TNA X-Division matches helped put the promotion on the map, giving fans a mix of speed, creativity, and physicality that became one of its biggest draws. Whether the title was hanging above the ring or being defended in a straight-up wrestling match, the division gave talent room to push each other and leave audiences wanting more.
- #3 Sanada vs. Crazzy Steve vs. Manik vs. Davey Richards vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Tigre Uno
- #2 AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Ron Killings vs. Elix Skipper
- #1 Christopher Daniels vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe
- #3 Sanada vs. Crazzy Steve vs. Manik vs. Davey Richards vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Tigre Uno – Ladder Match for the X-Division Championship (Slammiversary 2014)
- #2 AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Ron Killings vs. Elix Skipper – Ultimate X Challenge Match for the X-Division Championship (Destination X 2005)
- #1 Christopher Daniels (c) vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe – X-Division Championship (Unbreakable 2005)
- Conclusion
These three matches capture different sides of that appeal, from a chaotic ladder match to an unusual Ultimate X format and a triple threat that still belongs in any conversation about TNA’s best.
#3 Sanada vs. Crazzy Steve vs. Manik vs. Davey Richards vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Tigre Uno
Slammiversary 2014 | X-Division Championship Ladder Match
This might be one you forgot about, but it’s absolutely worth revisiting.
Kicking off the Slammiversary 2014 card, this match brought together six wrestlers with very different styles, including a young Sanada. He entered as champion, and after a chaotic, hard-hitting battle, he walked out with the title still in hand.
The match ran just under 10 minutes, but they packed in an incredible amount of action. The ladder spots were creative, fast-paced, and at times brutal. Manik’s sunset flip powerbomb sent Davey Richards crashing onto a bridged ladder, giving Sanada the opening to climb up and retrieve the championship.
Add in a red-hot crowd to open the show, and you’ve got a sprint that still holds up.
#2 AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Ron Killings vs. Elix Skipper
Destination X 2005 | X-Division Championship Ultimate X Challenge
This wasn’t your typical Ultimate X match, and that’s exactly why it stands out.
It began as a tag team contest, with AJ Styles and Elix Skipper facing Christopher Daniels and Ron Killings. The wrestler who took the first fall was eliminated, turning it into a triple threat. Another elimination left the final two to compete for the championship hanging above the ring.
That layered structure added strategy to the chaos. Partners could become opponents, and surviving one stage only brought a different challenge.
Daniels tried to protect himself early by avoiding a tag. Later, before the belt could be retrieved, he climbed the cables to hit a moonsault onto Styles and Skipper. An insane visual, even by X-Division standards.
Skipper was a major highlight here, reminding everyone just how underrated he was. The shifting alliances also gave this match a different feel from a straightforward race to the belt.
In the end, it came down to Styles and Daniels. Styles retrieved the championship while the referee was down, but Daniels hit Angel’s Wings and claimed the belt for himself. When the referee recovered, Daniels was awarded the victory.
He didn’t get there honestly, but it was a fitting way for the Fallen Angel to steal his first X-Division Championship.
#1 Christopher Daniels vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe
Unbreakable 2005 | X-Division Championship Triple Threat Match
Let’s be honest, you knew this was going to be number one.
This isn’t just one of the greatest X-Division matches of all time. It’s one of the greatest matches in TNA history, period. For many fans, this was the match that defined what the division could be.
Dave Meltzer awarded it five stars in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and it’s easy to see why.
AJ Styles flew to the outside with a springboard shooting star press. His Spiral Tap broke up Samoa Joe’s submission on Daniels. Joe brought the intensity and physicality, while Daniels had to contend with two very different threats to his championship.
The athleticism was unreal, but the way these three worked together made it more than a collection of highlights. Every time someone seemed to have the match won, another wrestler found a way back into it.
Styles eventually countered Daniels’ Angel’s Wings into a pin to win the title, with Joe left out of the deciding fall. It was a finish that rewarded Styles without taking away the threat Joe presented.
For fans discovering TNA, this is an easy place to start. It captures why the X-Division became such a draw and why these three names are so closely tied to its legacy.
Many have tried to recreate this magic since, but very few have come close to matching what these three did that night.
TNA Slammiversary is set for June 28, live on Pay-Per-View. On this week’s edition of TNA IMPACT, the competitors were officially announced for the X-Division Championship Ultimate X Match. The champion, Cedric Alexander, will defend against Fabian Aichner, Mr. Elegance, KC Navarro, Leon Slater, Frankie Kazarian, and the returning Amazing Red.
The X-Division has long been a staple of TNA and one of the key reasons the promotion originally put itself on the map. Now, in anticipation of this year’s Slammiversary card, let’s take a look at three X-Division matches you should revisit to get ready for the upcoming Ultimate X Match.
#3 Sanada vs. Crazzy Steve vs. Manik vs. Davey Richards vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Tigre Uno – Ladder Match for the X-Division Championship (Slammiversary 2014)
This might be one you forgot about—but it’s absolutely worth revisiting.
Kicking off the 2014 Slammiversary card, this match featured a strong mix of established TNA names and rising talent, including a young Sanada, who was on excursion from Japan at the time. He entered as champion—and after a chaotic, hard-hitting battle, he walked out with the title still in hand.
The match only ran about nine minutes, but they packed in an incredible amount of action. The ladder spots were creative, fast-paced, and at times brutal. From corkscrew dives over the ladder to Davey Richards nearly getting his head taken off by steel, this was non-stop.
Add in a red-hot crowd to open the show, and you’ve got a sprint that still holds up today.
#2 AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Ron Killings vs. Elix Skipper – Ultimate X Challenge Match for the X-Division Championship (Destination X 2005)
This wasn’t your typical Ultimate X match that you see today and that’s exactly why it stands out.
The match began as a tag team contest: AJ Styles & Elix Skipper vs. Christopher Daniels & Ron Killings. Once someone was pinned, they were eliminated, turning the match into a triple threat. Another elimination made it one-on-one, and only then could the final two competitors climb the cables to retrieve the championship.
That layered structure added strategy to the chaos. Every decision mattered.
Christopher Daniels played it perfectly early on, avoiding being tagged in to protect himself from elimination. Meanwhile, the athleticism on display was unreal. Even before the title could be retrieved, Daniels climbed the cables just to hit a moonsault, an insane visual that still stands out.
Elix Skipper was a major highlight here, reminding everyone just how underrated he was. But across the board, this was a showcase of four elite performers at the peak of the X-Division.
In the end, it came down to Styles and Daniels. Both men punished each other while climbing the cables, taking brutal falls and getting right back up. But true to form, Daniels outsmarted Styles in the end, stealing the win in a way only he could.
#1 Christopher Daniels (c) vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe – X-Division Championship (Unbreakable 2005)
Let’s be honest, you knew this was going to be number one.
This isn’t just one of the greatest X-Division matches of all time, it’s one of the greatest matches in TNA history, period. For many fans, this was the moment that defined what the X-Division truly was.
A legitimate five-star classic that still gets talked about over 20 years later.
In a time before fans felt like they had “seen everything,” this match delivered moments that felt unreal. AJ Styles flying through the air with ease, hitting a springboard moonsault to the outside. The Spiral Tap looking almost impossible to execute cleanly. Samoa Joe bringing a level of intensity and physicality that grounded the chaos.
It wasn’t just a great match—it changed how people viewed pro wrestling.
For a lot of fans, this match opened the door to a completely different style. The X-Division became must-see TV, introducing audiences to a new generation of talent and a faster, more innovative way of wrestling.
Many have tried to recreate this magic since—but very few have ever come close to matching what these three did that night.
Conclusion
The X-Division has produced countless unforgettable matches throughout TNA’s history, and fans will always debate which ones stand above the rest. Now, all eyes turn to Slammiversary and this year’s Ultimate X Match. The talent is there. The stakes are there.
The question is—can they live up to the legacy?
Because if history tells us anything, they’ve got some massive shoes to fill.
