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 and 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.
==Results==
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*Chris Sabin defeated Kenny King (c) and Suicide in an Ultimate X match to win the TNA X Division Championship (13:30)
*Magnus, Samoa Joe & Jeff Hardy defeated Aces & Eights (Garett Bischoff, Mr. Anderson & Wes Brisco) in a Six Man Tag Team Match (10:10)
*Jay Bradley defeated Sam Shaw in a TNA Gutcheck tournament final for an entry into the 2013 Bound for Glory Series (4:00)
*Devon (c) defeated Joseph Park by Count Out to retain the TNA Television Championship 
*Abyss defeated Devon (c) to win the TNA Television Championship (3:45)
*James Storm & Gunner defeated Chavo Guerrero, Jr. & Hernandez (c) and Austin Aries & Bobby Roode and Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels & Kazarian)  in a Four Way Elimination Tag Team Match to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship (17:00)
*Taryn Terrell defeated Gail Kim in a Last Knockout Standing match (9:20)
*Kurt Angle defeated AJ Styles (15:40)
*Bully Ray (c) defeated Sting in a No Holds Barred match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship (this means Sting can never challenge for the championship again) (14:20)
==Other on-screen talent==
Commentators
*Mike Tenay
*Taz
Interviewers
*Jeremy Borash
==See also==
*List of TNA pay-per-view events
*Slammiversary
==External links==
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Category:Slammiversary
Category:2013 pay-per-view events
Category:Total Nonstop Action Wrestling pay-per-view events
Category:Events with Ultimate X matches
Category:Events with Last Man Standing matches
Category:Events with No Holds Barred matches