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Sometimes, when Impact Wrestling makes news, it's not for the right reasons. There has been a mass exodus of talent over the last year, and more changes in management than one can keep track of. But the latest change in regime seems to be paying dividends for the company at long last. Slammiversary XVI was one of the best shows of 2018.
If Redemption was a return to form for Impact Wrestling, Slammiversary was the magnum opus. There wasn't a weak match on the card, and almost every match had stakes to get the viewer invested for the long haul. I don't think there was a dull moment during the whole show.
At this stage, I'll state what worked during the show and make a few suggestions to make the event absolutely seamless. Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought of Slammiversary in the comments.
If you haven't watched the show yet, I so strongly suggest you do so immediately!
#1 Best: A very hot crowd
One of the biggest problems that Impact has suffered from over the last few years has been the audience. More often than not, the audience does not seem to be invested in the wrestling resulting in the action not translating very well to audiences watching at home. This week was a whole different story! The arena was completely sold out.
The crowd was hot from the start to the finish and this made the action seem more special. They came up with the usual chants like 'This is Awesome' and 'Impact Wrestling' and also some non-PG chants that added a unique flavour to the proceedings. Their interest did not wane at any point during the entire night.
Slammiversary was a testament to the fact that a live crowd translates into better wrestling, even for those watching at home. Impact Wrestling hit a home run with this one.
#1 Worst: Camera angles
I thought that the cameramen did a decent job when it came to singles matches. When it came to multi-man matches, it sometimes seemed that the camera crew could not keep up with the action. Especially during the opening contest, I felt like we missed a lot of angles because people were flying all around the ring. And this was indeed quite disappointing.
I hope that this issue gets rectified in the shows that follow. This was a singular black mark on an otherwise outstanding show.
#2 Best: Match of the year?
Pentagon Jr. put his mask on the line and Callihan risked getting his hair shaved during this marquee contest. We all knew that this was the match to watch out for. And both men put on a spectacle to really mark out for.
So much so that Chris Jericho tweeted about the match! Jericho is a personal friend of Don Callis and Scott D'Amore, and he obviously wants the best for them. But praise from him is a huge deal for the men and women of Impact Wrestling, and I'm sure that they were pleased.
Ultimately, it was Sami Callihan who got his hair shaved bald. Even though Pentagon Jr. won the match, it is clear that Callihan has evolved into the hottest heel in the business.
#2 Worst: Too much leeway from Impact Officials
I understand that wrestling is scripted combat. But even in this world of fantasy, officials exist within the ring to lay the law down. Almost every match had interference of some kind without the officials really caring about the same.
Josh Mathews had to justify the fact that the officiating was lax, by cooking up a story about there being a lot at stake in the match. Somehow, the poor officiating just took me entirely out of the match.
It did not help that one of the officials looked like a very young man. A lot of jokes were cracked on Twitter at his unfortunate expense.
#3 Best: Really brutal hardcore matches
More than one match felt like it belonged to The Attitude Era during Slammiversary. The fact of the matter is that we do not often get to see this style of wrestling on TV anymore. And it was a welcome change from the standard wrestling we enjoy on a weekly basis. Dare I say, it was significantly more 'extreme' than Extreme Rules was.
The men and women of Impact Wrestling really took a beating on the big stage. They will all wake up feeling immensely sore in a few hours.
#3 Worst: The backstage interviews
This could be just a matter of personal preference. But I thought that former backstage interviewer McKenzie Mitchell did a far better job of reacting to wrestlers she's interviewing than Alicia Atout does. It may just be a case of getting used to the ropes for Miss Atout. After all, she is fairly new to the job.
This is probably a non-issue because Atout is a big wrestling fan and she's sure to become even better with experience.
#4 Best/worst: X-Division Title match
Matt Sydal and Brian Cage worked a fantastic X Division Championship match. The moves were incredible and the counters were even better. But it was the final spot that made me unsure of how to rate this match. It seemed like Matt Sydal botched a move and got genuinely hurt.
I do hope he's okay. Congrats to the brand new champion and congrats to Impact Wrestling for putting on a great show tonight. What a great way to prove your doubters wrong!
What did you guys think of the show overall?
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