Impact Rebellion live results: Moose vs. Josh Alexander World title match
Josh Alexander will get his chance to avenge his surprise loss at Bound for Glory to Impact World Champion Moose in the main event of Rebellion in Poughkeepsie, New York.
After Alexander won the belt from Christian Cage, Moose cashed in his Call Your Shot opportunity he won earlier in the night and defeated Alexander in a matter of seconds.
The AAA Reina de Reinas title will be on the line as Deonna Purrazzo defends against multi-time champion and former Knockouts titleholder Taya Valkyrie.
The Impact Tag Team titles will be defended by Violent by Design in an eight-team elimination match with seven of the teams still to be announced.
Knockouts Champion Tasha Steelz will defend against former champion Rosemary of Decay.
The card will see JONAH take on NJPW’s Tomohiro Ishii in a first time ever match, Chris Bey (replacement for Jonathan Gresham( vs. Eddie Edwards, and Jay White vs. Steve Maclin vs. Chris Sabin.
X-Division Champion Trey Miguel vs. Ace Austin and “Speedball” Mike Bailey in a three-way and Knockouts Tag Team Champions The Influence defending against The IInspiration will be on the pre-show.
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Eddie Edwards defeated Chris Bey
Not a fan of this one at all. The work wasn’t awful but was uninspiring.
This match opened with a prolonged feeling out process. Eventually, Edwards took a cocksure lead, toying with Bey throughout his offense. Edwards’ pace allowed Bey to take advantage for a short time, landing a dive to the floor to make up some ground. Bey’s lead came to an almost immediate end after Edwards thumbed Bey’s eye and returned to his demining offense.
Bey began to rally, landing a top rope forearm and enziguri. Edwards tried fighting back into the match, but Bey reversed a tiger driver into a quick pin attempt. Bey and Edwards traded forearms before a Bey connected with a springboard cutter for a near fall. Edwards avoided the next springboard, following the opening with a successful tiger driver for another near fall. After the kick-out, Edwards hit the Die Hard driver, bringing this match to an end.
It would seem this match was to set up (or further) a Bullet Club and Honor No More feud.
Knockouts World Tag Team Champions The Influence (Madison Rayne & Tenille Dashwood defeated The IInspiration (Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay) to retain the titles
Goodness gracious, this was bad. Aside from the contrived match layout, the work was not good.
The Influence started the match by jumping the challengers, but IInspiration emerged from the scuffle with the advantage. Rayne caught Lee after things calmed down, allowing Dashwood to tag in and establish control.
Rayne and Dashwood singled out Lee, eventually leading to the hot tag. McKay took out both of the champions, leading to a segment of IInspiration control.
Lee wasted time on the top rope, buying the Influence enough time to break up whatever move they were aiming for. Instead, Dashwood landed a double crossbody and spotlight kick for a near fall. Dashwood then picked up one of the championship belts, but the referee stopped her from using it; while the referee was getting rid of the first belt, Dashwood grabbed the second, but Lee dodged the weapon attack and connected with a spinning head kick for a near fall.
The IInspiration hoisted Dashwood up to close the match with their tandem finish, but Rayne hit a spear to stop this from happening. The Influence then hit McKay ‘The Colab’, their double team facebuster, to bring this title match to a close.
Steve Maclin defeated Jay White & Chris Sabin in a three-way
This match was quite enjoyable, though the finish felt flat.
This match opened with White retreating to the outside, taking opportune strikes while allowing Maclin and Sabin to wear each other down. After a sequence of outside offense and impressive dives, Maclin turned his attention to White.
Maclin took complete control, driving White into the apron and floor. Sabin interrupted Maclin’s offense, which backfired, as White immediately took match control after the brief opening. After landing a suplex on the arena floor, White continued making advances against both men in the ring.
After White’s extended control segment, Sabin landed a quick double-crossbody to reset the match. All three men traded moves and small stents of advantage before Maclin missed a tree-of-woe spear and crashed to the floor, effectively writing him out of the match for some time.
Now an effective singles match, White and Sabin struggled for control. Sabin reversed multiple finish attempts from White before landing the cradle shock. As Sabin went for the pin, Maclin returned to the ring and rolled Sabin into a pin to steal the win.
Taya Valkyrie defeated Deonna Purrazzo to win the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship
This wasn’t a classic or anything, but this match explored some interesting ideas throughout its runtime.
Valkyrie started the match hot, scoring a crossbody and dropkick to establish an early lead. After a German suplex from the rope and well place knees, Valkyrie set up a ring post spot, but Purrazzo reversed to take control for the first time.
Valkyrie escaped a submission attempt but Purrazzo maintained her control with a leg sweep into the corner of the ring apron. Back in the ring, Purrazzo landed a standing moonsault into an armbar that forced Valkyrie into the ropes.
The pair met on the top rope and struggled for control. After Purrazzo seemingly won out, she lept right into a Valkyrie powerbomb which she followed with a submission of her own. After Purrazzo escaped, she tried for a Queen’s Gambit, but Valkyrie reversed into her finish, Road to Valhalla, and pinned Purrazzo to win the match and the belt.
Ace Austin defeated X Division Champion Trey Miguel and Mike Bailey in a three-way to win the title
This was nothing but creative offense, bell-to-bell.
Miguel and Bailey started the match by working together to takeout Austin. As the match broke down into a true triple threat, the offense escalated chaotically.
The body of this match was nothing but unthinkably athletic offense; some examples: Bailey landed an insane springboard moonsault onto Austin (who Miguel was holding up after a picture-perfect tope). Back in the ring, Austin dropped Miguel onto Bailey to deliver an assisted double-stomp. Miguel hit another dive, this time a tope-cutter. Bailey landed a beautiful top rope springboard to the floor just in time for a diving rana from Miguel.
As things began to wind down, Miguel hit Bailey with a brainbuster and meteora, but Austin interrupted the referee mid-count. Austin then dropped Miguel with The Fold and pinned the champion to win the belt.
Tomohiro Ishii defeated JONAH
This was dreadful.
This match was a plotting slog with a runtime dominated by JONAH—not that Ishii’s moments of offense were great; they weren’t. All in all, this was a massive disappointment.
This match opened with some back and forth striking before a tackle from JONAH left him in control. JONAH proceeded to work Ishii over on the mat, slowly picking him apart with strikes, drops, and basic holds. Every time Ishii showed any signs of hope, JONAH retook the advantage.
After a long struggle, Ishii landed a quick suplex that opened JONAH up to offense for the first time. Ishii landed some lariats that JONAH largely ignored.
JONAH hit the JONAH bomb, a lariat, and a spear before missing a top rope dive. Ishii answered with a basement lariat and brainbuster, leading to his victory via pinfall.
Impact Tag Team Champions Violent by Design (Eric Young and Joe Doering) retained the titles in an eight-team elimination match
This match consisted of eight teams; two teams start the match. A team is eliminated after a successful fall. After an elimination, another team enters the match—the last team standing wins and leaves with the tag team titles.
This whole thing was fine, I guess. It was long, and nothing exciting happened, but the work wasn’t awful.
Bryan Myers and Matt Cardona (The Major Players) eliminated Jordynne Grace and W. Morrissey
Grace opened the match with a flurry of elbows and a standing suplex on Myers. This led to Cardona and Morrissey entering the match, where Morrissey continued to further his team’s early lead. A distraction from
Chelsea Green allowed Myers and Cardona to single out Grace and score a quick pin.
After being eliminated, Grace and Morrissey beat down Cardona and Myers. After blocking a low blow with a cup, Morrissey also sent Green through a table with a nasty powerbomb.
Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson (The Good Brothers) eliminated Bryan Myers & Matt Cardona (The Major Players)
After the beatdown from earlier, Gallows and Anderson hit the magic killer, secured the pin, and eliminated the Major Players.
Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson (The Good Brothers) eliminated Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice
The Good Brothers had their way with these guys. Dice accidentally hit Swinger as soon as they made it to the ring and the Good Brother secured the elimination with another magic killer.
Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson (The Good Brothers) eliminated Rich Swann and Willie Mack
Swann and Mack rushed their opponents, landing a quick pair of topes to gain the advantage. This advantage continued in the ring for a while as the team worked to isolate Anderson, but after the tag to Gallows, things fell into line for the Good Brothers.
As the Good Brothers looked to close with the magic killer, Swann made the save. Mack tried to follow up with a dive from the top rope, but Gallows pushed him to the mat. A powerbomb to Swann and a magic killer to Mack left the Good Brothers with another elimination.
Matt Taven and Mike Bennett (Honor No More) eliminated Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson (The Good Brothers)
HNM came to the ring acting as if Kenny King and Vincent were their representatives, even as the announcer announced Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. This distraction allowed Bennett to catch a distracted Anderson, leading to a quick pin with help from the rest of the HNM crew.
After being eliminated, The Good Brothers beat down HNM, hitting Taven with a magic killer.
Rhino and Heath eliminated Matt Taven and Mike Bennett (Honor No More)
Rhino and Heath took their time beating down HNM, buying them enough time to make a comeback even after the Good Brother beatdown. Just as HNM was looking to close, Rhino stopped a proton pack with a gore and quick pin to make the elimination.
Eric Young and Joe Doering (c) (Violent by Design) eliminated Rhino and Heath
VbD hit the ring, leading to a pretty by-the-numbers tag match. Both teams traded heat, with VbD often gaining control with help from their manager. The babyfaces were eventually shut out by a simple reversal by Eric Young, which he followed with a piledriver and pin to score the final elimination and retain the belts.
Knockouts Champion Tasha Steelz defeated Rosemary to retain the title
This was not good.
The match opened with Rosemary rushing down Steelz, taking an early lead. After Rosemary sent Steelz to the outside, Havok, who accompanied Rosemary to the ring, put her hands on Steelz and was ejected. The ejection led to Steelz taking control of the match.
Steelz worked Rosemary over on the mat for some time but lost her control after Rosemary bit her butt. Rosemary and Steelz then worked through an awkward back-and-forth sequence.
Steelz hit Stratusfaction, a jab at the former champion Mickie James. Then Steelz distracted the referee allowing Savannah Evans, who accompanied Steelz to the ring, to drop Rosemary with a big boot. Steelz followed this with blackout, but Rosemary kicked out.
Rosemary dodged a frog splash, drenched Evans with kabuki mist, and landed a spear for a near fall. Rosemary tried to follow up by climbing to the top, but Steelz cut her off with a cutter. Steelz then pinned Rosemary to retain her championship.
A video package played showcasing the company’s history and announcing Slammiversary would be coming back to Nashville on June 19th.
Josh Alexander defeated Moose to win the Impact World title
This match was significantly better than everything else on the card. If their goal was to make Alexander look like a star, they definitely did just that.
Alexander wrestled Moose to the mat early, weiving in heavy strikes to establish control. Moose escaped to the floor to slow down Alexander’s advance. Alexander took the fight to the outside, but Alexander’s preoccupation with his family (who were sitting in the first row) opened the door to a Moose boot.
Moose, now in control, landed some heavy strikes and a toss but went to the same well one too many times. Alexander retook the lead after a reversal, driving Moose into a ring post. Moose withstood the rally, answering by slamming Alexander into the barricade.
Back in the ring, a quick suplex from Alexander reset the match. Alexander followed up with a barrage of boots, a crossbody, and a sequence of Germans to cement his lead.
Moose blocked the C4 Spike before destroying Alexander with a spinebuster from the top rope. Moose tried for a crossbody from the top, but Alexander caught him in an ankle lock, forcing a rope break. Following the rope break, Alexander challenged Moose to a strike battle that escalated to a fever pitch. Alexander powered through heavy offense from Moose before hitting the C4 Spike; Moose saved himself with a rope break.
Moose worked Alexander into the corner, scoring a near fall following a superplex. Moose tried for the spear, but Alexander caught him, hit a Styles Clash, and secured another ankle lock. Moose escaped, pulling off a turnbuckle pad in the process. Moose dropped Alexander into the exposed buckle and hit the spear; Alexander kicked out (making him the first person to ever kick from Moose’s spear).
Moose tore off another turnbuckle pad, hoisted Alexander onto his shoulder, and delivered one of the nastiest buckle bombs I’ve ever seen. Moose tried for another spear, but Alexander cut him off with a knee. Alexander then landed another C4 Spike and pinned Moose to win the Impact World Championship.