IMPACT Wrestling Results: Jay White scouts for new Bullet Club member; Knockouts Tag Titles defended (22nd July 2021)
After an action-packed and star-studded Slammiversary, IMPACT Wrestling hoped to follow up with its first weekly show with fans in over a year.
We crowned new IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champions as well as Knockouts Tag Team Champions, with The Good Brothers and Decay leaving Saturday night with gold around their waists. Josh Alexander retained his X-Division Title in an excellent Ultimate X Match.
Deonna Purrazzo successfully defended the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Title against Thunder Rosa of all people. Kenny Omega bested Sami Callihan in his own match, again solidifying himself as one of, if not the, best in the business.
That wasn't it, though. Several new and returning names showed up at Slammiversary. Thunder Rosa. Jay White, Mickie James and more made their presence known, leaving Slammiversary as one of the most exciting shows of the year.
Tonight we'd see the fallout from that show. What's Jay White doing in IMPACT Wrestling? Will Chelsea Green be next in line for Deonna Purrazzo? All that and more on tonight's IMPACT Wrestling.
We kicked off the night with longtime "frenemies" Rohit Raju and Chris Bey. Raju believed that Bey was the reason he didn't leave Slammiversary with the IMPACT Wrestling X-Division Championship.
Chris Bey vs Rohit Raju w/Shera on IMPACT Wrestling
Chris Bey and Rohit Raju went back and forth in the early goings. These two knew one another very well, as Raju was the one to take away Chris Bey's X-Division Championship.
Rohit drew first blood with a leg sweep, but Bey responded with a headscissor takedown and a standing dropkick. Bey lit him up with a series of kicks, but Rohit avoided the elbow drop. He distracted the ref while Shera rocked Bey with a big right.
IMPACT Wrestling's Moccha Skinned Manimal rocked Bey with a running clothesline and followed with a snap suplex for a two-count. Bey ate a nasty combination but avoided the cannonball in the corner and hit a Fameasser.
A step-up enzuigiri rocked Raju, and Bey followed with a flying clothesline for the two. Raju countered the Art of Finesse with a Russian Legsweep, transitioning into a crossface. Bey fought toward the ropes, but Raju rolled him back to the center.
Bey again escaped and avoided the Drive By Kick. Raju escaped the torture rack neckbreaker but failed to get out of the way of the Art of Finesse.
Results: Chris Bey defeated Rohit Raju via pinfall on IMPACT Wrestling.
Grade: B+
After the match, NJPW's Jay White met Bey backstage. He'd left a Bullet Club shirt in Bey's locker room at Slammiversary and wanted to know if he wanted in. Bey said he must not have been watching too carefully, because Bey walks alone.
White responded, saying the strategy didn't work out well at Slammiversary. The offer was still on the table, though it would eventually expire.