Final Impact - Impact Wrestling recap for February 2, 2023

Jonathan Gresham beats Aiden Prince by submission after repeatedly ramming Prince's left knee into the mat. After the match, Gresham says that a couple of months ago, he turned his back on professional wrestling and said that he was done. He then says that he loves the business so much, and that the company that he loved so much closed its doors and he had to look for something better. Gresham says that as he looked at the industry, his eyes fell on Impact Wrestling, and says he has always wanted to come here to face the best that the business has to offer. He then says he is issuing a challenge at No Surrender before calling "Speedball" Mike Bailey out for a match.

Bullet Club ("Inevitable" Ace Austin and Chris Bey) beat KUSHIDA and Kevin Knight after Chris Bey counters a dive from Kevin Knight with the Art of Finesse. Bey and Austin hit another Art of Finesse and The Fold for the win.

Backstage, The Design (Deaner, Kon, Angels) meets with Callihan. Deaner warns Callihan that there will be consequences for losing the Golden Six Shooter match, and says that no mercy will be given, just like when Deaner was in his position. He then tells him that tonight's match is redemption, which is step four. Deaner tells Callihan that he must win tonight.

We see a vignette for Steph de Lander, who debuts next week. (Steph de Lander is best known for her time in NXT as Persia Pirotta.)

"The Quintessential Diva" Gisele Shaw beat Savannah Evans after Jai Vidal distracts the referee. After the match, Gisele Shaw says a lot of people refer to her as "the black widow of Impact Wrestling" because she destroys every tag team she touches, but she does not care anymore. Gisele says she does not care if Tasha Steelz, The Influence (Tenille Dashwood and Madison Rayne) or Chelsea Green are gone because of her, because she is not meant to be in a tag team; she is meant to destroy every single competitor she steps in the ring with, because the spotlight will always belong to her.

Backstage, Kenny King chastises two people backstage for not talking about him. Johnny Swinger and "Outlandish" Zicky Dice show up laughing, and when Kenny King is about to yell at them, Zicky Dice challenges King to a match with Swinger. King accepts and says he will try to get a match with Swinger from Swinger from Director of Authority Santino Marella, then leaves. When Swinger asks Zicky why he did this, Zicky says Swinger needs some wins under his belt if he wants a championship.

Backstage, Kenny King gets his match with Johnny Swinger from Director of Authority Santino Marella, then leaves. Steve Maclin then shows up wanting a shot at the Impact World Championship at No Surrender. Santino tells him that he has four singles matches with the winners in a four-way match to decide a #1 contender for the Impact World Championship, and that Maclin is in one of those matches. Dirty Dango then shows up and tells Maclin to back off, then tells Santino he will do anything for him to be in one of those matches. Santino says he is in one of them, then Dango leaves.

Crazzy Steve beats Sheldon Jean. Afer the match, Trey Miguel attacks Black Taurus from behind with a can of spray paint, then does the same to Crazzy Steve. Trey tries to tag Steve, but Steve bites his hand, takes his can of spray paint, and tags himself with Trey's logo. Trey retreats.

Backstage, Gia Miller interviews Jordynne Grace, who mentions her contractually obligated rematch for the Knockouts Championship before challenging the arriving Steph de Lander to a match next week.

Director of Authority Santino Marella meets with Raven backstage. Santino asks for advice, and Raven tells Santino to make his champion if he wants to make the company money. Santino says he will consider it, then leaves. All of a sudden, Reese shows up and asks him if he is getting the Flock back together. Reese says "Shut up, Yeti," then Reese says that he hates it when Raven is mean to him and that sometimes he cries at night.

Bully Ray heads to the ring after tearing a "Bully Ray Sucks!" sign and staring down a child. The crowd chants "You tapped out!" and boo Bully as he says he is starting to get the feeling that people in Impact from the management to the fans - and even the wrestling world itself - do not like him. He also has the feeling that Director of Authority Santino Marella does not like him due to Santino not putting him in the Golden Six Shooter Match, then tells Santino to remember what happened the last person who was in charge around here. He then says that Tommy Dreamer really does not like him and never has, then says that he never liked him either. Bully then says he is "the most real guy in the room" and that he tells it like it is, and says Dreamer has been lying to everyone all these years. Bully says Dreamer has everyone believing he is the good guy and that Bully is the bad guy, then says Dreamer is "the biggest phony the business has ever seen," as he wants to be loved by everybody, then says it is unrealistic. He then says Dreamer is "nothing more than a snake in this business," then Mickie James shows up. Mickie says that since Bully ruined her celebration last time, she might as well return the favor, and says that she has watched for years as Bully Ray refuses to get along with anyone and comes to Impact to bicker. She also says being a politicking snake has been Bully's M.O. his entire career, then says that she is being straight and honest with him just like how Bully is straight and honest with everyone else, and tells Bully to get out of Impact Wrestling. Bully takes the microphone from Mickie's hand and asks what is wrong with her before threating to slap the smile off of her face, then warns her that he knows she is trying to save face and that he will take that shot. Bully reminds Mickie of what happened two weeks ago and asks what would happen if he did it again or did worse, and that he has done worse to other women and that Mickie is worse than those women. He says he could have taken the high road - or he could take the high road right now - but he will give her what she deserves and take the low road before calling Mickie a tramp. Mickie takes off the Knockouts title and slaps Bully in the face. Bully responds by grabbing Mickie and scoop slamming her and calling for The Good Hands (John Skyler and Jason Hotch), who immediately show up and produce a table from underneath the ring before Tommy Dreamer forces all three men to retreat with a Kendo stick. Dreamer tells Bully they are thirty years in the making and that it will be settled sooner or later, then calls out The Good Hands for attacking him at Bully's behest before challenging them to a tag match against himself and Mickie James. The Good Hands are about to back up the ramp when Director of Authority Santino Marella shows up and makes the match official for next week, and bans "Bobby Ray" from ringside for the match.

We hear from Killer Kelly. She says that when she beats opponents, she is done with them, but for some reason, Taylor Wilde is obsessed with her. Suddenly, Taylor Wilde shows up and says she does not want to face her, but to join her side-by-side. When Kelly asks who she is going to play with, The Death Dollz (Rosemary, Taya Valkryie, Jessicka) teleport into the room. Rosemary says Taylor calls from the spirits of the dark realm, and says that she is spawned from those dark spirits before proposing a tag team match. Rosemary and Taylor laugh. Taya Valkyrie and Jessicka also laugh, albeit awkwardly.

Kenny King quickly beats Johnny Swinger with a capoeira kick and a Royal Flush. After the match, Kenny King says he is out here to "beat the piss out of that weird old man" and to let all the champions in Impact on notice. He says that he has exposed "Speedball" Mike Bailey as the "homicidal maniac that he is" and that anyone who is champion is a target.

Backstage, Masha Slamovich is approached by Bully Ray, who says it is good to meet her and says that Mickie James has been disrespectful to her to the point that she acts like Masha does not even exist and that Masha is not a threat to her title. He says that if he were Mickie, he would not be sleeping at night, as Masha is on her mind, and that after The Good Hands take out Mickie next week, Masha can become Knockouts Champion. He then says that if he were Mickie, he would never show these levels of disrespect or let her get away with it again. Masha replies to Bully in Russian, then leaves.

Backstage, Matt Cardona tells everyone backstage that he will beat Joe Hendry to become a two-time Digital Media Champion and give him a taste of his own medicine. Cardona then premieres his own answer song to Hendry's. After Cardona applauds himself on his own work, almost everyone is gone, and the one person left has something against Cardona taking Hendry's mother on a date. Another person shows up and says he loves Hendry's song, much to Cardona's chagrin.

The Design (Deaner, Kon, Angels) and Callihan beat "The Walking Weapon" Josh Alexander, Frankie Kazarian, Yuya Uemura and Rich Swann in an eight-man tag match.

Here are all of this week's backstage segments!