#263: Jordynne Grace vs. Masha Slamovich, Impact Wrestling Bound for Glory (10/7/2022).
This is for Grace’s Knockouts Championship.
After making another appearance in the Women’s Royal Rumble Match, Jordynne Grace officially made the jump to WWE after years of speculation. She currently applies her trade on the NXT brand. Here, she is in the midst of one of her many legendary runs as the Knockouts Champion, and she defends it on Impact/TNA’s biggest stage, Bound for Glory, against Masha Slamovich, the current JCW Champion and one of the toughest female wrestlers in the world.
Masha, who is undefeated coming into this match, is rocking the Bull Nakano face paint for this one.
The bell sounds, and they rush each other right away! Grace with some crazy punches and kicks in the corner. She tosses Masha to the outside, and lands a dropkick through the middle ropes. She goes for a baseball slide, and Masha avoids it. Grace is still able to hit a clothesline. Back in the ring, Grace gets a nearfall. On the apron, Grace looks for a piledriver, but Masha is able to slip free. She lifts Grace up, and delivers the Bastard Driver on the apron instead!
In the ring, Masha makes the cover, and Grace is able to kick out. She takes control of the back, and rips at Grace’s face. She applies a Camel Clutch of sorts, and also hits some forearms to the jaw. Grce with a back body drop, and a double foot stomp on the chest. She kicks her head, and looks for the Grace Driver, and Masha counters it. She hits a double stomp of her own, and gets a nearfall off of it. Snap mare by Masha, and a hard kick to the spine.
She tops Grace, and unleashes some forearms to the face. Big spin kick to the jaw by Masha, and Grace fires back with a hard spinebuster that rocks the arena. Both women are back to their feet, and they unleash chops on the other. They switch it up to palm strikes now, and they each look for a spinning back fist next! They connect, and both women are down. Masha with a kick to the chest, and Grace responds with a series of powerslams.
Knee to the face by Grace, followed by a Michinoku Driver for a 2 count. Grace sends Masha face first into the turnbuckle, and misses a Vader Bomb. Masha with a kick to the head, followed by a Canadian Destroyer! She covers, and Grace is able to kick out. Headbutt by Masha on the apron, and she goes to the top rope now. Grace cuts her off, and meets her up there. She lifts her up for a delayed Suplex to the mat, and then rolls through for the Jackhammer! Masha is still able to kick out.
Grace places Masha back on the top rope, and looks for the Muscle Buster, but Masha slips free and applies the Sleeper Hold. She transitions into a Bulldog Choke now. Grace gets to the ropes to break it, and Masha turns it into a Straitjacket Suplex for a nearfall. Spinning back fist by Grace, and she connects with the Gringo Killa, Homicide style! Masha still kicks out at 2. Grace takes the wrist, and kicks at Masha’s head.
Masha with a pump kick, and she looks for the Snow Plow, but Grace counters into the Grace Driver! She covers, and Masha kicks out! Grace cannot believe it. Dueling chants of “You Can’t Beat Her/Yes You Can” from the audience. Grace lifts Masha up briefly, but the challenger escapes and goes for the Sleeper. Grace with a hard slap to the face, and Masha responds with an Air Raid Crash into the turnbuckle! Snow Plow connects, and Masha makes the cover, but Grace’s foot was under the bottom rope, breaking the hold.
Both women go to the top rope, and Grace quickly takes control long enough to hit the Grace Driver from the top to the mat below! She makes the cover, and she wins to retain the Knockouts Title! What a hard hitting battle between two tough bastards. They wasted no time in making this a fight at the opening bell, and that pace didn’t let up as the match went on. They each threw some bombs at the other, and it was a nice back and forth that let both ladies shine throughout.
There were plenty of callbacks to TNA’s past in this match, but both women were determined to prove that they are the present and future of pro wrestling. I’d say that they succeeded. The Grace Driver from the top was a nice touch, as it showed just how far Grace was going to have to go in order to put down the undefeated Masha. Awesome match throughout between two people who always bring out the best in each other.