IMPACT! Wrestling Review - August 25, 2022

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Impact Knockouts World Tag Team Champions VXT def. Impact Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace and Mia Yim

This match didn't make a ton of sense to me on paper. VXT already beat Grace and Yim a few weeks ago, and Grace and Yim did nothing to earn this opportunity other than asking for it. I understand this was done so Purrazzo could pin Grace and be entered into a number one contender's match for her Impact Knockouts World Championship next week, but from a storyline standpoint, this was weird. On the bright side, they had a very good match with all four women having strong showings. VXT, of course, have terrific chemistry as a team. I'm curious where Yim goes from here as she seeming wraps up her IMPACT heading into Bound for Glory.

Impact World Tag Team/NEVER Openweight Champion Karl Anderson def. Mike Bennett

The stipulation was that Maria Kanellis-Bennett would be banned from ringside for next week's Impact World Tag Team Championship match if Anderson won, and sure enough, that's exactly what happened. These guys have been around for a long time, so unsurprisingly, this was an enjoyable affair. Anderson is so much better on his own at this point than he is with Luke Gallows, who drags him down. I'm hoping Honor No More take the titles next week in light of The Good Brothers' contract expiring soon.

Bhupinder Gujjar def. Jason Hotch

We were told beforehand that Hotch won Gut Check earlier this year and is now a member of the IMPACT roster as a result. This marked his debut on IMPACT! Wrestling, but they're obviously going to get him more seasoned before bringing him onto the show in a regular role. He played his role well in what was basically a squash for Gujjar, setting up an eventual rematch between him and Brian Myers for the Impact Digital Media Championship.

Impact World Champion Josh Alexander def. Vincent (Non-Title)

With Eddie Edwards confirmed to challenge Alexander for the Impact World Championship at Bound for Glory, it's logical for Alexander to run through a few of the Honor No More guys before then, starting with Vincent. I'm glad Vincent was able to score some offense and that it wasn't a straightforward squash, even though it was on the shorter side. I liked Edwards' post-match promo and hope he and Alexander can make their feud more personal heading into Bound for Glory.

Jessicka def. Alisha

The former Havok is doing a character very similar to Taya Valkyrie after coming back from the Undead Realm and Rosemary despises it. I don't care much for anything involving the Undead Realm (I'm shocked that's still a thing all these years later), but that was a clever way of switching up Decay's act. She made quick work of Alisha here. Jessicka/Havok has never done much for me in the ring, so I was glad this was kept on the shorter side.

Sami Callihan Challenged Moose and Steve Maclin to Barbed Wire Massacre at Victory Road

This wasn't a formal segment but rather Callihan making his way to ringside wrapped in barbed wire. He challenged Moose and Maclin to a Barbed Wire Massacre match at Victory Road. You'd think they'd save that for Bound for Glory, but they probably have something else in mind for that event. Personally, I'm tired of all the gimmick matches Callihan has been having since returning, but it should be a spectacle, if nothing else.

Time Machine def. Violent By Design (Eric Young, Joe Doering and Deaner)​

Time Machine is such a fantastic team name for Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin and Kushida, combining The Motor City Machine Guns and Time Splitters. This was the match I've been waiting a few weeks for and it delivered. The action was very entertaining and they worked a wonderful pace. Does this mark the end of the feud, or will Young go on to face someone from Time Machine one-on-one (likely Kushida)?

Overall Show

It's interesting that we're getting plenty of Bound for Glory developments (which I'm in full favor of) but not as many match announcements regarding Victory Road. Is another Impact Plus special really necessary for their biggest pay-per-view? Either way, this was another top-notch edition of IMPACT! Wrestling that started and ended on a high note. There were more squashes in the middle than usual, but at least everything served a purpose. The consistency is always on point with these shows.

SEE MORE: IMPACT Reviews