7 Ups & 5 Downs From IMPACT Slammiversary 2023 (Review)

5. Ultimate X Thrives - Just

This wasn't the best Ultimate X match ever. Clunky, it was not, but it wasn't 100% clean. The X itself was dangling within minutes of the bout beginning, owing to the high-speed nature of the match, and one or two spots weren't executed without a blunder.

But, it was fun. Slick, delectable fun.

Straying from the layout of the previous two Slammiversarys' Ultimate X matches by switching high spots for constant cable-climbing, the match was bolstered, too, by a last-minute Jake Something addition. Jake allowed the match to flow differently from a traditional X Division match, Powerbombing fools over the ropes and using his large frame to swipe them down. This was obvious from the bell ringing; his Powerbombing of Kevin Knight onto the other entrants was the first big spot of the match.

KUSHIDA winning also went unexpected. His status in IMPACT has been on-and-off since he debuted in 2022, and even then, he's never been pushed as a legitimate championship contender. He'll be included in the contendership matches as a highlight reel of charisma and armbars, but rarely as a potential victor. That he now stands with a future X Division Championship match is proof of IMPACT's tendency to give everyone a bash. It's consistently worked and it'll continue to do so with a potential KUSHIDA vs. Lio Rush match in the future.