Slammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by Impact Wrestling. It took place on July 17, 2021 at the Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. It was the 17th event under the Slammiversary chronology.
Production[]
Background[]
On April 25, 2021 at Rebellion, it was announced by Impact Wrestling that Slammivesary would take place in July 2021 at the Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. On June 3, Impact Wrestling announced that Slammiversary would be open to a limited number of paying fans, with tickets on sale the following morning. It will mark the first time Impact will have ticketed fans in attendance for an event during the COVID-19 pandemic, though to a limited capacity; the last Impact event to have ticketed fans was on March 7, 2020, just before the pandemic took effect.
Storylines[]
The event featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.
Like the previous year, Impact released a video package to promote Slammiversary, featuring images of various wrestlers who had previously appeared with Impact, Including stars of partner promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling and many of whom had been recently released by WWE. Included were Samoa Joe, Mickie James, Chelsea Green (known in Impact as Laurel Van Ness), Kazuchika Okada, No Limit (Tetsuya Naito and Yujiro Takahashi), and The Great Muta; also featured were the flags of Mexico, Australia, and Canada, representing Kalisto, The IIconics, and an unknown third party. On May 20, a new video was released featuring new content, including the logo of Bullet Club, and phrases like a blue and pink "II" (for The IIconics), "Forgotten" (referencing Steve Cutler and Wesley Blake of The Forgotten Sons), and "YES!" (referring to Daniel Bryan).
On the Impact! before Against All Odds, Impact EVP Scott D'Amore and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) president Tony Khan announced that the winner of the Impact World Championship main event between champion Kenny Omega and challenger Moose will go on to Slammiversary, where they defend the championship against Sami Callihan, who has been attempting to get into the title picture while bearing the brunt of frequent attacks and manipulation from Omega and his allies (The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) and Impact EVP Don Callis). At Against All Odds, Omega retained the title by defeating Moose. After the match, Callihan appeared and attacked The Elite. As Callihan was about to attack Omega, Callis fired Callihan, which upset D'Amore. On the following episode of Impact!, Tommy Dreamer - acting as a spokesman for the Anthem Sports & Entertainment board of directors - announced that the board had reinstated Callihan and fired Callis from his EVP role, making the world title main event official.
At Against All Odds, Petey Williams, Trey Miguel, Ace Austin, Chris Bey, and Rohit Raju competed in a five-way match to determine the number one contender to Josh Alexander's X Division Championship. However, Austin's bodyguard Madman Fulton interfered and attacked all other participants, leading to the match being ruled a no contest. On the June 17 episode of Impact!, it was announced that Alexander will defend the X Division Championship at Slammiversary against all five men in an Ultimate X match, the first to be promoted in over two years.
On the May 6 episode of Impact!, Moose defeated James Storm in a match to qualify for the world title number one contender's six-way match at Under Siege. After the match, Moose would deliberately injure Storm's ankle when he wrapped it in a chair, before Chris Sabin, who had qualified for the Under Siege match earlier in the night, would come and save Storm. On the Impact! after Against All Odds, when Moose tried to hold the show hostage and get Scott D'Amore's attention, Sabin, whose knee was injured at Under Siege, returned to foil Moose's plans. Backstage, Sabin challenged Moose to a match at Slammiversary, which he accepted.
After parting ways with her former allies Kimber Lee and Susan, and having defeated the pair in back-to-back non-title matches, Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo claimed that there is no one left for her to beat. Later that night, after retaining her title in an open challenge against Lady Frost, seven-time Knockouts Champion and Impact Hall of Famer Gail Kim would confront Purrazzo, stating that she will defend her title at Slammiversary against a mystery opponent of her and Scott D'Amore's choosing.
On the July 1 episode of Impact!, Impact World Tag Team Champions Violent By Design (Eric Young, Deaner, Joe Doering, and Rhino) interrupted a tag team match between the team of Rich Swann and Willie Mack, and the team of TJP and Fallah Bahh, a match that had big tag team title implications. The following week on Impact!, when the three teams confronted each other in the ring, they were joined by The Good Brothers, who looked to become the champions once again. Impact's new advisor Tommy Dreamer then appeared, stating that Violent By Design would defend the championship against all challengers in a four-way tag team match at Slammiversary.
Following the June 24 episode of Impact!, after failing to capture the Impact World Tag Team Championship from Violent By Design, Eddie Edwards would challenge his tag team partner Satoshi Kojima to a match the following week. However, as the challenge was accepted, W. Morrissey would intrude on their conversation, calling the pair a couple of frauds - for Morrissey believes professional wrestling is all about looking out for one's self, and not having any "real friends". The following week on Impact!, while Kojima waited for Edwards to enter the ring, Morrissey appeared on the titantron revealing he attacked Edwards in the parking lot. On the July 8 episode of Impact!, before competing in a 3-on-1 handicap match, Morrissey accepted Edwards' challenge for a match at Slammiversary.
On the July 1 episode of Impact!, after conflicting with Impact Knockouts Tag Team Champions Fire 'N Flava (Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz), Havok and Rosemary decided to officially challenge for the titles, leaving a tarot card on Scott D'Amore's desk as a notice. However, Hogan and Steelz felt that they have not earned the opportunity, so D'Amore booked a number one contender's match between Havok and Rosemary, and Kimber Lee and Susan. The following week on Impact!, Havok and Rosemary won the match, making it them against Fire 'N Flava at Slammiverary.
Event[]
The pre-show saw Decay (Havok & Rosemary, with Crazzy Steve & Black Taurus) challenge Fire 'N Flava (Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz) for the Knockouts Tag Team Championships. The champions mostly dominated the match by isolating Rosemary, and Tasha even hit a dive into Rosemary and Crazzy Steve on the ringside, but in the end, Havok won the match for Decay as she countered a sleeper hold from Kiera into a tombstone piledriver.
The first match of the PPV was an Ultimate X Match for the X Division Championship between Trey Miguel, Ace Austin, Petey Williams, Rohit Raju, Chris Bey and champion Josh Alexander. After several highlights such as a Canadian Destroyer and an Art of Finesse off the cables, Rohit trying to climb up with a rope and grab the title with a stick, and a spot where everyone was locking in a submission, the match ended with Josh Alexander grabbing and retaining the title.
Don Callis then had an interview, where he gave a piece of his mind about the upcoming main event.
Next was a mixed tag team match between Brian Myers & Tenille Dashwood (with Sam Beale and Kaleb with a K) and Matt Cardona & a mystery partner: The Hot Mess, Chelsea Green! In the end, Dashwood hit a low blow on Cardona, but she was the one who got hurt, as Cardona was wearing a cup! Cardona then shoved the cup on Myers' mouth before hitting a dive into Beale and Kaleb. Chelsea hit a Canadian Destroyer on Myers, then hit Dashwood with a low blow and the Unprettier to win the match.
Next, W. Morrisey and Eddie Edwards faced off in a singles match. Morrisey chokeslammed Eddie into the apron, then attempted a powerbomb on the ramp, but Eddie countered with a back body drop and followed with the Boston Knee Party. Eddie hit another Knee Party inside the ring, causing Morrisey to fall to the ringside. Morrisey punched Eddie with a steel chain while the referee wasn't looking, then finished him off with a powerbomb.
After this was a segment where Moose talked about his upcoming match with Chris Sabin, and that was followed by a mysterious segment of someone painting the words "Long live the Drama King" on a board. After this, there was an interview with the winner of the Impact #Superfan contest Miguel Contreras, but it was interrupted by Shera and Madman Fulton storming to the ring, upset that they were banned from ringside for the Ultimate X Match. Scott D'Amore then arrived, but instead of asking for security to remove them, he decide to put them in a match against the returning FinJuice! The big guys weren't on the same page, which allowed FinJuice to make quick work of them, as Finlay pinned Fulton after an Acid Drop.
The next match was between Moose and Chris Sabin. Moose nearly won by countout after powerbombing Sabin into the apron and swinging him into the barricade, but Sabin got back into the ring and won with a victory roll. After this, we glance backstage to see Decay comemorate their newly won titles.
Next was the fatal-4-way for the World Tag Team Championships: Rich Swann & Willie Mack vs. Fallah Bahh & TJP vs. The Good Brothers vs. champions Violent By Design (Joe Doering & Rhino, with Eric Young & Deaner). However, TJP needed to be replaced, so Fallah's partner instead was the debuting No Way, along with his konga line! The Good Brothers pinned Rhino after a Magic Killer to capture the titles.
Following this, Deonna Purrazzo defended the Knockouts Championship against a mystery opponent: Thunder Rosa! Rosa got a near fall after a diving stomp, then attempted the Thunder Driver, bu Deonna countered it and nailed the Queen's Gambit to retain the title. The champion grabbed a mic after the match, but before she could say anything, Mickie James appeared! Mickie explained that she wasn't looking for a fight, and invited Deonna to appear in the NWA. Deonna refused it and started berating Mickie for ruining her moment, and a particularly personal insult earned her a Mick Kick.
The main event of the night had Sami Callihan challenge Kenny Omega (with Don Callis) for the Impact World Championship in a no disqualification match. Sami imediatelly hit a piledriver for a very close near fall. We then saw several extreme spots, such as Sami hitting a piledriver through a table and Omega hitting a Kotaro Krusher into a barbed wire chair. Omega threw salt into Sami's eyes, causing him to piledrive the referee. Omega hit a piledriver on Sami, but the new ref took too long to get to the ring and Sami kicked out, so Omega knocked him out. Sami hit a package piledriver, but the ref was hurt and counted slowly, allowing Omega to kick out. Sami then dropped thumbtacks on the ring, but Don Callis distracted him, allowing Omega to hit a thumbtack-loaded V-Trigger and the One Winged Angel to win the match.
After the match, "The Switchblade" Jay White walked to the ring! Him and Omega had a staredown, and someone appeared and rushed to the ring, but the show suddenly cut to black.
Results[]
- Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- Pre Show: Jessicka Havok & Rosemary (w/ Crazzy Steve & Black Taurus) defeated Fire 'N Flava (Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz) (c) to win the Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship (8:55)
- Josh Alexander (c) defeated Trey Miguel and Ace Austin and Chris Bey and Rohit Raju and Petey Williams in an Ultimate X match to retain the Impact X Division Championship (15:45)
- Matt Cardona & Chelsea Green defeated Brian Myers & Tenille Dashwood (w/ Kaleb with a K & Sam Beale) (6:05)
- W. Morrissey defeated Eddie Edwards (11:00)
- FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) defeated Madman Fulton & Mahabali Shera (1:15)
- Chris Sabin defeated Moose (12:00)
- The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) defeated Violent By Design (Joe Doering & Rhino) (c) and Fallah Bahh & No Way and Rich Swann & Willie Mack in a Four Way Tag Team Match to win the Impact World Tag Team Championship (10:10)
- Deonna Purrazzo (c) defeated Thunder Rosa to retain the Impact Knockouts Championship (10:30)
- Kenny Omega (c) defeated Sami Callihan in a No Disqualification Match to retain the Impact World Championship (27:45)
Other on-screen talent[]
|
|
External links[]
2021 Impact Wrestling pay-per-views/Impact Plus Monthly Specials |
---|
Genesis • Hard to Kill • No Surrender • Sacrifice • Hardcore Justice • Rebellion • Under Siege • Against All Odds • Slammiversary • Homecoming • Emergence • Victory Road • Knockouts Knockdown • Bound for Glory • Turning Point • Throwback Throwdown II |
Slammiversary |
---|
III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • XII • XIII • XIV • XV • XVI • XVII • XVIII • XIX • XX • XXI • XXII |