Cook’s Top 5: Reasons To Watch Slammiversary

Pro wrestling fans can look forward to two major events this weekend. I know that many of you are hyped about The Horrow Show at Extreme Rules on Sunday night, and we’ll be talking about that pretty soon. Before that, Saturday night will feature Impact Wrestling’s Slammiversary event, available on PPV via FITE TV & other notable outlets.

It’s been awhile since I’ve dedicated some serious column time to Impact Wrestling, but I’ve been watching the show lately on AXS TV and I’ve liked a lot of what I’ve seen. I’m actually interested in this Saturday’s event, which is saying something because most of these wrestling feds can’t sell me on any show at this point since I’m so jaded.

So I figured I would present the top 5 reasons you should watch Slammiversary this Saturday night.

5. Make Tommy Dreamer’s sacrifice worthwhile

There is no good reason for Tommy Dreamer to be having a match in 2020. This guy should have been retired from the ring a long time ago, I have no idea how he got cleared by WWE doctors to have matches while Daniel Bryan couldn’t. The number of concussions he must have after years of ECW matches & silly WWE nonsense can’t possibly be counted. Tommy Dreamer has given more than enough to this business, and anybody that’s ever met the guy will tell you he’s one of the nicest guys ever.

Want some proof? He’s facing Moose in an “Old School Match”, which is apparently a hardcore match. The last thing Dreamer should be doing is facing a physical specimen like Moose, who could completely destroy Tommy any moment he chose to do so. Putting Moose over is probably not the most healthy thing for Dreamer to be doing, but he cares so much about the business that he’s willing to do it. People should watch in order to make Tommy’s sacrifice worthwhile.

4. Johnny Freaking Swinger!

Who would have thought back in the late 1990s when Swinger was a staple of shows like WCW Worldwide & Saturday Night that he would still be doing anything of note in 2020? Hell, who would have thought it back in 2019? Not many, but Swinger has been one of the MVPs of the Pandemic Era. His brand of harmless silliness & stupidity is just what the doctor ordered for a day & age where America is overcome with harmful silliness & stupidity.

Swinger is not booked for a match. He has been banned from ringside for the X Division Championship match pitting Champion and all around good guy Willie Mack against Chris Bey. We know he’ll be involved somehow, it’s just a question of what kind of ridiculous plan he’ll come up with. It should be a fun time.

3. The North deserves some respect

One of the things that brought Larry Csonka & I together back in the day was a mutual love of TNA. It’s pretty much impossible for me to watch Impact Wrestling without thinking of my Internet BFF. Larry & I also loved great tag team wrestling, and Impact has been blessed through the years to see some of the best tag teams in the business perform for the company. None of those teams have held the Tag Team Championship as long as Ethan Page & Josh Alexander have, and I find that a little amusing considering Larry’s feelings towards Page’s work on EVOLVE shows. Ethan was kind enough to join us for the 411 on Wrestling’s tribute to Larry, and his story about how Larry hated all of his work except for a dark match where he & his opponents were goofing off to entertain the crowd brought down the house.

Me? I didn’t watch EVOLVE, but I think Page & Alexander are a great tag team. Their chemistry is off the page & you can rank them alongside any team in the business right now from where I sit. Slammiversary pits them against Sami Callihan & Ken Shamrock, two unhinged kind of fellas that feuded for awhile but currently have a common goal. I don’t expect it to end well, but the fallout should be entertaining.

2. The Knockouts are Back

Before WWE decided to Give Divas A Chance and take credit for creating the Women’s Evolution without acknowledging why it had to happen in the first place, the Knockouts Division was re-inventing the wheel & reshaping opinions on what women’s wrestling could be. The division has definitely had its ups & downs over the year, but recent months have seen Impact reload with some new & some familiar Knockouts. One Slammiversary match is for the Knockouts Championship, and another is for the #1 contendership.

The championship will be decided between Champion Jordynne Grace & challenger Deonna Purrazzo. I am a huge Purrazzo fan & think she should hold all the belts, but if I was putting money on the match I would have to go with Jordynne because I think a heel will end up winning the Gauntlet for the Gold determining the #1 contender. Also, Deonna is reportedly a freelancer, and I would avoid putting a belt on somebody not under contract. OK, who am I kidding, I’d still put Deonna Purrazzo over because she’s that good. That being said, I think Madison Rayne’s winning the Gauntlet for the Gold. She’s been on fire on commentary & with her Locker Room Talk segment, and I think that’s setting up another title run for the Queen Bee.

Unless Deonna wins the title as she should, then forget all that noise.

1. Who’s the Fourth Man?

The main event of Slammiversary will crown a new Impact World Champion. Tessa Blanchard is still in Mexico, and her contract would have expired before now anyway, so that is what that is. Impact has to move on, and they’ve booked this match with four deserving contenders. Eddie Edwards’ resume speaks for itself. Former heavyweight champion in Impact & other promotions, has worked all over the world. Ace Austin is a 23 year old phenom that exploded out of CZW’s Dojo and has already held the X Division Championship. With Madman Fulton by his side, he’s poised to become one of the youngest heavyweight champions of all time. Trey is just a year older and represents the Rascalz. He’s from Northern Ohio and trained under the Ohio Versus Everything crew. He’s got a ton of potential.

Then, we have a mystery opponent.

There’s been all sorts of speculation surrounding former Impact talent coming home for this show. A former champion has been promised, and we’ve seen a video with three hands clinking glasses. Will a talent released by WWE recently appear in this match? EC3 & Eric Young are former Impact Heavyweight Champions. Mike Bennett held the X Division Championship, which would make him qualify as a “former champion”. Technically, Kurt Angle is being included on this list by websites, and he was one of this company’s greatest champions, but Kurt showing up on Saturday night is highly unlikely, as Gorilla Monsoon would say. There’s also been a heavily teased Aces & Eights reunion, and former Impact World Champion Bully Ray is no longer under contract with Ring of Honor. Just saying.

Saturday night! Don’tcha dare miss it!