Two weeks after winning the X-Division title at Bound for Glory, Frankie Kazarian will relinquish the title on tonight's Impact on AXS.
The reason: he is exercising option C which gives the champion the right to hand over the title in exchange for a World title shot. The date and location for his match with current champion Josh Alexander, in addition to what's next for the X-Division title, will be revealed tonight.
The Tag Team titles will be on the line as The OGK (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven) will defend against Heath & Rhino. Bennett & Taven made their surprise debut for AEW last Friday on Rampage.
ECW legends Bully Ray & Tommy Dreamer will reunite Thursday against Bullet Club's Chris Bey & Ace Austin.
Two former Impact World Champions will battle as Rich Swann takes on Eric Young while in a clash of former Knockouts Champions, Mia Yim goes up against Taylor Wilde.
Joe Hendry makes his anticipated return to Impact Thursday against Jason Hotch.
Dirty Dango vs. Johnny Swinger headlines the pre-show.
As the bell ran for the match, Tom Hannifan let us know that Swinger and Dango faced off once before in a match on a TNA weekly PPV in 2004 with Dango teaming with Kevin Matthews against Swinger and Simon Diamond.
Dirty Dango defeated Johnny Swinger (w/ Zicky Dice)
This was a nothing match, with Dango and Swinger doing lots of comedy. Dango did several a Manhattan and Atomic drop on Swinger before kicking the ropes into Swinger’s… swing area? In any case, this was funny. Swinger tried to load his boot, by the look of it before stomping Dango in the corner.
Dango and Swinger threatened each other with double axe handles, and had a stand off for about a minute, and it ended with Dango taking the shot after convincing Swinger to not do it. This match really shouldn’t have this many words to recap it, but I’m laughing so hard watching it, that I have to. Zicky Dice accidentally hit Swinger with a fanny pack right in front of the referee and Dango hit a falcon arrow for the pin.
Juice Robinson and Chris Bey were backstage, and Bey was looking for Ace Austin. They ran down to the parking lot and Ace Austin was out. Apparently, the Impact parking lot is just as dangerous as the NXT one. Tommy Dreamer tried to help, but they shoved him away and asked where Bully Ray was.
Bully Ray & Tommy Dreamer defeated Bullet Club (Juice Robinson & Chris Bey)
Yeesh, seeing Bully Ray pin Juice Robinson was not pleasant. The American excursion for Juice Robinson is not going well..
Robinson came down to the ring in street clothes and taped up his fists, replacing the injured Ace Austin. Robinson wanted Bully Ray as he suspected him of taking out Ace Austin and went right after him. Ray denied it and started chopping Robinson in the corner. Ray got increasingly upset as Dreamer tired to calm him down, which resulted in Bey hitting a dropkick and then Robinson slamming Dreamer on the floor.
Robinson hit a senton for a 2-count and tagged out to Bey. Dreamer managed to block a cutter from Bey and then hit one of his own. Ray tagged in and hit a sidewalk slam on Robinson. Bey and Dreamer spilled to the floor and Robinson hit a spinebuster on Ray. Robinson went to the top rope and missed a dive which Ray then countered into a Bully Bomb for the 3. Ray then talked to Bey, apologizing for getting heated in the match while saying he did not take out Ace Austin.
--Heath and Rhino were backstage and cut a promo about their upcoming tag title match. Rhino was awesome here. He got increasingly intense as the promo went on, and then talked about how he was going to gore Honor No More. I liked this.
--Tommy Dreamer and Bully Ray were backstage, and Dreamer said that he needed Ray to tell him that he didn’t take out Ace Austin. Ray then said he didn’t, and was offended that Dreamer needed that. Dreamer than said “I didn’t need anything” despite saying he needed Ray to tell him. Moose walked up and planted seeds of doubt. Dreamer cut him off saying that him and Bully Ray were dysfunctional family, and Moose wasn’t welcome.
Taylor Wilde defeated Mia Yim
Good match from Yim and Wilde, with Wilde having a little bit of ring rust, but she still looked good. I figured this was the way they were going to go with Mickie James moving on to face Wilde.
Yim took Wilde over with a a throw, and then they picked up and exchanged some arm drags and other spots before ending with stereo dropkicks. Nice little segment there. Wilde hasn’t lost a step at all, with most of what she did here looking quite good. Yim hit some kicks to the chest and face of Wilde.
Yim went for a stalling suplex and almost lost it but balanced out and finally hit it for a 2-count. Yim dod a bow & arrow on Wilde. Wilde rolled through into a pinfall attempt for a 2-count. Wilde hit a hurricanrana on Yim before tying Yim up in a submission, but Yim countered into a roll up for a 2-count. Yim hit a cannonball in the corner for a 2-count. Wilde waistlocked Yim and hit a German suplex for the pin.
--Mickie James came out and challenged Taylor Wilde to a match, saying that they never faced off before. Chelsea Green, Deonna Purrazzo, and Gisele Shaw ran down to attack Wilde and James. Jordynne Grace ran down to make the save and Green and Purrazzo bailed while Grace hit a huge spinebuster on Shaw. The three women posed together, with Mickie James keeping her eyes on the Knockout Championship, but they didn’t leave much time because it was “TO THE BACK~!” for us to see Honor No More standing there looking confused.
--Jason Hotch was backstage and complaining to his girlfriend about how he lost his position in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet to someone. She asked him who it was and to say his name, then Joe Hendry burst out of the locker behind them, sung the opening of his theme, then said that losing was an opportunity to learn. Hendry walked off and Hotch turned to follow before turning back and his girlfriend was wearing a Hendry t-shirt. Hotch then broke up with her and said, “Date him,” and she asked “Is he single?” This segment was a masterpiece.
--Joe Hendry grabbed a mic and said that he was good talker, but better listener, and that the fans believed in him.
Joe Hendry defeated Jason Hotch
I loved every second of this, including the fans singing his theme.
Hendry did a stalling suplex on Hotch while singing his own theme song, and the crowd joined in. Hendry hit a gorilla press on Hotch while smiling. The fans chanted “We believe!” so this is getting over. Hendry then hit a huge chokeslam on Hotch for the pinfall.
--A flashback aired of Chris Sabin exercising Option C on Bully Ray, as Bully buried him for being too small, but Sabin was able to win by using a hammer Ray brought into the ring. It’s quite something to see the Impact crowds with 2000-3000 people in attendance compared to the 200-300 they normally have now, or the 650 at the last PPV.
--Scott D’Amore was in the ring awaiting Kazarian to give up the X-Division title. D’Amore talked about the stakes involved with giving up the title, saying that the tournament for it will end at Impact Overdrive, the same show Kazarian would challenge Josh Alexander. D’Amore & Kazarian tried to make it seem like the X-Division title mattered because it showed Kazarian that he could still go.
Kazarian talked about what Impact meant to him, because it was where he became a star, but the one thing that always eluded him was the world title, and that is why he cashed in. It ate him alive that he was never world champion, and he believed he was better than anyone that held it.
Steve Maclin attacked Kazarian from behind as he spoke. Maclin put Kazarian in the tree of woe and then hit a spear before Josh Alexander ran down and made the save.
--Eddie Edwards arrived at the Impact Zone, and Alisha Edwards arrived to ask him where he was. Honor No More showed up and asked the same. Edwards said that his wife was right when she said this had to end, and Edwards walked off all enigmatically with Alisha and Honor No More looking on confused.
--Kazarian and Josh Alexander was backstage and he thanked Alexander for helping him, asked what was up with Maclin, and told Alexander to not trust Bully Ray.
Eric Young (w/ Deaner) defeated Rich Swann
This match really never got the time to get going as Swann won after a few minutes with a surprise out of nowhere cutter and then a roll up after a distraction from Deaner failed.
--One of Eric Young’s minons ran out and amushed Swann, leaving him for dead with Young and Deaner before the lights went out and Sami Callihan appeared to make the save. Guess he is teaming with Swann now.
--Matt Cardona & Brian Myers were backstage, and Cardona talked about how he gave Myers the Digital Media Championship, and that the he wanted more gold for the both of them, so the Major Players are going after the tag team championship.
Rhino & Heath defeated The Kingdom (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven) (w/ Maria Kanelis) to win the Impact World Tag Team Championship
Good tag team main event, with Rhino and Heath being excellent babyfaces. Heath has a good connection with the audience, especially, and they were on their feet cheering for him as he got the pinfall. Nice to see the babyfaces get the big win.
Rhino was on fire opening the match, eager to get revenge on Honor No More, taking it to Taven and Bennett. Heath and Rhino isolated Mike Bennett early with some double teams and quick tags. Taven was able to get the heat on Rhino after attacking his formerly injured leg, and The Kingdom took control for the next few minutes.
Taven and Bennett kept after the knee until Impact went to an ad break with Hannifan saying “The Kingdom are rolling right now!” as the transition, and I had horror flashbacks to “WWE Raw rolls on!” after a dive and shuddered. Heath tagged in after Taven missed a lionsault. Heath went right after The Kingdom and hit a powerslam on Bennett, but Taven broke up the pinfall attempt.
Taven hit a kick of the king for a 2-count, and Bennett hit a hard rolling elbow for another 2-ccount. The Kingdom went for hail Maria, but Heath crotched Taven on the turnbuckle and hit a double clothesline on Bennett. Kenny King, Vincent, & PCO came down and distracted the referee. Maria tried to distract Rhino while Honor No More and accidentally thew powder into the face of her husband before Rhino accidentally hit her with a gore. As Taven looked on in shock, Heath hit the Wake Up Call on Taven for the pinfall.
--Eddie Edwards came down to the ring as Mike Bennett checked on Maria on the floor, and the rest of Honor No More joined him in the ring. Edwards talked about either Honor No More ending or his relationship with his wife ending, based on her ultimatum. Edwards said Honor No More failed.
Bennett, Taven, and King claimed to be loyal to Honor No More. Edwards asked Vincent if he was loyal to Honor No More or PCO. Edwards questioned PCO’s loyalty, and the fans chanted for him to turn on them. PCO immediately attacked everyone but Vincent, taking them all out to a big pop from the crowd. Vincent tried to keep the peace and PCO tried to chokeslam him. The Kingdom superkicked PCO, but PCO took them both out.
Vincent nailed PCO with a chair, but PCO no sold it and killed Vincent with a punch before hitting a filp dive through the ropes on The Kingdom and chokeslamming Vincent on the chair. It seems this is the end of PCO in Honor No More, and possibly Honor No More itself. The crowd loved this, and I did too.
Outside of the questionable booking of Bully Ray continuing, and the poor choice of having “Option C,” this was a good episode of Impact. I liked the official babyface turn of PCO, and I really enjoyed the matches as well. There is a clear destination in mind for Overdrive, and they began to build everything for that. This was an easy thumbs up show.
· Gisele Shaw & VXT vs. Mickie James, Taylor Wilde, & Mia Yim
· Black Taurus vs. Laredo Kid
· Alan Angels vs. Trey Miguel
Other Round 1 Matches for the future:
· PJ Black vs. Yuya Uemura
· Kenny King vs. Mike Bailey
Impact Wrestling Overdrive - November 18, 2022
· Josh Alexander (c) vs. Frankie Kazarain for the Impact World Championship
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NXT will run a PPV on the same day as ROH Final Battle, according to a report.
The OGK will defend the Tag Team titles against Rhino & Heath.
The veteran actor will play Doris Adkisson, matriarch of the famed Von Erich family.
Tristen had been working on his father's "Kliq This" podcast recently.
Styles defeated Bully Ray at Bound for Glory on this day in 2013.
Shun Skywalker is set to defend against Lince Dorado.
Allin appeared on an episode of The Sessions with Renee Paquette released on Thursday.