Impact Wrestling Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Analysis from October 20

Tag team championship gold was on the line in the main event of Thursday's Impact Wrestling as Honor No More's Matt Taven and Mike Bennett, accompanied by Maria Kanellis, defended against Heath and Rhino.

The challengers had spent well over a year climbing to the top of the division but would Taven and Bennett prove too good for them to overtake?

Find out now with this recap of a show that also featured obvious distrust of new No. 1 contender Bully Ray, the introduction of new rivalries, and the company's typically solid in-ring product.

Impact kicked off with Chris Bey finding Bullet Club teammate Ace Austin laid out in the parking lot. Juice Robinson and Tommy Dreamer joined The Ultimate Finnesser, with the former seemingly pointing the finger at Bully Ray, who was conspicuous by his absence.

In the Impact Zone, Ray joined Dreamer for a match against Bey and Robinson, with the latter filling in for the injured Austin.

A solid, if unspectacular, match saw Ray and Dreamer fight from underneath to score the win in an outcome that was predictable given the former's sudden high-profile role on the show, but it still felt like the wrong call given the youthfulness of the opposition.

Factor in how over Bullet Club are, and sacrificing them to prop up their semi-retired opponents is even stranger.

With that said, Ray is motivated and it showed. He is an intriguing character given the distrust that exists based on his history. As a challenger to Josh Alexander, he has the credibility that should help elevate the champion if and when he puts him over.

The whodunnit in regards to Austin was the icing on top of the cake and, arguably, the best part of all of this.

Result

Dreamer and Ray defeated Robinson and Bey

Grade

C+

Top Moments

• Suspecting Bully was responsible for Austin's attack, Robinson ordered the WWE Hall of Famer to join him in the ring.
• Interestingly, Juice worked babyface, getting the fans behind him just in time to fall prey to the Bully Bomb as the ECW Originals earned the victory.
• After the match, Ray told Bey he did not know what happened to Austin. Moments later, he even faced an accusing look from his own partner. 
• Backstage, Moose interrupted a spat between Ray and Dreamer, further planting seeds of distrust as he said if the latter trusted his friend, he would not have to ask where he was when Austin was attacked.

For the first time ever, former Knockouts champions Mia Yim and Taylor Wilde squared off in one-on-one action.

It was clear late on that Wilde was wrestling her first match in quite a while as her timing was just a step off, causing Yim to slow down and wait for her on more than one occasion. She will rediscover that element of her in-ring game with more time, though.

Wilde winning made sense given the fact that Yim has wrapped up her time with Impact for the moment. And considering what came after the bell, she needed the win to rekindle credibility.

After the match, Mickie James joined the victor in the ring for what appeared to be a friendly challenge until Chelsea Green, Deonna Purrazzo and Gisele Shaw attacked. Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace made the save and cleared the heels.

A backstage promo by the babyfaces gave way to the making of a predictable six-Knockouts tag team match for next week.

Result

Wilde defeated Yim

Grade

C+

Top Moments

• There was some spirited competition between Wilde and Yim, but frustration set in as the latter was unable to defeat her veteran opponent.
• Wilde countered Eat Defeat and tried to roll through it, but Yim countered that ugly attempt and prevented her opponent from scoring the win.
• A somewhat disjointed finishing sequence saw Wilde deliver her rebound German suplex finisher—the Wilde Ride—for the pinfall victory.

A backstage confrontation between Joe Hendry and Jason Hotch led to the two battling in one-on-one action.

The outcome was never in doubt, as Hendry scored an assertive and emphatic victory. It was the right call and helped put over the newcomer and his unique "motivational maven" gimmick, which fans appear to overwhelmingly support.

There might be some who doubt the long-term success of a character like Hendry, but he is invested and the audience has accepted him for now. How long that lasts and whether it has legs beyond the midcard, remains to be seen.

Result

Hendry defeated Hotch

Grade

C

Top Moments

• "They believe in 252 pounds of pure motivation," Hendry said of the fans' belief in him.
• "I don't believe in Joe Hendry!" Hotch said, only to turn around into a one-handed spinebuster by his opponent.

X-Division champion Frankie Kazarian joined Scott D'Amore in the squared circle, ready to relinquish his title as part of "Option C" in pursuit of Josh Alexander and the Impact World Championship.

The All Elite Wrestling star was unwavering in his decision to give it up, realizing that for all he has done and all that Impact has given him, he has never been the organization's world champ.

At 45, his career is winding down and he does not have many more opportunities left, so he exercised Option C and will leave everything in the ring in pursuit of the one title that has eluded him.

Steve Maclin jumped him, Alexander made the save and the segment came to an end.

This was great stuff from Kazarian who told a story that makes sense within the context of his career. He has done it all, with one exception and giving up a title he respects in the name of winning the one he has never even sniffed is a great story that fans can easily invest in.

Do not be surprised if he is more popular by the time his match with Alexander takes place.

Grade

A

Top Moments

• "I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life," Kazarian said of his decision to give up the title.
• "Am I fulfilled? Absolutely not, because I have never won the big one. I have never been Impact Wrestling world champion," he added.
• Maclin attacked Kazarian, only for Alexander to rush the ring and make the save. Backstage, the AEW star warned the Impact world champion never to trust Bully Ray.

Familiar foes rekindled their rivalry Thursday night when former world champions Eric Young and Rich Swann squared off, with Deaner accompanying the former to ringside.

Much like the show's opener, this was good but nothing particularly spectacular. It saw Swann score the win to set up the post-match beating and the arrival of Sami Callihan for the save.

While the idea of Callihan battling Violent By Design is appealing, the continued indirection of Swann is disappointing. He was the world champion prior to April 2021 but has since wandered somewhat aimlessly.

Can he do something more interesting than being the setup guy for bigger, more important stars and feuds?

Result

Swann defeated Young

Grade

C+

Top Moments

• Swann recovered, escaped his opponent's grasp and delivered the Cutter for the win.
• Capitalizing on botched interference, Swann scored the roll-up victory.
• One of Young and Deaner's "Designed" attacked Swann at ringside, setting up a two-on-one beatdown. Instead, the lights went out and when they came back on, Callihan appeared and chased off his budding rivals.

Heath and Rhino vowed to be Impact world tag team champions before the end of 2022. In order to do that, they would have to defeat The Kingdom's Matt Taven and Mike Bennett, who were accompanied by Maria Kanellis.

It would be The First Lady of Honor No More who would factor heavily in the outcome and downfall of the titleholders, though.

Botched interference, a Gore to Kanellis, and a Wakeup Call by Heath to Taven spelled the end of their reign and the coronation of the best friends.

After the match, Eddie Edwards joined Honor No More in the ring, still seemingly affected by the loss to Josh Alexander at Bound For Glory.

He berated his teammates before inciting a wrathful PCO to unload on them all, clearing the ring and leaving even his protector, Vincent, lying to close out the show.

This was likely the final time fans will see Honor No More as they knew them following the expiration of several of their contracts, but it came as PCO finally stood up for himself and unleashed the monstrous tendencies he is synonymous with. A popular performer, it was only a matter of time before he embraced the babyface role.

Heath and Rhino winning the titles was the right call and paid off their lengthy story. Whether there are enough other formidable teams to combat them for the gold remains to be seen, but they are a worthy set of champions based on storyline if nothing else.

Result

Heath and Rhino defeated The Kingdom to win the titles

Grade

B

Top Moments

• The commentary team put over the challengers' journey to this point over the last year. 
• Rhino's hot tag to Heath sparked a great babyface comeback from The Red-Headed Rebel, who has proved to be a surprisingly great good guy in his battles with Honor No More.
• Kanellis cut off an attempt by Rhino at the Gore. She accidentally blinded Bennett with powder and then ate a Gore from The Man-Beast.
• Heath delivered the Wakeup Call to Taven for the win and titles.
• "Is Honor No More worth saving, because when I look around, all I see is failure," Edwards said.
• Edwards blamed PCO for his loss at Bound For Glory. The Monster responded by unloading on his Honor No More teammates, including Vincent. He stood tall to close out the show, and commentator Tom Hannifan exclaimed: "It's alive!"