Impact Slammiversary XVII: Ranking each match

As it has done for the past few PPV events, Impact has again hit it out of the park, as the 17th edition of Slammiversary was one of the best wrestling PPV's presented in all of 2019. While Impact doesn't get the respect it deserves, this was a fantastic card with plenty of great stories being told, and if the company continues to improve, they'll be on the verge of passing Ring of Honor as America's #3 company in no time.

The beauty of this card was that each and every match offered something different, and with all 4 Impact Championships on the line, the landscape of Impact could have changed in one night.

Unfortunately for the challengers, each Champion was able to successfully defend their titles, but how did each and every match stack up against each other?

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#8 Moose def. RVD

Over the past year, Impact has used former ECW talent for nostalgia, and used correctly, they've all been fantastic. Unfortunately for Rob Van Dam, this just wasn't one of his best matches. It's clear that after all the years of physical abuse on his body, RVD just can't go at the speed he once could, but both men worked incredibly hard to make this one an interesting bout, and they did an admirable job.

Moose is finally coming into his own as a character, and a win over a legend like Rob Van Dam sets him up big for the future, and while it was the worst match on the card, Moose comes out a big-time winner. RVD could be very valuable if he stays with Impact going forward, but he's not the performer he once was, and if Impact wants to utilise him in the best way possible, it's likely best to avoid a PPV singles bout for him in the future.

#7 The North def. The Rascalz and LAX - Impact Tag Title Match

Given the diversity of talent in all 3 of these teams, many people expected quite a lot from this bout, but unfortunately, it failed to deliver at the level that was expected. There was nothing inherently wrong with it, but given the level of tag team wrestling in places like AEW and NXT, this one should have been at that level, but it just never kicked into high gear.

The reason for this could have been the injury to Santana, as things clearly needed to be changed because of it, but it's likely we'll see this bout in some form in the future.

Each team played their characters perfectly, and while it wasn't a great bout, it showed flashes of being fantastic, and it's safe to say that the Impact Tag Team division is in good hands going forward.

#6 Willie Mack def. TJP, Trey and Jake Crist

Right now, Impact has one of it's most talented rosters in recent memory, and getting these 4 talents on a show like Slammiversary is fantastic, and they all delivered. Sure, it was always just going to be a fun, fast-paced opener, but given the talent of all 4 men, that's all it needed to be, as it was a great way to get the crowd into the show.

Given how much Willie Mack has been featured on Impact recently alongside Rich Swann, it's clear that he's a big part of their future, so a victory here potentially sets him up for bigger things in the near future. The other 3 are going to get their shot in Impact, as all are great in their own way, but on this night, Willie Mack won a fantastic opener that was definitely a fantastic way to get the event started.

#5 Eddie Edwards def. Killer Kross - First Blood Match

For quite some time now in Impact, Eddie Edwards has been going deeper and deeper down a dark hole and following this First Blood match against Killer Kross, there's likely no return for him now. This match was physical and personal right from the beginning, and both men were using their biggest strengths to get the crowd right into this brutality.

The match then went back and forth, but it was Edwards further descent into the darkness that was the overall story, and to close the match, it was clear that Eddie is ready to get as hardcore as possible.

He snapped his kendo stick and used one end of it to stab Kross in the face, causing him to bleed and the victory, and it's safe to say that there's not much stopping the darker Eddie Edwards from now going after Brian Cage at the top of the card.

#4 Sami Callihan def. Tessa Blanchard

While some fans will have a lot of problems with an intergender match, especially on a big-time show, Impact couldn't have tasked two better performers with this huge opportunity. Tessa is fantastic, and she has a big chip on her shoulder going into this one, and if you were worried this wouldn't be a legitimate, competitive contest, they assured you that wasn't the case very early on.

The referee bumps probably took away from the match a little, but both performers worked incredibly hard to make this a great match, and they no doubt succeeded.

It was brutal, competitive and very physical, but at the end of the day, it was Sami Callihan that finally got a big PPV win for Impact. Following the match, Sami looked like he was going to attack Tessa, but a great show of respect was the way to close what was a phenomenal PPV.

#3 Taya Valkyrie def. Su Yung, Rosemary & Jessicka Havok - Monster's Ball for the Impact Women's Championship

While Impact's Women's Division has been undergoing a big change as of late, that's not always a bad thing, as these 4 women got together and put on a very brutal bout, worthy of this big show. If you were worried that these women wouldn't live up to the brutal, lofty standards of the Monster's Ball, you'd be pleasantly surprised, as all 4 tried to make this as hardcore as possible.

All 4 women managed to get their spots in, and they all seem like worthy opponents for Taya in the future, and the finish was especially brutal.

Havok blasted Yung with a second-rope Tombstone into the tacks, but like the crafty Champion she is, Taya Valkyrie snuck in and stole the victory, and the finish will no doubt set up a huge contest with Havok in the near future.

#2 Rich Swann def. Johnny Impact - Impact X Division Championship Match

Given the talent and unmatched athleticism of Johnny Impact and Rich Swann, this match was always going to be good, but both men put in their best performance of their time with Impact Wrestling. Both men play their characters to absolute perfection, and with the crowd completely behind the reigning X-Division Champion, he had one of the biggest wins of his entire wrestling career.

It's hard to see where Johnny Impact goes from here, especially after back-to-back big match losses since turning heel, but given the long-term storytelling of Impact, they'll no doubt be prepared.

It was smooth from beginning to end, and this really helped take the show to the next level, and if you enjoy fast-paced, aerial offence, this was a performance that you definitely need to seek out. Swann's reign has now been solidified, and with TJP, Ace Austin, Trey and so many more potential challengers out there, his reign is only going to get better from here.

#1 Brian Cage def. Michael Elgin - Impact World Championship Match

These are two of the most talented big men in all of wrestling, and they put in a massive effort to prove that in Dallas, with a hard-hitting, athletic contest that was the best of the night. Not only was it a fantastic bout, but Brian Cage told a fantastic story, as he couldn't hit the Drill Claw due to his injured back, and like a true Champion, he fought throw and defended his title anyway.

It looked more like a classic big man clash in New Japan, and that served the match and the aura of it quite well, and while it wasn't the main event of the night, it was definitely the best match.

The post-match attack from a mystery assailant (Rhyno) will have Elgin occupied until Impact's next big event, but this was a great defence for Cage, who looks like the most dominant Champion in recent history.