By David E Houston II
Show air date: February 10, 2022
IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV gave a lot of time to the Knockouts and all their A side stories as we get closer to the February 19 No Surrender Impact Plus special.
Go Home Josh!
IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV kicked off with an in-ring promo from “The Walking Weapon” Josh Alexander, announcing he would be on Team Impact to face Honor No More at No Surrender and he vented his frustration on not still getting his rematch for the world title, even pointing out how Executive Producer Scott D’Amore has told him to get his emotions in check while rewarding W. Morrissey with two title shots while not even trying to rein in his rampage (great point by the Weapon here).
Adding to the list of guys coming in to challenge Alexander was the Impact debut of Big Kon of the Awakening (formerly Konnor of the Ascension in WWE). No promo battle here. Alexander DEMANDS a referee and wants the match immediately, taking out Kon pretty quickly with his anklelock submission. Alexander doesn’t break, bringing out staff and D’Amore, who takes a beautiful back bump as Alexander shoves the shit out of him.
They have a big heart-to-heart/man-to-man where Alexander says if he doesn’t get his rematch, D’Amore will be looking at “the hottest free agent in wrestling”. D’Amore gets hot and not only kicks Alexander off the No Surrender teams, effectively suspends him!!!
All of this was fine, a longer talking segment than they normally do but the winner for me was Alexander saying they were going to have to drag him out of that ring and D’Amore saying “No we won’t. You’re a professional. Act like one” and walking TF off. That’s how on-screen authority figures should behave. That was great.
Deonna Purrazzo defeated Santana Garrett
AAA Reina de Reinas champion and ROH Women’s champion, “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo faced former NWA, SHINE, and WOW champion Santana Garrett, making her IMPACT return after 4 years, in an open challenge match for the ROH title. Good match that took the live audience a while to warm up to. Purrazzo’s pin of Garrett might be the slickest pin I’ve seen in years.
Chelsea Green defeated Mickie James
By DQ
Knockouts World champion Mickie James had a non-title match with longtime friend Chelsea Green with number one contender Tasha Steelz (with Savannah Evans with her, challenging Morrissey’s Timbs supremacy).
It was okay. More of a match to set up the angle where Steelz and Evans jumped Green, causing the referee to disqualify James. Hm.
I’m starting to think Raj Singh owes Bhupinder Gujjar money.
Someone laid out Jonathan Gresham just before Team IMPACT can ask him to join.
Very Good Face-Off
The Bullet Club-“Switchblade” Jay White, “The Ultimate Finesser” Chris Bey, and the Guerillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, who was very good here)–come out to talk to the live audience and were confronted by Eric Young’s Violent By Design and world tag champs, the Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson). Very good face-off, adding a lot of fuel to their respective No Surrender matches.
Cardona Was in No Way Apologetic
New Digital Media Champion Matt Cardona was in no way apologetic in how he won the title and took credit for the various popular internet shows but offered former champion, Jordynne Grace, a rematch at No Surrender. Loving 2022 Cardona.
OGK defeated Rich Swann and Rhino
Honor No More’s best team, former IWGP and ROH tag champions, OGK–Mike Bennett and Matt Taven–got a win in their debut as a team over Rich Swann and Rhino (probably teamed together since neither Willie Mack nor HEATH were available). Loved Maria checking commentator Tom Hannifan on her name when he called her “Maria Kanellis” and not “Maria Kanellis-Bennett”. They get in some after-match beatings with Steve Maclin (!) making the save. After some campaigning by Chris Sabin, he’s on the team. Eddie Edwards doesn’t seem to like it. I bet he doesn’t.
Main Event: W. Morrissey defeted Brian Myers
“The Most Professional Wrestler” Brian Myers wanted some payback on W. Morrissey for the way the big man has run over his Learning Tree camp in a no disqualification match. He didn’t get it, even with Zicky Dice and VSK helping. A good main event with Myers having a smart game plan but not being able to beat the big man, who looked good fighting from underneath.
Morrissey ends Myers with his own Powebomb Symphony…except on tacks. Damn!! He has no time to celebrate as world champion Moose, looking like a well-dressed ninja in all black and red bottoms, waylays him and gives him the Pillman chair necktie, and hammers him with another chair.
Impressive hot angle to close out a good show.
Thanks for reading! Tell us what you thought about the February 10, 2022 episode of IMPACT on AXS TV in the comment section below or on our social media platforms. Use the hashtags #DDTDivas and #ReviewsByDave
Reviews by Dave is the best wrestling review on the internet! It’s written by David Houston II, who writes about WWE NXT 2.0, AEW Dynamite, and IMPACT Wrestling.
