The year 2022 was an important one in the history of TNA Wrestling, not only was the company turning twenty years old around this time, but it also saw the long anticipated world title match between bitter rivals: Josh Alexander and Moose. “The Walking Weapon” battled “The Wrestling God” in one of the most hyped main events in recent memory for one of the most prestigious championships in all of professional wrestling. While many tend to remember this show for the main event, Rebellion 2022 saw a number of shocking wins and even more shocking developments…Welcome to Distortion Media and here are 10 Interesting Facts About Rebellion 2022.
10. Rebellion 2022 – Sold Out Event
With the previous two Rebellion pay-per-views took place during the pandemic, it shouldn’t be surprising that fans were more happy to attend wrestling events once again by the summer of 2021. The fourth annual Rebellion event became the first since 2019 to have fans but it also was the first Rebellion in the show’s history to be a sell out.
Fun Fact, this event and Hard To Kill 2022 were the only two of TNA’s four major pay per views that year to actually be sell out events, meaning that two of the company’s long established shows: Slammiversary and Bound For Glory were outdone by the two newer shows in terms of fan attendance.
9. Rebellion 2022 was the first TNA Event in the Center in Almost Eight Years
The Mid-Hudson Civic Center is no stranger to hosting wrestling events as companies from ECW to WWE have done so which included iconic moments like Miss Elizabeth making her WWF debut to the U.S. Express winning back the tag team titles after losing them at the inaugural Wrestlemania.
The most recent promotion to have an event that building was TNA as they previously hosted a One Night Only exclusive event back in 2014 called #OldSchool which drew in around 1,500 people.
The card for this show looked as if it could rival that of any major pay-per-view with notable bouts like James Storm vs. Bobby Roode in a Last Man Standing match, Jeff Hardy vs. Abyss in a Monster’s Ball match, and Magnus/Nick Aldis defending the World Title against Samoa Joe in the main event.
It would take eight years for TNA to return to the Civic Center but this time for one of their big four PPV’s.
8. Bey Gets Substituted For Gresham
Johnathan Gresham best known for his work in Ring of Honor and being the husband of Jordynne Grace, was the ROH World Champion at the time and had made frequent appearances in the company since Hard To Kill earlier that year.
During this time, Gresham was a character in the on-going storyline surrounding Honor No More who were a group of jaded Ring of Honor wrestlers who were looking to take their frustrations out on someone as the original ROH was soon set to be put out of business.
After Eddie Edwards stunned everyone at No Surrender when he joined Honor No More and turned on the IMPACT locker room, many were looking to get their hands on the former tag team champion including Gresham who would get that opportunity to have a one-on-one match with Edwards at Rebellion.
Unfortunately, an concussion following a title match with Dalton Castle at AEW’s Battle of the Belts resulted in Gresham being replaced with former X Division Champion and Bullet Club member, Chris Bey with the match being moved from the main card to the kickoff show.
It would be until Hard To Kill 2023 when Gresham and Edwards finally got their one-on-one match together with the former TNA tag team and world champion picking up the win.
7. The End for The IInspiration
The Countdown to Rebellion 2022 kickoff show had two matches: one was the previously mentioned Edwards vs. Bey match and the other was Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood also known as The Influence defending their Knockouts Tag Team Championships against Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay aka The IInspiration or (The IIconics in the WWE).
The match not only ended the feud between both teams, but it would also be the final matches for the former Peyton Banks and Billie Kay; Not long after the PPV officially got underway a report was posted to the company’s website revealing that Lee and McKay were stepping away from professional wrestling to pursue other ventures.
Both have gone into the world of film making, selling merchandise and becoming a mother in the case of the former Cassie Lee although they she has competed in at least one match alongside real life husband, Shawn Spear aka Tye Dillinger for the Australian based promotion World Series Wrestling in 2023.
6. The Story Behind Maclin’s Face Paint
The opening match at Rebellion 2022 was a three way match between Chris Sabin, Jay White, Steve Maclin with latter sporting some skull inspired face paint during the match.
That face paint Steve Maclin wore was inspired by comic book anti-hero, Frank Castle aka The Punisher, who was played by actor Jon Bernthal on the canceled Netflix TV Show and is recognizable to many for the spray painted skull in the middle of outfit just as much as his habit for dishing out brutal acts of violence.
Maclin re-emerged with the face painted look again months later when he took part in another three way match against Moose and Sami Callihan in a Barbed Wire Massacre match at Victory Road with the former world champion coming out on top in both matches.
5. Jay White’s Only Match on a Major IMPACT PPV
Outside of a few tag team matches and some singles bouts with Alex Shelley and Eric Young on the IMPACT (now TNA) Plus Specials, former New Japan Pro Wrestling star and Bullet Club member, Jay White almost never competed on pay-per-view for IMPACT with the only notable thing he did on a major IMPACT PPV would be his surprise debut in the final moments of Slammiversary 2021.
This would change come 2022 when White attacked Chris Sabin after the latter’s match with Maclin at Multiverse of Matches thus leading to this match up. While his time in IMPACT may have lasted almost a year, he certain made the best of it with his in-ring matches and some memorable moments along the way.
4. Ishii Wrestled For AEW a Day Earlier
The match between Jonah (aka Bronson Reed in the WWE) versus New Japan’s Tomohiro Ishii was your standard modern day hoss match with both men delivering power moves and slamming each other to the ring all while the fans at home and in attendance looked on in amazement.
Ishii, like some many other NJPW wrestlers, appeared on IMPACT television on and off since both companies rekindled their partnership back in 2021 with this match and the insanely awesome world title main event match at Under Siege a few weeks later being the last time his stepped into a IMPACT Wrestling ring.
What some people may not know is that leading into the weekend is that Ishii was working double duty as the ‘Stone Pitbull’ competed in two different promotions in the span of 48 hours with his second match being against Jonah
The first match Ishii wrestled in that time period was against Adam Cole in All Elite Wrestling as part of a men’s qualifier in the very first Owen Hart Tournament.
After a little over 11 minutes, Cole scored the pin on Ishii to make it into the tournament which eventually he and wife, Britt Baker would go on to win. Ishii would get his win back just hours later but against a much different opponent in a different company.
3. Rebellion 2022 was Zicky Dice’s Only PPV Match
Zicky Dice came to IMPACT in 2021 serving as one of many lackeys under Brian Myers’ ‘Learning Tree’ before moving on to serve as the equally flamboyant, equally zany apprentice to Johnny Swinger.
In his near two years with the company, Dice was predominately used as a comedy character and often was the one looking up at the lights during the matches which made it all the more shocking when he and Swinger were chosen as one of several teams to challenge for the world tag team championships in a tag team elimination challenge.
In keeping with the pairs efforts of losing in comedic fashion, Dice and Swinger only lasted a few minutes before being eliminated by the Good Brothers; Today, this stands as Dice’s only match on pay-per-view for IMPACT Wrestling…By July of the next year, Dice would be gone from the company and returned back to his old stomping grounds in the NWA.
2. The Only Time the Reina De Reinas Title Changed Hands in TNA
The long awaited rematch between Taya Valkyrie and Deonna Purrazzo finally came following Taya’s disappointing run in the WWE and a surprised return at Multiverse of Matches.
This time instead of the Knockouts Championship being at stake, AAA’s women’s title: the Reina De Reinas Championship was on the line it’s just the shame that match felt rushed and never really got into third gear, although that would change when the rematch happened at Under Siege with the bout being much better.
Regardless, Taya’s win over Deonna made her not only a four time champion but also marked the first time the Reina De Reinas championship every swapped waists following a match on IMPACT/TNA.
1. Alexander’s Record at Rebellion
Despite the show have some great to alright matches on the card, the only thing about Rebellion 2022 that people remember is the main event and Josh Alexander finally regaining the gold his lost in literal seconds at the end of Bound For Glory 2021 in front of his wife and child.
Alexander’s victory did more than just capped off a excellent night of wrestling and a solid main event, but also saw him score his second victory when it comes Rebellion.
As of the timing of this article:
- Alexander, along with Ethan Page and ironically Moose defeated The Rascalz in six man tag team action at Rebellion 2019
- In 2020 he and Page were the tag team champions but the pandemic prevented them from traveling to the U.S. to defend the titles
- The 2021 event saw ‘The Walking Weapon’ defeat Ace Austin and TJP in opening three way match to become the new X Division Champion
- Tragically a triceps tear (kayfabe responsible by KUSHIDA) led to Alexander vacating the World Title before Rebellion 2023, where he most likely would’ve lost the belt to challenger Steve Maclin