Impact Wrestling Results (02/02) - The Design And Callihan Take On Alexander, Swann, Kazarian, And Uemura

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results of "Impact Wrestling" on February 2, 2023!

As the build to Impact No Surrender on February 24 continues, this episode will be headlined by The Design and Sami Callihan teaming up to take on Impact World Champion Josh Alexander, Rich Swann, Frankie Kazarian, and Yuya Uemura in an eight-man tag team match. Callihan is in the midst of a multi-step process of joining The Design. He came up short in last week's Golden Six Shooter, which was ultimately won by Swann. On the other side, Alexander will team with his next challenger in Swann, a former foe in Kazarian, and an up and coming talent in Uemura.

The Bullet Club's Ace Austin and Chris Bey will clash with Kushida and Kevin Knight in standard tag team action. Both teams were victorious in recent weeks in their respective matches. Which ever team emerges with the win here may just be next in line for an Impact World Tag Team Championship match against Motor City Machine Guns.

In the Knockouts division, Gisele Shaw is set to face Savannah Evans. Both Knockouts could use a win after Shaw came up short in her Knockouts World Tag Team title match last week where she refused to tag in the legendary Tara. As for Evans, it appears she's lost her tag team partner Tasha Steelz after Steelz walked out last week.

Crazzy Steve will take on newcomer Sheldon Jean in singles competition. Steve was last seen chasing off X-Division Champion Trey Miguel, so a win here could secure him a future title shot.

We kick things off with tag team action. Bey and Knight start the match with a lockup. Bey pivots to a headlock before doing a shoulder tackle. Knight flips out but gets rolled up for a two-count. Bey double stomps on the back and delivers a big chest chop in the corner. Knight breaks free with a crossbody off the ropes. Knight does a big splash in the middle of the ring, kickout. Kushida tags in and works the left arm. Knight comes back in but gets taken down by Bey. Ace tags in and kicks Knight in the corner, Bey hits an uppercut. Ace kicks Knight in Bullet Club's corner. Bullet Club double teams, working the arms together. Bey is legal again briefly, but Ace comes back with chops and kicks. Knight rolls through and tags Kushida. 

Kushida flips Bey over for a dropkick. Bey goes for Art of Finesse, but Kushida catches him with an armbar. Knight tags in and dropkicks Bey. Knight goes for a double team, but Ace catches him. Kushida has Bey on his shoulders as well, so Bey and Knight throw punches. After crashing, Knight dropkicks Bey off Kushida's shoulders. Ace breaks the cover. Ace throws kicks all around as the ref checks on Bey. Knight kicks Bey, but Ace comes back with a kick off the apron. Knight dropkicks Ace off the apron. Knight goes to fly out by Bey hits Art of Finesse out of nowhere on the apron. Bey hits the cutter and Ace hits The Fold for the three-count.

Winners: Ace Austin & Chris Bey

The Design cut promos on Callihan backstage about his shortcomings.

A vignette reveals Steph De Lander will debut next week.

Savannah Evans cuts a pre-taped promo saying that they gave Shaw a chance, but now Tasha Steelz is gone. In the ring, Evans dominates Shaw to start with chops in the corner. Evans lands a butterfly suplex, leading to Shaw rolling out to rest for a second with Jai Vidal. After the break, Shaw is back in control, stepping on Evans and pressing her agains the ropes. They trade blows in the middle of the ring until Evans lands a few clotheslines. Evans drops Shaw with a Samoan Drop. Evans connects with a Spinebuster, followed by a fallaway suplex. Vidal tries to seduce the ref, allowing Shaw to super kick Evans. Shaw delivers a knee strike for the win.

Winner: Gisele Shaw

Post-match, Shaw grabs a mic. The crowd heavily boos her. She brings up how people refer to her as the Black Widow of Impact because she destroys every tag team she touches. She accepts that she is now the Black Widow. Shaw takes credit for Tasha Steelz, The Influence, and Chelsea Green being gone all because of her. 

Backstage, Kenny King walks up on a couple talent talking about Rich Swann. He steals their popcorn and says they better not talk about anyone else when he walks by. King walks on and bumps into Johnny Swinger and Zicky Dice. King blows them off, while Dice pitches a match.

Elsewhere, DOA Santino Marella books King vs. Swinger for later. Steve Maclin walks up and complains about not being number one contender, but Rich Swann is. Marella announces four singles matches will be held to determine who will compete in a four-way contender's match at No Surrender. Dirty Dango confirms he is in one of the qualifiers.

Crazzy Steve makes his way out to face newcomer Sheldon Jean. Jean tries to get heat by tormenting Black Taurus. They lock up, Steve gets his left arm tied up being Jean throws him to the mat. Jean kicks Steve and showboats for the camera. Steve gets back up and twists Jean's neck with his feet. Steve bites Jean before clubbing him in the corner, uppercut follows. Steve connects with a corner cannonball and lands a DDT off the top rope. Steve covers for the three.

Winner: Crazzy Steve

After, Trey Miguel attacks both Taurus and Steve. He has a bottle of spray paint in hand, but Steve bites his hand and steals the bottle. Steve sprays green paint on himself like he did last week as Trey retreats up the ramp.

Backstage, Gia Miller interviews Jordynne Grace. Grace says people can go back and make the judgment about whether Mickie tapped at Hard to Kill. Grace has a contracted rematch, but in the meantime, Grace challenges Steph De Lander to face her next week.

Santino Marella finds Raven in the locker room. Marella asks for advice. Raven says that if Santino wants to make money, he should make Raven the world champion.

Bully Ray makes his way out to address the crowd. The fans chant "You tapped out" before he speaks, and then he's met with boos. Bully says he's starting to get the feeling like no one around here likes him, including wrestlers, management, and the fans. Bully says the new guy in charge clearly doesn't like him because he wasn't invited to take part in last week's Golden Six Shooter. Bully says remember what happened to the last guy that was in charge. Bully claims that Tommy Dreamer was the one who was lying to fans all these years. Bully calls Dreamer the biggest phony this business has ever seen. 

Mickie James interrupts and says she wants to return the favor by interrupting his promo. She says that he does is bicker no matter where he goes. Mickie says Bully is the politcking snake, not Dreamer. Mickie tells him to get the hell out of Impact. Bully tells her to wipe the smirk off her face because he will smack her. Bully says he will slam her again, and that he's done worse to better women in the biz. Bully calls her a tramp, which prompts Mickie to take off her title and slap him across the face. 

Bully picks Mickie up and slams her to the mat. He grabs her hair and prepares to slam her as The Good Hands slide a table in the ring. Dreamer runs down with a kendo stick to make the save. Dreamer says this is getting settled sooner or later. Dreamer challengers the Good Hands to take on him and Mickie right now. Santino comes out and announces the tag match will take place next week with Bully Ray banned from ringside. 

Killer Kelly cuts a promo, saying it seems like Taylor Wilde is obsessed with her. Wilde interrupts and says her card said they would be side by side in the ring together, not across from each other. The Death Dollz suddenly transport in. Rosemary responds and accepts a tag team challenge for next week.

Back in the ring, Johnny Swinger attempts to pick up a win by battling Kenny King. Swinger flexes to start, so King almost kicks him in the face. Swinger catches King's foot, but King gets out and kicks him. King connects with the Royal Flush for the quick victory.

Winner: Kenny King

King grabs a mic. He says the first reason he came out was to beat up that old man. The second reason was to put the champions of Impact on notice. While he came up short in the Pit Fight match last week, he has a target out.

Backstage, Bully Ray confronts Masha Slamovich. Bully weirdly says it's good to meet her. Bully says that if he was Mickie, she wouldn't be sleeping at night because of Masha. Bully continues to hype of Masha as he wants her to beat her at No Surrender. Masha responds in Russian before walking away. Bully ends with, "Oh, Masha" while propped up agains the wall.

Matt Cardona gathers a bunch of talent backstage to reveal his Joe Hendry diss track. Hendry will defend the Digital Media title against Cardona next week. Several other matches are announced for next week including two No Surrender qualifying matches: Dirty Dango vs. Brian Myers and PCO vs. Shera. 

Josh Alexander, Rich Swan, Frankie Kazarian, and Yuya Uemura vs. The Design and Callihan is our main event. Deaner and Swann start the bout, but Deaner immediately tags in Callihan. They lock up as Callihan targets Swann's left hand. Angels comes in and the pace quickens. Swann drags Angels by the arm into the face corner. Uemura comes in with a dropkick and then a cover. Alexander and Deaner tag in, lock up. They trade several chest chops until Deaner bites his head. All eight man break down by brawling in the ring. Josh clotheslines Kon out of the ring and dives out onto him, but doesn't make him budge. Swann flies out and takes all of The Design down heading into the break.

Uemura and Angels are in the ring when we come back. Kazarian comes in with a chop and delivers a leg drop. Swann back in, but Angels catches him with a scoop slam. Deaner, Callihan, and Kon take turns picking Swann apart. Kon stomps on Swann in the corner before attempting a pin. Deaner takes Swann to the heel corner as The Design plays the numbers game to prevent a tag for several minutes. Swann finally tags in Alexander, and the champ clears the ring with slams all around. Kon becomes legal, but Josh can't hit the German.

Alexander knees Kon in the head and applies the ankle lock. Uemura tags in and hits a big missile dropkick. Callihan tags in and gouges the eyes of Yuya. Callihan goes to do Thumbs Up, but Deaner stops him. Josh takes advantage and double clotheslines them. Deaner wipes out Josh, but Swann kicks him. Angels slams Swann, then Kaz hits a DDT. Kon plants Kaz, then Yuya dropkicks. Yuya manages to slam Kon and kick Callihan. Angels kicks Yuya, allowing Callihan to connect with the Cactus Driver 97 for the win.

Winners: Callihan & The Design