Ultimate X match
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An Ultimate X Match is a type of professional wrestling match popularized by (and exclusive to) Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
About Ultimate X
Ultimate X is an X Division triple threat or a fatal four way match in which an X is formed above the ring with wires from metal poles outside the ring in each corner. Similar to the Ladder Match, a championship belt (the TNA X Division Championship) or some other reward is then placed in the center of the X. The winner is the first person to take possession of the object.In TNA storylines, the idea for the Ultimate X Match came from TNA Official Don Callis after a ladder match between Frankie Kazarian and Matt Bentley ended in a no contest. The tagline was "No Limits and No Ladders".
The first Ultimate X Match occurred on the August 20, 2003, pay-per-view. Chris Sabin, then the X Division Champion, put the title on the line against Matt Bentley (then known as Michael Shane) and Frankie Kazarian. Shane ultimately won the match and became the new X Division Champion. In this first match, the X above the ring was formed by bare steel wires. The wires were not secured in the center, allowing them to bounce separately and tear off the belt twice, requiring the belt to be reattached both times. In all future matches, standard ring rope material is used, and the ropes are secured at their crossing.
Matches are typically referred to by number (like "Ultimate X1" and "Ultimate X2").
When TNA made the transition to the six-sided ring in June 2004, the first Ultimate X held in the six-sided ring, Ultimate X4 on July 28, 2004, featured the X being formed from the turnbuckles along the audience seating. The turnbuckles that face the entrance are left without Ultimate X supports. This provides an X with narrower angles, making hanging from the ropes in the center easier.
Rule Nuances
According to the rules, if two combatants are holding the object when it is detached, then the first to take sole possession of the object is the winner. If both combatants land on the mat holding the object, then they are declared co-winners. This has happened before when Michael Shane and Frankie Kazarian landed at the same time while both held the X Division title belt at Ultimate X4, and both were declared co-holders of the title. In addition, at Final Resolution 2005's Ultimate X6 on January 16, 2005, Chris Sabin and Petey Williams detached the belt at the same time. A.J. Styles springboarded off the top rope to snatch the belt from their hands while they still hung from the ropes above, allowing him to take sole possession and win the title.At Ultimate X8, the X was detached partially, but Chris Sabin and Matt Bentley fell, and the X dropped unheld to the ground. Referee Rudy Charles stopped anyone from taking it and had officials reattach it to the ropes. Afterward the same thing happened, only this time it fell into the waiting arms of Petey Williams. This turned out to be a technical error, and a rematch (Ultimate X9) was scheduled for the November 3, 2005, prime time special of TNA iMPACT! Petey Williams ended up winning that one as well.
Ultimate X matches are considered no-disqualification, but interference and use of weapons are rare. Kid Kash hit A.J. Styles with a crutch at the end of Ultimate X4, leading to the ending described above. In Ultimate X6, Scott D'Amore interfered on behalf of Petey Williams by grabbing onto Chris Sabin's legs as he traversed the cross ropes, allowing Petey to come in and pull Sabin down. This led to D'Amore being expelled from ringside by the referee.
Ladders are the only weapons not allowed in the match. While this has rarely been attempted, it was in the case of Ultimate X2 when Shane Douglas and Traci attempted to aid Matt Bentley by giving him a Ladder.
The Ultimate X match was created for, and is a centerpiece of, the X Division of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. So far, the only items held from the ropes has been the X Division Championship and a big red X. Past winners (of the match, not necessary the belt) include: Chris Sabin (three times: X2, X3 and X5), Matt Bentley (twice: X1 and X4), Petey Williams (twice: X8 and X9), Frankie Kazarian (X4), "The Phenomenal" A.J. Styles (X6), "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels (X7 and X10).
Ultimate X Challenge
Ultimate X7 used a variation on the rules called the Ultimate X Challenge. The match begins as a standard tag team match. Once a decision is scored, the wrestler who lost the decision is eliminated from the match; the remaining three competitors then wrestle under three-way dance rules. Once a wrestler is eliminated from the three-way dance, the remaining two competitors wrestle under Ultimate X rules. This match has only been held once, at Destination X 2005.In Ultimate X7, X Division Champ A.J. Styles teamed up with "Primetime" Elix Skipper while Christopher Daniels teamed up with Ron "The Truth" Killings. Daniels and Skipper, former Triple X teammates, were prevented from teaming up at the beginning because they were barred from doing so. Indeed, the Fallen Angel fully turned on Primetime during the three-way dance portion of the match. Daniels then won the belt by hitting the Angel's Wings on Styles, who had snatched the belt while the referee was unconscious, so he could have the belt when the referee came to.
Ultimate X Matches
- Ultimate X1, August 2003 at weekly pay-per-view, Matt Bentley d. Frankie Kazarian and Chris Sabin. Bentley wins the X Division Championship from Sabin.
- Ultimate X2, January 2004 at weekly pay-per-view, Chris Sabin d. Matt Bentley, "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels and Low Ki. Sabin wins the X Division title from Bentley.
- Ultimate X3, May 2004 at weekly pay-per-view, Chris Sabin (Team NWA) d. Petey Williams (Team Canada) and Hector Garza (Team AAA) in the final match of the 2004 TNA World X Cup. The win clinched the World X Cup for Team NWA.
- Ultimate X4, July 2004 at weekly pay-per-view, Matt Bentley and Frankie Kazarian d. "The Phenomenal" A.J. Styles. Bentley and Kazarian both win the X Division title from Styles. It was the first Ultimate X held in the new six-sided ring.
- Ultimate X5, November 2004 on a special episode of The Best Damn Sports Show Period, Chris Sabin d. "Primetime" Elix Skipper and Sonjay Dutt. Sabin became the Number 1 contender to the X Division Championship, and got a shot at then-champion Petey Williams at Turning Point 2004.
- Ultimate X6, January 2005 at Final Resolution 2005, "The Phenomenal" A.J. Styles d. Chris Sabin and Petey Williams. Styles wins the X Division title from Williams.
- Ultimate X7 (Ultimate X Challenge), March 2005 at Destination X 2005, "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels defeated "The Phenomenal" A.J. Styles, "Primetime" Elix Skipper and Ron "The Truth" Killings. Daniels wins the X Division title from Styles.
- Ultimate X8, October 2005 at Bound For Glory, Petey Williams defeated Matt Bentley and Chris Sabin. The match was originally set up by Matt Bentley, who (after a brief hiatus) attacked both men on TNA Impact and demanded the matchup for the PPV.
- Ultimate X9, November 2005 at TNA iMPACT!, a rematch of Ultimate X8 which was mired by technical difficulties. Petey Williams defeated Matt Bentley and Chris Sabin to earn Number one contendership to the TNA X Division Championship, and a shot at A.J. Styles at Genesis.
- Ultimate X10. March 2006 at Destination X 2006, Christopher Daniels defeated A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe in a rematch of their previous encounters at Unbreakable and Against All Odds. Daniels won Samoa Joe's X Division title. The X ropes in this match had cable reinforcements so they could hold Samoa Joe's weight.
Trivia
- To date, the X Division Championship has changed hands every time it was on the line in an Ultimate X Match (X1, X2, X4, X6, X7, & X10)
- Chris Sabin has participated in more Ultimate X Matches than any other wrestler. (7)
- Chris Sabin has won the most Ultimate X Matches. (3)
External links
- [Summary of the 8/20/03 TNA pay-per-view] featuring the first Ultimate X match.
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