Wrestling fans have seen drastically different chapters of impact wrestling In the spotlight. The former TNA had hoped to be a true WWE competitor, but they never came close to that WCW or even AEW spot of today. However, the talent involved did their best to create a legacy of great matches that are fun to watch today.
Legends like Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, and Sting have had countless great moments during their tenures at Impact Wrestling. Most of the names on the roster were hoping to steal the show every time they were in the ring. The best overall matches in company history deserve even more recognition today. Each of the following Impact Wrestling matches is ranked highest historically.
10 AJ Styles Vs Abyss (Lockdown 2005)
TNA introduced a new concept in 2005 with the Isolation PPV with all the cage matches with different variations for each match. There was a polarizing reaction to the event, but one match closed out the show to make it feel like a huge success.
AJ Styles and Abyss in the main event lockdown 2005 with a title shot at Jeff Jarrett’s NWA Heavyweight Championship on the line. The match started with absolute excitement as Styles moved from the crowd to Abyss. Both guys turned in a special performance when AJ won the instant classic.
9 Gail Kim Vs Awesome Kong (Final Resolution 2008)
The Knockouts division instantly became a huge hit with Gail Kim and Awesome Kong as the first two breakout stars. TNA found the perfect chemistry between the division’s most underdog babyface and a dominant monster heel that truly felt unbeatable.
Final Resolution 2008 featured a wild No DQ match between Gail and Kong for the Knockouts Championship. Fans loved the incredible storyline that culminated in Kim pulling off the surprise. TNA witnessed fans view the Knockouts division as a company strength starting with this epic debut fight.
8 Josh Alexander vs. Mike Bailey (Impact Wrestling TV)
The recent revamp of Impact Wrestling has seen the company build stronger momentum and audience goodwill. Mike Bailey and Josh Alexander are two of the main reasons Impact is feeling like a believable show again for some fans.
An episode of their weekly TV show featured Alexander and Bailey for almost a full hour with utter enthusiasm from start to finish. Impact having such a high quality match on the biggest stage led to them getting a new lease on life.
7 Kurt Angle Vs Christian Cage Vs AJ Styles Vs Samoa Joe Vs Chris Harris (Slammiversary 2007)
TNA used the King of the Mountain ladder match for many years as a unique selling point of the slammiversary PPV. The 2007 edition featured the new TNA World Championship created when the previous world title was vacated with five names selected to compete in the reverse ladder match.
AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Chris Harris, Kurt Angle and Chris Harris made the confusing stipulation work to get maximum results from a must-match. Every second of this classic delivered with Angle winning to become the first TNA World Champion in a memorable moment.
6 America’s Most Wanted vs. Triple X (Tipping Point 2004)
TNA’s second three-hour monthly PPV featured a bold pick for the main event. turning point 2004 had the selling point of Randy Savage’s first (and only) post-WCW match, but TNA opted to have that six-man match in the semi-main event.
The actual main event saw tag team wrestling highlighted as America’s Most Wanted faced Triple X in a cage match. TNA added a big stipulation that the losing team would be forced to disband, as AMW won big. Everyone remembers Elix Skipper’s crazy tightrope walk, but the entire game was a must-see fight between two underrated all-time great teams.
5 Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles (Tipping Point 2005)
TNA made the X-Division a selling point for viewers who wanted something new and different from WWE. AJ Styles was the X-Division’s best overall talent driven from day one, but Samoa Joe began to challenge his status as he debuted an epic undefeated streak.
turning point 2005 they saw their best singles match against each other for the X-Division Championship. Joe scored a huge victory that put him at the top as the most popular act in the company. TNA’s most supportive fans fell in love with the product because of matches like this.
4 Chris Harris vs. James Storm (Sacrifice 2007)
The America’s Most Wanted tag team run ended with both James Storm and Chris Harris wanting to find individual success. TNA placed them in a blood feud with each other after Storm betrayed Harris with a vicious attack once they were forced to disband.
The first singles match actually flopped badly due to the crazy stipulation of a blindfolded match in a steel cage. TNA more than made up for it with a Texas death match rematch at sacrifice 2007. Harris won a spectacular match that may be the best fight ending in TNA.
3 Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson (Lockdown 2010)
The most unlikely big TNA match of all time saw Kurt Angle and Mr. Anderson pay off a personal rivalry. Anderson wasn’t considered a hard worker like the other names on this list, but he stepped up during his biggest break after he was released from WWE.
Angle and Anderson had an old school cage fighting feel with modern moves adding additional excitement. TNA gave them the platform to have an incredible match with the fusion of violence and storytelling. Angle launching a terrifying Moonsault from the top of the cage put him at the top of Impact Wrestling history.
2 Motor City Machine Guns Vs Beer Money (The Whole F’N Show)
The best of five series between the Motor City Machine Guns and Beer Money may have been the peak of the TNA tag team division. Both duos were in their prime having a series to decide the TNA Tag Team Championship with a different stipulation match.
TNA was lucky with the fifth and most important decisive match being the best of the group. Motor City Machine Guns defeated Beer Money in an epic two out of three falls to win gold. Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley were arguably the best team in the entire industry after this win.
1 AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe (The Protege 2005)
Impact Wrestling history will always look to the infamous triple threat match between AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels as a great match. Unbreakable 2005 was the stage where the three most consistent artists at the time got the wrestling world talking about TNA.
Styles went on to win the X Division Championship, but all three came out better for this match. This remains the only TNA/Impact Wrestling match to receive a full rating of five stars or higher from Dave Meltzer. Most fans still view this as the unanimous pick for Impact’s greatest match nearly two decades later.