10 Biggest Stories From IMPACT's Slammiversary And What They Mean Going Forward
IMPACT continues their upward trend thanks to its blood feuds and a sellout crowd.
IMPACT Wrestling has spent the entirety of this year and much of 2017 attempting to re-shape its image in the eyes of wrestling fans. After years of criticism and derision for its past years as TNA -- and even a short stint as Global Force Wrestling -- the promotion has done a solid job of setting things right. With that, IMPACT presented one of its top shows of the year on Sunday in Toronto, Canada.
Slammiversary has been an annual hallmark since the pay-per-view's inception in 2005, and this edition saw the celebration of the promotion's sixteenth birthday. On display were all of IMPACT's top stars -- including Austin Aries, Sami Callihan, and Pentagon Jr. Also featured were some of its newest talents like Tessa Blanchard, Brian Cage, and the LAX tandem of Santana and Ortiz. Everyone from the bottom of the card to the top put their best foot forward in IMPACT's continued attempt to repair its image.
As they rise from the ashes of their former TNA and Global Force namesakes this year, Slammiversary stood as undoubted proof that things will continue to trend upward. So, join us as we take a look at what happened in Toronto - and what lies ahead for the promotion and its stars.
10. Their Largest Attendance In Five Years
Slammiversary THIS SUNDAY is officially SOLD OUT!
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) July 18, 2018
We absolutely cannot wait for a jam packed crowd in The Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto LIVE on PPV and @FiteTV! pic.twitter.com/k4ILBPz2fe
Nearly four-thousand fans packed the Rebel Entertainment Complex on Sunday night, located in Toronto, Canada. Slammiversary was only the second pay-per-view event for IMPACT this year, with Redemption being the only previous airing. While IMPACT may be light on pay-per-view offerings, they weren’t lacking in fans for the extravaganza. The former-TNA continues to pull itself out of the murky shadows in which it once dwelled.
With the IMPACT rebranding and new leadership behind the scenes — including current NJPW announcer, Don Callis — Slammiversary marked the company’s largest attendance figure in over five years. The pay-per-view may not have broken the official record — set at 2013’s Lockdown event with 7,200 fans — but it did earn its place as the most attended show since.
The increase in fan turnout is a surefire sign that the effort to improve is finally paying off. Many online communities, such as Reddit and other forums, who have often laid harsh criticism at IMPACT’S feet spent Sunday eve lauding Slammiversary as the company’s best show in recent memory. While helping quiet many detractors, it also proved IMPACT’s renewed worth to their most dedicated fans and also those who left long ago. The Toronto event drawing IMPACT's largest house in half a decade can only be good as they will spend the remainder of 2018 in Canada, save for Bound For Glory — but more on that in a bit.