TNA holds its biggest event of the year — Slammiversary — in front of one of its largest crowds ever at the UBS Arena on Long Island, New York.
The PPV headliner is a three-way for the TNA World title as NXT’s Trick Williams defends against Mike Santana and Joe Hendry.
WWE star & former TNA legend AJ Styles will make his return for the first time since December 2013.
Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich defends against NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne in a title vs. title match.
In a four-way ladder match for the titles, TNA Tag Team Champions The Nemeths defend against The Hardys, The Rascalz, and First Class.
International Champion Steve Maclin teams with Mance Warner & Jake Something against the debuting Real1 (Enzo Amore), Zilla Fatu & Josh Bishop.
In eight-man action, NXT’s Darkstate will battle The System & Matt Cardona.
Knockouts Tag Team Champions The Elegance Brand defend against The IInspiration.
The card is rounded out by Tessa Blanchard vs. Indi Hartwell, Mustafa Ali vs. Cedric Alexander, and X-Division Champion Moose defending against Leon Slater.
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Johnny Rodz Honored
The show kicks off inside the UBS Arena with Gia Miller, Tommy Dreamer and Busted Open Radio host David LaGreca. Dreamer brings out Masha Slamovich with Johnny Rodz. He lists all of the wrestlers Rodz trained and says he just wanted to bring him out here in his hometown to give him his flowers.
TNA Knockouts Tag-Team Championships
The Elegance Brand (Ash & Heather By Elegance) (c) vs. The IInspiration (Jess McKay & Cassie Lee)
The pre-show panel send things down to Tom Hannifan and Matthew Rehwoldt at ringside, who set up the tale of the tape for our first match of the evening. The TNA Tag Lines graphic flashes on the screen for the opening contest.
From there, The IInspiration duo of Jess McKay and Cassie Lee make their way out. The duo heads to the ring for their big title opportunity. George Iceman snatches the microphone from Gia Miller at the top of the stage to handle the intro for The Elegance Brand.
With that said, Ash by Elegance and Heather By Elegance make their way out and head to the ring for their scheduled TNA Knockouts Tag-Team Championship defense. They are accompanied by M By Elegance. All three are carrying torches of liberty.
At the bell, we see Heather By Elegance and Jess McKay kick things off for their respective teams. McKay gets Heather in the corner and stomps a mudhole in her. She does not walk it dry, however. She makes the tag to Lee, and the two hit a double-team spot and do a Charlie’s Angels style pose.
The Elegance Brand take over after that, controlling the offensive for a couple of minutes until Cassie Lee gets the hot tag and shifts the momentum into the favor of The IInspiration. Cassie hits a superplex off the ropes on Ash for a two-count that M By Elegance breaks up.
Lee and McKay each take turns connecting with dives from the corner to the pile of Elegance on the floor. In the ring, McKay and Lee look for their Idolizer double-team finisher, only for it to be broken up. A torch to the face from Elegance leads to Rarified Air for the win.
Match Result: The Elegance Brand defeated The IInspiration to retain the TNA Knockouts Tag-Team titles.
Eric Young (w/The Northern Armory) vs. The Hometown Man
As the pre-show panel talk about tonight’s action, the lights in the UBS Arena go out. The theme for Eric Young hits, and out he comes with The Northern Armory. Young gets on the mic and trashes New York, leading to The Hometown Man coming out.
The Hometown Man takes out Judas Icarus and Travis Williams at ringside, and enters the ring and begins mixing it up with Young. The bell sounds to get this impromptu match off-and-running. Young fights back and tears the New York Islanders jersey off The Hometown Man.
From there, The Hometown Man begins fighting back and taking over. He hits the ten punch spot on Young in the corner, as the fans count along. He brings Young to the ropes in the corner, but Young knocks him off and hits a flying elbow for a two-count.
Young loses his cool and snaps, getting close to picking a fight with a fan in the crowd once again. He eventually re-enters the ring, where The Hometown Man has recovered. Young looks for a piledriver, but Hometown Man rolls him up for the three-count and the upset win.
Match Result: The Hometown Man defeated Eric Young
Steve Maclin, Jake Something & Mance Warner (w/Steph Delander) vs. Real1, Zilla Fatu & Josh Bishop
TNA International Champion Steve Maclin makes his way out, followed by Jake Something and then Mance Warner, who comes out accompanied by Steph De Lander. They settle in the ring and then their Fourth Rope opposition comes out.
Real1, formerly known as Enzo Amore, makes his way out accompanied by Zilla Fatu and Josh Bishop. Real1 does all of his old WWE routines, “Badda boom, realest guy in the room,” the things you can’t teach and so on and so forth.
He then lists all of the people Zilla Fatu is related to, as well as how Bishop looks like Sid. He takes turns verbally dressing down Maclin, Something and Warner, and finishes with “How you doin?!” They enter the ring and it’s time to get this one underway.
At the bell, Fatu and Warner kick things off for their respective teams. They begin trading shots. Fatu hits an explosive Samoan Drop and heads to the top-rope. He misses a big splash, and Warner tags in Maclin. Real1 tags in, and Maclin goes to work on him.
Things break down with all six brawling it out inside and outside of the ring. In the chaos, Bishop hits a big chokeslam. Incidental contact with Mance Warner leads to Real1 hitting Eat Defeat for the pinfall victory.
Match Result: Real1, Zilla Fatu & Josh Bishop defeated Steve Maclin, Jake Something & Mance Warner
Mustafa Ali vs. Cedric Alexander
The pre-show wraps up after final hype from the panelists about the long-awaited return of AJ Styles to TNA for the first time in 11 years later tonight. We learn that Mustafa Ali vs. Cedric Alexander will be the first pay-per-view bout of the show.
A live cold open shows a lady singing the National Anthem inside the UBS Arena. From there, the elaborate cold open video package airs to get the pay-per-view portion of the show officially off-and-running.
Back live, Mustafa Ali makes his way out first accompanied by Tasha Steelz and his Secret Service guys. A bunch of heels from The Matrix, basically. They line the aisle as Ali settles in the ring. Cedric Alexander comes out next and fires up the crowd.
The bell sounds to get things started. These two soak up the moment and get after it. The action spills to the floor early, where Ali hits a nasty German suplex. He re-enters the ring and goes for a dive through the ropes, but his Secret Service didn’t catch him. He landed right on his head.
Ali pops up to “Holy sh*t!” chants and slumps against the ring apron on the floor, all the while wearing a massive smirk. Moments later, we see a wild Michinoku Driver onto the Secret Service members on the floor.
Back in the ring. Ali hits a sick tornado DDT. He looks to follow up with a standing moonsault-senton combo, but Alexander rolls out of the way. A front face-lock suplex into the turnbuckles from Alexander gets him a close two-count.
On the floor, the top-half of the steel ring steps are removed. Alexander hits a big back body-drop, Shawn Michaels-level height, on Ali, who lands on the unforgiving steel on the way down. Tasha Steelz distracts the referee, allowing John Skyler to attack out of nowhere.
Ali follows up with a 450-splash off the top-rope onto Alexander. He immediately follows up with the cover, yet Alexander somehow kicks out before the count of three. A loud “TNA! TNA!” chant breaks out. Steelz gets in the ring and pushes the referee. She gets ejected.
Ali measures Alexander for a rolling neckbreaker attempt, but instead dives into a well-timed cutter-counter from Alexander. Skyler tries getting involved, but gets bumped to the floor. Alexander hits Lumbar-Check on Ali into a pin, but Ali somehow kicks out, too.
The action continues, and as Alexander has Ali down, a chair enters the mix. Steelz runs back down and slides into the ring. She crawls to the chair, but by the time she gets to it, Alexander steps on it. Alexander hits Steelz with a Lumbar Check, but Ali quickly hits Alexander with a 450 for the win.
Match Result: Mustafa Ali defeated Cedric Alexander
The System (JDC, Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers) (w/Alisha Edwards) & Matt Cardona vs. Darkstate (Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Saquon Shugars & Cutler James)
After some preamble from Hannifan and Rewholdt, and the international commentary team at ringside, we shift gears and prepare for a big eight-man tag-team bout, with TNA stars taking on WWE NXT stars. Out first comes The System trio of JDC, Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers.
They head to the ring accompanied by Alisha Edwards. The theme for Matt Cardona hits and Long Island’s own “Alwayz Ready” makes his way out to a huge hometown reaction from the crowd. Darkstate foursome Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Saquon Shugars, and Cutler James are out next.
As soon as Darkstate surrounds the ring, The System and Cardona bring the fight to them, with all eight guys brawling in and around the ringside area. Alisha slides JDC a chair and blows a whistle and points to the sky, in an homage to Sabu, before JDC hits a dive to the floor.
Osiris manhandles Myers in the ring after Myers is sent into the steel ring post on the floor. Things settle into an actual match now, with Darkstate taking the early lead. Lennox tags in and picks up where Osiris left off, taking it to Myers.
Shugars hits the ring to knock Myers’ partners off the apron, taking away his option to tag out, which he desparately needs to do at this point. They drag Myers back to their side of the ring and continue utilizing frequent tags to keep a fresh man on him at all times.
Shugars ends up as the legal man in the ring for Darkstate, just as Cardona finally tags in for the other side. The crowd goes wild as Cardona hits the Re-Boot for a close two-count. Cardona hits Radio Silence into a Boston Knee Party from Edwards for the win.
Match Result: The System & Matt Cardona defeated Darkstate
Gia Miller Interviews Tim Malcolm
Tom Hannifan mentions on commentary how all the stars are in the house tonight. He introduces Gia Miller, who is standing by at ringside with Tim Malcolm (yes THE Tim Malcolm) of TLC’s 90 Day Fiancée.
The crowd proceeds to boo the living hell out of him as he tries talking about how big of a TNA fan he is. You’ve got to love pro wrestling fans.
Tessa Blanchard (w/Victoria Crawford) vs. Indi Hartwell
The pre-match video package then airs to set the stage for Knockouts one-on-one action, which is up next. Back live, Tessa Blanchard’s theme hits and out she comes accompanied by Victoria Crawford. Her opponent, Indi Hartwell, comes out next to a big reaction.
The bell sounds and off we go. The two stare at each other for a good few seconds before engaging. Blanchard gets Hartwell to chase her in and around the ring, and catches her coming in with a big shot. Fans chant “She’s a racist!” at Blanchard.
Blanchard forges ahead, ignoring the crowd and continuing to dominate the early portion of the match. After several more minutes of back-and-forth action, Blanchard hits a picture-perfect Magnum off the ropes. She goes for the cover, but Hartwell kicks out.
Blanchard sells it like she saw a ghost, as commentary reminds the viewing audience that no one has kicked out of it since she’s returned. Hartwell hits Hurts Don’t It and a big follow-up into a pin for the victory out of nowhere.
As Gia Miller is interviewing Hartwell at ringside afterwards, Blanchard snaps and attacks Hartwell. Gia tries stopping her, so Blanchard snaps even worse and viciously attacks Miller, slamming her face into the steel steps as Craford holds Hartwell back from attempting to help.
Security eventually breaks things up. Backstage, Santino Marella is filled with rage as he approaches Blanchard and Crawford. Blanchard says they deserved it. She calls Gia a stooge. Santino says there will be repercussions for her actions and has security carry her away.
Match Result: Indi Hartwell defeated Tessa Blanchard
The IInspiration With An Announcement
Backstage, we see George Iceman and The Elegance Brand with their TNA Knockouts Tag-Team Championships. They are confronted by The IInspiration, who are mad about M By Elegance helping them in the match earlier. They tease a friend in high places for a trios match on Impact.
Winner Take All
TNA Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich vs. NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jane
The pre-match video package airs for the next match of the evening, which is the “Winner Take All” champion versus champion showdown, as TNA Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich and NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jane collide.
The NXT Women’s Champion makes her way to the ring accompanied by Fatal Influence. The TNA Knockouts Champion is out next. The bell sounds and off we go. Slamovich starts off well, but it isn’t long before Jane takes over.
Jane settles into a prolonged run in the offensive lead. She dominates Slamovich, but is unable to finish her off. Every time Slamovich shows signs of life, Jane’s cronies from Fatal Influence get involved. Jane tries a cheap shot with the title, but Slamovich hangs on.
As Fatal Influence gets involved again, Xia Brookside and Lei Ying Lee run out to make the save, beating down Jazmyn Nyx and Fallon Henley in the process. Meanwhile in the ring, we see a Snow Plow from Slamovich for a close two-count of her own.
Slamovich looks for Requiem, but Jane avoids it. Jane with a roll-up out of nowhere, but Slamovich kicks out. Jane hits a Rolling Encore out of the blue and covers her. 1-2-3. Jacy Jane wins. She is now the TNA Knockouts and NXT Women’s Champion.
After the match, TNA President Carlos Silva gets on the apron and watches Jane celebrate with both titles.
Match Result: Jacy Jane defeated Masha Slamovich to become the TNA Knockouts & NXT Women’s Champion
TNA X-Division Championship
Moose (c) vs. Leon Slater
The commentators hype things up for the next match, which once again features a title on-the-line. The TNA Tag Lines graphic flashes on the screen to set the stage for the TNA X-Division Championship. Moose, the reigning title-holder is chasing history as the longest reigning champ.
Leon Slater is looking to become the youngest TNA X-Division Champion ever with a potential win tonight. Slater makes his way to the ring to a good reaction from the crowd inside the packed UBS Arena, with 7,623 fans in attendance, setting a new U.S. record for TNA.
Reigning TNA X-Division Champion Moose is shown on the stage in a throne with a slightly modified theme song. He makes his way to the ring. The ring announcer finishes up the pre-match introductions and the bell sounds to get things started.
Moose manhandles Slater from the word “go.” On the floor, he hoists Slater up in a powerbomb position, with his body draping. He swings him side-to-side, looking to bash him into the ring apron. Instead, Slater flips to his feet and leaps a charging Moose, who spears the ring steps.
Now with Moose’s shoulder weakened, Slater takes over on offense, hitting some big high spots that pops the crowd back inside the ring. Slater knocks Moose out to the floor and does his trademark sprinting leap over the ring post to the floor high spot.
Moose takes over again, as Slater’s mom, sister and girlfriend are shown in the crowd. Slater begins fighting back. He hoists Moose up for a Torture Rack Blue Thunder Bomb, but Moose avoids it. Slater hits a Senton 450 off the ropes but somehow Moose kicks out.
Seconds later, Moose begins catching his second wind. He nails Slater with a spear that sends him out to the floor. Moose goes after him, but runs into a Code Red from a prepared Slater. Slater rolls Moose into the ring and climbs to the top.
Moose rolls far away and flips him off. Slater hits a Swanton like Jeff Hardy way across the ring. He follows that up with a Senton 450 off the top for the pin and the win.
With the victory, Leon Slater becomes the youngest TNA X-Division Champion of all-time. He celebrates with his mom, sister and girlfriend in the crowd in a beautiful moment. Moose puts the title around Slater’s waist in a rare moment of respect from The System member.
Match Result: Leon Slater defeated Moose to become the new TNA X-Division Champion
AJ Styles Makes Long-Awaited TNA Return
The post-match celebration for Leon Slater continues, and then the theme for AJ Styles hits and the record-breaking crowd in Long Island goes bonkers as “The Phenomenal One” makes his way out to the ring.
He asks if the fans missed him. He says it’s good to be back in the place where he made his name. He talks about the company having some of the best young talent in the world, like Slater, who became the youngest X-Division Champion in history tonight.
‘Fans break out in a loud “You deserve it!” chant aimed at Slater. Styles tells Slater not to listen to the fans. He says he doesn’t deserve it. He earned it. The fans cheer. Fans break out in a “Welcome Back!” chant aimed at Styles.
Styles says Slater reminded fans that TNA isn’t about weight limits, it’s about no limits. He mentions some of the names he shared the ring with during his days in the X-Division and then once again congratulates Leon Slater for becoming the youngest X-Division Champion ever.
His music plays again. Slater walks off as Styles claps from the ring looking at him. He then poses to the crowd himself on the ropes. That’s how the AJ Styles appearance wrapped up. For now, anyways.
TNA Tag-Team Championship Ladder Match
The Nemeths (Nic & Ryan Nemeth) (c) vs. The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz & Myron Reed) vs. First Class (AJ Francis & KC Navarro) vs. The Hardys (Matt & Jeff Hardy)
Now it’s time for another championship clash, as the TNA Tag-Team Championships will be on the line. The Nemeths defend against The Rascalz, First Class and The Hardys in a four-way ladder match. The pre-match package wraps up and back live return inside UBS Arena.
The Rascalz duo of Zachary Wentz and Myron Reed, who is filling in for Trey Miguel, make their way out first. First Class duo AJ Francis and KC Navarro, who is dealing with an injury himself, come out to some random rappers. The Hardys come out last and the bell sounds.
All hell breaks loose straight out of the gate. Within all of a minute, we see multiple ladders entered into the mix. The high spot fest begins early. We see The Rascalz hit some crazy spots, followed by The Nemeths.
At one point, we see Ryan Nemeth get in MLB legend Johnny Damon’s face at ringside. Damon shoves him. Nic runs over to hold Ryan back. AJ Francis hits a huge moonsault off the ladder onto the pile of bodies in the ring.
Moments later, as Francis and Navarro are both climbing up the same ladder in the ring, it is shoved over and they go flying onto a pair of ladder bridges near the entrance. Francis’ legs go through the rungs on the long way down. Ouch.
From there, The Hardys come to life again. They lay Navarro out over a ladder bridge near the commentary desk. Jeff Hardy hits a swanton onto it, but it doesn’t bend or break. Hardy’s back snaps bad upon landing.
Apparently he’s fine, however, because seconds later Jeff Hardy calls for something from the entrance area. We see a rope style ladder drop from the ceiling. Ryan starts climbing it, but Matt whacks him with a chair.
Nic tries climbing the rope ladder, but Jeff stops him. Jeff climbs the rope ladder and pulls the belts down. The Hardys are your new tag champs. After the match, Bully Ray comes out and challenges The Hardys to defend their titles against Team 3D in “one last great tag team match” in October at TNA Bound For Glory.
Match Result: The Hardys defeated The Nemeths, The Rascalz & First Class to become new TNA Tag-Team Champions
TNA World Championship
Trick Williams (c) vs. Joe Hendry vs. Mike Santana
It’s main event time!
Once the tag title match and aftermath wraps up, we see TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella come out and announce that Tessa Blanchard is suspended indefinitely following her actions earlier tonight. He then asks the pre-show panel for their main event predictions.
As they are giving them, they are cut off by the entrance tune for Frankie Kazarian. Out comes the self-proclaimed “King of TNA.” He rambles about how good looking he is, and what a dork Dave LeGreca is, before announcing he is going to do special commentary.
Kazarian joins Hannifan and Rehwoldt on the call for our high stakes three-way main event. As he does, Santino directs the crowds attention to the big screen where the pre-match video package airs to explain how we got to this main event title tilt.
Joe Hendry’s theme hits and out he comes as fans sing along with the viral smash hit. He settles on the apron and leads the record-breaking crowd in a giant wave. Mike Santana is shown praying backstage in his gear as someone in the ring draped in Puerto Rican flags begins rapping.
Santana begins his custom Jey Uso, Jon Moxley-style ring entrance through the crowd. The fans in Long Island are very much behind Santana tonight. Live rap, ladies and gentlemen. Does it ever deliver? The guy is now yelling, “When I say San, ya’ll say Tana!”
The entrance had a lot of energy, but felt like an unknown rapper getting a spotlight to do some bad karaoke and crowd interactions. He tries rapping again when he can find out where he is in the song. Ouch. Mercifully, this ‘performance’ appears to be over.
After whatever that was, we shoot to the stage where a choir dressed in all black begin church-style singing, “Whoop that Trick!” They mix in some melody and range. Now this is music! Some girls melodize it while bass-voiced guys say “Boom, boom, boom!” in-tune to the Trick-chants.
This eventually merges into the usual Trick Williams theme, which they continue doing their choir-style singing over. The reigning, defending TNA World Champion emerges in a big, fancy robe. He heads to the ring and poses on the ropes as the choir finishes up.
After the final pre-match introductions from the ring announcer, the main event of the evening finally gets underway. It’s definitely a Mike Santana-pro crowd in “The Empire State” this evening. Hendry and Santana get Williams out of the picture early on.
With Williams on the floor recovering, Hendry and Santana duke it out in the ring. Santana looks for Spin the Block, but doesn’t get it. Trick nails him from behind after re-entering the ring. After some more action, Kazarian gets involved, leading to him being ejected.
Trick gets nailed out to the floor, where Santana hits a big dive. Back in the ring, Hendry and Santana duke it out by themselves. Hendry connects with Standing Ovation and goes for the cover. Santana somehow kicks out. Fans chant “San-tan-a!”
Santana gets up to his knees and waves in Hendry to bring on more punishment. They trade shots back-and-forth as Santana gets back to his feet. Santana levels Hendry with Spin the Block. He hits another one and goes for the cover, but Trick steals the pin and gets the win to retain.
Match Result: Trick Williams defeated Mike Santana and Joe Hendry to retain the TNA World Championship
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