What's happening folks?! Within the ranks of mainstream globally marketed wrestling promotions, perhaps the organizations that has the rockiest moments has been TNA, or as it's known as now Impact Wrestling. A promotion presented by Jeff Jarrett back in the early millennium, it was embraced as the second biggest mainstream promotion behind WWE during this time. Vince had bought WCW and a bankrupt ECW so there was no alternative for fans that may had been all WWE'd out. Alas, here comes TNA, who under the NWA banner had some outstanding moments during its glory years of '05-'10. During this period, former ROH stars such as AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christopher Danierls, Low-Ki, and Nigel McGuinness (known here as Desmond Wolfe) all became household names, with AJ especially becoming the face and franchise of the promotion. Before long, megastars such as Kurt Angle, Christian, Sting, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, and Rob Van Dam all ventured into the house of Dixie Carter, who had taken over ownership of TNA by the end of the past decade. he turmoil, this promotion has some very stellar matches that really help define TNA's early legacy and with that, let's get into some of these matches.
15. Kurt Angle vs. Desmond Wolfe/Three Degrees Of Pain
Final Resolution '09
In 2006, the wrestling world was stunned when multi-time champion Kurt Angle left WWE for the burgeoning TNA. Everyone knew that he would have incredible matches and would arguably be the next face of the company. We got an indication of how excellent his TNA run would be in a great match against Desmond Wolfe (formerly ROH's Nigel McGuinness). Wolfe, and established ring general in his own right, gave Angle as much as he could handle and was an exemplary exhibition of two fantastic grapplers. While Wolfe looked good in the match, Angle was, as usual, the man.
14. Samoa Joe vs. Christian Cage
NWA World Heavyweight Title
Destination X '07
Destination X '07
Samoa Joe was simply a bulldozer during his tenure in TNA, especially for the first couple of years he was there. In '07, he met up with former multi-time WWE Tag Champion and I-C Champion Christian Cage (he was simply Christian in WWE) for the NWA World Heavyweight Title. Cage was the consummate heel in this one, not showing to be intimidated by "The Samoan Submission Machine", but both men put on an overall damn good match that showed that these two had great chemistry with each other.
13. Gail Kim vs. Awesome Kong
NWA Knockouts Title
Final Resolution '08
If there was a legendary rivalry from this promotion that involved the women, this was it. The technically gifted Gail Kim and the brutal onslaught of Awesome Kong. These two made magic anytime they stepped inside the ring against each other, and this was arguably their best one on one encounter. This NO DQ match was quite intense and highlighted Kong's ability to be a total badass. However, Kim was the zero-quitting athlete that was too determined to lose, and the result was a sensational fight between two of the most recognized and respected names in the Knockouts division. This was how you promoted mainstream women's wrestling.
12. AJ Styles vs. Abyss
Six Sides Of Steel
Lockdown '05
WWE had Kane. In TNA, they had Abyss, a six foot eight, three hundred fifty-pound menace that exactly as he referred to himself as, a "Monster". At Lockdown '05 (a pay-per-view in which all the matches were inside the Six Sides of Steel cage), he faced a fearless, gamey AJ Styles in a fantastic match. There were some fairly brutal looking spots in this match, and there were times you were genuinely concerned for the well being of the bloodied Styles, but as usual, Styles was a survivor and in spite of chairs, blood, and thumbtacks, Styles prevailed in a match that saw him overcome one of his biggest hurdles, literally and figuratively.
11. Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle
Victory Road '12
At Victory Road '12, Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy collided in what was easily the match of the night in what was not a bad pay-per-view as a whole. We all know the younger Hardy brother to be a valiant warrior at it is, but a year prior, he was in the midst of the most embarrassing and humiliating point of his career, and possibly in his life when he was too high to compete in a match against childhood idol Sting in the main event of Victory Road '11. The company, nor the fans, gave up all hope on him, and the result was him giving everyone a very special showing against a mat animal in Angle. Arguably one of Hardy's all-time best showings.
10. Chris Harris vs. James Storm
Texas Death Match
Sacrifice '07
Amerika's Most Wanted consisted of "Cowboy" James Storm and "Wildcat" Chris Harris and they were one of the best teams in the game at that time. They had won five tag team championships and were considered the 'it' team there. Then, Storm turned on Harris, and a hell of a rivalry ensued. It culminated in a blood-soaked Texas Death Match at Sacrifice 2007. In one of the most brutal and bloodiest fights in TNA's history, these two tore each other apart using any and everything they could get their hands on, as especially Storm was unrecognizable in blood. In the end, the match was decided when Harris nailed Storm with the same thing that broke them up: a beer bottle. Hell of a fight.
9. AJ Styles vs. Chris Sabin vs. Petey Williams
Ultimate X Match
Final Resolution '05
When one thinks of the X Division within TNA, they think of the highlight match of the division, which is the Ultimate X Match, a unique version of a ladder match only without ladders, however you're climbing up beams and going across wire to unhook the title from the center. Some of the most awe-inspiring contests have been Ultimate X matches, but none more so incredible than the one at Final Resolution 2005 between the champion, Petey Williams, then-rookie Chris Sabin, and AJ Styles. All three men were athletic marvels in this match. Although AJ came away with the title, Williams and Sabin both grew in stock and stature as a result of this outstanding match.
8. Jeff Hardy vs. Austin Aries
TNA World Heavyweight Title/Ladder Match
Turning Point '12
The ever-talented Austin Aries. The man that stopped the two-year reign of Samoa Joe and his historic dominance of the ROH World Title had returned to TNA after being away from the promotion for about five years. Aries squared off against then TNA Champion Jeff Hardy in a stellar Ladder Match. We all know Hardy's history with ladders, as they made he and his brother's careers, but we weren't incredibly familiar with Aries' usage of the ladder. These two tore it up and it was truthfully one of the best ladder matches you'll see to this very day from that promotion.
7. Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles
Last Man Standing
Hard Justice '08
Talk about a winning combination. Angle and Styles, on paper, looks like the best rivalry one could ask for. Guess what? It was like that on camera too and then some. These two had a much-revered rivalry that culminated in a dynamite Last Man Standing match at Hard Justice 2008. These two delivered punishment to each other and it was non-stop, but the story and psychology presented in this match was impeccable. Leave it to two all-time greats to steal the show and make a fairly average pay-per-view like this was worth watching and getting fully into it. Amazing match.
6. Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe
Turning Point '06
After their unreal first match at Genesis not long before of that same year, Kurt and Joe got themselves in a rematch that was damn near as good as the first encounter. They aimed to make this rematch as physical as the first match and it was. Joe was even hungrier than before, as he sought to avenge the loss to Angle at Genesis. By the time this second match had concluded, it was official and apparent that we had seen one of the most meant-to-be rivalries not just in TNA, but in the sport as a whole. as these two showed out once again.
5. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe
TNA X-Division Title
Sacrifice '05
In the midst of his awesome undefeated streak, Samoa Joe went ahead and challenged AJ Styles for the X Division Title in a match that reaffirmed the shear dominance of Joe. A thrilling match that showed that AJ was worthy of the title and the accolades he had been given up to that point, Styles put his all into trying to stop and defeat the savage Joe, but it was not to be. A hell of a match through and through, this became a celebrated rivalry within the rankings of TNA.
4. AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels
Ironman Match
Against All Odds '05
Real-life best friends Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles were even better enemies on camera, as they had perhaps the most revered rivalry with the entire X division. In 2005, at the Against All Odds pay-per-view, Styles and Daniels met in a thirty minute Ironman Match and that match completely stole the show, as anyone would've expected. These two had a classic matchup and one that deserves all the props it got. The match itself went to a draw, as both men had one fall each on the other until then-on camera figurehead Dusty Rhodes ordered the match to get restarted under Sudden Death rules. This match was climaxing and completely engaging. These guys took the entire evnt home with them that night.
3. Amerika's Most Wanted vs. Triple X
NWA World Tag Team Titles/Six Sides of Steel
Turning Point '04
What has been revered as arguably the greatest tag team match in the history of the promotion was the unbelievable encounter between Tag Team Champions, Amerika's Most Wanted and challengers, Triple X. Earlier we mentioned how Harris and Storm nearly destroyed each other in their Texas Death Match, but when they were a unit, they were one of the best teams around anywhere, but they faced a team almost their exact equal in Christopher Daniels and Elix Skipper. This highly bloody encounter was already vicious enough, but the climax was when Skipper tight rope walked the very top of the cage and delivered a hurricanrana from the top of the cage down to the mat below, which made every highlight reel in the game at that time, and still stands up to this day. This match had it all in terms of adrenaline, emotion, and intensity unlike most tag team matches you'll see to this day in TNA.
2. Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe
Genesis '06
This was it. The most anticipated grudge match in years, and perhaps ever in TNA happened when the unstoppable Samoa Joe took on new TNA signee, Kurt Angle. We knew this would be very intense, physical, and an exhibition of both men's outstanding wrestling abilities, and all of those were beyond apparent. Angle had so much to prove, but this was Joe's yard and he wasn't about to let the Olympic Gold Medalist come in and stop his path of rage. This match not only put the only blemish on the undefeated streak of Joe, but this match lived up to the hype, thus beginning a rivalry the likes of which would never quite be duplicated within the recent memory of TNA.
1. AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe
TNA X-Division Title
Unbreakable '05
This was the match of all matches within the history of TNA. Three of the best in the entire world going after each other for the X Division Title, and they put on what has been referred to as "the greatest match in the history of TNA". The skill level from all involved was practically flawless and these three completely and totally took the whole house down. The match was so hyped that was put as the main event, even ahead of the NWA World Title match between Raven and Rhyno. While the event as a whole was one of the best, this match was, and is, considered the very best, and rightfully deserves its distinction.
Honorable Mentions
Rockstar Spud vs. Ethan Carter III (Impact Wrestling '16)
Aries vs. Roode (Destination X 2012)
Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle (Genesis '09)
Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle (Lockdown 2011)
Styles/Daniels vs. LAX (No Surrender '06)
Kim vs. Terrell (Slammiversary '13)
Galloway vs. Lashley (Slammiversary '16)
Storm vs. Roode (Bound For Glory '12)
Styles vs. Lynn vs. Low-Ki (TNA '02)
Angle vs. Wolfe (Turning Point '09)
Styles/Daniels vs. AMW (Slammiversary '06)
MCMGs vs. Team 3D (Turning Point '10)
Sting vs. Joe (Bound For Glory '08)
As you can see, TNA has some matches they can be plenty proud of within their history. While it remains to be seen if they still have any more legit memorable matches left in them to add to the list, we can take solace in the fact that TNA has etched their place in history and they proved that they can be a certified force within the sport. Until next time!
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