Points of Impact Wrestling: April 20, 2023 Results and Biggest Moments

Posted by Cherry Turner Friday, April 21, 2023

Welcome to another edition of POINTS OF IMPACT—a breakdown 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.

Without further ado, let's inspect the biggest takeaways of the week!

IMPACT WRESTLING: APRIL 20, 2023 RESULTS

#5 - Reality of Hendry

Digital Media Joe Hendry defended his championship this week, in a nice little match against Canada’s own Sheldon Jean. Jean has made appearances for Impact in the past, being a graduate of Scott D’Amore’s wrestling school, and attention was brought to Jean’s time on Canadian Big Brother. The match itself didn’t last long, but it’s always nice to see Hendry, and Jean is definitely a talent with a lot of potential. A nice showcase, late into a relaxed episode.

#4 - Guards Change but People Don’t

The Changing of the Guard ceremony for Steve Maclin was a great exercise in establishing a heel champion. An American vet in front of a Canadian crowd, Maclin cut a great heel promo before being interrupted by Scott D’Amore, who took issue with the champion. After a fiery promo as always from D’Amore, it was announced that PCO would Maclin’s first challenger.

#3 - Threat Rising

Alisha Edwards’s heel persona was also established this week, in a squash match against returning jobber Tara Rising (yes really.) The action wasn’t all that great if this writer is being honest, mostly hair pulls, ending even in a generic Diva-era facebuster finish by Alisha. What came after the match, however, is more note-worthy.

Alisha began a beatdown of Rising after the bell, only for recently-debuted Knockout Jody Threat to make the save. Threat would cut a, to say the least, stuff promo after this, but while the execution wasn’t great, the actual cause these actions served is. There’s a non-title feud in the women’s division, and it feels organic to the characters, rather than forcing traits onto them to make the story work. Take note, WWE.

#2 - Northern Moose Country

A few happened as a fallout from the Hardcore War match this week, the most notable, or rather the most interesting bell to bell, was Moose Vs Yuya Uemura. This was a great match with a classic formula, the big, bruising heel vs the babyface filled with fighting spirit, fighting from underneath. Both men had people in their corner, Brian Myers and Bhupinder Gujjar respectively, but the finish came with a Stun Gun/Lights Out Spear combo from Moose put Uemura down after a valiant struggle from the former young lion.

Moose is one of the most reliably good heels Impact has, and it’s clear the crowd and management are behind Uemura, and rightfully so. He’s got that something that makes him easy to root for. Good stuff.

#1 - Well-Oiled Time Machine

Much of this week’s episode of Impact was very…functional. None of it was awful, none of it really bad, the aforementioned Knockouts match and promo aside, but if any show ever felt like a reset show, a show right after a big event, it’s this one. The whole show had the vibe of taking it easy.

Aside from the first match, that is.

This week’s opening bout, and the best match of the week by far, saw Time Machine (Kushida and the MCMG) take on the rivals Speedball Mike Bailey, Jonathan Gresham, and the X Division Champion Trey Miguel. This was a story of unity vs dissent, with the Kushida and co taking advantage of the animosity between their opponents right from the start.

Throughout the match, Miguel kept arguing with the referee, which meant Time Machine were able to keep hitting more and more trios offense on Gresham and Speedball. Commentary speculated as to whether this was intentional by Miguel, who might be looking to help weaken any future challengers as much as he could. Gresham and Bailey for their part were great babyfaces in peril, and their team were in no way hopeless-there were great back and forth exchanges here, when Time Machine weren’t in control.

This match got plenty of time, going through two commercial breaks, and it earned that time. In the end, Miguel would get his comeuppance, Sabin hitting him with the CradleShock to secure the win for Time Machine.

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!