Well, it’s been a little over a week since this year’s Slammiversary took place on pay per view and before we officially get on the road to Bound For Glory, I think we should look back and some of the biggest and newsworthy moments to come out of Impact Wrestling’s biggest event of the Summer.
So with that being said, here is my list of the Top 10 Moments from Slammiversary 2023…
#10. Tag Match Announced For Multiverse United 2 & SANADA Returns
Starting off this list, we have a few major announcements regarding two events that Impact Wrestling will be having in the Month of August.
The first surrounds a tag team match between former X Division Champion, Trey Miguel teaming up with the Bad Child of Professional Wrestling, Lio Rush against the team of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Hiromu Takahashi and another former X Division Champion in “Speedball” Mike Bailey.
This match is scheduled to take place at Multiverse United 2: For Whom The Bell Tolls on August 20th which for those who aren’t aware is Impact’s second co-promoted event with NJPW to take place this year.
The second announcement came seconds later on the show when it was revealed that the current IWGP New Japan World Heavyweight Champion, Sanada will be competing at Impact’s other event taking place in August: Emergence.
While it is currently unknown who Sanada will face on August 27th at the event, what is known is that this isn’t the first time Sanada has competed for Impact as the current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion was first introduced to mainstream audiences thanks to his time in TNA. Some of his biggest highlights being the first Japanese-born wrestler to win the X Division title and taking part in the main event of Bound For Glory 2015 alongside James Storm against the team of Tajiri and The Great Muta.
#9. Jake Something Returns
The Pay per view officially got underway with the company’s signature Ultimate X match which included names like Mike Bailey, Kevin Knight, KUSHIDA, Johnathan Gresham and Alan Angels. Just before the match could get underway there was a secret sixth entrant in this match.
Once the familiar sounds of: What’s..My..Name!!! began to echo throughout the building and appear on the titantron, out came Jake Something who hadn’t been seen in Impact since his release last year following his stellar bouts within the X Division.
Jake’s surprise return understandably popped the crowd in the St. Clair College in Windsor Ontario and the match itself didn’t disappoint with Something’s raw, brute strength being on display in various parts of the match.
Jake Something RETURNS as SURPRISE Ultimate X Entrant | Slammiversary 2023 Highlights – YouTube
#8. The K-I-N-G is now the D-M-C
As one of two preshow matches to take place at Countdown to Slammiversary, Kenny King along with his prodigy Sheldon Jean at ringside took on the reigning and defending Digital Media Champion, Joe Hendry.
After weeks of Hendry bringing up Kenny’s previous work as a male stripper and getting heckled by the fans with chants of “Take it off”, the former X Division Champion was looking for some payback.
Now considering many of Joe Hendry’s feuds over the last several months have seen him make parody songs about his enemies before coming out on top. When the time came to retain the title, many fans (myself included) expected the same thing to happen again.
However, the last few Slammiversary preshows have seen new champions crowned so the possibility of a new champion is there and considering the title of this entry, you can probably see how this turned out.
In the end, Kenny with the help of Sheldon Jean defeated Joe Hendry in an upset victory to become the brand new IMPACT Wrestling Digital Media Champion.
Kenny King is NEW Digital Media Champion | Slammiversary 2023 Highlights – YouTube
#7. MK Ultra Win The KO Tag Titles
From one title change taking place on the preshow to one taking place on the official card.
The violent, yet at the same time almost voyeuristic pairing of Masha Slamovich and Killer Kelly now known as ‘MK Ultra’ took on the team of Taylor Wilde and KiLynn King of The Coven for the Knockouts Tag Team Championship.
Both teams put on a good performance with the challengers showing that they do have some chemistry inside the squared circle. It all culminated in Masha and Kelly picking up their first-ever win as a team and winning their first set of championships as part of the Impact Wrestling roster.
#6. Eric Young’s Back from the Dead
More tag team action as we talk about the highly anticipated bout between Bully Ray, Scott D’Amore and their respective tag team partners.
Since the sudden shake-up of the match following the announcement of Steve Maclin’s injury and PCO going down in a Blaze of Glory, Bully’s new partner in the form of The Design’s Deaner took on D’Amore and a returning Eric Young sporting a traditional Team Canada jacket.
While the explanation of how E.Y. survived being stabbed by Deaner will probably never get resolved in a sensible way…but, then again this is wrestling we’re talking about, It’s great to see the former World Champion make his return to the company.
Eric Young RETURNS in Team Canada Reunion | Slammiversary 2023 Highlights – YouTube
#5. Ohhh Canada!!!
The closing moments of the D’Amore/Young vs. Bully/Deaner match saw former Team Canada member, A-1 taking care of the Design’s Big Kon. Before Eric Young and special guest enforcer, Darren McCarty grabbed Bully Ray in position for D’Amore to hit ‘The Whassup’ much to the discomfort of Bully and his balls.
After a double chokeslam into a table by Scott and McCarthy, Deaner attempts to use the Team Canada flag only to backfire and end up on the receiving end of an elbow drop from the top rope by Eric Young.
Overall a good day for the people of Canada and a big win for the former members of Team Canada.
FULL Slammiversary 2023 Highlights – Order the PPV Replay NOW! – YouTube
#4. SubCulture Wins the Tag Titles
The four-way tag match between Moose and Myers, Swann and Callihan, SubCulture and defending champions, Ace and Bey for the Impact World Tag Team Titles were actioned packed from beginning to end. Most expected the ABC to work out still the Tag champs…however, if there is a tagline to this PPV it would be: ‘Subverting Expectations‘.
Just it appears that Ace Austin and Chris Bey were set to retain their titles out came Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz cost ABC the chance to score the victory, thus opening the door for another team to pick up the win.
Following a springboard seaton to the outside by Flash Morgan Webster, his partner Mark Andrews hit the Shooting Star Press leading to SubCulture becoming the new World Tag Team Champions and the first-born wrestlers to win the tag titles since The British Invasion.
#3. Trinity: Knockouts Championship
Slammiversary 2023 was just a night of title changes as the Digital Media, Knockouts Tag and World Tag Team matches saw new champions crowned. This first-time-ever matchup between Trinity and Deonna Purrazzo was no different.
While the match itself didn’t really live up to the hype, you can’t say it wasn’t good and the finish in which technical wrestler and submission specialist, Deonna Purrazzo tapped out to Trinity’s Starstruck submission move was certainly a sight to see.
Trinity’s win at Slammiversary makes her the fourth woman outside of Mickie James, Tara and Gail Kim to win the WWE Women’s Championship and the Knockouts World Championship in their careers. In Trinity’s case, she can say she won both belts at WWE’s and Impact’s biggest shows: Wrestlemania and Slammiversary.
#2. Lio Destroys Sabin and Becomes X Division Champion
Well, now this match did not turn out how anyone could’ve imagined…
The idea of Chris Sabin and Lio Rush going toe-to-toe inside the ring is a match that’s sure to get people talking and this X Division match certainly achieved that but not in the way people would have initially thought.
After Lio Rush made his way to the ring, Chris Sabin was the next to come out however The Bad Child decided to get the jump on his opponent and did so with a flurry of offence including a suicide dive which lead to Sabin suffering what appeared to be kayfabe head injures.
Following a few moments of the referee and a doctor checking on Sabin’s condition, all while Lio sat on the turnbuckle feeling very happy with himself, Sabin decides to shove the doctor away and go on with the match. Lio continued his attack on Sabin’s head before hitting not one but two frog splashes onto Sabin to secure the win and become the new X Division Champion in 90 seconds no less.
Josh Alexander, Lio Rush, and KUSHIDA Eye Championship Gold | IMPACT July 20, 2023 – YouTube
#1. The Return of the Walking Weapon
So after spending much of the night seeing a whole host of new champions being crowned, it stands to reason to think that Alex Shelley would lose the world title to “The National Treasure” Nick Aldis in the main event. But Impact once again subverted our expectations by having Shelley defeat Aldis in what would be the latter’s second-to-last match in his brief return to Impact.
However, before the show came to a close a surprise return came in the form of Josh Alexander who made his first appearance after vacating the world title due to a tricep injury a month earlier. The crowd popped, obviously, with Alexander uttering the words “I’m Back” leading many to speculate if we’ll get to see the rematch between Alexander and Shelley from Emergence 2022.
Josh Alexander RETURNS to Confront Alex Shelley | Slammiversary 2023 Highlights – YouTube
Josh Alexander’s First Comments After Shock Return | Slammiversary Post-Show – YouTube
What was your favourite moment or moments from Slammiveresarys 2023 and what was your favourite match on the card?
Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section and click the link below for more wrestling-related content: Lace ‘Em Up | Lace ‘Em Up (baminreallife.com)
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