The long-awaited mystery of which free agents will appear at Slammiversary 2020 was answered during the three-hour live pay-per-view event, as established stars crashed the party, causing chaos and bringing more questions to the IMPACT Wrestling roster.
The flurry of IMPACT newcomers started moments after midnight on July 18 when The Good Brothers, the team of Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson, confirmed they were bound for IMPACT Wrestling. A powerful pair that has been teaming together since 2013, Gallows and Anderson have worldwide history and fame, competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling and the U.S. with multiple championship reigns.
Slammiversary 2020 also featured the return of one of the most popular tag-teams in company history – Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, a.k.a., the Motor City Machine Guns. The Guns accepted an open challenge from The Rascalz (Dez and Wentz) and immediately made their vision clear: the Guns want the gold! Following their Slammiversary win, the Motor City Machine Guns are set to challenge reigning champions The North (Ethan Page and Josh Alexander) for the IMPACT Tag Team Championship this Wednesday, July 22 on IMPACT! on FIGHT NETWORK UK at 9pm.
Detroit natives Shelley and Sabin are former TNA World Tag Team Champions and have previously won the prestigious Tag Team of the Year Award from Pro Wrestling Illustrated. The IMPACT singles division also was rocked at Slammiversary 2020, as the show ended with the returning EC3 on the screen.
EC3 is a two-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion and former IMPACT Grand Champion, among other accolades – and also will return to IMPACT! this Wednesday on Fight Network UK.
Another returning former World Champion was Eric Young (EY), the proud charismatic Canadian who made his TNA debut in early-2004 and has 12 years of history in the IMPACT Wrestling ring. EY is a former TNA World Heavyweight Champion, a former X-Division Champion and two-time former World Tag Team Champion. He also is a TNA Triple Crown Champion and TNA Grand Slam Champion. Heath arrived and quickly proclaimed he is the hottest free agent on the market and ready to silence any skeptics. Competing since 2004, Heath has had considerable in-ring experience in tag team wrestling, with multiple tag championship runs, including a long history teaming with IMPACT star Rhino. The event also featured the in-ring return of former X-Division Champion Rich Swann, who has been out of action since late last year due to injury. Swann was a late entrant into the main event to crown a new IMPACT World Champion.
“Slammiversary 2020 will go down as the biggest game-changing event in IMPACT Wrestling history,” said IMPACT Executive Vice President Scott D’Amore.
Slammiversary 2020 was an action-packed extravaganza that featured multiple title changes, including Eddie Edwards reclaiming the IMPACT World Championship, defeating Ace Austin, Trey Miguel and the returning EY and Swann. Edwards’ main event victory further secured his legacy as one of the best-ever to compete in an IMPACT ring. He is now a two-time World Champion to go with his two X-Division and five World Tag Team Championship reigns.
Additional Slammiversary 2020 highlights include:
** Deonna Purrazzo defeated Jordynne Grace to win the Knockouts Championship.
** Chris Bey claimed the X-Division Championship with his victory over Willie Mack.
** The North retained the World Tag Team Championship against the team of Ken Shamrock and Sami Callihan.
** Kylie Rae stood victorious in the 11-person Knockouts Gauntlet Match, thus becoming the No. 1 Contender.
** Moose “retained” the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Tommy Dreamer in an Old School Rules match.
** The returning Motor City Machine Guns defeated The Rascalz.
Viewers across the globe can watch IMPACT Wrestling content on a variety of platforms and devices including the IMPACT Plus SVOD service and digital channel for £7.99 a month; on the promotion’s highlight-packed YouTube Channel; and on twitch.tv. IMPACT Wrestling can also be seen throughout the United Kingdom via Anthem’s Fight Network UK.
IMPACT Wrestling is broadcast globally in over 120 countries.