A LOOK AHEAD TO THE WORLD X CUP TOURNAMENT
The story behind the huge international event coming to TNA Wrestling
By Bill Banks
In recent weeks, fans who have tuned into iMPACT!” have been hearing about the upcoming World X Cup tournament, an international invitational last held in 2004 in TNA Wrestling. For new fans of TNA who never witnessed the 2004 event, many may wonder just what all of the buzz is about. Longtime fans that had the opportunity to see the World X Cup still talk about the tremendous international action featured over those months.
In January 2004, TNA management decided to give TNA’s high-flying and daredevil X Division some international flavor. TNA was built on the action of the X style, but there were so many X class athletes battling all around the world that TNA invited them to the United States as part of an international tournament to compete against each other.
The first event was held on February 11, 2004 on Pay-Per-View, the first of three “America’s X Cup” tournaments held prior to the World X Cup that summer. That night, Team NWA (represented by Chris Sabin, Sonjay Dutt, Elix Skipper and Jerry Lynn) took on Team Mexico from the AAA promotion consisting of Juventud Guerrera, Hector Garza, Mr. Aguila and Abismo Negro.
The tournament featured singles bouts, tag team bouts and a final team-on-team bout to determine the winners of the America’s X Cup. Like all the subsequent X Cup tournaments, standings were based on points awarded for wins.
In the first America’s X Cup, Team Mexico came out strong and dominated throughout, winning the final point standings to become the first champions of the America’s X Cup. Team NWA needed to regroup and refocus their efforts, but based on the overwhelming success of the first event TNA management invited Team Mexico to return the following month to defend the cup.
On March 10, 2004, on Pay-Per-View, the second America’s X Cup tournament was held, this time featuring Team Mexico defending against Team Canada, consisting of Petey Williams, Johnny Devine, Teddy Hart and Jack Evans. Again, Team Mexico dominated the event – remaining the reigning X Cup champions. The loss angered Team Canada coach Scott D’Amore so much that he vowed to reform an even stronger Team Canada with the additions of Bobby Roode and Eric Young, giving way to the current Team Canada we know today.
The third America’s X Cup tournament was held on April 7, 2004 on Pay-Per-View with Team Mexico defending against Team United Kingdom, consisting of England’s Dean Allmark, Robbie Dynamite, Frankie Sloan and James Mason. Even though Juventud Guerrera was replaced by Hector Garza as captain (with AAA’s Heavy Metal joining the team), Team Mexico continued their domination of the America’s X Cup, claiming their third event. By this point, there was no stopping Team Mexico.
Two months later, TNA Wrestling announced the first-ever World X Cup, the evolution of the America’s X Cup events. This time, four international teams would take part – Team Mexico as the defending champions, with Team NWA (Lynn, Skipper, Sabin and new member The Fallen Angel), Team Canada (Williams, Roode, Young and Devine) and Team Japan (Mitsu Hirai, Taichi Ishikari, Hirai Nobukazu and Misawa)
The one-night international spectacular was held on May 26, 2004 on Pay-Per-View. The tournament matches and format were changed up from the previous America’s X Cup events, as a Gauntlet Match was added along with an Ultimate X Match for the finals. Once again, points were awarded for wins to determine standings, which would prove important as Mexico, Canada and the NWA teams were all neck-and-neck heading into the final Ultimate X showdown.
After losing the first America’s X Cup event, Team NWA captain Jerry Lynn vowed to bring the World X Cup home to TNA. In the final Ultimate X Match, Lynn made the smart decision of picking Ultimate X veteran Chris Sabin to compete in the bout against Mexico’s Hector Garza and Canada’s Petey Williams. The decision paid off big time for Lynn, as Sabin won the bout and gave Team NWA the win in the World X Cup and ending Team Mexico’s dominance.
It’s been two years since the World X Cup dominated headlines in TNA Wrestling. Still, fans have continued to email us and post messages on our website asking for a return of the international event. Last month, TNA management decided to grant their wishes – announcing the return of the World X Cup.
Although the exact date of the World X Cup international tournament has yet to be officially announced, expect news of the decision here on the website in the coming weeks as we understand officials are nearing completion of their planning. Rumors have it new teams from Mexico, Japan and the UK will be taking part along with the recently completed Team USA consisting of Chris Sabin, Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal.
For more news on the upcoming World X Cup tournament, tune into “iMPACT!” every week as Team USA will be in action as they prepare for the event.
