Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 2/2/2023 edition of IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV. We will bring full results and breakdowns for every match and segment on the show. Follow Fightful on Twitter.com/Fightful and Facebook.com/FIGHTFULONLINE
Here's what set for the show.
Preview.
IMPACT Wrestling (2/2/2023).
- The Design (Alan Angels, Kon, Deaner & Sami Callihan) vs. Josh Alexander, Rich Swann, Yuya Uemura & Frankie Kazarian.
- Sheldon Jean vs. Crazzy Steve.
- Gisele Shaw (w/ Jai Vidal) vs. Savannah Evans.
- Bullet Club (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) vs. KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight.
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Live Coverage.
- Tom Hannifan & Matt Rhewoldt welcomed the audience to the broadcast before transitioning to the opening match.
Bullet Club (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) vs. KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight.
Knight & Bey began the match locking up before Knight got a headlock on Bey, but Bey reversed it with a headlock of his own before hitting a shoulder tackle on Knight. Bey& Knight evaded each other's attempts before Bey hit a sliding dropkick and a double-stomp to the back of Knight. Bey hit a chop on Knight before going for another one, but Knight evaded and hit a springboard cross-body, a scoop slam & a senton on Bey for a near fall. KUSHIDA tagged in and worked on Bey's left arm before hitting a dropkick on Bey's arm. Knight tagged back in and slammed Bey with an Irish Whip, but Bey tossed him onto the apron with a Bandera. Knight went for a springboard move, but Bey caught him with a dropkick mid-air for a near fall. Austin tagged in and hit a running thrust kick on Knight before hitting a drop toe-hold on him, allowing bey to hit another double-stomp on Knight's back for a near fall.
Austin & Bey aimed their offense on Knight in their corner before Austin hit a snap-mare into a head kick for a near fall. Knight laid in the strikes and attempted to tag in KUSHIDA, but was turned into he corner. Knight flipped over Austin and tagged in KUSHIDA, who hit Shotes on Bey & Austin before hitting. cartwheel dropkick on Bey. Bey went for a springboard move, but KUSHIDA caught him mid-air and locked in the Yuji Gatame before Bey reversed it with a pin for a near fall. Knight tagged in and hit a vicious dropkick on Bey. KUSHIDA got Bey in his shoulders before Austin had Knight on his shoulders, starting chicken fight before KUSHIDA hit a dropkick Austin before Knight hit a leaping Hurricanrana on Bey off the top rope. KUSHIDA had Bey on his shoulders before Knight hit a leaping shotgun dropkick on Bey for a near fall. Austin laid in his offense on Knight & KUSHIDA before hitting a springboard Spinning Roundhouse kick on Knight. Austin evaded KUSHIDA on the apron before hitting a PK kick on KUSHIDA. Knight dropped Austin onto the outside & went for a springboard splash to the outside on Austin, but Bey caught him and hit a mid-air cutter on Knight onto the apron. Back in the ring, Bey & Austin hit a Cutter into the Fold on Knight for the pinfall win.
Winners: Bullet Club (Ace Austin & Chris Bey)
- The Design (Deaner, Angels & Kon) confronted Sami Callihan backstage ahead of their 8-man tag in the Main Event. Deaner told Callihan that he would show him mercy after his trials the previous week, but that he had to prove himself to The Design in the Main Event.
- There was a video vignette promoting the IMPACT debut of Steph De Lander (Persia Pirotta in NXT), who is debuting next week.
Gisele Shaw (w/ Jai Vidal) vs. Savannah Evans.
The match began with Shaw & Evans arguing before Evans hit a jab on Shaw. Shaw hit two slaps on Evans, but Evans responded by hitting a series of punches on Shaw before hitting a chop on Evans. Shaw hit another slap followed by a series of chops on Evans, but Evans responded by sending Shaw to the corner with an Irish Whip, hitting a big veal, and a Double Under-hook Suplex on Shaw to send her to the outside before the commercial break.
After the break, Shaw laid her knee-pad on Evans's neck before going for an Irish Whip, but Evans reversed it by hitting a side slam on Shaw. Evans & Shaw exchanged strikes before Evans hit two lariats, a Samoan Drop, a vicious Spinebuster, and a Fisherman's Suplex on Shaw for a near fall. Evans went for the Full Nelson, but Vidal distracted the referee to allow Shaw to gauge Evans's eyes before hitting a Rising Knee Strike on Evans for the pinfall win.
Winner: Gisele Shaw (w/ Jai Vidal).
- Shaw cut. promo after the match saying that she aims to get all the spotlight for herself, now calling herself the Black Widow of IMPACT Wrestling for breaking up every tag team in her sight.
- Kenny King was confronted by Johnny Swinger & Zicky Dice backstage. Dice took King's popcorn and told him that he would arrange King a meet & greet unless he wanted a fight. King told Dice & Swinger that the next time he saw them it would be in a ring as he would talk to Santino Marella to make a match.
- Marella made the match between King & Swinger official before Steve Maclin confronted Marella backstage. Maclin tried to make a Triple Threat Match for No Surrender, but Marella told him that he can get a match if he wins the #1 Contender's Match series to earn a shot. Dirty Dango confronted Maclin to earn a qualifying match, but Marella told him to go away as he was already in one of the qualifying matches.
Crazzy Steve (w/ Black Taurus) vs. Sheldon Jean.
Steve made quick work out of Jean before hitting a Diving DDT on Jean for the quick & decisive pinfall win.
Winner: Crazzy Steve (w/ Black Taurus).
- Trey Miguel attacked Crazzy Steve & Black Taurus after the match, but Steve bit Miguel's face before spray-painting Trey Miguel's logo on his chest, aiming for the X-Division Championship.
- Jordynne Grace was interviewed backstage by Gia Miller, saying she still had a guaranteed rematch for the title. Grace called out the newly entered Steph De Lander for a match next week.
- Santino Marella sat down with ECW & IMPACT Wrestling legend Raven to get some advice. Reese confronted Raven backstage to get the flock back together, but Raven told him to simmer down.
- Bully Ray cut a promo in the ring, but he was constantly interrupted by chants from the crowd due to their apathy to Ray. Bully Ray detailed his history with Tommy Dreamer before he called him the biggest phony in the history of the business before calling him a snake, but IMPACT Knockout's Champ Mickie James interrupted Bully. James told Bully Ray to get the hell out of IMPACT Wrestling, but Bully Ray refused and asked her what was wrong with her. Bully Ray threatened to smack James in the face & told her to be careful. James smacked Bully Ray in the face, to which Bully Ray responded by body-slamming James. Bully Ray got James before being joined by John Skyer & Jason Hotch to powerbomb James onto a table, but Dreamer made the save for James. Dreamer & James challenged Hotch & Skyler to a match immediately, but Hotch & Skyler refused. Santino Marella came to the ring and made the tag match for next week.
- Killer Kelly was confronted by Taylor Wilde backstage. Wilde told Kelly that the spirits told her that they wanted them as a team before the IMPACT Knockout Tag Team Champions The Death Dollz (Rosemary, Taya Valkyrie & Jessicka) teleported before telling Kelly that Wilde & Kelly would team against them for a match for the tag titles. Kelly & Rosemary were thrilled while Valkyrie & Jessicka laughed nervously.
Kenny King vs. Johnny Swinger (w/ Zicky Dice).
Swinger got on the ropes to begin the match. Swinger continued to corner himself on the ropes to evade King's offense before he went for Karate like offense on King, but King was bamboozled before aiming for a spinning heel kick on Swinger, but Swinger sat down in shock. Dice distracted King, but King saw the distraction coming and hit a Scorpion Kick before hitting the Royal Flush on Swinger for the pinfall win.
Winner: Kenny King.
- Kenny King cut a promo afterward saying that he was putting the IMPACT Locker Room on notice.
- Masha Slamovich was confronted by Bully Ray backstage. Bully told Masha that he knew she would take care of IMPACT Knockout's Champion Micke James before telling her that she would become the new champion. Bully told Masha to not allow James to show her disrespect again. Masha talked in Russian before storming out of Bully's sights.
- Matt Cardona presented a diss track on Joe Hendry to the IMPACT Locker room, but everyone walked away. Cardona will challenge IMPACT Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry for the title next week.
The Design (Alan Angels, Kon, Deaner & Sami Callihan) vs. Josh Alexander, Rich Swann, Yuya Uemura & Frankie Kazarian.
Deaner & Swann began the match before Deaner immediately tagged in Callihan and told him to get Swann. Swann & Callihan locked up before Callihan got a wrist lock on Swann before hitting a pop-up headbutt on Swann. Angels tagged in and kicked Swann's chest before laying the punches on Swann. Swann hit a lariat on Angels off the middle rope before hitting the Tijeras on Angels. Uemura tagged in and hit a leaping dropkick on Angels for a near fall. Deaner tagged in before IMPACT World Heavyweight Champion Josh Alexander tagged in too. The two exchanged chops before Deaner bit Alexander's face before Angels tagged in. The eight men got in the ring and began to brawl before Alexander's team stood in the ring. Alexander hit a living cross-body on Kon before Swann hit a cannonball on The Design before the commercial break.
After the break, Uemura was hit with a back elbow before Kazarian tagged in. Kazarian hit a chop and a Russian Leg Sweep on Angels. Kazarian cleaned the house before hitting a springboard elbow drop on Angels. Swann & Kazarian hit a double-hip toss on Angels for a near fall. Swann went for a rolling splash, but Angels caught him mid-air and hit a power slam on Swann before tagging in Deaner. Deaner hit a body slam and a knee-drop on Swann before Kon tagged in and kicked Swann in the abdomen. Kon got Swann in a double nerve hold before pulling Swann's nose & check before Callihan tagged in. Callihan hit a chop to the back of Swann's neck before Deaner tagged in. Deaner placed Swann into the corner before hitting a shotgun dropkick on Swann's bum, cranking Swann's neck into the middle turnbuckle. Angels tagged in and laid in the stomps on Swann before hitting a neck breaker on Swann for a near fall. Kon hit a back-drop on Swann before Angels hit a middle rope dropkick on Swann for a near fall, thanks to Kazarian breaking the pin. Deaner tagged in and got a Front Face-lock on Swann before slamming him onto the mat. Swann leaped over Deaner and tried to make a tag, but Deaner caught him and tagged in Kon. Kon hit a leg drop on Swann before tagging in Callihan. Callihan went for a corner splash, but Swann hit a thrust kick on Callihan before starting the superkick party on The Design. Swann hit an enziguri kick on Callihan before tagging in Alexander.
Alexander hit Angels, Deaner & Callihan with German Suplexes before hitting a diving thrust kick on Kon for a near fall, to which Alexander quickly responded by locking in an Ankle lock on Kon, but Kon hit an up-kick to break the hold. Uemura tagged in and hit a dropkick on Kon, but Callihan tagged in & gauged Uemura's eyes. Alexander hit a double lariat on Deaner & Callihan, but Deaner hit the A-Town down followed by a lariat on Alexander. Swann hit a thrust kick on Deaner, but Angels caught him with a rolling elbow into a German Suplex. Kazarian hit the One Final Beat DDT on Angels, but Kon greeted him with a Spinebuster. Uemura hit a dropkick and an Exploder Suplex on Kon. Uemura hit a leaping enziguri kick on Callihan before climbing to the top rope, but Deaner dropped him from the top rope before Callihan hit the Cactus Driver on Uemura for the pinfall win. Callihan & The Design stood tall on the ramp to end the broadcast.
Winners: The Design (Alan Angels, Kon, Deaner & Sami Callihan).
- Check out the post-show podcast for a full review of the show on Fightful's YouTube & Twitch channels. You can check Fightful's Results Section here.
