Impact loads up the Victory Road card with seven new matches

Impact is hot off the Emergence special event heading into their next feature presentation for Victory Road on September 8. Impact didn’t waste any time building the card.

Starting at the top, Impact world champion Alex Shelley has a chance to become a double titleholder when he teams with Chris Sabin to battle the Rascalz for the Impact World Tag Team Championship. The Rascalz approached the Motor City Machine Guns to talk trash, so a match was made between Zachary Wentz and Sabin. Sabin emerged victorious via Cradle Shock. As is often the case in Impact, pin the champ and get the shot.

Trinity will defend the Knockouts Championship against Alisha Edwards. Alisha won the #1 contender battle royal to earn the opportunity.

Kushida is cashing in his Ultimate X title shot to compete against Lio Rush for the X-Division Championship.

Josh Alexander recently returned from injury, and now Steve Maclin is back as well. Maclin made a surprise appearance at Emergence to reignite the feud with Alexander. They were originally booked to settle their beef over the Impact World Championship, but Alexander tore his triceps muscle. Later, Maclin missed time to injury also. The stage is set to finally have that duel at Victory Road.

During Emergence, Jordynne Grace announced her return to Impact on a training vignette. Grace has Victory Road on her calendar to come back. Impact aired another vignette during the TV show of Grace doing pull-ups and one-handed pushups while topless to show off her chiseled back muscles.

Deonna Purrazzo took exception to Grace’s announcement. The Virtuosa viewed it as Grace trying to steal the spotlight on a night when the Knockouts were in the main event of Emergence. Purrazzo issued a challenge to Grace for Victory Road.

Bully Ray is living in terror at the prospect of being killed by PCO. Bully will try to end the French-Canadian Frankenstein in Anything Goes. He might have found an angle for success when trying to reach the man behind the monster in Pierre Carl Ouellet.

Tommy Dreamer is putting his career on the line when challenging Kenny King for the Impact Digital Media Championship. After a heated promo exchange, the only thing of value Dreamer had to offer was his career to entice King to accept the match.

That makes seven contests so far for Victory Road. It will be interesting to see which bout closes the show. Shelley is in tag action as world champ. MCMG versus Rascalz could still get the call, since it has a high potential to tear the house down. Next in line would be the Knockouts Championship, but there’s no way Alisha can be sold as main event material. Alexander and Maclin have a feud fitting of the moment. Alexander also has his eye on the world title, and one talking point was Shelley angry at the perception of being a transitional champion. Alexander in the main event of Victory Road would add fuel to that fire to degrade Shelley. An underdog choice could be Dreamer versus King, especially if it turns out to be Dreamer’s retirement match.

The card for Victory Road on September 8 currently includes:

• Impact World Tag Team Championship: Rascalz (c) vs. Motor City Machine Guns
• Knockouts Championship: Trinity (c) vs. Alisha Edwards
• X-Division Championship: Lio Rush (c) vs. Kushida
• Impact Digital Media Championship in title vs. career: Kenny King (c) vs. Tommy Dreamer
• Josh Alexander vs. Steve Maclin
• Deonna Purrazzo vs. Jordynne Grace
• Anything Goes: Bully Ray vs. PCO

How does the Victory Road lineup look to you? Which bout do you think will be the main event? Which bout truly deserves the main event slot?