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The X Division is a high-flying, high-risk, fast-paced professional wrestling division [1] utilized in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and in various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) member promotions. Its tagline is that "It's not about weight limits, it's about no limits!" [2]
The high-flying, high risk style of wrestling had become one of the features of World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling in the late 1990s. Rather than emphasizing the fact that most wrestlers who perform this style are under 220 lb (100 kg) by calling it a cruiserweight division, TNA decided to emphasize the high-risk nature of the stunt like moves that the wrestlers performed only in TNA where no restraints were placed on them. As such, according to Bob Ryder in The History of TNA: Year 1, they named the division after the X Games.
Until 2011, there was no upper weight limit on the X Division or its title, though in practice, most of the wrestlers in this division were cruiserweights, with Sonny Siaki, Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, and Abyss being notable exceptions. To further emphasize this point, the slogan "It's not about weight limits, it's about no limits" was used to describe the division. On the August 11, 2011, edition of Impact Wrestling , TNA authority figure Eric Bischoff announced that X Division would have a weight limit of 225 lb (102 kg). [3] However, when Hulk Hogan became the new on screen GM in March 2012, the weight limit was quietly repealed, as heavier wrestlers like former champion Samoa Joe and eventual champion Rob Van Dam were able to compete for the title.
On the March 21, 2013, episode of Impact Wrestling, new rules were implemented for the X Division:
On the April 18, 2013, episode of Impact Wrestling, a new feature called the X Cam was introduced, giving viewers a first-person look at every X Division match.
On the August 22, 2013, episode of Impact Wrestling, it was announced that the triple threat match rule had been revoked and that X Division matches may also be contested under one on one matches again.
On October 20, 2013, at Bound for Glory, 280 lb. Samoa Joe took part in a five-man Ultimate X match for the X Division Championship. This indicated that the 230 lb. weight limit was also quietly revoked.
The X Division was generally regarded as one of the key attractions of TNA. Due to TNA focusing more on the heavyweight and main event picture, the X Division has been placed on the back-burner in recent memory.
A 2005 three-way match between Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles was given the rare rating of 5 stars by the Wrestling Observer. [5]
TNA maintains three different styles of tournament referred to as "X Cup" tournaments. The Super X Cup tournament is a standard single-elimination tournament featuring one-on-one matches. The Americas X Cup tournament was a team-format points-based tournament featuring two teams of four wrestlers each, with each team representing a respective country that most or all of the wrestlers are from. Members of the team competed in a variety of matches, including singles matches and tag team matches, which accrued points for their side. The World X Cup tournament was an expansion on the Americas X Cup, in which four teams of four wrestlers competed. In the World X Cup, TNA always hosts a home team for the United States, with other countries such as Japan, Mexico, and Canada being represented by either TNA-contracted wrestlers or wrestlers from a promotion that TNA has a partnership agreement with.
X Division wrestlers are generally the only TNA wrestlers that compete in the TNA X Cup Tournaments. The first such tournament was the TNA 2003 Super X Cup Tournament, which was won by Chris Sabin. [6]
The tournament was the result of a match for the TNA X Division Championship at Final Resolution between Eric Young and Sheik Abdul Bashir ending in a controversial fashion, with Young winning the championship thanks to the referee's help. Management Director Jim Cornette stripped Young of the belt and announced the tournament to crown the new champion. The tournament final took place at Genesis.
Quarterfinals (TV - TNA Impact!) | Semifinals (TV - Impact!) | Final (PPV - Genesis) | ||||||||||||
Eric Young | Pin | |||||||||||||
Sheik Abdul Bashir | ||||||||||||||
Eric Young | ||||||||||||||
Alex Shelley | Pin | |||||||||||||
Alex Shelley | Pin | |||||||||||||
Jay Lethal | ||||||||||||||
Alex Shelley | Pin | |||||||||||||
Chris Sabin | 16:38 | |||||||||||||
Chris Sabin | Pin | |||||||||||||
Sonjay Dutt | ||||||||||||||
Chris Sabin | Pin | |||||||||||||
Kiyoshi | ||||||||||||||
Consequences Creed | ||||||||||||||
Kiyoshi | Pin |
On the January 27, 2011, edition of Impact!, TNA started a tournament to determine a new number one contender for the TNA X Division Championship, held by Kazarian. The tournament consisted of three three–way semifinal matches, taking place on the January 27, February 3 and February 10 editions of Impact!, with the finals, another three-way match, taking place at Against All Odds on February 13. [7] [8] [9] The finals ended with a double countout, after Jeremy and Max Buck failed to make it to the event due to travel issues. [10]
On the June 16, 2011, edition of Impact Wrestling, TNA started a twelve-man tournament for a contract in the promotion's X Division. The finals of the tournament would take place on July 10 at Destination X. [11]
First round
Finals
On the June 28, 2012, episode of Impact Wrestling, TNA announced a tournament for the TNA X Division Championship, which would take place at Destination X, where Austin Aries would vacate the title for a shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. The tournament was preceded by four qualifying matches featuring wrestlers from the independent circuit. [16] TNA contracted wrestlers Douglas Williams, Kid Kash and Zema Ion were given automatic spots in the first round of the tournament. [17] The eighth and final spot in the tournament would be filled by the winner of a four-way between the losers of the qualifying matches. [18] At Destination X the eight wrestlers will face each other in four singles matches, with the winners advancing to an Ultimate X match for the X Division Championship. [17]
Qualifiers | Semifinals | Finalists | Finals | ||||||||||||
Sonjay Dutt | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Rubix | |||||||||||||||
Sonjay Dutt | |||||||||||||||
Rashad Cameron | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Rashad Cameron | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Mason Andrews | |||||||||||||||
Sonjay Dutt | |||||||||||||||
Zema Ion | |||||||||||||||
Flip Cassanova | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Dakota Darsow | |||||||||||||||
Flip Cassanova | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Zema Ion | |||||||||||||||
Zema Ion | BYE | ||||||||||||||
– | – | ||||||||||||||
Zema Ion | Win | ||||||||||||||
Sonjay Dutt, Kenny King, and Mason Andrews | |||||||||||||||
Kenny King | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Lars Only | |||||||||||||||
Kenny King | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Douglas Williams | |||||||||||||||
Douglas Williams | BYE | ||||||||||||||
– | – | ||||||||||||||
Kenny King | |||||||||||||||
Mason Andrews | |||||||||||||||
Mason Andrews | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Dakota Darsow, Lars Only, and Rubix | |||||||||||||||
Mason Andrews | Pin | ||||||||||||||
Kid Kash | |||||||||||||||
Kid Kash | BYE | ||||||||||||||
– | – |
On the January 3, 2013, edition of Impact! TNA started a tournament to determine a new number one contender for the TNA X Division Championship, held by Rob Van Dam. The tournament consisted of two singles semifinal matches, taking place on the January 3 and January 10 editions of Impact!, with the finals taking place at Genesis on January 13.
On the Destination X edition of Impact! TNA started a tournament to determine a new TNA X Division Champion, since the title was vacated after Chris Sabin traded it in for a shot at the World Championship. The tournament consisted of three three–way semifinal matches, taking place on the July 18 edition of Impact!, with the finals, another three-way match, taking place on July 25, 2013.
Semifinals | Finals | |||||||
Sonjay Dutt | ||||||||
Homicide | ||||||||
Sonjay Dutt | ||||||||
Petey Williams | ||||||||
Manik | ||||||||
Manik | ||||||||
Greg Marasciulo | ||||||||
Chavo Guerrero Jr. | ||||||||
Kenny King | ||||||||
On the Destination X edition of Impact! TNA started a tournament to determine a new TNA X Division Champion, since the title was vacated after Austin Aries traded it in for a shot at the World Championship. The tournament consisted of three three–way semifinal matches, taking place on the July 31 edition of Impact!, with the finals, another three-way match, taking place on August 7, 2014.
Semifinals | Finals | |||||||
Low-Ki | ||||||||
Manik Zema Ion | ||||||||
Zema Ion | ||||||||
Brian Cage | Low-Ki | |||||||
Crazzy Steve | Sanada | |||||||
Sanada | Samoa Joe | |||||||
Samoa Joe | ||||||||
Homicide | ||||||||
Tigre Uno | ||||||||
On the Destination X 2015 edition of Impact! TNA started a tournament to determine a new TNA X Division Champion, since the title was vacated after Rockstar Spud traded it in for a shot at the World Championship. The tournament consisted of three three–way semifinal matches, taking place on the June 10th edition of Impact!, with the finals, another three-way match, taking place on June 27, 2015.
Semifinals | Finals | |||||||
Low-Ki | ||||||||
Crazzy Steve | ||||||||
Low-Ki | ||||||||
Manik | ||||||||
Grado | ||||||||
Grado | ||||||||
Tigre Uno | ||||||||
Cruz | ||||||||
Kenny King | ||||||||
On the September 23 episode of Impact!, Impact started a tournament to determine the new Impact X Division Champion, since the title was vacated after Josh Alexander invoked Option C to challenge for the Impact World Championship. The tournament consist of three three–way semi-final matches, with the finals, another three-way match, will taking place at Bound for Glory. [19]
First round Impact! (September 30, 2021 – October 14, 2021) | Final Bound for Glory (October 23, 2021) | |||||||
8:41 [20] | Alex Zayne | |||||||
Laredo Kid | ||||||||
Pin | Trey Miguel | |||||||
7:12 [21] | Black Taurus | Pin | Trey Miguel | |||||
Petey Williams | 13:21 [22] | Steve Maclin | ||||||
Pin | Steve Maclin | El Phantasmo | ||||||
Pin | El Phantasmo | |||||||
9:38 [23] | Willie Mack | |||||||
Rohit Raju | ||||||||
On October 20, 2022, after Frankie Kazarian vacated the Impact X Division Championship for a shot at the Impact World Championship it was announced that there will be an eight-man tournament to determine who will be the new Impact X Division Champion on November 18, 2022, at Impact Pay-per-view Over Drive. [24]
Quarterfinals Impact! Before the Impact October 21, 2022 (aired October 27 and November 3, 2022) | Semifinals Impact! October 22, 2022 (aired November 10 and 17, 2022) | Final Over Drive (November 18, 2022) | ||||||||||||
Black Taurus | Pin | |||||||||||||
Laredo Kid | 8:05 [25] | |||||||||||||
Black Taurus | Pin | |||||||||||||
PJ Black | 6:19 | |||||||||||||
Yuya Uemura | 8:33 [26] | |||||||||||||
PJ Black | Pin | |||||||||||||
Black Taurus | 15:50 | |||||||||||||
Trey Miguel | Pin | |||||||||||||
Alan Angels | 8:17 [25] | |||||||||||||
Trey Miguel | Pin | |||||||||||||
Trey Miguel | DQ | |||||||||||||
Mike Bailey | 7:02 [27] | |||||||||||||
Kenny King | 8:44 [26] | |||||||||||||
Mike Bailey | Pin |
The Ultimate X match is the signature gimmick match of the X Division. It is similar to a ladder match except that two cables attached to truss towers adjacent to the ring posts cross above the center of the ring and the item of value is hung at the intersection of the cables. The winner is the competitor who can retrieve the item of value from the cables.
It was originally created in August 2003 and pitted Michael Shane, Frankie Kazarian, and Chris Sabin. Since then, twenty-four Ultimate X matches have taken place, some for the X Division championship, some for the TNA World Tag Team Championship, and some with a giant red X suspended above the ring symbolizing something such as number one contender status, and even the X Division title itself. [28]
Douglas Clayton Durdle, known by his ring name Doug Williams, is an English professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was a one–time Television Champion, two–time TNA X Division Champion and a two-time tag team champion, having held the TNA World Tag Team Championship and the IWGP Tag Team Championship once each as part of The British Invasion. He also worked as a trainer for TNA's developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), where he was a one-time OVW Heavyweight Champion. Throughout his career, Williams has also worked in various promotions in the United Kingdom and abroad, including the Frontier Wrestling Alliance (FWA), One Pro Wrestling (1PW) and Pro Wrestling Noah.
The TNA X Division Championship is a men's professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of TNA's second then-weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The current champion is Mike Bailey, who is in his second reign.
Christopher Daniel Covell, better known by the ring name Christopher Daniels, is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he works as the Head of Talent Relations as well as an in-ring performer and an on-screen interim executive vice president. He is best known for his time in Impact Wrestling (TNA) and Ring of Honor (ROH), as well as extensive time on the independent circuit; he is known as the "King of Indies" for his work with independent promotions across the world, including Frontier Wrestling Alliance (FWA), International Wrestling Cartel (IWC), and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG).
Joshua Harter, better known by his ring name Chris Sabin, is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
Frank Benedict Gerdelman is an American professional wrestler and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), performing under the ring name Frankie Kazarian. He is also known for his work in Ring of Honor (ROH) and All Elite Wrestling (AEW), as well as several independent promotions, most notably Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), where he has won multiple tag-team and singles championships.
Patrick Kenneth Martin,, better known by the ring name, Alex Shelley, is an American professional wrestler and physical therapy clinician, best known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he was a former one-time TNA World Champion. He was also a former one-time X Division Champion and three-time World Tag Team Champion.
Daniel Healy Solwold Jr., better known by his ring name Austin Aries, is an American professional wrestler. He is known for his time with TNA Wrestling, where he is a three-time TNA World Champion and a six-time TNA X Division Champion, and Ring of Honor (ROH) where he was the first multi-time ROH World Champion. He is also known for his time with WWE, where he competed in the cruiserweight division as well as doing color commentary. Between TNA/Impact and ROH, Aries has held 14 total championships and has also held numerous international and U.S. independent championships.
The 2005 TNA Super X Cup Tournament was a professional wrestling single-elimination X Cup Tournament produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion. It was the second-ever Super X Cup tournament and the last held until 2017. The competition began on July 19, 2005 and concluded on August 14, 2005 at TNA's Sacrifice pay-per-view (PPV) event. Then-TNA X Division Champion Christopher Daniels called the contest the "Christopher Daniels Invitational".
No Surrender is an annual professional wrestling event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. It was originally produced by TNA Wrestling, as a pay-per-view (PPV) event. The first one was held in July 2005, but when the PPV names were shuffled for 2006, it was moved to September. In December 2012, TNA announced that the event was canceled. The last event took place in the TNA Impact! Zone in September 2012. It was resumed as a special episode of Impact Wrestling between 2013 and 2015 and was then revived as an Impact Plus event in 2019.
The Motor City Machine Guns are an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. They are best known for their time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)/Impact Wrestling. The team name, which has been variably Motor and Murder City, is a play on the nickname of Detroit, the hometown of both Shelley and Sabin. The duo also make appearances for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) on the NJPW Strong brand, as well as Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) and Deadlock Pro-Wrestling (DPW). Originally forming a team in Pro Wrestling Zero1 in 2006, Shelley and Sabin have worked together on and off ever since.
The 2008 TNA World X Cup Tournament was a professional wrestling X Cup Tournament produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion. It was the third World X Cup Tournament and the last held as of 2024. The competition began on June 10, 2008 and concluded on July 13, 2008 at TNA's Victory Road pay-per-view (PPV) event.
Suicide is a professional wrestling persona, used by multiple wrestlers in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Suicide first appeared as a character in the 2008 video game TNA Impact!. In December 2008, the Suicide character was introduced on television as a real-life wrestler. Originally portrayed by Frankie Kazarian, Christopher Daniels held the role for a time in early 2009 and went on to win the X Division Championship. In June 2010, Kiyoshi became the third man to use the gimmick.
The British Invasion was a professional wrestling alliance stable and later tag team consisting of Nick Aldis, Doug Williams and Rob Terry. They are best known for their time spent in the American promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
The 2005 Destination X was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, which took place on March 13, 2005 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the first event under the Destination X chronology. Nine matches and two preshow matches were featured on the event's card.
Ink Inc. was a professional wrestling stable, consisting of Shannon Moore, Jesse Neal, and their valet Toxxin, in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
The 2008 Against All Odds was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, which took place on February 10, 2008, at the BI-LO Center in Greenville, South Carolina. It was the fourth event under the Against All Odds chronology and the second event in the 2008 TNA PPV schedule. Nine professional wrestling matches were featured on the event's card, four of which involved championships, while two matches were held prior to the event.
SoCal Uncensored (SCU) was an American professional wrestling stable that consisted of Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky.
The 2013 Destination X was a special episode of Impact Wrestling, produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), which took place on July 18 at the Broadbent Arena in Louisville, Kentucky. It was the ninth event under the Destination X chronology. Unlike the previous events, this event was not held on pay-per-view (PPV).
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