12 Ups & 2 Downs From IMPACT Wrestling Slammiversary 2021

3. The Spirit Of ECW Lives On

In modern wrestling, a no disqualifications match typically makes you think of a few chair shots to the back. Maybe a cheeky kendo stick shot to the chest.

Kenny Omega vs. Sami Callihan was, instead, wrestled as a deathmatch.

This was evident almost straight away, as Callihan retrieved a pizza cutter to slice Omega wide open. It wasn't quite as gruesome a scene as you'd expect, but this also isn't Combat Zone Wrestling. Neither man was required to have a crimson mask emblazoned across their face.

The pacing of this was perfect, as it spaced the spots out rather evenly and kept the anticipation high throughout. Callihan was almost crowned the champion within ten seconds of the bell ringing; the audience cared about this match, fully backing 'The Worldwide Desperado' all the way.

Eddie Edwards and Chris Sabin, in full IMPACT tracksuit, chasing off the Good Brothers was an elegant touch, while Omega sinking to Callihan's level by making full use of a fork, trash can, thumbtacks, and other assorted demonic devices worked nicely. At one point, Omega dragged his own knee across the pile of tacks to deliver what commentary dubbed the V-Trigger Of Death.

A One-Winged Angel onto the tacks secured Omega's title, but Callihan has nothing to be ashamed about here. 'The Draw' continued his trend of delivering on the Slammiversary stage. As much as the no disqualifications stipulation benefitted the match, a straight-up wrestling match would have sufficed, too. A legitimate banger of a main event.

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Can be found raving about the latest IMPACT Wrestling signing, the Saints Row franchise, and King Shark in The Suicide Squad.