While AEW and WWE both dominate the North American wrestling scene, Impact Wrestling has remained a constant over the past 20 years, both as TNA and now, Impact Wrestling. Featuring some of the best talent in the world, while maintaining relationships with a number of promotions including AEW, NJPW, and AAA, the company is still regularly delivering great wrestling on a weekly basis.
While some recent signings have thrived in the company since arriving on Impact Wrestling TV, with names like Mike Bailey, Mia Yim, and Gisele Shaw standing out as proper stars for the company, others have found themselves struggling in a number of ways, either through less-than-stellar wrestling performances or questionable booking from Impact itself.
10 Vincent - Hasn't Panned Out
Joining Impact Wrestling as a part of Honor No More in 2022, Vincent has by all means been a mainstay of Impact Wrestling television all year long. Whether it be performing in the numerous multi-man tag matches that Honor No More has thrived in all year long, or slowly building towards a split from the group alongside PCO, Vincent has received a lot of screentime.
Despite having an interesting look and on-screen presence, Vincent has just felt like a guy in Impact, who happens to be associated with PCO. Clearly inspired by Charles Manson, it should go without saying that Vincent should not be a background character in a faction, rather being a leader if he is supposed to be a crazed, cult leader style character.
9 Gisele Shaw - Has Been Great
Breaking out in 2022, Gisele Shaw has done nothing but impress upon her arrival in the Impact Wrestling Knockouts Division. Being built up through a number of vignettes ahead of her debut, the Quintessential Diva has been featured fairly prominently throughout the year, beginning with a brief tag-team run alongside Lady Frost.
Eventually joining The Influence after a fantastic showing against Madison Rayne, Shaw would be the last remaining member of the group, as longtime Impact star, Rayne would join AEW and Tenille Dashwood would leave Impact to become a Free Agent. Now on her own, Gisele is continuing to deliver, with her and Mickie James having a very memorable clash during James' Last Rodeo Tour at Victory Road 2022!
8 Taya Valkyrie - Hasn't Panned Out
Making her surprise return to Impact Wrestling at Multiverse of Matches during WrestleMania 38 Weekend, Taya Valkyrie would be welcomed back with open arms by the Impact faithful as she would kickoff a marquee feud with Deonna Purrazzo. Winning the AAA Women's Championship quickly upon her return, Taya would also capture the Knockouts Tag Team titles alongside Rosemary.
While Taya has undeniably added a strong level of star-power to the current Knockouts Division, her booking has been all over the place. Coming in to dethrone Purrazzo of the AAA belt, before winning the Knockouts Tag Team Championship, before then losing them quickly to Deonna and Chelsea Green, Taya has really felt like someone who is there, but has not done all that much of importance since signing this past Spring.
7 PCO - Has Been Great
Alongside OGK and Eddie Edwards, PCO has been a standout this year for Impact Wrestling. Having a number of high-profile matches, including an extended feud with JONAH, Perfect Creation One has had yet another career resurgence since arriving alongside the other former ROH talents.
Now positioned to have a major babyface run in the coming months, PCO could possibly even move into the World Title Picture. With his faction's leader, Eddie Edwarrds set to face off against Impact World Champion Josh Alexander at Bound For Glory, the company has been building tension between Edwards and PCO. Should Eddie defeat Josh at the PPV, it seems PCO shooting up the ladder for a major feud with Eddie Edwards is on the table.
6 Laredo Kid - Hasn't Panned Out
Having competed in AAA and AEW prior to signing with Impact Wrestling, Laredo Kid is now one of the resident luchadors within Impact Wrestling. Having a number of big-time performances in the X Division, with him having a standout match against Black Taurus at Against All Odds, one of the company's best shows of the year.
While Laredo Kid has been amazing inside of the ring, the man has never been given anything to sink his teeth into on-screen. Lacking any real storylines or any long-term push, Kid feels as if he has no direction within Impact Wrestling at this point in time.
5 Mia Yim - Has Been Great
Making her return to Impact Wrestling at their Under Siege event in the first half of 2022, Mia Yim would be a huge signing for the Knockouts Division. Rising the ranks quickly, Yim would take part in the first-ever Queen of the Mountain Match at Slammiversary before eventually getting a solo shot at the Knockouts Championship.
At Emergence, Mia would face off against Jordynne Grace in an all-time great Knockouts Championship match, with it being one of the best women's matches of the year. At Bound For Glory, Yim is now set to face off against Mickie James in a high-stakes match with Championship implications, and with James' career on the line!
4 Heath - Hasn't Panned Out
Debuting in 2020 after being released by WWE, Heath would arrive in Impact Wrestling as one of the hot free agents during the company's controversial mass releases. Unfortunately, Heath would go down with a serious groin injury immediately, cutting off any momentum that he had for several months. Upon his return to action, Heath would be positioned as one of the top babyfaces on the show.
While it is undeniable that Heath carries a strong presence and great charisma, allowing for the fans to easily connect with him, his work both in storylines and in-ring have felt like a step-down for most of his run. Lately involved with Honor No More, Heath's more straightforward, reckless, rebellious approach to his character has been an improvement, so maybe 2023 could see his career back on track.
3 Steve Maclin - Has Been Great
Arguably the most shocking breakout star for Impact, Steve Maclin would debut for Impact Wrestling June 2021. After a failed run in WWE as part of the Forgotten Sons, the real-life partner of the face of the Knockouts Divison, Deonna Purrazzo, Maclin would arrive on the scene in Impact with nobody really knowing what to expect.
Months into his run, Maclin would make waves in the X Division while also delivering some excellent performances against then ROH World Champion, Jonathan Gresham. Now cemented as one of the top names in the company after feuding with Moose and Sami Callihan, defeating both men in a Barbed Wire Massacre Match, Steve Maclin has to be considered one of the best signings the company has made recently.
2 Lady Frost - Hasn't Panned Out
Among other recent additions to the Knockouts Division, Lady Frost appeared to fit in quite well within Impact Wrestling in 2021 and 2022, briefly forming a tag-team with Gisele Shaw.
While Frost at one timed seemed to be poised as a major player in the Knockouts Division, things would just not go her way. With a harsh fallout with the company, Frost would request her release and be offered it by Impact, according to PWInsider, with the added condition that she would have to put over Masha Slamovich on her way out. That would never come to fruition as Frost has still yet to return to TV while her run now ends on a sour note.
1 Mike Bailey - Has Been Great
Making his Impact Wrestling debut in at the start of 2022, "Speedball" Mike Bailey has had nothing short of an amazing year within his home company. Rising the ranks of the X Division, working alongside names like Trey Miguel and Ace Austin, Bailey has delivered with nearly every outing in Impact this year. Speedball would win the championship during the summer, at one of Impact's two bigger shows of the year; Slammiversary.
Delivering one of the best X Division Championship defenses of all time against Trey Miguel at Against All Odds, Mike Bailey has not only had a great first year under the Impact Wrestling banner, but has been one of the best X Division champions in recent memory.