Implemented in 2005, at a time when Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) was beginning to carry out monthly pay-per-views, Sacrifice took place in August in its inaugural edition, but between 2006 and 2012 it took place in May and, after passing through April ( 2014 and 2016) and February (2020), it stabilized in February since 2021.
However, only between 2005 and 2014 was it carried out as a premium event. In 2016 it was performed as a special episode of Impact! and since 2020 it functions as a special event, broadcast exclusively on Impact Plus and YouTube.
It is therefore worth checking out our list of the ten best matches in Sacrifice history, in chronological order.
Sacrifice 2005: Jerry Lynn vs. Sean Waltman
At the previous pay-per-view, No Surrender, Jerry Lynn was named the guest referee of a match between AJ Styles and Sean Waltman, with Styles winning after Lynn’s help.
On the July 22 episode of Impact! , Waltman accused Lynn of trying to steal the limelight from him, while Lynn claimed credit for Waltman’s success, claiming that he was the one who helped launch Waltman into the pro wrestling industry thanks to a series of matches between the two that were highly acclaimed by the public. criticism. That segment ended with Waltman challenging Lynn to a match at Sacrifice, which Lynn accepted.
The match between the two was also promoted as a duel between two pioneers of the X Division style.
Sacrifice 2005: Finals of the 2005 TNA Super X Cup:
AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe
In the summer of 2005, TNA held the eight-man Super X Cup tournament to determine the top contender for the TNA X Division Championship .
Samoa Joe qualified for the final after eliminating Sonjay Dutt and Alex Shelley, meeting AJ Styles, who had eliminated Matt Bentley and Petey Williams.
Sacrifice 2005: Jeff Jarrett and Rhino vs. Raven and Sabu
(If Jarrett pinned Raven, he would receive a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship; if Raven pinned Jarrett, Jarrett would not be able to challenge for the title for a year)
At the previous pay-per-view, No Surrender, Raven defeated Abyss in a No Surrender Dog Collar match to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. After the match, Jeff Jarrett distracted Raven, allowing Rhino to attack the champion from behind.
On the episode of TNA Impact! What followed, on July 22, Jarrett and Rhino claimed that Rhino had no allies to help him defend himself before they attacked him.
Cassidy Riley, who had sworn her loyalty to Raven and even helped him in No Surrender, was attacked by Rhino and Jarrett the following week. Afterwards, Raven announced that he had chosen a partner to team with him to face Jarrett and Rhino at Sacrifice. With that said, Sabu made his return to TNA, revealing himself as Raven’s partner, and immediately attacked Jarrett and Rhino.
Sacrifice 2006: NWA World Tag Team Championship:
America’s Most Wanted (Chris Harris and James Storm) (c) vs. AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels
Once enemies, AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels teamed up more frequently in mid-2006, forming part of a larger group of wrestlers who took on the villainous Planet Jarrett faction, which included world tag team champions America’s Most Wanted. (AMW).
At Lockdown, AJ Styles was part of Sting’s Warriors, who beat Planet Jarrett in a Lethal Lockdown match.
On the episode of Impact! that followed the event, Styles and Daniels reached an agreement to become partners and take the titles away from AMW.
In the first attempt, on the May 4 episode, AMW won, after interference from Gail Kim. However, a few minutes after the match it was announced that there would be a rematch for Sacrifice.
Sacrifice 2006: Sting and Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner
Sting returned to TNA in January 2006, but that same month he announced his retirement.
However, Jeff Jarrett and Eric Young suspected that Sting might not have withdrawn and sent Alex Shelley to Sting’s house to film him, but when Sting discovered Shelley he warned that he would be present at Destination X not as Sting, but as Steve Borden, his real name.
At Destination X, Sting appeared in chasuble clothing and without face paint to save Christian Cage and Rhino from an attack at the hands of the Planet Jarrett faction, having Jarrett trapped in a Scorpion Deathlock before being attacked by newcomer Scott Steiner.
At Lockdown, Sting’s Warriors (Sting, AJ Styles , Ron Killings and Rhino) defeated Jeff Jarrett’s Army (Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, Chris Harris and James Storm) in a Lethal Lockdown match.
After Lockdown, Sting began looking for partners to help him defeat Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner once and for all. After considering Lex Luger, Buff Bagwell and Rick Steiner as options, he settled on Samoa Joe .
Sacrifice 2007: TNA X Division Championship :
Chris Sabin (c) vs. Jay Lethal vs. Sonjay Dutt
Champion since beating former champion Christopher Daniels and Jerry Lynn at Final Resolution in January 2007, Sabin defended the TNA X Division Championship against Lynn at Against All Odds and Destination X.
On the April 5 episode of Impact! , manager Jim Cornette announced an Xscape match between Chris Sabin , Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Alex Shelley and Shark Boy for the TNA X Division Championship at Lockdown, with Sabin winning and retaining the title.
However, on the April 26 episode, a four-way tag team match took place to determine which two fighters would face Sabin for the title, with Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal winning, much to the sins of Alex Shelley and Kaz, Shark Boy and Senshi and Jerry Lynn and Petey Williams .
Sacrifice 2007: Texas Deathmatch:
Chris Harris vs. James Storm
On the December 14, 2006 episode, America’s Most Wanted (Chris Harris and James Storm) faced the tag team champions LAX in a titles vs. team match , in which the members of the AMW had to separate in case of defeat. AMW lost, but split up while the match was still in progress, with Storm deliberately hitting Harris with a beer bottle.
Almost a month later, on the January 11th episode, Harris hinted in an interview with Mike Tenay that his career could be over and the truth is that he was not seen on television until the Against All Odds pay-per- view , when appeared with a patch in one eye attacked Storm. In the weeks that followed, Harris continued to constantly attack Storm and revealed that his eyesight was down to 30%, due to the impact of the beer bottle on his face, and that he was going to get revenge on Storm.
At Lockdown, Storm defeated Harris in a Six Sides of Steel Blindfold match, in which both fought blindfolded.
However, Harris revealed that his eyesight had been restored, and a Texas Death match was scheduled between the two for Sacrifice.
Sacrifice 2012: Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles
On the April 19 episode of Impact! , Kurt Angle defeated AJ Styles but was not very satisfied, since this victory was the result of a distraction that Christopher Daniels and Kazarian caused to Styles , who received a paper document from both of them that contained apparently confidential information.
The following week, Angle threatened to take action against Daniels and Kazarian if they interfered in one of his matches again. Angle would even join Daniels and Kazarian for a six-man tag team match , but at the end of the match, which ended in defeat, he fell out with Daniels.
That said, another match between AJ Styles and Kurt Angle was scheduled for Sacrifice.
Sacrifice 2012: Ladder match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship :
Bobby Roode (c) vs. Rob Van Dam
At Lockdown, Bobby Roode defeated James Storm in a Steel Cage match to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
On the following episode of Impact Wrestling , Rob Van Dam defeated Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson in a triple threat match to become the top contender for the title .
Three days from Sacrifice, on the May 10 episode, as a result of a brawl between Roode , RVD , Hardy and Anderson, General Manager Hulk Hogan set up a four way match between the four, with the following stipulations: whether Anderson or Hardy won, replaced RVD in Sacrifice; if Roode won, he could choose his opponent; and if RVD won, he could choose the title match stipulation . And Van Dam won, having chosen to face the champion in a Ladder match .