0 of 10
For the first time in 2021, Impact Wrestling arrived on pay-per-view with Hard To Kill, a spectacular headlined by an inter-promotional match pitting AEW world champion Kenny Omega and Impact tag team champions The Good Brothers against Impact world champion Rich Swann, Chris Sabin and Moose.
Championships were at stake, including the return of the Knockouts tag team titles, and personal vendettas were settled in barbaric fashion.
Who emerged victoriously and what does it mean for the promotion and its stars moving forward?
Find out now with this recap of the January 16 event.
1 of 10
- Six-Man Tag Team Match: Rich Swann, Chris Sabin and Moose vs. Kenny Omega, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson
- Knockouts Women's Championship Match: Taya Valkyrie vs. Deonna Purrazzo (c)
- Knockouts Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals: Tasha Steelz and Kiera Hogan vs. Nevaeh and Havok
- 3-Way X-Division Championship Match: Manik (c) vs. Chris Bey vs. Rohit Raju
- Barbed Wire Massacre: Eddie Edwards vs. Sami Callihan
- Old School Rules: Tommy Dreamer, Rhino and Cousin Jake vs. Eric Young, Joe Doering and Deaner
- Karate Man vs. Ethan Page
- Crazzy Steve and Rosemary vs. Kaleb and Tenille Dashwood
- Countdown to Hard to Kill: Josh Alexander vs. Brian Myers
Announced for Saturday's pay-per-view extravaganza are:
Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m.
2 of 10
Brian Myers scored a tainted victory over Josh Alexander a few weeks back on Impact Wrestling and Saturday night, he sought to make it 2-0 against The Walking Weapon on the Countdown to Hard to Kill kickoff show.
Myers seized an early advantage by shoving Alexander off the top rope and to the floor. He maintained control of the bout through the commercial break but his overconfidence opened himself up to submission attempts by the Canadian.
Alexander grabbed an ankle lock but Myers fought out. Another ankle lock, again, Myers fought out. Eventually, an alert Myers pulled the headgear of Alexander over his eyes and dropped him for the upset win.
Result
Myers defeated Alexander
Grade
C
Analysis
This was a relatively straight-forward match between The Walking Weapon and The Most Professional Wrestler. Myers dominated the competition, really forcing Alexander to fight from underneath. He did, showing the tenacity once exhibited by fellow mat magician Kurt Angle as he sought an ankle lock.
Myers, a cerebral heel, utilized the things he had at-hand and earned the win by dubious means.
Again proving that he is professional in moniker only.
A solid, if unspectacular, start to the night that laid the groundwork for the continuation of the rivalry, if Impact officials wish to head in that direction.
3 of 10
On the heels of Tuesday’s Impact where Crazzy Steve reunited with Rosemary to reform The Decay, the face-painted duo kicked off the evening’s festivities with a Mixed Tag Team Match against Tenille Dashwood and her social media manager, Kaleb (with a ‘K’).
Rapid tags between Steve and Rosemary allowed them to keep Kaleb unsettled. When he finally did get an ounce of offense in, he hesitated to dive and ended up jumping right into a thrust by Steve. The social media maven, though, did prove useful in pulling Rosemary down by the hair, allowing Tenille to take control of the match.
Steve exploded into the match, taking the fight to Kaleb, dropping him with a short flatliner. A momentary distraction by Dashwood allowed Kaleb to drop his opponent with a dropkick of two. A convoluted setup for a mid-match selfie proved costly and led to Rosemary tagging back into the match and tearing into Dashwood.
She sent the Aussie flying across the ring before joining Steve for a chokeslam on Kaleb. She speared Dashwood before teeing off on Kaleb. The heel answered with a kick to Rosemary’s face before returning his attention to Steve.
The twisted antiheroes spewed green mist into the eyes of their opponents and Steve finished Kaleb with a jumping DDT to earn the win for him and Rosemary.
Result
Crazzy Steve and Rosemary defeated Kaleb and Tenille Dashwood
Grade
C
Analysis
There was some fun character work from Kaleb and Dashwood, and Steve moved as fluidly as we have seen him in quite some time, but the quick tags took away from the overall flow of this one.
It robbed the match of extended sequences between any pair of competitors and more importantly, left the match devoid of any real story for fans to invest in.
As an opening match, though, it featured considerable energy and a perpetually over act in Rosemary to help elevate it.
One has to wonder what the endgame is with Dashwood because she is certainly too talented to be wasted in this position on the card, with no real long-term booking goals to speak of. Hopefully, those in the creative team recognize the asset they have on their hands because she is the sort of performer around whom a division can be built.
4 of 10
Eric Young’s crusade for change in the business began with the introduction of Joe Doering and continued with the indoctrination of Deaner. Saturday, the newly dubbed Violent By Design partnered to battle Tommy Dreamer, Rhino and Cousin Jake under Old School Rules.
Betrayed by his cousin, Jake came face-to-face with Deaner. After being slapped once more by his family, Jake teed off on the brainwashed baddie. The action broke down from there, the six competitors pairing off.
The dominant and defiant Doering stood tall in the ring, daring the three babyfaces to bring the fight, despite all of them being armed with steel chairs. They teed off on him, trying to eliminate him from the equation. The former All Japan Pro Wrestling star withstood the onslaught and obliterated them.
The heels drove Jake into a chair but the big man recovered and soared through the ropes and onto Doering and Young, stopping them from removing the protecting covering from the floor. Rhino unloaded on Doering with a kendo stick but the big man stopped him, flattened him with chokeslam and broke the weapon over his own knee.
Thumbtacks were introduced into the fray and Young quickly experienced the agony of the piercing weapons in his back. Still, the former world champion recovered long enough to rock Jake with the hockey mask and score the pinfall victory.
Result
Violent By Design defeated Dreamer, Rhino and Jake
Grade
C+
Analysis
This was a physical battle that featured the appropriate amount of violence without overshadowing the Barbed Wire Massacre match later in the night.
Furthermore, it put over the VBD faction. Say what you will about Dreamer and Rhino but they still have a considerable amount of credibility from their years in hardcore wrestling. Beating them in this sort of match provides rub for the opposition, though the finish left a lot to be desired.
Why leave Jake to take the pin when he is the one wrestler in this match that could have benefited from being spared the loss? Could Dreamer or Rhino not eat that fall? They would have remained over while Jake suddenly loses any momentum he had from being involved in this feud.
Doering looked especially badass, though. He was unstoppable here and the spot where he shook off the chair shots and laid out all three opponents was fantastic. Furthermore, it earned the match the ‘+.’
5 of 10
The teams of Havok and Nevaeh and Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz sought to etch their names in the history books Saturday night in the finals of the tournament to crown the new Knockouts tag team champions.
The 17-year veterans Havok and Nevaeh rolled early, working over the competition with their size and power advantages. Steelz and Hogan, now known collectively as Fire and Flavor, downed Havok and worked her over in their corner.
Steelz applied a big sleep, adding leverage by hopping on Havok’s back, but the powerful and punishing competitor fought out and sent both opponents flying with a double fall-away slam.
Nevaeh received the hot tag and exploded into the match, sending Steelz face-first into the mat. An STO to Steelz dropped her and drove Hogan into the mat by proxy.
Havok drove Steelz and Hogan to the ground with a double powerbomb out of the corner. Nevaeh looked to put the opposition away but an alert Hogan rolled out of the way. The heels recovered and scored a near-fall on Havok but Nevaeh broke up the pin-fall.
Hogan and Steelz recovered, the former delivered a fisherwoman neckbreaker on Nevaeh for the win and titles.
Gail Kim and Madison Rayne joined the new champions in the ring for a “passing of the torch” moment.
Result
Fire and Flavor defeated Nevaeh and Havok
Grade
B
Analysis
This was a nonstop, super energetic match that reintroduced tag team wrestling in the Knockouts division on a grand scale.
Nevaeh and Havok were incredibly impressive. They powered down Hogan and Steelz, matching their speed and athleticism with fury and strength.
Fire and Flavor, though, proved resourceful and seized an opening to win the titles.
For the sake of cementing Steelz and Hogan as the future of the division, their win was the right call. It is hard to deny that on this night, it was the opposition that stole the show in their best performance to date.
6 of 10
Super X Cup winner Ace Austin made his way to the ring unscheduled, accompanied by Madman Fulton. Dismayed by his lack of placement on the card, he demanded Scott D’Amore add him to the Triple Threat Match for the X-Division Championship
Instead, D’Amore introduced Matt Cardona in what appeared to be the company’s latest free-agent signing.
Cardona dominated Austin before Fulton entered to cause the disqualification only minutes into the match.
The Long Island broski fought off the big man and stood tall to close out the segment.
Result
Cardona defeated Austin via disqualification
Grade
A
Analysis
On a night in which more fans will be watching the pay-per-view because of Kenny Omega’s presence, Impact Wrestling again delivered with a significant appearance by an unsigned “name” performer.
Cardona is still a prominent name in the industry, as much due to his podcast as anything. Still, he is recognizable, beloved by fans and has plenty to offer any company that takes a chance on signing him.
There will be some that question using Austin in this role but he was spared a loss and could be facing a long-term feud with the former WWE United States and tag team champion, so all is not lost.
7 of 10
The three competitors most closely associated with the X-Division over the last six months battled in a Triple Threat Match. Manik, Chris Bey and Rohit Raju squared off with the gold on the line in the night’s next match.
Lightning quick action dominated the start of the match, giving way to Manik looking for submissions on both opponents. Raju survived the attempt, though, and ripped the mask off Manik, thinking he exposed TJP under the hood but coming face-to-face with a face-painted champion that created just enough doubt to rob The Desi Hitman of satisfaction.
A series of creative near-falls ensued, each man staving off defeat.
Manik delivered a crucifix bomb to Bey for a near-fall as Matt Striker insisted that the champion was truly TJP. Raju delivered a drive-by knee to the champion for two as frustration set in.
Bey brought Manik to the mat with a superplex, Raju followed with a double stomp to Bey and applied a crossface to the champion. Bey broke it up but ate a driveby knee. Manik slid in, rolled Raju up and scored the win.
Result
Manik defeated Raju and Bey
Grade
B+
Analysis
This was a really strong match between three men who have worked with each other countless times over the last year. As such, they were able to add elements from their previous encounters to enhance storytelling efforts. The sequences were strong, the chemistry undeniable and the outcome was a clever one that saw Manik further frustrate a Raju rapidly descending into madness.
Bey may not have factored as heavily into the match from a narrative standpoint but he was absolutely the glue that helped hold everything together.
Just when you thought these three had wrestled so frequently to the point of overexposure, they go ahead and have their best match to date.
The division will absolutely need to be freshened up sooner rather than later, but these three competitors waited until the right time to have their finest outing.
8 of 10
Chaos reigned supreme early in the Knockouts Championship Match between “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo and Taya Valkyrie, leading to the banishment from ringside of Crazzy Steve, Rosemary, Kimber Lee and Susan.
Purrazzo seized control, working the left arm of her opponent as she looked to set up her Fujiwara armbar. Valkyrie fought back but fell prey to a side Russian leg sweep. The Virtuosa transitioned into a Tequila Sunrise ala Konan, looking to force a tapout.
Valkyrie again fought her way back into the match but nursed her injured arm and left knee, the result of Purrazzo’s concentrated attack. Valkyrie escaped a package piledriver attempt for a short dropkick but the champion kicked out at two.
La Wera Loca tied the legs of her opponent up and contorted her in a submission but Purrazzo made it to the ropes, forcing the break. The champion transitioned from the headscissors into the armbar. She pulled the other arm into the hold, completing the Venus de Milo and forcing the submission and retaining her title.
Result
Purrazzo defeated Valkyrie
Grade
B-
Analysis
Deonna Purrazzo has reached the point in her career where she instantly makes the matches she appears in better. She elevates the quality because of her abilities between the ropes. When you take into consideration that she is only 26 years old, you have the groundwork for one of the greatest careers in women’s wrestling history.
Valkyrie is no slouch in her own right, a celebrated wrestler and the longest-reigning champion in Knockouts history. On this night, though, Purrazzo worked circles around her.
The match was solid, helped exponentially by the story of the champion expertly picking her opponent apart and Valkyrie valiantly fighting through the pain until she could not anymore. It was a story we have witnessed before but one that is timeless and better yet, suits The Virtuosa.
Purrazzo has said 2021 is The Age of The Virtuosa. Impact would be wise to turn that tagline into a reality.
9 of 10
The long-awaited showdown between "All Ego" Ethan Page and Karate Man was up next in what was Page's farewell to Impact Wrestling.
Portraying both characters, Page brought the funny and surreal in a brief cinematic contest right out of a video game. Ultimately, Karate Man answered a split lip with a deadly blow and ripped Page's heart out.
You read to that correctly.
Afterward, Don Callis caught up with Moose, trying to get the top contender to the Impact World Championship to lay off and take it easy on AEW world champion Kenny Omega. Moose declined and suggested he may even show up in AEW to take the title from Omega afterward.
Result
Karate Man defeated Ethan Page
Grade
A+
Analysis
If the war between Karate Man and Page had happened in the Tokyo Dome, it would have been 27 stars.
As it stand, it will have to settle for 12.
Match of the Year? More like Match of the Century.
At a moment in pop culture when Cobra Kai and the return of Mortal Kombat to the big screen dominate the conversation, this was an epic encounter that likes of which Curt Hennig and Nick Bockwinkel would be envious of.
Or something like that.
Moose thwarting Callis' calls for him to essentially lay down was a nice turn of events and should lead to an intriguing main event later int he show.
10 of 10
Eddie Edwards struck first in Saturday’s Barbed Wire Massacre match against “The Draw” Sami Callihan, bloodying his rival. An ill-fated dive from the ring apron, though, saw Edwards crash and burn on a board of wire.
From there, Callihan controlled, punishing his foe with any weapon he could get his hands on. Just as Edwards fought his way into the match, he missed a spear and crashed into a steel cage wall. Callihan brandished a black baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire while Edwards grabbed his trademark kendo stick.
He rocked Callihan with it but Sami brought him down, sternum-first on a rope of barbed wire.
Callihan set up a board of wire across two chairs and delivered a sickening piledriver. Edwards, defiant, kicked out and fired up. He delivered a Boston Knee Party, driving a wire-wrapped chair into Callihan. The Draw kicked out at one.
Edwards took a page out of the book of his hero, Misawa, and delivered the Emerald Flowsion onto the aforementioned board for the win.
Result
Edwards defeated Callihan
Grade
A
Analysis
Whether hardcore wrestling and deathmatches are your thing or not, there is no denying the feud between Edwards and Callihan escalated to the point that a Barbed Wire Massacre was the suitable next step for the former world champions.
The barbaric brutality, the violence and the raw emotion demonstrated by the competitors fit within the context of their story to this point. The spots gradually escalated in both impact and danger, making for an emphatic finish and one that should spell the end for the feud.
At least for now.
If there is one thing this match and the work by Striker and Brown on commentary taught us, it is that Edwards and Callihan will fight forever.
January 17, 2021 at 10:07AM
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2927052-impact-hard-to-kill-2021-results-winners-grades-reaction-and-highlights
Impact Hard to Kill 2021 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights - Bleacher Report
https://news.google.com/search?q=hard&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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