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This Sunday is IMPACT Wrestling's Slammiversary and the buzz around the company is back! They were forced to postpone their April PPV, Rebellion, which was scheduled to take place in New York City with the main event of Tessa Blanchard defending the Impact World Championship against Michael Elgin and Eddie Edwards.
Now just three months, two of those three competitors are no longer in the company. The main event of the Slammiversary card will feature a Fatal 4 Way Match to determine the new champion. Let's take a look at the talking points heading into IMPACT's anniversary event.
The release of Impact World Champion Tessa Blanchard ahead of Slammiversary
Tessa Blanchard has been a lightning rod in the wrestling world since allegations of racial slurs and other attitude issues of her past were revealed before she won the Impact World Title at Hard 2 Kill. Tessa has been absent from IMPACT Wrestling TV since the pandemic began. However, IMPACT promoted her to defend the title at Slammiversary in a Fatal 5 Way Match against Ace Austin, Michael Elgin, Eddie Edwards and Trey Miguel. What we did not know is that negotiations were going on between Blanchard and the company as the contract of the World Champion was coming to an end.
Tessa Blanchard's contract with IMPACT Wrestling was set to expire on June 30th. IMPACT wanted her to cut promos to build up their Slammiversary main event, but the two sides could not agree on a day rate.
This made the company decide to move on without Tessa Blanchard and make the main event a Fatal 4 Way Match. However, this was not the only person clouded in controversy.
#SpeakingOut movement causes changes in Impact
The #SpeakingOut movement has brought to light a lot of issues in the wrestling business and specifically in IMPACT Wrestling. As the company were dealing with the absent World Champion before Slammiversary, they were caught off guard with the myriad of allegations that flooded Twitter about several Impact Wrestling contracted talent. Besides the likes of Joey Ryan and Dave Crist, Michael Elgin's checkered past was brought up and revealed to be one that the company had to decide on.
As reported by Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet, Impact Wrestling announced that Elgin would no longer appear for the company, following previously suspending him before further investigation. Elgin has put out his statement via video regarding these allegations.
Elgin had been positioned as a top heel in the company so it could be seen as big of a loss as Blanchard is for them. However, it seems like IMPACT Wrestling has reinforcements coming in for the PPV.
The tease of WWE released talent at Slammiversary
The buzz that the above video has caused for Slammiversary has been the most positive talk about the company in years. The tease of WWE released talent from the infamous "Black Wednesday" has seen IMPACT Wrestling tease that one or more former world champions will appear at the PPV.
Over the past few weeks, we have heard the music of EC3, D-Lo Brown speaking over the phone about Aces & Eights, and even a glimpse at the attire of Super Eric Young. It has been an exciting time for IMPACT Wrestling.
With so many necessary changes taking place as well as shifts in direction, IMPACT has promised a former world champion will be the mystery competitor in the Slammiversary Fatal 4 Way main event with Ace Austin, Eddie Edwards and Trey Miguel. Finally, the company is being talked about more than ever before among the wrestling community. What IMPACT Wrestling delivers this Sunday will dictate how the company is viewed moving forward.
That is why Impact Slammiversary is their most important pay-per-view of 2020. Heck, it just might be the most important to their future as a wrestling promotion overall.
