Impact Wrestling Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from October 6
Just 24 hours before the biggest pay-per-view of its calendar year, Bound For Glory, Impact Wrestling hit the AXS TV airwaves with a broadcast headlined by the latest in the rivalry between Steve Maclin and Moose.
Maclin sought to score another high-profile win over a former world champion, while their mutual rival, Sami Callihan, served as the special guest referee for this week's main event.
The show also featured the final build to all of the top feuds and storylines ahead of Friday's extravaganza. Who emerged with momentum on their side, and what did it mean for the promotion just hours before its stars took to Impact's grandest stage?
Find out now with this recap of the October 6 broadcast.
Frankie Kazarian vs. Kenny King
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Frankie Kazarian may be the No. 1 contender to the X-Division Championship, but prior to challenging "Speedball" Mike Bailey, he first had to overcome former titleholder and Honor No More's Kenny King.
A spirited back-and-forth to start gave way to King controlling the pace and grounding his opponent, wrestling control away from Kazarian and working him over. The babyface fought out and, moments later, delivered a low overhead suplex into the corner.
King answered later with a Tiger Driver for a two-count as the commentary team questioned how much Kazarian had left considering his title opportunity Friday night.
He answered emphatically, countering King's attempt at the Chin Checker into a Cross Face Chicken Wing for the submission win.
Guys like Kazarian and King are grizzled veterans with resumes full of above-average in-ring work. They do not have bad matches at this point in their careers, and this was no exception. The work was solid, the transitions and counters were smooth, and the story was simple yet effective.
Kazarian was faced with an opponent capable of derailing his momentum ahead of Bound For Glory. He found it within himself to prevent that from happening, though, and scored a win to keep his winning streak alive ahead of Friday's event.
Sometimes, easy is the best route to take, and this was proof of that.
Result
Kazarian defeated King
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- Matthew Rehwoldt put over the fact that, despite their experience together in tag team action, this was the first encounter between Kazarian and King one-on-one.
- A video package put over the lineage of the X-Division Championship and the match between Kazarian and Bailey at Bound For Glory.
- Another package highlighted the feud between Josh Alexander and Eddie Edwards for the Impact Wrestling World Championship in the main event of Friday's spectacular.
Mia Yim vs. Gisele Shaw
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One night before battling Mickie James at Bound For Glory with a shot at retiring the future Hall of Famer, Mia Yim battled the last woman to have that same opportunity, Gisele Shaw.
Yim outwrestled Shaw early, putting her on the defensive with a series of armdrags that sent her opponent to the sanctuary of the floor. Shaw shook off the early onslaught and downed Yim to wrestle control away.
A series of chops sparked a comeback from Yim but The Quintessential Diva caught her with a kick to the back of the head to halt her momentum. Shaw connected with a version of Kofi Kingston's Trouble in Paradise, but Yim answered with a headbutt that left both women down.
The back-and-forth action of the match concluded with Yim delivering Eat Defeat to secure the win.
This was a really good, hard-fought match that saw Yim go over to build to her match with James but also highlighted Shaw.
The heel has been one of the surprises of Impact Wrestling, a competitor who entered with plenty of questions about her ability to hang with some of the company's top wrestlers. She has silenced all doubters and developed into a performer who can wrestle any woman, in any match.
She did it against James at Victory Road and against Yim here. The future is bright for Shaw, even as attention turns to James vs. Yim at Bound For Glory.
Result
Yim defeated Shaw
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- James and the commentary team discussed her previous history with Yim, dating back to Maryland Championship Wrestling a decade ago.
- A video package put over Friday's Call Your Shot Battle Royal for a chance at the Impact World Championship whenever the winner sees fit.
- Tasha Steelz and Savannah Evans attacked Killer Kelly backstage and said they would see Kelly at Bound For Glory in the aforementioned battle royal.
Steve Maclin vs. Moose (Sami Callihan as Guest Referee)
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Sami Callihan hit the ring sporting the black and white stripes, ready to officiate the showdown between Moose and Steve Maclin.
Maclin started hot, but Moose turned the tide, capitalizing on an open laceration and working over his weakened opponent. Maclin, resilient, fought back and proved his ability to be an effective babyface should the opportunity ever arise.
Hijinx ensued with Callihan as the referee as he delivered the Cactus Driver 97 to Moose, then Maclin. He tossed the latter on top of Moose and made the count, awarding the win to Maclin.
The feud is seemingly neverending and will now write its latest chapter Friday night as part of the Call Your Shot Battle Royal. This was a solid enough match but the indecisive finish fell flat and was obvious from the moment Callihan was named referee.
Nothing happened, no one benefited, and the result was the status quo.
A good match can only go so far when it feels like an entire segment of television was wasted.
Result
Maclin pinned Moose
Grade
C+ for the action, but the booking prevented it from achieving higher
Top Moments
- Callihan turned his back on the action, content to let his rivals beat the hell out of each other.
- Maclin flew through the ropes and connected with Moose, busting himself open in the process.
- Moose took advantage of the cut, tearing at it while punishing Maclin.
- Callihan delayed his count, costing Maclin a victory. He did the same to Moose moments later.
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Jessicka and Taya Valkyrie vs. The Swingerellas
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Jessicka and Taya Valkyrie battled The Swingerellas in a late addition to the card.
The result of what the heels perceived to be their opponents hitting on Johnny Swinger, the match was short-lived and concluded with Jessicka delivering the Sick-ishi Driver for the pinfall victory.
This was a total squash designed to highlight Valkyrie and Jessicka ahead of their Knockouts Tag Team Championship match against VXT's Chelsea Green and Deonna Purrazzo. Nothing more, nothing less.
It did not help that The Swingerellas have never competed in an actual match here in Impact, making this one that much more random.
Result
Jessicka and Valkyrie defeated The Swingerellas
Grade
D
Top Moments
- Backstage, Purrazzo and Green cut a promo ahead of Friday's title defense.
Alex Shelley vs. Matt Taven
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Honor No More's Matt Taven and Mike Bennett will defend the Impact World Tag Team Championships against The Motor City Machine Guns Friday night, but first, Taven battled Alex Shelley in one-on-one action.
Shelley fought from underneath, overcoming a focused attack by Taven to target the heel's left arm. Taven answered with a standing heel kick and a lionsault for two.
Shelley responded moments later, clearly in a position to secure the win, when Maria Kanellis interfered, breaking up a pinfall attempt and ensuring Taven stayed alive in the match. More interference, this time in the form of a recovered Bennett, still could not help the heel to victory.
Instead, Shelley delivered Shellshock for the pinfall victory.
Not enough was made on commentary of Honor No More's abysmal night following King and Taven's losses. Given how much attention was on the faction's night Friday, it would seem to make sense to put over how much momentum has been lost entering the show by way of those two defeats.
That aside, this was a very good match that would have been even better with more time and less interference. Why go through all of the outside interference if the booking called for the babyface to win anyway?
Result
Shelley pinned Taven
Grade
B
Top Moments
- Chris Sabin prevented Bennett from interfering, wiping him out at ringside.
- A pretaped interview between Tom Hannifan and Impact World Champion Josh Alexander ended with a confrontation between The Walking Weapon and No. 1 contender Eddie Edwards. Alisha, the challenger's wife, warned him that either his vendetta against Impact ends or they do.
Bound For Glory Contract Signing: Jordynne Grace and Masha Slamovich
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The unstoppable force meets the unmovable object Friday at Bound For Glory as Jordynne Grace defends the Knockouts Championship against the undefeated Masha Slamovich.
Wednesday, they signed the contract for the hotly anticipated showdown.
Both women signed the document, making the match binding and legal, before Grace talked about the respect she has for Slamovich while still vowing the defeat her. Slamovich, a woman of few words, simply said she would "kill" Grace before attacking her.
A brief back-and-forth gave way to Slamovich delivering the Snow Plow through the table, leaving Grace lying to end the show.
In the world of 50-50 booking, this would seem to suggest Grace is retaining Friday night, but there is no way one can envision that happening. Slamovich, since day one, has been built up and booked as the dominant heel who will tear through the competition before winning the championship.
Friday night will be her coronation.
The match will be highly physical and, most likely, one of the best on the card. Grace is as steady an in-ring performer as there is. She can routinely be counted on for a strong performance and, against a young star in the making like Slamovich, should once again have the opportunity to stand out among her fellow Impact competitors.
As for Slamovich, she is about to have the proverbial rocket strapped to her, and there may not be a better young star suited for that push than her right now. She has repeatedly lived up to expectations, and Friday night, she will have the opportunity to prove why Impact officials have had so much faith in her.
Grade
B
Top Moments
- "You may be undefeated, but you know what I am? I am a two-time Knockouts World Champion. I am a former Knockouts Tag Team Champion, and I was the first-ever Digital Media Champion. Those three titles made me the first Triple Crown Knockout in Impact Wrestling history," Grace said, reminding the audience of her resume ahead of Bound For Glory.
- "Masha's gonna kill you," Slamovich warned before turning the table over on Grace and attacking the champion.
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