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IMPACT Wrestling presented the 29th edition of Slammiversary on July 17, 2021 in front of a limited crowd. The show was a success, as almost every match delivered and there were a ton of surprises.
The main event left us with more questions than answers as stars from New Japan Pro Wrestling made their way to revive old feuds.
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The Ultimate X match was just as everyone expected - a super entertaining car wreck from start to finish as Josh Alexander walked out victorious,
Titles in the tag team division changed hands for both men and women while Chris Sabin scored a massive victory on his return. Thunder Rosa was revealed to be Deonna Purrazzo's challenger for the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Championship at Slammiversary and the two women put on a clinic.
The main event was a violent affair between two of the greatest stars of their respective companies as Sami Callihan pulled out all the stops to dethrone Kenny Omega and bring the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship back to his company but ultimately fell just short.
Let's take a look at all the matches individually:
#9. Slammiversary Pre-Show: Fire 'N Flava vs Havok and Rosemary (IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Tag Team Championship)
The pre-show saw a long video package recapping the rivalries heading into Slammiversary and looking at the history of IMPACT Wrestling. The solitary match kicked off 15 minutes before Slammiversary officially started as the Knockouts Tag Team Championships were on the line.
The champions dominated proceedings for a long stretch, isolating Rosemary before the Demon Assassin tagged in Havok. Havok unloaded on her opponents before an errant shoulder in the ring post stopped her carnage.
However, she recovered and countered Kiera Hogan's sleeper hold into a tombstone piledriver to pin Hogan and become the tag team champion.
The match got the crowd going and the babyfaces winning meant Slammiversary was off to a good start.
Grade: B+
#8. Ultimate X match for the IMPACT Wrestling X-Division Championship at Slammiversary 2021
Josh Alexander defended his title against Ace Austin, Chris Bey, Rohit Raju, Petey Williams, and Trey Miguel in the signature match of the X-Division at Slammiversary.
The Ultimate X Match was the right choice to open Slammiversary 2021 as it set the bar for the rest of the show. The match was filled with creative spots, high-flying offense, and never dropped in energy or intensity.
Each man got an opportunity to showcase their offense, and Alexander just about managed to retain his title at Slammiversary.
The crowd was hot from start to finish, cheering every move, and the right person went over. That the match type hadn't been seen in two years helped elevate the contest even more.
Grade: A
#7. Brian Myers and Tenille Dashwood vs Matt Cardona and Mystery Opponent at Slammiversary 2021
Lauren van Ness, aka Chelsea Green, returned to IMPACT Wrestling to team up with Matt Cardona against the team of Tenille Dashwood and Brian Myers.
Cardona and Myers got the action started as Myers got the upper hand following a flatliner on the ramp. After wearing down Cardona for a while, Green finally got tagged in. She delivered an impressive destroyer to Myers before planting the Unprettier on Dashwood to make a triumphant return to IMPACT Wrestling.
The match was a fun sprint, and the babyfaces got the win to make the crowd happy. Where they go from here remains to be seen, but it was a return to remember for Chelsea Green at Slammiversary 2021.
Grade: C+
#6. Eddie Edwards vs W. Morrissey
The undefeated monster W. Morrissey looked to keep his unbeaten streak alive at Slammiversary against the heart and soul of IMPACT Wrestling, Eddie Edwards.
Morrissey dominated the early proceedings, not allowing Edwards to get in any sustained offense. The first painful spot saw the big man chokeslam Edwards on the ring apron.
Edwards had to dig deep to get out of a powerbomb attempt on the ramp as he dropped Morrissey on his back and finally got in some sustained pressure.
Morrissey kicked out of the Blue Thunder Bomb and struck Edwards with a chain wrapped around his hand, followed it up with a powerbomb, and picked up a hard-fought win.
The finish protected Edwards, but the win was huge for Morrissey as IMPACT Wrestling continues to build him as a monster. The match was a hard-hitting affair that accomplished what it intended to.
Grade: B+
#5. FinJuice return at Slammiversary; FinJuice vs Mahabali Shera and Madman Fulton
In an impromptu match, FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson) took on Shera and Fulton in a tag team contest at Slammiversary.
Shera and Fulton interrupted an interview with the IMPACT Wrestling superfan, causing Scott D'Amore to book them in a match against the returning FinJuice.
The former IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team champions made short work of the big men, winning in under two minutes to make an appearance on Slammiversary and pop the crowd.
This wasn't their last impression on Slammiversary, though.
Grade: C+
#4. Chris Sabin vs Moose
The personal rivalry between IMPACT Wrestling legend Chris Sabin and the "Wrestling God" Moose culminated in a match at Slammiversary.
Sabin started off at a furious pace before Moose wrested the momentum in his favor with some nasty chops to the chest and a painful dropkick to the face. Moose swung Sabin against the barricade repeatedly, but a high-risk moonsault didn't pay off as Sabin moved out of the way.
More back and forth action ensued before Sabin rolled up Moose for the upset victory. The match continued the night's streak of excellent, hard-hitting bouts, but the fluky ending hurt it slightly.
Grade: B
#3. VBD vs Good Brothers vs Rich Swann and Willie Mack vs Fallah and Mystery Partner (IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Championship); No Way Jose makes debut at Slammiversary
TJP could not make it to Slammiversary, which meant another surprise was on the cards as to who would partner Fallah for the four-way match for the IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Championship.
As it turned out, the mystery partner was No Way.
No Way Jose exploded into the match, showing off his offense as the action spilled to ringside. A Battle of the Hosses saw Joe Doering and Luke Gallows trade hard rights in the middle of the ring before other competitors made their way back into the match.
The ending sequence saw the Good Brothers hit the Magic Killer on Rhino to pick up the win and become the new champions at Sammiversary.
The match felt slightly rushed and was restricted by its stipulation as four-way tag matches are tricky to pull off. VBD losing their titles at Slammiversary felt a little premature as well.
Grade: C-
#2. Deonna Purrazzo vs Mystery Opponent (IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Championship)
The Virtuosa made her way to the ring to find out who will be challenging her on Slammiversary. The titantron flashed Thunder Rosa as the former NWA Women's champion entered the IMPACT Zone.
The match started with Thunder Rosa looking for a quick pin. Purrazzo repeatedly worked Rosa's arm and looked to lock in her Fujiwara armbar submission hold, but Rosa countered every time.
She delivered a double stomp from the top rope to the champion for a near fall. Rosa went for a Thunder Driver, but Purrazzo countered, hit the Queen Gambit Piledriver to pick up a massive win, and retained her Knockouts Championship.
Mickie James made her way to the ring and offered Deonna a spot in her new promotion that The Virtuosa disrespectfully declined. This likely sets up a post-Slammiversary angle between the two.
Thunder Rosa was one of the biggest surprises on Slammiversary. She managed to get in a ton of offense and had The Virtuosa on the backfoot for large stretches of the bout, a rare sight. The finish felt slightly abrupt, though taking the match down a notch. Regardless, it was one of the best matches on Slammiversary.
Grade: A-
#1. Sami Callihan vs Kenny Omega (No-DQ match for the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship); Jay White appears on Slammiversary
The most anticipated bout of the evening saw The Death Machine take on The Best Bout Machine. Don Callis got on commentary as the crowd chanted, "you got fired."
Callihan got an immediate near fall with a piledriver to start off the match. He followed it up with a chin lock and an attempted forehead stabbing with a fork. Omega countered, but Callihan busted him open with a pizza cutter anyway.
Omega made a comeback, jabbing Callihan in the head with the fork before smashing various objects against his head.
Callihan produced a steel chair wrapped in barbed wire, but Omega powerbombed him onto it for a near fall. Callihan hit a tombstone on the chair, but Omega kicked out.
Eddie Edwards and Chris Sabin prevented the Good Brothers from interfering as Kenny Omega hit a couple of thumbtack-assisted V-Triggers, but Callihan still powered out. But a One-Winged Angel onto the thumbtacks earned him the win as he retained his title.
Post-match, Jay White interrupted the Elite's celebrations before FinJuice attempted to attack Switchblade as the show went off the air.
The match was every bit as violent as expected, and both men came out of Slammiversary looking like absolute warriors. The post-match staredown between White and Omega made the next episode of IMPACT Wrestling unmissable and put an emphatic end to another great Slammiversary.
Grade: A
