“IMPACT is BACK, baby,” my buddy Lane professed as we approached the expo center at the Nashville Fairgrounds only to discover a line that wrapped around the building. Indeed, it felt like the good ol’ days of the TNA Asylum, and we learned pretty early on that that’s what the night was going to be about. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since those days of weekly pay-per-views, the Municipal Auditorium, and of course, the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Sports Arena. Last night’s Slammiversary event was a fitting love letter to the history of TNA Wrestling.
For us locals, particularly those of us who grew up fans of the professional wrestling art form, there is something about TNA Wrestling that is deeply rooted in Nashville’s sports history. I don’t think you can fairly and completely paint a picture of what we are as a sports town without mentioning that building at the Nashville Fairgrounds. I grew up hearing my family talk about the days of seeing the likes of Jackie Fargo and Tojo Yamamoto go to war in that building. I grew up flipping on one of the local stations and watching USA Championship Wrestling with “Cadillac” Kasey James on Saturday morning. But, TNA took that vaunted wrestling history to another level, growing a global brand out of that building…something that truly stood the test of time, and morphing into what we know as IMPACT Wrestling today.
Last night’s show was the most fun I’ve had at a wrestling show in a long, long time. The nostalgia factor was dialed up to 11, as we were treated to vignettes showing some of TNA’s greatest moments. The matches on the Slammiversary card were littered with classic TNA stipulations – from Ultimate X to Monster’s Ball to the Queen of the Mountain match. Legends such as Sting, Kurt Angle, and even AJ Styles (who thanked WWE for allowing him to film something for an IMPACT show) showed up on camera to share their thoughts on the 20th anniversary of TNA’s inception. But, nostalgia alone isn’t enough to carry a wrestling show for a few hours.
For all of its trips down Memory Lane, you still got what you get from IMPACT Wrestling – the production of a big time wrestling show…the bright lights, the video boards, the music, etc.. But, there’s a genuine focus on what’s happening in the ring. That was one of the things that drew me to TNA as a teenager, and it’s something that they obviously made a concerted effort to uphold with Slammiversary.
The night was capped off with an incredible contest between IMPACT Wrestling World Champion Josh Alexander and his challenger, Eric Young. The crowd was split right down the middle – with Alexander garnering several “walking weapon” chants that were met with dueling “EY” chants. The match itself paid homage to several TNA legends – from Samoa Joe to Abyss, an Angle slam, The Stroke, a Styles Clash, and yes, there was even a guitar busted over someone’s head. After the match, a big brawl ended with some TNA originals in the ring reminiscing and celebrating. It was the quintessential pay-per-view main event that sent the crowd home happy.
We had another dose of nostalgia in the IMPACT World Tag Team Championship match. The Good Brothers and The Briscoes put on a fun tag team brawl that had the crowd energized. After The Good Brothers came out on top, America’s Most Wanted surprised the crowd with an appearance. After a “Wildcat” chant rang throughout the arena, James Storm lobbied for everyone involved to drink a beer. The Ultimate X match was everything we’ve come to expect from the electric X Division throughout the years, with “Speedball” Mike Bailey overcoming the odds and winning the X Division Championship. But, for me, the match of the night was the Queen of the Mountain match. Either it was the beer, or it’s just truly been too long since my last IMPACT show, but I had completely forgotten what the rules of this match are. It didn’t matter, though – the action in the ring was so captivating and exciting that I didn’t care. Jordynne Grace came out on top, but everyone in that match deserves their flowers. That was a physical, electric match.
By the end of the night, I caught myself smiling…thinking of all the memories of TNA Wrestling from my teenage years, enjoying some new talent I hadn’t seen before, and sure, maybe the Goose Island IPAs helped out too. Slammiversary was a fitting homage to everything that has made IMPACT such a great wrestling promotion for two decades now, but the bottom line…it was just a damn fun wrestling show.
There’s just something about pro wrestling at the Nashville Fairgrounds that takes me back to simpler times. Well done, IMPACT. *tips cap* They’ll be back for another show out at the Nashville Fairgrounds tonight if you want to scoop up some tickets and catch the action.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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