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Another episode of IMPACT Wrestling has come and gone. With it being the go-home show before Over Drive, we still had some details to hammer out, as well as a few matches left to fill the card.
Who is going to challenge Trey Miguel for the vacant X-Division Championship in the tournament finals? Has Bully Ray earned Josh Alexander's trust? Can Sami Callihan finally rid himself of Violent By Design?
All these questions and more were answered in an action-packed episode of IMPACT Wrestling.
#5. Underutilized X-Division Star gets the match of his career
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Black Taurus returned to IMPACT Wrestling in 2021 as a member of Decay and has wowed the IMPACT faithful with his brilliant displays of power and speed. However, he's yet to bring home any gold from the company. That could all change at Over Drive tonight.
After Frankie Kazarian vacated the X-Division Championship to implement Option C against Josh Alexander, the belt was up for grabs. In late October, a tournament began to crown a new champion.
Former champions Trey Miguel, Mike Bailey, and Kenny King joined PJ Black, Laredo Kid, Yuyu Uemera, Alan Angels, and Black Taurus in this three-round tournament. On the latest episode of IMPACT Wrestling, Taurus defeated Black in an excellent opening contest, advancing past the semi-finals and into the X-Division Championship Match at Over Drive.
Taurus will face division mainstay Trey Miguel in what should be a show-stealer. Will this finally be Black Taurus's moment of glory? Will he finally win his first championship in the company?
#4. Bullet Club takes aim at the IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Titles
Bullet Club, Aussie Open, Motor City Machine Guns, and Raj Singh & Shera battled each other in a spectacular four-way tag team match. The Guns are riding high since capturing the NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Titles from Aussie Open back in October.
Bullet Club's Ace Austin and Chris Bey (Ace of Beyse, as I like to call them. You're free to use it, fellas) came out on top, though, pinning the former champions Aussie Open after a wild contest. We'll see the two former X-Division Champions battle The Motor City Machine Guns during the Countdown to Over Drive stream. The winners will go on to face the IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champions at a later date.
Whether Heath Slater and Rhino retain or they fall to the Major Players, either team will have their hands full. Bullet Club has not been as successful as they'd like since Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows left for WWE. This could be a much-needed turnaround for the group and a chance for two of the younger members to prove themselves stateside.
#3. Bully Ray gets assistance from an unlikely source
There are three things that are inevitable in life:
- Death
- Taxes
- Bully Ray will stab you in the back
Josh Alexander has heard about the third one quite a bit since Bully Ray returned at Bound for Glory on October 7. The current IMPACT Wrestling World Champion has already had his championship stolen before, with Moose cashing in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet Trophy on last year's Bound for Glory.
Bully Ray won the gauntlet and trophy this year but has yet to make his move on Alexander. The Hall of Famer has tried to prove to the champion over the past month that he's not here to take any shortcuts. He's going to go for the gold when he's ready and when Alexander is too. But we've heard that before when it comes to the leader of Aces & Eights.
Regardless of how history has played out for many others and how many warnings he's received, Josh Alexander saved Bully Ray from a beatdown this week. After defeating Tommy Dreamer, Steve Maclin and Moose were set to send Bully through a table. However, the Walking Weapon put a stop to it.
Even Bully was shocked by the turn of events and seemingly had his sights on the champion before the two put Maclin through another table.
#2. IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts dying to end Mickie James' career
Ever since Mickie James returned for 'The Last Rodeo retirement tour, she's been unstoppable. Promising that her first loss will signal the end of her career in the ring, the legendary Knockout has brought her A-game to every single match-up. Mia Yim, Chelsea Green, and Gisele Shaw have all fallen to her in recent weeks, and this weekend she'll be facing another big name in Taylor Wilde.
Both of these competitors have made a world of difference in the Knockouts division over the years. Wilde was a vital component along with Gail Kim, Awesome Kong, and the rest of the early years in the division. James helped elevate the competition when coming over for her second run in 2010, bringing star power to the division at the time.
Last week, Wilde assisted James when Deonna Purrazzo attempted to help Chelsea Green cheat James out of her career. The former Knockouts champion asked Wilde not to interfere, but the latter didn't want to see this career end that way. Well, that was her first reason.
Taylor Wilde revealed the real reason she saved Mickie James last week. She wants to be the one to retire a legend. It seems to be a common goal for Knockouts, much like when wrestlers attempted to retire Ric Flair back in 2008. Will Taylor Wilde be the one to do so, or will a hungrier Knockout be the one to shut down this rodeo?
#1. Violent By Design loses faith in Eric Young after bloody Double Jeopardy Match
The main event of the night featured two of the promotion's most psychotic sadists as Eric Young went to war with Sami Callihan. Prior to the bout, the Callihan Death Machine was dismantled by Violent By Design, setting Young up for an easy victory.
Before Callihan could make it to the entrance ramp, he'd already been busted open by Deaner, Big Kon, and Allen Angels. With the former IMPACT Wrestling World Champion at a clear disadvantage, it seemed like an easy night for Young. In order for someone to win, they'd have to first make their opponent bleed.
Despite that, Young found himself in the fight of his life. The leader of VBD took some horrific punishments, including paper cuts across the mouth.
By the end of the bout, both men were drenched in crimson. So much, so that IMPACT Wrestling had to stop showing clips on social media. The only way to watch it was live as it aired on TV or subscribe to IMPACT Plus.
Trash cans, lids, teeth, and more were used as the two men tried to tear one another limb from limb. By the end, though, Eric Young fell to his opponent after a Cactus Special, earning Callihan a hard-fought victory.
Fans in the crowd were ecstatic for Sami, but Violent By Design was none-too-pleased with Eric Young.
As Young struggled to pick himself up off the mat, the group surrounded him and stared at their broken and beaten leader. Young's already been kicked to the curb by the group earlier this year. Will Deaner lead another coup against him before the year ends?
What did you make of the latest edition of IMPACT Wrestling? Let us know in the comments section below.
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