Held annually in June or July since 2002, Slammiversary is the pay-per-view that marks the anniversary of Impact Wrestling (formerly TNA). Highly promoted during the weeks leading up to it, the PPV main event between 2004 and 2010 was a King of the Mountain match, an inverted ladder match, between five fighters, in which the NWA World Heavyweight Championship or its successor, the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. After a few years of hiatus, the gimmick match returned in 2015 but did not take place again. In 2018, the event was held for the first time outside the United States, in Toronto, Canada. That’s why it’s worth checking out our list of the ten best Slammiversary matches ever, in chronological order.
Slammiversary Matches: 2007
King of the Mountain match for the vacant TNA World Heavyweight Championship:
Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles vs. Christian Cage vs. Chris Harris
At Sacrifice in May, Kurt Angle beat Sting and Christian Cage to be crowned champion by making Sting fold…while Sting made a settlement in Cage. The controversial ending to the match led to Cage and Sting claiming the title and director Jim Cornette snatching the belt from Angle. To determine the new holder of the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Cornette announced that a King of the Mountain match would be played at Slammiversary.
The five contestants were determined in qualifying matches: Angle beat Rhino, Samoa Joe beat Sting, AJ Styles beat Tomko, and Christian Cage got the better of Abyss. Chris Harris, who had not gone beyond a double disqualification in a match against James Storm, was chosen by Cornette to participate in the title match.
Kurt Angle defeated Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, Christian Cage and Chris Harris
Slammiversary Matches: VIII (2010)
Kurt Angle vs. Khazarian
Back to Impact! On May 20, after more than a month’s absence, Kurt Angle began his world title race by fighting in several matches counting towards a ranking that would determine the main contender for the belt at Bound For Glory. And Angle’s first opponent was precisely Kazarian, at Slammiversary VIII.
Kurt Angle defeated Kazarian (14:15)
Slammiversary Matches: IX (2011)
Last Man Standing match: Bully Ray vs. AJ Styles
During a four-way match on Impact Wrestling’s weekly show, Bully Ray Powerbombed AJ Styles from the stage onto a set of tables, which seriously injured the Phenomenal One.
The Fortune faction, led by Styles, then enlisted the help of an old friend of their leader, Christopher Daniels, to replace him at Lockdown in a Lethal Lockdown match against the Immortals. And the Fortune (Christopher Daniels, James Storm, Kazarian and Robert Roode) ended up defeating the Immortals (Abyss, Bully Ray, Matt Hardy and Ric Flair) with the help of Styles, who returned to attack Bully Ray.
Meanwhile, the rivalry between Styles and Ray continued, with Tommy Dreamer also getting involved, applying a Piledriver that re-injured Styles’ neck. Styles and Dreamer faced off at Sacrifice, in a No Holds Barred match that the Phenomenal One came very close to winning, but ended up losing after Bully Ray interfered, planting Styles on a table.
Styles took revenge by winning, along with Christopher Daniels, a Street Fight against Dreamer and Ray’s team. However, the war of words between Styles and Ray continued, with both deciding to face each other in a Last Man Standing at Slammiversary.
Styles lays Ray across the table, then goes back up to the entrance ramp. Styles goes to the ramp, then jump off onto a supporting truss. Styles climbs the truss going about 20 feet up before launching himself off with a huge flying elbow, sending himself and Ray crashing through the table. Styles gets up to his feet at six, but he’s kicked through part of the stage by Ray. The ref continues counting, and Ray is able to make it to his feet, barely, before falling back to his feet. So even though Styles got back to his feet, Ray is declared the winner.
Bully Ray is the Last Man Standing
Slammiversary Matches: X (2012)
TNA World Tag Team Championship:
Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) (c) vs. AJ Styles and Kurt Angle
In April, Daniels and Kazarian began threatening that they would expose Styles’ secret if he didn’t reveal it. The following month, and since Styles said nothing, Kazarian and Daniels revealed an alleged romantic relationship between the Phenomenal One and TNA President Dixie Carter through the use of private footage and photographs. At Sacrifice, Styles was defeated by Kurt Angle via submission and after the match, he was attacked by Kazarian and Daniels. However, Angle saved Styles.
On the May 17 episode of Impact Wrestling, Styles won the Open Fight Night Qualifier Battle Royal which gave him the right to fight for a title of his choice. After the match, Styles stated that his relationship with Dixie was strictly professional and that they each had their own marriage, but Daniels intervened and claimed that their relationship exceeded their professional relationship, as a video showed the two together in a hotel. The following week, Styles challenged Bobby Roode for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, but was not focused and was defeated. A week later, Styles beat Daniels, but after the match, he was attacked by Daniels and Kazarian. However, Angle returned to save the Phenomenal One, and it was announced that the four would face off in a tag team title match at Slammiversary.
AJ Styles and Kurt Angle defeated Kaz and Daniels (c) (New Champions)
Slammiversary Matches: XI (2013)
AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle
In March 2013, AJ Styles returned to TNA after a three-month hiatus and revealed a darker, quieter, and lonelier personality after some setbacks in the past. Some fighters, including Aces & Eights, James Storm, Bad Influence, Hulk Hogan, Sting and Kurt Angle tried to give me a hand, but to no avail.
However, Angle was shown to be irritated by Styles’ behaviour, who did not choose to support either party in the war between TNA and the Aces & Eights faction, which led to a brawl between the two. Hulk Hogan then gave up on calling Styles to reason and put him in a match against Kurt Angle at Slammiversary.
Kurt Angle defeated AJ Styles (15:40)
Slammiversary Matches: XVI (2018)
5150 Street Fight for the Impact World Tag Team Championship:
The Latin American Xchange (Santana and Ortiz) vs. The OGz (Hernandez and Homicide)
In March 2017, LAX reformed, with the faction consisting of Homicide, Santana, Ortiz, Diamante and manager Konnan. In May 2018, King became the newest member of the group and even assumed leadership the group at a time when Homicide, Diamante and Konnan were out of action. While leading, he helped Ortiz and Santana become tag team champions. In June, Konnan and Diamante returned to action, but we were suspicious of King’s intentions. On the July 5 episode of Impact, King admitted that he was the one who attacked Konnan to take control of the faction. King even tried to get Ortiz and Santana to recognize him as the group’s leader, but they rejected him and sided with Konnan. However, original LAX members, Hernandez and Homicide returned to Impact Wrestling and attacked Konnan, Ortiz and Santana, thus joining King and forming The OGz.
The Latin American Xchange (Santana and Ortiz) (with Konnan) (c) defeated The OGz (Hernandez and Homicide) (with King)
Slammiversary Matches: XVI (2018)
Máscara contra cabellera | Mask vs. Hair Match:
Pentagon Jr. (Mask) vs. Sami Callihan (Hair)
During the spring and summer of 2018, the two old acquaintances Pentagón Jr. and Sami Callihan, who had clashed numerous times at various promoters, clashed in Impact Wrestling, at a time when their groups Ohio Versus Everything (from Callihan) and The Lucha Brothers (Pentagón Jr.) were also involved in a feud. , and decided to fight with a different stipulation: mask vs. hair.
Winner: Pentagon Jr. via Pinfall (Sami Callihan will get his head shaved)
Slammiversary Matches: XVI (2018)
Impact World Championship: Austin Aries (c) vs. Moose
At the Under Pressure event, broadcast on May 31, Austin Aries turned heel for the first time in two years and used a low blow to defeat Pentagón Jr. and become Impact’s world champion for the third time. However, Moose beat Eli Drake at the House of Hardcore 43 event and became the leading contender for the title.
Winner: Austin Aries via Pinfall to retain the Impact World Championship
Slammiversary Matches: XVII (2019)
Impact World Championship: Brian Cage (c) vs. Michael Elgin
Michael Elgin debuted in Impact Wrestling at the Rebellion pay-per-view in late April, having confronted and attacked Brian Cage moments after he became world champion. On the May 3 episode of Impact, at a time when Cage was still recovering from the attack he had been targeted, Elgin defeated Johnny Impact and Pentagón Jr. to become the leading contender for the title.
Winner: Brian Cage retains his IMPACT World Championship by defeating Michael Elgin via pinfall.
Slammiversary Matches: XVII (2019)
Intergender Match: Sami Callihan vs. Tessa Blanchard
During the first months of 2019, Tessa Blanchard started to get involved in some intergender fights. After the oVe (Dave and Jake Crist) defeated Scarlett Bordeaux and Fallah Bahh on the June 7 episode of Impact, the Crist brothers continued to attack the two women, but Tessa Blanchard went to the ring to make the save under the watchful eye of Sami Callihan. From there, Callihan pursued Blanchard and the two engaged in verbal and physical confrontations, which led to a match between the two being scheduled for Slammiversary XVII.
Winner: Sami Callihan defeats Tessa Blanchard via pinfall with a piledriver.