Slammiversary XI Slammiversary XI was a professional wrestling pay - per - view ( PPV ) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( TNA ) promotion , which took place on June 2 , 2013 at the Agganis Arena in Boston , Massachusetts . It was the 11th anniversary celebration for TNA , and the ninth PPV under the Slammiversary chronology . Slammiversary XI was also the third event in TNA ' s 2013 pay per view schedule , following Genesis 2013 , Lockdown 2013 . Background . Slammiversary featured nine professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre - existing scripted feuds and storylines . Wrestlers portrayed villains , heroes , or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches . The headlining angle at the event was Sting versus TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bully Ray for the title . Matt Morgan criticized TNA General Manager Hulk Hogan for his mistakes , including that he mistakenly placed his trust in Bully Ray , who joined the rebel group Aces & Eights and won the world title on March 10 at Lockdown 2013 . Presenting himself to Hogan as the " ultimate solution " , Morgan campaigned to help Hogan against the Aces & Eights if in turn , he received a shot at the TNA World Title . However , Sting , who was unceremoniously discharged by Hogan for having a wrongful judgement of Bully Ray in the past , returned to help his comrade Hogan combat the threat of the Aces & Eights . Hogan subsequently reconciled with Sting and scheduled Sting and Morgan in a contender ' s match to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship , which Sting won after Morgan passed out to the Scorpion Death Lock . Sting and Bully Ray later met for the contract signing to their match , where Sting chose to compete in a No Holds Barred match and agreed to Ray ' s stipulation that if he lost , he could no longer compete for the world title . A primary featured feud was between A . J . Styles and Kurt Angle . In March 2013 , A . J . Styles returned to TNA following a 3 - month hiatus and portrayed a darker , more silent , lone wolf persona after a past year of setbacks . Many wrestlers attempted to reach out to him , including James Storm , Aces & Eights , Bad Influence , Hulk Hogan , Sting , and his former rival and tag team partner Kurt Angle , some of who caused his problems . Angle , however , became irritated by Styles ' behavior of walking out and not picking a side to support between TNA and the rebel group , Aces & Eights , which led to a brawl between the two . Eventually Hogan , giving up on trying to reason with Styles , pit Styles to compete against Angle at Slammiversary . In February 2013 , Austin Aries and Bobby Roode won the TNA World Tag Team Championship and defended them until April , when Chavo Guerrero , Jr . and Hernandez defeated them to regain the titles they lost . Amidst the rivalry for the tag titles was Bad Influence ( Christopher Daniels and Kazarian ) , who had lost the championships back on October 14 at Bound for Glory 2012 to who now were the newest champions . After a series of confrontations and matches between all three teams , with two teams trying to gain championship contention , James Storm entered the scene . Storm officiated a match between Bad Influence and Aries and Roode , during which he opposed and attacked competitors in the match , leaving it to end in a no - contest . Storm soon announced a four - way elimination tag team title match , pitting all three teams against him and a mystery partner , later revealed to be a returning Gunner . The feud between Team TNA and Aces & Eights continued after the Lockdown PPV . When Magnus was attacked by Aces & Eights members DOC and Knux prior to his TNA Television Championship match with defending champion Devon , Samoa Joe made the save taking Magnus ' spot in the match , but ultimately lost to Devon due to interference from the rest of the Aces & Eights group . Several weeks later , Joe made his return from absence helping Magnus once again from a 3 - on - 1 onslaught . Later it was announced that DOC , Wes Brisco and Garett Bischoff would face Joe , Magnus and a returning Jeff Hardy , who was sidelined by a hammer shot from Aces & Eights leader , Bully Ray . In May 2013 , Chris Sabin returned from one of two torn ACL injuries that sidelined him for close to a year . Upon his return , Sabin momentously fought and defeated Sonjay Dutt and Zema Ion to earn a spot in the newly incorporated three - way format for the TNA X Division Championship . During his public address about his injuries and return to the X Division , Sabin was confronted by arrogant X Division Champion Kenny King , setting up a feud . When Suicide made his return , he defeated Petey Williams and Joey Ryan to earn his place in the three - way . At Lockdown , Knockouts referee Taryn Terrell reached a high point of conflict with Gail Kim , which stemmed from Kim having issues with how Terrell officiated matches . As a result , Terrell attacked and cost Kim her match with champion Velvet Sky for the TNA Women ' s Knockout Championship . Due to breaching her probation , TNA Knockouts Executive , Brooke Hogan , relieved Terrell of her referee duties and reinstated her as a wrestler , allowing Terrell and Kim to further feud . Their match at Slammiversary was later scheduled to be a Last Knockout Standing match . A feud between Joseph Park and TNA Television Champion Devon had the belt hanging in the balance . Following an attack from the Aces & Eights group to Joseph Park , this became the catalyst for the return of his brother Abyss to manhandle the group . Park later got into words with Devon over how the Aces & Eights treated him , ending with Park getting angered and competitive towards Devon . After winning contracts into the promotion through the TNA Gutcheck challenge in 2012 , Jay Bradley returned to television and defeated Christian York for a shot in the upcoming Bound for Glory Series . The following week , Sam Shaw returned and won his shot by default against Alex Silva , who was attacked and left unconscious by the Aces & Eights . Aftermath . Sabin lost the X Division Championship to Austin Aries ( who disguised himself as Suicide ) on the June 27 edition of " Impact Wrestling " in a three - way match that also included Kenny King , but he would defeat Aries and the renamed Manik to regain the title . Sabin later turned in his X Division Title for a shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship , and on the Destination X edition of " Impact Wrestling " , he defeated Bully Ray to win the World Title . Sabin lost the title to Ray in a steel cage rematch at the Hardcore Justice edition of " Impact Wrestling " four weeks later due to interference from Mr . Anderson and Tito Ortiz . AJ Styles went on to win the Bound for Glory Series , defeating Austin Aries in the semifinals and later beating Magnus in the finals . A week later on the September 19 edition of " Impact Wrestling " , Styles confronted TNA President Dixie Carter over the way she had been running the company , which led to Dixie turning into a villainess and feuding with Styles . At Bound For Glory , Styles defeated Bully Ray to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship , despite the evil Dixie attempting to interfere in the main event . Gail Kim defeated Taryn Terrell in a ladder match to become the # 1 Contender for the Knockouts Championship . Kim was defeated by Mickie James on Impact , but she would go on to win her third Knockouts Championship at Bound For Glory by defeating ODB and Brooke in a three - way match . Other on - screen talent . Commentators Interviewers