Over Drive was a professional wrestling event produced by Impact Wrestling. It took place on November 18, 2022, at Old Forester's Paristown Hall in Louisville, Kentucky, and aired on Impact Plus and YouTube. The event also featured wrestlers from partner promotions Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Ten matches were contested at the event, including two on the Countdown to Over Drive pre-show and one taped as a digital exclusive. In the main event, Josh Alexander defeated Frankie Kazarian to retain the Impact World Championship. In other prominent matches, Jordynne Grace defeated Masha Slamovich in a Last Knockout Standing match to retain the Impact Knockouts World Championship, Trey Miguel defeated Black Taurus to win the vacant Impact X Division Championship, Mickie James defeated Taylor Wilde in a Career Threatening match, and Bully Ray defeated Moose in a Tables match in the opening bout.
The event received positive reviews from critics, with much praise being directed to the X Division Championship Tournament final, the Last Knockout Standing bout, and the Impact World Title main event.
Production
Background On July 18, 2022, Impact Wrestling announced that Over Drive would take place on November 18, 2022, at Old Forester's Paristown Hall in Louisville, Kentucky.
Storylines The event featured several professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. Storylines were produced on Impact's weekly television program.
On the October 13 episode of Impact!, after Josh Alexander successfully defended the Impact World Championship against Bobby Fish, X Division Champion Frankie Kazarian invoked Option C, vacating the X Division Championship the following week for a world title match at Over Drive.
As a result of Frankie Kazarian invoking Option C, an eight-man tournament was organized to crown a new X Division Champion, with the finals set to take place at Over Drive. Black Taurus, Trey Miguel, PJ Black, and Mike Bailey advanced to the semifinals by defeating Laredo Kid, Alan Angels, Yuya Uemura, and Kenny King, respectively. Miguel advanced to the final by defeating Bailey via disqualification after King threw the former into the ring steps, and Taurus advanced to the final by defeating Black.
On the October 20 episode of Impact!, Heath and Rhino won the Impact World Tag Team Championship by defeating The Kingdom (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett). The following week, The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin), who lost to The Kingdom at Bound for Glory, looked to gain another title match from the new champions. However, The Major Players (Brian Myers and Matt Cardona) also wanted a shot, so Shelley and Cardona faced off in singles competition later that night. There, Cardona picked up the win after Myers hit Shelley with the Impact Digital Media Championship belt. This win earned The Major Players a tag team title match against Heath and Rhino at Over Drive.
At Bound for Glory, The Death Dollz (Jessicka and Taya Valkyrie) (accompanied by Rosemary) defeated the Knockouts World Tag Team Champions VXT (Chelsea Green and Deonna Purrazzo) to win the titles. On the November 3 episode of Impact!, Jessicka answered an open challenge to face Savannah Evans, which was offered by Evan's ally Tasha Steelz, but was unsuccessful. Following Jessicka's loss, it was confirmed that Evans and Steelz would challenge The Death Dollz for their title.
At Bound for Glory, Bully Ray returned to Impact in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet, last eliminating Steve Maclin to win a championship match of his choosing at any time. Later in the night, after Josh Alexander retained the Impact World Championship against Eddie Edwards, Honor No More attacked Alexander from behind, appearing to let Ray invoke his title match right then and there. However, Ray instead helped Alexander fend off Honor No More to close out the show. On the subsequent episode of Impact!, Ray explained to Alexander that, due to his checkered past in Impact as someone who will do anything to get what he wants, he wants to use his opportunity the right way in order to preserve his legacy. However, many questioned Ray's true motives, including Moose, who called Ray nothing but a "scumbag". On the October 20 episode of Impact!, Ace Austin was attacked in the parking garage before a tag team match with Chris Bey against Ray and Tommy Dreamer, leading to more suspicion being put on Ray. The following week, Ray tried to explain that he was not the culprit, and arbitrarily blamed Moose for the attack. Later, Moose came out during a match between Dreamer and Bey, with Ray in Dreamer's corner. There, Moose swept Bey's legs and walked off, making it seem that Ray had committed the act instead. On November 4, Impact announced that Ray and Moose will meet one-on-one at Over Drive. On the November 10 episode of Impact!, after Ray defeated Zicky Dice, Moose would deliver a low blow to Ray before spearing him through a table. As such, their match would later turn into a tables match.
At Bound for Glory, Taylor Wilde made her return to Impact in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet, where she was eliminated 12th by Matt Cardona. On the October 20 episode of Impact!, after Wilde defeated Mia Yim, Wilde was welcomed back by Mickie James, who is in her final run before retiring (dubbed "The Last Rodeo".) Before James could challenge Wilde to a match, both were attacked by VXT (Chelsea Green and Deonna Purrazzo) and Gisele Shaw up until the Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace made the save. This led into a six-woman tag team match between all involved on the following episode of Impact!, which Grace, James, and Wilde were victorious. On the November 10 episode of Impact!, after James defeated Green, Impact confirmed that James would face Wilde at Over Drive.
At Bound for Glory, Jordynne Grace successfully defended the Impact Knockouts World Championship against Masha Slamovich, breaking the latter's undefeated streak. Several weeks later on the November 10 episode of Impact!, Grace defended the title against Gisele Shaw. After the match, Slamovich returned and attacked Grace on the entrance ramp with steel chairs. On November 14, Impact announced that Grace will once again defend the title against Slamovich in a Last Knockout Standing match.
Event Other on-screen personnelCommentatorsTom HannifanMatthew RehwoldtRing announcerDavid PenzerRefereesDaniel SpencerBrandon TolleFrank GastineauAllison LeighInterviewerGia Miller
Digital Media Exclusive Match Before the event went live, Joe Hendry defeated Shera to retain the Impact Digital Media Championship, which was aired as an Impact Digital Exclusive on November 22.
Countdown to Over Drive Two matches were contested on the Countdown to Over Drive pre-show. In the first match, Bhupinder Gujjar, Jason Hotch, Kenny King, Mike Bailey, Rich Swann and Yuya Uemura competed in an X Division six-way match. In the end, Swann delivers the "Lethal Injection" to Hotch and picks up the win.
In the second pre-show match, The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) fought Bullet Club (Ace Austin and Chris Bey) to determine the number one contenders to the Impact World Tag Team Championship. In the end, Sabin pins Bey and wins the match for his team.
Preliminary matches The opening match of the event was Bully Ray against Moose in a tables match. Moose delivers a low blow to Ray from behind, and hits the spear afterwards. Moose brings two tables into the ring, setting up one in the corner, but gets speared by Ray. Outside the ring, Moose attempts to suplex Ray into the timekeeper's table, but gets suplexed on the floor. Back in the ring, Ray delivers a body slam to Moose and lands a headbutt into his balls, but gets hit with a steel chair when setting up a table. Ray counters a uranage into the table, delivers a German suplex to Moose, and uses the steel chair onto his back. Moose escapes a uranage and lands a pump kick on Ray, catches him with a dropkick on the top rope, but Ray powerbombs Moose off the top rope. After exchanging strikes with each other, Moose escapes from the "Bully Bomb" and goes to the top rope, but gets caught in mid-air with a cutter. Ray charges at Moose who avoid him and goes through the table, but the referee does not give Moose the win because he did not put him through the table himself. Moose sets up another table in the corner, but gets speared by Ray through it, giving him the win.
Next, The Death Dollz (Jessicka and Taya Valkyrie) defended the Impact Knockouts World Tag Team Championship against Savannah Evans and Tasha Steelz. The Death Dollz get the early advantage after hitting Steelz with running strikes into their corner, and Jessicka delivering a sidewalk slam for a two count. Jessicka tosses Steelz into her corner and demands Evans tag in, which she does and the two trade blows with each other, before Jessicka scoop slams Evans and lands a leg drop for two. Jessicka tags Valkyrie in and deliver a double hip attack to Evans. Evans retakes control after delivering a headbutt and a kick to Valkyrie before tagging Steelz. Steelz lands a dropkick on Valkyrie for two, tags Evans in the match to continue the assault in their corner, but Valkyrie manages to clothesline Evans. Jessicka and Steelz tag in the match, with the former managing to set up the latter and Evans for a double running crossbody. Jessicka counters a cutter attempt by Steelz, and hits the "Sick Driver" for the win to retain the tag titles.
The third match involved Mickie James and Taylor Wilde in a Career Threatening match. The two lockup before trading wristlocks and arm drags with each other. After hitting each other with a hurricanrana, James sends Wilde to the outside on the floor, but gets dragged outside herself by Wilde who rams her into the ring apron. Back in the ring, Wilde goes for James's back with a snap suplex, a surfboard and a backbreaker that results in two counts. James and Wilde exchange strikes to each other, the latter getting the upper hand after some blows to the lower back, but James lands a Thesz press and a neckbreaker on Wilde. Wilde counters the "Mick-DT" and hits a running knee on James, who answers back with a flapjack on Wilde. James goes to the top rope, Wilde catches her up top before getting dumped off it, avoids James's move and hits a German suplex for two followed by a Camel clutch. James escapes to hit some kicks and the "Mick-DT" for three to win the match. After the match, Deonna Purrazzo enters the ring and confronts James, calling her a "selfish bitch" for only being in the company for herself, and being hellbent on ruining Purrazzo's career. Purrazzo declares she wants to end James's career.