Impact Wrestling held their Down Under Tour Night 1 pay-per-view on Friday, June 30 from the Equex Center in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.
Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt are on commentary. Cheryl Penrith, a local official, welcomed the fans and acknowledged the history and original native citizens of the area.
Slex vs. Adam Brooks
These two have competed a lot against each other and went back and forth with some nice, solid action early. Brooks went for a dive but was caught by Slex in mid-air, then elevated and suplexed onto the apron outside. Slex scored several two counts. He controlled until Brooks caught him with a knee to the mid-section and a big forearm for a two count. Brooks suplexed Slex into the buckles for a two count.
Brooks went to the top but was caught by Slex. Slex went for a superplex but was headbutt away, crashing down to the mat. Slex recovered and grabbed him for a superplex, then pulled up and suplexed him again. They crashed over the ropes to the floor, which looked insane. They battled back into the ring. Slex went for a move but was nailed. Brooks went for a swanton but Slex pulled his knees up and nailed his finisher, the Slexecution for the pin.
Your winner, Slex!
Very damn good opener. These talents had a lot of bad luck the last few years as their ROH opportunities disintegrated due to the COVID-19 pandemic so hopefully this strong match leads to more chances outside of Australia.
The announcers run down the lineup.
The Motor City Machine Guns cut a promo welcoming Australia to the MCMG experience. Sabin said 20 years ago, he was here as X-Division Champion facing Frankie Kazarian and now they are here again. Shelley said if Steve Maclin thinks he’s taking the title, he’s wrong.
Gisele Shaw vs. Erika Reid.
Reid is a Doomsday Witch. So, she’ll make a great prom date!
They locked up and went back and forth with some counters. Shaw shoulderblocked Reid down and then did it a second time. On the third attempt, it was Shaw getting knocked to the mat and caught with a series of armbars. Reid nailed a series of back elbows and drilled her to the mat with a suplex, scoring a two count. She cinched in a rear chinlock but was driven backwards into the corner. Reid fought back but was snapped to the mat by her arm. Reid went to the floor but was sent into the ring post shoulder first.
Shaw brought Reid back into the ring, attacking her arm and shoulder. She scored a series of near falls. Shaw used the rope to tie up her arm and continue the attacks. Shaw slapped her across the face and went back to the armbar. Shaw continued her attack but was caught with a rollup for a two count. Reid caught Shaw with a DDT, giving her the hope of a comeback. Reid tried to knock her shoulder back into place and fought back despite being beaten up. She nailed a clothesline and a rana, spiking Shaw to the mat for a close two count.
Reid set up for a piledriver but Shaw escaped and kicked her, then locked on another armbar. Trapped, Reid tapped.
Your winner, Gisele Shaw!
The story was that Shaw, who is facing Deonna Purrazzo tomorrow, used Purrazzo’s own tactics by attacking the arm and had upped her game.
The match was very good.
They aired a commercial for Slammiversary on 7/15.
Steve Maclin did a promo saying he’s not afraid to admit when he was wrong. He said Shelley was the better man the last time they wrestled because Maclin was looking ahead to Nick Aldis and had his eyes off Shelley. Tonight, he’s got his sights on Shelley and promised he would be the champion again.
All the crowd shots look like the fans are really happy to be there and enjoying themselves.
Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry vs. Eddie Edwards.
They noted this was a first-time ever bout.
Hendry came out and said he was in a good mood, because Impact was making its debut in Australia. He said that everyone was excited and since they were on vacation, he wanted Eddie to be included and said he prepared a chant for Eddie tonight – Eddie Sucks. That was pretty funny.
Hendry controlled Edwards’ arm early on. Edwards gained control with a side headlock and sent Hendry into the ropes, where he was shoulderblocked down. Edwards went to the floor to regroup. The “Eddie Sucks” chants began and Edwards played off of them. He returned to the ring for a test of strength but Edwards backed off and then kicked the champ in the gut. He attacked Hendry’s neck. Hendry absorbed some chops and ran through Edwards. Edwards regained control but Hendry avoided a bodypress.
Hendry held him aloft for a delayed vertical suplex, scoring a two count. Hendry nailed a series of chops in the corner before raining down with right hands. Edwards dumped him to the floor and when Hendry returned, he was hit with a clothesline and an inverted atomic drop. Edwards worked him over with chops in the corner. Edwards locked on a side chinlock, controlling Hendry on the mat. Hendry fought to his feet and nailed a series of uppercuts but was cut off again. Good babyface vs. heel bout thus far.
Hendry came back with a Fallaway slam. He followed up with a cutter for another two count. Hendry catches him with a pop-up powerbomb but again, can’t get the pinfall. Edwards caught him with a Blue Thunder Bomb but the champ kicked up. Edwards nailed a series of knees to the face and chest. He went for a Tiger Driver but Hendry slipped up and elevated and slammed him. They battled into the corner, where Edwards powerbombed him. He went for the Boston Knee Party but Hendry caught him and nailed The Standing Ovation for the pin.
Your winner and still Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry!
Very good match that got the crowd really into what they were doing, to the point they played up the idea that the crowd chants were a factor in Edwards losing because he was distracted.
They had a video feature on Impact stars visiting the Wagga Wagga Zoo and interacting with a number of animals. It was a nice piece.
Killer Kelly vs. Aysha.
Aysha is portraying a party girl, coming out with a bottle of champagne as the announcers noted she wanted to use wrestling to build her brand. She seemed spooked early by Kelly. Aysha was struck with a lot of knees and strikes early. She charged and kicked her in the chest. Kelly followed Aysha to the floor and nailed a Penalty Kick on the apron. She brought Aysha back into the ring and nailed a big fisherman’s suplex for a two count.
Aysha made a comeback but was caught with several headbutts and a butterfly suplex. Kelly caught her with a dropkick in the corner. Aysha went for a double arm DDT but was caugh in a DVDR. Aysha went to the floor and grabbed her bottle of champagne, which the referee took away. She used another hidden bottle to spray Kelly in the face and score a near fall. Kelly finally locked in the Killer Klutch and forced a submission.
Your winner, Aysha!
Solid match. The story was Aysha fought to try and survive but was finally taken out. She gave a good accounting for herself.
X-Division Champion Chris Sabin vs. Frankie Kazarian vs. Robbie Eagles.
The crowd was super behind Eagles. All three hit a series of moves before all facing off. All enjoyable. Sabin gained control with a series of clotheslines on his challengers. He nailed a Stroke on Eagles. He locked up the legs of each man, trying to force a submission and scored a two count on Eagles. Kazarian avoided a Sabin charge in the corner and nailed a guillotine legdrop on Eagles.
Kazarian nailed a belly to back suplex on the champ then ran Eagles into the buckles. He nailed a backstabber out of the corner. He slammed Sabin and nailed a springboard legdrop for a two count. Kazarian looked very crisp. Eagles came back to take both opponents down, scoring near pinfalls on Sabin. He and Kazarian battled in the corner. Kaz took a hard bump to the outside. Sabin sent Eagles to the floor. Sabin nailed kicks from the apron on both, then hit sentons off the apron on Kaz, then Eagles.
Back in the ring, Sabin nailed a superkick on Eagles and went for the Cradleshock but Eagles took him out, then hit a dive to Kaz on the floor. Eagles attacked Sabin’s knee and locked on an inverted figure four leglock. Kazarian dove in to break up the submission attempt. The crowd chanted, “This is awesome.” Kazarian and Eagles battled, trying to get the advantage on the other. Kazarian finally nailed a Northern Lights suplex for a close pinfall on Eagles. He went for the crossface chicken wing on Sabin but was shoved backwards into the corner. Eagles nailed the Turbo Backpack for a two count on Kaz.
Eagles went for a 450 splash but Kazarian avoided it. He nailed a cutter on Eagles but this time it was Sabin breaking up the pinfall. The battle continues until Sabin nailed Cradleshock on Eagles for the pin.
Your winner and still X-Division Champion Chris Sabin!
Good, fast paced, athletic match with everyone working super hard. The live crowd really loved this one.
Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions ABC vs. Moose & Brian Myers.
Chris Bey and Myers started out with Bey showboating. Ace Austin and Bey tag in and out, double-teaming Myers. The champs looked very good early. Moose tagged in and used his power to work over Austin in the corner. Bey tagged himself in. Austin and Bey used a series of double-team superkicks. Myers hit the ring but was sent to the floor. They double dropkicked Moose to the floor. Bey went for a dive but Moose caught him and powerbombed Bey hard onto the apron. Ace went to the apron and battled Moose and Myers but was overwhelmed.
Bey was quarantined away from his partner and worked over by the challengers for a long time. Bey finally nailed a rana on Moose but Moose caught him with a big uranage. Bey kicked up at the last second. Myers tagged back in and kept working over Bey. Bey fought back and was about to tag out but Moose attacked Ace and knocked him off the apron. Bey was dragged all the way back to Moose and Myers’ corner.
Bey kept trying to fight his way out and finally shocked Moose with a cutter. He crawled and made the hot tag to Austin. Myers and Austin battled back and forth. Austin dazzled with a leaping kick off the ropes to Moose and then a spinkick to Myers for a two count. ABC prepared to hit their finisher on Myers but Moose pulled Austin out and tossed him into the barricade. Myers nailed the Roster Cut but the pinfall was broken up.
Myers nailed a Michinoku Drover on Ace but Bey kicked him in the face. Moose returned to decimate the champs. He went for a big superplex but was fought off by Austin. Moose charged back up and nailed a superplex. They all went into a hot series of moves that ended with everyone down and out on the mat. Australia loved it and chanted, “This is awesome.” Moose and Myers nailed stereo powerbombs.
Moose pulled Bey up for The Roster Cut but Bey ducked, shoved Myers into Moose and rolled him up for the pin.
Your winners, ABC!
Good tag match with everyone having their moment to shine.
Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo vs. Steph De Lander.t
Steph took the mic and said she was home. She said this show couldn’t be more Australian if it tried, and she hates it. She’s an Indy Goddess and she belongs in arenas and stadiums. She doesn’t belong in basketball halls in the worst city in the country. The crowd turned on her BIGTIME.
They battled back and forth with Steph controlling early on. Purrazzo kicked her away but Steph nailed a big boot to the head to stun the Champ on the top. Steph nailed a superplex for a two count. Steph worked over Deonna, who fought back with a hard flurry of chops. Steph cut her off and cinched in a bear hug, trying to force a submission. Purrazzo fought her way out but ate a clothesline. Steph complained to the referee about her officiating. She cinched in a side chinlock.
Deonna finally avoided a charge in the corner, with Steph nailing her shoulder in the ring post. Purrazzo took advantage, going for an armbar. Steph tried to escape but was nailed with a series of clubbing blows and clotheslines. Deonna locked on a Fujiwara armbar. Steph fought to the ropes and made it. Steph caught Deonna with a chokeslam for a two count. Purrazzo nailed a big boot but Steph fired back with one of her own for a close two count.
Steph grabbed the ring mic and brought it into the ring. She was going to use it as a weapon but the referee stopped it. Deonna rolled her up for a two count and then cinched on an armbar submission on the same arm Steph hit on the ring post. Steph tapped.
Your winner, Deonna Purrazzo!
Good, solid bout.
Impact Wrestling Champion Alex Shelley vs. Steve Maclin.
The crowd was soundly behind Shelley. Lots of really good back and forth mat and counter-wrestling early on. Shelley escaped a side headlock and took Maclin down, locking in his own. Shelley controlled him on the mat until being shoulderblocked into the buckles. Maclin began beating and working over Shelley. He sent Shelley into the buckles but the champ fired out with a clothesline.
Shelley was caught with a back elbow, shattering the momentum. The champ made a comeback and targeted the knee, using a dropkick and the Dragon Screw Leglock. Shelley nailed another dropkick. The idea was he trying to b reak down Maclin’s leg, using a stepover toehold. Maclin fired back and controlled Shelley but the champ fired back and they went back and forth with big strikes and kicks. Maclin nailed a big clothesline but Shelley kicked up at the one count.
Maclin went for a Boston Crab but was unable to turn over the champion. Shelley tried to counter it but Maclin stomped his back and finally cinched in the Crab. Shelley fought to the ropes to break it up. Maclin choked Shelley against the ropes. Maclin tagged him with a big right, then bent him around the ring post. Maclin missed a charge in the corner. Shelley snatched the leg and used the Dragon Screw Legwhip in the ropes. Shelley nailed a sit-out jawbreaker, snapping his throat across the top rope. He went for a slingshot splash into the ring but Maclin pulled his knees up.
Maclin nailed an Olympic Slam for a two count. He locked in a STF variation but Shelley fought his way out and went after Maclin’s knee. Shelley avoids a dropkick and smashed him into the buckles. Shelley fired away with chops and strikes. He whipped Maclin across the ring but the knee buckled. Shelley attacked the other leg in the corner and nailed a Dragon Screw Legwhip on that leg as well, so now Maclin had two weakened extremities.
Shelley went for a figure four leglock but Maclin fought him off. Shelley nailed a chopblock to the back of the knees. Maclin went for a suplex but Shelley blocked it. Shelley continued to battle him with chops and nailed a spinning fisherman’s suplex. Shelley tied him up like a pretzel, drilled him with a knee to the face and locked on a figure four leglock. Maclin tried to fight his way out, but was almost pinned with his shoulders on the mat. Maclin finally made it to the ropes, forcing the break.
They battled on the apron, where Maclin nailed a spear. Back in the ring, he nailed the Psycho Knee for a close two count. He went for the KIA but Shelley avoided and hit a superkick, then Shellshock for the pin.
Your winner and still Impact Wrestling Champion Alex Shelley!
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(h/t to PWI)