TNA Slammiversary Trick Williams Joe Hendry Mike Santana
Image Credit: TNA Wrestling

TNA Slammiversary Results: Review, Grades, Card For July 20

By Matt Black

Our TNA Slammiversary results for tonight include Joe Hendry and Mike Santana challenging Trick Williams for the TNA World Championship, the return of The Phenomenal AJ Styles, and a four-way ladder match for the TNA World Tag Team Titles.

TNA Slammiversary Card

The announced card is as follows:

  • TNA World Championship: Trick Williams (c) vs. Joe Hendry vs. Mike Santana
  • Ladder Match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship: The Nemeth Brothers (c) vs. The Hardys vs. The Rascalz vs. Fir$t Cla$$
  • TNA X-Division Championship: Moose (c) vs. Leon Slater
  • TNA Knockouts & NXT Women’s Championship: Masha Slamovich (c) vs. Jacy Jayne (c)
  • Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali
  • The System and Matt Cardona vs. DarkState
  • Indi Hartwell vs. Tessa Blanchard
  • The return of The Phenomenal AJ Styles
  • TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship Countdown Match: The Elegance Brand (c) vs. The IInspiration
  • Countdown Match: Steve Maclin, Mance Warner, and Jake Something vs. Real1, Zilla Fatu, and Josh Bishop

Countdown to Slammiversary Results:

TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championship: The Elegance Brand (c) vs. The IInspiration

  • The finish of the match saw The Elegance Brand cheat using a toy torch to strike Cassie Lee before Ash by Elegance hits her with Rarified Air to score the pinfall victory for her team.

Winners: Still TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions, The Elegance Brand

Grade: C

This wasn’t good. The Elegance Brand has been a gigantic anchor on the Knockouts tag team division all year, and it’s not getting any better. The sooner they put the titles on someone else, the better. This division is in desperate need of a refresh right now.

Eric Young (w/ The Northern Amory) vs. The Hometown Man

  • The finish of the match saw The Hometown Man reverse Eric Young’s piledriver into a pin to score the victory.

Winner: The Hometown Man

Grade: B-

Pretty much what you’d expect from an impromptu match like this. It was clearly done for the laughs and to get on the crowd’s good side. Not sure it was needed, but if you fly Eric Young in, you might as well use him.

Steve Maclin, Mance Warner, and Jake Something vs. Real1, Zilla Fatu, and Josh Bishop

  • The finish of the match saw Real1 hit Jake Something with Eat Defeat to score the pinfall victory for his team.

Winners: Real1, Zilla Fatu, Josh Bishop

Grade: B

A fine continuation of the partnership between TNA and Fourth Rope. I don’t have an issue with the Fourth Rope guys going over, especially on a countdown show. The match was shorter than I thought it would be but that might be because Real1’s promo went a bit long. Who knows.

TNA Slammiversary Results:

The event opens with a video package hyping tonight’s pay-per-view.

Mustafa Ali (w/ Order 4) vs. Cedric Alexander

  • The finish of the match saw Cedric Alexander get into it with Tasha Steelz, who had already been ejected earlier in the match. Alexander hits her with a Lumbar Check, which leads right into Mustafa Ali hitting Alexander with a 450 splash to score the pinfall victory.

Winner: Mustafa Ali

Grade: A-

This match could have been higher if not for all of the outside interference, which took away from the match more than it helped. To have Steelz return to ringside after already being ejected makes the referee’s power look useless. Didn’t love the overbooked mess that was featured in this match, but when it was Alexander and Ali, the match was very special.

Do they still believe?

Joe Hendry is backstage with Gia Miller. Hendry hypes up the main event and wants the crowd to believe in him to become a two-time TNA World Champion. However, this crowd seems to be pretty pro Mike Santana, so Hendry might have an uphill battle with the live crowd tonight.

Matt Cardona and The System (w/ Alisha Edwards) vs. DarkState

  • The finish of the match saw Matt Cardona hit Saquon Shugars with Radio Silence, followed by a Boston Knee Party by Eddie Edwards, who scored the pinfall victory for his team.

Winners: Matt Cardona and The System

Grade: B

The match was fine. But let’s be honest, DarkState isn’t good. It’s become evidently clear that NXT realizes that they aren’t good either, and we’ve seen them more in TNA lately than we have WWE. No one should be surprised to see them lose tonight.

Tessa Blanchard (w/ Victoria Crawford) vs. Indi Hartwell

  • The finish of the match saw Indi Hartwell hit Tessa Blanchard with a Hurts Don’t It to score the pinfall victory.

Winner: Indi Hartwell

After the match, Gia Miller tries to interview Hartwell at ringside. Blanchard attacks Hartwell and then attacks Miller for trying to break things up.

Grade: B+

A solid match and a huge victory for Indi Hartwell. This is probably her biggest win since signing with the company. But of course, the company felt the need to get Blanchard her heat back immediately instead of just letting it be a moment for Hartwell, but I digress.

So long Tessa

Backstage, TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella has Blanchard escorted from the building.

Winner Takes All: TNA Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich vs. NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne (w/ Fatal Influence)

  • The finish of the match saw Jacy Jayne hit Masha Slamovich with the Encore to score the pinfall victory.

Winner: And NEW TNA Knockouts Champion, Jacy Jayne

Grade: B-

This match was the definition of mid. Jayne and Slamovich didn’t seem to have a ton of chemistry with one another, and the match didn’t come across well. Not really sure what else to say. I didn’t hate the match, but it wasn’t a great match either by any stretch of the imagination.

TNA X-Division Championship: Moose (c) vs. Leon Slater

  • The finish of the match saw Leon Slater hit Moose with the Swanton 450 to score the pinfall victory.

Winner: And NEW TNA X-Division Champion, Leon Slater

After the match, Moose shows respect to Slater by putting the X-Division Championship around his waist.

Grade: A

This match ruled. Best thing on the show so far. Lots of great moments and a ton of near-falls. This is the biggest win of Leon Slater’s career, and I couldn’t be happier for him. He’s one of the best young talents this company has right now. Strap the rocket to him and let him fly.

The house that AJ Styles built

Before Leon Slater can leave the ring, AJ Styles comes out to his old-school TNA theme. The crowd and Slater lose their minds. Styles shakes Slater’s hand and asks for a microphone. AJ asks TNA if they’ve missed him. The crowd chants welcome back. Styles says it’s been a long road, but he’s back in the ring for the company where his name was built.

Styles puts over the lights, the crowd, and Slater. The crowd chants you deserve it. Styles tells Slater he doesn’t deserve it; he’s earned it. Styles says Slater reminded him tonight why he loves this business, and he thanks him for that. The crowd asks AJ for one more match, and he says he wants to talk about Slater more, and then we’ll get back to that.

Styles says Slater reminded everyone tonight that the X-Division isn’t about weight limits, it’s about no limits. AJ calls Slater the future of the X-Division and says its future is in phenomenal hands. Styles raises Slater’s hand, and the champ leaves. Styles poses and leaves, he never goes back to talk about the one more match chants like he promised.

Ladder Match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship: The Nemeth Brothers (c) vs. The Hardys vs. The Rascalz vs. Fir$t Cla$$

  • The finish of the match saw Jeff Hardy climb a ladder hanging from the ceiling of the arena to retrieve the tag titles.

Winners: And NEW TNA World Tag Team Champions, The Hardys

Grade: A-

This match was WILD! I’m hoping that everyone somehow escaped this match without getting injured, but I’m not confident in that. If AJ Francis isn’t injured, I would legitimately be shocked. While the Hardys kinda telegraphed this win in recent weeks, I’m happy to see them get another run with the gold.

Bully Ray is here for some reason…

Bully Ray comes out to the ring and congratulates The Hardys on winning the TNA Tag Team Titles again. Ray says they are catching up and puts over the attendance record for the company tonight.

Bully says, 25 years ago, The Hardys and The Dudleys made history and stole the show in New York. Ray says The Road Warriors are the greatest tag team of all time, but there’s an argument to be made for who’s the most successful. Bully challenges the Hardys to a match at Bound For Glory on behalf of himself and D-Von. The Hardys accept.

Santino Marella comes out on the stage and announces that Tessa Blanchard is suspended indefinitely. The crowd is very happy. Frankie Kazarian interrupts and says he’ll be doing commentary for the main event.

TNA World Championship: Trick Williams (c) vs. Joe Hendry vs. Mike Santana

  • The finish of the match saw Mike Santana hit Joe Hendry with Spin the Block. Trick Williams returns to the ring after faking an injury to toss Santana out and score the pinfall victory on Hendry.

Winner: And still TNA World Champion, Trick Williams

Grade: B-

Williams celebrated on the stage with the title as TNA Slammiversary went off the air.

TNA Slammiversary Review:

For the most part, this pay-per-view delivered tonight. Unfortunately, all anyone will remember is the finish. Tonight should have been the crowning of Mike Santana. TNA had a HUGE opportunity tonight to strike while the iron was hot, and they blew it.

They screwed this up with Hendry in the past, and they are about to do the same with Santana. It’s a damn shame. This company can’t get out of its own way. Tonight, TNA felt more like a feeder system for NXT than the national promotion they are supposed to be. Very disappointed. This show could have easily been a B+ or even an A- with the right finish in the main event. But alas…

Grade: B

READ MORE: The Hardy Boyz Name Their Favorite Singles Feuds in WWE

What did you think of TNA Slammiversary? What was your favorite match or segment? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.

Matt Black
Matt Black

Matt Black has been covering wrestling video games since WWE Warzone from Acclaim. Coverage of wrestling video games eventually lead him into the world of wrestling news. Matt is a fan of every wrestling company and enjoys the current state of the industry in 2024.

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