Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of Impact Wrestling Slammiversary 2020!
Slammiversary opened with a video feature showing the mysterious figure watching the news report on a former World Champion returning to Impact Wrestling. They showed that person making their way around Nashville. They then segued into highlights setting up all the main event matches for the show.
Josh Mathews welcomed everyone and said they were going to put on a spectacle. He and Don Callis are broadcasting. Callis had some technical issues early on but they fixed it by the time the first match began.
Open Challenge: The Rascalz' Dex and Wentz vs. The Motor City Machineguns
Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin return to answer the challenge. Sabin had been working as a Producer while recovering from his torn ACL suffered while working for Ring of Honor. This is the first time they have teamed since May 2018. This is Sabin's first match since January 2019.
Wentz and Shelley started out, having some nice back and forth exchanges and reversals on the mat. They faced off. Sabin and Dez tagged in and it was more of the same. Sabin's pacing and speed in the ring was good early on. Dez nailed Sabin with a rana, sending him to the floor. Dez went for a dive but Shelley intercepted him and went for a back suplex. The Rascalz quickly overwhelmed Shelley and double-teamed him.
The Rascalz maintained dominance, working over Sabin, who kept kicking up. They knocked Shelley off the apron. Wentz worked over Sabin with hard chops. Shelley grabbed him, which allowed Sabin to nail a running knee and a dropkick that sent Wentz to the floor. Sabin nailed a running knee off the apron. Shelley tagged in. Dez was knocked off the corner. Went looking for a tag but Shelley was waiting for him. They fired back and forth with forearms. Sabin tagged in and brought him to the mat, controlling him with an armbar.
MCMG continued to beat on Wentz with double-team maneuvers, again knocking Dez off the apron. Sabin nailed a big suplex for a two count. Wentz tried to battle back with chops against both Machineguns but were caught in a series of stereo kicks, collapsing down to the mat. He finally nailed a handspring into a knee on Shelley and crawled to make the tag on Dez.
They noted Slammiversary was trending number two worldwide. The show has actually been trending all day, which is a great sign in interest.
Dez nailed Sabin and leapt off his back, knocking Shelley to the floor. Dez showed some great speed and aggression. Shelley was catapulted into a Wentz superkick but Sabin broke up the pinfall at the two count. The Rascalz continued working over Shelley's back. Wentz went for a swanton but Shelley pulled his knees up. Dez went for a move but was caught with a German suplex. Sabin nailed a missile dropkick to the back of Dez's head. He went for a move but Shelley nabbed Dez and they double-teamed him. They covered Dez but Wentz dove onto the pinfal to break it.
The Guns pulled out the Dream Sequence. Backseat Boyz baby! They worked over Dez with several more double-team moves and scored the pin.
Your winners, The Motor City Machine Guns!
A really fun back and forth athletic showcase. The Guns looked really good and this kept getting better the longer it went. The last few minutes were really fun. A nice return for the Guns and a good showing for the Rascalz.
Don Callis said his stooges tell him there are at least two more surprises. He and Josh ran down the lineup.
Backstage, Taya told John E. Bravo that she has to win The Gauntlet tonight. Rosemary then showed up and told Bravo that she had to win tonight. So, we'll see where his loyalty lies tonight.
TNA Champion Moose vs. Tommy Dreamer - Old School Rules
Dreamer came out wearing a "Moose Sucks Eggs" shirt. That's a reference to an old Terry Funk shirt about Dusty Rhodes. That's great.
Moose forced Dave Penzer to get in the ring and give this the official Championship introduction.
They noted #Slammiversary was the #1 trend worldwide.
Moose controlled early on and they went to the floor, where they brawled. Dreamer sent Moose into the railing. Weapons brought into the fray. Moose attacked Dreamer's back, suplexing him on the entrance ramp. Moose grabbed a kendo stuck and beat Dreamer across the back. He said he was going to end Dreamer's career but Dreamer ducked another shot and nailed a Side Russian Legsweep. Dreamer drilled him with the stick.
Dreamer went to the top but when he leapt into the ring, Moose nailed him with a dropkick in mid-air. It looked awesome. Moose grabbed a trash can. He placed it over Dreamer's head in the corner of the ring. He dropkicked the trash can into Dreamer's face and remarked this was so easy. Moose came off the ropes but Dreamer caught him with a RKO into the trash can, covering him for a near fall.
Dreamer grabbed some more weapons, including a chair, and brought them into the ring. He went to smash Moose into the chair but Moose dropped it and nailed a drop toehold into the chair. Moose grabbed another few chairs and brought them into the ring. He made a pile of steel am,nd attempted a piledriver but Dreamer fought out. Dreamer nailed a series of right hands and went for a DDT but Moose reversed it onto a Uranage. He nailed a standing moonsault on Dreamer for a two count.
Moose went for another but Dreamer moved and Moose crashed and burned into the chairs. Dreamer nailed the DDT for a two count but Moose got his shoulder up. Dreamer pulled out a bag of thumbtacks. He tried to piledriver Moose but was hit with a lowblow. Moose said he was going to end Dreamer's career. He tried to shove Dreamer's face into the tacks. Dreamer fought his way to his knees but Moose raked his face and drove him down into the tacks. Moose speared and pinned Dreamer.
Your winner and still TNA Champion, Moose!
This was exactly what you thought it would be, beat for beat. They did a good job using the silence of the building to add to the match with all the trash talking from Moose.
Outside, Gia Miller was waiting for someone to show up. It was Johnny Swinger. He was his usual self. He said his rental car said Anderson but he didn't see Ole anywhere. POP.
Gauntlet to crown Top Contender for Knockouts Championship: Madison Rayne vs. Kimber Lee vs. Rosemary vs. Neveah vs. Su Yung/Susie vs. Kiera Hogan vs. Taya Valkyrie vs. Tasha Steelz vs. Alisha Edwards vs. Kylie Rae vs. Jessika Havok
The first two out are Tasha Steelz and Kylie Rae. They have two minutes until the next competitor, then it's one minute intervals. Elimination by pinfall, submission and over the top until they get down to the final two competitors.
They went back and forth with some nice action. Rae nailed a hurancanrana. Steelz nailed a nice Japanese armdrag off the ropes. They went into a test of strength as the next competitor entered.
It was supposed to be Taya Valkyrie, but it was John E. Bravo dressed like her instead. The was she was mad she was entered early and sent Bravo. He was immediately tossed. They announced Taya was eliminated. Kylie offered Steelz a high five but instead was clotheslined.
Kimber Lee was next out. She caught Rae with a sideslam. Steelz went to attack her but was nailed. Lee grabbed Rae and nailed a delayed vertical suplex. She was caught with a Steelz boot to the face.
The next competitor was Steelz's partner Kiera Hogan. She ducked a superkick and nailed Rae with one. Kimber Lee acted like she was going to align herself with them but they wanted nothing to do with that and jumped her. They worked over Lee and Rae in opposite corner.
Next out was Susie. She caught Tasha Steelz with an upside down choke using her legs. Kylie superkicked her and Steelz went to the floor, eliminating her.
The next competitor was Katie Forbes, billed from Twerk City. She was back to her original persona and controlled the ring. I would assume this means RVD is here.
Next out was Madison Rayne. She nailed several clotheslines and nailed Susie. Kiera and Madison got into an argument. Kiera drilled her and they battled back and forth.
Jessika Havok was out next. She controlled the ring and put Susie in a Boston Crab. Hogan jumped on her back and tried to work her over.
Next out was Taya Valkyrie. Yep, again. She battled Forbes in the corner and knocked her over the ropes to the apron. It appears Forbes was eliminated off camera.
Alisha Edwards was next and caught Taya with a tornado DDT. Rae pressed Edwards but Havok grabbed her and tossed her back into Rae.
Neveah was next out. She and Havok worked over Edwards.
Rosemary was the next competitor. She speared Susie. Taya and Rosemary swarmed Susie and worked her over. Everyone battled. Susie was tossed.
Rosemary's music started again. John E. Bravo came out again, this time dressed as Bravo. He gets immediately tossed out by Rae, who feels guilty she tossed him. Madison went after Rae but ended up tossed. Neveah and Alisha Edwards were tossed.
Everyone battled. Hogan was knocked off the turnbuckles to the canvas, bounced off the ring steps to the floor. It was Rosemary, Taya, Lee, Rae left. Lee was clotheslined over the top to the floor. Rosemary and Taya circled Rae and began working her over. Rae tried to fight back but was overwhelmed by the numbers game and from battling for so long.
Rosemary and Rae battled in the corner. Taya knocked Rosemary over to the floor but the announcers questioned whether it was on purpose or not.
We go to a traditional match now...
They went back and forth quickly and Kylie nailed the Kylie Special and scored the pin.
Your winner and new number one contender, Kylie Rae!
This was OK. There were too many people in and out and many of them didn't get the chance to really showcase their characters. The Bravo stuff was completely silly but fit into his character. This was more an appetizer than a fully fledged showcase of what's turned into a really fun Knockouts division.
Coverage continues on Page 2!
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
