10 Ups & 1 Down From Impact Wrestling Slammiversary XVI

2. LAX Explode

If you've only got time to familiarise yourself with one of Slammiversary's key storylines, make it this one.

Impact have booked the LAX civil war to perfection. Eddie 'King' Kingston has shone as the saboteur, as has Konnan as the only real bridge between the heelish OGz (Homicide and Hernandez) and the new generation (Santana and Ortiz). Their beef feels real. It's bitter, nasty, and most of all, organic, stemming from a masterful storyline that has breathed new life into one of Impact's most iconic groups, with it all culminating in a berserk blow-off match.

With Homicide and Hernandez both the wrong side of 40 and two other hardcore bouts on the show, this match could've been garbage. It wasn't. The OGz and LAX damn near killed each other in a 13-minute blitz that barely let up throughout, and everything resonated with the Toronto crowd, from Hernandez's signature gravity-defying 285lb dive to Santana's match-ending thumbtack-assisted Frog Splash. It over-delivered, and it might end up being the best bout Impact put on all year.

A post-fight angle saw Konnan celebrate with his bloodied warriors, but they were jumped by the OGz. They took LAX's Tag Team Titles, sprayed "OG," across them, and the feud must continue. There'll be no complaints here. While Homicide and Hernandez can't wrestle this way every week, there's still plenty of life left in this rivalry, and if the calibre of storytelling remains consistent, this could carry Impact all the way to their next pay-per-view (Bound For Glory - 14 October).

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.