Impact Knockouts Knockdown results: Mercedes Martinez wins tournament for future title shot

Impact celebrated women’s wrestling with the Knockouts Knockdown special event (Oct. 9, 2021). The show featured a tournament, Monster’s Ball, Decay defending the tag titles, and a Pick Your Poison match in the feud between Deonna Purrazzo and Mickie James.

Knockouts Knockdown tournament

Impact invited four outsiders to compete in an eight-woman one-night tournament for the prize of a future Knockouts title opportunity and a snazzy trophy.

The first match saw Rachael Ellering defeat Lady Frost. The contest did damage to both women. Frost clutched her back after a crushing spinebuster. Ellering had her ribs tenderized along the way. Ellering pushed through for an electric chair drop into the turnbuckles and a Bosswoman Slam for victory.

In other quarterfinals activity, Renee Michelle worked the wrist cast of Chelsea Green. That helped Michelle to escape an Unprettier and uncork an spinning back kick, however, Green was able to grab the ropes on the pin. Green used a headbutt to set up the Unprettier to win. Mercedes Martinez defeated Brandi Lauren with an OG Drop twisting crucifix slam in a quick bout. Jamie Senegal took Tasha Steelz to the limit but couldn’t seal the deal on a rebound German suplex.

Steelz put on the pressure with a springboard bulldog, cutter, and crucifix bomb for victory.

In the semifinals, Martinez battled past Ellering. Butterfly suplexes, a spear on the apron, and a spinebuster did a number on Ellering’s ribs. Ellering rallied for a cross-legged suplex, a spinebuster of her own, and a Bosswoman slam, but Martinez rolled under the ropes before she could be pinned. On a fireman’s carry pickup, Martinez escaped for the OG Drop. Martinez sent a message by submitting Ellering with a guillotine choke.

Steelz used her grittiness to get past Green. The Hot Mess was on fire early with a suicide dive. Steelz used a cutter and crucifix bomb to get back in the game. Green executed the Unprettier, but Steelz refused to lose and kicked out on the cover. As the two were battling in the corner, Steelz shed off a super Unprettier to send Green crashing down to the mat. The Boricua Badass followed for a frog splash to win.

The tournament final pit Martinez against Steelz. Martinez opened strong with a variety of suplexes.

Steelz rebounded for a tornado DDT. She escaped an OG Drop to attack for a cutter. Steelz was in the groove on a super hurricanrana and a rope-bouncing bulldog.

Martinez used her size advantage to rough up Steelz in the corner. That set the stage for an OG Drop for victory. Gail Kim presented the honorary trophy.

Monster’s Ball

Knockouts Knockdown was dedicated to the memory of Daffney. A ten-bell salute opened the show.

Later, Impact aired a tribute from Taylor Wilde about sharing the ring with Daffney for the first women’s Monster’s Ball in 2009.

Alisha Edwards, Kimber Lee, Jordynne Grace, and Savannah Evans were assigned the duty to make Daffney proud in a Monster’s Ball match on Knockouts Knockdown. Plunder was aplenty for pure chaos. Pool cues, crowbars, trashcans, weight lifting plates, and white powder were on hand. There was also a barbed wire chair. Alisha reversed an Irish whip to send Kimber crashing into the dangerous steel.

Alisha then pulled out two kendo sticks. One was wrapped in barbed wire. She went to work striking Kimber.

Time for thumbtacks! Kimber emptied a sack in the ring, but she ended up being the target when Grace dropped her in a musclebuster onto the pile of tiny daggers.

Grace continued her momentum with a facebuster to Alisha onto a weightlifting plate. Alisha happened to roll off into the tacks. Evans was plotting on the outside and threw white powder into Grace’s face. Grace actually brought the bucket of powder for her hands as part of her powerlifting persona. With Kimber and Grace out of the way, Evans took advantage for a full nelson bomb on Alisha to win.

Knockouts Tag Team Championship

In the main event, Decay defended the Knockouts tag titles against the Influence. Rosemary and Havok dominated early tossing their opponents around the ring with ease. Tenille Dashwood and Madison Rayne had to rely on ringside assistance from Kaleb Konley to gain momentum. Rosemary exited the ring to chase Konley and ran into a sneaky clothesline from Rayne. Dashwood cracked Rosemary with a neckbreaker in the ropes.

The Influence wore down Rosemary, but the demon assassin sprang to life for a hot tag to Havok. The hoss steamrolled Dashwood and Rayne. Rosemary was back in to finish, but Konley provided a timely distraction. When the referee had eyes on Havok, Konley, Crazzy Steve, and Black Taurus, that’s when the Influence used a double-team maneuver slamming Rosemary’s face into the mat. Unfortunately for the challengers, the referee was too occupied to count Rayne’s pin. The Influence should have been crowned new tag champs, but the referee delay allowed Rosemary time to recover for the kick-out.

Tag to Havok. She smashed the Influence’s heads together. Decay hit a teamwork spear Russian leg sweep for Havok to pin Rayne and retain the titles.

Pick Your Poison

Prior to the Knockouts Championship clash between Deonna Purrazzo and Mickie James at Bound for Glory on October 23, they were booked for a Pick Your Poison challenge. Purrazzo was up first to wrestle an opponent of James’ choosing. Enter Masha Slamovich.

The Russian suplexed Purrazzo early and often. She even attacked an innocent Drama King on a leaping cannonball to the outside. Purrazzo stuck to her game plan and worked for the armbar. Third time was the charm. The Virtuosa ducked a head kick to explode for a takedown and transitioned for the Venus de Milo double armbar to win. James was a hater all match long on commentary.

In addition to the action, Awesome Kong was selected for the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame and the IIconics were announced for Bound for Glory. Veda Scott and Mickie James were on commentary, while Melissa Santos handled ring announcer duties.

All in all, Knockouts Knockdown was a solid evening of professional wrestling. The tournament played out as expected with Steelz and Martinez in the final. Martinez is a good choice to win, because she provides legitimacy to create buzz in fresh matchups with either Deonna Purrazzo or Mickie James for the Knockouts Championship. Monster’s Ball was all about the wild spots. It had more of a fun vibe to it rather than intense violence. Evans winning was a bit of surprise, since it was her first major victory. Decay proved to be a dominant duo. Without Konley’s interference, they might have beaten the Influence in short order. Purrazzo’s victory was academic, but Slamovich made a positive impression in the Impact Zone.

Share your thoughts on Knockouts Knockdown. What was your favorite match? Who stole the show?

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