IMPACT! Wrestling Review - May 11, 2023

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Masha Slamovich def. Killer Kelly

This was a really good opener and I was pleasantly surprised how competitive it was. This could have easily been booked as a squash for Slamovich since Kelly hasn't been involved in too many big matches on her own, but both women were able to showcase their skills and have the match they were capable of. Slamovich has lost far too often since late last year, so this was a necessary victory for her to get back on track.

Nick Aldis def. Sheldon Jean

Aldis wanted Kenny King as his first opponent back in IMPACT, but King refused, so King had Jean booked against Aldis instead. Despite recently getting a shot at the Impact Digital Media Championship, Jean didn't feel like a threat to Aldis whatsoever, but he didn't need to be. This was intended to be a straightforward showcase for Aldis and a reminder of what he can do. I'm looking forward to Aldis vs. King at Under Siege.

The Good Hands def. Decay (Black Taurus and Crazzy Steve)

Good Hands have largely been an enhancement team since coming together a few months ago, hence why they were left off the Hardcore War match at Rebellion. That's why I automatically assumed they would lose here. This win might give them a bit of credibility, but hopefully it doesn't do much damage to Decay. The match itself was decent, but viewers didn't have any incentive to care because they're two lower-level teams. 

Impact World Champion Steve Maclin def. Rhino

I really liked how Rhino was built up via the video package at the start of the show, highlighting his history in IMPACT and his accolades. Obviously, he was never going to beat Maclin for the title (and the fact this was positioned in the middle of the show gave that away), but I thought he had a solid showing. It was a well-worked match and they told a good story with Maclin going the military-esque strategic route to pick apart Rhino and find a way to win. Maclin brutally attacked Rhino afterward, so I'm curious what that means for Rhino's future.

Dirty Dango def. Johnny Swinger

Dango has been on the hunt to find out who attacked Santino Marella backstage on a recent show. His focus turned to Swinger, who was ultimately revealed not to be the assailant. In other words, this was total filler and didn't serve much of a purpose. The best thing I can say about it is that it was kept brief and didn't overstay its welcome. Dango does his stuff well and Swinger is occasionally good for a few laughs, so I can't complain too much about this.

Impact Knockouts World Tag Team Champions The Coven def. Impact Knockouts World Champion Deonna Purrazzo and Jordynne Grace

It would have been silly for The Coven to lose their titles here, so the outcome was the right one. This was more about Purrazzo and Grace proving they can remain cohesive ahead of their rematch for the Impact Knockouts World Championship at Under Siege and it was a quality main event given an ample amount of time. Trinity made the save for Purrazzo and Grace afterward, so her first match in IMPACT may end up being with either KiLynn King or Taylor Wilde.

Overall Show

Outside of the monthly live specials/pay-per-views, IMPACT! Wrestling has largely been dull the last few weeks, but this episode was a nice step in the right direction. It was cool to see the women getting the spotlight in the opening and closing matches on this show, and although nothing else really stood out as special, the show flowed well and there was more build for what we'll be getting at Under Siege.

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