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IMPACT Wrestling has been on fire over the past few years. Bringing about a working relationship with AEW and NJPW this year has only brought more eyes to a product that wrestling fans had previously chosen to ignore. Thanks to the focus on their brand, though, more viewers have seen what IMPACT Wrestling has to offer.
The X-Division, the Knockouts, and every other division on the roster have pulled out some fantastic matches this year. With talents like Rich Swann, Moose, Deonna Purrazzo, and the inclusion of talent from other promotions, IMPACT Wrestling is one of the best promotions to watch.
Today we'll be proving that with some of the best pay-per-view and IMPACT Plus matches we've seen this year.
#5 Trey Miguel vs Sami Callihan in a Last Man Standing Match - IMPACT Wrestling Rebellion 2021
Trey Miguel was once part of a three-man stable known as The Rascalz. His two teammates, Dezmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz have moved to NXT where they hold the NXT Tag Titles under the team name MSK.
As they left IMPACT Wrestling, Trey Miguel opted to stick around, returning to the company after a few months away. He was later harassed by the Draw of IMPACT Wrestling, and new number one contender to the world title, Sami Callihan.
Callihan claimed that Trey was set to walk away from the company and leave them high and dry when he couldn't win the big one. He was in Trey's head since he returned, and after months of those remarks, Trey couldn't handle it anymore. They came to blows, leading to a Last Man Standing Match between the two.
Callihan started out rough, body slamming Trey over the ropes and to the floor. He then took a wrench to Trey's mouth, nearly tearing a hole into one side. A powerbomb into a crate and a steel chair to the head later, it seemed the match was over already.
In fact, Callihan could have ended the match several times over, but continued to break the IMPACT Wrestling official's count to dish out more damage. A facebuster on a pile of chairs could've done it. It was enough to probably knock out the toughest competitors on any brand, but Sami wanted to prove a point.
Eventually his arrogance was his undoing. Trey caught him with a scorpion kick and drove him into the chairs. Callihan drove Trey into a table with the Cactus Special, which unfortunately didn't break.
They soon made their way to the apron near another table that had been set up earlier in the match. Callihan wanted to finish Trey, but The Rascal caught him with a cutter through the table, managing to stand up thanks to the barricade.
Trey picked up his first major win since his return to IMPACT Wrestling, and has been trying to capture the X-Division Championship ever since.
#4 Ace Austin vs TJP for the IMPACT Wrestling X-Division Championship - Sacrifice 2021
When it comes to IMPACT Wrestling, their strength resides in every single division containing several contenders who could challenge for the titles at any moment. For the world title there's Moose, Willie Mack, Eddie Edwards, Eric Young, Rich Swann, and Sami Calllihan. The Knockouts have Jordynne Grace, Rosemary, Havok, Kiera Hogan, Tasha Steelz, and Tenille Dashwood.
The X-Division might be the most loaded that IMPACT Wrestling has, though. Chris Bey, Rohit Raju, Petey Williams, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Trey Miguel and current champion Josh Alexander. Add to all that the possibilities of including Jake Something and Black Taurus and the possibilities for meaningful title matches feel limitless.
At IMPACT Wrestling Sacrifice, TJP put the X-Division Championship on the line against Ace Austin. Austin and TJP are just phenomenal competitors, and we got to see them bring the best out of each other on this night. TJP had more trouble than usual on this occasion, as Madman Fulton was there to watch Austin's back.
While TJP is a prized technician, these two focused on the high flying game. Austin landed on top of TJP with a Fosbury Flop and followed with a double springboard roundhouse. TJP responded with a springboard DDT and a triangle dropkick.
It was a wild twelve minutes, ending with Austin knocking the champ off the top before he could hit the Mamba Splash. Austin planted him with a double stomp facebuster before finishing the night with The Fold, earning him his second reign as IMPACT Wrestling X-Division Champion.
#3 Fire 'N Flava vs Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering for the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Tag Team Titles - Under Siege 2021
It would be criminal to do a list regarding IMPACT Wrestling and their best matches without talking about Fire 'N Flava. The now two-time Knockouts Tag Team Champions have everything you need to be major players in professional wrestling. Both of them. Kiera Hogan and Tasha Steelz are money, plain and simple.
Their opponents this time around? One of IMPACT Wrestling's greatest weapons, Jordynne Grace, and a fresh face to the company Rachael Ellering. At Rebellion, Ellering's debut match shocked Fire 'N Flava, as they didn't know exactly what to expect from the duo. There was no tape to study. There was no way to play the mind game going into the pay-per-view.
At Under Siege, though, it was very different. Hogan and Steelz managed to convince Jordynne Grace that she was the weak link in the team, as she'd tried to take the belts before with the legendary Jazz. Grace couldn't get those comments out of her head, leading to Fire 'N Flava with a prime target - Grace's ego.
While on paper it was about strength vs speed, Fire 'N Flava were just smarter than their opponents, and have been two steps ahead of any team they've faced in 2021. Ellering and Grace had great showings of their power.
Hogan managed to take Ellering to the floor with Sliced Bread No. 2, leaving Grace in the ring one-on-one with Steelz. It was time for Grace to prove herself. She went for the Grace Driver...but failed to connect, allowing Steelz to drop her long enough to hit a frog splash for the win.
Grace and Ellering have been struggling to work together ever since, while Hogan and Steelz continued their dominance in the IMPACT Wrestling tag division.
#2 Kenny Omega vs Rich Swann for the IMPACT Wrestling and AEW World Titles - Rebellion 2021
For any AEW fans reading this list expecting this one to top the IMPACT Wrestling list, sorry to disappoint you. It really was a great match, and I'd love to see Kenny Omega and Rich Swann go at it one more time.
IMPACT Wrestling had been building up to this match since December when Don Callis brought Kenny Omega to Tennessee after winning the AEW World Championship. Callis and Omega claimed to be a "real" world champion, antagonizing the IMPACT Wrestling roster. Several months later, this led to a match between Omega and IMPACT's top star and world champion Rich Swann.
It was built around, as are most of Omega's matches, the One Winged Angel. Though it was the case in the older days of pro wrestling, Omega seems to be the only wrestler that has a finisher that actually finishes a match. Once he hits it, that's game over. Swann had tasted defeat at the hands of Omega's One Winged Angel earlier in the year. This time around, he did his best to avoid it as best he could.
After twenty-plus minutes, however, Swann was gassed and beaten down. Kenny Omega had dropped him on his head and cracked him with so many V-Triggers that Swann seemed to be out on his feet.
Though Swann put up a fantastic effort and nearly had Omega's number a few times over, he could never hit his best maneuver, the Phoenix Splash. Though he seemed to have Omega scouted, if he couldn't connect with his biggest weapon, it was all for nothing.
After avoiding Swann's splash, Omega drove him into the mat with the One Winged Angel, capturing the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship, alongside the defunct TNA World Title. That part's a little complicated, but they're both gorgeous belts. Speaking of the TNA World Title...
#1 Rich Swann vs Moose in a winner take all IMPACT Wrestling World Title Match - Sacrifice 2021
As great as Kenny Omega and Rich Swann were together, Swann's match with Moose was just a bit better. Swann and Mr. IMPACT Wrestling himself were both looking to represent the company at Rebellion. Moose was the self-proclaimed TNA World Champion while Swann was the IMPACT Wrestling World Champion.
Moose considered himself to be the true champion and the one who carried the brand on his back. To his credit, that's exactly what he did. When Tessa Blanchard was absent from TV and ultimately vacated the belt, Moose was the main star representing the brand. So he was justified in wanting to represent IMPACT Wrestling against the AEW World Champion.
At Sacrifice, these two put on a stellar main event. Fans in the know had heard that the plan was always for Omega and Swann to go at it at Rebellion. Still, it seemed like a big mountain to climb for Swann. Moose is a monster, a five-star athlete, and is in better shape now than he's ever been.
There was a serious gap in power as Moose managed to dominate the IMPACT Wrestling World Champion for the better part of the match. Any time Swann seemed to be building momentum, one nasty shot would derail him. Or, one jaw-dropping moment of incredible athleticism.
Though Swann managed to catch Moose with the handspring cutter, he was never able to cleanly keep the big man down. In the end, Swann just got lucky. A roll-up caught Moose, sending Swann and both titles to Rebellion.
It was incredible, and was a preview of what's to come whenever Moose does, eventually, win the IMPACT Wrestling World Title.
