An event twenty years in the making! Returns, nostalgia, title changes and more in this event. This week, The Main Event Podcast reviews IMPACT Wrestling Slammiversary 2022.
IMPACT Digital Media Championship – Rich Swann (c) vs. Brian Myers
The opening contest took place on the preshow and had Bryan Myers face Rich Swann for the IMPACT Digital Media Championship that Bryan Myers was holding on to for funsies. Got it? Good. Myers tried to use his superior size and strength to take control of the early portion of the match but Swann used his quickness to send Myers scurrying from the ring. Not all went to plan for Swann in this regard as Myers used the ringside area to take over and dominate Swann on the pairs’ return to the ring. After hitting a huge spear and an Edge-E-Cution style DDT, Myers got a pair of nearfalls but Swann stayed in the match and after hitting the 450 Splash from the middle rope, the Digital Media Champion was able to retain his title and finally gain possession of his belt.
Jez’s Pick: Rich Swann
Dan’s Pick: Rich Swann
Winner: Rich Swann
Jez 1 – Dan 1
Reverse Battle Royal – Participants TBA
Sixteen competitors including names from IMPACT’s history took part in the Reverse Battle Royal, next. David Young and Johnny Swinger entered the ring together, followed by Chris Bey and Steve Maclin. As we watched Mike Jackson deliver the oldest old school in history around the ringside area to Mahabali Shera, Bhupinder Gujjar, Chase Stevens and Shark Boy make it into the ring, bringing the total to seven. Shera finally escaped the clutches of the 72 year old Jackson, and climbed into the ring to become the eighth. After the bell, Chase Stevens was quickly eliminated by Shera. Chris Bey and Steve Maclin fought on the ring apron, having climbed over the top rope to get there and after Bey hit a Cutter on the apron, both men crashed to ringside and were eliminated. Gujjar and Shera were eliminated by old teammates David Young and Johnny Swinger who then turned their attention to Shark Boy. The pair laid boots into Sharky before Swinger quickly eliminated his former partner. With the over the top rope action over, Swinger and Shark Boy fought and Sharky hit the Stunner and pinned Swinger to win the match.
Jez’s Pick: PCO
Dan’s Pick: Steve Maclin
Winner: Shark Boy
Jez 1 – Dan 1
Ultimate X match for the IMPACT X Division Championship – Ace Austin (c) vs. Kenny King vs. Mike Bailey vs. Trey Miguel vs. Andrew Everett vs. Alex Zayne
The pay-per-view kicked off with one of IMPACT’s signature matches – the Ultimate X match for the Impact X Division Championship. The defending champion, Ace Austin, used his cane to weaken his opponents as the match began but soon the ring cleared. Alex Zayne and Mike Bailey tried to climb the ropes which brought others back into the ring to drag them down. Ace fought with Trey Miguel and others on the ring apron but Miguel took him down with a kick to the face and a neckbreaker. Speedball Mike Bailey took out a group with a version of Ultimo Weapon from the cables before being the meat in a Stack Superplex sandwich that took out all competitors except for Zayne and Miguel. Miguel delivered a Canadian destroyer from the top rope to take out Zayne and went for the gold, but he was joined in the middle of the X by Kenny King, Ace Austin and Mike Bailey. King and Miguel went down, Andrew Everett joined the fight but he was soon dropped back down again by a Hurricanrana from Bailey. Bailey dropped Austin from the cables with swift kicks to the face and sternum before climbing to the top of the X and retrieving the belt to become NEW X-Division Champion.
Jez’s Pick: Ace Austin
Dan’s Pick: Ace Austin
Winner: “Speedball” Mike Bailey
Jez 1 – Dan 1
IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Championship – The Influence (Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood) (c) vs. Rosemary and Taya Valkyrie
The Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship was on the line as the champions, The Influence, took on the team of Rosemary and Taya Valkyrie. Valkyrie started the match off with a quick nearfall to Rayne but Rosemary tagged herself in and the tension between the challengers continued to build. Intervention from outside the ring allowed Rayne to take control of the match for her team and feed Rosemary back to Dashwood who dominated Rosemary in the middle of the ring. Valkyrie returned to the ring to break up a pinfall attempt and the challengers delivered tandem Spears that gave them a nearfall. The pair kept on, though, and after Valkyrie tossed Dashwood out of the ring, Rosemary hit the As Above, So Below on Rayne and pinned her to win the IMPACT World Tag Team Championships for her team.
Jez’s Pick: Rosemary and Taya Valkyrie
Dan’s Pick: The Influence
Winner: Rosemary and Taya Valkyrie
Jez 2 – Dan 1
Monster’s Ball – Sami Callihan vs. Moose
The next match was Monster’s Ball with Moose taking on Sami Callihan. After being released from isolation backstage, Callihan jumped Moose at the top of the ramp and the match began. The pair fought around ringside and the weapons came out with the Death Machine opening up on Moose’s skull with baking trays. Moose retaliated with a trash can lid and bust Sami open, before taking a hotdog and bottle of water from the crowd to try and overcome being locked away for the last 24 hours. Moose continued his dominance, slamming Callihan on the ring apron multiple times before turning about and putting him through a table. Back in the ring, Moose went for a Spear but Sami caught him with a trash can. Callihan collected a door covered in barbed wire from under the ring and tried to put Moose through it. Moose escaped doom momentarily but, after stumbling on the top rope, he was instead launched from the top turnbuckle and through the timekeeper’s table at ringside. Callihan brought thumbtacks into the ring but caught the worse end of them, being Sky Highed onto the pile before being dragged around the ring to collect them in his back. Moose went for the kill with a Spear but Callihan caught him and delivered a Death Valley Driver through the barbed wire door to pick up a very close nearfall. Moose continued to refuse to die, kicking out of one Cactus Driver 97 before doing the same after a Powerbomb to an upturned trash can and a second Driver. However, a swift strike with a barbed wire bat and a third Cactus Driver 97 finally kept Moose down for a three count, awarding the win to Sami Callihan.
Jez’s Pick: Sami Callihan
Dan’s Pick: Sami Callihan
Winner: Sami Callihan
Jez 3 – Dan 2
IMPACT World Tag Team Championship – The Briscoes (Jay and Mark) (c) vs. The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson)
In the Impact World Tag Team Championship match, The Briscoes defended against The Good Brothers. The match began with a brawl between the four men in the ring but spilled to ringside and up the ramp. When the match made it into the ring, the teams continued to play fast and loose with the rules but frequent tags almost allowed Gallows and Anderson to take control with the Magic Killer but Jay Briscoe saved the match with a Spear to Anderson and the match continued. The Good Brothers continued to maintain control of the match and when The Briscoes went for a Doomsday Device, Mark was pushed from the top rope into a Gun Stun from Anderson. The challengers followed this up with a Magic Killer to Jay to pick up the win and take home their third IMPACT World Tag Team Championship to the Bullet Club. After the match, America’s Most Wanted came to the ring to provide the beers to the drinkin’ and fightin’ party and the six men collected together to share a beverage.
Jez’s Pick: The Briscoes
Dan’s Pick: The Briscoes
Winner: The Good Brothers
Jez 3 – Dan 2
Before the battle of IMPACT Originals against Honor No More, IMPACT honoured the original voices of TNA, Mike Tenay and Don West. An emotional current team of Tom Hannifan and Matthew Reiwoldt then encouraged donations for Don West’s battle with lymphoma.
IMPACT Originals (Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Frankie Kazarian, Nick Aldis, and TBA) vs. Honor No More (Eddie Edwards, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, PCO, and Vincent)
Special guest ring announcer Christy Hemme then introduced special guest commentator Scott D’Amore and then the participants Honor No More and the IMPACT Originals – Frankie Kazarian, the Motor City Machine Guns, Nick Aldis, and Dixie Carter? No, Dixie wasn’t in the match but she did introduce the true fifth member of Team IMPACT, Davey Richards. The bell rang, the fight was on and the Motor City Machine Guns teed off against The Kingdom, Taven and Bennett. Frequent tags on both sides brought several different men into the ring and we nearly got the battle of The Wolves between Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards but Edwards tagged out. The action continued to come thick and fast in the match with neither team really gaining an advantage for too long. After Shelley and Taven dived from the ring and took out the majority of the other men, The Wolves once again met in the middle of the ring and this time the fight was on. Both men tore strips from each other with kicks and strikes before Richards torqued the knee of Edwards with a Dragon Screw on the ropes. Davey followed this up with a reverse Figure Four Leg Lock on Edwards and Taven tried to intervene but he was placed in an Anklelock for his troubles. With Richards administering two submissions, Alex Shelley locked the Border City Stretch on Mike Bennett, Nick Aldis put Vincent in the King’s Lynn Cloverleaf and Kaz and Sabin tried to take care of PCO but the French Canadian Frankenstein fought them off and broke up all of the submissions. Maria Kanellis tried to interfere but she was dealt with by TNA Original, Traci Brooks, who was at ringside to support her husband, Frankie Kazarian. Brooks was caught by PCO and saved by Frankie, who hit the Flux Capacitor and got a nearfall. Kenny King then came to the ring but was dealt with by D’Lo Brown. Chris Sabin hit the Cradle Shock on PCO and, with Brian Hebner down at ringside, Earl Hebner made his way into the ring, revealed a referee shirt and made the count to award the victory to the IMPACT Originals.
Jez’s Pick: IMPACT Originals
Dan’s Pick: IMPACT Originals
Winner: IMPACT Originals
Jez 4 – Dan 3
Throughout the night, we had several appearances or video messages from IMPACT Wrestling’s past. First up, TNA original Scott Hudson interviewed the IMPACT Original team and IMPACT’s first interviewer Goldilocks interviewed Gail Kim. We also had special messages from “The Icon” Sting, Kurt Angle and “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles.
Queen of the Mountain match for the IMPACT Knockouts World Championship – Tasha Steelz (c) vs. Chelsea Green vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Mia Yim
Special Guest Enforcer: Mickie James
The first in a double main event was the Queen of the Mountain match for the Impact Knockouts World Championship with Tasha Steelz defending against Chelsea Green, Deonna Purrazzo, Jordynne Grace and Mia Yim. As the bell rang, the group looked to team up on the champion, but Steelz escaped the ring and started to set up tables with the help of Savannah Evans. When Steelz returned to the ring, she was caught by Chelsea Green and pinned. She then spent two minutes in the penalty box with her partner in crime Savannah Evans, thanks to the intervention of special enforcer Mickie James. Yim and Grace teamed up on Purrazzo but neither woman allowed the other to get a pinfall to become eligible. When Steelz was released from the penalty box, Mickie James barred Savannah Evans from ringside and sent her packing. As she was on her way out, Chelsea Green fought with Steelz but found herself surprised by Yim who pinned Green to become eligible to hang the title belt. Yim tried to climb a ladder but she was taken down by Steelz with a messy looking Cutter. Steelz was then submitted by Purrazzo to become eligible and teamed with Green to take Grace out of the match. Green and Purrazzo then climbed the ladder to try and place the belt but the ladder was pushed over and the pair went crashing through tables at ringside. Inside the ring, both Grace and Steelz pinned Yim to become eligible and fought for the right to place a ladder. Grace then pinned the champion to send her to the penalty box and climbed the ladder to hang the title and become the IMPACT Knockouts World Champion.
Jez’s Pick: Deonna Purrazzo
Dan’s Pick: Tasha Steelz
Winner: Jordynne Grace
Jez 4 – Dan 3
IMPACT World Championship – Josh Alexander (c) vs. Eric Young
In the main event, Josh Alexander defended the IMPACT World Championship against Eric Young. The early part of the match saw a good measure of traditional lockups and tests of strength but EY soon looked to get under the skin of the Walking Weapon and things became more vicious. Alexander stayed focussed though and used the offense of IMPACT’s past to wear down Young, including a Kurt Angle style moonsault and Samoa Joe-esque Powerbomb nearfall into a Boston Crab. Not to be outdone, Eric Young pulled out a few classics of his own, getting a nearfall with Jeff Jarrett’s Stroke and another with Abyss’ Black Hole Slam. Alexander hit a Styles Clash and locked Young in an Anklelock but as EY tapped, Deener threw powder into the eyes of referee Brian Hebner and he did not see the submission. The hits kept on coming as while Alexander was distracted by Deener, Young snuck up with a guitar and broke it over the head of the IMPACT World Champion. When this only netted a nearfall, Young peeled back the ring padding and delivered a Piledriver to the exposed wood underneath but once again Alexander refused to quit. The Walking Weapon fired up and paid one last homage to Samoa Joe with the Urinagi from the corner before delivering his own C4 Spike to the wood and pinning Young to retain his IMPACT World Championship.
Jez’s Pick: Josh Alexander
Dan’s Pick: Josh Alexander
Winner: Josh Alexander
Jez 5 – Dan 4
Final Rating
Dan awards 3.5 out of 5 IMPACT Originals
Jez awards 3.5 out of 5 IMPACT Originals
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