iMPACT: The road to Slammiversary is paved with street fights

Boris Roberto Aguilar

iMPACT: The road to Slammiversary is paved with street fights

Greetings and salutations! We are officially on the road to Slammiversary this week. Tonight’s TNA iMPACT will be headlined by Mike Santana against AJ Francis in a street fight. Also on the card will be The Hardys will taking on Judas Icarus and Travis Williams of The Northern Armory. Nic Nemeth will take on The Rascalz’s Zachary Wentz. We will also see a “Call to Arms match” with Mustafa Ali and John Skyler going at it even though they are part of the same stable. We will also see a Battle Royal to determine Masha Slamovich’s next opponent for her Knockouts title. With all of this and more, let’s get straight to the action.

Saying his name….

As the show kicks off, we get confirmation that it will be Joe Hendry vs. Trick Williams for the TNA World Championship at TNA Slammiversary 2025, and by saying his name he appeared! Hendry thanks the fans and says the TNA World Championship that is being held hostage by Trick Williams actually belongs to all the TNA fans. Hendry talks about his career and everything he went through to get to this spot. He says that he vows to bring the TNA World Championship back to TNA at TNA Slammiversary.

Killer Kelly shows up in a promo, and she talks about her past with TNA Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich. She says MK-Ultra were unbreakable and unstoppable. Kelly tells the other women to work hard because she’ll be waiting for them after taking the world title from Masha Slamovich.

Zachary Wentz (w/ Trey Miguel) vs. Ryan Nemeth (w/ Nic Nemeth)

The macth built up and we see Wentz with a chop, but Ryan countered and was looking for a neck-breaker, but Wentz reversed it into a backslide for a nearfall. Wentz goes hard with some hard tackles, followed by a Handspring knee, and a running knee. Wentz continues his offense as he hits Nemeth with a penalty kick, then followed with a running shooting star press. Wentz went tot he top, but Nemeth runs chucks him down to crotch him on the top rope. Nemeth with a leaping DDT for a nearfall. Nic then tried to slide one of the TNA World Tag Team Title belts to Ryan, but the referee stopped it. This allowed Wentz to hit a jumping knee, followed by a Spiral Tap for the win.

Winner: Zachary Wentz

After the match, things got tense with both teams, but cooler heads prevailed.

Gia Miller is with Trick Williams and Trick hypes up Slammiversary and asks Miller if she thinks he’s not ready? Before Miller could say anything, he stops her in the middle and says that was the “trick question.” Trick says while Hendry still has heart, has to kick it out. Trick ends things by commenting that AJ Francis will beat Santana tonight.

Still in the back we have Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich with Gia Miller. Before the champ can say much, NXT’s Arianna Grace shows up with a proposal of her own and says she is super excited to show Masha what’s she’s got in store for the champion.

Knockouts Battle Royal (#1 contender’s match)

Back inside the arena, the ring is filled up with all of the Knockouts to determine the number 1 contender. Here are the happenings:

  • The IInspiration and The Elegance Brand have a pose off and are knocked out right away
  • Jody Threat immediately targeted Alisha Edwards
  • Tasha Steelz focused her attention on Indi Hartwell,
  • Xia Brookeside looked to eliminate Rosemary, but Rosemary held on
  • Dani Luna was eliminated by Myla Grace after Threat helped her stay in
  • Rosemary went after Hudson and Grace, but they fought back and eliminated her.
  • Tessa Blanchard saved Crawford from elimination for a bit until Lei Ying Lee finally got rid of her
  • Steelz with a Superkick on Brookeside, and Brookside gets up and runs at her, but Steelz back drops her to the apron and out for elimination
  • Lee takes out Sasha Steelz right after this, but in the momentum and madness, Blanchard eliminated Lee.

The final two were Indi Hartwell and Tessa Blanchard. Blanchard slammed Hartwell on the turnbuckle, but Hartwell is putting up a fight. The two go back and forth on the apron, and then Ash by Elegance re-appears as apparently she was never actually eliminated. She runs at Hartwell and Blanchard, knocking them off the apron and to the floor to win the match.

Winner: Ash by Elegance

After the match, we see replays from the start, and while The IInspiration and Elegance Brand appeared to be eliminated, Ash actually went under the ropes. TNA Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich comes out and stares down Ash. NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne is out also and the three stare each other down.

Jake Something appears and he talks about his return last week to save Tommy Dreamer for Mance Warner. Something says he’s ready to unleash his wrath on Warner before he sets his sights on TNA International Champion Steve Maclin. Maclin appears and congratulates Something on his return.

Mustafa Ali vs. John Skylar – Call to Arms match

Steelz ties both guys to the ropes per some rules. Ali takes out scissors and cuts his rope and then hits a running dropkick on Skyler. Ali with some stomps in the corner. Ali chokes Skyler with his boot, but Skyler pushes Ali off and then hits a back elbow. The two go back and forth with chops until Skyler hits a leaping knee. Skyler charges the corner, but Ali ducks out to the apron. Ali goes for a move, but Skyler counters it into a DDT. Skyler makes his way to the top, but Ali meets him and hits him with a Superkick that sends him to the apron. Ali runs and Skyler hits a Spear. Ali with a choke on the ropes to Sklyer and sends him hard into the corner. This allows Ali to hit a 450 Splash for the win.

Winner: Mustafa Ali

Mustafa Ali goes to the floor and gets a chair. Jason Hotch gets in his face and Ali looks to end things, but ends up sending Hotch into the ring post. Tasha Steelz begs Ali to stop, but he ignores her and right before he uses the chair…..CEDRIC ALEXANDER makes his debut. Ali backs off as the two stare…

The System are in the back. Moose talks about his X-Division Championship match against Leon Slater at Slammiversary until Matt Cardona shows up and tries to talk to Brian Myers. Eddie Edwards gets in Cardona’s face issues a challenge to Cardona. The System then leaves as we get a face-off between Myers and Cardona.

The Hardys vs. The Northern Armory (w/ Eric Young)

Williams tried to grab Matt on the apron, but Matt countered by snapping Williams’ head over the top rope. Kazarian tried to interfere again, but this time the referee caught him and ejected him from ringside. Kazarian threw a fit, forcing multiple referees and officials to escort him to the back. Jeff tagged in and unleashed a series of strikes on Icarus. Williams tried to break up a pin attempt, but Jeff moved, causing Williams to crash onto Icarus instead. Icarus locked in a sleeper hold, and Williams followed up with a dropkick to Jeff. A few moments later, The Hardys hit the Plot Twist on Icarus, and Jeff climbed to the top rope. He connected with the Swanton Bomb to secure the victory.

Winners: the Hardy’s
After the match, Jeff calls his favourite wrestler out, Leon Slater. Matt Hardy says that Slater has been working hard every day and will be a future star and is on the road to Slammiversary where he will become the youngest TNA X-Division Champion in the history of TNA. Slater thanks The Hardys and says that he won’t just show up at Slammiversary – he’s going to show out. Slater says that he’s been hearing Moose talk about being the greatest TNA X-Division Champion of all-time, but he better be ready for the toughest night of his life. Slater moves over to the commentary desk.

Moose vs. Shane Sabre vs. Jake Painter

Moose gouged at Sabre’s eyes before whipping him across the ring and into Painter. When Moose charged into the corner, both opponents moved out of the way. Painter and Sabre attempted to send Moose into the ropes, but Moose came back with a double clothesline.

He followed up with a powerbomb to Painter, then delivered a pop-up powerbomb to Sabre, who landed on top of Painter. Moose then tossed Sabre to the floor and speared Painter to pick up the win. After the match, Moose mounted Jake Painter.

Moose then delivered a flurry of punches until Leon Slater hit the ring. Slater got in Moose’s face and the two exchanged heated words. Moose then raised the TNA X-Division Championship high before exiting the ring. The show then went to another break.

Match Result: Moose defeated Jake Painter and Shane Sabre

After the match, Moose attacks Jake Painter as he taunts Slater. Slater gets in the ring and we get a face-off between Moose and Slater.

Mike Santana vs. AJ Francis – Street Fight

We see some table spots, stairs spots and some good back and forth. Francis goes for the Down Payment, but Santana fights his way out and goes for a Hurricanrana, but Francis holds on and hits a Styles Clash for a two! Francis calls Navarro over for some champange and then puts the bottle in the corner. Francis charges at Santana, but Santana ducks and grabs the bottle. Santana hits Spin the Block with the bottle for the win.

Winner: Mike Santana

After the match, Mike Santana grabs a microphone and says that he has worked so hard to get to where he is and thanks the fans. Santana says that he is not called the standard of TNA for nothing and when the TNA World Championship is mentioned, his name HAS to be part of the conversation. Santana says that he wants to be part of the Slammiversary main event along with Hendry and Williams and says that Santino Marella knows what to do and that Marella owes him one. Santana ends things by saying that in New York, he won’t lose.

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