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Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of Impact Wrestling's Hard to Kill 2023 PPV from Atlanta, GA at Centerstage!
KICKOFF SHOW:
KUSHIDA vs. Mike Bailey vs. Angels vs. Yuya Uemura vs. Delirious vs. Mike Jackson
Delirious has replaced the previously announced Bhupinder Gujjar. Angels attacked KUSHIDA and Bailey but Jackson nailed him and they battled on the floor. Yuya controlled KUSHIDA inside the ring. Bauiley hit a big moonsault on everyone to the floor. Jackson hit a big tope on everyone. They put over that he was 73 years. Back in the ring, Angels began nailing suplexes. Jackson nailed a Divorce Court and called for Old School. He walked the top rope on each side as everyone battled in the ring. He finally nailed a bodypress into the ring onto everyone and covered Angels for a two count.
Angels caught Jackson with a suplex. Delirious nailed a Chokenstein into a Boston Crab. Bailey gained control of the ring, nailing a flurry of karate kicks. Yuya nailed KUSHIDA with a Uranage. Bailey went to the top for Ultima Weapon but Kenny King emerged from the crowd and shoved him off the top. Angels worked over Yuya and was going to come off the top but everyone else grabbed him. KUSHIDA nailed a kick to take them out, then took Angels off the top and cinched in the Hoverboard Lock for the submission.
Your winner, KUSHIDA!
An entertaining X-Division bout. I never tire of Jackson's antics.
They aired a video piece on Bully Ray vs. Josh Alexander.
Impact Wrestling X-Division Champion Trey Miguel vs. Black Taurus with Crazzy Steve.
Steve made the Jason Voorhees noises since it was Friday the 13th. He said the winds of change were among us and they start with Taurus winning the title.
Miguel had a very aggressive, angry pace early on. He smothered Taurus in the corner with his boot. Taurus was sent to the floor. Miguel went for a dive but was caught. He turned it into a rana, sending Taurus into the ring post. Miguel went back to the top and went for a Meteroa in the ring but was caught and beaten by Taurus. The luchador used a sling blade but was caught with an enziguiri to the back of the neck. Miguel choked him against the ropes, trying to wear down Taurus.
Miguel continued to control Taurus until being caught on the shoulders and dropped for an attempted Samoan Drop but still avoided most of it. The competitors battled and chopped each other. Miguel drilled Taurus in the face, enraging him. Taurus battled back with some hard chops. Miguel charged down the ramp and hit a springboard into the ring but was caught again the shoulders, being smashed with a Samoan Drop. The Atlanta fans did back and forth chants. Miguel came back with a series of kicks and began showboating, allowing Taurus to rise up and attack him.
Miguel was pinballed all over the ring. Taurus hit an EVIL looking over the knees backbreaker for a two count. Miguel went for a rana on the floor. Taurus went for a powerbomb but was caught with a sunset flip into a Code Red on the floor. Taurus was dumped back into the ring and hit with the Meteroa for a close two count. They battled to the top where Taurus nailed a press slam into the ring for another two count.
Miguel went under the ring and grabbed a can of spray paint, but the referee took it away. While it was being disposed off, Taurus grabbed him for Hellhole but Trey pulled out another can of spray paint and sprayed him in the face. Blinded, Taurus was nailed with the Lightning Spiral and pinned.
Your winner, the X-Division Champion Trey Miguel.
The announcers ran down the PPV lineup.
HARD TO KILL 2023
The roster assembled on the entrance stage as they paid tribute to Don West with a ten bell salute and announced that the show was dedicated to his memory. They roster was wearing "DW" stickers.
They then went into the official PPV opening video.
Impact Wrestling Champion Josh Alexander vs. Bully Ray- Full Metal Mayhem.
Ray made his entrance and then disappeared. He hid out somewhere and attacked Alexander with a steel chain from behind on the ramp. He grabbed the Impact title belt and smashed Alexander with it. He was busted open and beaten. Ray set up a table and powerbombed him through it for a two count right after the bell. Ray used a cheese grater. Alexander fired back and then drilled him with the grater. The crowd chanted for Alexander. Ray was now busted open.
Ray mauled Ray with the grater, busting him open even more. The crowd chanted, "You sick f***." Which? Alexander went under the ring for a bag of tacks. They battled up the aisle, where Alexander choked him with a chair and pulled a ladder over. Alexander climbed the ladder to perform a move but Ray recovered a tipped the ladder backwards towards the ring, with Alexander taking a big bump into the ring onto the tacks. Ouch!
Ray went for the Bully Bomb but Alexander blocked it. He nailed a German suplex into the tacks and even took his straps down. Alexander hit a rolling senton and grabbed the steel chain. He wrapped it around his knee and drilled Ray with a knee strike off the ropes. He locked in an anklelock with Ray on the tacks. He wrapped the chair around Ray's neck but John Skyler and Jason Hotch hit the ring and attacked him. They assisted Bully, helping him hit a 3D on the tacks but Josh kicked up. They ziptied Josh to the ropes but Tommy Dreamer came out and laid out Hotch and Skyler. He faced off with Ray, who wielded a trash can. Dreamer teased that he was aligning with Ray but instead smashed him with the trash can. Ray speared Dreamer through a table in the corner.
Alexander tried to bite his way though the ties but Ray told him to just give up. Alexander said he never would. Ray smashed him across the top of the head with the trash can. Alexander pulled himself up but Ray smashed him over the head again with the trash can. Bully was distracted by something. It was Alexander's wife, who hit the ring and told him to stop. Ray teased smashing her with the can but she dropped to her knees. He told her to beg him and that he wanted to see tears. He told her to hand over her wedding ring. She refused, so he was going to smash her, allowing himself to be nailed in the groin with a low blow. She nailed an Acid Drop on Ray.
Josh's wife cut him free from the zipties. She tossed a chair at Ray, who caught it and Josh smashed him with another one. Josh placed Ray atop a table and climbed to the top of a ladder. He nailed a MASSIVE frog splash through a table but Ray kicked out. Josh locked an anklelock and Ray held on but finally tapped.
Your winner and still Impact Wrestling Josh Alexander!
A damn violent match with lots of twists and turns. It was a fitting blowoff to the storyline and felt very "ECW" in its structure, not just for the violence but for the emotional rollercoaster it put Alexander through.
Tara was backstage with Mickie James. James said that her career was on the line and it was sold out and the main event. Tara told her she always delivers and the fans love her. Tara told her she loved her and no matter what she's proud of her. Raven said that he was there for the beginning for Mickie and he doesn't think it will be the end, but if it is, he wanted to be here for it and gave her a hug.
Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions The Motor City Machine Guns vs. Chris Bey & Ace Austin vs. The Major Players vs. Heath Miller & Rhino - Elimination Match.
They all fought before the bell before the referee calmed the waters. Myers and Heath started officially. The Major Players caught him in their corner and tagged in and out, working him over and scoring several near falls. Rhino tagged in and nailed a big belly to belly suplex but the pinfall was broken up. They double-teamed Rhino and rolled him up, eliminating Heath and Rhino. Bey rolled up Cardona, almost pinning him.
Bey continued the beatings, nailing a double stomp but Myers distracted him, allowing Cardona to nail a belly to back suplex. Myers officially tagged in and nailed a big suplex for a two count. Ace and Myers battled outside and back into the ring. Austin showed some damn awesome physical spots and timing. Shelley caught Austin with a Dragon Screw Legwhip. There was damn great sequences with Bullet Club and the Players before Myers was eliminated. It's down to the Guns vs. The Club. The Machine Guns began hitting all their signature spots on Bey. They even whipped out a Magic Killer but it was broken up. They batte back and forth and the Guns scored the pin on Bey wit the Dirt Bomb.
Your winners and still Tag Team Champions, The Motor City Machine Guns!This was a damn entertaining, well worked match with a ton of great spots and near falls.
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