IMPACT Wrestling returns to the UK for their first major show across the pond since 2016 this Thursday, kicking off at the O2 Academy in Glasgow before heading to Newcastle for Turning Point, then a homecoming of sorts to Coventry for two nights, the first of which already sold out. They have been full steam ahead with announcing matches, and talent across all four shows to really embrace their UK return.

The big news coming out this week about the tour is that not only will the Newcastle date be a special Turning Point taping, featuring Will Ospreay in action, Trinity defending the IMPACT Knockouts World Championship against Deonna Purazzo, and Joe Hendry looks to slap the remaining hair follicles off of Simon Miller’s big shiny dome, it was that the Glasgow event will be a special taping of IMPACT Wrestling for airing on November 9th.

That wasn’t the only historic news that IMPACT Wrestling had this week with January 2024 marking the re-rebranding to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The buzz is high, matches are being announced left right and centre for the tour including IMPACT debuts for Emersyn Jayne, Alex Windsor, and Leon Slater, plus more surprises sure to come.

As of writing five matches have been announced for Thursday’s show. Tickets are limited but still available here.

Rhino vs Eddie Edwards

Rhino is no stranger to a Glasgow crowd, part of the 2010 Maximum Impact tour, with several appearances for Insane Championship Wrestling between 2013 and 2015, and a handful for WWE dating back to 2003. Rhino knows what to expect, he’s been around the block a few times and then some more. Edwards hasn’t had as many trips, with them mainly being for All Star, but he was part of IMPACT’s historic taping in Glasgow in 2015, teaming with Davey Richards and Matt Hardy to defeat Manik, James Storm, and Abyss in quick fashion.

Two veterans have seen and done just about everything they can, Rhino is coming in off the back of a barbaric Monster’s Ball match at Bound For Glory that wasn’t even 7 days ago with Edwards searching for a win having not done so (according to Cagematch) in IMPACT since Multiverse United in August.

Gisele Shaw vs jordynne grace

I may have mentioned it once or twice on the social media but Gisele Shaw still the Scottish Knockout World Champion. Fierce Females never officially closed down and the title wasn’t vacated. So it’s a homecoming for the champion. She has a pretty good track record in Scotland having only suffered one loss so Gisele knows how to get the job done here.

Shaw comes up against the current Call Your Shot title match holder, Jordynne Grace. Grace recently returned to IMPACT after a four month lay off and has quickly got back to business with that title shot in her back pocket. A former IMPACT Knockouts World Champion and a contender for any championship she damn well pleases, this is one of those matches that you go to see and know that it’s going to be something special.

grado vs Trey Miguel

Yeah, we’re all scratching our heads at this match. If you were to ask me to guess the opponent for a returning Grado for his first match in IMPACT Wrestling since 2018 then one of the fastest wrestlers in the world, and all round Rascal, would not have been on there.

Miguel is coming off a loss at Bound For Glory with Chris Bey and Ace Austin defeating him and Zachary Wentz to become the new IMPACT Tag Team Champions, it’s back to the drawing board for The Rascalz and maybe a night trying to figure out how to combat the unique style of Grado isn’t on his wish list.

Grado has had a monumental last couple months, appearing on the All Elite Wrestling ‘All In’ pre-show to batter Jeff Jarrett and his cronies along with Paul Wight and Anthony Ogogo, along with continuing to build a media career through acting, presenting, podcasting, then juggling some wrestling with his own Big Family Bash and sporadic appearances elsewhere. Grado is a juggernaut in the UK. It won’t be his last appearance on the tour with a match set against Brain Myers in Coventry a couple days later.

Subculture vs Deonna Purrazzo, & The Most Professional Wrestling Gods

Flash Morgan Webster, Mark Andrews, and Dani Luna, collectively known as SUBCULTURE have had quite the ride in IMPACT Wrestling so far, Andrews and Webster picked up the IMPACT Tag Team Championships at Slammiversary earlier in the year before losing them at Emergence to The Rascalz. Interestingly enough, in the match that SUBCULTURE won the titles in it featured not only the champions ABC (Chris Bey and Ace Austin), the team of Rich Swann and Sami Callihan, but also their opponents in this match, The Most Professional Wrestling Gods, Moose and Brian Myers.

Dani Luna is no stranger to the third in that equation, former IMPACT Knockouts World Champion Deonna Purazzo, with Purazzo grabbing victory back in August. A win over a history making Knockouts World Champion like Purazzo would do a lot for the stock of Dani Luna if she’s aiming for a match with Trinity, or whomever is the Knockouts World Champion coming out of Turning Point. A win for either team will also offer credence to a future tag team championship opportunity.

Both teams offer something very different, you have the speed of SUBCULTURE up against the power of Moose and Myers. Purazzo will be looking to grab a body part to cause some chaos. Like with Rhino, Moose is coming in off the back of a Monster’s Ball match so will Andrews and Webster be able to take advantage of an opponent that is no doubt less than 100%?

Motor City Machine GUns vs Josh Alexander & Eric Young

A colossal tag team match featuring four IMPACT Wrestling World Champions including the current holder of the title Alex Shelley. The Motor City Machine Guns are a team that have inspired a generation of tag team wrestlers in not only Scotland but around the world. A team that defined tag team wrestling with their tandem offense leading to glory, along with respect from fans and peers. Along with Shelley entering as World Champion you also have Chris Sabin, the current record setting X Division Champion who is no stranger to holding gold in this country as the first Discovery Wrestling Y Division Champion.

Standing across from them isn’t a team, but they have plenty of tag team experience. Josh Alexander has been a breakout star during the IMPACT Wrestling era, a triple crown champion in the company, including an over 1 year reign as tag team champion with Ethan Page as The North. He knows a thing or two about tag team wrestling. His partner on the night is a TNA Legend, former World Champion, and another former tag team champion among his long list of achievements, Eric Young.

Young has been over her a few times recently for the likes of Iron Girders Pro Wrestling and Discovery Wrestling, a near 25 years in the wrestling business, and has seen plenty of tussles with Shelley and Sabin in the past whether teaming with or standing opposite from them.

This will be the first time, according to my research, that the Motor City Machine Guns have teamed up in Scotland with Alex Shelley only making one appearance over here and that was the first TNA Maximum Impact Tour in 2009 when he successfully defended the X Division Championship in a fatal four way. Getting to see this incredible team alone is worth the price of admission alone.

‘champagne’ simon cassidy is your mc for the evening

All that PLUS it was announced that Simon Cassidy would hold the microphone and be the master of ceremonies for the evening. After Tom Campbell was announced as the MC for the Newcastle date there was some thoughts that maybe there will be a special guest ring announcer for the the other dates. Simon has primarily seen standing in the middle of the ring announcing the biggest names, and the newest faces for Insane Championship Wrestling in Glasgow but he has been around the country shouting facts and introducing audiences to title matches, grudge matches, death matches, and everything in between. Experienced in front of camera whether it’s the WWE Network or FITEtv, you’re in safe hands with Simon Cassidy on the mic.

That’s what has been announced with Rich Swann, Joe Hendry, Trinity, Tommy Dreamer, Gail Kim, and more announced to appear, this is a night that shouldn’t be missed.

Tickets are limited but still available here.

Tonight is also the Glasgow leg of IMPACT Wrestling Gut Check. We’ve heard rumblings on some of the wrestlers that have signed up to take part so maybe, just maybe, we will see some more surprises on Thursday.