Best of IMPACT Wrestling (September 7th, 2023): Trinity attacked by former World Champion; 

It's time for one of IMPACT Wrestling's most recognizable shows, Victory Road. Episode 999, one week away from a loaded special episode, IMPACT 1000, took place this week.

Trinity recently shrugged off #1 contender Alisha Edwards when speaking to our own Kevin Kellam this week. On this episode, Edwards and her husband, Eddie, silenced the Knockouts World Champion.

Several tag teams made their case to be next in line for the tag team championships, whether the Rascalz or the Motor City Machine Guns left with the gold at Victory Road.

We'll kick this week's recap off with the rivalry of Steve Maclin and Josh Alexander.

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Steve Maclin and Bully Ray pick up major momentum heading into Victory Road

We should have seen Steve Maclin and Josh Alexander go to war for the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship back at Rebellion on April 16th of this year. Unfortunately, Alexander suffered a triceps tear, forcing the Walking Weapon to relinquish the title.

Maclin would go on to defeat Kushida for the belt at the event but continued to take shots at the absent Alexander by mocking Canadians during his short reign. Maclin would soon suffer an injury of his own over the summer, missing Slammiversary due to a groin tear. He returned at Emergence last month, costing A returning Alexander and his team a victory in an eight-man tag.

Now, nearly five months later, we'll finally see these two face off one-on-one. On the go-home show of IMPACT Wrestling, though, we saw them square up in a tag team match, with PCO joining Alexander and Bully Ray siding with Maclin.

We got a taste of what to expect at Victory Road in this match. Alexander and Maclin had a few chances to meet face-to-face, as did PCO and a clearly terrified Bully Ray.

By the end, Maclin managed to distract the referee long enough for Bully to drop PCo with a low blow, securing a win with the schoolboy roll-up.

While Bully will have to answer for his sins against the Frankenstein of IMPACT Wrestling at Victory Road in what will surely be a bloody war, it's the singles match between Steve Maclin and Josh Alexander that has fans eager for the event.

Finally, we'll see which one of these men is best, and more than likely, which one will challenge Alex Shelley for the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship in the very near future.

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Deonna Purrazzo sends a message to her longtime rival ahead of Victory Road

It's the greatest rivalry going in IMPACT Wrestling today. Deonna Purrazzo and Jordynne Grace, two of the best Knockouts in the history of the promotion, have been butting heads since Purrazzo returned to the company in 2020. The Virtuosa bested Grace for the Knockouts World Championship soon after her debut and has been ahead of Grace every step of the way.

Grace has defeated some of the greatest professional wrestlers to ever step through the ropes at IMPACT Wrestling, but the Juggernaut has never been able to beat Purrazzo in singles competition. The record stands 4-0 Purrazzo.

One night before their fifth bout at Victory Road, Deonna Purrazzo faced Subculture's Dani Luna in the opening bout of IMPACT Wrestling. Luna's only had three matches with IMPACT so far, this included, as she joined the promotion along with Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster this summer.

At 24 years old, Luna's got a bright future in the Knockouts Division. Unfortunately for her, she was facing someone many fans consider the greatest Knockout since Gail Kim. Luna did put up a great fight, managing to get in some good offense like an attempted Three Amigos as well as a brutal running dropkick that nearly sent Purrazzo through the ropes.

Purrazzo apparently chose Luna for a warm-up against Grace, as they both share similar styles. Luna, another powerhouse, nearly pinned Purrazzo with a powerbomb. Unfortunately, Purrazzo's constant attention to her right arm made it impossible to keep her shoulders down. Purrazzo would tap her out with the Fujiwara Armbar.

Later on in the night, we saw this vignette of Jordynne Grace tearing up a photo of Deonna Purrazzo which showed her record against the Virtuosa. 0-4. At Victory Road, will the Juggernaut of IMPACT Wrestling finally best her rival?

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Kevin Knight soars against X-Division Champion Lio Rush

Kevin Knight continues to impress the IMPACT faithful despite losing his matches. This week, he battled the X-Division Champion in a non-title bout and managed to do something few can; he kept up with Lio Rush.

Someone who's capable of getting out of view of their opponent in a hurry, Rush was unable to shake Knight in the early goings of the contest, as Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt went into his past as a college football player with a 40-yard-dash time of 4.4 seconds.

Another impressive ability of Knight's is his vertical leap, as he's able to launch Rush off the top rope with a leaping Frankensteiner with ease. He also may have the best dropkick in the business at the moment.

After gouging the eyes of Knight, though, Rush managed to turn things in his favor. A blinding fast suicide dive drove Knight's spine into the rail on the floor. Knight nearly had Rush near the end after nearly taking his head off with a flying forearm and another standing dropkick, but a missed springboard crossbody allowed Rush to finish the match with the Final Hour.

It was the match of the night for sure, but Rush ruined the fun by attacking Knight after the bell rang. He locked in Kushida's Hoverboard lock, sending a message to his challenger at Victory Road by trying to injure his protege and tag partner.

Kushida made the save in the end and looks to get revenge by taking Rush's X-Division Championship.

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#2 IMPACT's Tag Division continues to heat up

At Victory Road, The Rascalz will defend the IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Titles against the Motor City Machine Guns, Chris Sabin and the current IMPACT World Champion Alex Shelley.

It's an epic clash of past versus present, presenting us with the best high-flying duo in IMPACT history facing off against the current generation's top team. Twelve X-Division Championships and four IMPACT Wrestling Tag Titles between the four in this one, making for what should be an exciting contest filled with...well, nonstop action.

What's impressive now, though, is the ever-growing and impressive list of contenders waiting in the wings for whoever leaves Victory Road with the belts around their waists. Bullet Club's Chris Bey and Ace Austin, two of the best professional wrestlers in the world today, are eager to get their belts back.

The Good Hands have been consistent since joining forces in late December, and we saw Jason Hotch take Ace Austin to the limit on Before the IMPACT this week. Both teams have been in a heated rivalry since the Good Hands interfered in the Tag Title Tournament to get Bey and Austin eliminated.

Subculture, who recently signed with the promotion and held the gold for a brief time, are also looking to get revenge on The Rascalz after losing the titles to them at Emergence. We also have the super team of Sami Callihan and Rich Swann, bringing together two former world champions with a common goal of reaching the top of the division. Swann and Callihan also got a win on IMPACT Wrestling last night, defeating Subculture in an exciting bout.

Further down the list, we've got Joe Hendry and Yuya Uemura, JOYA, as they prefer to be called, who are lighting up crowds with their catchy entrance music as well as a slowly building winning streak.

Many months ago, it seemed as if the tag division was struggling, but now it's as stacked as any other division in IMPACT Wrestling.

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An IMPACT Wrestling power couple destroys Knockouts World Champion Trinity

Trinity's run with IMPACT Wrestling has been fantastic and hit its peak when she defeated Deonna Purrazzo for the Knockouts World Championship at Slammiversary. Recently, a battle royal was held to determine her challenger at Victory Road.

Some major names filled the ring for that opportunity. Both members of the Knockouts Tag Champs MK Ultra were top choices. Gisele Shaw, Jody Threat, and KiLynn King were all possible contenders for Trin. However, the underdog of the bout, Alisha Edwards, managed to get the win.

By the end of the match, KiLynn King and Jody Threat were the last women standing...or so we thought. Edwards, who had never been eliminated, came through the ropes after hiding under the ring and tossed both Knockouts out.

On the go-home show, Edwards had a chance to speak to Trinity during their contract signing. Edwards stated that she'd always been overlooked in this promotion, and nobody gave her a chance in the battle royal.

While wearing that chip on her shoulder, Lish also took a cheap shot, saying that her husband, Eddie Edwards, would be in her corner, but Trinity's (Jimmy Uso) wouldn't.

Trinity took a jab at Alisha's Boston accent but said she did respect what she'd accomplished. She admitted she overlooked Alisha, and she was wrong to do so.

When Eddie attempted to get involved, Trinity called him "Mr. Alisha," causing her #1 contender to throw a glass of champagne in her face. Trinity rocked her with a kick but was pulled away by Eddie, who drove her through the table in a truly disgusting act.

Alisha stood above a broken Trinity with the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts World Title above her head before they escaped a beatdown courtesy of Frankie Kazarian.