Impact Wrestling Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from August 25
The Knockouts World Tag Team Championships were on the line Thursday night on Impact Wrestling as VXT's Deonna Purrazzo and Chelsea Green defended against Mia Yim and Knockouts World champion Jordynne Grace.
Would Grace and Yim be able to coexist just two weeks after they clashed for the top prize in the company's women's division and acquire more gold or would Green and Purrazzo build on their recent momentum with another signature victory?
Find out with this recap of an August 25 episode that also featured The Motor City Machine Guns and Kushida battling Violent By Design in a major six-man tag team main event.
Impact wasted little time Thursday, kicking off with the blockbuster championship clash between Knockouts Tag Team champions VXT (Chelsea Green and Deonna Purrazzo) and the tandem of Mia Yim and Knockouts World champion Jordynne Grace.
The champions put their opponents on the defensive, isolating Yim from her partner and working her over in their corner. Miscalculations by Purrazzo and Green allowed Yim to create separation and tag Grace into the match.
The powerhouse of the Knockouts division sparked a comeback but Green cut Yim off during a tope suicida attempt, then hung Grace up on the ropes, allowing her to join The Virtuosa in the ring for The Pendulum for the win.
This was a solid opening to the show, with great teamwork by the champions and some solid offense from Grace and Yim. The commentary team did a fine job of creating tension between the challengers but Yim and Grace did not necessarily back that up with anything they did during the match.
That issue aside, this was a strong showcase for the Knockouts division and one that put over Green and Purrazzo as dominant champions. Yim and Grace will bounce back quickly and without any damage to their credibility, making this an effective segment.
Result
Purrazzo and Green defeated Yim and Grace to retain the Knockouts Tag Team Championships
Grade
B
Top Moments
The battle between Honor No More and Bullet Club continued this week with Impact World Tag Team and NEVER Openweight champion Karl Anderson battling Mike Bennett.
A loss for Bennett would banish his wife, Maria Kanellis, from ringside when he and Matt Taven challenge for the tag titles against The Good Brothers.
Bennett overcame an early onslaught by Machine Gun before grounding him and working him over with a rear chin lock. Anderson fought back, chopping his way out of the grasp of his opponent.
The action was back and forth down the stretch before Anderson delivered Gun Stun for the pinfall victory, ensuring Kanellis will not be involved in the upcoming tag team title match.
This was the first showdown ever between Anderson and Bennett, which seems almost impossible considering their long history of working together, against each other in tag matches and across the independent scene.
With that said, this was a really solid match between two grizzled veterans. Bennett, in particular, looked great and should be considered for a singles run with the company. He has always been an underrated in-ring worker and an opportunity to showcase his skills in a singles match like this was long overdue.
Removing Kanellis from ringside for the upcoming title match might be the right call, especially if the plan is for Bennett and Taven to take the titles. A relatively clean win enhances them in the eyes of the Impact fans and starts their run at the top of the tag division on the right foot.
Result
Anderson defeated Bennett
Grade
B
Top Moments
Digital Media champion Brian Myers joined Hannifan and Rehwoldt at ringside as his rival, Bhupinder Gujjar, battled newcomer Jason Hotch in singles action.
Hotch appeared to have Gujjar where he wanted him late in the match but an ill-fated somersault into the ring landed him in the waiting arms of his opponent, who delivered a spinebuster that drove him into the mat.
Gujjar added a spear from the middle rope for the win.
After the match, Myers entered the ring and attacked the victor, attacking him with the microphone and driving him into the mat.
Gujjar continued to show the talent necessary to be one of the stars of Impact's future. He's surprisingly smooth at this point in his career and this match, against another young star in Hotch, was a solid enhancement one.
The post-match, with Gujjar withstanding an attack by Myers and benefitting from the assistance of Scott Armstrong, was good old sports entertainment that furthered the feud over the Digital Media title. Given that is what this segment clearly set out to do, it is difficult to grade it anything but a very average "C."
Result
Gujjar defeated Hotch
Grade
C
Top Moments
Impact World champion Josh Alexander will defend against Honor No More's Eddie Edwards at Bound For Glory but The Walking Weapon battled another one of the Ring of Honor exports Thursday night as he squared off with Vincent.
A good, competitive match saw the enigmatic heel come close to knocking off Alexander, especially when he delivered Redrum. Alexander, ever the resilient champion, fought his way back into the match and delivered the C-4 Spike for the win.
After the match, Edwards interrupted the victor's celebration, telling Alexander he has stood up to Impact Wrestling and asking him which side he will choose. "We can go to battle at Bound For Glory yet we can stand together in this war!" he exclaimed.
Before he could finish his rambling promo, Heath slid into the ring and delivered the Wake Up Call to Edwards, his latest attack in his vendetta against Honor No More.
The match itself was fine for what it was, even if somewhat unspectacular. Vincent is a solid wrestler with an even larger personality. He has yet to be properly presented to the Impact faithful in a way that maximizes his potential and makes the most of what it is that he does well.
Edwards' promo was poorly conceived in that there is absolutely no reason to believe Alexander would ever turn against Impact and join Honor No More. He is not a Ring of Honor export, nor does he hate the company he champions. It made little sense and mercifully ended with the latest attack by Heath.
Result
Alexander pinned Vincent
Grade
C+
Top Moments
The artist formerly known as Havok made her return Thursday night as Jessicka, battling Alisha Edwards in singles competition.
Edwards put up a competitive fight, as she typically does whenever she gets ring time on Impact Wrestling, but she ultimately fell to the Rikishi Driver as Jessicka earned her first win under this new persona.
This was a fine introduction to a performer Impact fans are familiar with, but whose new personality is somewhat of a mystery.
She is more fun-loving, incorporates a catchphrase of "sick" and seemingly has the crowd invested early. Whether it remains that way is the question.
Result
Jessicka defeated Edwards
Grade
C
Top Moments
Violent By Design's Eric Young, Deaner and Joe Doering battled Time Machine's Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin and Kushida in six-man tag team action to close this week's show.
The heels seized control of the match entering the final commercial break of the night, downing Sabin and working over the former world champion in their corner of the ring. A tag to Kushida turned the tide in the babyfaces' favor.
Time Machine wiped out the heels at ringside but Young and Co. recovered, the leader of VBD delivering a top-rope elbow drop on Sabin.
The master of the Cradle Shock fought out of a piledriver attempt and made the much-needed tag. Shelley and Kushida unloaded with tandem offense and Sabin joined in later and delivered his trademark finisher to Deaner for the win.
This was a great tag team main event, with Sabin, Kushida and Shelley gelling perfectly. Their timing was impeccable, their offense dazzling and the crowd's love for them undeniable. They meshed well with the more punishing, physical style of their opponents and the result was the best match on the show and the debut of a trio that fans will champ at the bit to see again.
Result
Time Machine defeated Violent By Design
Grade
A
Top Moments
