Welcome to WrestleZone’s live coverage of IMPACT Wrestling’s 1,000th episode!
After a video package and specialized intro, Scott D’Amore welcomes fans to Episode 1000 in the ring. He then welcomes out the most influential Knockout in history Gail Kim. She throws it to a video package on the greatest Knockouts moments.
Scott starts to speak again when The Beautiful People’s music hits. They make their classic entrance. Love questions Gail if that was the best clips they could’ve shown since they showed a bunch of ugly people outside of themselves. Velvet calls it security cam footage at Walmart. Gail sarcastically welcomes them back as they do what they do best — be rude and obnoxious. They start to circle Gail when Gisele Shaw’s music hits.
The Shaw-entourage walks down to the ring and apologizes for Gail being rude to them. Shaw says there would be no Quintessential Diva without The Beautiful People. She’s honored to have taken their spot and improved on it. Love fires back, questioning what she just said. Shaw spells out the definition of “improved.” Sky questions who’s so great from their generation. Jordynne Grace walks out.
Grace says Shaw is actually from her generation. She names ODB, Tara, Traci, and Gail as some of the greats. But the other constant was the “annoying, vapid b****es.” Deonna Purrazzo comes out. Deonna says she’s here to represent her generation, not Jordynne or Gisele. A “Virtuosa” chant breaks out. The Age of Virutosa started when she beat Grace for the title. Out comes current champ Trinity to remind them who’s currently on top.
Deonna tells Trinity when she’s had three. Gail says she can find her when she’s had seven. Awesome Kong’s music hits and she has Raisha Saeed with her. Saeed says if anyone wants to fight, they’ll be crushed by Kong. Tasha Steelz returns! She says we can’t have the 1,000th episode and talk about history without her. She announces herself as the fifth member of Team Beautiful People, Shaw, Evans, and Purrazzo. No one else can be the greatest who beat the greatest. Then out comes Hardcore Country.
Mickie says by the looks of it, she doesn’t have to remind Tasha who she is or what she’s done. All she can really say is, “Hardcore country is back.” She makes it official that she’s joining of Team Trinity, Gail, Grace, and Kong. Mickie dubs themselves “Team Over.” She says next week will be the greatest fight in Knockouts history.
***
Backstage, EY is talking to America’s Most Wanted when Santino and Shark Boy interrupt. Santino says he needs help and offers his the Deputy DOA position to Shark Boy. “Shell yeah!”
JoYa and PCO get televised entrances. PCO starts by diving through the ropes onto a field of men. The rest of the participants rush the ring. Hendry drops Moose in the ring. Sami Callihan rakes Maclin’s eyes. Knight and Kushida double team Myers. Laredo Kid pulls Kushida off the turnbuckle. Black Taurus drops Kushida with a backbreaker before Kid hits a poisonrana. John Skyler dumps Taurus and Kid out before Bey catches up to him. Bey trips Skyler and unhooks briefcase #3. He leaps out of the ring to officially secure it.
Yuya tries to stop Maclin from climbing. Gresham and Gujjar go at it inside. Sami and Heath meet in the middle and decide to execute a huge tower of doom. Sami and Heath start throwing punches until Crazzy Steve rakes their eyes and hits a double dropkick. Swinger and Bravo climb a truss briefly. Jai Vidal goes after Steve but Steve gets a hold of case #1. He climbs down and hits Bravo with the case. Steve pulls a fork out of his boot and uses it to stab Myers and intimidate Moose.
Moose scales byt gets knocked down by Maclin. Maclin hits caught in the crosshairs followed by KIA, but Gresham catches him with a strike. Gujjar hits a knees and then eats a dropkick from Vidal. Swinger sneaks up on Jai and applies a sleeper. Bravo throws Swinger to the floor. Bravo scales but gets pulled down by Sami, who hits a Cactus Driver 97. Skyler spears Sami, Knight hits a huge crossbody on Skyler. PCO double clotheslines Kushida and Knight. Taurus hits a spinebuster on PCO and then Laredo Kid spikes Taurus. Hendry and Yuya hit One Hit Wonder. Yuya grabs case #4 as Sami takes down Hendry. Yuya tosses it to Hendry who then tosses it back and Yuya reaches the floor.
Maclin and PCO go at it. PCO hits a DDT and then clotheslines others until Vidal runs into him. Jai tries to seduce PCO, but PCO chokeslams him instead. Callihan whips PCO into the apron back-first before Skyler levels Sami. Kushida handspring kicks Taurus. Knight runs in and flips Taurus over off the top. Knight goes up but Maclin shoves him off. Heath stops Maclin and then hits a powerslam. Heath and Maclin fight on the top rope. Maclin grabs the case and hits Heath with it but then gets surrounded. Rhino runs down and spears Maclin. The case goes flying out and Moose picks it up.
Gia Miller speaks to Sabin about his main event title match tonight.
Desi Hit Squad (Rohit Raju and Champagne Singh) are in the ring. Raju cuts a promo on how could Impact celebrate 1000 without them. Team 3D’s music hits. Devon is emotional entering the ring.
“We want tables” chant immediately breaks out. Ray and Singh lock up before Ray twists the left arm around. Devon comes in and double clotheslines Desi Hit Squad. Ray goes up top but Singh throws him off as Rohit distracts the ref. Devon and Singh get hot tags as Devon throws clotheslines and a shoulder tackle. Raju also eats a clothesline. Spinebuster to Singh, Devon covers. Team 3D hits the signature headbutt with Devon flying off the top. 1, 2, 3, get the tables! Devon gets a table. They hit 3D (sans table) on Singh and Devon covers for the win.
They move the table over. Devon props Rohit up and Ray drives him through the table.
Josh talks about how special it is to walk down to the ring. He’s been an Impact fan for 20 years and he’s proud to say it. But now, he’s here to get back his gold.
Alex Shelley comes down. He runs down Josh chasing the next buck. Josh tells him to relax and thanks him for what he’s done for 21 years. He was happy to see Alex win the world title. Things stay heated as they hype each other up. Josh runs down Shelley’s defenses but reminds him that Shelley lost to Alexander at last year’s Emergence when the title was on the line. Alex says this isn’t Josh’s story and that Josh is just a side quest.
Shelley wants the match so he can prove he’s better. Josh wants it too and challenges him to do it right now. The Rascalz ambush both of them. Josh clocks them with right hands and then comes face to face with Shelley. Rascalz attack Josh again as Shelley goes to the apron. Miguel kicks Josh across the face while Shelley watches and retreats.
***
Backstage, Shark Boy confronts The Rascalz. He books Trey vs. Alexander for next week. Santino calls Shark Boy a natural and shakes his hand. Kenny King and Sheldon Jean walk up. King demands his Digital Media title rematch. Santino instead books King vs. Eric Young for next week.
Traci takes down Alisha right away. Kazarian flips Eddie out of the ring to the floor. Traci and Alisha also spill outside. Eddie hits a suplex. Back inside, Alisha kicks Traci and then tags out. Eddie grabs Traci by her hair until Traci slaps him across the face. She crawls under his legs and tags out. Kaz fires away but then Alisha kicks him in the back. Eddie hits Blue Thunder Bomb.
Back from break, Alisha slaps Kaz a couple times and tags out. Eddie maintains control and throws Kaz out to the floor. Back inside, Kazarian chops Eddie a few times only to get knocked back down. Eddie drives his throat into the rope before Alisha unloads with strikes. Eddie delivers more corner chops. Traci tries to enter the ring but the ref keeps her out. Eddie whips Kaz into the turnbuckle. Kaz takes advantage of a mishap and rolls Eddie up before suplexing Alisha.
Brooks gets the tag and she does a shoulder block followed by clothesline. Traci hits a running spear and fires up. Eddie grabs her by the hair again. He places her up top for the Backpack stunner but she rakes his eyes and hits X Factor face plant. Kaz hits Eddie with a knee as Lish tries rolling Traci up. Traci hits Fade to the Black and pins Alisha for the win.
Frankie gets on the mic and reveals a video package announcing Traci Brooks as another 2023 Impact Hall of Fame inductee. Traci cries and celebrates with their son in the ring.
Lio Rush delivers his final words before the main event.
Tommy Dreamer speaks backstage about winning the Digital Media title at Victory Road. He calls it one of the greatest nights of his life. After all the gloom and doom he’s faced, he can’t thank fans enough. Dreamer says he’s going to defend the title everywhere and have fun moments.
Rush heel kicks Sabin and dives out of the ring to recreate Slammiversary. Lio says “too easy” and taunts him. Rush checks his watch like Kushida and prepares for Final Hour. The ref is checking on Sabin so Lio shoves the ref out of the way. Sabin suckers Lio in with a roll up followed by a dropkick. Sabin hits a wicked clothesline and unloads with punches in the corner. Sabin traps Rush in a stretch before trying another cover.
Rush hops on Sabin’s back, but Sabin backs him to the corner. Lio fires back with a blow to the back of the head. Rush with a belly to back suplex, cover. Rush applies a body scissors. Sabin manages a missile dropkick. He lifts Lio up for Cradle Shock, but Rush rakes the eyes until almost the DQ count. Sabin rolls out to regroup but Rush bounces off the ropes with a moonsault to wipe him out. Lio tells the ref to start counting and then breaks the count anyway. Lio hits a suplex on the ramp.
Lio attempts Cradle Shock, but Sabin escapes and is still hit with a kick for a nearfall. Lio goes up top but Sabin pulls his leg. Rush fights him off initially but Sabin runs back up and lands the superplex. Sabin boots Rush in the corner. He goes for Cradle Shock again and superkicks instead. Sabin rolls Rush into an STF. Sabin hits a driver for a nearfall. Sabin hits Clothesline from Hell and connects with Cradle Shock for a nearfall!
Sabin takes Rush up top but he elbows out and rakes the eyes again. Sabin falls to the mat and Rush hits Final Hour, but it’s not enough. Rush is in disbelief. Rush throws a couple strikes until Sabin fires back with elbows that drive Rush down. Rush strikes back, Sabin superkicks and punches. Shell Shock connects. Sabin hits one more Cradle Shock to win his record-setting 10th X-Division title.
The babyface roster comes down to help Sabin celebrate his huge win to send us home.
Dixie Carter Comments on IMPACT Wrestling’s 1000th Episode
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