Brace for IMPACT: IMPACT! on AXS TV breaks the Showbuzz Top 100 for first time
IMPACT makes the Showbuzz Top 100 for the First Time
IMPACT! on AXS TV breaks the Showbuzz Top 100 for first time
For the first time since their move to AXS in October 2019, the May 19 episode of IMPACT! on AXS TV broke in to the Showbuzz Top 100, coming in at #93. The episode averaged 119,000 viewers with a 0.04 demo. Total viewership is down from last weeks 125,000. The demo rating is up from 0.03. This week’s numbers are not out of the ordinary for the company in 2022, but them increasing despite competition from NBA and NHL playoffs.
A TV show on AXS to breaking into the top 100 is a huge accomplishment for Anthem. During 2021, AXS was the #99 rated station out of 124 networks averaging just 43,000 viewers. Top rated networks like Fox News, ESPN, USA, TBS etc.. will have many shows ranked in Showbuzz every day, so a smaller station like AXS, which is near the bottom rankings for all cable stations, to have a show ranked this high is great. It puts in to context just how important IMPACT is to the channel.
IMPACT! on AXS TV review
IMPACT’s road to Slammiversary continued this week with 3 very good matches and one incredible Eric Young promo package. The company is putting a lot of faith behind The Briscoes as a top act by having them in the main event this week. The tag team champs closed the show with a victory against Doering and Deaner of Violent by Design, followed by a VDB beatdown with Josh Alexander making the save. Gallows and Anderson also took on OGK and Speedball faced Laredo Kid in an Ultimate-X qualifier.
HITS:
- Speedball qualifying for Ultimate X with win over Laredo Kid: This was a lot of fun. Both these guys are incredible and they had as good a TV match as any other you will see this week. Lots of high flying, near-falls, and hard hitting action. Glad Speedball won but sad to see Laredo Kid will not be in the Ultimate X at Slammiversary.
This is exactly the kind of amazing, fast paced action we expected from @Laredokidpro1 and @SpeedballBailey. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/jG3UIrWgHx
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 20, 2022
- Gallows and Anderson defeating OGK: Some may have been turned off by the overbooking of having Maria involved, but to me it all made sense was very entertaining as the two teams closed the loop on their feud that dates back to 2015.
OH NO! @RealMikeBennett accidentally SPEARS @MariaLKanellis allowing @MachineGunKA and @The_BigLG to pick up the victory. #IMPACTonAXSTV pic.twitter.com/pg54Js4Omr
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 20, 2022
- Eric Young’s promo: This was one of the best video packages this company has ever done. Last week I openly questioned why Eric Young would be getting the shot at Slammiversary and whether or not he should be the main event, and this package changed all that.
From Team Canada to Don't Fire Eric to World Elite to defending TNA to Violent By Design – nobody on the current roster has had more matches or won more titles in company history than @TheEricYoung.
All of that has prepared him to face @Walking_Weapon at #Slammiversary. pic.twitter.com/bUpGEiZnPd
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 20, 2022
- Mia Yim shining in Knockout showcase: Yim teamed with Jordynne Grace and Taya to take on Purazzo, Tasha, and Savannah Evans. The whole match was designed to reintroduce the audience to Yim, who looked great in victory.
- The Briscoes retaining their tag titles over VDB: The Briscoes in the main event of IMPACT is something I could get used to. They were great here and add a much needed jolt to the tag division. After their win, VBD attacked and Josh Alexander made the save. The three champs held up their titles as the show closed, leading us to a trios match coming up.
MISSES:
- Locker Room Talk: Here’s the miss: It wasn’t the Influence who are usually pretty bad in these, and it certainly wasn’t my beloved Johnny Swinger, nor Zicky Dice. It was the masters of teleportation: Decay. Havok and Rosemary beamed in from the underworld (powers only exist backstage, by the way) to ask for a tag team title shot. Rayne told them to go win some matches which seems reasonable, so later in the show Havok challenged Masha Slamovich to a singles match. I understand that I’m guilty of applying logic to illogical situations, which often is a waste of time while watching this promotion, but they aren’t even trying anymore. Is Havok looking for a singles victory over someone not even in the tag division as a way to gain a tag title shot? Or did they forget Havok’s storyline from hour one by the time Slamovich had her match in hour two? Either sign some more tag teams or just dump the titles in the trash already, you’re wasting everyone’s time.
News:
- Correction from last week: I stated that Matt Cardona and Chelsea Green were at the Citrus Brawl tapings in Kissimmee, Fla., but Cardona was not; just Green. In fact, Cardona has not been to taping since the night after Rebellion back on April.
- Speaking of Cardona, he will be defending his IMPACT Digital Media title against Rich Swann at a PW Revolver show on May 28. I’m guessing this will be added to IMPACT’s digital service and is the match they have been building on TV.
🚨SHARE & RT🚨
⁉️FULL CARD⁉️
5.28.22#RevolverVEGAS
Silver Nugget Casino
4pm PST
LIVE on @FiteTVDunn v Bey
Cardona v Swann
Miguel v King
Alexander v Speedball
Colon v Jacobs
Starkz v Shazza
Dad v Effy
Mack v Crash
+ The Sudden Death Scramble! pic.twitter.com/wyykA3FU80— Wrestling REVOLVER (@PWRevolver) May 18, 2022
- NJPW’s Will Ospreay caused quite the stir when he took to Twitter to praise IMPACT last week. It’s possible he could be coming here given the relationship between NJPW and IMPACT. Unfortunately, though, he is ill at the moment, so best wishes to him.
Man it should be shouted out when it’s positive. But I remember when people were kinda giving up on Impact wrestling.
It’s actually dead cool to see them weather that storm & come out the other side.
Got a sick roster, sick womens division, sick tag division.
Just nailing it
— ᵂⁱˡˡ ᴼˢᵖʳᵉᵃʸ • ウィル・オスプレイ (@WillOspreay) May 17, 2022
- Jonathan Gresham told Fightful Select that he is not scheduled to return to IMPACT. He was scheduled for Rebellion but was pulled at the last minute, likely due to a concussion.
- Don’t expect Jay White at Slammiversary this year, as he is scheduled to work a New Japan Strong taping in Hollywood, Ca that same night, June 19.
- According to Hiromu Takahashi and Ace Austin, Takahashi is due a shot at the X-Division title after defeating Austin in their Best of the Super Juniors match. No word on if this will actually happen or not. Their match was fantastic, and I would love to see a rematch. IMPACT. Ace is currently 2–1 in the tournament with wins over Clark Conners and Kanemaru.
／
🕊BEST OF THE SUPER Jr.29 🏆青森大会‼️
＼BEST OF THE SUPER Jr.29 Aブロック公式戦‼️#BOSJ 2連覇中のヒロムとXDivision王者のオースティンが激突💥果たして勝つのは⁉️
🆚 @TIMEBOMB1105 × @The_Ace_Austin
📲 #njpwworld で配信中📡👀視聴＆登録⏩https://t.co/CcdQ1XrpWA#BOSJ #NJPW pic.twitter.com/TTFqDJ0dab
— njpwworld (@njpwworld) May 21, 2022
- As of this writing, Slammiversary has only sold 286 tickets out of 704 per WrestleTix. Not looking good for their 2nd biggest show of the year.
IMPACT Ratings 2022
| Date | Total Viewership | Demo | Notes |
| May-19 | 119,000 | 0.04 | Briscoes vs VBD; #93 on Showbuzz |
| May-12 | 125,000 | 0.03 | Gauntlet for the Gold; #116 on Showbuzz |
| May-5 | 108,000 | 0.04 | Under Siege Go Home |
| Apr-28 | 107,000 | 0.02 | Moose vs Alexander; NFL Draft competition |
| Apr-21 | 112,000 | 0.03 | |
| Apr-14 | 123,000 | 0.04 | |
| Apr-7 | 89,000 | 0.02 | |
| Mar-31 | 149,000 | 0.04 | Bullet Club vs Motor City Machine Guns 2 |
| Mar-24 | 100,000 | 0.02 | Mickie vs Tasha |
| Mar-17 | 68,000 | 0.02 | Josh Alexander vs Matt Taven |
| Mar-10 | 94,000 | 0.03 | Sacrifice fallout |
| Mar-3 | 131,000 | 0.04 | Sacrifice Go-home; #133 on Showbuzz |
| Feb-25 | 111,000 | 0.03 | No Surrender fallout; #141 on Showbuzz |
| Feb-17 | 109,000 | 0.03 | Bullet Club vs VBD; #131 on Showbuzz |
| Feb-10 | 117,000 | 0.03 | W. Morrissey vs Brian Myers; #145 on Showbuzz |
| Feb-3 | 114,000 | 0.02 | Bullet Club vs IMPACT |
| Jan-27 | 182,000 | 0.05 | #104 on Showbuzz; PCO vs Chris Sabin |
| Jan-20 | 126,000 | 0.03 | Josh Alexander vs Charlie Haas; #147 on Showbuzz |
| Jan-13 | 111,000 | 0.03 | Deonna Purazzo vs Rok-C. #144 on Showbuzz |
| Jan-6 | 104,000 | 0.02 | Hard to Kill “go-home” |
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