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With Slammiversary fast approaching, Sami Callihan is gearing up for the biggest match of his career against Kenny Omega for the IMPACT World Championship.
It couldn't be a more peculiar weekend for die-hard wrestling fans than this one. WWE's Money in the Bank will be taking place the day after Slammiversary concludes. Surprisingly, both events will mark the return of the live audience.
WWE previously welcomed their fans back only once at WrestleMania earlier this year. For IMPACT Wrestling, fans will be returning for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic era began.
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Heading into the July 17th pay-per-view, everyone is eyeing whether IMPACT Wrestling will reclaim their top prize or not. For Sami Callihan, this opportunity is not only about himself but also for the promotion he's currently working with.
The promotion has been languishing since April 25th earlier this year when Kenny Omega snatched away their top championship by defeating Rich Swann.
On top of that, The Best Bout Machine has only defended it once since then against Moose last month. The match saw the Young Bucks hindering Moose's path to victory.
Given the circumstances, Sami Callihan needs to grab his company's gold this Saturday.
That said, let's take a look at 3 reasons why Sami Callihan should dethrone Kenny Omega and 2 why he shouldn't.
#5. Should: Sami Callihan winning the IMPACT World Championship will be a surreal moment in front of returning fans
Sami Callihan winning the IMPACT World Championship in front of a jam-packed center will give fans an exhilarating reception on their return.
For 17 long months, the company has been holding its weekly episodes in front of empty arenas. While most of promotions have gone through the same scenario, no one suffered the way IMPACT Wrestling did in terms of ratings.
The company recently witnessed a record-low viewership since shifting to AXS TV a few years ago. The reason could be not having an IMPACT Wrestling star holding the top prize.
Although Kenny Omega does feature on their weekly shows, fans' interest is slowly getting diminished from their storyline. Especially given the fact that The Cleaner has only defended it once as his reign moves closer to three months.
Even if IMPACT Wrestling has benefitted from its partnership with AEW, it is about time they start focusing more on elevating the status of the promotion on its own.
The only way to do it is by grabbing headlines with Sami Callihan ending their marquee event. The company wouldn't want a chorus of boos to close out their show.
#4. Shouldn't: No Disqualification stipulation favors Kenny Omega more than it does Sami Callihan
Sami Callihan's request to add a no disqualification stipulation to his match against Kenny Omega may turn the tables on him this Saturday.
Given Omega's track record with title defenses over the past year, he requires assistance on almost every time he defends his championship. The most recent example was his match against Moose, which saw The Young Bucks interfering to change the outcome.
If we turn the clock a little further back, The Cleaner's title defense at Double or Nothing this year witnessed Don Callis screwing Orange Cassidy.
Despite Sami Callihan being known for his violent in-ring nature, Kenny Omega's in-depth alliance could be the turning factor in this match. If last time it was the Jackson brothers, this Saturday it could be the Good Brothers.
Even Don Callis will be eyeing vengeance from the Anthem Board for firing him from his position as the Executive Vice President. The invisible hand could take sweet revenge by screwing over Sami Callihan. It will only add more intensity to this feud moving forward.
#3. Should: Sami Callihan winning gives him a readymade storyline with Moose
Sami Callihan dethroning Kenny Omega to become the new IMPACT World Champion would be the most logical decision the company can make at this point.
Last month at Against All Odds, Kenny Omega robbed Moose of his fair title opportunity. The credit goes to the Young Bucks for making their timely interference when Kenny Omega was about to lose his title.
Moose is currently engaged in a feud with Chris Sabin, with the two having a singles bout at Slammiversary. But it seems more like a filler feud for Moose at the moment.
If the company pulls the trigger on Sami Callihan winning the title, it will be a wise decision on paper. They will have Moose as a credible main-event talent to be Callihan's first opponent.
Moose must not have forgotten about Sami Callihan interjecting his way into the title picture either. Both men even had a match during the build-up to Against All Odds. But this time around, it will be a completely different vibe, given it will be Moose's long-awaited fair opportunity.
#2. Shouldn't: Sami Callihan dethroning Kenny Omega will affect the IMPACT Wrestling-AEW partnership
If Sami Callihan dethrones Kenny Omega at Slammiversary, it will most likely end the dynamic between IMPACT Wrestling and AEW.
In late 2020, the wrestling world was stunned after learning about the partnership between Tony Khan and IMPACT Wrestling. The move has opened the forbidden door for many dream matches, which are yet to materialize.
Kenny Omega has already provided some memorable clashes with the likes of Moose and Rich Swann, to name a few. Let's face it, Kenny Omega has stabilized the men's division of the company, which severely lacks star power.
The Best Bout Machine may have only defended the IMPACT world title once, but he has consistently wrestled on their weekly episodes.
It doesn't mean he should stay champion for over a year, but the company should make the most of using an established star like Kenny Omega. Having him defeat Sami Callihan would develop more heat for The Cleaner.
Management have still not angled the storyline towards reclaiming their title. The match between Kenny Omega and Sami Callihan has been more about personal beef.
Having a title change at a later stage could be a moment that will be better remembered for years to come.
#1. Should: Sami Callihan has been built as unstoppable in this storyline
The portrayal of Sami Callihan in this feud has somewhat made us believe he's winning the IMPACT World Championship this Saturday.
So far, Sami Callihan has been presented as a force to be reckoned with. The company has visited multiple angles in this storyline, starting with the firing of Callihan from their programming. They then proceeded with the Anthem Board angle, which happened for the first time in history.
Recently, Don Callis framed him for assault. Despite facing so many tribulations, Sami Callihan overcame all the odds. It will be a complete disaster if the company fails to capitalize on making him their biggest star moving forward.
It could also be argued that if Sami Callihan isn't the chosen one, then who will be the one to dethrone Kenny Omega? Moose could have been an option, but he recently came up short.
IMPACT Wrestling's men's division lacks credible star power. The company could find itself in a drowning situation if they don't book Sami Callihan to win this Saturday. It will be in the company's best interests long term to go with this choice.
