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IMPACT WRESTLING SLAMMIVERSARY 2022 REPORT
JUNE 19, 2022
NASHVILLE, TENN. AT THE NASHVILLE FAIRGROUNDS
AIRED LIVE ON FITE TV
REPORT BY DARRIN LILLY, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt
-Intro video package showing highlights from 20 years of Impact.
(1) ACE AUSTIN (c) vs. TREY MIGUEL vs. ANDREW EVERETT vs. KENNY KING vs. ALEX ZAYNE vs. MIKE BAILEY – Ultimate X Match for the Impact Wrestling X Division Title
Everett was a late substitute for Jack Evans, who wasn’t medically cleared. All the wrestlers fought at the start. King and Everett climbed early. Bailey and Zayne did high flying moves to the outside. Everett gave Trey a German suplex on the apron, then followed with a twisting dive to the outside. Bailey did Ultimo Weapon on three wrestlers.
Fans chanted “Speedball”. After a Tower of Doom spot, Trey gave Zayne a Canadian Destroyer from the top rope. Four of the wrestlers climbed the structure. Bailey gave Everett a headscissors from the top. Bailey and Ace were on the top fighting it out. Bailey kicked Ace down. Bailey pulled himself to the top of the structure and unhooked the belt to win.
WINNER: Mike Bailey in 10:00 to win the X Division Title.
(D.L.’s Take: A really good action-packed match, but seemed a little short to me. Everyone got the spotlight and had a chance to shine. The announcers stressed that it took Bailey five years to reach this moment. Great start to the show).
-Hannifan and Rehwoldt appeared on camera and ran down the matches for the show. They talked about the influence of Bob Ryder and a graphic showed his photo. Hannifan said the broadcast was dedicated to him. He introduced the French announce team next to them.
-Scott Hudson did a backstage interview with the Motor City Machine Guns, Frankie Kazarian, and Nick Aldis. Hudson said that the Guns were named as the most Impactful tag team in a fan poll. The Guns talked about the history of tag teams in the company and that they wanted to defend the history. Kazarian insulted Honor No More and said he hoped they were ready to fight. Aldis said they all take pride in their work and they appreciated the opportunity given to them by Impact. They wouldn’t reveal the fifth person on their team. Aldis said there were a lot of applicants, but when they saw this name, it was a no-brainer.
-A taped promo from Sting aired. He talked about Jeff Jarrett calling him and he decided to come back. He talked about some of his favorite memories, including Joker Sting, Abyss, Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, and Samoa Joe.
(2) THE INFLUENCE (Madison Rayne & Tenille Dashwood) (c) vs. ROSEMARY & TAYA VALKYRIE – Impact Wrestling Knockouts Tag Team Title match
Rayne and Taya started the match. Rosemary bit Rayne. Taya chopped Tenille. Tenille knocked Rosemary off the apron. Taya got the advantage on Tenille. Madison threw Rosemary into the apron. Tenille stomped Rosemary. The Influence kept the advantage on Rosemary. Rosemary gave Tenille a back suplex.
Taya and Rayne tagged in and fought. Taya took on the Influence by herself. Taya got a two count after a Blue Thunder Bomb on Rayne. Rosemary gave Rayne an exploder suplex. Tenille blocked Rosemary’s spear attempt on Rayne. All four wrestlers fought in the ring. Rosemary and Taya gave the Influence a double spear but only got a two count.
Tenille gave Taya a neckbreaker in the ropes. The Influence gave Rosemary the Collab. Taya threw Tenille out of the ring. Rosemary rose up and scared Rayne. Taya gave Rayne a knee and Rosemary got the pin for the win.
WINNERS: Rosemary & Taya Valkyrie in 8:00 to win the Knockouts Tag Team Titles.
(D.L.’s Take: Basic tag match but a surprise title change and the fans were into it).
-Kurt Angle did a taped promo and thanked Impact for giving him a chance. He thanked the fans and talked about who liked facing such as Sting, Samoa Joe, and Bobby Roode.
-Moose and Sami Callihan were shown locked up in secluded rooms.
-Video package on the Moose vs. Sami Callihan feud.
(3) MOOSE vs. SAMI CALLIHAN – Monster’s Ball match
Moose was released from his room and he seemed disoriented. Sami was released from his room. He stumbled out, laughed, and said “That was easy!”. Moose did his ring entrance, but Sami attacked him during it. They fought at ringside. Hannifan said it was Sami’s first match since September of 2021. Sami hit Moose with two metal trays and a trash can lid.
Moose punched Sami on the apron. Sami bled from the forehead. Moose slammed Sami on the apron. Moose slammed Sami through a table at ringside. The action finally got in the ring. Moose tried to hit Sami’s leg with a chair, but Sami moved and hit Moose with a chair. Moose threw a chair at Sami.
Sami threw a trash can over Moose’s head. Sami hit the can with a chair. Moose was upside down in the trash can. Sami pulled a door with barbed wire from under the ring and set it in the corner. Moose tried to climb the ropes, but slipped. Moose climbed back up, but Sami pushed him off into the timekeeper’s table.
Sami poured out a bag of thumbtacks in the ring. Moose gave Sami a Sky High into the tacks and got a two count. Moose picked thumb tacks out of his butt. Moose dragged Sami through the tacks. Sami gave Moose a Death Valley Driver through the barbed wire door and got a two count. Fans chanted “Death Machine”.
Moose and Sami traded trash can shots to the head. They traded strikes. Sami gave Moose a piledriver, but Moose kicked out at two. Sami went for another one, but Moose gave him a low blow. Sami kicked Moose, then powerbombed him into an upside down trash can. Sami gave Moose another piledriver, but Moose kicked out at one and stood up.
Fans chanted for Moose. Sami hit Moose with a barbed wire bat, followed by another piledriver and got the pin.
WINNER: Sami Callihan in 14:00.
(D.L.’s Take: An excellent brawl. A lot of the action was just brutal. Solid comeback match for Sami. If they want to wrap up this feud, this was a good way to end it).
-Video package on the Briscoe Brothers vs. Good Brothers feud.
(4) MARK & JAY BRISCOE (c) vs. THE GOOD BROTHERS (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) – Impact Wrestling Tag Team Title match
Both teams brawled at the start. The Briscoes got the best of it and did a double dive to the outside on the Good Brothers. Mark gave Doc an elbow drop from the apron. Jay slammed Anderson on the entrance stage. Jay and Doc fought at ringside. Mark and Anderson fought on the other side.
Mark launched himself from a chair to do a dive to the outside. In the ring, Mark booted Anderson. Anderson threw Jay into a chair, but the referee didn’t see it. Doc punched Jay. Anderson put Jay in a chinlock. Jay gave Anderson a neckbreaker. Mark tagged in and fought both Good Brothers. Mark slammed Anderson from the top rope and got a two count.
Anderson gave Mark a spinebuster and got a two count. Jay broke up the Magic Killer on Mark. Mark and Anderson traded punches. The Briscoes double teamed Anderson. Jay gave Anderson a neckbreaker. Mark got a two count on Anderson. Doc threw Jay into a Gun Stun from Anderson. Jay fought both Good Brothers. The Good Brothers gave Jay the Magic Killer and Anderson pinned Jay for the win.
WINNERS: The Good Brothers in 11:00 to win the Impact Wrestling Tag Team Titles.
(D.L.’s Take: The Briscoes are such high energy and made this a good match. The Good Brothers held up their end too. I was really surprised by the title change. Perhaps this signals that the Good Brothers are staying around).
-The Good Brothers and Briscoes had a staredown that was interrupted by the ring entrance of America’s Most Wanted (James Storm and Chris Harris). Fans chanted “Holy Shit”. Storm said they were looking at this match and said those guys are just like us — they like fighting and drinking. He said it was time to do some drinking. Harris took a bottled water and Storm said that everyone needs a designated driver. AMW passed beers to both teams. Storm said “Sorry about your damn luck” to Impact’s doubters and haters.
-Hannifan pitched to a tribute video to Mike Tenay and Don West. Afterwards, Rehwoldt got emotional. Hannifan pitched to Don West’s Go Fund Me.
-Video package on the Impact vs. Honor No More feud.
(5) IMPACT ORIGINALS (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley & Frankie Kazarian & Nick Aldis & ) vs. HONOR NO MORE (Eddie Edwards & Matt Taven & Mike Bennett & PCO & Vincent w/Maria Kanellis)
Christy Hemme was introduced and did the ring introductions. She brought out Scott D’Amore. He was in this Team Canada jersey and waved a Canadian flag on a hockey stick. He joined the announce team at ringside. Kazarian kissed his wife Tracy Brooks at ringside. Their son Rebel and Earl Hebner were next to her. The announce team offered condolences on the passing of Dave Hebner.
Dixie Carter walked to the entrance stage. She said it was surreal to be there. She said they wouldn’t have been around for 20 years without the fans. She announced the fifth member of the Impact Originals: Davey Richards. Fans cheered for Davey. The teams squared off, then started fighting at the bell. The Guns double teamed Taven.
Bennett gave Sabin a brainbuster. Bennett chopped Aldis. Aldis suplexed Bennett. Kaz and Vincent brawled. Eddie and Davey squared off. Eddie quickly tagged out to Taven. The Impact team did a four-on-one on Taven. The Guns double teamed Bennett. Team Impact cleared the ring. Fans chanted “TNA”.
Honor No More took turns doing moves on Shelley. HNM had the advantage on Shelley. Hannifan offered condolences to the family of Tim White. PCO missed the senton on Shelley on the apron. Shelley made a comeback on HNM. Kaz made the hot tag. Kaz did a cutter on Vincent, but the pin attempt was broken up.
Aldis cleaned house on HNM. Both teams traded moves one after another. The Guns double teamed Eddie. Sabin dove on Benett on the floor. Taven dove on the pile. Eddie and Davey squared off in the ring. They traded hard kicks and chops. Davey put Eddie in a leglock and put Eddie in an ankle lock at the same time. There was chaos in the ring.
PCO gave Aldis a DDT. Vincent did a dive on Aldis. PCO missed a moonsault. Davey gave PCO a double stomp and PCO kicked out. Maria got on the ring apron. Traci Brooks ran in and clotheslined Maria at ringside. PCO dragged Tracy into the ring. Kaz dropkicked PCO and got Tracy out of the ring. Fans chanted for Tracy.
Kaz gave PCO a flux capacitor. Kenny King ran in, but he was followed by D-Lo Brown, who gave King the Sky High. Earl Hebner checked on referee Brian Hebner at ringside. D-Lo did a splash on King to a big ovation. The Guns double teamed PCO. The Guns got the advantage on Taven and Bennett. Earl Hebner took off his Slammiversary shirt to reveal a referee shirt. The Original got the pin for the win.
WINNERS: The Impact Originals in 19:00.
(D.L.’s Take: A really fun match with a cool ending. It was good to see favorites such as D-Lo Brown, Tracy Brooks, and Earl Hebner return. Davey Richards was a good choice for the last slot on the Impact Originals team).
-A.J. Styles did a taped promo and wished Impact a happy anniversary. He talked about wrestling Jerry Lynn, Lo Ki, Jeff Jarrett, and Raven. He said the match that changed everything was him against Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels. He said he was voted as the most Impactful X Division wrestler and Male wrestlers by the fans. He thanked the fans and WWE for allowing him to do this. He said “here’s to the next twenty years”.
-Video package on the wrestlers in the Queen of the Mountain match.
(6) TASHA STEELZ (w/Savannah Evans) (c) vs. MIA YIM vs. JORDYNNE GRACE vs. CHELSEA GREEN vs. DEONNA PURRAZZO – Queen of the Mountain / Impact Wrestling Knockouts Title Match
A wrestler becomes eligible to win after getting a pin or submission. The wrestler who is pinned or submitted spends two minutes in the penalty box. The winner has to hang the belt from the top. Mickie James was the special referee.
Tasha and Evans set up tables at ringside while everyone else fought in the ring. Mia did a dive on Tasha and Evans. Chelsea dove on the pile at ringside, followed by Deonna doing a dive from the top rope. Chelsea pinned Tasha, which made Chelsea eligible to win now. Tasha went to the penalty box. Evans blocked it, but Mickie threw Tasha into Evans and locked them in the cage.
When Tasha’s time was up, she ran wild on everyone. Mickie threw Evans out of the match. Mia pinned Chelsea, sending Chelsea to the box. Chelsea kicked the door, sending Mickie down. Mia got the belt and climbed the ladder. Deonna fought with her. Tasha gave Mia a cutter from the top rope, knocking Mia off the ladder.
Deonna put Grace in an armbar, then put Tasha in one. Tasha tapped to the armbar. Chelsea stomped Mia into the bottom turnbuckle. Chelsea tripped Tasha into the ladder. Mia dropkicked Chelsea from the top of the box into the ladder. Mia walked up the ladder and dove on Grace and Deonna. Mia pinned Grace at ringside.
Chelsea tried to climb the ladder but Mickie pulled her off and they brawled. Mia climbed the ladder but was stopped by Deonna. Chelsea drove Tasha into the ladder. Chelsea and Deonna climbed opposite sides of the ladder. Mia knocked over the ladder, sending them crashing through the tables at ringside. Tasha and Grace pinned Mia. Tasha and Grace brawled.
Tasha gave Grace a neckbreaker. Tasha climbed the ladder but Grace gave her the muscle buster. Grace climbed the ladder and hooked the title at the top to win the match.
WINNER: Jordynne Grace in 19:00 to win the Knockouts Title.
(D.L.’s Take: The gimmick was cute and a throwback to the old TNA days, but may have hindered the match. With that said, the wrestlers made it work and it was a good, physical match. It was a good time to change the title and Grace will make a great centerpiece of the division).
-Gia Miller introduced Goldylocks to interview Gail Kim backstage. Gail thanked the fans for naming her as the most Impactful Knockout. Gail congratulated Jordynne Grace for winning the title. Gail and Goldylocks hugged.
-Hannifan and Rehwoldt plugged Against All Odds on July 1st and Bound for Glory in October.
-Video package on Josh Alexander and Eric Young.
(7) JOSH ALEXANDER (c) vs. ERIC YOUNG (w/Joe Doering & Deaner) – Impact Wrestling World Title match
Dave Penzer did the in-ring introductions. Alexander’s wife and son were shown at ringside. The match started slowly. Both wrestlers missed moonsaults. They clotheslined each other then traded punches and chops. Alexander gave Eric the facewash in the corner as a tribute to Samoa Joe, as the announcers explained. The fans chanted “Walking Weapon”.
Deaner set up a table at ringside. Eric threw Alexander into the corner. Eric gave Alexander an elbow drop from the top rope and got a two count. Alexander suplexed Eric and powerbombed him. Alexander knocked Deaner off the apron, then went after Doering. Alexander gave Eric a crossbody block in the ring.
Eric gave Alexander the Stroke as a tribute to Jeff Jarrett. Alexander put Eric in an ankle lock, but Eric kicked him off. Eric gave Alexander a Black Hole Slam, as a tribute to Abyss. Fans chanted “This is wrestling!”. Alexander gave Eric the Best Moonsault Ever, a tribute to Christopher Daniels. Alexander gave Eric a Styles Clash.
Deaner threw yellow powder into referee Brian Heber’s eyes. Alexander fought off Doering and Eric. Alexander gave Doering an Olympic Slam from the apron through a table on the floor. Fans chanted “This is awesome!” Deaner had the flagpole. Alexander pulled out the Canadian flag hockey stick and hit Deaner with it. Eric hit Alexander with a guitar for a two count.
Eric pulled the ring mat and the foam padding back, exposing the boards under the ring. Eric gave Alexander a piledriver on the boards, but only got a two count. Alexander got Eric in an ankle lock. Alexander gave Eric a Rock Bottom on the boards, followed by a C-4 Spike and got the pin.
WINNER: Josh Alexander in 18:00.
(D.L.’s Take: A really good main event and the callbacks to the legendary finishers was a nice touch. I didn’t really expect Eric to win, but there was still a bit of drama to the match).
FINAL THOUGHTS: Lots of good action and a newsworthy night with four title changes. Fans looking for nostalgia were satisfied with appearances from Davey Richards, Earl Hebner, Tracy Brooks, Christy Hemme, D-Lo Brown, Goldylocks, Scott Hudson, Dixie Carter, and America’s Most Wanted. The taped promos were fun too with big names like Sting, Kurt Angle, and A.J. Styles. With all of the new champions, it almost seems like Impact is doing a reset, which should freshen up things. The main event was a good way to cap the evening, with the callbacks to classic Impact finishing moves. Good show overall.
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