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COMPLETE IMPACT WRESTLING SLAMMIVERSARY 2022 PPV COVERAGE

20 years ago, when NWA: TNA launched Don West was a big part of the promotion.  Today, a GoFundMe Campaign to assist West as he battles brain cancer is still ongoing, so donate at this link!

They went to a video message from AJ Styles, who wished Impact a happy anniversary.  He discussed the first-ever Impact bout, which he was in on the first PPV.  From there, Jeff Jarrett, Raven, The X-Division, Ultimate X, Elevation X, Kurt Angle and the match that "changed everything" with himself vs. Samoa Joe vs. Chris Daniels.  They were 6'5" but they changed wrestling.  The fans voted him most Impactful Wrestler and Most Impactful X-Division.  He'd still be AJ Styles but asked how Phenomenal would he be without Impact Wrestling?  He thanked WWE for letting him send this message because they realized how important this moment was for him.  He said he was raising a glass to Impact Wrestling.

Queen of the Mountain: Knockouts Champion Tasha Steelz vs. Mia Yim vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs.Chelsea Green with Mickie James as Special Enforcer.

RULES: First, competitors will need to achieve a pinfall or submission to qualify. Then, ladders will officially come into play as they attempt to set them up in order to scale to the top and deliver the championship, hanging it above the ring to signify that they are victorious as champion. A competitor who suffers a pinfall or submission will be banished to a penalty box for a period of time, unable to compete until being released, potentially losing their chance at winning.  Whew.

Tasha came out wearing a cowboy hat to screw with Mickie.  She ducked out early to let everyone else fight, instead setting some tables up at ringside.  They were a series of big dive spots early.  Green covered and pinned Steelz but there was some sort of miscommunication as the referee stopped even though Steelz didn't kick up, then counted three.  WHOOPS.  Green is eligible and Steelz goes to the box.

Steelz was locked in the penalty box with James also tossing Savannah Evans in.  Yim tried to pin Green but Purrazzo broke it up.  Grace and Yim beat down Purrazzo, teaming up.  A ladder was brought into the ring.  Tasha returned to the ring and took control, drilling Purrazzo and Yim.  Evans got involved but Mickie tossed her from ringside.  Mickie and Steelz argued.  Green tried to roll up Tasha for a two count.  Yim nailed a back suplex with a bridge for the pin.  Yim is now eligible.  Green goes to the box but not before she nailed Mickie.

Yim set up a ladder and tried to climb up but Purrazzo srtopped her.  Steelz and Grace battled on the top rope in the corner.  Yim knocked Purrazzo down and tried to climb up to hang the belt but Steelz dove off the top and drilled Yim with a cutter off the ladder.  Purrazzo locked on an armbar on Grace, then Steelz. Deonna forced Steelz to tap.  Deonna is eligible and Steelz goes to the box.

Grace was spotlighted, taking out Purrazzo and then skinning the cat back into the ring.  Chelsea drilled her with a back cracker.  The battle continued.  Green got the belt and was going to hang it but James pulled her down.  James handed it to Yim, who went to climb up but Deonna naiked her and slammed her onto a ladder on the mat with a powerbomb.  Deonna then suffered the same fate at the hand on Steelz.  Green drilled Steelz into the ladder.

Green and Purrazzo both climbed the ladder, seeking to each hang the ladder.  Yim shoved the ladder over. Purrazzo and Green crashed down into the tables at ringside.  It looked both horrifying and spectacular.  Grace and Tasha both pinned Yim, making themself both eligible.  With Yim being banished to the penalty box and the others destroyed in that ladder bump, Steelz and Grace battled.  Steelz tried to climb the ladder but was pulled off with a muscle buster and pinned.

Grace, all alone, made her way to the top of the ladder and hung the ladder, securing the Queen of the Mountain and the X-Division Championship.

Man, they left this all out there, despite the befuddling old school TNA rules.  This had some really hard bumps especially what Purrazzo and Green endured.

Gia Miller interviewed Goldilocks. NOOOOOO.  Goldilocks interviewed Gail Kim, who was voted the most Impactful Knockout in company history.  Gail thanked the fans and all the women that came before them.  She said the company gave women opportunity when no one else is.  Kim said she was so proud of how far they've come and praised Grace's title win.

Impact Wrestling Champion Josh Alexander vs. Eric Young with Deaner and Joe Doering.

Some nice back and forth wrestling early with Alexander showing his skills and keep Young at bay.  Since this was Nashville, it's a pretty split crowd.  Alexander and Young each missed moonsaults.  Young nailed a big lariat but Alexander gutted through it and went nose to nose.  They had some pretty hard looking strikes.  They are doing a lot of moves from Impact alumni, including Chris Daniels and Samoa Joe.  Deaner set up a table outside.  Alexander almost knocked Young off the apron through it.

Alexander and Young battled on the top.  Young sent him crashing to the ring.  Young nailed a flying elbow for a two count.  Alexander came back with a powerbomb and turned it into a standing deep Boston Crab.  Deaner got up on the apron but was knocked off.  They battled back and forth.  Alexander went for the anklelock but Young sent him into the buckles.  Young caught him with a Black Hole Slam for a two count.

Alexander was whipped into the corner but blasted out with a STO.  Alexander nailed a BME.  They battled back and forth.  Alexander nailed a Styles Clash for a two count and floated over into an anklelock.  Just as Young was going to tap, Deaner tossed yellow powder in the eyes of referee Brian Hebner, blinding him so he couldn't see the tap.  Alexander battled off Violent by Design.  NOT ONE BABYFACE wants to help him?

Alexander nailed an Olympic Slam off the apron on Doering, putting him through the table.  Deaner hit the ring and began waving the VBD flag.  Alexander grabbed the Canadian flag Scott D'Amore had earlier and attacked him with it, but was EL KABONGED by Young with a guitar in a very obvious shout out to Jeff Jarrett.  Alexander kicked out at the last second.

Young began ripping apart the canvas from the ring, exposing the wooden beams underneath.  He nailed an piledriver on the wood but Alexander kicked out at the last second.  They battled to the top.  Young went to piledriver off the ropes but Alexander grabbed his leg and sent him crashing down.  Young kicked out of a anklelock but was caught with a uranage and the C-4 Spike on the exposed wood for the pin.

Your winner and still Impact Champion, Josh Alexander!

An excellent match with a ton of shout-outs to past Impact stars, which was smartly set up with mentions of the talents all night on commentary and video packages.  As a match designed to top a celebratory throwback show, this was a perfect cap to the night.

 

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