Winfree’s Impact Wrestling Review 9.23.21

Hello everyone, Winfree subbing in tonight. Tonight on Impact wrestling Josh Alexander will be addressing the Impact world as he declared his intention of invoking “Option C” by relinquishing his X-Division title in exchange for a shot at the World title at Bound for Glory. We’ll get a continuation of the Bullet Club taking on FinJuice, Mickie James will be here after she was attacked by Deonna Purrazzo, and Rohit Raju will battle Chelsea Green.

Scott D’Amore is in the ring to get us going. He recaps Josh Alexander invoking Option C, then brings out Alexander. Alexander gets a mic, D’Amore says all they have to do is get Alexander to hand over the belt and get his shot at Bound for Glory. He also runs down a tournament to crown the next X-Division champion if Alexander does hand over the title. Alexander has thought about this, he puts over the X-Division as meaning almost everything to him. Almost. He was recovering from neck surgery 6 years ago, and had regrets about what he hadn’t done. He doesn’t live with regret anymore, he thinks he can be the face of Impact and to do so he needs the World title. Christian Cage shows up before he hands over the title though and interrupts things. Cage is in the ring and gets a mic as well, he says he heard Alexander and while he respects him and his story he brings up actually losing his career for 7 years but he fought to get back here and hold this belt. Cage wont lay down for Alexander or anyone, and he reminds us again that if Alexander exercises Option C he could come out empty handed after Bound for Glory. Right now Alexander is the face of the X-Division, but spoiler alert after Bound for Glory he wont be Impact champion. Alexander just thanks him for making the decision easier, and hands the X-Division belt to D’Amore. Because who doesn’t love a revolving door promo segment, here’s Ace Austin along with Madman Fulton. Ace says he came very close to beating Cage for the belt just a few nights ago, and he’s not going to go away quietly after falling short once. He’s not done with Cage, and calls Alexander obsessed with him. When Ace was X-Division champion Alexander was obsessed, and now that Ace is after the World title he’s still here. He calls Alexander a quitter in terms of giving up the X-Division title, and says he’d have never given up the X-Division title, but Alexander cuts him off reminding him that he took that title from Ace so he’d never ever have the chance for this spot. This leads to a brawl, with Ace and Fulton coming out on top then heading out.

Rich Swann and Willie Mack are in the back, reminded that they fell short against The Good Brothers. They talk about the opportunity to fight for the X-Division title, Mack wants in the X-Division tournament while Swann wants in the Call Your Shot gauntlet. Bryan Myers is here, and he’ll be in that Gauntlet match as well, and he’ll be going for the world title. Swann mocks him, and says he should meet Swann and Mack tonight with one of his lackeys tonight in a tag team match. Myers doesn’t want any of his three lackeys and says he’ll find someone as we head to break.

We come back and Cage is getting checked out by a doctor after getting drilled in the eye by Ace. Here’s Alexander who wants to deal with Austin and Fulton in a tag team with Cage, but he’s not cleared apparently. Instead we’ll get Ace Austin taking on Josh Alexander in our main event tonight.

Match #1: Hikuleo w/ Chris Bey vs. David Finlay w/ Juice Robinson

Finlay circles, but they tie up and Hikuleo over powers Finlay but Finlay starts evading. Hikuleo tosses Finlay across the ring after they tie up again. Finlay starts kicking the leg of Hikuleo but Hikuleo is able to get close enough and start clubbing him with strikes. They run the ropes, Hikuleo catches a diving Finlay and hits a scoop slam. Hikuleo misses a corner splash, and Finlay starts trying to quicken the pace but Bey trips him up and that leads to Hikuleo booting him down as we head to break.

We come back to Hikuleo dominating things. Hikuleo with a corner splash then a running powerslam for a 2 count. Finlay tries to fight back but is caught in a delayed vertical suplex that results in another 2 count. Hikuleo starts working a side headlock, Finlay fights back with a jawbreaker then flips out of a back suplex and hits a neckbreaker. Finlay hits a second rope cross body for a 2 count and starts laying in stomps. Rear naked choke from Finlay, Hikuleo powers up and they hit the corner before he’s able to toss Finaly off overhead. Hikuleo with a hard clothesline for a near fall. Hikuleo wants a chokeslam, but Finlay counters into a Stunner as Robinson and Bey fight on the outside. Finaley with a prawn hold roll up and that gets the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: David Finlay won

Rating: 2 stars

Competent Post match Hikuleo attacks Finlay, and we get a brawl between all four men with FinJuice eventually standing tall. Bey is set for a Doomsday Device but El Phantasmo shows up to turn the odds in favor of Bullet Club so the Club stands tall after he super kicks Finlay.

Violent by Design promo, Young says Rhyno understands that last week wasn’t an expulsion. Violence is the only thing the sickness understands, and that Rhyno can learn from his mistakes and apologize then move forward. Rhyno can be stronger and better, he can be the War Machine again. When you join something like this it’s forever, not a fad or a phase. Young is asking him to decide, to do the right thing, to think about how he compromised them and made them do this to him. Everything up to now is Rhyno’s creation, and now they need an answer from him next week.

Matt Cardona and Chelsea Green are being interviewed. Cardona did what he said he would do at Victory Road and put Shera out indefinitely as a bonus, but he’s done with Rohit now. Green isn’t done though, Rohit took her out for a few weeks, but she’s back and is about to get her retribution after this break.

In the back Su Yung is being offered souls, well really a red belt but either way.

Match #2: Rohit Raju vs. Chelsea Green w/ Matt Cardona

They tie up, Rohit easily out muscles Green. Another tie up and again Rohit over powers Green. Green avoids a corner rush and hits a few slaps. Green kicks the knee of Rohit and then an enzigrui and running soccer kick for a 1 count. Rohit avoids an arm drag, they run the ropes and he floors Green with a shoulder block. Some mocking offense from Rohit then a snap suplex for a 2 count. Green fights back and hits a Thesz press, then another one. Rohit avoids a German suplex, but Green catches him with an awkward one as they bounce off the ropes. A clothesline from Rohit follows, but he misses a running knee strike and Green with a school boy for 2. Super kick from Green, but Rohit misses a running knee. Rohit counters a sunset flip, but Cardona stops his cheating and opens up for Green to try her finish but Raj Singh attacks Cardona and that distraction allows Rohit to get a small package and pin Green.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Rohit Raju won

Rating: 1.5 stars

Some obvious miscommunication issues between Rohit and Green, and I’m not at all excited about Raj Singh returning.

We get a recap of W. Morrissey power bombing Alisha Edwards. Eddie is in the back and Sami Callihan comes up to him, offering to still be on his side as they head out to deal with W. Morrisey and Moose. Callihan gets the cameraman to follow them as they walk off and we head to break.

We come back to Eddie using a kendo stick on Moose, they brawl just the two of them before Callihan shows up with a bat and they beat the crap out of Moose. Eddie wants to know where Morrisey is, Moose doesn’t know and Callihan and Eddie head off to look for Morrisey.

To the ring for our next match. Myers out second and says his lackeys are too green to be in this match, and so brings out his partner VSK.

Match #3 – Tag Team Match: Rich Swann and Willie Mack vs. Brian Myers and VSK

Swann and VSK start us off. They tie up, then hit the ropes for a bit eventually VSK hits a drop kick. Both men try hip tosses but no one can get the edge then Swann flips through and hits a drop kick of his own. Mack tags in and they double team VSK. Myers tags in after that and the larger men square up. Mack gets a headlock, then they run the ropes and he gets an awkward arm drag. More rope running and Mack hits a diving shoulder block. VSK tags in as Mack deals with a few distractions and that allows VSK to hit Nakamura’s sliding German suplex to take over. Myers back in and starts laying in stomps. Mack hits the pop up right hand to floor Myers and both men are down. Both men tag out and Swann gets to run wild. Swinging neckbreaker from Swann then a rolling splash and Myers has to break up the pin. Things break down, Mack and Myers wind up on the outside but VSK with a thumb to the eye then the Bloody Sunday DDT but that only gets 2. VSK up top, but jumps into a super kick. Swann with kicks to the lackeys, Mack takes out Myers again as Swann gets shoved off the top rope into a cross body on VSK and that gets the pin.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Rich Swann and Willie Mack won

Rating: 2 stars

A few awkwardly timed spots, but VSK held his own in there with the bigger names.

Johnny Swinger is getting bad news/luck at Swinger’s Palace. He’s upset that Impact is going to Vegas where he can’t compete with the Vegas casinos. Swinger decides to just ask D’Amore to not go, and dictates a letter inviting D’Amore to his casino and signing it JJ Dillon.

Mickie James walks in the back, she’ll be in the ring after this break.

Post break the Good Brothers are drinking wine and enjoying their vacation. They deserve this because they’ve beaten every team put in front of them. It doesn’t matter who climbs to the next contender spot, they’re still getting a Magic Killer and getting pinned.

Back to the arena and here’s Mickie James coming to the ring. Mickie gets a mic, she calls returning at Slammiversary an honor but her intentions aren’t selfish they’re about making women’s wrestling better and highlighting Deonna Purrazzo. But since then Purrazzo has disrespected her. She tries to calm things down, she wants to address Purrazzo woman to woman and invites her out. That does bring Purrazzo out. Purrazzo asks how dare Mickie even utter her name after attacking her last week. They go back and forth about who attacked who and who’s got the moral high ground. Mickie sees through Purrazzo, and challenges her to a title match at Bound For Glory. Purrazzo is amused by this, she owes Mickie nothing but knows that this would be Mickie’s dream match. Any company or anyone would love to wrestle her, and Mickie does nothing for her. She never idolized Mickie, there’s a long line of women ahead of Mickie who inspired her and says Mickie wont get her title shot. Where Purrazzo comes from respect is earned, and until Mickie earns a title shot the answer is “Hell no”. Mickie gets physical, and we get a pull apart brawl. That leads to D’Amore showing up to try and calm things down. He heard what Mickie said, and wrestlers don’t get to make matches here or turn them down. Everyone disagrees with Purrazzo’s assessment of Mickie, he’ll give Mickie whatever she wants especially if it means a match like Mickie and Purrazzo at Bound For Glory for the Knockouts Title.

In the back Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan continue to wander with weapons. They find Morrissey and threaten to break his legs, but a swarm of security stops that before it can happen. D’Amore is here, he says next week there will be a Street Fight to settle this. Morrissey inquires about the health of Eddie’s wife as we head to break.

Gail Kim is being interviewed about being in charge of the Knockouts Knockdown event. Tenille Dashwood and Madison Rayne are here to interrupt things. Rayne and Tenille want a tag team title shot, but Kim makes them wrestle Jordynne Grace and Rachel Ellering and the winners of that will get the title shot.

Both participants for the main event make their way to the ring, that match will begin after this break.

Match #4: Ace Austin w/ Madman Fulton vs. Josh Alexander

Ace avoids Alexander at first, but gets hit with a mat return. Alexander works a front headlock, he drives Ace into the corner and they start fighting for position before Fulton trips Alexander behind the refs back. That allows Ace to get some offense, but Alexander over powers him and lays in strikes. Exploder suplex from Alexander connects and Ace heads out of the ring. Alexander follows him out but gets caught with a drop kick. Ace on the apron, but a kick is caught in an ankle lock, and he has to scurry away into the ring. Alexander with more offense as he keeps Ace grounded. Ace fights back with some strikes but Alexander just chops him down then hits a delayed vertical suplex. Eventually Ace avoids a corner splash, then catches Alexander on the top rope but Alexander tosses him off and starts jawing with Fulton. Ace avoids Alexander in the ropes and gets a series of offense culminating with a bulldog as we head to break.

We come back as Ace is still in control of the match. Alexander counters a body scissors into an ankle lock but Ace quickly moves to hit an enziguri. Ace with more strikes on offense, he works to keep Alexander in the corner. Alexander hits a kick and some elbows to fire up, but Ace back flips out of a German suplex and hits a back suplex then misses a kick and hits hit with a bridging German suplex for 2. Ace misses a kick off the ropes, and Alexander drops him with a running boot. Ace avoids the C4 Spike, but Alexander catches him with a rolling fireman’s carry then heads up top for a diving knee drop that gets a 2 count. Alexander back to the ankle lock, though Ace counters quickly. More German suplexes from Alexander, he hits 5 in a row before Ace gets into the ropes to break the position. Ace with a knee strike, they avoid each others strikes before Alexander lands a right hand. Ace avoids a C4 and is able to get a near fall off of a double knee face buster. Alexander avoids The Fold, blocks a kick then drops Ace over the top rope. Diving low cross body from Alexander drives Ace off of the apron and to the floor. Back into the ring for Ace, but Alexander is distracted by Fulton and Ace is able to clock him with a wheel kick, and Alexander drops onto Fulton. They head back into the ring, Ace wants The Fold again, but his caught in a powerbomb backbreaker, then the C4 Spike connects and Alexander wins.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Josh Alexander won

Rating: 3 stars

Solid match, Ace and Alexander work well together. Post match Fulton jumps Alexander in the ring. Alexander tries to make his own save, but Ace is there to distract and allow Fulton to land a kick. Christian Cage is here and he lays into Fulton, leading to Fulton and Ace leaving. Alexander objects to Cage showing up, and that distraction allows Ace and Fulton to show back up and resume attacking. Ace and Fulton set for a chokeslam Fold, but here’s Christopher Daniels to disrupt them. Daniels heads to the ring and disposes of Ace and Fulton. Daniels, Cage, and Alexander stare each other down for a bit but nothing comes of that as the episode ends.