Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 9/1/2022 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.
- Masha Slamovich vs. Deonna Purrazzo.
- IMPACT Tag Team Championship Match: The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) (c) vs. OGK (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett).
- X-Division Championship Match: Mike Bailey (c) vs. Kenny King.
- Mascara Dorada vs. Alex Zayne.
- Mickie James Returns to IMPACT.
Live Coverage.
- The show began with a video package recapping Mickie James' most recent matches in IMPACT ahead of her return later in the night. The video package also highlighted the feud between OGK & The Good Brothers ahead of their match for the IMPACT Tag Team Championships.
- Tom Hannifan & Matt Rehwoldt welcomed the audience to the broadcast before quickly transitioning to the opening match for the IMPACT Tag Team Championships.
IMPACT Tag Team Championship Match.
The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) (c) vs. OGK (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett).
The four men began the match by exchanging strikes in the ring. Taven hit an enziguri kick on Anderson, but Gallows caught him and Bennett with a double clothesline. Gallows tossed Taven out of the ring before hitting a chop, a face slam into the top turnbuckle, a second chop, another slam into the turnbuckle, and a flurry of strikes on Bennett on the corner. Bennet kicked Anderson before Taven hit a leg lariat on Anderson, a forearm strike on Gallows, and a twisting neck breaker on Anderson for a near fall. Taven hit a dropkick on Anderson before shouting to the crowd "I'm Matt Taven!". Bennett kicked Gallows off the apron while Taven hit some cheap shots on Anderson. Bennett hit two chops on Anderson before slamming him with an Irish Whip for a near fall. Bennett hit a forearm strike before Taven caught him with a chop. Taven and Bennett hit an enziguri kick/ superkick combo on Anderson for a near fall. Taven laid his boot on Anderson before punching him in the mouth. Bennett got Anderson in a headlock before hitting a low dropkick and a forearm strike on Anderson. Taven went for a Lionsault, but Anderson lifted his knees to block the move. Anderson hit a Yushi Guroshi on Bennett before tagging in Gallows. Gallows hit a superkick on Bennett, an elbow strike, and an uppercut on Taven before connecting a pump-handle slam on Taven for a near fall. Taven hit a springboard enziguri on Gallows, but Anderson caught him with a Spinebuster. Gallows and Anderson hit a back suplex/ neck breaker combo on Taven for a near fall. Bennett took Anderson from the top rope onto the turnbuckle cord. Bennett and Taven ended proceedings by hitting the Proton Pack for the pinfall win, crowning new IMPACT Tag Team Champions. Maria Kanellis came to the ring to celebrate after the match
Winners & New IMPACT Tag Team Champions: OGK (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven).
- There was a video vignette highlighting Killer Kelly, with Kelly saying she never gets tired of watching people. Kelly called out Tasha Steelz, saying that she is starting to identify what makes her tick, teasing a possible match between the two in the near future.
- OGK celebrated with Eddie Edwards, PCO, Vincent, Kenny King & Maria Kanellis, with Edwards saying that they proved why he chose the right side. Edwards then called out PCO. PCO & Vincent stormed out of the celebration before Kenny King said that he would put the brakes on Mike Bailey's ass. Kanellis said that she hated Scott D'Amore for banning her from the Tag Title Match, but she would get her retribution to accompany King to his match for the X-Division Championship.
X-Division Championship Match.
Mike Bailey (c) vs. Kenny King (w/ Maria Kanellis).
King hit a knee strike and an elbow strike on Bailey. Bailey jumped off the middle turnbuckle over King before King caught him with a short lariat. Bailey and King exchanged strikes and ran uppercuts before King connected a powerslam on Bailey for a near fall. Bailey hit two chops on King before King hit a chop of his own. Bailey hit a Hurricanrnana and flipped to evade King's offense before hitting a side kick on King's chest. Bailey booted King off the apron. Bailey leaped off the apron before chopping King. King gauged Bailey's eyes before hitting a headbutt on Bailey on the outside. Bailey lit up King with Karate side kicks on King on the outside. King hit a rolling elbow on Bailey before tossing Bailey into the apron with an Exploder Suplex before the commercial break. Back from the break, Bailey held on tight on the middle rope, but King hit a chop on Bailey to break his grip. King hit a hand-stand kick/ spine buster combination on Bailey for a near fall. King placed Bailey on the top rope, but he lionsaulted off the top rope after Bailey pushed him. Bailey jumped off the top rope to hit a Shotgun Dropkick on King. King hit a leg trip on Bailey, but Bailey hit a spinning kick, a foot kick, and a standing corkscrew splash on King for a near fall. Bailey caught King with a kick before attempting a Truble in Paradise Kick on King, but King put the referee in front of him to stop Bailey before King hit a back elbow on Bailey. King hit a Leg Lariat on the referee. Bailey went for the Ultimate Weapon, but King caught him with a low blow before hitting a head kick on Bailey. A new referee came to the ring to count the pin, but Bailey kicked out and hit a superkick on King. Bailey hit a rope-assisted enziguri and attempted a sunset flip, but King reversed it and got Bailey in a rope-assisted pin for the pinfall win. Honor No More came to the ring to celebrate, but the two referees talked about King's cheating and restarted the match & barred all of Honor No More from ringside, including Maria Kanellis. King argued with the referees & Honor No More before Bailey caught him with a Triangle Moonsault on King to the outside. Bailey hit the Trouble In Paradise and attempted the Ultimate Weapon, but King reversed it with a knee strike. King went for a Fireman's Carry, but Bailey reversed it with a pin attempt for the pinfall win and title retention. King flicked off Bailey after the match.
Winner & Still X-Division Champion: Mike Bailey.
- Brian Myers confronted Scott D'Amore to demand he make Bhupinder Gujjar give Myers his Digital Media Championship belt, but Gujjar decked Myers with a jab. Gujjar placed the belt on Myers' chest.
- Jessika, Rosemary & Taya Valkyrie were celebrating Jessika's win against Alisha. Rosemary told Jessika that she was not ready yet to fight for the IMPACT Women's Tag Titles, but Taya suggested that they go on a test before challenging for the titles, to which Rosemary agreed.
- NJPW Strong Tag Team Champions Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davies were interviewed backstage by Gia Miller, with them saying that they would be facing Ace Austin & Chris Bey. Fletcher said that Bullet Club would find out why United Empire run the world.
- Moose & Steve Maclin were backstage arguing, with Maclin telling him to think about strategy ahead of their Barbed Wire match against Sami Callihan in Victory Road.
- Eric Young, Joe Doering & Deaner were backstage after their loss against Time Machine, with Young telling Doering that he must follow his own path after he was sidelined due to being diagnosed with Brain Cancer. Yong then told Deaner that he was leaving and that it was up to him if he wanted to follow him.
- Mickie James came to the ring to cut a promo. She thanked the fans and Scott D'Amore and detailed her journey in professional wrestling, including being in her sister during her passing, her WWE release in 2021, and all the many insults she was called during her career before she said that it was the fans that always told her "Bitch, you are Mickie James!" to lift her up. James continued to detail her recent run on IMPACT, calling it one of her best. She then revealed that she broke up with her longest relationship, the wrestling business. She then said that her goal was to make Women's Wrestling prominent, but acknowledge the excellence of the IMPACT Knockouts Division. James said that she only wanted to be the greatest that ever did it. James said she was not retiring this night, but she would test herself in her quest. James said that she wanted to earn a last shot at the Knockouts Championship and announced an open challenge from anyone on the IMPACT Roster. James said that if she loses in her journey, that would be it for her. She called this her Last Rodeo and asked the fans to join the ride with her. James said that her rodeo will end either with either her as Knockout Women's Champion or going him for good.
- Gia Miller did a sit-down interview with IMPACT World Heavyweight Champion Josh Alexander, with Alexander putting over James after her promo. Alexander then said that his match against Eddie Edwards on Bound for Glory would determine who was the better wrestler. Alexander said that he owed everything to IMPACT Wrestling, calling Honor No More's proposition unserious. Eddie Edwards confronted Alexander backstage to talk with Alexander and try to convince Alexander that Heath was brought to the ring by IMPACT. Heath then speared Edwards off the couch before he was held back by multiple officials backstage before cutting to the commercial break.
- Scott D'Amore confronted Heath to tell him to not attack the #1 Contender. Heath then said that he will face Edwards on 9/8/2022. Heath thanked D'Amore before he went to apologize to Alexander for interrupting him last week. Alexander said that they were not all wrong before he walked out of the scene.
Mascara Dorada vs. Alex Zayne.
Zayn and Dorada locked up before Dorada flipped over Zayne. Dorada did a backflip to evade Zayne's kick and attempted a Hurricanrana, but Zayne cartwheeled his way off the move and hit Dorada with a Frankenstiner. Dorada and Zayne hit each other with stereo dropkicks before staring each other down. Dorada hit a Hurrincanrana on Zyane off the middle rope before sliding out of the ring, but Zayne caught him with a Tijeras on Dorada on the outside of the ring. Zayne and Dorada exchanged chops out of the ring before Zayne hit a back suplex on Dorada onto the apron. Zayne then hit an elbow drop on Dorada on the apron. Zayne hit a flipping leg drop on Dorada's neck before hitting a spring rope moonsault on Dorada to the outside. Back from the commercial break, Zayne placed Dorada on the top rope and attempted a superplex, but Dorada hit a forearm strike ad hit a walk-rope cross body on Zayne. Dorada hit two lariats and lowered the rope to send Zayne to the outside. Dorada hit a walk-rope Senton on Zayne to the outside before hitting a chop on Zayne. Back in the ring, Dorada hit a walk-rope Swanton Bomb on Zayne for a near fall. Zayne and Dorada evaded each other's offense before Zayne hit Dorada with a running back elbow. The two got on the top rope before Dorada pushed Zayne off the top turnbuckle, but Zayne caught Dorada with a flipping Frankensteiner before hitting the Baja Blast for a near fall. Zayne went for the Cinnamon Twist, but Dorada evaded and hit a Tornado DDT and the Dorado Driver for the pinfall win. It was announced that Mascara Dorada will face Mike Bailey for the X-Division Champion at a later date.
Winner: Mascara Dorada.
- IMPACT Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace confronted Mickie James backstage, with Grace that she will be waiting for James on the other side, but she will focus her gears on the winner between Deonna Purrazzo & Masha Slamovich in the main event.
Masha Slamovich vs. Deonna Purrazzo (w/ Chelsea Green).
The two locked up with Masha being surprised by Purrazzo. Purrazzo pushed Masha, but Slamovich responded by laying in chops on Purrazzo. Purrazzo got Masha in a waist lock before hitting a Tijeras on Masha. Masha hit a mule kick on Purrazzo before rag-dolling Purrazzo from the hair with snap-mare takedowns for a near fall. Masha went for the SNow Plow, but Purrazzo rolled out of the ring. Masha got Purrazzo back in the ring, but Green distracted Masha long enough on the apron to allow Purrazzo to hit a knee strike on Masha. Back in the ring, Purrazzo stomped down Masha in the corner before hitting a short-hand lariat on Masha for a near fall. Purrazzo got Masha in a headlock, but Masha broke the hod and got Purrazzo in a jack-knife cover for a near fall before Purrazzo reversed it with a sunset pin for a near fallMasha stacked up Purrazzo for a near fall before Purrazzo hit a mule kick/ standing moonsault on Masha for a near fall. Purrazzo went for a suplex, but Masha slammed Purrazzo in the corner. Masha got Purrazzo in a backslide for a near fall before booting Purrazzo in the face. Masha hit an Elevated Knee and a Helluva Kick before hitting a spin kick on Purrazzo for a near fall. Masha and Purrazzo exchanged strikes before Masha laid in the headbutts on Purrazzo. Masha went for the Snow Plow, but Purrazzo lowered her weight and reversed it with the Russian Leg Sweep before quickly transitioning to the Fujiwara Arm Bar on Masha. Purrazzo locked the hold deep before Masha got the rope break, but Masha reversed with an Anaconda Vice on the ropes. Purrazzo tossed Masha into the ring post before hitting three German Suplexes on Masha. Purrazzo went for the Gotch Style Piledriver, but Masha reversed it with the Air-Raid Crash onto the bottom turnbuckle for a near fall. Masha went for the Snow Plow, but Green distracted her before Purrazzo hit the Spike Piledriver on Masha for a near fall. Masha twisted her neck and went for a back fist, but Purrazzo attempted the Fujiwara arm bar. Masha hit a back fist on Purrazzo, a boot on Green to send her into the barricade, and a Snow Plow on Purrazzo for the decisive pinfall win, becoming the #1 Contender for the IMPACT Knockout Women's Championship.
Winner: Masha Slamovich.
- Jordynne Grace confronted Masha Slamovich after the match and gave her an envelope with a picture of Masha crossed with a red X. The two locked eyes furiously to end the broadcast, with the last image of the night being Grace holding the title in the air ahead of their match on Boud For Glory.
