{"id":93026,"date":"2021-07-11T14:00:15","date_gmt":"2021-07-11T18:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=93026"},"modified":"2021-07-11T08:34:58","modified_gmt":"2021-07-11T12:34:58","slug":"impact-slammiversary-throughout-the-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2021\/07\/11\/impact-slammiversary-throughout-the-years\/","title":{"rendered":"IMPACT Slammiversary Throughout The Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

Slammiversary<\/em> is a staple pay-per-view for IMPACT<\/strong> Wrestling<\/strong><\/a>. The event celebrates the anniversary of IMPACT Wrestling’s (formerly known as TNA<\/strong> Wrestling<\/strong>) first event in June of 2002. This year’s event is promising to change the landscape of the promotion. Let’s take a look back at some notable main event matches and surprises from Slammiversary’s<\/em> past.<\/p>\n

Slammiversary 2004<\/h2>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lScPvBHZNak<\/p>\n

Although not promoted under the\u00a0 Slammiversary\u00a0<\/em>name, the event celebrated the two-year anniversary of TNA Wrestling. The event featured two marquee matches from wrestlers that became staples of TNA Wrestling. A.J<\/strong>. Styles\u00a0<\/strong>defended his X-Division Title in a match against Jeff<\/strong> Hardy<\/strong>. This was Hardy’s debut in the promotion and was a surprise opponent for Styles. The match ended in a no-contest when Kid Kash<\/strong> and Dallas<\/strong> (AKA Lance<\/strong> Archer<\/strong><\/a>) interfered in the match attacking both men.<\/p>\n

The main event of the show featured Jeff Jarrett<\/strong> against Ron<\/strong> “The Truth” Killings<\/strong> (AKA R-Truth<\/strong>) for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Jarrett captured the title from Killings in the first-ever King of the Mountain\u00a0<\/em>match at NWA-TNA PPV #97. Killings got his one on one rematch under the stipulation that if Jarrett was disqualified he would lose the title. The match ended in a no contest allowing Jarrett to retain his title.<\/p>\n

King of the Mountain<\/h2>\n

TNA\/IMPACT Wrestling often featured a specialty match at Slammiversary.\u00a0<\/em>The\u00a0King of the Mountain\u00a0<\/em>match, a TNA original match. The match requires wrestlers to climb a ladder to retrieve a title belt to win the match. TNA added a twist to the traditional ladder match in that you must score a pinfall or submission to be eligible to climb the ladder. Wrestlers that are pinned or submitted spend two minutes in a penalty box-like cage, putting them at a disadvantage. Let’s look at some notable Slammiversary King of the Mountain <\/em>matches.<\/p>\n

Slammiversary 2005<\/h3>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=e2dJ3p_jUqA<\/p>\n

The first event promoted under the Slammiversary<\/em> name was main evented by a King of the Mountain<\/em> match. A.J. Styles entered the match as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. Abyss<\/strong>, Monty<\/strong> Brown<\/strong><\/a>, Sean<\/strong> Waltman<\/strong>, and Raven<\/strong> all challenged Styles in the match. Raven won the match after pinning Styles in the second fall of the match to be eligible to climb the ladder. He took the first pinfall of the match from Monty Brown and bounced back to capture the title.<\/p>\n

Raven was suspended in the lead-up to the match for putting his hands on Larry<\/strong> Zbyszko <\/strong>for not making him a wild card entrant into the King of the Mountain<\/em> match. Raven was suspended and quit TNA Wrestling before returning to enter the King of the Mountain<\/em> match. This was Raven’s first and only King of the Mountain<\/em> victory and NWA World Heavyweight Championship run.<\/p>\n

Slammiversary 2007<\/h3>\n

The main event for the 2007 edition of Slammiversary\u00a0<\/em>featured a\u00a0King of the Mountain\u00a0<\/em>match for the inaugural TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Kurt<\/strong> Angle<\/strong>, Samoa<\/strong> Joe<\/strong>,\u00a0A.J. Styles,\u00a0Christian<\/strong> Cage<\/strong>,\u00a0and\u00a0Chris<\/strong> Harris\u00a0<\/strong>all competed to be the first TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Only Harris, Angle, and Cage scored a fall to be eligible to climb the ladder and capture the title. Kurt Angle then climbed the ladder and pulled down the title becoming the inaugural TNA World Heavyweight Champion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Angle went on to win the King of the Mountain<\/em> match again at\u00a0Slammiversary\u00a0<\/em>2009. He won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship six times total in his career and became a cornerstone of the promotion through the 2000s and 2010s.<\/p>\n

Slammiversary 2015<\/h3>\n