The October 22 edition of TNA iMPACT! featured championship action, a shocking betrayal, the return of a former tag team, and major announcements regarding Destination X.
The show opened with Daria Rae returning from suspension and immediately taking aim at Indi Hartwell and Director of Authority Santino Marella. Rae accused the pair of conspiring to damage her career, proclaimed herself the greatest authority figure in TNA history, and insisted Hartwell would not be Knockouts World Champion if she were still in power.
Hartwell interrupted, welcoming Rae back while calling her a bitter and miserable person. Rae responded by declaring that Hartwell’s championship reign would be short-lived, announcing that Xia Brookside would receive her rematch immediately.
TNA Knockouts World Championship | Indi Hartwell (c) defeated Xia Brookside to retain the championship.
Hartwell successfully defended her title against Brookside. Following the match, Rae watched from the stage as Shayna Baszler and Zoey Serrano of Apex stormed the ring and attacked Hartwell. Baszler subsequently held the championship aloft, making her intentions clear.
Backstage, Brookside was visibly emotional following her loss, admitting that she no longer knew who she was after coming so close to achieving everything she wanted. She then discovered a white flower in her hands, left her cape behind, and walked away.
Leon Slater and Trey Miguel Preview World Championship Match
Backstage, TNA World Champion Leon Slater discussed his upcoming first title defense against Trey Miguel. Slater expressed respect for Miguel, noting their similarities and acknowledging that his challenger would leave everything in the ring to capture the championship.
Miguel subsequently confronted Slater, with the exchange initially appearing tense before both men revealed they were joking around. However, as they prepared to watch Jason Hotch defend his championship against Mustafa Ali, Miguel admitted that he had received only one opportunity to win the TNA World Championship and did not know when another would come. He vowed to do whatever it takes to become world champion.
X-Division Championship No. 1 Contender’s Four-Way Match | Cedric Alexander defeated Fabian Aichner, KC Navarro, and Rich Swann to become the No. 1 contender for the TNA X-Division Championship.
Aichner was taken out by Brian Myers and Bear Bronson after executing a top-rope crossbody to the outside. The interference allowed Alexander to capitalize, hitting a top-rope moonsault to secure the victory.
Following the match, Amazing Red appeared and stood face-to-face with Alexander in the ring, setting up a confrontation between the two X-Division competitors.
Backstage, Tasha Steelz spoke with Special Agent Zero, declaring that Order 4 and everything Mustafa Ali had built were finished. Steelz offered Zero her hand, which he accepted, before wishing him luck in his future endeavors.
TNA Injury Report
TNA announced that Ricky Sosa was sidelined with a back injury sustained during the previous week’s main event, leaving him unable to compete.
Trey Miguel was given the night off to recover following his 35-minute performance in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match before winning the subsequent ladder match.
Hotch, meanwhile, was dealing with multiple bumps and bruises from the previous week’s ladder match but was cleared to defend the TNA International Championship against Mustafa Ali in a two-out-of-three-falls match.
Backstage, AJ Francis praised Expressions for his effort against The Hardys (Jeff and Matt Hardy) while once again claiming that he should be running TNA.
Mila Moore appeared and laughed at Francis, prompting John Skyler to call Francis a dumbass. Skyler added that Moore would have even more reason to laugh after he defeated Francis the following week.
Expressions suggested that Moore should get together with a man like Francis. Skyler responded by grabbing Expressions by the wrist and threatening to break his neck after finishing his business with Francis next week.
Backstage, Moose and The Hardys met with Avery Styles ahead of his TNA iMPACT! debut. The trio wished Styles luck before his first match in the promotion.
The System’s Eddie Edwards, Alisha Edwards, Brian Myers, Bear Bronson, and Cedric Alexander celebrated Alexander’s four-way victory backstage.
When Eddie Edwards arrived, Myers questioned where his head was at following the previous week’s events. Edwards defended his decision to shake hands with Ricky Sosa, describing him as one of the best wrestlers in the world and someone who deserved the gesture, before leaving.
Avery Styles defeated Joe Alonzo.
Before the match, Alonzo appeared wearing an entrance robe and welcomed the audience to “Total Nonstop Alonzo.” Alonzo criticized the fans for failing to clean up after themselves and vowed to make “Average Styles” pay his dues by cleaning up after them. He also threatened to dismantle the ring, remove the guardrails, and put away the chairs.
Styles subsequently defeated Alonzo to win his TNA iMPACT! debut match.
Backstage, The Elegance Brand addressed its future with Ash by Elegance still absent. M by Elegance declared herself the group’s new leader and announced that she would appear on the cover of a new magazine.
Elayna Black interrupted, criticizing M for having time for personal projects but not giving her another opportunity to challenge for the Knockouts Television Championship.
Jada Stone then entered the conversation, insisting she had not been at full strength during her previous match against M and promising to go through anyone to win the championship.
M announced that she wanted to face Stone next, partly to spite Black, and said she would speak with Daria Rae about arranging the match. After The Elegance Brand left, Stone promised that if she won, Black would receive the first championship opportunity.
Director of Authority Santino Marella announced two Ultimate X matches for Destination X: one featuring the men with the X-Division Championship at stake, and another featuring the Knockouts for the Knockouts World Championship.
Marella also confirmed the return of the World X-Cup. The tournament will feature two four-way matches, with the winners advancing to a final to determine the champion.
Rae appeared during the announcement, shook her head in apparent disapproval, and walked away.
Allie and Kiera Hogan addressed their loss of the TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championships at Bound For Glory. Allie admitted she was disappointed but insisted the team would not feel sorry for itself. She demanded a championship rematch and promised that they would return stronger.
Hogan abruptly took the microphone and asked Allie if she was finished. Hogan blamed Allie for their championship defeat, saying she was tired of seeing her partner smile while she carried the weight of the team. Hogan also criticized Allie’s personality, calling her soft and weak, and declared that their partnership was over.
Hogan then told Allie that if she wanted a fight, she could have one.
Allie was immediately attacked by Tasha Steelz, marking the return of Fire ‘n Flava. Steelz and Hogan laid out Allie before the lights went out. When they returned, Shotzi Blackheart appeared and attacked Fire ‘n Flava, forcing them to retreat.
Backstage, Harley Hudson met with The Righteous. Vincent said that the situation had been going in circles and that everyone was tired of it, insisting Hudson needed to decide whether she was righteous or not.
Dutch added that they expected an answer from Hudson the following week.
In a TNA Digital Exclusive, Elijah attacked “The Wanted Man” Nic Nemeth backstage before security intervened.
Elijah blamed Nemeth for costing him an opportunity at the TNA World Championship and vowed that Nemeth would reap what he had sown. Elijah added that Nemeth would regret ever learning his name.
“The Hollywood Hunk” Ryan Nemeth then appeared to promote his new movie, Stranglehold, while warning Elijah that Nic would kick his ass. Elijah responded that he would have to take out both brothers.
TNA International Championship | Two-Out-of-Three-Falls Match | Jason Hotch (c) defeated Mustafa Ali, 2-1, to retain the championship.
Ali captured the opening fall with a schoolboy pin. Hotch evened the contest after Ali struck him with the championship belt in full view of the referee.
Hotch secured the deciding fall by avoiding two top-rope 450 splashes before delivering a GTS to retain the title.
Following the match, Daria Rae placed the championship around Hotch’s waist. Leon Slater then appeared, congratulated Hotch, and declared that his chapter with Ali was closed. Slater told Hotch that their moment was now and that the world belonged to them, hinting at a potential confrontation between the two champions.
The show concluded with a message from Syx (Joseph Sawyer and Samuel Shaw), who declared that they would not be satisfied until The Hardys were dead.
The duo challenged Jeff and Matt Hardy to step into their world the following week, escalating their ongoing rivalry.
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