Originally published at IMPACT WRESTLING REPORT: Christopher Daniels returns to IMPACT
IMPACT! Wrestling
September 23rd, 2021
Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee
Commentary: Matt Striker & D’Lo Brown
Before the IMPACT! – Laredo Kid def. John Skyler by pinfall at 8:47
Option Christian
Scott D’Amore started the show in the ring and brought up Josh Alexander’s invoking his Option C clause at Victory Road and the match with Christian Cage for the IMPACT World Championship will happen at Bound For Glory, so he brings out Alexander to make this match official. D’Amore says now it’s time for Alexander to hand over the X Division Title and they will start a tournament where at Bound for Glory a new X Division champion will be crowned. Alexander says the X Division ‘almost’ means everything to him and 6 years ago he laid up in a hospital bed from neck surgery and wasn’t even sure he’d be able to wrestle again. Even though he’s done everything with this X Division title, he thinks he can be the face of this company but in order to do that he needs that IMPACT World Championship which prompts Christian Cage to come out.
Cage says he respects Alexander and even though Alexander almost lost his career, Cage did lose his career for 7 years but now he’s standing on the top as the IMPACT World Champion. Cage won’t lay down and he’s here to stay the champion and if Alexander exercises Option C, he can walk out this whole thing empty-handed, and after Bound for Glory Alexander won’t be the face of IMPACT but just a face in the crowd. Alexander thanks Christian for making this decision much easier and relinquishes the X Division Championship to D’Amore as Ace Austin and Madman Fulton make their way to the ring. Austin says he isn’t done with Christian just yet and Alexander is obsessed with him and couldn’t leave him alone when he was X Division Champion. Austin is disappointed in Alexander, calls him a quitter, and tells him to listen to Cage’s advice and be a proud champion like he was, and he would have never used Option C. Alexander says he didn’t have the opportunity because he took the title from him as all four men start fighting including Austin taking a cane and hitting Cage in the eye with it.
Call Your Shot
Gia Miller is backstage with Rich Swann and Willie Mack and says even though they came up short at Victory Road they have an announcement tonight. Swann says since Alexander used Option C there’s an opportunity for all of them as Mack says he wants to put his name in the hat and get the X Division title back. Rich Swann declares himself in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet so he can become a two-time World Champion as Brian Myers and The Learning Tree walk in, before telling Sam Beale to take notes. Myers also announces himself in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet. Beale says they’ll become tag champions, but Myers cuts him off and says he’ll use it to become World Champion. Swann tells Myers to pick one of his lackeys and they do a tag match tonight. Zicky Dice, Beale & Manny Lemons all make cases for Myers to pick him, but Myers walks away and says he’ll find somebody.
Scott D’Amore is backstage with Christian Cage and a doctor, Josh Alexander walks in and says they need to take care of Ace Austin and Madman Fulton, but the doctor says there is no way Cage can be cleared, so D’Amore makes Alexander vs. Austin.
HIKULEO (w/ Chris Bey) vs. David Finlay (w/ Juice Robinson)
Finlay starts the match out speeding HIKULEO, but HIKULEO quickly out powers him including a hard scoop slam before missing a splash in the corner which Finlay comes back with a dropkick and attempts to clothesline him down before Bey trips him up as they go to commercial.
When we come back HIKULEO is in full control with a couple of pin attempts after a suplex. Finlay comes back with a cross body off the second rope for a two, Finlay jumps on the back of HIKULEO but gets tossed off as Finlay gets hit with an inside-out lariat for a 2 count. HIKULEO goes for the chokeslam, but Finlay reverses it with a cutter. Chris Bey jumps on the apron, but Juice takes him down. Finlay takes this distraction opportunity to trip up HIKULEO and roll him up for the pin.
Winner: David Finlay by pinfall at 12:20
El Phantasmo Returns
After the match, all four men start brawling in the ring, as Finlay clotheslines HIKULEO to the outside and Juice hits a cannonball on Bey. FinJuice then sets up to hit Chris Bey with the Doomsday Device but El Phantasmo makes his return, and Bey and HIKULEO hold up Juice as he hits a loaded superkick.
Rhino Must Have An Answer
We go to Violent By Design and Eric Young is talking about what happened last week, and how it could be the end of Rhino and they go their separate ways, but Rhino should know violence is the only destination and the only thing the sickness understands. Young knows Rhino can learn and repent for his mistakes and apologize and move forward. Young knows Rhino can be stronger, better and the War Machine, because when you join something like this, it’s forever and now he is asking Rhino to decide and do the right thing, think about his actions and how he compromised VBD and made them do that to Rhino. They are going to need a resounding answer from Rhino next week.
Retribution on Raju
Gia Miller is backstage with Matt Cardona and Chelsea Green and says Cardona got retribution but it’s not over as Chelsea is facing Rohit Raju tonight. Cardona says he shut up Raju, took out Shera indefinitely and he’s a man of his word and he’s done. Chelsea said she’s not done though, and she’s back and she’s about to get her retribution right now.
Souls for Mother
We go to Su Yung and her undead brides, Kimber Lee and Brandi Lauren, who both say ‘mother, it’s our honor to provide you with these souls’ as we see the belt of one of the Swingerellas they abducted last week.
Rohit Raju vs. Chelsea Green (w/ Matt Cardona)
They start the match locking up with Raju in control, but Chelsea reverses and takes Raju down with a kick and a soccer kick for a one-count. Raju blocks her arm drag and takes her down with a shoulder tackle. Raju comes back hitting a suplex and putting Chelsea in a rest hold, but Chelsea gets out and hits a couple of Thesz presses and German Suplex for a two. Raju stops her in her tracks with a clothesline, but Chelsea hits a superkick and a jumping knee to stop him. Raju tries to pin her while holding the ropes, but Cardona stops him. We get the return of Raj Singh, who hasn’t been seen since 2019, who takes out Cardona on the outside. This causes Chelsea to get rolled up by Raju for the pin, as it looks like Desi Hit Squad has reunited.
Winner: Rohit Raju by pinfall at 4:07
Payback for Alisha
Eddie Edwards is backstage pacing with a kendo stick and says Moose and W. Morrissey will pay the price for what they did to Alisha. Sami Callihan comes in and says Alisha has been through worse and Eddie has made Callihan pay for it and says now they must make Moose and Morrissey pay and tell the cameraman to follow them.
When we come back from the commercial, Edwards and Callihan are attacking Moose with the bat and kendo stick and ask where Morrissey is. Moose says he has no idea as Edwards and Callihan walk away and tell the cameraman to stay with them.
Rich Swann & Willie Mack vs. Brian Myers & VSK (w/ Sam Beale, Zicky Dice & Manny Lemons)
Myers gets on the mic and says they might expect his partner to be a member of The Learning Tree, but they are too green to be in this match so instead, he introduces his mystery partner as someone who’s more polished and is one of his students, VSK. VSK has appeared on AEW and IMPACT in the past year as he starts the match with Swann and is able to take control and takedown Swann. Mack comes in and takes out VSK, who tags out to Myers. Zicky Dice gets on the apron but gets taken out by Mack, but this causes Myers to tag in VSK, who runs in and hits a sliding powerbomb on Mack. Mack and Myers go at it, as Mack hits a big uppercut with both guys making the hot tags. Swann and VSK both duck each other, but Swann hit a step-up kick and a splash that Myers breaks up the count. Mack comes in and clotheslines Myers over the top. VSK hits a thumb in the eye to Swann and an elevated DDT for a two. Swann fights off Zicky Dice off the top rope, Sam Beale comes in and tries to push Swann off but ends up pushing Swann onto VSK who gets the pin.
Winners: Rich Swann & Willie Mack by pinfall at 5:15
JJ Dillon’s Palace
We go to Swinger’s Palace and Johnny Swinger seems upset about something. One of the Swingerellas tries to comfort him but Swinger jumps up and is upset because Bound for Glory is going to Las Vegas. Swinger decides to write a letter to Scott D’Amore to try to stop him, mentioning how D’Amore took over from ‘Bob Carter’s smoking hot daughter’, and cordially invites D’Amore to come to the Swinger’s Palace and signs the letter as JJ Dillon.
The Good Vacation
We go to a black and white video from The Good Brothers who say they are on vacation, and they enjoy it, as it’s well earned. They say they deserve this because they have beaten every team put in front of them, as Doc Gallows names off teams from AEW and IMPACT they have beat and mentions that they might buy the island that they are on right now. Gallows then plugged the IMPACT Insider YouTube as a way for them to keep track of the teams in IMPACT. They too sweet and mention going to the beach.
Hardcore Country & The Virtuosa are Bound for Glory
Mickie James comes to the ring as the crowd chants her name. Mickie thanks them and says it was a huge honor to come back at Slammiversary and it’s always good to be back in the land of Hardcore Country. Mickie’s intentions were not for herself but highlighting the Knockouts Division and it’s champion, Deonna Purrazzo. She wanted Deonna to be part of it, but things have changed as her actions have been disrespectful but the same can be said about her receipt she gave back. James says she wants to address the elephant in the room and invites Deonna to come out to the ring, which she does as they announced Knockouts Knockdown on October 9th.
Deonna is upset that Mickie even would mention her name after she attacked her. James says Deonna might have those two titles, but she sees right through her and she’s a fighter now, not an executive producer anymore, so she figured with a huge event coming up called Bound for Glory and if she wants to make her mark on the industry what better place for her to become Knockouts Champion once again against Deonna. Deonna said she wrestled Melina since she asked but doesn’t owe her anything else but understands Mickie wants to be relevant again and anybody wrestling Deonna is their dream match. If she is being honest, this match with Mickie does nothing for her and she never idolized Mickie and there is a long line of women in front of Mickie, so this match isn’t going to happen, she doesn’t need it to happen. And until Mickie earns a Knockouts Championship match, the answer is ‘hell no’. Mickie ends up slapping her as they start brawling in the ring. Security comes out to break them up. Scott D’Amore comes out and says wrestlers don’t make matches, but they don’t get to turn them down either. D’Amore says everybody here disagrees about Mickie not deserving a title shot, she’s one of the pillars here and would be an idiot to not make this match, so he does for the Knockouts Championship at Bound for Glory.
Hey Eddie, How’s Your Wife?
Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan finally find W. Morrissey hanging out by catering, but security guards stop them. Scott D’Amore says they won’t do this now, but they can settle it next week in a street fight. Morrissey asks Eddie how his wife is doing, as he screams back ‘You’re a dead man!’
Gia Miller is with Gail Kim who says she’s in charge of the upcoming Knockouts Knockdown and says there will be an 8-person tournament with four of their Knockouts against four of the best out there today and the winner will get a title shot. The Influence interrupts and Madison Rayne says it only makes sense that they are involved at this event, and they should challenge for the Knockouts Tag Team Titles. Gail says that sounds like a good idea, and they need a match, but Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering feel the same way so next week they will fight, and the winners will face the Decay at Knockouts Knockdown.
Next Week
· Knockouts Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Match: Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering vs. The Influence (Madison Rayne & Tenille Dashwood) (w/ Kaleb with a K)
· X Division Triple Threat Tournament Match: Laredo Kid vs. Trey Miguel vs. Alex Zayne
· Street Fight: W. Morrissey vs. Eddie Edwards
Ace Austin (w/ Madman Fulton) vs. Josh Alexander
Austin starts the match trying to duck and dodge Alexander, but Alexander grabs a hold and hits a suplex, and holds him down. Fulton quickly trips up Alexander, causing Austin to take control. Alexander stops Austin trying to Irish Whip him and lands a big strike, a chop, and splash in the corner followed by a T-Bone suplex. They fight on the apron, but Alexander is able to catch him and put on an ankle lock. Back inside, Alexander takes control and hits a big vertical suplex for a 2 count. Alexander climbs the top rope, but Fulton gets on the apron to distract him. Alexander gets in his face as Austin takes control because of this as they go to the commercial.
When we come back, Alexander is escaping a body scissors into an ankle lock, but Austin stops it with an Enziguri. Alexander comes back with a German Suplex, dodges Austin coming off the ropes, and hits a running boot. Alexander goes for the C4, Austin stops him, but Alexander hits a jumping knee off the ropes for a two count as he tries and puts the ankle lock again but follows with four German Suplexes. Alexander tries a fifth, but Austin escapes out until he gets a right hand to the face, tries the C4 again but gets tossed onto the apron. Austin ends up on the apron and gets hit with a big crossbody by Alexander. Fulton distracts Alexander who gets a big kick from Alexander who falls off the apron on top of Fulton. Back inside, Alexander stops The Fold and hits a powerbomb into a backbreaker followed by the C4 piledriver for the pin.
Winner: Josh Alexander by pinfall at 16:00
Christopher Daniels Returns
Fulton runs in and Austin keeps attacking Alexander. Christian Cage runs back in to help Alexander take them out. Once Austin and Fulton are out, Alexander questions why Christian came out to help them, this distraction allows Austin and Fulton to come back in and attack them. As Fulton and Austin are about to take out Alexander, Christopher Daniels’ music hits as he comes to the ring for the first time in seven years for IMPACT and helps Cage and Alexander take out Fulton and Austin as the crowd chants ‘Fallen Angel’.