IMPACT Wrestling presented four pay-per-view events in 2023. The promotion kicked off their PPV action with Hard to Kill on January 13. The event was consistent from top to bottom. Mickie James and Jordynne Grace headlined the show with a fantastic bout.
IMPACT wrestlers and crew returned to Ontario, Canada, for Rebellion on April 16. Steve Maclin’s shocking win over KUSHIDA for the vacant IMPACT World Title was the highlight of the night.
Slammiversary 2023 had some downsides when it came to in-ring action, but still managed to put on some decent matches. Former World Champion Nick Aldis failed to dethrone Alex Shelley for the top title.
Finally, Bound for Glory capped off the PPV action on October 21. Will Ospreay vs. Mike Bailey and Alex Shelley vs. Josh Alexander were the best matches of the night. Let’s find out why some of the bouts made it to our list of the best IMPACT Wrestling matches of 2023:
KUSHIDA vs. Steve Maclin (IMPACT World Title Match – Rebellion)
This match would’ve made it to the top three on this list had it not been so short. Both men entered Rebellion with the opportunity to win the vacant IMPACT World Title.
They opened the contest with grabbling-based exchanges. KUSHIDA gained the upper hand in the first few minutes. Maclin dominated in the middle half. He countered his opponent’s signature submission multiple times, finally getting the biggest win of his career to date with an elevated AKIA DDT.
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Jordynne Grace (IMPACT Wrestling Rebellion)
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Jordynne Grace will be remembered as a major highlight of the Knockouts Division for years to come. Both women have known each other for years and their chemistry has always been great.
Their main event at Rebellion 2023 was another fantastic display of their contrasting styles matching perfectly with each other. Jordynne went all out with her power moves against the technically efficient Purrazzo.
Giving a clean finish to this match was a good decision by IMPACT. Fans might not get to see a rematch between these two archrivals in the future because of the Virtuosa’s move to AEW.
Alex Shelley vs. Josh Alexander (IMPACT World Title Match – Bound for Glory)
Alex Shelley captured the IMPACT World Title at Against All Odds. The well-traveled veteran put his title on the line against one of the very best in the business in Josh Alexander. Both men headlined Bound for Glory 2023.
Their chemistry had already been proven from their Emergency 2022 encounter, so this match being great was not a revelation. Alexander used his strength and mat game to put the champion at arm’s length during the match, but Shelley proved his veteran instincts to find openings on multiple occasions.
The attention to detail was impeccable. Alexander’s game plan was to keep Shelley down with his grappling game. The champion showed signs of a heel turn throughout the match, but the match ended with a clean finish.
Mickie James vs. Jordynne Grace (Title vs. Career Match – IMPACT Wrestling Hard to Kill)
Mickie James’ Last Rodeo was one of the best storylines of IMPACT Wrestling in 2022. The veteran put her career on the line against then-Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace at Hard to Kill 2023.
The champion clearly had the strength advantage, and she used it to rag doll the challenger from bell to bell. Mickie fought back with everything she had to level the playing field. The match could’ve gone either way due to the storyline at play.
In the end, Mickie’s career lived on as she beat Jordynne for the Knockouts World Championship.
Will Ospreay vs. Mike Bailey (Bound For Glory)
Will Ospreay broke Dave Meltzer’s ratings system in 2023. The Aerial Assassin kicked off the year in triumphant fashion with arguably the Match of the Year against Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 17. The two would tear the house down once again at Forbidden Door 2023.
Ospreay gave IMPACT Wrestling their Match of the Year when he squared off against Mike Bailey at Bound for Glory. Bailey’s strike-based offense meshed well with Ospreay’s aerial move set.
The crowd was deeply invested in the match, which says a lot about the action that went down inside the squared circle. The closing moments were filled with fast-paced, back-and-forth exchanges.
Here’s hoping we’ll see the two men duke it out in 2024!
Honorable Mentions
- Eddie Edwards vs. Johnathan Gresham (IMPACT Wrestling Hard to Kill)
- Impact X-Division Title Three-Way Elimination Match (Rebellion)
- Alex Shelley vs. Nick Aldis (IMPACT Wrestling Slammiversary)
- IMPACT World Tag Team Title Match (Bound for Glory)
Also read: Best IMPACT Wrestling PPV Matches Of 2022
