Reviews by Dave
By David E Houston II
Show air date: September 2, 2021
Following a BTI that featured a very good match with Jake Something and John Skyler, Impact Wrestling on AXS-TV honored the tragically deceased Shannon Spruill, the former Daffney before they went into the show.
Taylor Wilde, Jordynne Grace, and Rachael Ellering defeated The Influence
The Influence–Tenille Dashwood, Madison Rayne, and Kaleb With a K–tried to continue dominating Taylor Wilde but this time she had help in a six-person tag match that saw Wilde team with Rachael Ellering and Jordynne Grace. Nice TV match with the appropriate amount of shenanigans as Wilde, Ellering, and Grace got the win. Commentary was pretty good here.
Well done highlight clip of the Knockouts title match at the NWA EmPowerrr pay-per-view that saw “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo defeat Melina Perez (a really good match) and Purrazzo’s later ambush on Mickie James the next night at the NWA 73rd Anniversary show. A good follow-up interview by Gia Miller with Purrazzo and “The Drama King” Matthew Rehwoldt, who threatens Trey Miguel (he’ll regret that).
Decay defeated No Way and Fallah Bahh
In the best use of No Way’s conga line ever, a disguised Tasha Steelz hit KO tag champ Rosemary with a Codebreaker and then led Rosemary’s tag partner Havok into a blindside from her own tag partner, Savannah Evans. Good angle.
Dirty tricks didn’t help though as No Way and Fallah Bahh lost to Decay–Crazzy Steve and Black Taurus. The match itself was good, better than I expected. It was interesting to watch Bahh and No Way, normally big crowd favorites, react as the live audience was strongly in favor of Decay. Bahh and No Way worked more aggressively in response, and it helped the match a lot.
Advantage: Moose
Moose calls out Eddie Edwards. Edwards brings his kendo stick, Kenny. Moose brings W. Morrissey. Advantage: Moose.
TJP seems cool with No Way teaming with Bahh, his own long-time tag partner, but what kind of friend takes his buddy with a gambling problem to Swinger’s Palace? Keeping an eye on Mr. Perkins.
Impact must be trying to get an Emmy with these Violent By Design vignettes. This week, Rhino has to be punished for his repeated failures recently.
Josh Alexander (c) defeated Jake Crist
for the Impact X Division Championship
X Division champion Josh Alexander had issued an open challenge to any former X Division champion to face him for the title. It was answered by Jake Crist, making his Impact return after over a year away. Good match with “The Walking Weapon” winning decisively.
He tells Gia Miller he wants to be in the conversation of the greatest X Division champion of all time. That leads to eight-time former X Division champion Chris Sabin coming out and challenging him for a title match at the September 18, Victory Road Impact Plus special, a challenge accepted. Sabin’s been hot lately on the mic and in the ring so this was a good segment and that should be an insane match.
I loved the entire Brian Myers segment. This marked the Impact TV debut of Zicky Dice and Manny Lemons, the only guys to survive the first round of cuts in Myers’ new training camp.
Rohit Raju and Shera defeated Matt Cardona and Chelsea Green
Rohit Raju and Shera beat Matt Cardona and Chelsea Green. Solid match with some good work. The story was more about how Shera refused to fight Green, but Raju had no such hangup and dropped Green with a nice-looking jumping kneestrike. Good heel shit.
Su Yung has now converted Brandi Lauren as an Undead Bridesmaid with Kimber Lee because THAT’S what Yung needed: one more creepy-ass chick with her. I’ll sleep with my New Jack Micro Brawler under my pillow for a few nights now. Thanks.
The Good Brothers Heeled the Crowd
World tag champs, the Good Brothers–Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson–came out, heeled the crowd, and then mocked Willie Mack, who they put through a table last week. Mack’s tag partner, Rich Swann, didn’t waste time with some cliche promo. He ran out with a chair and got to work. Executive Producer Scott D’Amore gives Swann a bunkhouse brawl next week with Anderson. Effective short segment.
Main Event: Ace Austin defeated Tommy Dreamer
Ace Austin (with Madman Fulton) held off Tommy Dreamer in the main event, securing his Victory Road world title shot as a one on one match.
Good TV main event. Dreamer knows exactly what he can and can’t do and stays in his lane while Austin is a damn phenom.
Dreamer made the classic Stupid Babyface move of getting mixed up with Fulton and got caught with Austin’s The Fold neckbreaker as he got back in the ring.
Solid show all the way around. A lot of good, a splash of great here and there, nothing bad as they’re moving to Victory Road.
Thanks for reading! Tell us what you thought about the September 2, 2021 episode of IMPACT on AXS TV in the comment section below or on our social media platforms. Use the hashtags #DDTDivas and #ReviewsByDave
