Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 8/18/2022 edition of IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV & YouTube. 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
Match Card.
- X-Division Championship Match: Mike Bailey (c) vs. Chris Bey.
- Laredo Kid vs. Black Taurus (w/ Crazzy Steve) vs. Trey Miguel vs. Rey Horus.
- Kenny King vs. Heath.
- 6-Way Elimination #1 Contender's Match for IMPACT World Championship: Bandido vs. Steve Maclin vs. Sami Callihan vs. Moose vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Rich Swann.
Live Coverage.
- After a video package highlighting the feud and match between IMPACT World Heavyweight Champion Josh Alexander & Alex Shelley on Emergence, Tom Hannifan & Matt Rehwoldt welcomed the audience to the broadcast before quickly transitioning to the opening match.
Laredo Kid vs. Black Taurus (w/ Crazzy Steve) vs. Trey Miguel vs. Rey Horus.
Crazzy Steve joined the broadcast team for the match. Taurus hit a headbutt on Miguel, but Miguel, Laredo Kid and Horus hit superkicks and shotgun dropkicks on Taurus. Laredo Kid hit a double arm drag on Miguel and Horus before hittinga Tope Suicida on Taurus to the outside. Horus hit body scissors on Miguel, but Laredo kid hit a spring rope arm drag and a tilt-to-world back breaker on Horus. Laredo Kid hit a double Tornado DDT on Taurus, but Taurus hit a crucifix bomb on Laredo Kid in response. Taurus then hit a rack-attack back breaker on Miguel, a toss on Horus, and a Samoan Drop on Laredo Kid. Taurus hit a chop on Horus, but Horus tossed him to the outside. Outside of the ring. Taurus hit a gnarly headbutt, but Miguel hit a hurrincanrana on Laredo Kid from the apron onto Taurus. Back in the ring, Laredo Kid and Trey Miguel exchanged strikes before Miguel hit a high kick and a brainbuster on Laredo Kid for a near fall. Horus hit an Enziguri on Miguel, but Taurus caught him with a lariat. Laredo Kid hit a Poison Rana on Black Taurus for a near fall. Laredo Kid lowered the rope to send Taurus to the outside. Miguel hit a Tope Con Giro on Taurus, which Horus followed by hitting a top-rope moonsault on Taurus and Miguel. Laredo Kid hit a Tornillo Splash on Taurus, Horus, and Miguel to the outside. Back in the ring, Laredo Kid hit a crucifix bomb, which Horus took advantage of by hitting a tornado DDT on Taurus. Miguel hit a Crossroads on Horus, but Laredo Kid caught him with a flipping DDT. Black Taurus laid out Laredo Kid by hitting the Destination Hellhole for the pinfall win.
Winner: Black Taurus (w/ Crazzy Steve).
- Zicky Dice said that he would like Killer Kelly to kill him before suggesting Johnny Swinger to bring her to the Swinger Dojo. Tasha Steelz interrupted Dice by saying that he should be stunned by her career. Killer Kelly interrupted and said that if Steelz was keeping an eye on here, she will keep an eye on Steelz. Savannah Evans got in the way of Steelz and Kelly, and Kelly responded by saying that she would face Evans at some point and it would be fun.
- Rich Swann and IMPACT World Heavyweight Champion Josh Alexander were backstage ahead of their match, with Alexander saying that he would love to face him but reminding him that he would give him the fight for his life. Vincent interrupted the two and said that the winds were turning for Honor No More and Eddie Edwards could be the new contender. Vincent said that he may need a friend soon because he might need it.
Kenny King (w/ Vincent) vs. Heath.
King and Heath exchanged punches before king hit two kicks on Heath before Heath unsuccessfully attempted the Wake-Up Call. Heath hit a lariat and a power slam on King. On the outside of the ring, Vincent distracted Heath long enough for King to hit a corkscrew cross body on Heath to the outside before the commercial break. King had Heath in a sit-down abdominal stretch before hitting a body slam on Heath. King stomped down Heath before he laid in punches and connected a snap suplex on Heath. King went for a spring rope leg drop, but Heath evaded and hit a series of punches, a knee strike, a lariat, and a neck breaker on King for a near fall. King went for a corner splash but slammed his face into the corner before Heath hit the Wake-Up Call on King for the pinfall win.
Winner: Heath.
- Eddie Edwards, Matt Taven, PCO, Vincent, Mike Bennett, and Kenny King beat up Heath after the match. PCO stuttered on punching Heath, to which Heath took advantage to hit a Wake-Up Call on Bennett. Heath ran like a fly into the crowd.
- Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) challenged Violent By Design to a trios match. Shelley said that Kushida was the hottest free agent in professional wrestling, naming their trio Time Machine.
- Honor No More were backstage asking why Heath keeps jumping them. Bennett and Taven went to confront Scott D'Amore to get their IMPACT Tag Team Championship Match. D'Amore said that Gallows was healing up, but Maria Kanellis said that Bullet Club was just lazy. Kanellis suggested a handicap match for the titles. D'Amore instead said that Bennett would face Karl Anderson, where Kanellis would be banned from ringside if Bennett lost.
Savannah Evans (w/ Tasha Steelz) vs. Killer Kelly.
Kelly got Evans in a sleeper, but Evans tossed Kelly to the mat. Evans choked Kelly with one hand, but Kelly placed Evans' other hand on her own neck. Evans hit a corner spear on Kelly. Kelly hit a series of forearm strikes on Evans before hitting a headbutt on Evans' chest. Evans hit her shoulder in the ring post before Kelly hit a leaping shotgun turnbuckle dropkick on Evans for a near fall. Kelly went for the double under-hook on Evans, but instead hit a knee strike on Evans. Evans hit a big boot and a German Suplex on Kelly. Evans locked in a full nelson on Kelly, but Kelly reversed it with a victory roll for a near fall before quickly transitioning to the Killer Clutch. With nowhere to go, Evans tapped out, giving Kelly the submission victory.
Winner: Killer Kelly
- Rosemary, Jessika & Taya Valkyrie were backstage, with Rosemary being frustrated with her and Taya not being the IMPACT Knockouts Tag Champions, but emphasized that they would regroup to regain the titles. Jessika revealed that she would have her IMPACT debut on the 8/25/2022 edition of IMPACT. Rosemary told Taya to not say the M word (Mimosa) before saying that they would make sure Jessika is a killer in her debut.
- IMPACT Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace was interviewed backstage by Gia miller, with Grace saying that she would face anyone and everyone, including Masha Slamovich. Grace then said that Mia Yim had her respect before IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Champions VXT (Deonna Purrazzo & Chelsea Green) interrupted Grace before Yim came in and said that she did not respect them. Yim and Grace then challenged VXT for the titles, which they accepted. Grace and Yim shook hands after the challenge.
X-Division Championship Match.
Mike Bailey (c) vs. Chris Bey.
The two locked up before Bailey got Bey in a wrist lock, but Bey reversed it with a wrist lock. Bailey broke the hold with an arm drag before the two stared each other down. Bey and Bailey locked up again before the two hit each other with shoulder tackles. Bey and Bailey evaded each other's offense before Bey attempted a hip toss, but Bailey reversed it with a takedown and a lateral press for a near fall, to which Bailey responded with a dropkick on Bey to send him to the outside of the ring. Bey got Bailey outside of the ring and laid in a forearm strike on his head. Bailey tossed Bey into the ring post, but Bey finessed his way out of the post. Back in the ring, Chris Bey hit a pendulum DDT on Bailey for a near fall. Bey laid in strikes on Bailey before taunting the crowd. Bey kicked Bailey in the ribs bitting a snap-mare head scissors submission on Bailey, but Bailey turned it into a pin for a near fall. Bey hit a slap, a spinning abdomen kick, and a spinning chop on Bailey, but Bailey ran the ropes to catch Bey with a single-leg dropkick. Bailey hit a series of kicks on Bey before attempting a running tornillo splash, but Bey evaded and connected a corner uppercut and an enziguri kick on Bailey. Bailey hit machine gun side kicks on Bey before connecting him with an enziguri kick. Bailey hit a standing moonsault knee drop on Bey and attempted a second kick, but Bey reversed it with a pin for a near fall before hitting a leaping flat liner on Bailey. Bailey rolled out of the ring. Bey went for a Tope Suicida, but Bailey got back in the ring and connected a triangle moonsault on Bey to the outside. On the apron, Bey hit a spring rope enziguri kick on Bailey to send him outside before he connected a Tope Con Giro on Bailey, with Bey launching himself to the ramp. Back in the ring, Bey placed Bailey in the top rope in the Baileys before Bey hit a double stomp on Bailey while Bailey was hanging in the top rope. Bey went for a coup de grace, but Bailey evaded and attempted the Trouble In Paradise kick, but Bey reversed it by placing Bailey in the middle turnbuckle and hitting an enziguri kick right in the bum. Bey hit a Powerbomb on Bailey for a near fall. Bailey got Bey in a waist lock, but Bey responded with a back elbow. Bey went for a spring rope move, but Bailey swiped Bey's legs off the rope with a 619 before hitting a spinning heel kick, a high kick, and a superkick. Bailey hit a stomp on Bey before connecting the Ultimate Weapon for the pinfall win.
Winner & Still X-Division Champion: Mike Bailey (c).
- IMPACT Digital Media Champion Brian Myers was confronted by Bhupinder Gujjar, who said that he got pissed off. Gujjar told him he was not done with him before walking away.
6-Way Elimination #1 Contender's Match for IMPACT World Championship.
Bandido vs. Steve Maclin vs. Sami Callihan vs. Moose vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Rich Swann.
Swann and Bandido began the match shaking hands before locking up. Swann got Bandido in a wrist lock while Callihan shouted "WRESTLING!" before Bandido broke the hold by rolling on the mat. Bandido got Swann in a wrist lock before Swann kipped up to reverse the hold into a wrist lock of his own, quickly transitioning into a headlock. Swann attempted a Hurrincanrana on Bandido, but Bandido stood on his feet and attempted a hurricanrana of his own, but Swann cartwheeled his way off the move before attemping a lariat, but Bandido evaded with a kip up before the two attempted dropkicks on each other, ending in a stellmate. Edwards tagged in while Bandido was distracted, with Bandido telling the crowd to call him a Puto (a bitch in spanish). Swann hit a Hurricanrana and a dropkick on Edwards before tagging in Callihan. Callihan and Edwards exchanged strikes before Callihan hit a lariat on Edwards. Callihan hit a punch on Edwards right in the face before he and Swann hit a Death Valley Driver/ rolling Splash combo on Edwards. Maclin tried to get involved, but Swann tossed him out of the ring before he hit Maclin and Edwards with an apron cannonball to the outside. Back in the ring, Swann and Edwards exchanged strikes before Moose pulled Swann from the hair and slammed him into the mat. Moose tagged in before laying his boot on Swann's neck. Maclin tagged in while he and Moose had a chop off with Swann. Moose forcibly tagged back in before hitting a chop on Swann. Maclin tagged back in and hit a Uranage back breaker on Swann for a near fall. Maclin stomped down Swann in the corner before hitting a chop on Swann. Swann attacked both Maclin and Moose before hitting a cross body on Maclin. Callihan tagged in and laid out everyone but Bandido, hitting a back fist on Maclin and aseries of chops on Moose and Maclin. Callihan hit a lariat on Moose, but Maclin caught him with a forearm strike. Maclin gauged Callihan's eyes before Moose caught him with a spear for the pinfall elimination, with Callihan out of the match. From out of nowhere, Maclin got Moose in a school boy roll-up for the full pinfall, eliminating Moose from the match. Callihan tossed Moose into the barricade before coming back in the ring and tossing Maclin to the outside. Bandido hit a Twisting Moonsault on Maclin. Edwards hit a rope-assisted enziguri kick on Maclin before Bandido connected the 21 Plex on Maclin to eliminate him from the match with a pinfall. Swann and Bandido exchanged strikes before Bandido hit a lifted knee strike on Swann, but Swann responded with a spinning high kick on Bandido, but Bandido responded to that with a punch on Swann's face. Bandido hit a series of forearm strikes on Edwards, but Edwards caught him with a jab. Edwards hit a knee drop on Bandido before hitting a headbutt on him. Bandido hit a middle rope crossbody and a dropkick on Edwards. Edwards slapped Swann in the face to tag Swann in. Swann slapped Edwards back before Bandido hit a single-leg dropkick on Edwards. Swann and Bandido exchanged strikes before Bandido hit a Spanish Fly for a near fall. Bandido got Swann in a single-arm Gorilla Press, but Swann escaped. Bandido hit a pop-up cutter on Swann for a near fall. Bandido went for a gut-wrench bomb, but Swann evaded and hit a spinning heel kick before connecting the Cartwheel Cutter on Bandido for a near fall. Swann kicked Bandido right in the head and climbed to the middle rope to hit a Phoenix Splash on Bandido but Edwards tagged in from behind and tossed Swann across the ring into the ring post before connecting the Boston Knee Party on Bandido for the pinfall, eliminating Bandido out of the match and leaving Swann and Edwards as the final two. Edwards hit three chops on Swann before connecting a lariat on Swann for a near fall. Edwards hit a running elbow strike on Swann for a near fall. Edwards launched Swann into the corner with an Irish Whip. Edwards sat on the top turnbuckle, but Swann caught him with an enziguri kick before connecting a Hurrincanrana on Edwards, with Edwards falling from the turnbuckle straight into the mat. Swann hit a high kick, a superkick, and a neck breaker on Edwards before hitting the back kick on Edwards for a near fall. Edwards rolled out of the ring and got a kendo stick. Edwards hit Swann with the Kendo Stick while the referee was distracted in the head and got a pin for a near fall. Swann and Edwards exchanged quick strikes before Edwards attempted the Liger Bomb, but Swann reversed it with a Frankensteiner for a near fall. Swann hit another high kick and went for the cartwheel cutter, but Edwards hit a Blue Thunder Bomb and another Boston Knee Party for another near fall. Edwards had enough and connected the Die Hard Driver on Swann for the pinfall win. Edwards will now face Josh Alexander for the IMPACT World Heavyweight Championship on 10/7/2022 in Bound For Glory. Edwards and Honor No More stood tall to end the show.
Winner: Eddie Edwards.
