IMPACT Slammiversary Match Ratings From Sean Ross Sapp

Open Challenge
Motor City Machine Guns defeated Rascalz
6/10

• It feels great that there’s real buzz around IMPACT Wrestling again. This show is running live, in case you were wondering.
• As Fightful Select reported, Motor City Machine Guns are back, and there are big plans for them.
• The action starts a little slow for my liking, but MCMG are in great shape. They’re a welcome return. After WWE did its best to make me fall out of love with tag team wrestling for years, MCMG helped bring me back when they formed
• The pace picks up big time. Motor City win with the ASCS Rush.
• That was Sabin’s first match since the torn ACL in January 2019. The right opponents were picked. Sabin holding his knee during the match was a good sell.

TNA World Championship
Old School Rules
Moose (c) defeated Tommy Dreamer
SQUASH

• Tommy Dreamer has competed in as many PPV matches this year as he did from December 2001 to May 2006
• There are big production issues sending to the Bravo/Taya video package.
• Moose vs. Dreamer has an awful high bar to reach compared to the quality of hardcore matches of Slammiversary past.
• There are constant production errors. Audio overlapping and such.
• I don’t think practicing that moonsault helped Moose.
• Sometimes you forget how good Moose’s dropkick is. He takes a while setting up one in the corner when Dreamer is trash canned, though.
• This is effectively a squash, and it should have been. Moose teases shoving Dreamer’s face in thumbtacks, then finishes him off.

Top Contender Gauntlet Match
Kylie Rae wins
3.5/10

• Tasha Steelz and Kylie Rae kick off. You get Kylie Rae trying to high five Tasha, which is out of place with these stakes. Jonny Bravo tries to distract.
• Kimber Lee is out next, followed by Kiera Hogan. Susie makes her way in, too.
• Katie Forbes comes out and twerks with Kiera. Katie Forbes is not good at all.
• Jessicka Havok and Taya are out next, individually.
• Alisha Edwards next. The thing is, all these names come in without any major offense or heat spots.
• Commentary isn’t doing the talent in the ring any favors.
• Nevaeh is in. Rosemary, then Rosemary as Bravo comes out.
• Susie is eliminated. This match sucks.
• A series of uneventful eliminations lead to Kylie, Taya, Kimber Lee and Rosemary.
• Commentary is ABYSMAL. No emotion out of Callis.
• Kimber Lee is tossed, then Rosemary gets tossed out mid-triangle by Taya.
• Kylie Rae cracks Taya and gets the win.
• I’m glad Kylie won and that Taya was last, but this match was bad.

Heath

• Heath Slater, who can still go by Heath, comes out.
• He says he wants in the main event.
• Rohit Raju comes out and says he’s not letting anyone jump the line, and he gets beaten up.
• The house mic was screwed up this entire segment. Another production issue hurting the show.
• Heath meets Rhino backstage. Scott D’Amore shows up and kicks out Heath because no guests are allowed backstage.

X-Division Championship
Chris Bey defeated Willie Mack (c) to become Champion
6.75/10

• Willie Mack vs. Chris Bey. The people’s main event.
• There were some good, stiff kicks in this one.
• Bey gets caught in midair with a Sky High.
• This match is a blast, and Bey ends up winning with his new finisher.
• This would have been even better with a crowd, but this probably means bigger things for both men. Which is saying something considering this was a hell of a spot to be in.

IMPACT Tag Team Championships
The North (c) defeated Ken Shamrock & Sami Callihan to retain the titles
6.75/10

• The North’s reign has been long, and sadly will likely end soon as the division is gaining steam.
• Ken Shamrock is 274 years old hitting Ethan Page with a powerslam.
• Josh Alexander’s arm is busted open.
• Ethan Page is working the lion’s share of this match. He’s gotten in great shape.
• Ethan Page: “Do you like the view, Ken?” *flexes” Ethan Page: “BET YOU LIKE IT A LOT MORE NOWWWWW”
• KARATE MAN Ethan Page gets put in an ankle lock by Shamrock, while Sami does by Josh Alexander.
• Ankle Lock on Alexander, but Page sends Calihan into them.
• GTS, head kick, Piledriver by Callihan and Shamrock, but Page breaks it up.
• Shamrock and Callihan have dissension. Shamrock wipes out hilariously on a dive.
• The North win with their double Neutralizer.
• North are not happy about not getting recognition. MCMG come out and challenge them.
• MCMG vs. The North for the tag titles this week.

Knockouts Championship
Deonna Purrazzo defeated Jordynne Grace (c) to become champions
8.5/10

• Deonna tries to say she’s in charge, then gets back in the ring when the ref tells her.
• Jordynne Grace has amazing gear.
• There are some really smooth transitions that go into the armbars and a Grace Driver attempt.
• Grace does a damn swanton onto Deonna.
• Deonna grabs an armbar and almost pins herself, but Jordynne plants a spinebuster.
• Jordynne throws some heavy elbows to the head.
• Jacknife cover into an armbar attempt for Purrazzo. She goes into a double armbar.
• Holy shit! Deonna won!

IMPACT World Championship
Eddie Edwards defeated Ace Austin, Trey Miguel, Rich Swann & Eric Young to become champion
7.75/10

• Rich Swann and Eric Young are great, but I dunno if this is quite what people were expecting.
• Madman Fulton almost gets Ace DQ’d.
• Eric Young is busted wide open.
• Eddie Edwards with a Pearl River Plunge on Ace, and Eric Young WALLOPS Trey with a badass piledriver. Holy freaking Jesus Eric Young looked like he’s waited five years to do a piledriver like that.
• Young does an incredible Wheelbarrow neckbreaker. Swann does a top rope bulldog.
• A new, better Tower of Doom spot sees Young powerbomb Rich Swann into Ace Austin and Eddie Edwards. This sends the latter two flying off the top rope, through tables outside.
• Eric Young gets rolled through for a pin from Rich Swann. Young snaps and attacks Swann’s leg and cracks him with a chair over and over again.
• Rich Swann is selling his asssssssssss off bro. That Young/Swann spot ruled.
• Ace Austin pins with his finisher.
• I probably would have had it down to Ace Austin vs. Trey considering their history. I don’t know that Edwards as a final two inspires a ton of intrigue.
• Boston Knee Party hits, but Ace Austin kicks out. Edwards kicks out of the Fold.
• Die Hard Flowsion………..and Eddie Edwards is champion. Okay then.
• Fulton attacks Edwards after the match.
• Good Brothers come out and attack Ace Austin and Fulton. Magic Killer on Ace Austin.
• Ace Austin winning this match, and title was such a slam dunk decision.
• An EC3 video airs to close the show.

Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a “star rating,” which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive “TV match” lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don’t take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!