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Credit: Impact Wrestling
The road to Impact Wrestling’s Rebellion continued Thursday night on AXS TV with an episode of the company’s weekly show headlined by No. 1 contender to the world title, Josh Alexander, battling the insufferable Matt Taven of Honor No More.
That strong main event topped a card that also saw Deonna Purrazzo defend both the Reina de Reinas and Ring of Honor Women’s titles in a three-way dance and The Motor City Machine Guns square off with Bullet Club’s Jay White and Chris Bey in a dream tag team match.
Who emerged victorious, momentum on their side ahead of the springtime extravaganza?
Find out now with this recap of the March 17 broadcast.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
A dream match between one of the best teams of the last 15 years (The Motor City Machine Guns) and the most influential faction during that span (Bullet Club) kicked off this week’s show as Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin squared off with “Switchblade” Jay White and Chris Bey in a match that absolutely lived up to lofty expectations.
Nonstop action, lightning-quick offense and a breakout performance by Bey helped elevate the quality.
The Guns won in a controversial fashion as White appeared to make the save, the referee’s hand only slapped the mat twice, but the bell rang and the match was called in favor of the babyfaces.
That one, confusing moment aside, this was a great opener that somehow managed to live up to the company’s hype.
Grade
A
Top Moments
- Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt did a fantastic job of establishing the history between Shelley and White to set the stage for the emotional intensity that would be on display in this one.
- Bey performed up to the moment and further proved why he is one of the faces of Impact Wrestling’s future.
- The finish, whether intentional or blown, creates doubt and sets the stage for a rematch at soon as Rebellion. Given the quality of this one, such a rematch is more than welcome.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
A hard-hitting showdown between Rhino and Steve Maclin hit the ring next, the result of the latter’s betrayal of The Man-Beast at Sacrifice.
A different match than we have seen out of Maclin of late, this was a physical, hard-hitting, inoffensive-if-unspectacular contest that saw the younger competitor conquer his opponent with his own finisher.
The win was a solid one for Maclin over a former world champion.
Grade
C
Top Moments
- Maclin winning with the Gore was great, insulting heel stuff.
- Backstage, Heath reminded Rhino that they are much more effective together. They vowed to chase the tag team titles, a spot on the card that best suits them both at this point in their Impact Wrestling runs.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
Larry D, formerly of tag team XXXL, returned to the Impact Zone to battle the young up-and-comer, Bhupinder Gujjar, with Brian Myers on commentary and Raj Singh watching the upstart from ringside.
Gujjar overcame a physical onslaught by his larger opponent, including a big stomp, for the win with a corner spear in a better-than-expected match between youngster and veteran.
W Morrissey arrived and continued his thoroughly entertaining streak of putting people not-named Brian Myers through a table, building anticipation for the moment he finally gets his hands on the slimy Most Professional Wrestler.
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- Brian Myers claiming Larry D disappeared to partake in the Buddy Rodes’ Blow Away diet was a laugh-out-loud line.
- Myers escaping Morrissey at every turn, and someone else paying the price instead of him, is a great gimmick.
- Morrisey demolishing everyone in his path is the best and will only serve to get him over in a manner similar to that of Sid Vicious in 1999 WCW.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
Deonna Purrazzo’s AAA Reina de Reinas and Ring of Honor Women’s championships were on the line in the same three-way dance as The Virtuosa defended against Lady Frost and Gisele Shaw in a match significantly better than expected, thanks to the best performances of the challengers’ Impact runs.
Frost looked like a star, shining brightly as she repeatedly came within inches of capturing the gold. Shaw shook off an iffy first in-ring showing a few weeks back and showed why the company was so willing to hype her debut.
Then there was Purrazzo, who is as consistently excellent as anyone. Her willingness to stay out of the way and let the two newcomers shine, while still remaining relevant and scoring the win, is the stuff of an established and confident performer.
Grade
B
Top Moments
- Frost sending Purrazzo into the ring post not only eliminated her biggest threat to a win for the time being but also allowed her feud with Shaw to momentarily take center stage.
- A double submission was a nice touch, as was the double German suplex spot.
- Purrazzo, the wily veteran, snatching victory from Frost sets the babyface up for another shot.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
Zicky Dice sure knows how to take an ass-whooping, something that was on full (and short) display when he battled Jonah in an unabashed squash.
The segment was less about that, though, and more about the resurrection of PCO, who returned following a brutal beating at the hands of the Aussie at Sacrifice and fought the big man off. A shocked Jonah stood at the top of the ramp, eyes wide after PCO delivered the Reanimator to security to cap off a strong angle.
Moments later, Masha Slamovich dominated en route to another one-sided victory.
Grade
B (Jonah’s win and PCO’s return), D for Slamovich’s nondescript squash
Top Moments
- 54-year-old PCO’s willingness to throw his body around is awe-inspiring and the Reanimator, which saw him land on a lighting rig near the ramp, was just the latest jaw-dropping spot.
- Johnny Swinger introducing his wrestling school, Swinger’s Dungeon, with a cameo from Lance Storm and “Demolition miz-arks” dressed in bondage gear was a ton of fun and highlighted his comedic value.
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Credit: Impact Wrestling
Josh Alexander is a wrestler competing at a higher level than anyone else in Impact Wrestling right now, something he proved in a superb main event against Honor No More’s Matt Taven.
It was the best performance by Taven to this point, a reminder that despite the less-than-stellar win-loss record of the group, he is still an above-average main event-caliber wrestler. Alexander’s selling of his arm fueled the story and the finish, which saw him gut it out and win with his C-4 finisher, was the perfect exclamation point on a match that would not have been out of place on pay-per-view.
Grade
Top Moments
- Taven working on Alexander’s arm in an attempt to take away the C-4 Spike was a nice bit of storytelling.
- Kudos to Hannifan, Rehwoldt and Maria Kanellis for putting over Taven’s world championship resume for fans of Impact who may be unfamiliar with his history.
- Cameras caught up with Moose, who delivered the signed contract for his Rebellion match with Alexander to The Walking Weapon’s wife and child to really hammer home how despicable a human being he is, all while recalling the emotion of the night he beat Alexander for the Impact world title in front of those same two family members.
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