2011 Total Nonstop Action Wrestling pay-per-view event
The 2011 Destination X was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, which took place on July 10, 2011 at the Impact Wrestling Zone in Orlando, Florida. Destination X was promoted with the tagline "Forward to the Past", as an all X Division event to commemorate the division that helped pave the way for the company long-term by bringing in popularity with its extraordinary athletic showcases. It was the seventh event under the Destination X chronology—first to be held in July—and the seventh event of the 2011 TNA PPV schedule.
The main event on the card featured two pioneers of the X Division in a battle, where A.J. Styles took on Christopher Daniels, which Styles won after hitting the Spiral Tap, a reference of his victory at the second TNA weekly PPV, where he became the first-ever TNA X Division Champion. The other main match on the card was Abyss defending the X Division Title against Brian Kendrick in a match that Kendrick prevailed in following a roll up. Other matches on the undercard included a Four Way X Division Showcase tournament final match for an exclusive TNA contract as Austin Aries defeated Jack Evans, Low Ki and Zema Ion, Rob Van Dam defeating Jerry Lynn, and an Ultimate X match, where Alex Shelley defeated Amazing Red, Robbie E and Shannon Moore to become contender to the X Division Title. ;ref name="Destination X Results 07/10/11" ; ;/ref ;
The event was mostly received positively by wrestling critics. It was rated 8 out of 10 by Canadian Online Explorer's pro wrestling section, SLAM! Sports.
In October 2017, with the launch of the Global Wrestling Network, the event became available to stream on demand.
Production.
Background.
The seventh installment in the Destination X chronology was originally planned to take place on March 13, 2011 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. However, in early January 2011 TNA switched the planned date for their Victory Road PPV event with Destination X. Causing Victory Road to take place on March 13 and Destination to be slated for July 17. Destination X was then moved again to July 10. To promote the event, TNA released a promotional poster featuring the tagline "Forward to the Past," featuring the signature six-sided ring once used by TNA, and was used again for this event.
Storylines.
Destination X featured eight 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 main feud on the card was between Abyss and Brian Kendrick over the TNA X Division Championship. On the May 19 edition of "Impact Wrestling", during Eric Bischoff's agenda to eradicate the X Division, Abyss defeated the reigning champion Kazarian to win the title, effectively setting the plan in motion. With the X Division progressively being sidetracked, and even humiliated by Bischoff, Kendrick led a pack of X Division stars to fight for the survival of the division and get revenge against Bischoff and Immortal. At Slammiversary IX, Kendrick competed in a Three Way match with former champion Kazarian and Abyss over the title, but lost to Abyss. However, Kendrick was granted another match with Abyss when "The Network" decided that the Destination X pay-per-view would solely focus on the X Division. On the June 30 edition of "Impact", Abyss, much in panic mode, discovered that his mask had been stolen backstage, setting off in a frantic search for it in his locker room. ;ref name="Impact 06/30/11 Results" ; ;/ref ; The next week, Kendrick revealed he had thieved the mask, claiming Abyss' ego hindered him from aiding the X-Division, but truly wore the mask to conceal his pain within. He pledged to help Abyss rid his ego and fulfill his potential, though his mission was to beat him for the X-Division Title. Kendrick then returned the mask to make a settlement with Abyss, who attacked him for his troubles. ;ref name="Impact 07/07/11 Results" ; ;/ref ;
On the June 23 edition of "Impact", A.J. Styles announced that, in accordance with the theme for the Destination X event, he was "coming home" to the X Division, a legacy he helped pioneer (as the first-ever X Division Champion) and which brought the company to the forefront in its early years. He also teased the return of the six-sided ring. Interrupted by Samoa Joe, who boastfully laid claim to his accolades including having defeated Styles many times, this eventually brought out his best friend and Fortune ally Christopher Daniels, who suggested a match with Styles, and unexpectedly left out Joe. ;ref name="Impact 06/23/11 Results" ; ;/ref ; The following week, though Styles was slightly skeptical of Daniels wanting the match, Styles and Daniels signed the contract to make their match official at Destination X, agreeing to not let the competition stand in the way of their friendship.
Left out of the Destination X match with Styles and Daniels, Joe encountered Kazarian backstage, who was engaging in a discussion with Daniels about the situation. Joe ridiculed Kazarian for inquiring about the predicament, calling him the "Real Housewife of Fortune", which ended up igniting a feud after Kazarian insulted him, and for his actions, was ultimately assaulted by Joe.
On the June 23 edition of "Impact", Rob Van Dam appeared in a backstage segment and pitched himself in on Destination X, proclaiming he was X Division before there was an actual division, referring to his prominent days in Extreme Championship Wrestling. His longtime rival and a pioneer of the X Division himself, Jerry Lynn, abruptly emerged and reminded him that it was the two of them in which carried the style back then. This signified the possibility of another match between them, which was supposed to have transpired at Hardcore Justice the year prior, but due to sustaining a back injury before the match, Lynn was forced to pull out and was replaced by Sabu. Lynn and Van Dam later crashed the contract signing between Styles and Daniels, where they decided to rekindle their rivalry once and for all at Destination X.
For the four weeks leading up to Destination X, there had been a 12-man tournament consisting of a series of four Three Way matches. Two of these matches included stars from the X Division's past, while the other two included all newcomers participating in tourney. The winners of these matches would advance to a four-way match at Destination X and the winner at the event, would receive a TNA contract. Austin Aries won the first match defeating Jimmy Rave and Kid Kash. The following week, Zema Ion won the second match against Federico Palacios and Dakota Darsow. The week after that, Low Ki won his match beating Matt Bentley and Jimmy Yang. On the final "Impact" before Destination X, Jack Evans won the final match against Tony Nese and Jesse Sorensen.
One of the staples of the X Division is the Ultimate X match. Four wrestlers from the division were chosen by TNA management to compete in an Ultimate X match after Mick Foley announced the match for the show many weeks before. The wrestlers chosen were Alex Shelley, Robbie E, Shannon Moore, and Amazing Red.
Former X Division Champion Douglas Williams announced an open challenge at the show via Twitter. On the July 7 edition of "Impact", Williams made it official by publicly laying out the challenge.
Events.
Preliminary matches.
At the start of the event, commentator Mike Tenay announced that Taz was on assignment and taking his place would be Jeremy Borash. The opening match to set the night off at Destination X was Samoa Joe going up against Kazarian. Kazarian tried to take an early advantage but Joe began dominating the match with a mean streak against Kazarian and his comeback efforts. The match spilled to the outside early, Joe in control, before it shortly returned inside the ring. Kazarian maintained a brief period turning the momentum. However, Joe did not let up on his dominance. During the match, Joe failed twice to apply his signature rear naked choke, but succeeded in his third trial though Kazarian did not submit. Towards the end of the match, Joe argued with the referee after having to break off the choke, and this allowed a resilient Kazarian to recover, counter another attempted choke and roll up Joe out of nowhere for the victory.
Before the second match, Douglas Williams came out accompanied by Rob Terry and Magnus. With the mystery for William's opponent in his open challenge up in the air, it was revealed as debuting UK wrestler Mark Haskins, who was scouted during his involvement in TNA's UK Tour early in the year. Williams showed respect for Haskins and his abilities, but claimed Haskins was not better than him and exploited his inexperience factor of not having competed on live PPV. In the match, Williams, confident, matched technical prowess with Haskins, retreating from the ring to regroup after almost pinned in a series of pin attempts between them. Williams gradually got back in control for a period, mostly going back-and-forth with Haskins. Down in the end, Williams ultimately won the match with a roll up following Haskins' missed shooting star press.
Some time before the next match, which was scheduled at the event, Eric Young appeared in a backstage segment recorded just before the event began, looking for a tag team partner at a table behind which stationed Suicide, Curry Man, and Sangriento. With none of them offering to be his partner for various reasons, in a surprise appearance, Shark Boy showed up and accepted the position. After Generation Me's entrance to the ring, it became evident that they were competing against Young and Shark Boy. To start the match, Young and Shark Boy played their games, stalling over who should begin as the legal man. Eventually, Shark Boy and Jeremy Buck go at it first. The match sees much back and forth action. Young and Max Buck are in next and the balanced competitiveness continues — Young using his more comical approaches and Max moving quick for his executions. In the end, Generation Me tried to set up a top rope move on Young, but Shark Boy made the save by pushing Jeremy off the top rope, giving the Chummer to Max and Young following up with the Youngblood Neckbreaker and the pinfall victory.
The next match was the Ultimate X match for contention to the TNA X Division Championship between Alex Shelley, Robbie E, Amazing Red and Shannon Moore. Moore had his way with everyone in the early goings and attempted to climb for the 'X' but Red stops him and fights him off prior to going at it with Shelley. Meanwhile, Robbie pursued the 'X' and wasn't able to keep himself hanging from the ropes attached to the structure. Red soon found himself at an advantage point and tried to climb for the 'X' but Shelley ceased his efforts. Red, Shelley, and Robbie do combat in the ring corner and Robbie gets sent to the floor before Shelley works Red over. Moore started climbing but was stopped by Shelley. When Robbie returned, all three fought and Shelley prevailed and attempted to climb only to be halted by Red. However, Shelley overcame Red and knocked him to the apron leaving Robbie to be the one pulling him off the ropes. Red and Robbie had exchanges and Robbie got the better of the situation. From there, he knocked Moore off the apron and baseball slid him under the bottom rope, where Moore trapped him in the apron cover, leveling him with forearms. Shelley flew over the ropes shoving Moore into Robbie, but Moore ended back on the apron and hit a moonsault back onto Shelley. The action continued with the momentum constantly shifting. Robbie scaled for the ‘X’ but Red put a stoppage to it and scored a few spinning kicks. Robbie whipped Red to the ropes, and he flew over taking out Moore and Shelley. When Robbie tried to climb again, Red hit a springboard dropkick in the ring dropping Robbie out of the air and onto the canvas. Towards the match's conclusion, Moore climbed the structure to the top. Red climbed the