5 Best & Worst Slammiversary Matches Ever

With all the negative TNA news lately, it’s almost too easy to forget that Slammiversary is this Sunday, June 28th. Technically the 22nd installment of Slammiversary since the first two “anniversary” shows were literally just called TNA 1st and 2nd Anniversary shows, respectively. So with 21 previous events, I figured it would be fun to wade through the back catalogue and see what kind of gold and what kinda trash we can find.

So here’s my take on the 5 Best and 5 Worst Matches in Slammiversary History!

• Best: Impact Wrestling World Championship: Josh Alexander (c) vs. Eric Young (2022)

The Why: TNA turned 20 at this particular Slammiversary. We saw the clashing of the new face of the franchise in Josh Alexander facing off against the longest tenured and one of the most decorated TNA originals. Not to use a phrase too lightly, this was a well told love letter to the history of TNA. Everything from Eric Young pulling off a Blackhole Slam and Stroke, mixed with Josh’s Muscle Buster, Styles Clash and Angle Slam homages. The action was great, the pacing was amazing, the callbacks were beautiful, this was everything a generational clash should be.

• Worst: Matt Morgan vs. Hernandez (2010)

The Why: This was supposed to be the blow off of an embittered tag team rivalry that had 6 months of build. But when Matt Morgan came out in a neck brace with a Doctor’s Note, claiming he wasn’t medically cleared, the LOLTNA groans instantly erupted. A bait and switch garbage angle, at one of their tentpole events, just to extend the feud to a B Level Show the next month? To make matters worse, Hernandez forced Morgan into the ring, even though he wasn’t cleared…the bell rang…which logically shouldn’t happen, and then it ends in disqualification because Hernandez shoved the referee and just beat the holy hell out of Morgan. So it was a moronic mess, that just highlighted the ineptitude that many fans have wrote TNA off for over the years.

• Best: Impact Wrestling World Championship: Brian Cage (c) vs Michael Elgin (2019)

The Why: Even though this was the obscurity years of TNA/Impact. Their deal with PopTV ended in January of 2019, and at this point they were on the Pursuit Channel with a simulcast on Twitch, Michael Elgin was a huge get, and the remnants of Lucha Underground helped to bolster the TNA/Impact brand during this weird transitional period. As for the match it was an athletic hoss fight that brought excitement and dynamic action to the ring. Cage was fighting through injury, but that still didn’t stop great counters and power spots. Ending with a basic wrestling move of a Double Legged Cradle after all of the crazy action, was a great finish. A marvel of a match to enjoy.

• Worst: Tribunal (Baron Dax & Basile Baraka) w/Al Snow vs Grado & Mahabali Shera (2016)

The Why: To put it simply? This was just garbage with no chemistry. Al Snow’s whistle gimmick was like Bill Alfonso but with less frenetic energy and more just shrill irritation. Shera was awful in the ring, Grado had to get his goofball dance comedy stuff, and Baron Dax and Basile Baraka were just slow, lazy and bad. You can see how far in the lurch TNA was at this time, when this trash is on one of their biggest PPVs.

• Best: King of the Mountain Match (2007)

The Why: You really can’t go wrong with most of the competitors in this match. AJ Styles, Christian Cage, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe and Chris Harris. Not to mention, this was to crown the inaugural TNA World Champion. So the historic aspect, the great chemistry and a few notable spots like: AJ Styles Springboard Dropkicking both Harris and Christian off the ladder and Samoa Joe driving AJ Styles through a table off the penalty box, via Powerbomb. Angle trapping Christian in an Ankle Lock while he hung the belt for the win was epic as well. Exactly the kind of spectacle you’d want for a premiere event and crowning a first ever champion.

• Worst: X Division Championship: Chris Bey vs Willie Mack (c) (2020)

The Why: Now let me just nip this in the bud with, I generally really enjoy Willie’s work and Chris Bey’s work. But this was just a bad match. An early mistimed Neckbreaker, either dazed Bey or was just a harbinger of them having no chemistry together that night. Sluggish pacing, botches, shortcutted sloppy moves. A questionable short sell of Willie’s Stunner and a Crucifix Bomb that looked bad on top of a sloppy looking Art of Finesse…this just wasn’t it. It heavily disappointed for a Division known for high octane action, and during the pandemic when there were more people looking for stuff to enjoy.

• Best: Mask vs Hair: Sami Callihan vs Pentagon Jr (2018)

The Why: This was perhaps Sami’s finest match in TNA. There was a 6 month build with Ohio Versus Everything, making the Lucha Bros life a living hell. Both put their signature looks on the line, and this was truly a masterclass in brutality. Sami utilized simple psychology, which is easy to follow, but amped the violence up to 11. Pentagon responded in kind to defend his honor and tradition. A nearly 20 minute battle ended perfectly with Pentagon delivering the Fear Factor, and shaving the despicable Callihan’s head.

• Worst: BroMans vs Ross & Marshall von Erich (2014)

The Why: This whole angle was a cheap nostalgia set up. While Ross & Marshall have become pretty good talents, this was only a year or two after they started training. Since the event was in Arlington, Texas…TNA tried to go for the cheap pop. The match was janky, there was no chemistry, the boys were green and the BroMans, while serviceable…Robbie E and Jessie Godderz couldn’t call a Cub Scouts Pine Wood Derby, much less a match with rookies. Their father Kevin was the lone highlight when he jumped the guardrail to exact some revenge on DJZ with the Iron Claw…but this whole match was a sham.

• Best: TNA World Tag Team Titles: Kurt Angle & AJ Styles vs Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian) (c) (2012)

The Why: Put the pitchforks down! I know we all hate the Claire Lynch storyline…but Bad Influence (early on) and this match, were definitely highlights before it went completely into Katie Vick levels of infamy. This was a fantastic match, with four guys who had amazing chemistry and still at the top of their respective games. While the match was probably a little shorter than many wanted, it’s still fantastically wrestled, the psychology was easy with Bad Influence showing better tag cohesion and heel tactics, but willing to bump for the babyfaces. This is a gem mint 10…if I can steal a line from the great Don West.

• Worst: Christopher Daniels vs Shane Douglas (2009)

The Why: The premise was cliche and dumb, with the salty veteran returning to try and steal a roster spot from the young guy in his prime. After a sneak attack a few weeks before, we got saddled with this match. Daniels tried his best with what he had, but Douglas was out of shape, not as dynamic as he used to be, and slowed the match down to a glacial pace. This may be the longest 8 minutes in history. Just unnecessary trash that wasted Christopher Daniels during the height of his ability.

• Honorable Mention: Impact Originals vs Honor No More (2022)

The Why: This is my guilty pleasure match that I just had to sneak in here. There are two wrestlers I completely love watching, Doug Williams and Davey Richards. When Davey Richards came out as the fifth mystery slot for the Impact Originals, I actually popped. Motor City Machine Guns, Nick Aldis, Frankie Kazarian and Davey Richards…taking on Eddie Edwards, Matt Taven, PCO, Vincent and Mike Bennett with Maria. This was chaotic fun, especially when Traci Brooks hopped the guardrail to take out Maria, D’lo Brown hit the ring for some nostalgia, then Earl Hebner, who has a tendency of screwing people in TNA as well as other places came out of retirement to count the pinfall for the originals! It was just good ole fashioned fun. A great way to celebrate TNA turning 20.

• Dishonorable Mention: Alex Shelley vs Bob Backlund (2007)

The Why: Talk about unnecessary. We had a fresh exciting X Division wrestler…getting stuck in a comedic legend farce match. Yes Backlund could still go, but this helped no one. Shelley even oversold things, ala Shawn Michaels and Hulk Hogan, just to further punctuate the stupidity. And to cap it all off, Chris Sabin tried to interfere…BUT A 57 YEAR OLD MAN, fought off the interference, Drop Toe Holding Shelley into Sabin and then winning with an O’Connor Roll. WHY TNA? I saved this for a mention because it wasn’t objectively bad as far as matches go, but it was unequivocally brain dead.

Now I’m aware I may have missed some people’s favorites or least favorites. I tried to not just make the list a highlight reel of Kurt Angle and AJ Styles. So let’s consider a splash of variety just to keep things fresh, and even amidst bad booking and the dumpster fire TNA currently finds itself in…there have still been a fair amount of good matches in the past few years.

Did you think anything I had in Best should be Worst…or vice versa? What’s your personal Top 5 Slammiversary matches? You don’t need to leave a comment, but, Always Use Your Head!