KC Navarro and Xia Brookside earned No. 1 contender opportunities on TNA Impact, and Leon Slater was announced for Ultimate X at Slammiversary.
KC Navarro and Xia Brookside moved into TNA championship contention on Thursday’s episode of Impact , winning Champions Challenge matches that gave each a title opportunity.
The stipulation was straightforward: If an All-Star challenger pinned one of the champions, that wrestler would earn a shot at the title held by the opponent they beat. Navarro capitalized first, pinning TNA International champion Mustafa Ali in the men’s Champions Challenge to secure a future International Championship match.
The men’s match opened the show with Elijah, Eric Young, Frankie Kazarian, Navarro and Leon Slater facing Bear Bronson, Brian Myers, Ali, X Division champion Cedric Alexander and TNA world champion Mike Santana. Navarro’s win came after he worked with Slater late in the match to get the advantage over Ali.
Brookside followed in the women’s Champions Challenge, pinning Knockouts World champion Lei Ying Lee after interference from Mr. Elegance helped set up Brookside’s DDT. The result gives Brookside a shot at Lee’s Knockouts World Championship and extends a split between the former friends that has been building for more than a month.
The women’s match featured Elayna Black, Mara Sadé and Brookside against Lee and Knockouts tag team champions Heather by Elegance and M by Elegance. The Elegance Brand largely kept Lee out of the match before Heather finally tagged her in against Brookside.
The episode also set up the next major X Division showcase. The Impact broadcast announced Slater as a participant in the returning Ultimate X match at Slammiversary, where Cedric Alexander will defend the X Division title. Four other entrants have not yet been announced. Slammiversary is scheduled for June 28 at Agganis Arena.
Fabian Aichner, formerly known as Giovanni Vinci, also made his in-ring debut after TNA announced earlier Thursday that he had officially signed with the company. Aichner faced Eddie Edwards and won by disqualification after The System interfered. The match followed Aichner’s recent confrontation with Alexander after Alexander’s X Division title win over Slater.
In another storyline development, Stacks Lorenzo defeated Santino Marella, TNA’s Director of Authority, with a quick roll-up after Marella went for the cobra. After Lorenzo attacked Marella following the match, Indi Hartwell issued a mixed tag challenge involving Lorenzo and Arianna Grace. TNA Director of Operations Daria Rae booked the mixed tag match for next week.
The confirmed results from the episode included Navarro winning the men’s Champions Challenge, Tessa Blanchard defeating Harley Hudson, Lorenzo defeating Marella, Aichner defeating Edwards by disqualification and Brookside winning the women’s Champions Challenge.
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