Best moments from IMPACT Wrestling (April 27, 2023)
The most recent episode of IMPACT Wrestling was bookended by two strong Knockouts Division matches. The bouts included a world title bout between current champion Deonna Purrazzo and Knockouts World Tag Champion Taylor Wilde. Not to be outdone, Purrazzo's rival Jordynne Grace waged war against Masha Slamovich in a killer opener for the program.
The Bullet Club showed up and showed out, as per usual, in an exciting match against Deaner's Design. They got assistance from an unexpected ally who may or may not have also attacked Santino Marella backstage.
All that and more in the best moments from IMPACT Wrestling this week! We're kicking off the list with the number one contender for Steve Maclin, Perfect Creation One.
#5 PCO sends a message to the IMPACT Wrestling World Champion
Why wait till #UnderSiege? @SteveMaclin wants @PCOisNotHuman RIGHT NOW!
#IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/RktnCdjkRA
On the previous episode of IMPACT Wrestling, World Champion Steve Maclin stated that he would only face a challenger from Canada. Hoping to take some extra shots at the injured Josh Alexander as well as IMPACT Wrestling President Scott D'Amore, Maclin ended up with the perfect opponent at Under Siege.
This week, Maclin called out PCO in an effort to bait him into an assault by Champagne Singh and Shera. The former ROH World Champion fought them off, however, leading to a match between himself and Singh.
.@PCOisNotHuman has @TrueRajSingh right where he wants him thanks to a BRUTAL Deanimator!
#IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/XTpU1oFfgW
The French-Canadian Frankenstein bowled over Singh with a diving senton on the floor, igniting the crowd in PCO chants. Unfortunately, for Singh, Shera was banned from ringside by Santino Marella, leaving him on his own against the nigh-indestructible veteran.
PCO SAULT!
@PCOisNotHuman
#IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/kQEJxpyoQm
After flattening Singh with the Deanimator, PCO would finish the match with his patented PCO Sault for the victory. Maclin will have to do more than this to bring down his challenger before Under Siege.
#4 Jody Threat continues to impress
Another W for @JodyThreat!
#IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/3FO2P7jGu7
IMPACT's Knockouts Division recently added another strong competitor in Jody Threat, who has already found herself in a feud with Alisha Edwards.
Seleziya Sparx was the opponent for Threat and was dominated rather early by the Wild Child. Showing off some impressive mat wrestling, Threat kicked into another gear after catching Sparx with a flying seated senton and a series of heavy clotheslines in the corner.
In a division full of aggressively powerful competitors like Jordynne Grace, Masha Slammavich, and Killer Kelly, Threat fits right in. Though it was a rather short match, she proved to be more than just a threat as she finished Sparx with an F-5 dubbed the F-416.
#3 The IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champions continue to dominate
The teamwork from ABC is BEYutiful!
#IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/WXs1VK8Itb
The comparison between the Motor City Machine Guns and Bullet Club's ABC has been made quite a few times (especially by yours truly). Much like the Guns back in the day, Chris Bey and Ace Austin are two of the best in-ring talents on the planet, uniting to form a stellar tag team.
Austin and Bey were already well-decorated X-Division Champions, and now have the entire tag team division on lock. This week, they faced off against Deaner's Design. Big Kon and former Dark Order member Alan Angels, quite a formidable duo in their own right, struggled with the blindingly quick teamwork of the ABC.
It was only thanks to Kon's sheer strength and the mind games of Deaner that they were able to get some near falls over the IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champions.
A..B...C...1...2...3!
@The_Ace_Austin @DashingChrisBey
#IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/ol6xhovYuM
After a hot tag to Chris Bey and an assist from Sami Callihan on the floor, ABC managed to finish the Design off with the Art of Finesse and The Fold, securing yet another great victory for the champs. Callihan may or may not have laid out Santino Marella to get into the building. It was never exactly cleared up.
If you're missing out on Ace and Bey, you're robbing yourself of the future of professional wrestling.
#2 The Age of the Virtuosa encounters The Coven
The lightning-fast moves of @DeonnaPurrazzo are too much for @RealTaylorWilde!
#IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/12jFQVB72u
IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Tag Team Champions The Coven set their sights on some new prey last week. Specifically, they made it known they were looking to end the false Age of the Virtuosa. Deonna Purrazzo captured her third Knockouts World Championship at Rebellion, again setting herself at the top of the mountain in the best women's division going today.
Taylor Wilde and KiLynn King, though, seem to be looking to add more gold to their collection. This week, Wilde challenged Purrazzo for the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts World Championship.
Purrazzo's run in IMPACT Wrestling has been nothing short of magnificent. With wins over former world champions like Taya Valkyrie, Jordynne Grace, Rosemary, Mickie James, Thunder Rosa, and more, nobody else's resume stacks up quite like The Virtuosa.
The Coven thought they had @DeonnaPurrazzo cornered, but @JordynneGrace swooped in for the save!
@RealTaylorWilde @KiLynnKing
#IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/R03WMO4OLe
Wilde has shone exquisitely since her return to the promotion in 2021 and was a clear challenge for Purrazzo in the main event of IMPACT Wrestling this week. These competitors traded counter-for-counter, both looking for some early pinfalls or submission holds. Wilde broke out a fantastic tilt-a-whirl cross-face near the end, which Purrazzo near effortlessly turned into the Fujiwara Armbar.
In the end, the Age of the Virtuosa continued to shine. Wilde escaped another Fujiwara Armbar as well as the Queen's Gambit piledriver before looking for the Witche's Wrath. Purrazzo countered and quickly locked in the Venus De Milo, forcing a submission victory after a stellar 12-minute match.
After the match, The Coven assaulted Purrazzo only for her to be saved by a familiar face, her longtime rival Jordynne Grace. IMPACT Wrestling would later announce that these two would face off in a rematch for the gold at Under Siege.
BREAKING: @DeonnaPurrazzo will defend the Knockouts World Championship against @JordynneGrace at #UnderSiege on May 26 LIVE on IMPACT Plus from London, ON and if Grace loses she cannot get another title match as long as Deonna is champion.
Get tickets: eventbrite.com/e/impact-wrest… https://t.co/exUhLeip3l
Speaking of Grace...
#1 Jordynne Grace and Masha Slamovich steal the show
#IMPACTonAXSTV is kicking things off with @JordynneGrace vs @mashaslamovich! https://t.co/84xDprvSwg
While the main event was a technical showcase, the opening contest this week was a collision of brute force. As good ol' JR would call it, a slobber knocker.
Anytime Jordynne Grace is set to face off against Masha Slamovich, it's well worth tuning in to see. The Juggernaut of the Knockouts Division delivers no matter who she's in the ring with, but the destructive on-and-off feud she's had with Slamovich in the past seven months has been one of the most exciting rivalries in IMPACT Wrestling.
Grace ended Slamovich's 16-match winning streak at Bound for Glory in October, and ever since then, Slamovich has had it out for the former two-time IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts World Champion. This was Slamovich's third attempt. Could she finally conquer the 27-year-old powerhouse?
.@JordynneGrace just planted @mashaslamovich with a Muscle Buster! #IMPACTonAXSTV https://t.co/8H0n2EjIgq
These two laid into one another with some seriously sadistic chops, punches, and kicks that would make Minoru Suzuki blush. In a striking contest, though, Slamovich was the clear victor.
Grace’s incredible conditioning and superhero-like strength gave her the edge once again as she withstood quite a lot of punishment and caught Masha with a devastating Muscle Buster for a near fall. Masha also kicked out of a nasty Michinoku Driver before getting caught in the Rear Naked Choke.
The competition was fierce, but @JordynneGrace came out on top on @IMPACTonAXSTV! https://t.co/5ByyY8wFf4
Slamovich turned it around with a sleeper, turning it into a leg-trapped sleeper suplex when Grace attempted to get to her feet. Grace fought off Masha's Snow Plow, leading to both women trading pinfall attempts where Grace got her third victory over Slamovich. An excellent opener to kick off the show and another strong installment in this feud. Check out this match ASAP.