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We're a few days away from IMPACT Wrestling's Slammiversary event. One of the major PPVs that have been with IMPACT since the NWA-TNA days, this pay-per-view helped breathe new life into the promotion during the pandemic. Each Slammiversary since 2020 rolled out can't-miss cards.
To prepare viewers for the event, IMPACT gave fans a strong go-home show on Thursday, including a stellar opener between Chris Bey and the recently returned Rascal Zachary Wentz. Deonna Purrazzo looked great in her main event bout with Jody Threat, picking up steam before her title defense against Trinity this weekend.
We'll get into all that, along with the hint of a certain stable making a return at Slammiversary. We're starting things off with a message from the National Treasure Nick Aldis.
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#5. Nick Aldis relives his rise to the top of IMPACT Wrestling before his world title match
During a vignette hyping up his match with IMPACT Wrestling World Champion Alex Shelley, Aldis stated that his first goal upon joining the promotion again was to go after the gold. When he showed up in April, he claimed that he wanted to fight up the ladder to earn that shot.
Unfortunately for Alex Shelley, Aldis wasn't the honorable man he claimed to be. He blindsided the champion weeks ago after securing the number one contendership at Against All Odds:
"I've become synonymous with being a world champion. That's not something I'm telling you, that's something the business is telling you."
Nick Aldis is a man that knows his worth and states that Shelley is special because he's a world champion, but he wasn't special before the belt. He was irritated that Shelley kept claiming the Machine Guns built IMPACT Wrestling, going over his list of accomplishments and victories. Sting, AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe, and more have all fallen to Aldis, and that was before Aldis hit his prime.
Aldis's motivation going into Slammiversary is that he's already a proven commodity, a proven world champion that can elevate IMPACT Wrestling. It's Alex Shelley that has to prove him and the industry wrong.
#4. Is Team Canada returning to IMPACT Wrestling?
One of IMPACT Wrestling's most important shows during the pandemic was their Slammiversary 2020 show. In an effort to promote an event that would be suffering with no fans, IMPACT began airing videos hinting at multiple surprises for the show. Team Canada, Aces & 8's, and Beer Money, along with recently released WWE Superstars like Miro.
While not all of the names teased were there that night, it got eyes on the promotion and delivered enough to be considered a success. Every Slammiversary since, the IMPACT faithful have waited to see what classic TNA acts or new stars would be joining the promotion.
While we haven't got much in the way of teases this year, the latest episode of IMPACT Wrestling made it pretty obvious that we'd be seeing some version of Team Canada on July 15th. Dreamer was seen talking to someone on the phone, revealing that PCO would not be able to tag with him at the show. As he hung up, the camera cut to his old Team Canada jersey and jacket.
Considering Bobby Roode and Petey Williams have been working at WWE for some time now, and Young reportedly signed with them back in November. Still, D'Amore's words seem to tease some kind of return from the brink of death:
"Look, we've tried everything, and apparently this time PCO can't come back to life. So the question is...can you?"
When it comes to that clue, there are two possibilities that I can see. Either Eric Young, who was "killed off" by Deaner back in 2022, saves his former coach, or Team Canada gets a new member in the returning Josh Alexander.
The former world champion does have a history with Bully Ray, but Eric Young and Deaner could bring a lot of heat to this match. We'll have to wait and see what Scott D'Amore has up his sleeves.
#3. "Speedball" Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight preview the X-Division #1 contender's match
We've seen a lot of talent from NJPW pop up in IMPACT Wrestling in recent years, and a great surprise in recent months has been Kevin Knight. The 26-year-old star started with NJPW in 2020 as a Young Lion at the LA Dojo.
After failing to win the Super Junior Tag League with Kushida, the two began appearing in IMPACT together. Knight's been gaining a lot of attention in the promotion despite his losses. Matches with Ace Austin, Chris Bey, and Trey Miguel, he's continued to impress the IMPACT faithful.
This night was no different. Though he failed to beat "Speedball" Mike Bailey, he had an incredible showing against the promotion's breakout star of 2023. Knight brought the fight to the striker, hitting Bailey with some impressive shots of his own.
Seriously, he's got height on that dropkick that will leave your jaw on the floor.
Wrapping up another fantastic X-Division match, Knight finally fell to the tornado kick and Ultima Weapon, Bailey's shooting star double knee drop. As the Atlanta crowd proudly chanted, this match was awesome.
Both Knight and Bailey compete on Slammiversary when they face Jonathan Gresham, Angels, and Knight's tag partner Kushida for a shot at the IMPACT Wrestling X-Division Championship.
#2. Chris Bey played by The Rascalz
IMPACT Wrestling started off strong with a one-on-one bout between Bullet Club's Chris Bey and returning Rascal Zachary Wentz. A little over a year after his departure from NXT, Wentz is back with Trey Miguel, and the duo have their eyes on tag team gold.
It was an exciting, fast-paced start to IMPACT, which is to be expected of two X-Division vets like Bey and Wentz. Trey Miguel would try to interfere on several occasions only to be stopped by Bey's tag team champion partner Ace Austin.
Wentz took the former X-Division Champion to the limit and, thanks to Trey Miguel's spray can, was able to catch Bey with a cheap shot. After that, a snapmare driver ended Bey's night.
With a victory like that, could The Rascalz be in line for a shot at the IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Titles? Though they're not in the four-way tag match for the gold at Slammiversary, Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz could be wearing the championships before the year's end.
#1. Deonna Purrazzo and Trinity come to blows following a Title vs. Streak match
IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts World Champion Deonna Purrazzo came face-to-face with an intense competitor in Jody Threat in this week's main event. The Wild Child put her undefeated streak up against Purrazzo's belt and looked like a strong contender despite the submission loss.
The Virtuosa is now the true top of the mountain. With Mickie James injured and Jordynne Grace's contract expiring in May, Deonna Purrazzo is the clear top talent in IMPACT Wrestling for now.
Someone of that caliber facing a star with an undefeated streak almost always leads to an exciting TV match, and this was no exception. Purrazzo and Threat have solid chemistry. Countering the F416 into Venus Demilo, Purrazzo was able to tap out Threat in a good ten-minute contest.
However, Threat took a back seat here as the focus was more on Purrazzo and her challenger Trinity. Following the match, the Shawntourage (Gisele Shaw, Savannah Evans, and Jai Vidal) rushed to the ring to attack both competitors. They were stopped by the Death Dollz, only for tag champions The Coven to intervene.
Out next were number one contenders Masha Slamovich and Killer Kelly. Eventually, Trinity joined the fray as security followed shortly thereafter. Though Purrazzo and Trinity cleaned house, they too came to blows days ahead of their Knockouts World Championship match.
IMPACT Wrestling made sure the final in-ring segment focused on the Knockouts division as they could once again steal the show this Saturday. The Coven's titles could go to the new and popular duo of Killer Kelly and Masha Slamovich, and Jody Threat looks to get her momentum back with a six-person tag match where she'll join the Death Dollz against the Shawntourage.
The most important match on the card, though, has to be Trinity's first championship bout since she and Mercedes Moné left the WWE Women's Tag Titles when they walked out of a RAW taping. With Moné already a former IWGP Women's Champion, can Trinity bring more gold to Team B.A.D?
