On Thursday, January 19, 2023, IMPACT Wrestling aired another episode of IMPACT its the fallout of Hard To Kill & in our main event we got Mike Bailey & Kenny King meet in a Pit Fight Match as we review after the IMPACT for 01/19/23.
Kicking off this week’s IMPACT with in memory of graphic for the late Jamin “Jay Briscoe” Pugh. Tom Hannifan offered prayers and thoughts on behalf of IMPACT Wrestling to Jay’s family, Mark, and the entire Pugh family.
We get highlights from Hard To Kill.
Bully stood in front of James and pointed at the ramp. James tried to talk but Bully said he didn’t say to talk, he is saying to leave. Bully kept insisting that James leave. James said it looks like the crowd wants to see another person, Bully, leave the ring. James said that Bully can do everyone a favor and get out of my ring. Bully said James is just wasting her time flapping her gums. He said it’s not James’ ring.
Bully said James wasn’t in the main event of Hard To Kill when Bully tried to claim he was in the main event, the crowd showered him with yes she was chants. Bully noted that he’s the main event he said he sold the arena out but the crowd are cheering James. He said before he came to the company, no one wanted to talk about IMPACT. Bully said he made Josh Alexander popular on social media and the news outlets. He said if it wasn’t for him, Alexander would be a nobody.
Bully said he’s now giving James permission to talk. James mocked Bully for always talking about himself. James said the only news headline she’s been seeing is you tapped out. The crowd chanted on queue. Bully said he’s giving James one more warning and she should know what happens if she doesn’t go away. Bully said James needs to pick her next words wisely. James said she honestly respects Bully but when it comes to how Bully acts as a man, he has shown his true colors. James said Bully is a bitter bully who throws temper tatrums when he doesn’t get what he wants.
James said she’s well aware of what Bully does to women in the ring but if he wants Mickie out of the ring, then he’s going to have to take her out of this ring. Tasha Steelz & Savannah Evans made their entrance after Bully dropped his mic. Steelz said the flava was in the room in Atlanta. She said she’s not the biggest Bully Ray fan because Bully military press slammed her at Bound for Glory but if Bully wants to go all ooops all up side Mickie’s head, she wants a front row seat to watch that.
Steelz confronted James and asked James what she’s actually celebrating about. Steelz took credit for starting the Last Rodeo and how James can’t beat her. James shoves Steelz when Steelz got all up in her face. Bully encouraged Steelz and told her not to take that from James. Bully said that James is just a two-bit champion. Steelz said she doesn’t care about Masha Slamovich & Jordynne Grace being ahead of her in line officially, she’s going to come back and take the Knockouts Title that belongs to her.
Steelz offered to help Bully pop James up side her head. Evans punched down James. Steelz & Evans put the boots to Mickie. Bully was about to get a table but Jordynne Grace & Frankie Kazarian ran out to clears Steelz, Evans & Bully from the ring. The Impact Director Of Authority Santino Marella made his entrance. Marella said he is trying to figure out what match he needs to make up. Suddenly, Ernest The Cat Miller made his entrance.
Ernest said he’s here because he lives in Atlanta. He said he used to be a commissioner on WCW Nitro. Miller recommended that everyone around the ring now should have a match. Bully Ray tried to walk off. Bully said he doesn’t want to listen to WCW rejects like Miller. Marella called Bully “Bobby Ray” and told him to get back to the ring or else get fired. Marella booked everyone in the ring in a 6 Person Tag Team match. Miller ended the segment with Somebody call my momma.
After The IMPACT for 01/19/23
6-Person Tag Team Match
Mickie James (c), Jordynne Grace & Frankie Kazarian vs. Tasha Steelz, Savannah Evans & Bully Ray
Jordynne Grace & Tasha Steelz started the match. Steelz managed to use strikes to pressure Grace to the corner. Grace came back with a simple and effective body slam Savannah Evans tagged in. Grace managed to hit Evans with a body slam. Grace asked for Bully Ray to tag in but Bully turned his back to her dismissively.
Evans took advantage of the distraction by tackling Grace to her corner. Bully Ray trash talked Grace while Evans was beating her up. Grace escaped a full nelson with a back elbow to bring in Mickie James & she hits Evans with slap and kick combinations.
Evans regained control by whipping Mickie into the corner. Bully continued his trash talk. Evans ended Mickie’s comeback with a lariat. Evans worked on James with some offense. Bully Ray pulled Mickie’s hair for a cheap shot.
Bully Ray tagged in and body-slammed Mickie James. Bully continued his heavy trash talk to mock James then she slaps him. Bully body-slammed Mickie. Bully tagged in Evans to pick up the scraps. Steelz, Evans & Bully cut the ring in half on James. James escaped a sleeper from Steelz. Mickie hit Steelz with a hurricanrana for a window of opportunity before Steelz caught James with a pump kick for a two count.
Steelz, Evans & Ray went back to quick tags to cut the ring in half on James before she tosses Evans to ringside and did a judo roll to tag in Grace. Grace took down Evans & Steelz with right hands. Grace hits Steelz with a Meteora and diving elbow combo. Grace hit Steelz with a Vader Bomb. Bully broke up the pin. Grace lifted Bully in fireman carry. Bully escaped and hit Grace with a chop. Kazarian hit Bully with a few flying right hands to dump Bully to ringside.
Kazarian no sold Steelz’s punch, but sold Savannah’s. Kazarian pulls Evans & Steelz at each other to stagger them. Grace dumped Evans to ringside for the lariat. James hits Steelz with a top rope Thesz Press for the victory.
Winners: Knockouts Champion Mickie James, Jordynne Grace & Frankie Kazarian
After the match, Masha Slammovich makes her entrance with an envelope in hand. Slamovich hands James the envelope, which had her usual calling card in it an 8×10 photo of her opponent with an X on it. James kissed the photo and pie-faced Slamovich with it. James & Slamovich faced off in the center of the ring.
Backstage, Kenny King was shown shadowboxing.
Santino Marella & Ernest The Cat Miller were chatting backstage. Marella said he wants to book 6 former IMPACT World Champions in a match called a Golden 6 Shooter Match to find out Josh “Alexandro’s” next #1 Contender for a match at No Surrender. He booked 1/2 of the IMPACT World Tag Team Champions Chris Sabin & Eddie Edwards in the match. He said he also had 4 animals in the match: A Rhino, a Swann, the Moose, and a Callihan. Santino asked Miller for advice. Miller said that Marella just has to follow his heart.
Marella then approaches Dirty Dango & he asks Dango for advice. Steve Maclin cut in to ask why he isn’t in the #1 Contender Golden 6 Shooter match. Dango asked if he could have a match against Maclin. Maclin said you asked for it, pal. Marella booked the match.
After The IMPACT for 01/19/23
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Ashley D’Amboise
The match starts off with Deonna Purrazzo toys with Ashley D’Amboise with dominant offense. Purrazzo dominated for a few minutes with chain wrestling. D’Amboise came back with a series of arm drags. Deonna blocked a sunset flip and hit D’Amboise with a knee drop. Purrazzo put D’Amboise in a modified surfboard, bending D’Amboise deep. D’Amboise tackles Purrazzo to the corners.
Purrazzo came back with a back elbow and big boot. Purrazzo hits D’Amboise with a backbreaker. Purrazzo pinned D’Amboise but intentionally broke up her own pin. D’Amboise dodged to the apron and hit Purrazzo with a high kick. D’Amboise hits Purrazzo with an rolling neckbreaker. Purrazzo came back with a big boot and powerbomb before she drills D’Amboise with Queen’s Gambit for the win.
Winner: Deonna Purrazzo
We see Gia Miller who said she was on an investigation to find PCO below the arena. Gia recapped PCO getting buried by Eddie Edwards and returning at Hard To Kill. Miller was investigating in the basement area of the arena & she found PCO in a random storage room. PCO was tweaking out and doing his usual PCO faces. PCO was banging on a cage yelling Eddie!. Miller yelped in fear.
X Division Champion Trey Miguel sat down next to Ashley D’Amboise to congratulate her for a good match. D’Amboise thanks Miguel for the kind words. Miguel said that the thanks smells like disrespect. D’Amboise pointed out how Miguel defaced the X Division Title by spraying it with paint. Miguel called D’Amboise toots. Mike Jackson showed up to confront Miguel and told him to show respect to women.
Miguel said what in the Pinochle in the park?. Trey said that Jackson probably knows how to respect all kinds of women even from prehistoric times. Jackson challenges Trey to an X Division Title match next week. Miguel agreed. Miguel told Jackson to practice his respect on Ashley.
After The IMPACT for 01/19/23
Killer Kelly vs. Taylor Wilde
The match begins with Killer Kelly with a Saito suplex on Wilde. Wilde rolled to the ropes to avoid a leg drop. Wilde put Kelly in an armdrag and hammerlock. Wilde escaped a Killer Clutch attempt. Kelly & Wilde traded Irish whips and short-arm strikes. Wilde counter a suplex into a Guillotine Choke.
Kelly tackled Wilde into the corner and hit her with a pump kick for a two-count. Kelly & Wilde traded methodical offense. Wilde got a bit of a rally with running strikes and a Codebreaker. Wilde hit Kelly with a dropkick for a two-count. Wilde double-stomps and draped Kelly’s head on the apron, then goes for a cover but got a two count. Kelly no sold Wilde’s right hands.
Kelly hooked both of Wilde’s hand and dropped her with headbutts. Kelly hit Wilde with a suplex into the turnbuckle. Kelly hit Wilde with a hesitation dropkick for a two-count. Wilde reversed a Killer Clutch into a Wilde Ride that only gets a two-count. Both women traded rollups for near falls before Kelly puts Wilde in the Killer Clutch for the submission win.
Winner: Killer Kelly
The show cut to footage from the Before The IMPACT, where Deaner ordered Callihan to enter the ring to beat up Delirious. Callihan reluctantly gave Delirious a Cactus Driver.
We see Sami Callihan leaning over a production crate, looking nervous. The Design were behind him. Deaner said joining the Design is a 7-step initiation process. Deaner said Callihan passed the 1st step by shaving his head and the 2nd in following orders earlier. Deaner said next week is step 3 when he competes in the #1 Contenders match.
Deaner told Callihan to win the match and eventually bring the IMPACT World Title to The Design. Big Kon said if Callihan loses, there will be consequences.
We go backstage, where Santino Marella was chatting with the IMPACT World Champion, Josh Alexander & Marella said the Golden 6 Shooter Match was like a palindrome because it’s like a gun and 6 shoot fighters. Alexander said he was ok with the match because he’s always down for a challenge. Alexander left and said he was happy Marella is here. Gisele Shaw & Jai Vidal confronted Marella.
Shaw talked about how she keeps getting betrayed by her recent tag teams. She said it wasn’t her fault her last tag teams broke up. Shaw said she pinned the Death Dollz last week on their Digital Media show and deserves another Knockouts Tag Team Title shot.
Marella said that’s fine, but Shaw needs a tag partner. Marella randomly called over Alisha Edwards, who was passing by. Edwards said ew. Another random woman also refused to be Shaw’s tag team partner. Marella said he’ll find a tag partner soon, but that’s hard because nobody likes Shaw. Jai Vidal said he likes Shaw.
After The IMPACT for 01/19/23
Steve Maclin vs. Dirty Dango
Steve Maclin took down Dirty Dango with a kidney punch and methodical offense. Dango blocks a sunset flip with a right hand and leg drop. Dango hits Maclin with an arm trap suplex. Dango chopped Maclin around the ring. Maclin came back with a jawbreaker and clothesline for a two-count. Maclin worked on Dango with some offense before Dango connects with a back suplex.
Dango rallied back with knife-edge chops. Dango hit Maclin with running European uppercuts. Dango then did some hip thrusts while rubbing around his crotch area then connect with leg drop followed by a Falcon Arrow, then Maclin rolls to ringside to avoid a Last Dance attempt.
Dango hit Maclin with a diving axe handle on the ramp. Maclin blocked a tornado DDT with a backdrop. Maclin hits Dango with a tree of woe Spear, then nails him with K.I.A to get the win.
Winner: Steve Maclin
We head backstage, where Gia Miller is with the Major Players & asks how they feel about how Bullet Club’s Chris Bey & Ace Austin have challenged them to a match next week. Brian Myers said both teams have been screwing each other over the last few months. Moose confronted them and talked about how Myers’ bad luck started ever since Joe Hendry beat him for the Digital Media Title.
Matt Cardona said he understands that Moose is trying to manipulate them into doing his dirty work but he agrees that Joe Hendry is acting like he’s the king of the internet. Cardona said I’m the king of the internet. Cardona said after they take care of Bullet Club, Cardona is going to take the Digital Media Title back to where it belongs. Moose said he’ll hold Cardona to that.
Backstage Mike Bailey is showing shadowboxing.
Dave asked Dreamer if there’s any way to mend their relationship. Dreamer talked about how Bully keeps holding it over Dreamer’s head that he got him his gigs in Busted Open & IMPACT but not how Dreamer got Bully in ECW and in a tag team with D Von. Dreamer talked about using everyone. Dreamer said he doesn’t want to deal with Bully’s negativity. Dreamer talked about how he doesn’t like lying because he sees how it effects people.
Dreamer said he may lose matches but never the war. He said he & Bully will go to war. Dave LaGreca ended the interview.
We get an ad for Rebellion in April.
Pit Fight Match
Mike Bailey vs. Kenny King
Kenny King kept his distance from Mike Bailey’s TKD. King got the first double-leg takedown. King dominated the initial mount before the separation. King made sure to continue to avoid Bailey’s TKD. King drags Bailey into his low guard. Bailey managed to convert to a rear mount. Bailey continue to do Tae Kwon Do jabs and stances while King converted to a Muay Thai defense.
Bailey gave King an arm drag to send him to ringside. Both men traded close-quarters strikes. King got the takedown sending Bailey to ringside with a boot. Bailey tried to get back in, but he ate a big boot from King. King tossed Bailey into the steel steps. King went for a Kimura, but Bailey blocked it. Bailey and King traded kicks. Bailey took the wind out of King with a palm to the sternum.
King came right back with a Judo drag into the elevated ramp. King hit Bailey with a drive by knee. Bailey was bleeding from the forehead at this point. King punched at Bailey’s wound as we head to a break.
After the break, Bailey tried to mount a comeback with rapid kicks, but King reversed it with an exploder suplex. King worked on Bailey with Muay Thai Clinch Strikes. King then hit Bailey with a dragon screw. King went for a handstand kick, but Bailey countered with a Sparta Kick. Bailey hit King with a rapid Tae Kwon Do Axe Kick combo. King blocks Bailey with the Octopus Stance. Bailey reversed the Octopus Guard into a Juji Gatame.
King deadlifted Bailey into a powerbomb to break the Juji Gatame. Bailey recovered and wrenched on King with a reverse Juji Gatame. Bailey worked on Kenny’s shoulders with strikes. King got a moment of respite after dumping Bailey to ringside with a dragon screw. King hit Bailey with a blockbuster at ringside. King dragged a chair in the ring.
Bailey hit King with a palm strike combo. Bailey missed a roundhouse and hurt his toes by giving the ring post a roundhouse. King put Bailey in Figure 4. Bailey managed to reverse the pressure. Both men tumbled to ringside. Bailey caught King with a thrust hook kick. Bailey ran to the stage & he hits King with a Karate Jump Kick.
Bailey climbed up the buckleless ring post to hit King with a Spiral Tap. King reversed Ultima Weapon with a punt kick. King gave Bailey a spinebuster on the apron. King hit Bailey with a Trouble In Paradise.
King followed up with a heel hook once Bailey showed that he was still conscious. King put Bailey in a heel hook before Bailey broke the heel hook by chucking a chair at King. Bailey pummeled King with mounted strikes.
King survived a Juji Gatame attempt. Bailey hit King with a standing Ultima Weapon. Bailey went back to the mounted punches and King couldn’t defend himself. The referee separated both men to check on King. Bailey put a chair on King and hit King with a chambered curb stomp con chair to style. The referee calls for the bell before Bailey could deliver another Chambered Curb Stomp.
Winner: By KO: Mike Bailey
Next week’s IMPACT
Tag Team Match
Bullet Club vs. Major Players
Knockouts Tag Team Title Match
Death Dollz (c) vs. Gisele Shaw & TBD
X Division Title Match
Trey Miguel (c) vs. Mike Jackson
IMPACT World Title #1 Contenders Fatal 6-Way Elimination Match
IMPACT World Tag Team Champion Chris Sabin vs. Sami Callihan vs. Moose vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Rich Swann vs. Rhino
No Surrender Card So Far
Knockouts Title Match
Mickie James (c) vs. Masha Slamovich
IMPACT World Title Match
Josh Alexander (c) vs. TBD
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