into the eyes of Taurus as the referee looked away and hit the lightning spiral, turning heel in the process.

Impact Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace defeated Masha Slamovich in a Last Knockout Standing match to retain

Oh my goodness, what a match. Grace and Slamovich tore the house down here in what has to be one of the best womenss matches of the year in any promotion. The psychology of working the knee was great, and ended up factoring into the finish, as that was the only thing that ultimately kept Slamovich down. It really has to be only a matter of time before either of these women end up on a bigger stage, because they are very, very good. I was wrong about Slamovich bleeding though.

Slamovich came out wearing all white, so I’m guessing there will be blood in this match. Grace immediately started with hard forearms and Slamovich responded with a big boot before going to the floor to look for weapons. Grace ducked a chair shot and attacked the knee of Slamovich before hitting a stalling brainbuster on the floor.

Grace asked “Who’s she going to kill?” to the fans that were chanting “Masha’s gonna kill you” a few moments before. Grace tried to powerbomb Slamovich, but Slamovich did a back body drop on the ramp. Slamovich then locked on a stretch muffler, damaging the knee and back of Grace.

Both women had knees worked over now, and Slamovich drove Grace into the apron, going after the back of Grace. Slamovich hit a few kicks on Grace, but Grace dodged a knee strike and hit the ring post instead. That looked brutal. Slamovich managed to hit a fisherman’s neckbreaker on Grace despite the knee injury, and attacking with her other leg for stomps. Slamovich hit a senton and got a 6-count out of it.

Slamovich couldn’t life Grace due to the knee injury, so Grace suplexed Slamovich into the bottom rope, attacking the knee. Grace hit a knee breaker and then threw some chairs into the ring as Slamovich tried to stand. Grace did a dragon screw leg whip on Slamovich. Slamovich managed to hit a kick to the face of Grace, but Grace went over with a sunset flip and then rolled into a kick on the knee of Slamovich.

Grace powered Slamovich up and powerbombed her onto the setup chairs in the middle of the ring, bending and breaking them. Slamovich barely made it back up at the 9-count before falling back down. Grace set up another chair, but Slamovich hit an air raid crash through the chair. Grace barely got up at 8, and both wrestlers were taking severe punishment at this point.

Grace kept going back to the knee and no selling the strikes from Slamovich before hauling off with punches and forearms and a spinning backfist. Grace then picked Slamovich up and hit a vertebreaker on a garbage can. Slamovich barely managed to get to her feet leading to Grace setting up for a muscle buster, but Slamovich blocked it.

Grace slapped Slamovich instead, but Slamovich with a series of hard headbutts and hitting a Panama sunrise on Grace. Grace blocked a kick after standing up and hit a DDT on the leg of Slamovich before locking on a figure four leglock. Slamovich managed to turn it around, but Grace soon turned it back and they rolled onto the apron. Both women sat up and struck each other. Grace shoved Slamovich off the apron, hanging her by her legs from the apron.

Slamovich stood up at 6, and then hit Grace with a strong zero on the ramp. Slamovich was up first, and it gave Slamovich the time to pull a door out from under the ring and bridged it on the apron with a garbage can. Slamovich hit Grace with a toilet seat and dragged Grace by the throat and neck with it to the door.

Slamovich tried to hit a Grace Driver through the door, but Grace fought out. Both wrestlers ended up on the apron and Slamovich tried to hit a piledriver through the door, but Grace fought it off and attacked the knee before grabbing Slamovich for a muscle buster and climbing up onto the apron and hitting it of the apron and threw the door! Grace made it up at 9, and Slamovich’s knee gave out and she went back to the mat. This match was incredible.

Impact World Champion Josh Alexander defeated Frankie Kazarian to retain

A second incredible match in a row with Kazarian having what might have been the best match of his career, which is saying something. Josh Alexander was incredible in this one, selling so well for Kazarian and making it seem like Kazarian could win at any near fall. This match was phenomenal.

Alexander and Kazarian tried a lot of mat wrestling to open the match, with Alexander managing to stay just one step ahead of Kazarian. Kazarian flipped out of a wrist lock and countered into a fireman’s carry into a pinfall attempt before locking on a keylock on the mat. Alexander was relentless in trying to break out and transitioned into an ankle lock.

Alexander eventually managed to hit a series of German suplexes, but Kazarian rolled through the third waistlock and sent Alexander to the floor before hitting a hurricanrana over the ropes onto Alexander on the floor. This finally stopped Alexander’s relentless forward momentum, but not for long as he hit some forearms out of the corner. Kazarian cut it off immediately with a neckbreaker.

Kazarian hit a springboard leg drop for a 2-count. Kazarian hit a knee that rocked Alexander, but Alexander hit the ropes and came back with an attempt at a C4 Spike. Kazarian tried to fight out, driving Alexander back to the corner, but Alexander spun out and hit a double arm suplex. Alexander hit a series of forearms and a fan yelled “Closed fist!” but it was not.

Alexander blocked an O’Connor roll and hit a German suplex after Kazarian ran at him. Alexander held on and continued to hit the suplexes several times. Alexander struggled, but managed to hit 10 German suplexes on Kazarian before letting go. Kazarian bounced off the ropes and went for a forearm, but Alexander ducked and Kazarian took out the referee by accident.

Kazarian hit a DDT on the apron on Alexander and both spilled to the floor. Karazrian grabbed the Impact World Championship while Alexander’s son reached out to his dad beyond the guardrail to try and help his dad up. Jade Chung pleaded with Kazarian to not use, and he eventually put the belt back on the table. Both men got in the ring, and Kazarian hit a forearm that knocked the mouth guard out of Alexander’s mouth. Kazarian hit the killswitch on Alexander for a 2-count.

Kazarian tried to hit the C4 Spike on the apron, but Alexander fought out of it. Kazarian hit a knee and then went for a brain buster on the apron, but Alexander floated into the ring and hit a crossbody through the ropes to the floor on Kazarian. Alexander hit a torture rack bomb in the ring for a 2-count.

Alexander did an O’Connor roll on Kazarian, but he countered at the pinfall attempt and turned it into a chicken wing. Alexander quickly countered into an ankle lock and Kazarian made the ropes. Alexander suplexed Kazarian in frustration to break the hold. Alexnader and Kazarian slipped up on a superplex, but Kazarian immediately got up and hit an ocean cyclone suplex for a 2-count. Alexander went for a Styles clash, but Kazarian rolled through for another two count. Alexander responded with a tombstone for a 2-count.

Kazarian managed to bring Alexander into the ring with a slingshot cutter for a 2-count. The crowd started to get behind Kazarian, though they certainly liked Alexander as well. Kazarian punched Alexander so hard in the corner that it knocked the headgear off Alexander’s head. Kazarian locked on an ankle lock of his own, but that was not a good choice, as Alexander countered into his own. Kazarian made the ropes again, and Alexander was growing increasingly frustrated. Kazarian hit a clothesline and a Styles clash for a 2-count.

Kazarian wanted to hit the flux capacitor, but Alexander fought out and tried for a C4 Spike off the top rope, but Kazarian back dropped him out. Kazarian then hit a guillotine leg drop before transitioning into a chicken wing. Alexander managed to roll out of it, but Kazarian hit a shotgun leg drop and went for a tornado DDT, but countered into a C4 Spike for the win.

Kazarian was incredibly frustrated after the loss, but slowly stood to his feet and shook Alexander’s hand. The fans showed appreciation for Kazarian, as he has firmly established himself as one of the greats in Impact history, while Alexander continues to carve out his legacy.

Bully Ray’s music hit and he walked down to the ring. Please, don’t cash in and win the title. Please. Ray said that Kazarian and Alexander had an incredible wrestling match. He put over how tough Alexander was, and got the fans to continue their standing ovation for the match.

Ray then said it was time to get down to business, and that he would challenge Alexander at Impact Hard to Kill in January for the title. Alexander accepted the match by shaking Bully Ray’s hand. Ray appeared to live up to his word, but as Alexander went to celebrate with his family, he attacked Alexander and laid him out with a chair.

Ray repeatedly smashed Alexander with a chair and then zip tied Alexander’s hands to the bottom rope. Ray said, “I kept my word, didn’t I?” Ray then asked why Alexander would ever trust him before pulling Jade over the guardrail. Alexander broke free as Ray threatened to piledrive her on the floor. Alexander handed the title to Ray as he asked and then Ray let Jade go before posing with the title to chorus of boos. Ray threatened to hit them both with a chair, and told them not to move.

Thankfully, someone removed Josh’s kid from the area before this angle happened because seeing his mom and dad nearly get killed by Bully Ray as the show went off the air would have been unpleasant for a young child. The show went off the air with Bully Ray looking with evil intent at Alexander and Jade.

Well, at least they didn’t have Ray cash in and win. Outside of that, the rest of this show was awesome. The top two matches were incredible, and absolutely worth going out of your way to see. The Bully Ray angle should end with Ray losing clean in January, and then we can move onto better things, like Steve Maclin facing Alexander down the line.