Welcome to the first edition of POINTS OF IMPACT—a breakdown and analysis of the top moments of this week's edition of Impact Wrestling.
This segment will fill you in on the most important parts of the show worth checking out or keeping up to date with, in case you missed this episode of Impact Wrestling.
Now, I realise I might have chosen the wrong week to debut this article, seeing as this week's episode is a "best of" show. But I think this episode is a great way to catch everyone up on 2022 in Impact, and the state of Impact as a whole. So, let's get into it!
IMPACT WRESTLING: DECEMBER 29, 2022 - BEST OF 2022
#5 - The X Division Remains Must-See
The X Division (as noted by commentary this week) has been around as long as Impact itself. In the early days, the days of AJ Styles, Jerry Lynn and Amazing Red, it was what hooked fans in, made the fans care about this scrappy young promotion. And in what some would call the dark days, like the early and mid 2010s, the X Division was consistently excellent, even if nothing else was.
That trend continued in 2022, with Speedball Mike Bailey, the winner of the X Division Wrestler of the Year award, being champion for most of the year, successfully defending the title nine times. This week, we were treated to a replay of how Bailey won the championship, in the Ultimate X match at Slammiversary. Bailey outlasted a stacked roster, (Everett, Zayne, Kenny King, Trey Miguel) to win the title at Impact's 20th anniversary show.
If this week's episode is anything to go by, 2023 will be no different. Towards the end of the show, we received a promo from Decay-or more accurately, Crazzy Steve. Steve's promo was eerie, captivating, and made Black Taurus seem like a genuine threat to Trey Miguel's X Division title reign. With the formation of the Death Dollz earlier this year, I admit, I became worried the male members of Decay would be left on the side of the road. But Crazzy Steve doesn't need Rosemary to speak for him, not anymore.
And as for the X Division? No matter who wins between Miguel and Taurus at Hard to Kill, it'll be in good hands. Miguel has X Division in his blood (he even has the belt tattooed on his leg,) churning out fast paced, exciting matches casually. And Black Taurus has proved one of the best imports Impact has ever had, the personification of a fast big man, capable of both power and speed.
Keep your eyes on this match at Hard to Kill. It might just prove to be the sleeper hit of the night.
#4 - Take Notes, Everyone
This is how you book a women's division. Another oft-praised aspect of Impact has been its women's division, or as they call it, the Knockouts division. And while the legends of that scene are now mostly retired (Gail Kim, Awesome Kong,) or elsewhere (Angelina Love,) 2022 was also a banner year for the ladies. There was the first Queen of the Mountain match, the first Women's Ultimate X, and of course, the centerpiece of this year, the Last Rodeo.
Over the course of 2022, Mickie James has been on a Ric Flair-like journey, trying to win back the Knockouts Championship, and vowing to retire from wrestling if she is pinned or defeated before she achieves her goal. At Hard to Kill, that journey comes to an end one way or another, as Mickie faces the Knockouts Champion, and winner of Knockout of the Year, Jordynne Grace. Grace herself has had a great year, winning the Digital Media championship, taking part in aforementioned historic matches, to once again becoming Knockouts Champion.
A special mention must also go to Deonna Purrazzo, whose Texas Deathmatch with Mickie James got a replay this week, and the Death Dollz, who won Knockouts Tag Team of the Year. Impact has a stellar division with the ladies, and this week showcased that beautifully.
#3 - Impact Feels Exciting Again
I've stuck with Impact through some very rough patches for the company. The Hogan era, whilst not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, certainly was not a high point for the company. The GFW/Impact merger faliure was painful to watch, as was Alberto El Patron being the face of that merger (has there ever been a more boring main-eventer? The answer is yes, Tyrus, but Alberto isn't far off.)
Impact has, at points, felt like surplus to requirements. Extra viewing. Something that if you missed, well, it doesn't really matter. It's not as if anything changes over there. But in recent times, Impact has gone from strength to strength to strength. There are parts of Impact that have always been good, as I mentioned above. Even in the most boring of eras, there was always something to talk about. Rosemary alone should receive a medal for keeping eyes on Impact. But I point to Impact's match of the year as proof Impact is changing.
The Match of the Year, a late addition that actually had to be added to the polls, such was the quality and popularity of the match, is Speedball Mike Bailey vs. Josh Alexander. This match, for the Impact World Championship, goes for an hour. That's right, you heard me. Sixty minutes. The whole enchilada. And people watched it. So many people watched it, and voted for it, it was Match Of the Year. Imagine, five years ago, two years ago, one year ago, even, trying to get people to watch ten minutes of Impact.
And now, Impact is so confident in their product, they put this match on YouTube, for free! They don't need to hide it behind a paywall. They don't need to protect it like a special attraction. They gave this match away for free. Speedball Mike Bailey is, as mentioned above, a tremendous talent. Impact did good when they signed him. But Josh Alexander? He has been the silent Ace of Impact all year. Great match after great match, and he is set to become the longest reigning Impact World Champion within a week of writing.
Impact isn't hanging on to old talent in the main event scene any more. Impact is building a future, and it is exciting. How is Impact doing that, you ask?
#2 - Impact's Storylines Have…Well, Impact
When I saw Bully Ray returning to Impact, I was, to say the least, skeptical. The man has made an ass of himself on social media this year, and I worried Impact was falling into old habits, relying on the star-power of past-their-prime names. I couldn't be more wrong. Bully Ray being in the main event scene has not diminished the star power of Josh Alexander.
Bully's presence has enhanced the star power of Josh Alexander.
The storyline has been told to near perfection. Bully pretended to change, to not be, well, the Bully he once was. He told Josh Alexander that Josh would see him coming. Bully used his Call Your Shot Gauntlet win to get himself a match at Hard To Kill. And then…Bully Ray started acting like Bully Ray.
Attacking Alexander's wife, brutalising other roster members to send a message to Alexander, zip-tying Alexander to the ropes and making the World Champion watch as he hospitalised Tommy Dreamer. Bully has put Josh through a river of s**t, and it's going to be so satisfying to see Josh get his revenge. I have faith that they'll do the right thing, and book Josh Alexander to win in January 13th, at Hard to Kill. Because they showed they had the good sense to let Alexander win before.
#1 - The World Title Scene Has Been Consistent
A round of applause for Moose, everyone. I don't think anyone could have predicted Moose's career trajectory years ago, when he first joined Impact. I for one certainly didn't foresee anything like this happening.
In the early days of his Impact career, Moose was a good enough baby face. He was athletic in all the ways you'd hope for in a modern heavyweight, strong, agile, able to go the distance and endure. Moose was never the type to get gassed ten minutes in, nor was he ever the type to not be able to clear the ropes for a dive. Moose was a good wrestler, a solid hand. But he wasn't main event. He was missing something. And in the past two years, my god, has he found it.
Moose is like an old school heel, a taller, stronger, faster Ric Flair, but instead of being impressive, instead of walking through the curtain with the intention of putting on bangers, he walks out with the intention of winning, at whatever cost. In the Hard To Kill 2022 Triple Threat between himself, W. Morrisey and Matt Cardona that we get a replay of, Moose shows no remorse whatsoever for potentially injuring Chelsea Green in order to get the win. I'm convinced that in the realms of kayfabe, Moose never saw Green as anything more than a means to an end.
And his other replayed match, vs. Josh Alexander at Rebellion. A match, as commentary notes, six months in the making. At Bound for Glory 2021, Alexander beat Christian to win the Impact World Championship for the first time in his career. Alexander was celebrating with his wife, his infant son, when Moose made his way down to the ring. When Moose cashed in his Call Your Shot Gauntlet win, and speared Alexander, defeating him, in front of Alexander's family. It was despicable. It was heartbreaking.
It was classic.
Moose was immediately the biggest heel in the company. He managed to keep hold of the World Title for six months, by hook or by crook, enraging the fans each time, right up until Rebellion. In what was voted the Moment of the Year, Alexander finally got sweet revenge, overcoming all the heel tactics Moose threw his way. It was a feel-good moment. It was deserved.
And now, Alexander's happiness, his title reign, and his well-being, both mental and physical, are in question once more, because of the Call Your Shot Gauntlet. Fate has circled back around. I don't know for sure, what will happen at Hard to Kill 2023. Impact could drop the ball. This could have all been for nought. But I haven't been this excited for an Impact PPV in quite some time. Even what was mostly a clips show hyped me up. If that doesn't speak to the strength of Impact right now, I don't know what does.
What did you think of this week's episode of Impact Wrestling?
Do you think any other moments stood out on this show?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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