Hard To Kill, Impact Wrestling, PPV Report

Jan 13, 2023 - by Scott Porter

Join us tonight for Impact Wrestling’s first major event (PPV) of the year, Hard to Kill, from the Center Stage in Atlanta, GA.  We will begin coverage as soon as the pre show goes live, so check back for up to the minute, detailed match coverage.  Scott Hannifan and Mathew Rehwoldt will once again be on the call.

Tonight’s Hard to Kill lineup:

Impact World Championship Match, Josh Alexander (c) VS Bully Ray (Full Metal Mayhem Rules)

Impact Knockouts Championship Match, Jordynne Grace (c) VS Mickie James (if Mickie loses, she must retire)

Impact World Tag Team Championship Match, The Motor City Machine Guns (c) VS Heath and Rhino VS The Major Players VS Ace Austin and Chris Bey

Knockouts #1 Contenders Match, Killer Kelly VS Deonna Purrazzo VS Masha Slamovich VS Taylor Wilde

Impact Digital Media Championship Match, Joe Hendry (c) VS Moose

Jonathan Gresham VS Eddie Edwards

Falls Count Anywhere Match, Rich Swann VS Steve Maclin

Six Knockouts Tag Team Match, Rosemary, Taya Valkyrie and Jessika VS Tasha Steelz, Savanna Evans and Gisele Shaw

Pre Show:

Impact X Division Championship Match, Trey Miguel (c) VS Black Taurus

6 Man Scramble Match, Alan Angels VS Yuya Uemura VS Mike Jackson VS Bhupinder Gujjar VS Speedball Mike Bailey VS Kushida

Scott D’Amore’s temporary authority person will be named tonight!

Card Subject to change

Pre Show

Match 1.  6 Man Scramble Match, Alan Angels VS Yuya Uemura VS Mike Jackson VS Delirious VS Speedball Mike Bailey VS Kushida

Delirious is in for Gujjar.  Mike Jackson from Georgia Championship Wrestling in the 70s and 80s is in the match and he strikes first.  Yuya ties up Kushida, but Kushida hip tosses him off a whip.  Delirious tags in as does Jackson.  Jackson is 73 and hurled Delirious to the floor.  Jackson then watches Mike Bailey leap onto everyone on the floor and then does the same.  He takes out everyone.  Angels then suplexes Yuya and then Bailey.  Jackson sends Angels to the post.  Jackson then walks the ropes with Angles in a arm twist.  the crowd loves it.  Everyone is fighting and finally Jackson dives on the pile of wrestlers.  Angels suplexes Jackson.  Delirious locks on a crab.  Yuya and Delirious then double team Bailey.  Yuya slams Kushida.  Bailey spin kicks Yuya.  Bailey goes to the top.  Kenny King knocks him off the top rope.  He came from the crowd.  Angels clotheslines Yuya.  Kushida hits the spanish fly on Angels and makes him tab with an armbar.

Winner by submission.  Kushida

A Bully Ray / Josh Alexander hype vignette airs next.

Match 2.  X Division Champion, Trey Miguel VS Black Taurus (with Crazzy Steve)

This match was originally supposed to be on the main card, but was moved to the pre show.  Trey’s aggressive side has brought him back to the X Division Championship.  Taurus has been on a roll for months.  Trey starts the match on the floor and rannas Taurus into the corner post.  Back in the ring, Taurus connects with a sling blade and some stiff kicks.  Trey hits a few kicks of his own next.  He wants to keep the pace up on the match.  If it slows, the larger Taurus will be able to use his strength.  Trey reversed a pop up Samoan drop,  Trey turned it into a driver.  Trey works over Taurus on the ropes.  Trey goes for a dive off the ropes, but Taurus catches him and hits the Samoan drop this time.  The crowd is split in their favor.  Trey still starts barking at the crowd and Taurus clotheslines him.  He then pounces him.  After a huge backbreaker, Taurus gets a two count.  Trey miraculously backdrops Taurus to the floor.  Trey went for a ranna and Taurus went for a powerbomb.  They both hit the floor ugly.  Trey hits a meteora for a long two count.  Trey stalks him and Taurus makes him pay by slamming his head into the turnbuckle.  Taurus then hiptosses Trey from the top rope in an incredible move.  He only gets a two count.  Trey hits the lightning spiral for a two count.  Trey gets a spray paint can and sprays Taurus’s eyes.  Trey lands a lightning spiral and gets the pin.

Winner by pinfall and still X Division Champion, Trey Miguel

The show begins with a special tribute to the recently deceased, Don West.  The entire show will be dedicated to his memory.

Match 1.  Full Metal Mayhem.  Bully Ray VS Impact World Champion, Josh Alexander

Bully walks out and then abruptly leaves.  Josh Alexander walks out next.  Bully then runs from the back with a chain and hits Alexander in the back of the head.  Bully grabs the belt and nails Josh with it next.  Bully grabs a table and puts it in the ring.  Josh is already busted open.  Bully sets up the table and then goes to the ramp to toss Alexander back in the ring.  The bell hasn’t even been rung yet.  Once it starts, Bully powerbombs Josh threw the table for a two count.  Bully works slowly with elbows.  He then grabs a cheese grater.  Josh is quick to the punch and then gets the grater and pounds Bully with it.  Josh sets up a garbage can in the corner.  Bully is now bleeding.  Josh levels Bully with a trash lid a few times.  Josh grabs the grater again.  He rakes Bully with it several times.  That was gross.  Bully is a mess.  Josh grabs a bag of tacks and pours them on the ring.  Bully bails to the ramp.  Josh follows him and cracks him with a chair repeatedly.  Josh then places Bully on a table on the ramp.  Josh climbs a ladder, Bully gets up and tips Josh over.  Josh landed on the tacks in the ring.  Unreal.   Josh blocks a Bully bomb and hits a German of his own.  Bully eats a rolling senton on the tacks next.  Josh then knees Bully with the chain around his knee.  Josh then locks on the ankle lock.  He then wraps the chain around Bully’s neck and mouth.  John Skyer and Hutch hit the ring and hit the 3D into the tacks on Josh.  Josh kicks out at two.  Skyler and Hutch get tables.  They zip tie Josh to the ropes.  Tommy Dreamer walks out next.  Tommy double crosses Bully, who he looked like he was going to help.  Dreamer hits Bully with a trash can, but eventually goes threw a table.  Bully then starts hitting Josh with a garbage can.  Bully hits him with the trash can repeatedly.  Josh’s wife, Jen enters the ring next.  Bully glares at her with the trash can.  He tells her to beg for him not to hit her and her husband.  He demands her wedding ring.  Bully goes to hit Josh and Jen crotches Bully.  She then drops Bully with a sliced bread and cuts her husband free.  She apparently is a trained wrestler.  Josh hits Bully with a chair and puts him on a table.  Josh goes back to the ramp and climbs the ladder.  Josh splashes him, but Bully kicks out.  Josh locks on the ankle lock.  Bully taps.

Winner and still Impact World Champion, Josh Alexander

Insane match. Josh celebrates with his wife post match.

Victoria AKA Tara and Mickie James are shown backstage.  Victoria hugs her friend.  Raven comes in and hugs her too and says he wants to be there and a part of this, since he was there for her beginning.

Match 2.  Impact World Tag Team Championship Match, The Motor City Machine Guns, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley (c) VS Heath and Rhino VS The Major Players, Matt Cardona and Brian Myers VS Bullet Club, Ace Austin and Chris Bey (4 Way Elimination Match)

The match starts with everyone in the ring.  The Guns work on the BC  once the ring clears.  The BC get knocked out by the Major Players, who eventually get tossed by Rhino and Heath.  Finally the ref gets some sort of assemblance of a match.  Myers and Heath start and Myers gains control and tags in Matt.  They work Heath over in their corner.  Myers gets a two count.  They make a few tags, keeping Heath in their reach.  Myers locks on a rear chin lock and then hits a flatliner for another two count.  Heath catch Myers on the top rope and powerslams him.  Rhino and Cardona enter.  Rhino spears and belly to bellies Cardona.  Myers enters with Cardona and Matt ends up rolling up Heath.  Heath and Rhino are eliminated.  Bey enters and kick sweeps Cardona’s leg, but he manages to tag in Myers.  Hannifan and Rehwoldt are putting over the Major Players aggressiveness tonight.  Cardona hits a neck breaker on Bey.  Bey elbows and spin kicks Cardona.  Ace and Myers go at it next.  Ace marvels the crowd with spins, cartwheel escapes and kicks.  Shelley tags in with Ace, but the champs work together with a double dragon screw leg whip.  Sabin stays in works the legs further.  Shelley tags in and locks on the figure four.  Shelley then pulls Ace’s hair to add to the hold.  Ace breaks free, but Shelley drops Ace’s knee on his like a back breaker.  Bey tags in as does Myers.  Matt enters, but Bey uses his ultimate finesse and Bey hits the fold and the Major Players have been eliminated.  Sabin tags in with Bey, but Shelley comes in and they hit a magic killer.  Ace comes in to try and help, but the Guns oust him quickly.  Bey hits Shelley in the face with a spin kick.  Ace then kicks Sabin off top rope Bey hits the art of finesse. Sabin takes out the BC on the floor.  The Guns hit the dirt bomb on Bey and get the pin.

Winners and still Impact World Tag Team Champions, The Motor City Machine Guns

Frankie Kazarian comes out in street clothes.  Frankie says he came back to Impact as a guest a few months ago.  He then said he went back to AEW and realized he didn’t belong there.  Kaz then says he signed a long term deal with Impact Wrestling. He says he is back home.

Match 3. Impact Digital Media Championship Match, Joe Hendry (c) VS Moose

Moose comes out first.  His entrance is always a highlight of the show.  The former World Champion looks angry.  Hendy is out next and he gets a favorable crowd reaction as usual.  He grabs the mic, but Moose slaps it away.  The bell rings and Hendry slaps Moose.  He then hip tosses and spin slams him.  Even though Moose is a heel, the fans like both of these guys.  Hendry delivers a delayed suplex, but Moose no sells it.  The match spills to the floor.  Hendry then hits a walking suplex on the floor.  That was some incredible strength.  He walked half way around the arena floor with Moose over his head.  Back in the ring, Hendry and Moose clotheslines and dropkicks into the corner.  Moose eventually gains control and slows the match with a nose rake and stomps on Hendry who is prone on the mat.  Moose tries talking Hendry down and belittling him.  That didn’t work.  Hendry loses it and presses Moose and throws him on the arena floor.  Hendry hits a cutter after a few clotheslines.  He gets a two count.  Moose catches Hendry on the top rope and gets a two count off a sky high.  Back on the top rope, Moose superplexes Hendry.  Moose nips up, as does Hendry.  They trade forearms to the head for a minute.  They both try school boys.  Hendry hits a pop up powerbomb and huge clothesline, but he can’t put Moose away.  Moose sidewalk slams Hendry twice, but Hendry kicks out.  Moose walks to the floor and grabs the belt.  Moose distracted the official, kicked Hendry in the crotch and speared him for the win.

Winner by pinfall, Moose, but wait….

Just then Santino Marella enters as the director of authority. Santino cuts a funny promo and calls Moose a cheater.  He says he is restarting the match since he cheated.  Hendry rolls Moose up, but only gets two.  Hendry hits the standing elevation and gets the win.

Winner and still Digital Media Champion, Joe Hendry

Kenny King cuts a backstage promo on Mike Bailey.  He says Bailey wrestles, Kenny King is going to fight in a Fight Pit.

Match 4.  Knockouts #1 Contenders Match, Killer Kelly VS Deonna Purrazzo VS Masha Slamovich VS Taylor Wilde

All four women are in the match together to start.  Wilde and Slamovich tumble to the floor.  Kelly and Deonna begin going at each other, but the two on the floor continue to interfere.  Everyone takes turns diving to the floor on each other.  Masha is the last to land on the women and then tosses Kelly into the ring.  Masha gets a two count on Killer.  Kelly connects with a series of high knees.  Wilde dives on both from the top rope.  Purrazzo elbows Masha in the corner, Wilde ties up Masha in the ropes, Deonna kicks Wilde who falls to the floor and into the barricade.  Purrazzo locks Killer Kelly in a crab.  Wilde then grabs the other leg and does the same.  Wilde and Purrazzo then elbow each other enough to let Kelly go.  Masha is back and kicking Kelly in the face.  Kelly smiles, stands up and forearms Masha several times.  Wilde suplexes Masha.  Kelly knocks Wilde into the bottom turnbuckle and then stomps the small of her back brutally.  Purrazzo powerbombs Wilde and gets a two count.  Masha stops a Queens Gambit.  Kelly death valley drives Wilde.  Purrazzo distracts Kelly and locks on an armbar.  Wilde breaks up the submission and locks on the killer clutch.  Slamovich snowplows Wilde onto everyone and then pins Wilde.

Winner and #1 contender, Masha Slamovich

Raven joins the announce team.  We see Rich Swann being interviewed backstage.  Maclin jumps Swann from behind.

Match 5.  Falls Count Anywhere Match, Rich Swann VS Steve Maclin

The match begins in the back.  They are fighting by a dumpster and Maclin ends up in it.  Maclin recovers and hits Swann with a table top.  Maclin throws Swann into a giant pole.  They end up in the street.  Cars are driving by, they have to be amused with this.  Swann gets tossed on a car back in the parking lot.  Maclin spears Swann into a mass of barricades stacked up.  Swann uses a shovel to gain a momentary advantage.  Maclin rakes Swann’s across a fence.  They end up in the Impact Zone.  Maclin hits Swann with a chair.  He then uses a backbreaker on the floor to get a two count.  Swann kicks Maclin into the barricade ringside.  Finally they end up in the ring and Swann dropkicks him.  Maclin spears Swann who ended up upside down in the corner.  The match ends up on the floor and Swann scores a two count off a cutter.  The two get back in the ring and Swann does a nice job of punching and kicking Maclin until Steve backdrops him on the ramp from the ring.  The ramp is connected to the ring if that helps the visual.  Swann frog splashes Maclin on the floor from the ramp.  Swann hurls himself onto Maclin again, but Maclin catches him and powerbombs him on the floor.  He gets another two count.  Maclin misses a dive to the floor and Swann superkicks him.  Maclin uses the metal gate to Swann’s head.  He then hits the K.I.A. on the floor and it is over.

Winner by pinfall, Steve Maclin

Match 6.  Jonathan Gresham VS Eddie Edwards

They are billing this as a match between two former ROH World Champions, 9 months in the making.  The two work the first few minutes, just missing each other with scientific wrestling.  Gresham enjoys this, Eddie is already frustrated.  Gresham locks on a armlock and Eddie spills to floor to regroup.  Eddie simply can’t wrestle with Gresham and he knows it.  Gresham throws Eddie to the floor again and this time dives on him.  Gresham then armdrags Eddie on the floor.  Back in the ring, Eddie hits a belly to belly.  Eddie lays in a few stiff chops in the corner.  Gresham arm drags the left arm of Edwards, which is apparently injured.  Gresham is now almost exclusively working that left arm.  He is using a lot of joint manipulation.  Eddie recovers and goes on a tear.  He hits a series of slams on Jonathan.  Eddie hits a top rope assisted DDT on Gresham next.  Gresham suddenly is in trouble and Eddie is on it.  Gresham kicks out of pin attempt.  Eddie seems to be incomplete control, but he works Gresham in a few strong style blows.  Now they are both going at each other.  Eddie is working a wrist lock.  They are both chopping each other though.  Gresham ties up the arm and rolls up Eddie for a two count.  After a tilt a whirl moonsault Gresham gets a long two count.  Eddie lands a blue thunder bomb for a two count.  Eddie rams Gresham into the corner with his shoulder.  Gresham blocks the backpack stunner.  He then dives on Eddie on the floor.  Gresham and Eddie end up on the top rope again.  Eddie wants a superplex, but Gresham floats over into a sleeper.  Eddie collapsed and Gresham falls face first on the top turnbuckle.  Gresham eats a powerbomb after a series of power moves.  Eddie misses a Boston Knee Party, but hits a inside out and tiger driver.. after a Boston Knee Party, it is over.

Winner.. Eddie Edwards by pinfall

The lights go out and PCO returns with a shovel, spitting sand.  He takes out Eddie and soaks in the cheers.

It appears the 6 woman tag match has been scraped for now.

Match 7.  Main Event.  Knockouts Champion, Jordynne Grace VS Mickie James (James must win or retire)

James enters paying respect to her Native American heritage.  Grace enters last as the champion.  Dave Penzer welcomes and announces the competitors.  The two shake hands prior to the match.

James tries to match power with Grace to start the match.  That is an absolute mistake.  Grace starts tossing James around and she responds with slaps to Grace’s face.  Jordynne shakes it off and slaps Mickie twice as hard and she flies backward to the mat.  James counters with a Thesz press.  Grace double stomps her for a one count.  Grace isn’t trying to pin James, she is trying to show her up.  James gets to her feet again and gets sidewalk slammed.  After a few elbow drops, James is back retreating from Grace.  Grace misses a double knee and kicks Grace.  Grace catches her on the top rope, but James keeps fighting.  Mickie connects with a bulldog off the top rope.  This is the first time James has hurt Grace in the match.  Grace and James trade blows center ring.  Grace start telling James to hit her harder.  After 4 clotheslines and a Mick Kick, Grace goes down.  James goes back to the top.  James walks the ropes and does another Thesz press onto Grace from the top.  Grace blocks a DDT and set Mickie up on the top rope.  Grace hits a delayed suplex from the top rope and follows it up with a jackhammer.  Mickie kicks out at two.  Grace goes for a Grace-driver.  Mickie blocks it.  She kicks Grace and head scissors her.  After a flapjack and kip up, James heads back to the top rope, she hits another Thesz press for a two count.  Grace hits a spinebuster for a long two count.  Grace connects with knees and a powerbomb for another two count.  James keeps kicking out. Grace goes back to the forearms.  James reverses a pile driver into one of her own for a long two.  James starts laying in the boots to Grace.  After a Mick Kick, James tried a DDT.  Grace goes for a muscle buster, James blocks it.  The two start a roll up exchange.  Grace hits a backfist.  James gets another rollup and Mick Kick and DDT.  Grace kicks out.  James can’t believe it.  Grace blocks another DDT.  She locks on a sleeper on James.  James rolled over and Mick kicked Grace.  Grace grabs her again, and locks on the sleeper again.  James refuses to give up and gets free.  Grace drives James into the top turnbuckle.  Grace misses a shoulder drive and eats a tornado DDT.  James gets the pin.

Winner and NEW Knockouts World Champion, Mickie James

Tara and James family enter the ring to celebrate her win.

Leave a Reply