The six-way World title match at next month’s TNA Slammiversary will begin to take shape on tonight’s TNA Impact with two qualifying matches.
In one, former TNA World Champions Steve Maclin and Sami Callihan will clash for the first time since their 2022 rivalry while past title challenger Nic Nemeth will take on former World Champion Rich Swann.
The Slammiversary bout will include current champion Moose and former champion Josh Alexander along with four other competitors.
X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali will be on hand to deliver a State of the Union address following some unflattering distorted audio released recently.
In a three-way tag team match, ABC (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) will face Jake Something & Deaner and The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz).
Following a confrontation last week, KUSHIDA will take on Alan Angels while Knockouts Tag Team Champion Masha Slamovich will face Xia Brookside.
Our live coverage begins at 8 PM Eastern.
An “In memory of Sika Anoa’i” graphic gets the show started.
Jordynne Grace Gives Ash By Elegance Knockouts Title Shot
Jordynne Grace is introduced and comes to the ring to kick off the show. Gia Miller interviews the Knockouts Champion in the ring and talks about Ash By Elegance trying to get her attention for a while now. She says she saw Santino Marella and signed the contract. Ash gets a Knockouts title shot tonight.
George Iceman comes out to interrupt her. He introduces Ash By Elegance, accompanied by personal security. He says there is a contract and a match, but it won’t be tonight. Instead, it will be at TNA Slammiversary.
Because the contract is already signed, Ash By Elegance is going to take a much-needed, extensive vacation in the Bahamas. For their own safety, they brought security to escort her out of here because she is violent. Ash tells security, “Go get her, boys!” Grace takes out the security guards one-by-one. Santino Marella runs out to stop Jordynne.
Masha Slamovich (w/ Alisha Edwards) defeated Xia Brookside
As Santino is getting Grace to head to the back, Masha Slamovich makes her way out accompanied by Alisha Edwards. Grace and Slamovich lock eyes as they pass each other. Slamovich settles in the ring for the opening contest.
Xia Brookside is out next, and has a quick word with Grace as well. Before the TNA Knockouts Champion heads to the back, she gives Brookside a thumbs up. The match gets started and sees Slamovich grab a side head-lock off an opening lock-up. Brookside counters and slaps on a headlock of her own.
Brookside takes the early offensive lead. She gets Slamovich stumbling back into the corner before dropping down and monkey-flipping her across the ring. Edwards grabs Brookside from ringside, allowing Slamovich to attack Brookside from behind and take over.
Slamovich continues to work over Brookside right in front of Edwards, who taunts her at ringside. Slamovich ties up the referee, allowing Edwards to choke Brookside over the ropes behind his back. Slamovich with a big suplex after that. Slamovich begins working over the arm of Brookside, who fights back.
While selling the arm, she takes over and hits a hurricanrana before following up with Broken Wings. She leaps into a neckbreaker. Fans chant “Let’s go Xia!” as she works over Slamovich in the corner. Edwards hops on the apron, but Brookside knocks her to the floor. The distractions allows Slamovich to hit Brookside with a kick and the Snow Plow for the win.
First Class With DJ Whoo Kid
After a recap of First Class attacking PCO during his date with Steph De Lander is shown. Backstage, DJ Whoo Kid catches up with AJ Francis and Rich Swann. DJ Whoo Kid gives him the International Wrestling Championship, which Killer Kowalski, The Shiek, Mad Dog Vachon, Abdullah The Butcher, Dino Bravo and others have held.
He declares himself the new International Heavyweight Champion. Francis says Rich Swann will beat Nic Nemeth tonight. DJ Whoo Kid gives them some drinks to celebrate. After this wraps up, the show heads into the first commercial break of the evening.
Lars Frederiksen Gives Spitfire Their Final Test
We see Dani Luna and Jody Threat talking with Lars Frederiksen of Rancid, who gives them a tough-love pep talk about how now is the time for them to double down.
For their final test, Jody and Dani will be fighting each other. He wants them to bring the violence in their minds to the ring and most importantly to each other. The Spitfire teammates shake hands.
Mustafa Ali State Of Union Address
Back inside the arena, Campaign Singh is in the ring. He informs us that the man we have all been waiting for is in the building. He introduces the TNA X-Division Champion and out comes Mustafa Ali for his advertised State of the Union address.
The commentators remind us of the alleged distorted bonus footage of Ali’s sit-down with Tom Hannifan being shown at Against All Odds before Ali begins speaking. Ali thanks everyone for their warm, warm reception.
Ali says he is here to address something that happened, which is the aforementioned video that aired showing his true colors. He brings up the distorted audio and unclear images. He says he knows fans demand the truth. Fans in the Impact Zone chant “We want truth! We want truth!”
Ali says he has found the truth after having Campaign Singh launch an investigation. The truth is, that video was A.I. generated “fake news.” He assures the fans he would never belittle his great hometown of Chicago. He says they are number one. Most of what they are number one for is crime related, but still, they’re number one!
With that in the rear view mirror, Ali insists it is time to move forward and look to future challengers for his X-Division Championship. He says he looks to the TNA locker room and other locker rooms to find who deserves to be the new number one contender.
Fans loudly chant “We want Speedball!” Ali says, “No, we don’t want Speedball. Speedball couldn’t hang with me if his life depended on it.” He then asks Chicago who they would like to see. They chant the same thing. Ali says he tried to play nice. He demands a group of hecklers be ejected from the building.
He exits the ring and points out the fans he wants thrown out. One of the fans throws a drink on Ali before leaving. Ali beats the fan down after pulling him over the barricade. He throws the fan in the ring and heads in to beat him down more. “Speedball” Mike Bailey runs out and tackles Ali. Trent Seven is out to try and calm things down. Security tries keeping everything in order.
Ali pretends to leave, but charges around the ring and leaps on Bailey to get the fight going again. It is broken up again but Bailey ends up with the X-Division Championship, which he holds up to taunt Ali. Ali rolls back into the ring and grabs the mic.
He’s sick of hearing fans chant his name. He’s sick of being accused of dodging him. He says he ruined his homecoming, so now he’s gonna ruin his. He’s laying out a challenge for the X-Division Championship between Ali and Bailey at Slammiversary. Bailey is happy and throws the title back to Ali before heading to the back.
We head to another commercial break. When we return from the break, “Speedball” Mike Bailey talks directly into the camera to react to Mustafa Ali’s State of the Union Address. He claims it was a mistake to challenge him for a match in his hometown of Montreal.
ABC (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) defeated Jake Something & Deaner vs. The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz)
Back in the Impact Zone, it’s time for three-way tag-team action. All three teams come out and first take turns on the microphone talking about being deserving of tag-team title shots. This was after Cody Deaner spoke of meeting with Santino, who told him he is excited they’re back in the tag division and that if they win tonight, they are in line for a tag-team title shot.
Deaner and Miguel kick things off in the ring. Deaner gets the early offensive jump. Wentz tags in for Miguel. Deaner works him over as well briefly before tagging in Something, who picks up where he left off. We head to a mid-match break and when we return, Miguel and Wentz are in the offensive lead, taking it to Deaner and utilizing frequent tags.
The commentators tout Joe Hendry’s appearance in WWE NXT being WWE’s single most viewed clip on X of 2024. Something goes on an offensive tear, cleaning house of many of the opposition in the ring. On the floor, he Donkey Kong’s The Rascalz before the action resumes in the ring, where The Art of Finesse gets ABC the win.
Backstage With The System
Backstage, The System are shown. They talk about Santino Marella always trying to stack the deck against them, but they always end up on top regardless. Moose brings up not losing a singles match in two years now. He says one person might be a problem, but Johnny Dango Curtis is going to handle that potential problem for him. We head to another commercial break after this wraps up.
Steve Maclin defeated Sami Callihan in a Road To Slammiversary Qualifier
An extensive video package airs to promote the next Road To Slammiversary qualifier. It’s time to see who will join the six-man match at Slammiversary with TNA World Champion Moose, as Steve Maclin and Sami Callihan do battle.
Maclin with a fast start, hitting a running knee for a two-count. Callihan fights back with a big near-finish of his own within the first few seconds after a Cactus Driver. Things slow down after that, with Callihan in the offensive driver’s seat.
Maclin turns the tables with another running knee, which he follows up this time with a top-rope headbutt for a close two-count. With Callihan on the floor, Maclin runs the ring apron and hits a flying elbow, Cactus Jack-style, at ringside.
Callihan fights back and launches Maclin on the floor as well. The fans rally behind both guys as the referee begins a double count out, which is stopped when Maclin and Callihan each re-enter the ring just in time after the count of nine. Maclin hits a Rock Bottom-style backbreaker for another nearfall attempt.
Callihan cuts off Maclin’s offensive run with an exploder suplex into the turnbuckles in the corner of the ring. Callihan looks for a Cactus Driver off the middle rope, but Maclin fights his way out of it. He gets behind Callihan on the top-rope, but Callihan gets him on his shoulders and connects with a Super Death Valley Driver.
He follows that up with another Cactus Driver straight into the pin attempt, but still only gets a count of two and a half. Callihan looks for a Cactus Driver on the hard part of the ring apron outside of the ring ropes, but Maclin fights his way free.
Maclin hits a running knee as Callihan was coming back into the ring. He hits his finisher next and gets the win to qualify for the TNA title match at Slammiversary. After the match, the show goes back into another commercial break.
KUSHIDA defeated Alan Angels
After the show returns from the break, Alan Angels makes his way out of the entrance tunnel to the ring for the next match of the show. His opponent, KUSHIDA is out next and before the bell sounds, Angels goes to work on him to get the early offensive jump.
Before even taking his entrance coat off, KUSHIDA fights back and takes over as fans chant his name. Angels fights back with kicks to KUSHIDA in the corner. He whips him to the opposite corner and follows him in with a clothesline.
KUSHIDA catches the right arm of Angels as he leaps to the floor. He snaps the arm of Angels in vicious fashion before taking over in the ring. KUSHIDA hits a Tanaka punch to Angels as he leaped off the ropes. KUSHIDA follows up with the Hoover Board Lock for the tap out victory.
After the match wraps up, Jonathan Gresham hits the ring and attacks KUSHIDA from behind. Gresham leans KUSHIDA’s head back and tries pouring that black ink into his mouth, but security runs out and stops him before he does. The show went into another break after this wrapped up.
Backstage With The Hardys
Backstage, we return from the break to “BROKEN” Matt Hardy, Rebecca Hardy and Jeff Hardy. Matt talks about The System putting their hands on his wife at Against All Odds. He announces a mixed tag match with Matt and Rebecca vs. Eddie & Alisha Edwards in Philadelphia, PA. for next week. Jeff Hardy then mentions The Hardy Boys vs. The System in tag-team action also coming up in Philly.
Nic Nemeth defeated Rich Swann in a Road To Slammiversary Qualifier
It’s main event time!
Back inside the Impact Zone, the commentators plug the TNA Summer Tour and TNA Slammiversary lineup, as well as the card for next week’s Impact. The elaborate video package for our second Road To Slammiversary Qualifier, which serves as this week’s main event, airs next.
Rich Swann and Nic Nemeth make their respective ring walks, with AJ Francis and DJ Whoo Kid accompanying the former, and the latter coming out by himself. Before things get started, we head into another pre-match commercial break.
When we return, Nemeth and Swann lock up and “The Wanted Man” immediately goes to work on the arm of the First Class member, isolating it and cranking away. Meanwhile, the commentators talk about AJ Francis buying the title belt that PCO long wanted after ruining his recent date with Steph De Lander.
Swann gets a break in the action and rolls out to the floor for a quick in-match hug session with Francis and DJ Whoo Kid. Back in the ring, Nemeth hits a quick drop down after switching behind Swann, taking him down to the mat and slapping on a bulldog choke.
Nemeth hits a picture-perfect dropkick and pops up for a quick arrogant hip-swivel in Swann’s face. Swann and DJ Whoo Kid tie up the referee, which allows Francis to get in a cheap shot. He gets in another one, hitting Nemeth with a can of Gin N Juice, before the referee ejects he and DJ Whoo Kid from ringside.
After that, the show heads into a mid-match commercial break. When we return, Swann is still in a comfortable offensive lead. Nemeth eventually fights back and hits the Jerry Lawler heart attack series of quick repeated elbow drops to take over on offense. Swann catches Nemeth coming off the ropes with a huge clothesline to slow down his momentum.
Nemeth leaps onto Swann for a comeback, but Swann catches him and buckle bombs him into the corner. Moments later, out of nowhere, Nemeth hits a Fame-Asser for a close two-count. After Swann kicks out, Nemeth slaps on a sleeper hold onto a grounded Swann.
A Danger Zone attempt doesn’t pan out, leading to Swann hitting a big kick for a two-count. Fans chant “Wanted Man” to try and rally behind Nemeth. Swann sets Nemeth up and heads to the top for a splash, only to land on the raised knees of Nemeth. Swann hits a hand-spring cutter for a close nearfall attempt.
Swann picks up Nemeth, but Nemeth drills him with a big punch. He invites Swann to hit him back, and Swann happily obliges. The two trade shots back-and-forth in the middle of the ring and then Nemeth hits a big headbutt and a super kick. He runs into a super kick by Swann and then delivers another of his own, followed by a DDT. He hits the Danger Zone after that for the win.
With the win, Nemeth joins Steve Maclin and Josh Alexander in the six-way TNA World Championship match against Moose at TNA Slammiversary. Next week, either Frankie Kazarian or Mike Santana, and Joe Hendry or Jake Something will join the three in the bout. Nemeth’s post-match celebration wraps up the show. Thanks for joining us and follow me on Twitter/X.
Next week:
* Frankie Kazarian vs. Mike Santana (Road To Slammiversary Qualifier)
* Joe Hendry vs. Jake Something (Road To Slammiversary Qualifier)
* Dani Luna vs. Jody Threat
* Eddie & Alisha Edwards vs. Matt & Rebecca Hardy
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