TNA X Division Championship
Encyclopedia
The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling
championship
owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA) promotion
. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division
—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002 at the taping
of TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event.
Like most professional wrestling championships, the title is won as a result of a scripted match. There have been 53 reigns among 25 wrestlers. The title has previously been known as the NWA X Championship, the NWA–TNA X Championship, and the NWA–TNA X Division Championship.
was established on June 19, 2002 at Total Nonstop Action's first weekly PPV event with a Six Man Tag Team match resulting in Jimmy Yang
, Jorge Estrada, and Sonny Siaki
—collectively known as The Flying Elvis—defeating A.J. Styles
, Jerry Lynn
, and Low Ki. Later that day at the taping of the next weekly PPV event, TNA introduced the X Division Championship—then known as the X Championship—to showcase the division more prominently. The division is described as wrestling reinvented, as it takes traditional wrestling and mixes it with the fast paced, high–risk style of wrestling incorporated in cruiserweight divisions
and lucha libre
. The division was until 2011 promoted under the motto "It is not about weight limits, it is about no limits" by commentator Mike Tenay
. On the August 11, 2011, edition of TNA's primary television program, Impact Wrestling, TNA authority figure Eric Bischoff
announced that from that point onwards the X Division would have a weight limit of 225 lb (102.1 kg).
The Total Nonstop Action X Division has multiple styles of match types used to showcase the talent within the division and to defend the TNA X Division Championship in more marketable matches. Three of the matches used in TNA are the Ultimate X match
, The Steel Asylum, and the Xscape match. The Ultimate X match was introduced in 2003. It involves multiple competitors racing to retrieve the X Division Championship or a giant red letter "X", which is suspended above the ring
by two cables. The cables are attached to four posts that stand behind four of the six turnbuckles in a TNA ring. These cables intertwine to form an "X" over the center of the ring. This match has become successful in TNA; it was featured in the 2008 DVD "TNA: Ultimate Matches", released by TNA Home Video
. The Steel Asylum made its debut in May 2008 at TNA's Sacrifice
PPV event, under the name "The TerrorDome". It was used once again in October 2008 at their Bound for Glory IV
PPV event, under the new and current moniker "The Steel Asylum". As of , this match has only been used to determine the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship. The layout of the match involves the ring being surrounded by a giant red steel barred cage with a domed ceiling. The only way to achieve victory is to escape the cage through a hole in the center of the ceiling. The Xscape match is the third specialty match primarily used in TNA. It is held annually at TNA's Lockdown
PPV event in April—an all–steel cage format PPV event. The first two Xscape matches were held to determine the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship, while, since 2007, it has been contested for the X Division Championship. The contest involves between four to six participants. To win this match, two or more participants—depending on how many are involved in the encounter—must be eliminated by pinfall or submission leaving only two participants. These two men then race to see who escapes the cage first to claim victory.
stated it was for the "NWA–TNA X Championship". Afterwards, the title was renamed the NWA–TNA X Division Championship and then shortened to just the TNA X Division Championship. Therefore, this is the oldest world title in TNA history.
World Wrestling All-Stars
' (WWA) foreclosure, then NWA–TNA X Division champion Chris Sabin
defeated WWA International Cruiserweight Champion
Jerry Lynn, Frankie Kazarian
, and Johnny Swinger in a Four Corners Championship Unification match to unify the X Division Championship with the WWA International Cruiserweight Championship. During Christopher Daniels
' first reign in mid-2005, he defended the X Division Championship at several Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
shows; it is unknown if these defenses were agreed to by TNA and PWG. The first defense happened at All Star Weekend - Night One on April 1 against Alex Shelley
, while the second occurred at All Star Weekend - Night Two on April 2 against Chris Hero
; Daniels won both encounters retaining the championship. At Jason Takes PWG on May 13, Daniels fought A.J. Styles for the X Division Championship and Styles' PWG Championship
to a one-hour time-limit draw. Daniels successfully defended the X Division Title two more times in PWG; once at Guitarmageddon on June 11 against El Generico
, while once at The 2nd Annual PWG Bicentennial Birthday Extravaganza - Night One on July 9 against fellow TNA wrestler Chris Sabin. In September 2005 at TNA's Unbreakable
PPV event, the TNA X Division Championship was defended in the main event for the first time at a monthly PPV event; then-champion Christopher Daniels
defended the championship against A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe
. The title was once again defended in the main event of a monthly event at TNA's August 2007 Hard Justice PPV event, where Kurt Angle
defeated Samoa Joe to win the TNA X Division and the TNA World Tag Team Championship
s and retain the TNA World Heavyweight
and IGF
's version of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship). This win made Angle the only person in the history of TNA to hold every active championship at the same time; TNA World, X Division, and World Tag Team.
In May 2007, the National Wrestling Alliance
(NWA) ended their five-year partnership with TNA, which allowed the NWA to regain control over the NWA World Heavyweight
and World Tag Team Championships
that TNA had controlled since June 2002. TNA then introduced a new TNA X Division Championship belt on the May 16, 2007 edition of TNA's online podcast TNA Today
. Jeremy Borash and Management Director Jim Cornette
, TNA's on-screen authority figure at the time, unveiled the new belt and awarded it to then-champion Chris Sabin.
's only reign is the shortest in the title's history. Styles and Jay Lethal
share the record for most reigns, with six. As of , Austin Aries
is the current champion in his first reign. He defeated Brian Kendrick
on September 11, 2011, at the No Surrender
pay-per-view to win the championship. Overall, there have been 53 reigns among 25 different wrestlers.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
championship
Championship (professional wrestling)
A Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA) promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division
X Division
The X Division is a high-flying, high-risk, fast-paced style of professional wrestling seen originally in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and since then in various NWA member promotions...
—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling. It debuted on June 19, 2002 at the taping
Broadcast delay
In radio and television, broadcast delay refers to the practice of intentionally delaying broadcast of live material. A short delay is often used to prevent profanity, bloopers, violence, or other undesirable material from making it to air, including more mundane problems such as technical...
of TNA's second weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event.
Like most professional wrestling championships, the title is won as a result of a scripted match. There have been 53 reigns among 25 wrestlers. The title has previously been known as the NWA X Championship, the NWA–TNA X Championship, and the NWA–TNA X Division Championship.
X Division
The TNA X DivisionX Division
The X Division is a high-flying, high-risk, fast-paced style of professional wrestling seen originally in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and since then in various NWA member promotions...
was established on June 19, 2002 at Total Nonstop Action's first weekly PPV event with a Six Man Tag Team match resulting in Jimmy Yang
James Yun
James Carson Yun is an American professional wrestler and actor, best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Jimmy Wang Yang, in World Championship Wrestling as one-third of the Jung Dragons as Yang, and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and the independent circuit...
, Jorge Estrada, and Sonny Siaki
Sonny Siaki
Sonny Siaki is a retired American professional wrestler. Unlike many Samoans in professional wrestling, he is not part of the large Anoa'i or Fatu family.-Early life:...
—collectively known as The Flying Elvis—defeating A.J. Styles
A.J. Styles
Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Jerry Lynn
Jerry Lynn
Jeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, and Low Ki. Later that day at the taping of the next weekly PPV event, TNA introduced the X Division Championship—then known as the X Championship—to showcase the division more prominently. The division is described as wrestling reinvented, as it takes traditional wrestling and mixes it with the fast paced, high–risk style of wrestling incorporated in cruiserweight divisions
Cruiserweight (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing 220 lb and less, sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles...
and lucha libre
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
. The division was until 2011 promoted under the motto "It is not about weight limits, it is about no limits" by commentator Mike Tenay
Mike Tenay
Michael William "Mike" Tenay is a professional wrestling play-by-play announcer currently employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . Prior to signing with TNA in 2002, he had a notable tenure with World Championship Wrestling from 1994-2001...
. On the August 11, 2011, edition of TNA's primary television program, Impact Wrestling, TNA authority figure Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
announced that from that point onwards the X Division would have a weight limit of 225 lb (102.1 kg).
Speciality matches
Ultimate X match
The Ultimate X match is a type of professional wrestling match created by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , 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.-Match...
, The Steel Asylum, and the Xscape match. The Ultimate X match was introduced in 2003. It involves multiple competitors racing to retrieve the X Division Championship or a giant red letter "X", which is suspended above the ring
Wrestling ring
A wrestling ring is the ring stage on which professional wrestlers wrestle.-Configuration and construction:The configuration and construction of the "traditional" ring is very similar to that of a boxing ring, though the wrestling version has three ring ropes...
by two cables. The cables are attached to four posts that stand behind four of the six turnbuckles in a TNA ring. These cables intertwine to form an "X" over the center of the ring. This match has become successful in TNA; it was featured in the 2008 DVD "TNA: Ultimate Matches", released by TNA Home Video
TNA Home Video
TNA Home Video is a division of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that releases TNA's PPV events & other TNA produced compilations on DVD. TNA Home Video was formed in 2005 to partner with Navarre Corporation to distribute and produce TNA's expanding video library...
. The Steel Asylum made its debut in May 2008 at TNA's Sacrifice
Sacrifice (2008)
Sacrifice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on May 11, 2008 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the fourth event under the Sacrifice chronology...
PPV event, under the name "The TerrorDome". It was used once again in October 2008 at their Bound for Glory IV
Bound for Glory IV
Bound for Glory IV was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on October 12, 2008 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. It was the fourth annual Bound for Glory event and the first to be referred to in roman numerals...
PPV event, under the new and current moniker "The Steel Asylum". As of , this match has only been used to determine the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship. The layout of the match involves the ring being surrounded by a giant red steel barred cage with a domed ceiling. The only way to achieve victory is to escape the cage through a hole in the center of the ceiling. The Xscape match is the third specialty match primarily used in TNA. It is held annually at TNA's Lockdown
TNA Lockdown
Lockdown is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced every April by the American professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action , is considered one of the flagship PPVs in the company, alongside Slammiversary and Bound for Glory...
PPV event in April—an all–steel cage format PPV event. The first two Xscape matches were held to determine the number one contender to the TNA X Division Championship, while, since 2007, it has been contested for the X Division Championship. The contest involves between four to six participants. To win this match, two or more participants—depending on how many are involved in the encounter—must be eliminated by pinfall or submission leaving only two participants. These two men then race to see who escapes the cage first to claim victory.
Creation
The championship was created and debuted before the main event at the taping of TNA's second weekly PPV event on June 19, 2002; the event aired on June 26, 2002. Later, A.J. Styles defeated Low Ki, Jerry Lynn, and Psicosis in a Four Way Double Elimination match to be crowned the inaugural champion; this match was announced as being for the NWA X Championship on the onscreen graphic while the ring announcerRing announcer
A ring announcer is a paid in-ring employee for a boxing, professional wrestling, or mixed martial arts event or promotion...
stated it was for the "NWA–TNA X Championship". Afterwards, the title was renamed the NWA–TNA X Division Championship and then shortened to just the TNA X Division Championship. Therefore, this is the oldest world title in TNA history.
Other
In May 2003, before the professional wrestling promotionProfessional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
World Wrestling All-Stars
World Wrestling All-Stars
The World Wrestling All-Stars was a professional wrestling promotion founded by Australian concert promoter Andrew McManus in 2001. The promotion was operated by McManus' International Touring Company. WWA was one of several promotions to come into existence shortly after the closings of Extreme...
' (WWA) foreclosure, then NWA–TNA X Division champion Chris Sabin
Chris Sabin
Joshua Harter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Sabin. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he currently teams with Alex Shelley as The Motor City Machine Guns.After being trained by Scott D'Amore, Sabin debuted in 2000 for...
defeated WWA International Cruiserweight Champion
WWA International Cruiserweight Championship
The WWA International Cruiserweight Championship was the Cruiserweight championship for the Australian based wrestling promotion World Wrestling Allstars. The championship however was represented by a belt with "United States Light Heavyweight Champion" on the main plate.-Title history:-External...
Jerry Lynn, Frankie Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, and Johnny Swinger in a Four Corners Championship Unification match to unify the X Division Championship with the WWA International Cruiserweight Championship. During Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
' first reign in mid-2005, he defended the X Division Championship at several Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla is a professional wrestling promotion that is run by wrestlers themselves as it was created by Southern California wrestlers Disco Machine, Excalibur, Joey Ryan, Scott Lost, Super Dragon, and Top Gun Talwar...
shows; it is unknown if these defenses were agreed to by TNA and PWG. The first defense happened at All Star Weekend - Night One on April 1 against Alex Shelley
Alex Shelley
Patrick Martin , is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Alex Shelley. He wrestles for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he currently teams with Chris Sabin as The Motor City Machine Guns. He previously gained fame on the independent circuit, working most notably for...
, while the second occurred at All Star Weekend - Night Two on April 2 against Chris Hero
Chris Hero
Chris Spradlin is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Hero. He is a mainstay of many independent wrestling promotions, including Ring of Honor, and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla as well as Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan...
; Daniels won both encounters retaining the championship. At Jason Takes PWG on May 13, Daniels fought A.J. Styles for the X Division Championship and Styles' PWG Championship
PWG World Championship
The PWG World Championship is a professional wrestling world championship in the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla professional wrestling promotion. It was first introduced in 2003 as the PWG Championship...
to a one-hour time-limit draw. Daniels successfully defended the X Division Title two more times in PWG; once at Guitarmageddon on June 11 against El Generico
El Generico
Rami Sebei is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name El Generico. Sebei uses the gimmick of a luchador from Mexico...
, while once at The 2nd Annual PWG Bicentennial Birthday Extravaganza - Night One on July 9 against fellow TNA wrestler Chris Sabin. In September 2005 at TNA's Unbreakable
TNA Unbreakable
Unbreakable was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event held by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which took place on September 11, 2005 from the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
PPV event, the TNA X Division Championship was defended in the main event for the first time at a monthly PPV event; then-champion Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
defended the championship against A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
. The title was once again defended in the main event of a monthly event at TNA's August 2007 Hard Justice PPV event, where Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
defeated Samoa Joe to win the TNA X Division and the TNA World Tag Team Championship
TNA World Tag Team Championship
The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
s and retain the TNA World Heavyweight
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
and IGF
Inoki Genome Federation
Inoki Genome Federation is a professional wrestling promotion in Japan founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007.The IGF is now also the official National Wrestling Alliance territory of Japan, since Antonio Inoki is the person who holds those rights and transferred them to IGF from New Japan Pro...
's version of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship). This win made Angle the only person in the history of TNA to hold every active championship at the same time; TNA World, X Division, and World Tag Team.
In May 2007, the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
(NWA) ended their five-year partnership with TNA, which allowed the NWA to regain control over the NWA World Heavyweight
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
and World Tag Team Championships
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
that TNA had controlled since June 2002. TNA then introduced a new TNA X Division Championship belt on the May 16, 2007 edition of TNA's online podcast TNA Today
TNA Today
TNA Today was a free online professional wrestling program produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It is hosted by TNA interviewer Jeremy Borash, with occasional appearances by Don West...
. Jeremy Borash and Management Director Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
, TNA's on-screen authority figure at the time, unveiled the new belt and awarded it to then-champion Chris Sabin.
Reigns
The inaugural champion was A.J. Styles, who won the championship by defeating Low Ki, Jerry Lynn, and Psicosis in a Four Way Double Elimination match on June 19, 2002 at TNA's second weekly PPV event. At days, Christopher Daniels' first reign holds the record for longest in the title's history. At less than one day, Eric YoungEric Young (wrestler)
Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
's only reign is the shortest in the title's history. Styles and Jay Lethal
Jay Lethal
Jamar "Jay" Shipman better known by his ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Ring of Honor , where he is the ROH World Television Champion...
share the record for most reigns, with six. As of , Austin Aries
Austin Aries
Daniel Healy "Dan" Solwold, Jr. better known by his ring name Austin Aries, is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is the current X Division Champion...
is the current champion in his first reign. He defeated Brian Kendrick
Brian Kendrick
Brian David Kendrick is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under his real name. Before joining TNA he spent several years wrestling for World Wrestling Entertainment, where he wrestled under his name, as Spanky, and finally as "The" Brian Kendrick...
on September 11, 2011, at the No Surrender
No Surrender (2011)
No Surrender was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that took place on September 11, 2011 at the Impact Wrestling Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the seventh annual No Surrender chronology...
pay-per-view to win the championship. Overall, there have been 53 reigns among 25 different wrestlers.
See also
- X DivisionX DivisionThe X Division is a high-flying, high-risk, fast-paced style of professional wrestling seen originally in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and since then in various NWA member promotions...
- CruiserweightCruiserweight (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing 220 lb and less, sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles...
- WWA International Cruiserweight ChampionshipWWA International Cruiserweight ChampionshipThe WWA International Cruiserweight Championship was the Cruiserweight championship for the Australian based wrestling promotion World Wrestling Allstars. The championship however was represented by a belt with "United States Light Heavyweight Champion" on the main plate.-Title history:-External...
- History of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling