Impact Down Under live results: Alex Shelley vs. Steve Maclin World title rematch
Impact Wrestling makes its debut in Australia Friday for the first of two straight nights of pay-per-views from Wagga Wagga.
Friday’s kickoff will feature a rematch for the Impact World title as Alex Shelley defends against Steve Maclin in a rematch from Against All Odds where Shelley won the title.
X-Division Champion Chris Sabin will continue his ninth reign as he defends against former champion Frankie Kazarian and Robbie Eagles. While this will be Eagles’ first Impact appearance, he competed for the title in a four-way for Australia’s WSW back in 2018.
In a pair of non-title matches, Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo will take on Steph De Lander while Tag Team Champions Chris Bey & Ace Austin face Moose & Brian Myers.
Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry defends against former World Champion Eddie Edwards.
The rest of the eight-match card will see Saturday Knockouts title challenger Gisele Shaw against Erika Reid; Killer Kelly vs. Aysha; and Slex vs. Adam Brooks.
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The show opened with “Auntie Sheryl” a native, Aboriginal woman of Wagga Wagga welcoming everybody to the show. The government of New South Wales brought in Impact for this tour.
Slex defeated Adam Brooks (6:21)
Those two natives of Australia have been feuding for years, including a Three Stages of Hell match. Brooks took the blunt of the matches. Slex also was part of NJPW’s recent TAMASHII shows in Australia.
Brooks offered a handshake, but Slex declined. They showed how well they know each other but avoiding most of the other’s offense for the first minute, until Brooks downed Slex with a right hand. Both looked to hit dives until Brooks finally did but got caught by Slex, who slammed him on the apron and got the first near-fall of the night back in the ring.
Brooks kneed Slex in the gut, then suplexed him into the turnbuckles for another near-fall. They battled on top until Slex hit a superplex. They went right into another suplex attempt and eventually both tumbled over the top rope to the floor.
They ran into each other before Slex hit a spinning punch. Brooks came back with a kick and went for a Swanton Bomb, but Slex evaded it, hit a springboard enzuigiri followed by another one, called the Slexecution to win the battle of Australian veterans.
Motor City Machine Guns promo
MCMG cut a backstage promo. Chris Sabin talked about how he once wrestled Frankie Kazarian for the X-Division title 20 years ago in Australia. Shelley said he would beat Steve Maclin tonight.
Gisele Shaw defeated Erika Reid (7:33)
Reid is native to New South Wales and made her Impact debut here. Shaw challenges Deonna Purrazzo for the Impact Knockouts title tomorrow.
They traded wristlocks and headlocks early before Shaw took down Reid with shoulder blocks repeatedly. Reid came back with running elbows into the corner and a suplex for a two count. The ended up outside and Shaw slammed Reid into the ring post shoulder first. Shaw immediately followed up back in the ring and started working over Reid’s arm with kicks and submissions.
Shaw kept mauling Reid, who briefly came back with a few elbows but quickly got knocked down a few pegs again. Shaw rammed Reid into the turnbuckle shoulder-first again, then locked in a mounted arm bar. Reid countered into a roll up for two, then followed up with a big DDT.
Reid sold the shoulder, even trying to knock the possible dislocated joint back into place. She hit a flying hurricanrana on Shaw who was on her knees for another near-fall.
Shaw went back to the mounted arm bar again and then leaned back, forcing Reid to tap out.
Steve Maclin promo
He talked about looking past Alex Shelley toward Slammiversary and it cost him his Impact World title. He said he would not make the same mistake again and would win the title back tonight.
Impact Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry defeated Eddie Edwards to retain (11:42)
Hendry cut a promo before the match, talking about how he was in a good mood because Impact made its debut in Australia, in Wagga Wagga, a “town so great, they had to name it twice.” He said he prepared a special chant for Eddie, since they were on holiday. The chant was “Eddie sucks.” He said the people believed in Joe Hendry.
Hendry dominated early by controlling Edwards’ arm, then took him down with a shoulder block. Edwards tried one of his own, but got knocked down once more and rolled to ringside. Eddie wanted a test of strength, but kicked Hendry in the gut. Hendry quickly went back to shoulder block though. Eddie briefly got back into control, but quickly missed a body press when Hendry just took a step out of the way.
Hendry hit a delayed vertical suplex, then followed with ten punches in the corner. Eddie tossed Hendry out of the ring, hit an inverted atomic drop when Hendry slid back inside and downed him with a clothesline. Edwards hit a few chops in the corner, then thumbed Hendry in the eye. He locked in a choke but Hendry powered out and hit a few uppercuts but Eddie quickly regained control.
Hendry ate a few more chard chops and thumb to the eye, but powered up, hit a few clotheslines and a big fall-away slam. He went for the Standing Ovation chokeslam but Eddie elbowed out. Hendry hit a cutter off the ropes instead for a near fall. Edwards back body dropped out of a power bomb attempt, but couldn’t evade a pop up power bomb seconds later. Edwards hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for another narrow two count. Edwards hit some knee strikes, but Hendry lifted him on his shoulders and threw him to the mat with a Trust Fall.
Hendry went to hit a lariat on Edwards in the corner and lifted him on the turnbuckle, but got power bombed off. Edwards went for the Boston Knee Party but got hit with the Standing Ovation for the win and successful title defense by Hendry.
At the zoo with Impact Wrestling
Steve Maclin, Deonna Purrazzo, Frankie Kazarian, Moose, Killer Kelly and Joe Hendry were at the Wagga Wagga zoo, played with dingos, fed kangaroos and touched snakes in a nice filler segment.
Killer Kelly defeated Aysha (7:09)
Aysha, a native of Australia, battled Killer Kelly from Portugal here. Kelly started out on all fours and intimidated Aysha. Things quickly turned serious when Kelly took Aysha down with a few arm drags then hit some knees and followed with punches in the corner and a running hip attack.
She downed with a running soccer kick on a sitting Aysha, then followed up with another one from the apron when Aysha rolled out of the ring. Kelly followed up with a deadlift delayed fisherman’s suplex for two. Aysha took over by pulling Kelly down by the hair and choking her with her boot in the corner.
Aysha followed up with a Stinger Splash in the corner and a running bulldog for another near fall. Aysha came back with a series of open palm strikes and head butts, then hit a butterfly suplex into the corner. Aysha briefly evaded a Shotgun dropkick into the corner, but seconds later ate one anyway. Aysha came back with a neckbreaker and back stabber for another two-count.
Aysha went for a double underhook DDT but got countered with a Death Valley Driver. Aysha grabbed a bottle of champagne from ringside but got caught be the ref. She grabbed an open one and spit champagne into Kelly’s face who was not all that impressed and took a hearty swig from the bottle. Aysha tried a roll up as Kelly handed her bottle to the ref.
Kelly hit a deadlift high angle German suplex and locked in the Killer Clutch for the submission victory.
Impact X-Division Champion Chris Sabin defeated Frankie Kazarian and Robbie Eagles in a three-way to retain (14:49)
All three men shook hands as the match started. Eagles got the crowd going with “Robbie Robbie Robbie! Oi Oi Oi!” chants.
Sabin got the first few moves in, but quickly clashed with Kazarian before all three men hit simultaneous dropkicks. Kazarian threw Eagles to the outside but got rolled up by Sabin for two. Sabin followed with a La Magistral cradle for two before falling prey to a hurricanrana by Eagles.
Eagles hit a springboard backflip but got floored by a clothesline from Sabin before the champ took both opponents down with clotheslines. Sabin hot a Stroke on Eagles before locking Eagles into an Indian Death Lock and getting an Octopus Hold on Kazarian at the same time.
Kazarian took over by Evading Sabin and dropping a guillotine leg drop on Eagles on the apron. Kazarian hot a back stabber on Eagles from the turnbuckle and a springboard spinning leg drop on Sabin for a two count. Kazarian had Sabin in some sort of double arm bar, then rolled up Eagles as he came wandering by. Kazarian locked Eagles in a Boston crab, then hit a Code Breaker on Sabin when he looked to drop a defenseless Kazarian.
Eagles hot some kicks on Kazarian, thwarted Sabin and took both men down. Eagles launched Kazarian out of the ring, allowing Sabin to hit a running soccer kick on Kazarian and two somersault sentons from the apron on each opponent. Sabin rolled Eagles back into the ring, but Eagles escaped an attack, hit a plancha on Kazarian and locked the inverted figure four leg lock on Sabin.
Kazarian hit an O’Connor roll on Eagles, then followed with a Northern Lights suplex on a charging Sabin to get a cover on both men, who narrowly managed to kick out. Eagles quickly flew in with a kick and got a near-fall of his own with a backpack snapmare slam.
Kazarian snatched Eagles out of the sky with a cutter on a springboard attempt and got a close near-fall, with Sabin making the save at the last possible moment. Sabin punched and elbowed both men, hot a tornado DDT on Kazarian and Cradle Shock on Eagles to pick up the win and retain the championship
– A video on ABC vs. Moose & Bryan Myers vs. Sami Callihan & Rich Swann vs. Subculture for the Tag Team titles at Slammiversary aired.
Impact Tag Team Champions ABC (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) defeated Moose & Brian Myers in a non-title match (15:58)
Myers and Bey started out but Myers quickly escaped to ringside. He teased a test of strength, only to kick Bey in the gut. Bey quickly came back with punches in the corner, a backflip and superman punch. Austin tagged in and the champions double-teamed Mayers for a few seconds.
Moose kneed Austin in the back on a whip in, which got Austin distracted and allowed Myer to hit a running knee. Moose tagged in, but quickly got double teamed when Bey bling-tagged in. Bey hit a tope, then went for a plancha but got caught by Moose and power bombed on the apron. Myers then speared Austin on the outside.
Moose and Myers took turns beating Bey down, with Myers hitting a suplex for a two-count. Myers locked in a chin lock with Bey not able to tag out as Austin still lay hurting at ringside. Moose wen t for another power bomb, which Bey escape via hurricanrana only to be caught with a mighty uranage.
Myers tagged in and choked Bey in the ropes, then tagged Moose again. Bey managed to throw Moose out of the ring, hit a kick on Myers and went to tag Austin, only to watch his partner get dragged from the apron by Moose. Bey hit a sunset flip on Myers, who managed to tag Moose before going down for the cover. Bey escaped a power bomb, then managed to hit a cutter on Moose who was coming in with a springboard move from the turnbuckles.
Bey finally managed the hot-tag and Austin ran wild on both opponents. He got rid of Moose, then hit a spin kick on Myers for a two-count. ABC were looking for One Two Sweet, but Moose dragged Austin out of the ring. Myers hit the Roster Cut on Bey, with Austin making the save at the last second.
Bey went to the top rope, but got hit by a high dropkick my Moose. Moose and Austin battled on the top turnbuckle before Moose hit a superplex on Austin, only for Bey to come off the top with a Frog Splash before getting wiped out with an enzuigiri by Myers.
Moose held Austin for Myers to hit a superkick before they hit stereo power bombs on both ABC members. Myers asked Moose to pick Bey up for him to hit another Roster Cut. Bey shoved Moose into Myers, then rolled up Myers for the pin as Austin grabbed Moose’s legs from the outside.
– A highlight video on fun things to do in Wagga Wagga aired.
Steph De Lander promo
Steph said she lost to Deonna before but will beat her tonight and go home the champion
Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo defeated Steph De Lander in a non-title match (9:05)
De Lander briefly played to the crowd but then cut a heel promo to turn the crowd against her.
De Lander shoved Purrazzo down, but received a slap in return. A sunset flip by Purrazzo couldn’t get De Lander down, but she got thrown out of the ring anyway. De Lander then picked up Purrazzo on her shoulders and dropped her to the apron face-first.
De Lander put Purrazzo on he top turnbuckle, hit her with a running boot and suplexed her out of the corner for a near fall. De Lander kept it up with chops in the corner until Deonna ducked and hit a slew of her own. De Lander locked on a bear hug, then went for another pin and argued with the referee when Purrazzo kicked out at two.
De Lander went right back to a chin lock, which Purrazzo eventually escaped from De Lander went for a spear in the corner but Deonna moved and she crashed into the steel post shoulder first. Purrazzo smelled blood immediately and countered a choke slam attempt into an attempt to work over the shoulder. Seconds later, De Lander found herself locked in a Fujiwara arm bar that put pressure on her left shoulder and narrowly made the ropes.
De Lander back body dropped out of a Queen’s Gambit attempt, and took back over, including a big boot for another two count. De Lander grabbed the microphone and told the crowd to shut up, before trying to hit Purrazzo with the mic, which the referee prevented.
This was all Deonna Purrazzo needed to roll her up for two and then lock in another Fujiwara arm bar, this time on the previously injured right shoulder and De Lander tapped immediately.
Impact World Champion Alex Shelley defeated Steve Maclin to retain (21:05)
Both guys milked the crowd for a little before locking up. Shelly quickly forced Maclin to the mat with a wrist lock and retained control of the arm. Shelley transitioned into a hammerlock before Maclin locked in a side headlock. Shelley broke free, got shoulder blocked but quickly locked in a head lock of his own, which he held for a few minutes.
Maclin eventually escaped and hit a few shoulder blocks in the corner, then slammed Shelley’s head into a turnbuckle. Shelley quickly turned the page again and went to town with elbows and chops, then downed the challenger with a running clothesline out of the corner.
Maclin finally hit a back elbow when Shelley hit the ropes and went back to some trusty chops. Shelley launched Maclin to the apron, jumped on his arm and hit a running knee strike from the apron. Back in the squared circle, Shelley dropkicked Maclin’s knee and followed up with a dragon screw. Shelley kept working the leg and locked in a step-over toe hold. Shelley next went to a straight jacket choke which he turned into a back stabber.
After some back and forth, they ended at ringside again, when Maclin hit a uranage on his knee and then belly-to-back suplexed Shelley on the apron twice. Back in the ring, he dropped a knee on the champion’s back and was looking to take Shelley’s back out.
Shelley came back with chops and kicks as Maclin urged him on. Maclin slammed Shelley’s face on his knee, hit a stiff lariat and locked in a Boston crab. Maclin hit a knee to the back as Shelley hung in the ropes, then slid outside, hit a hard slap and bent Shelley around the ring post backwards.
Shelley ended up on the apron and hit a dragon screw into the ropes, which further injured Maclin’s knee. Shelley followed with a stunner into the ropes but landed on Maclin’s knees as he launched himself over the top rope with a splash.
Shelley countered out of another uranage back breaker, then slammed Maclin’s head into the second turnbuckle. Shelley began targeting the other knee in the corner, including a nasty looking dragon screw as Maclin’s other leg was trapped between the ropes.
Maclin turned a Figure Four attempt into a small package but Shelley kept attacking the knee again. Shelley then hit a spinning fisherman’s suplex and went for the Figure Four again which he transitioned into a kind of Paradise Lock before kicking Maclin the face.
Shelley finally got the Figure Four on, but Maclin made the bottom rope. They ended up on the apron where Shelley went for Sliced Bread but got thrown into the post and speared in half. Maclin followed up with a Busaiku knee for a close near-fall. Maclin sold his knee and fell to the mat, Shelley capitalized and hit s superkick before hitting Shell Shock for the win to retain.
Shelley celebrated with his title as the show went off the air.
Final Thoughts:
This was a fun, if not particularly newsworthy show. Most matches felt like warm-ups to what is going to go down tomorrow and at Slammiversary but everyone had their working boots on and the local crowd had fun seeing a mix of Impact’s biggest stars and some of their own local talent. All the matches involving champions were good, the main event felt like an old school world title match, with the working of different body parts by both opponents. It will be fun to see how Impact concludes their mini-tour Down Under tomorrow.
Tomorrow’s Impact Down Under PPV card:
- Impact Tag Team Champions ABC (Ace Austin & Chris Bey) defend against the Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
- Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo defends against Gisele Shaw
- Impact Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry defends against Moose
- Frankie Kazarian vs. Steve Maclin
- The Natural Classics (Stevie Filip & Tome Filip) vs. The VeloCities (Jude London & Paris De Silva)
- Brian Myers vs. Robbie Eagles vs. Adam Brooks
- Killer Kelly vs. Steph De Lander