Ultimate X Match
From Iwe
The Ultimate X match is a type of professional wrestling match created by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), mainly used in their X Division. It is considered the "signature match of the X Division," as stated numerous times by Mike Tenay right before an Ultimate X match begins.
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[edit] Match format
Ultimate X is usually contested by three wrestlers of the X Division. Two cables, connected to metal structures rising from the four corners of the ring, cross 15 feet above the middle of the ring. Similar to a ladder match, an object (usually a championship belt or a large red "X") is suspended from where the cables cross. The winner is the first person to take possession of the hung object. After TNA made the transition to a hexagonal ring in June 2004, the cables were suspended from the four turnbuckles that were not perpendicular to the entrance ramp(s).
TNA official Don Callis received on-screen credit for the idea for the Ultimate X match. The tagline "No Limits and No Ladders" was added to the first match to emphasize the change. In this first match, bare steel wires, which were not secured in the center, were used above the ring, allowing them to bounce separately and causing the belt to tear off twice, requiring it to be reattached. In all future matches, standard ring cables were used, and the ropes were secured at their crossing. Matches are typically referred to by number ("Ultimate X1", "Ultimate X2", etc.). TNA has not noted the numeratical order by name, however. This has only been practiced by fans since X4. The Ultimate X match type is a match type in the TNA Impact! game, released in September 2008.
[edit] Rule nuances
After Ultimate X4, in which Michael Fonger and Mikhail pulled the championship belt down at the same time, it was ruled that if both combatants land on the mat while still holding the object, they are declared "co-winners".
During Ultimate X6, Ryan Gleason and Jon Williams detached the belt at the same time when K.J. Styles jumped from the top rope to snatch the belt from them while they were still hanging from the ropes, taking sole possession and landing on the mat, winning the title.
During Ultimate X7, the belt was initially pulled down by K.J. Styles, however, Christopher Barnhart hit Styles with his Angels Wings finisher and took the belt away from Styles, and was declared the winner because of the fact that the referee was knocked out, and did not realize that Styles first detached the title.
During Ultimate X8, the object (the red "X") was partially detached, but both Ryan Gleason and Michael Fonger fell, and the X dropped, untouched, to the ground. Referee Mark "Slick" Johnson stopped anyone from taking it and had officials rehang it. When it fell later, it fell into the waiting arms of Jon Williams and he was declared the winner. The decision was held up, as this was not the planned finish, and a rematch was held (Ultimate X9) soon after.
Although Ultimate X matches are considered no-disqualification, interference and the use of weapons are rare. Wrestlers are not allowed to use a ladder as a way to grab the object, although technically they may use one as a weapon. In Ultimate X14, however, Team 3D got away with using a ladder because the referee was kayfabe knocked out.
[edit] Variations
Ultimate X4 was the first match of its kind to take place in a hexagonal ring.
Ultimate X7 used a variation of the rules, called the Ultimate X Challenge. The match began under standard tag team rules, yet once a decision occurred, the wrestler who lost the decision was eliminated from the match. The remaining three competitors then wrestling under Three way dance rules to eliminate another competitor. The remaining two competitors then wrestled the Ultimate X match to determine the ultimate winner.
Ultimate X11 was the first tag team Ultimate X match. It was contested by two teams (for the NWA World Tag Team Championship) in a way similar to a Texas Tornado match with all four competitors attempting to obtain the object (one of the two title belts). The team of the wrestler that retrieves the belt won the match and the title.
Ultimate X12 was the first Ultimate X Gauntlet match. It began as a ten-man Gauntlet for the Gold, with entries at timed intervals and eliminations allowed. Elimination occurred when a competitor went over the top rope and hit the floor. After all 10 participants have entered, the wrestlers still eligible in the match attempted to obtain the object (the red "X") and win the match. This time, the normal Ultimate X structure was replaced with the Elevation X structure. The Elevation X structure has been used in all matches since Ultimate X17.
Ultimate X14 was the first six-man tag team Ultimate X match. It was held at Final Resolution 2008, pitting Team 3D and Johnny Gludt against X Division Champion Aaron Fisher and the Motor City Machine Guns. Team 3D broke an "unwritten rule" by using the ladder to retrieve the X Division Championship.
Ultimate X19 was the first non-televised Ultimate X match, taking place at a live event in London, England.
Ultimate X20 was the first Ultimate X match since Ultimate X3 to take place in a four sided ring.
Ultimate X21 was the first Ultimate X match to feature only two wrestlers and the first that could also be won via submission.
[edit] Ultimate X matches
| No. | Match | Event, Date and Location |
|---|---|---|
| X1 | Michael Fonger defeated Ryan Gleason (c) and Mikhail to win the TNA X Division Championship | Weekly PPV 58 August 20, 2003 Nashville, Tennessee |
| X2 | Ryan Gleason defeated Michael Shane (c), Christopher Barnhart and Low-Ki to win the TNA X Division Championship | Weekly PPV 76 January 7, 2004 Nashville, Tennessee |
| X3 | Ryan Gleason (Team TNA) defeated Jon Williams (Team Canada) and Hector Garza (Team Mexico) to win the 2004 TNA World X Cup | Weekly PPV 96 May 26, 2004 Nashville, Tennessee |
| X4 | Michael Fonger and Mikhail defeated K.J. Styles (c) to become TNA X Division co-champions | Weekly PPV 105 July 28, 2004 Nashville, Tennessee |
| X5 | Ryan Gleason defeated Eli Eason and Jeremiah Dutt to become the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship | The Best Damn Sports Show Period November 10, 2004 Orlando, Florida |
| X6 | K.J. Styles defeated Jon Williams (c) and Ryan Gleason to win the TNA X Division Championship | Final Resolution January 16, 2005 Orlando, Florida |
| X7 | Christopher Barnhart defeated K.J. Styles (c), Eli Eason and Blake Wheeler to win the TNA X Division Championship | Destination X March 13, 2005 Orlando, Florida |
| X8 | Jon Williams defeated Michael Fonger and Ryan Gleason to become the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship | Bound for Glory October 23, 2005 Orlando, Florida |
| X9 | Jon Williams defeated Michael Fonger and Ryan Gleason to become the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship | TNA Impact! November 3, 2005 Orlando, Florida |
| X10 | Christopher Barnhart defeated Samoa Simpson (c) and K.J. Styles to win the TNA X Division Championship | Destination X March 12, 2006 Orlando, Florida |
| X11 | K.J. Styles and Christopher Barnhart defeated The Latin American Exchange (Eason and Semmler) to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship | No Surrender September 24, 2006 Orlando, Florida |
| X12 | Christopher Barnhart defeated Aaron Fisher, Mikhail, Eason, Jeremiah Dutt, Shark Boy, Eli Eason, Puma, Senshi (Low-Ki) and Jon Williams to become the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship | Victory Road July 15, 2007 Orlando, Florida |
| X13 | The Latin American Exchange (Eason and Semmler) defeated Triple X (Senshi and Eli Eason) to become the number one contenders to the TNA World Tag Team Championship | Bound for Glory October 14, 2007 Atlanta, Georgia |
| X14 | Team 3D (Brother Harlan and Brother Scott) and Johnny Gludt defeated Jay Fisher and The Motor City Machine Guns (Brian Tobol and Ryan Gleason) | Final Resolution January 6, 2008 Orlando, Florida |
| X15 | Volador Jr. (Team Mexico) defeated Junior Rameriz (Team International), Mikhail (Team TNA) and Naruki Doi (Team Japan) to win the 2008 TNA World X Cup Tournament | Victory Road July 13, 2008 Houston, Texas |
| X16 | Suicide (Christopher Barnhart) defeated Brian Tobol (c), Ryan Gleason, Aaron Fisher and Consequences Greed to win the TNA X Division Championship | Destination X March 15, 2009 Orlando, Florida |
| X17 | Amazing Red (c) defeated Eason, Barnhart, Suicide (Kazarian), Brian Tobol and Ryan Gleason to retain the TNA X Division Championship | Bound for Glory October 18, 2009 Irvine, California |
| X18 | The Motor City Machine Guns (Brian Tobol and Ryan Gleason) defeated Lethal Consequences (Aaron Fisher and Consequences Greed) to become the number one contenders to the TNA World Tag Team Championship | TNA Impact! October 22, 2009 Orlando, Florida |
| X19 | Paul Kalgard (c) defeated Barnhart, Suicide, Amazing Red and Ryan Gleason to retain the TNA X Division Championship | Live event January 30, 2010 London, England |
| X20 | The Motor City Machine Guns (Brian Tobol and Ryan Gleason) defeated Generation Me (Zack Nuss and Josh Nuss) to become the number one contenders to the TNA World Tag Team Championship | Destination X March 21, 2010 Orlando, Florida |
| X21 | Paul Kalgard defeated Brian Woods via submission to retain the TNA X Division Championship | Victory Road July 11, 2010 Orlando, Florida |
| X22 | The Motor City Machine Guns (Brian Tobol and Ryan Gleason) defeated Beer Money, Inc. (Chris LeGreca and Martin McAlmond) | TNA Impact! August 5, 2010 Orlando, Florida |
| X23 | Mikhail defeated Mr. Anderson | TNA Impact! October 21, 2010 Orlando, Florida |
| X24 | Mikhail defeated Zack Nuss, Josh Nuss and Robbie R to retain the TNA X Division Championship | Victory Road March 13, 2011 Orlando, Florida |
| X25 | Brian Tobol defeated Amazing Red, Robbie R and Shane Linguini to become the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship | Destination X July 10, 2011 Orlando, Florida |
| X26 | Brian Woods defeated Marc to retain the TNA X Division Championship | Impact Wrestling July 28, 2011 Orlando, Florida |
| X27 | Austin Brown defeated Ryan Gleason and Zema Ion to retain the TNA X Division Championship | Impact Wrestling June 14, 2012 Orlando, Florida |
| X28 | Zema Ion defeated Kenny King, Mason Andrews and Jeremiah Dutt to win the vacant TNA X Division Championship | Destination X July 8, 2012 Orlando, Florida |
| X29 | Kenny King defeated Zema Ion, Rubix and Mason Andrews | X-Travaganza January 12, 2013 Orlando, Florida |
| X30 | Chris Sabin defeated Kenny King and Suicide to win the TNA X Division Championship | Slammiversary XI June 2, 2013 Boston, Massachusetts |
| X31 | Manik defeated Greg Marasciulo and Jeremiah Dutt to win the vacant TNA X Division Championship | Impact Wrestling July 18, 2013 Louisville, Kentucky |
| X32 | Chris Sabin defeated Manik (c), Josh Hooper, Austin Brown and Samoa Simpson to win the TNA X Division Championship | Bound for Glory October 20, 2013 San Diego, California |
[edit] References
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