IMPACT Wrestling Turning Point
November 3rd, 2023 (Taped: October 27th, 2023)
By: John Siino
Walker Dome in Newcastle, England
Commentary: Tom Hannifan & Matthew Rehwoldt
Grado & Rhino vs. Mike D & Ryan Richards (Countdown To Turning Point)
Tom Campbell from Cultaholic was the special guest ring announcer in which Tom Hannifan jokingly asks ‘What is Tom Campbell doing in the IMPACT Zone?’ Grado hyped up the crowd and got them started in a TNA chant before introducing his mystery partner Rhino, to a big pop here in England where IMPACT is having their first major show in nearly eight years. Grado & Ryan Richards start the match as this rowdy crowd is already having fun with their chants. Richards comically tries to suplex Grado, who easily gets out and hits a flurry of elbows on Richards. Richards & Mike D are able to hold Grado back from making the tag out. Eventually, Grado does make the hot tag to Rhino, who goes wild on both his opponents before hitting the Gore on Richards for the pin.
Winners: Grado & Rhino by pinfall at 4:26
NORTH Wrestling Championship: Leon Slater (c) vs. Mark Haskins (w/ Vicky Haskins) (Countdown To Turning Point)
There is a lot of hype on commentary for IMPACT’s newest signing Leon Slater (calling him the ‘next’ Will Ospreay), whom Mark Haskins attacks before the bell rings and they quickly take it to the outside and start diving against the barricade. This is Haskins’ first match in IMPACT since 2012. Haskins keeps working on Slater on the outside as Vicky Haskins tries to trip up Slater. Slater is able to crawl to the work to break up a Crossface before they start going back and forth until Slater kicks Haskins off and hits a springboard back elbow. Slater uses his speed to stay in control, but Haskins bounces back with a lariat followed by a string of offense and pin attempts. Back and forth with kicks, until they are both laid out. Haskins hits a flurry of kicks and boots, but Slater comes back with a cutter, sending Haskins to the outside where Slater meets him with a dive, flying over the corner post. Slater sends Haskins back inside and hits his crazy-looking Swanton 450 for the pin and the win.
Winner: Leon Slater by pinfall at 10:42, to retain
Josh Alexander & Eric Young vs. Subculture (Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster)
Josh Alexander and Eric Young are coming off of tagging up for the first time the prior night, losing to The Motor City Machine Guns. Alexander and Flash Morgan Webster start the match as the crowd seems split. Alexander keeps outpowering Webster, who eventually tags out to Mark Andrews. The crowd calls for Eric Young, who tags in himself wearing a very Team Canada-inspired gear. Young & Alexander stay in control over Andrews as Alexander is loving the UK chants. Subculture takes over and starts double-teaming Alexander, but Young ends up tagging in and holding Webster down. Young starts tossing and attacking Webster in the corners, but he eventually is able to make the hot tag to Andrews. All four men start going at it, inside including a Code Red from Andrews to Young for a two-count. We get a rolling senton/flying elbow drop from Alexander and Young, but Andrews is able to kick out at two. All four start trading forearms, before Alexander & Young both put on Sharpshooters. Back-to-back Stundog Millionaires from Andrews but Young comes back with a piledriver on Webster, which Andrews breaks up the pin for. More action from everybody, with a wild ending sequence between Alexander & Andrews until Alexander traps on and hits the C4 Spike for the pin and the win.
Winners: Josh Alexander & Eric Young by pinfall at 14:05
Slater Joins TNA
We see highlights of the IMPACT UK Invasion Tour from Leon Slater as well as Scott D’Amore offering Slater a contract with Tom Hannifan saying ‘Slater joins TNA in 2024’. We get words from Slater who says he feels over the moon and watching TNA with his mom.
Gisele Shaw vs. Alex Windsor
These two have a bit of a history the last couple of years in England, with Alex Windsor being up on Gisele Shaw 2-1 going into this match, as Shaw comes out on her own to the ring. They start the match trading dropkicks and chops in the corner before Shaw knocks Windsor off the top rope, onto the outside. Back inside, Shaw goes for covers as Windsor tries to fight her off. Shaw hits a draping DDT for a two-count but Windsor comes back with a headbutt and clothesline, as they are both now laid out. Shaw goes to the outside for a breather, but Windsor meets her with a missile dropkick when she enters back in. Shaw comes right back with a cutter off the ropes for a two. Windsor catches Shaw off the ropes for a Blue Thunder Bomb for two, followed by a couple more pin attempts. Shaw initially misses the Denouement, but comes right back, connecting one to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Gisele Shaw by pinfall at 8:40
Rich Swann vs. Trey Miguel
They both start the match slowly, playing with the crowd before eventually taking each other down with headlock takeovers. They start running the ropes and flipping each other until Rich Swann sends Trey Miguel to the outside where he tries a dive, but gets stopped by an uppercut from Miguel. Miguel starts attacking Swann on the apron, sending him inside the ring just to toss him right back out a couple of times. Miguel continues attacking Swann, as they work their way up the stage where Miguel catches a diving Swann with a superkick. Miguel stops the momentum back inside with a single-leg dropkick. Miguel dodges a 450 attempt from Swann before he starts kicking away at Swann telling him to ‘stop being a bitch’. This turns into a chop exchange that ends in a Poison Rana and a TNA chant. Miguel follows with the Lighting Spiral, but Swann comes right back hitting a 450 Splash. Miguel looks to have gotten his shoulder up at the very end, but the referee makes the count and gives the win to Swann.
Winner: Rich Swann by pinfall at 11:48
Dani Luna vs. Jordynne Grace
They showed a promo for Dani Luna before the match that says she’s tired of being compared to Jordynne Grace and is going to prove that she is just Dani Luna. This is their second encounter, first meeting up at PROGRESS Wrestling in August 2019, where Grace came up on top. They lock up at the start, even taking it to the outside while keeping the hold on, but back inside, Luna takes over hitting a clothesline and holding Grace down. They go back and forth with a suplex attempt before Luna finally hits it for a two-count. Luna keeps attacking Grace in the corner, before the club and headbutt each other down to the mat. They start fighting on the apron where Luna suplexes Grace back in and hits a clothesline for a two. Grace stops Luna in the corner and goes for multiple pin attempts blocking Luna’s Landing attempt with elbows and hits the Juggernaut Driver to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Jordynne Grace by pinfall at 8:50
Simon Miller vs. Joe Hendry
We see a video package for this match that shows Simon Miller on WhatCulture Wrestling making light of Yuya Uemura getting fired and blaming Joe Hendry for it. This leads to shown message exchanges and Hendry himself in Newcastle looking for Simon Miller and trying to film a ‘Food Fight’ YouTube segment that ends up leading to an argument about Miller saying he’s too good for the Gut Check Challenge. This leads to a brawl, as these two are presented as long-time former friends. Miller gets on the mic before the match and apologizes for being more popular and making more money than all the wrestlers in the back. We then see a new music video from Hendry calling him a look-a-like of Steve Austin & Mr. Clean before showing a picture from 2012, where he resembled Chad Kroeger of Nickelback. Miller attacked Hendry before the bell rang and tried to do a live version of his YouTube show, which Hendry stops with a clothesline. A bit more running around the ring until the match officially starts. Miller holds Hendry down with rest holds and clotheslines, but Hendry powers himself out of a body scissors going right into a brainbuster. Miller comes back with a spear but walks into a cutter from Hendry. Hendry starts kicking away at Miller who comes back with a couple of shoulder tackles and imitates the Five Moves of Doom. Hendry is there to meet him with the Standing Ovation to get the pin.
Winner: Joe Hendry by pinfall at 6:42
Gut Check
We see a video package of the Gut Check challenge that was held in the UK, showing Mike D from Belgium winning night one and the final winner being Harley Hudson from Liverpool.
Moose & Brian Myers vs. Frankie Kazarian & Chris Sabin
Brian Myers and Frankie Kazarian start the match, as Tom Hannifan brings up the ‘future’ match that Kazarian & Chris Sabin had at the beginning of TNA. Myers starts getting tired of the chants from this crowd, and Matthew Rehwoldt agrees. Kazarian & Sabin start double-teaming on Myers, who makes the tag out to Moose. Moose starts by making fun of Sabin’s height, but Sabin ends up tripping up Moose and knocking him down. Moose & Sabin start trading punches and Moose stops the exchange with a dropkick. Myers gets tagged in, but right away Sabin traps him in the corner, as Moose breaks it up and takes Sabin to the outside. Kazarian gets involved as Moose & Myers get attacked in the corner as Hannifan makes a joke about Moose’s football number being 69. Moose starts choking out Sabin, which Myers joins in on, using his shirt. Sabin fights off Moose with a Tornado DDT before they both tag out to Kazarian & Myers. Kazarian hits a slingshot cutter, getting a two before taking out Moose to the outside. Kazarian follows with a springboard DDT on Myers, for two, and tags out to Sabin, as they double-team on Myers. Sabin stops a spear attempt from Moose and hits with a Code Red that Myers breaks up the pin for. All four are laid out after Kazarian catches Moose with a cutter. They all start fighting on the apron and the outside next before Myers tries the Roster Cut on Kazarian back inside. Kazarian ducks it and puts on the Chicken Wing, but Myers is able to escape as Moose meets Kazarian with the spear for the pin.
Winner: Moose & Brian Myers by pinfall at 15:54
IMPACT Knockouts World Championship: Trinity (c) vs. Deonna Purrazzo (Special Guest Referee: Gail Kim)
Trinity was totally decked out in UK-inspired gear as this is Deonna Purrazzo’s last chance at a Knockouts World title shot against Trinity. The match starts slow, with Deonna holding down Trinity but Trinity comes right back until they have a stalemate after a double dropkick. Deonna eventually escapes to the outside to regroup, but when she corners Trinity back inside, Gail Kim tells Deonna to back off. Trinity takes over, hitting a split leg for a two. Deonna starts targeting Trinity’s arm, trapping it in the ropes and kicking it. Trinity takes over before Deonna stops her with a back elbow. They both dodge each other in the corner with Deonna going shoulder-first into the ring post. Trinity follows with a bulldog, a couple of clothesline, and the Rear View getting a two-count. Trinity heads to the top rope, but Deonna dodges her and hits a pump kick for two. Trinity catches Deonna for a Samoan Drop for another two-count, a bit of back and forth before Deonna hits a Side Russian Legsweep into the Fujiwara armbar. Trinity escapes out, as they start trading forearms before Trinity hits the Final Cut for two. Deonna kicks herself out of a headscissors and hits the Queen’s Gambit, for two. Trinity dodges Deonna in the corner and spins her way into the Starstruck. Deonna rolls it into a pin attempt to break it up, but Trinity is able to spin it right back into the Starstruck as Deonna taps out.
Winner: Trinity by submission at 16:15, to retain
Deonna Purrazzo attacked Trinity after but then got into Gail Kim’s face. They shoved each other a bit until Kim took out Deonna with Eat Defeat.
Will Ospreay vs. Eddie Edwards
Will Ospreay with a video package saying this time he and Eddie Edwards meet up, they don’t have partners to tag out to as the last time they had a match was on TNA Xplosion in January 2016 when Will Ospreay & Mandrews took on The Wolves. and he was sent her to remind Edwards that he’ll forever be a young boy and whoop him to remind him who he was when he was in Pro Wrestling NOAH. Ospreay brings up how Edwards was the first foreigner to win the GHC Heavyweight Championship while he was the first to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, so tonight they fight to see who’s the best. They announce that the taped match of Will Ospreay vs. Josh Alexander will happen on the November 16th episode of IMPACT on AXS. The crowd chants TNA as Ospreay motions if he should stay here and Hannifan brings up speculation that Ospreay could sign here as he grew up as a TNA fan. Ospreay stays on top of Edwards who tries to fight back with chops and stops Ospreay with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Edwards has some fun doing a cartwheel before going after multiple pin attempts after a suplex. Ospreay takes control and hits a springboard forearm for a two, as commentary also brought up how all the TNA originals like AJ Styles inspired Ospreay to be a wrestler. Ospreay sends Edwards to the outside and dives onto him, before sending him back inside and hitting a forearm to the back of the head. Ospreay sets up for the Hidden Blade, but Edwards escapes to the outside and brawls with Ospreay upon following him. Edwards starts chopping away, but Ospreay stops him with a Stundog Millionaire. Ospreay sets up Edwards in the corner for Cheeky Nandos, but Edwards gets up quickly and stops Ospreay in the corner. Ospreay headbutts Edwards up, misses Edwards, and follows with a Spanish Fly for a two, followed by an Oscutter for another two. Bit of back and forth, with a Blue Thunder Bomb, Hidden Blade, and Boston Knee Party all being hit back-to-back. They start trading chops and kicks before Edwards hits the Tiger Driver for two but Ospreay stops a Boston Knee Party attempt with a Hidden Blade. Ospreay follows with the Styles Clash for a big pop and TNA chant, followed by another Hidden Blade and the Stormbreaker to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Will Ospreay by pinfall at 18:26
Ospreay Is A TNA Kid
Another strong push from Hannifan on commentary and where would be the home for Ospreay in 2024, and if it will be TNA Wrestling. Ospreay gets on the mic and talks about a lot of rumors going around and having an announcement to make, before joking that he finished his kitchen. Ospreay then makes a joke that they need to fix the roof here and says there has to be a roofer in this crowd. Ospreay then dismisses someone in the crowd asking where he’s going to sign with. He ends by saying that because of fans like the ones here, places like IMPACT could thrive and he brings up how before IMPACT was IMPACT it was TNA and those chants of TNA bring him back to when he was a 14-year-old boy watching AJ Styles and the letters TNA inspired him to take it to the next level. Regardless of what happens come February, he wants to make clear to everyone in the world, that they have yearned and begged for TNA to come back, and now it’s f’ing back. He ends by saying no matter what happens, he will always be in their corner as he was born into wrestling as a TNA kid and hopes there are people in this audience tonight who become TNA kids.
