PHOENIX PRO WRESTLING REPORT | THE MORNING BELLFriday, October 23, 2026 | By David Laguerre

Jason Hotch survived Mustafa Ali. Allie lost a partner and found help from Shotzi Blackheart. Thursday’s TNA iMPACT results gave its champions a hard night and its challengers somewhere to go. This morning, we sort through those results, look at tonight’s SmackDown and check a new statement on Crown Jewel.

Spoiler warning: Completed results below cover the October 22 TNA and ROH broadcasts. Reporting cutoff: 8:38 a.m. Eastern, October 23. Future cards are previews, not results. Phoenix analysis is opinion. Attacks and betrayals describe wrestling’s on-screen stories.

TNA quick results: October 22

TNA’s official recap confirms these four match results:

• Indi Hartwell defeated Xia Brookside to retain the Knockouts World Championship.
• Cedric Alexander won the X Division contenders’ four-way against Fabian Aichner, Rich Swann and KC Navarro.
• Avery Styles defeated Joe Alonzo.
• Jason Hotch defeated Mustafa Ali, two falls to one, to retain the International Championship.

Hotch gets the deciding fall, and the final word

Ali took the opening fall with a roll-up. His championship-belt strike then cost him a disqualification, tying the match. Hotch won the deciding fall with a GTS, according to F4W’s match report. Leon Slater joined him afterward to celebrate.

Phoenix analysis: The deciding pin matters. A disqualification alone would have left Hotch’s victory resting on Ali’s mistake. Winning the last fall gives the champion a stronger answer to his former leader. The format also gave Ali a choice: protect his lead or sacrifice it to hurt Hotch. That made the stipulation part of the story.

My preference now is a different challenger for Hotch. A feud can establish a champion, but staying in it too long can make the belt feel trapped. Let this defense become the foundation for something new.

Fire ’N Flava reunites; Shotzi backs Allie

Kiera Hogan blamed Allie for their Bound For Glory title loss and ended their partnership. Tasha Steelz attacked Allie, reuniting Fire ’N Flava with Hogan. Shotzi Blackheart ran them off and stood with Allie. Fightful’s segment report and TNA’s official post document the rescue.

Phoenix analysis: This gives Shotzi a clear immediate conflict. Viewers do not need to know every chapter of her career to understand why she stepped in. Allie also has more to play than the partner who was abandoned. She can decide whether accepting help makes her stronger or leaves her afraid of another betrayal. A formal new team or match still needs an announcement.

Elsewhere, The Apex attacked Hartwell after her title defense, with Shayna Baszler applying a choke. TNA’s official clip establishes the confrontation. It does not establish a booked Baszler singles title match. Yesterday’s signing announcement is background; this attack is the new development.

Destination X gains stakes, not just a date

Thursday’s broadcast added men’s and women’s Ultimate X matches to the November 15 event in Edmonton. The men’s winner earns an X Division title opportunity; the women’s winner earns a Knockouts World title opportunity. The returning World X-Cup will have two four-way matches, with their winners meeting in the final later that night. Entrants remain unannounced. Fightful’s dedicated report also lists Leon Slater defending the World Championship against Trey Miguel.

Phoenix analysis: The next job is making the entrants matter. A special match can attract attention, but a wrestler’s reason for needing the opportunity gives viewers someone to follow once the spectacle begins.

Next on the calendar, TNA announced for October 29: Amazing Red defending the X Division title against Alexander; M by Elegance defending the Knockouts Television title against Jada Stone; Elijah against Ryan Nemeth; and John Skyler against AJ Francis. Alexander earned his opportunity with help from Brian Myers and Bear Bronson, leaving the challenger’s methods open to question.

ROH: Moriarty retains, Kaun challenges Bandido

Lee Moriarty submitted Mance Warner to retain the Pure Championship, while Mina Shirakawa submitted Isla Dawn. Bishop Kaun beat Oro and continued attacking him until Bandido intervened, according to F4W’s ROH report. Kaun then challenged the World Champion. That is a challenge, not confirmation of a Final Battle match.

ROH lists general ticket sales beginning today for Final Battle on December 4 at San Antonio’s Boeing Center at Tech Port. Check the ticket listing for availability and sale details.

Tonight’s SmackDown: two championship defenses

Friday, October 23, at 8 p.m. Eastern on USA. WWE’s official preview continues to advertise:

• Chelsea Green defending the WWE Women’s Championship against Roxanne Perez.
• Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley defending the Women’s Tag Team Championship against Michin and B-Fab.
• Giulia against Blake Monroe in a Street Fight.
• The MFTs, backed by Haku, against Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki in a non-title match.

Phoenix viewing pick: Green against Perez. A championship defense gives the audience a simple question with an immediate answer: who leaves with the belt? A challenger can gain ground through a convincing performance even without winning. That is what I will be watching for, rather than treating a title change as the only worthwhile outcome.

AEW ahead: FTR needs an answer

AEW has announced FTR against the Motor City Machine Guns in match two of their best-of-five series for Saturday, October 24, with the Guns ahead 1–0. Swerve Strickland faces Myron Reed. Queen Aminata challenges Persephone for the TBS Championship at Fright Night Dynamite on October 28.

Phoenix analysis: A series needs adjustments. FTR showing what they learned from the opening loss would give the second meeting a reason to exist beyond evening the score. These are upcoming matches, not results.

Crown Jewel: Emanuel says the situation is monitored daily

There is a new statement following yesterday’s Saudi travel discussion. In Ari Emanuel’s Fox interview, as transcribed by Fightful on Friday morning, the TKO executive said Crown Jewel remained scheduled, the situation was being monitored daily and the company was considering where it could move if necessary. He did not announce a cancellation or relocation.

Phoenix opinion: Acknowledging alternatives is useful. The important next step is explaining the conditions that would change the decision and how affected people will be informed. The statement should not be stretched into either a safety guarantee or proof that the show is moving.

The final bell

Hotch’s deciding fall is the match result to catch up on. Shotzi’s rescue is the development with the most immediate possibilities. Tonight, the women’s championship defenses give SmackDown its clearest stakes.

Reader’s corner: Should Hotch move on to a new challenger? And would you like to see Shotzi and Allie become a regular team?

Source note: Official promotion material establishes results and announced cards; linked independent reports provide additional detail. Emanuel’s remarks are attributed to Fightful’s transcription, not a separately verified recording. Cards can change. No unannounced match or future result is presented as confirmed.