The year is nearly over and your probably seeing articles and videos talking about the best matches, moments and of course wrestlers of 2023…While most of those lists and videos will bombare you with names predominantly from AEW, WWE and NJPW, let’s not forgot about another company that put in the work this year and that’s IMPACT Wrestling.
Sure the likes of Bryan Danielson, Athena, Walter, Kenny Omega, MJF, and Rhea Ripley had some great achievements this year along with countless others, but the men and women who make up much of IMPACT Wrestling’s roster were also putting some incredible performances that should be highlighted.
With all that said, here are the Top Ten Best Impact Wrestlers of 2023.
Honorable Mentions
Joe Hendry
Masha Slamovich & Killer Kelly (MK Ultra)
Johnathan Gresham
Eddie Edwards
Frankie Kazarian
Subculture
#10. Gisele Shaw
While there were a number of stars who were out of this world when it came to in-ring competition this year, I would argue that one of the unsung heroes of the Knockouts Division would have to be Gisele Shaw.
From outside ventures like teaming with Gail Kim to be a part of the Canadian version of The Amazing Race to going in-depth about her journey from transitioning genders to becoming a pro wrestler, Shaw certainly is not afraid to inspire and help the next generation of wrestlers…And that’s not even mentioning the matches she had this year.
Having the second most amount of matches than any other Knockout this year with her total reaching up to 34, She has had low-key some of the best women’s matches of the year with the likes of Tasha Steelz, Trinity, Deonna Purrazzo to even wrestling in the tag division against teams like the Death Dollz and MK Ultra.
In short, the Quintessential Diva has become a workhorse in the Knockouts Division and it’s easy to see her becoming a champion in the following years to come.
Gisele Shaw’s Journey to Taking Her Power Back | Diary: Gisele Shaw – YouTube
Tasha Steelz RETURNS to Action Against Gisele Shaw | IMPACT Apr. 13, 2023 – YouTube
Mickie James vs. Gisele Shaw for the Knockouts World Championship | IMPACT Mar. 9, 2023 – YouTube
#9. Steve Maclin
2023 has to go down as one of the best years in the career of Steve Maclin.
From his high-profile feud with Josh Alexander that was delayed for a bit due to injury to winning the IMPACT World Heavyweight Championship at Rebellion alongside his wife, Deonna Purrazzo who also became Knockouts Champion later on that night.
Maclin has also had some of the best matches of the year with names like Rich Swann, PCO, Kushida and the aforementioned Josh Alexander all while being embroiled in feuds with Rhino, Scott D’Amore and later on Bully Ray.
Injuries and a short title reign have diminished some of that main event push that Maclin built for himself early in the year, it’s very likely he’ll be able to recover and get back on track in 2024.
Steve Maclin Has Been Hunting Josh Alexander For A Long Time | IMPACT Mar. 23, 2023 – YouTube
Steve Maclin’s Changing of the Guard RUINED By Next Challenger | IMPACT Apr. 20, 2023 – YouTube
Steve Maclin INJURES Rhino After World Championship Match | IMPACT May 11, 2023 – YouTube
#8. Chris Sabin
The Machine Gun Era was one of the highlights of the year in IMPACT Wrestling, and while Alex Shelley was more front-centre due to his booking on the card…More on that later, Chris Sabin was no slouch as he (much like Gisele Shaw) was a workhorse in the division he was competing in.
Upon stepping up to Trey Miguel for the X Division title, Sabin’s career only went up as he put on some of the best matches in his career whilst helping them develop the young stars of today both as an in-ring performer and also as a producer for the company.
Sure he may look like his getting up there in age, but when you can compete at the level that his been this year then you certainly can’t argue with the results especially when you’re one of the best X Division Champions of both the past and present.
Matt Cardona vs. Chris Sabin in FIRST TIME EVER Match | IMPACT Jan. 5, 2023 – YouTube
Chris Sabin vs. Mike Bailey in MUST-SEE INSTANT CLASSIC | IMPACT May 25, 2023 – YouTube
Chris Sabin MAKES HISTORY Winning Record TENTH X-Division Title | IMPACT 1000 Highlights – YouTube
Celebrate 20 Years of Chris Sabin in IMPACT Wrestling – YouTube
#7. Deonna Purrazzo
Right, so as of the timing of this article, the jury is out on what the future holds for Deonna Purrazzo as she’s about to become a free agent at the start of the new year.
Like so many other stars who will be free agents, many are speculating as if the Virtusoa jump ship to WWE or AEW; When you look at her body of work in IMPACT over the last three years never mind 2023 it’s easy to see why she’s such in high demand.
From her classic feud with Jordynne Grace and Mickie James to being a multiple-time Knockouts World Champion to wrestling about 35 matches this year (which is the most for any Knockout in 2023).
Deonna has proven herself to be the female Bret Hart of this generation and her matches easily rank as the best bouts of the night if not the entire year, so whether she goes to a different promotion next year or secretly re-signs with TNA Wrestling…We will have to wait and see, but at the same time, I wish her the best in whatever she takes in her wrestling career in 2024.
Is Deonna Purrazzo Ready for Jordynne Grace’s Return? | IMPACT September 7, 2023 – YouTube
Unexpected Ally Comes to Aid of Deonna Purrazzo After Title Match | IMPACT Apr. 27, 2023 – YouTube
Deonna Purrazzo’s SUBMISSION STATEMENT vs. KiLynn King | IMPACT August 17, 2023 – YouTube
#6. Ace Austin and Chris Bey (ABC)
2023 was the year in which the tag team division really felt like it was cooking on all cylinders even if the depth of said division was small compared to other companies like AEW and WWE
Teams like Subculture, The Good Hands and The Rascalz had their moments when it came to the tag team scene in IMPACT, but the team I’ve chosen to represent the company’s burgeoning tag division would have to be Ace Austin and Chris Bey aka The Ace & Bey Club (ABC).
Following their run in New Japan’s Super Jr. Tag League tournament in late 2022, the ABC returned and soon made their motivation clear when they challenged Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin for the World Tag Team Titles and won on the March 2nd edition of IMPACT!
From here, Ace and Bey saw their stock increase from month to month as they defended the belts against teams both from IMPACT and New Japan whilst having some all-time classics in regular tag bouts or Ultimate X matches.
Let’s hope the ABC stay together as a team for a few more years as the tag division continues to grow in numbers, because if nothing else that would simply be…Too Swwweeeetttttt…Sorry, I had to do it.
Bullet Club Are NEW World Tag Team Champions | IMPACT March 2, 2023 – YouTube
Tag Team Title REMATCH! SUBCULTURE vs. ABC | IMPACT July 20, 2023 – YouTube
The Most Professional Wrestling Gods vs. ABC (FULL MATCH) | Victory Road 2023 Highlights – YouTube
ABC OUT FOR REVENGE vs. The Good Hands | IMPACT August 24, 2023 – YouTube
#5. Jordynne Grace
Thick Mama Pump has certainly done everything when it comes to the Knockouts Division and this year was no exception.
From starting off the year main eventing this year’s Hard To Kill pay-per-view with Mickie James as Knockouts Champion to rekindling her 2020 feud with Deonna Purrazzo, but this time with fans in attendance.
While her loss to Deonna at Under Siege meant she couldn’t challenge for the Knockouts title for some time and her contract with the promotion had subsequently ended, made many think we had seen the end of Jordynne Grace in IMPACT…Of course, as we know now that wasn’t the case.
Upon returning at Victory Road and finally defeating the Virtusoa in singles action, Grace entered and won the 2023 Call Your Shot Gauntlet at this year’s Bound For Glory thus setting the stage for Jordynne to challenge Trinity for the Knockouts World Title at the very first TNA pay per view in several years, at Hard To Kill 2024.
Steph De Lander DEBUTS vs. Jordynne Grace | IMPACT Feb. 9, 2023 – YouTube
RIVALRY RENEWED! Jordynne Grace vs. Masha Slamovich | IMPACT Apr. 27, 2023 – YouTube
Trinity SAVES Jordynne Grace from The Coven Attack | IMPACT May 11, 2023 – YouTube
#4. Trey Miguel
It’s almost easy to forget how well Trey Miguel was booked as X Division early this year, but the man was doing such great work you’d almost think the company was setting him up to challenge for the world title before the end of the year.
Miguel’s title reign coupled with his work as a heel and reforming The Rascalz with a debuting Myron Reed and a returning Zachary Wentz helped to make Trey one of the breakout stars of the year.
Plus the man also got engaged to pro wrestler, Ashley D’Amboise earlier in the year and even delved into more of his personal life with an IMPACT-produced documentary. Like so many other wrestlers on the roster, Trey Miguel is becoming if not already one of the foundations for the soon-to-be TNA Wrestling when it comes to homegrown talent.
Trey Miguel is a Generational Champion | IMPACT June 8, 2023 – YouTube
Zachary Wentz RETURNS as The Rascalz REUNITE | IMPACT June 29, 2023 – YouTube
Trey Miguel’s Journey of Discovery as a Person and a Wrestler | Diary: Trey Miguel – YouTube
#3. Josh Alexander
Sadly a triceps tear in the spring of 2023 forced Josh Alexander to relinquish his IMPACT World Championship cutting his lengthy title reign short at a remarkable 335 days (which currently stands as the longest world title reign in company history); Despite this, Alexander’s year before and after the injury was still impressive.
Josh started off the year defeating Bully Ray in an emotionally fueled Full Metal Mayhem world title match in the opening contest at Hard To Kill and then later defended the belt against Rich Swann at No Surrender and later KENTA on an episode of the IMPACT before the injury occurred.
Once he returned from injury he defeated Steve Maclin in a solid match in the main event of Victory Road before having two awesome matches with Alex Shelley for the World Title and Will Ospreay on an Episode of IMPACT!… Both of which he lost.
However, Josh did team up with Zack Sabre Jr. (in his IMPACT/TNA Debut) to beat the Motor City Machine Guns at Final Resolution thus ending the year off with a major win.
FULL MATCH: Will Ospreay vs. Josh Alexander | IMPACT Nov. 16, 2023 – YouTube
Josh Alexander’s FINAL World Title Defense vs. KENTA | IMPACT Mar. 30, 2023 – YouTube
#2. Mike Bailey
I could just mention his tremendous bout with Will Ospreay at this year’s Bound For Glory as enough reason for why ‘Speedball’ ranks so high, but that would be doing a disservice to the rest of the work he did in 2023.
Bailey’s rivalry with ‘The Octopus’ Johnathan Gresham from the early part of the year until September will go down as one of the great rivalries in modern IMPACT/TNA Wrestling history with both men wrestling match of the year quality bouts with almost each encounter getting better than the previous one.
Not only was it Gresham and Ospreay that Mike Bailey was having great matches with but he also did so with the likes of Kushida, Shane Haste, and Kenny King in the first-ever Pitfall match.
And yes, Speedball’s match with ‘The Aerial Assassin’ was a match for the ages and evidently, Dave Meltzer agreed with the fans as he gave this match a five-star rating making it the first one in the company’s history since AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels at Unbreakable 2005.
While he wasn’t in the X Division or world title picture like the previous year, Mike Bailey still delivered and proved why he got the makings of a future world champion written all over him…And speaking of world champions.
KUSHIDA vs. Mike Bailey in X-Division CLASSIC | IMPACT August 10, 2023 – YouTube
Will Ospreay vs. Mike Bailey in the MATCH OF THE YEAR! | IMPACT Oct. 26, 2023 – YouTube
#1. Alex Shelley
For much of his career, it could be argued that Alex Shelley always felt like the Bridesmaid but never the bride as he was a reliable hand in the ring and a solid talker, but constantly overlooked for the other rising stars of the day…It almost felt like Shelley’s career was destined to be another what-if when comes to guys who could’ve been world champions.
Fortunately for all of wrestling, IMPACT decided to give Alex Shelley ‘his flowers’ when he beat Steve Maclin at Against All Odds to become the brand new IMPACT World Champion which shocked many as no one expected him to come out on top with how quickly the match came about.
Shelley’s reign has seen him compete with the likes of Nick Aldis, Brian Myers, Johnathan Gresham, Josh Alexander and Hiroshi Tanahashi with the latter being the main event of Multiverse United 2.
Outside of his stint as world champion, Shelley has also spent time this year as a tag team with longtime partner, Chris Sabin in a number of matches with a majority of them being the main event of their respective shows.
Overall, this year has been a great one for the Detroit Michigan native and he walks into Hard To Kill 2024 set to defend the returning TNA World Championship against Moose who promises to be a match of the year candidate.
What’s Next After You Beat Your Heroes? | Immersed: Alex Shelley – YouTube
FULL MATCH: Alex Shelley vs. Jonathan Gresham | IMPACT Nov. 9, 2023 – YouTube
Who do you think was the best IMPACT Wrestler/s of 2023? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
Make sure to follow Lace ‘Em Up on X @laceemupoffice You can follow me also on X @hakeemfullerton for wrestling-related articles like this and I’ll see you next time.
