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IMPACT Wrestling's 2021 saw more eyes on the 19-year-old company. Through partnerships with All Elite Wrestling and NJPW, the promotion brought in talent that had the pro wrestling world talking. Between these outsiders and key pick-ups, IMPACT has been able to offer a wide variety of interesting matchups throughout the past 12 months.
From high-profile main events to the return of X-Division excellence, the company certainly had one of its better years in recent memory. The in-ring output has been solid overall, but there were some bouts that stood out head and shoulders ahead of the pack.
The litany of remarkable competitors that graced the ring for IMPACT in 2021 reads like an all-star lineup. They were able to create their own forbidden door and mix the outside talent nicely with their own roster. This produced some awesome in-ring contests.
In this listicle, let's take a look at the five best IMPACT Wrestling matches of 2021.
#5. Kenny Omega vs. Sami Callihan for the IMPACT World Championship (IMPACT Wrestling Slammiversary 2021)
AEW World Champion Kenny Omega's arrival in IMPACT Wrestling marked an increase in popularity for the promotion. He fulfilled his belt collector prophecy by defeating Rich Swann to win the IMPACT World Championship at Rebellion. Following a successful defense against Moose, he defended the title against Sami Callihan in a No Disqualification Match.
If there is an example where Omega can switch his style to have a great match with any opponent, this would be it. The Best Bout Machine put on a masterful performance using the stipulation to highlight big moments and impactful moves. Callihan was in top form, using his death-match history to give fans a bloody battle. However, Omega eventually defeated Callihan to retain the world title.
#4. Josh Alexander vs. Ace Austin vs. Rohit Raju vs. Petey Williams vs. Trey Miguel vs. Chris Bey in the Ultimate X Match for the IMPACT X-Division Championship (IMPACT Wrestling Slammiversary)
The X-Division was always regarded as the trademark of IMPACT Wrestling. Josh Alexander won the X-Division gold by defeating Ace Austin and TJP in a three-way at Rebellion. After a huge win over TJP in an Iron Man Match, there were a litany of challengers waiting in the wings for the Walking Weapon.
At Slammiversary, Alexander defended the title in an Ultimate X Match against Austin, Petey Williams, Rohit Raju, Trey Miguel, and Chris Bey. This was exactly the high-risk, unbelievable spectacle that fans have come to expect. There was a Doomsday Canadian Destroyer and bodies flying everywhere. In the end, Josh Alexander retained the X-Division Championship to continue his run.
#3. Kenny Omega vs. Rich Swann for the AEW and IMPACT World Championships (IMPACT Wrestling Rebellion 2021)
Kenny Omega staked his claim for an opportunity at the IMPACT World Title after pinning Rich Swann in a six-man tag team match. Swann defeated Moose in a title unification contest to hold both the IMPACT and TNA World Heavyweight Championships. It set the stage for all the titles being put on the line at Rebellion 2021.
This proved to be a tremendous main event. Swann brought it here with some terrific selling and crisp offense throughout, while Omega set the pace with his signature storytelling and high-octane arsenal. The Cleaner defeated Rich Swann to win the IMPACT World Title. It was one of the biggest matches in the company's history and scored big by earning the biggest pay-per-view buyrate in years.
#2. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Mickie James for the IMPACT Knockouts Championship (IMPACT Wrestling Bound For Glory 2021)
Deonna Purrazzo's second reign with the IMPACT Knockouts Championship has been one of the best in the title's history. She held the championship gold for much of 2021. The Virtuosa had quality bouts with Rosemary, Havok, and Thunder Rosa. Matters escalated further when Mickie James returned to the promotion at Slammiversary to confront Deonna.
This quickly became the best feud in IMPACT Wrestling and led to a showdown at Bound For Glory. Both women told a fabulous story showcasing their hatred for one another, and the match had intense action. Purrazzo looked like she was going to add another victim to her resume, but James overcame The Virtuosa with a tornado DDT to win the IMPACT Knockouts Championship.
#1. Josh Alexander vs. TJP in a 60-Minute Iron Man Match for the IMPACT X-Division Championship (IMPACT on AXS TV 6/3/21)
Once Josh Alexander defeated Ace Austin and TJP to win the IMPACT X-Division Championship at Rebellion, the tone changed for the division. The Walking Weapon has been billed as the best pure wrestler in the company, so they threw a wide range of challengers at him. At the start of his reign, he may have faced his fiercest with a 60-Minute Iron Man Match against TJP.
To guarantee the promotion could deliver the entire duration of the bout, it started on the June 3rd edition of Before The Impact before it concluded at the beginning of IMPACT on AXS TV. There probably hasn't been a better laid-out television Iron Man Match since Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle in 2003.
TJP used his vast set of skills to try to beat the champion in different ways. However, Alexander clearly had the upper hand in strength and could match TJP on the mat. This caused him to gain a 1-0 advantage for much of the 60 minutes. In the final seconds, TJP was able to reverse Alexander's ankle lock into a pinning combination to tie things up at 1-1.
This caused the Iron Man Match to go into overtime. With sudden death in play, the two competitors tried to hit their signature moves. In the end, Josh Alexander hit the Divine Intervention to defeat TJP and retain the X-Division Title with two falls to one. It was a sublime professional wrestling clinic that told a marvelous story. That's why Josh Alexander vs. TJP is the best IMPACT Wrestling match of 2021.
