IMPACT! Wrestling Review - February 24, 2022

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Heath Attacked Impact World Champion Moose

I liked how Moose ran down everyone he's beaten so far as Impact World Champion, though I wasn't expecting Heath to be the one to interrupt him. We haven't seen Heath in a bit, apparently because of IMPACT's COVID-19 protocols according to what he said. He was correct when he referenced that his debut match in IMPACT was against Moose two years ago, but I really don't have any desire to see them run it back at Sacrifice with the top title on the line. Then again, if there's any match to give away on a two-week build, it would be that, so whatever.

Impact Digital Media Champion Matt Cardona def. Jordynne Grace in a Dotcombat Match

Was it ever explained why Grace intentionally got herself disqualified at No Surrender? Oh well, at least they didn't waste any time in doing the rematch. I can't say I've ever seen a "Dotcombat" match before, but bonus points for the clever title. It was obviously just a standard No Disqualification match with some internet-related stuff mixed in like a keyboard and a bunch of cellphones, but they made the most of the stipulation and busted their asses, especially Grace. I didn't have an issue with this being as competitive as it was because Grace is a legitimate threat. That said, the title remained around Cardona's waist as it should have.

Bhupinder Gujjar def. John Skyler

Gujjar is still trying to get his feet wet in IMPACT. We don't know a whole lot about him, but if his in-ring athleticism and skillset is anything to go off of, he has potential, so hopefully he can get over. Skyler is a dependable dude you can put anyone in there with and they'll come away from it looking good. That was the case here as Gujjar won quickly and decisively. Considering Brian Myers was on commentary for this, that might be Gujjar's first feud.

ROH Women's World Champion and AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Deonna Purrazzo def. Lady Frost in the Champ Champ Challenge (ROH Women's World Championship Was Not Defended)

This Champ Champ Challenge for Purrazzo is an excellent idea. It keeps her on the show in a regular role despite not being Impact Knockouts Champion anymore and the mystery of who will answer the open challenge and what championship they'll choose to contend for is exciting. Frost is already on the roster, but I believe one of her first matches in IMPACT came against Purrazzo, so it was cool to see them cross paths again here. They didn't have a ton of time to work with, but it was a perfectly fine match where Frost was able to score some offense before losing. Meanwhile, Gisele Shaw came out afterward to pose briefly, so there was that.

JONAH def. Zicky Dice

I'm glad IMPACT is seemingly keeping Dice around despite him no longer being associated with Myers. He's an entertaining talent. However, this was a total squash for JONAH as it should have been. JONAH has been tearing through the IMPACT roster lately, and although I'm still not sure whether he's supposed to be a babyface or a heel, at least he has momentum. We found out afterward via Gail Kim backstage that he'll be facing Johnny Swinger next week on the show and PCO at Sacrifice.

Honor No More (Matt Taven, Mike Bennett and Kenny King) def. Chris Sabin, Rich Swann and Willie Mack

This was never going to be anything less than a top-tier main event given the level of talent involved, and sure enough, they put on a clinic for as long as they were in there. Similar to what we saw from them at No Surrender, this was all action throughout and everyone had their chance to shine. It was important to keep Honor No More looking strong by having them win again here. The babyfaces will be able to bounce back, so the result was the right one.

Eddie Edwards Explained His Actions

IMPACT could have easily gone with someone in this spot that wouldn't have made much sense simply for the sake of swerving people, but Edwards actually makes total sense for joining Honor No More and he explained it perfectly. Not only does he have a history in Ring of Honor, he mentioned how he felt disrespected for never being given an opportunity to beat AEW's Kenny Omega for the Impact World Championship last week, among other things. I also appreciated how his wife Alisha didn't come out and immediately join him. Rather, she took him to task and left their issues unresolved, which was intriguing. This may have lasted a little longer than it needed to, but all in all, it delivered and I thought it was one of the strongest promos Edwards has ever done.

Overall Show

I was wondering why IMPACT was announcing so many matches this far in advance for their next live special on Impact Plus before realizing that Sacrifice is actually next weekend. Why? Are they trying to squeeze in one more Impact Plus show after that ahead of Rebellion in April? The card on paper isn't as stacked as it was for Hard to Kill or No Surrender, but a few matches definitely look promising. This was the usual great show from IMPACT that effectively followed up on No Surrender, set the stage for Sacrifice, and gave us some quality wrestling. IMPACT just doesn't miss at the moment.

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