When people think about the heyday of TNA/Impact Wrestling, their minds usually go to the X Division. It was the thing that originally helped separate them from every other wrestling company out there. The motto of, "It's not about weight limits, it's about no limits," was an accurate description.
The division featured incredible stars like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, and more. They consistently stole the show on TNA events. The X Division was must-see. While it has waned in quality over the years at times, it has produced some outstanding matches in its history.
10 Austin Aries vs. Samoa Joe - Slammiversary X
One of the people who helped revitalize the X Division in the early 2010s was Austin Aries. He gained a ton of popularity during his record 301-day reign and he eventually parlayed that into a run as TNA Heavyweight Champion.
The highlight of his X Division Title reign came here against Samoa Joe. It told the ideal story of a big man against a smaller opponent. Aries fought from behind and overcame Joe as he did back in 2004 in Ring of Honor. It was the perfect way to start a PPV.
9 AJ Styles vs. Petey Williams - Genesis 2005
AJ Styles was on an absurdly great run during 2005. Shortly after winning the X Division Title, he was faced with a former champion in his path. Petey Williams and Styles stole the show on a night when Christian Cage debuted for the company.
This wasn't just the typical fast-paced match, either. It featured some high intensity, including a spot where Styles took a German suplex off of the apron and into the steel guardrail. He still managed to come out on top, though.
8 Chris Sabin vs. Senshi - Bound For Glory 2006
In the eyes of a lot of TNA fans, Bound for Glory 2006 was the pinnacle for the company. It is still considered by many to be their best pay-per-view in history. The X Division Title match that night didn't disappoint.
Senshi, better known as Low Ki or even Kaval in WWE, came in as something of a dominant champion. That was until he faced Chris Sabin. The upstart used his quickness to throw Senshi off balance and end his title reign. Alas, Sabin's would drop the title two days later.
7 Jay Lethal vs. Kurt Angle - No Surrender 2007
TNA made the questionable decision to put every single title, including NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Title, on Kurt Angle in August of 2007. So, when the September PPV No Surrender arrived, Angle was booked to defend them all.
His X Division Title match was against "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal. The bout showed the world that even though Lethal's character was a comedy one, he should be taken seriously in the ring. Lethal shocked the world when he dethroned the man who was also the TNA Heavyweight Champion at the time.
6 AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe - Against All Odds 2006
It seems like nobody ever talks about this one. That's most likely because their first meeting together is so memorable. This rematch several months later saw Samoa Joe enter as champion.
Once again, it was a case where three of the best wrestlers on the planet put on a show for nearly 20 minutes. This time around, it was Joe who came out on top. Christopher Daniels would win their third and final meeting, giving each of them a victory in the series.
5 Alex Shelley vs. Chris Sabin - Genesis 2009
The Motor City Machine Guns are arguably the best tag team of the second half of the 2000s. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin had unbelievable chemistry. They put on tremendous matches everywhere. However, they were opponents on this night.
At Genesis 2009, they met in the finals of a tournament to determine a new X Division Champion. Their chemistry carried over as opponents, putting on a stellar outing. Shelley won in an underrated classic, earning his only singles title in TNA.
4 AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels - Bound For Glory 2005
As mentioned earlier, Styles was on an unreal run through 2005. This was another feather in his cap. He defended his newly won X Division Title on the biggest show of the year against his greatest rival, Christopher Daniels.
To make things better, this was a 30-minute Ironman Match. That allowed two of the greats a ton of time to tell a compelling story filled with tons of action. Styles retained by winning 1-0 thanks to a Styles Clash in the final minute.
3 AJ Styles vs. Chris Sabin vs. Petey Williams - Final Resolution 2005
Many consider the Ultimate X match to be TNA's greatest creation. There's no better example of it than this clash from Final Resolution 2005. Petey Williams entered as the longest-reigning champion to that point in the title's history.
He, AJ Styles, and Chris Sabin wowed audiences with their incredible high-wire act. There were huge moments that still rank among the most impressive in TNA history. The finish was outstanding, as while Sabin and Williams battled over the title, Styles springboarded in between them and snatched it for himself.
2 AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe - Turning Point 2005
Samoa Joe was not going to be denied the X Division Championship for long. He bested Styles in a stellar match at Sacrifice to win the Super X Cup. At the end of the year, they faced off again, but with AJ's title on the line.
This was perfect storytelling of the determined champion simply facing someone who was too much for them. Joe brutalized him, though Styles showed plenty of fire and made it a tough fight. Joe ended up choking him out to win his first title in TNA.
1 AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe - Unbreakable 2005
It was the match that truly put TNA on the map. At Unbreakable, the X Division was given the main event slot over the NWA Heavyweight Title. Styles, Daniels, and Joe proved why that was the best decision possible.
The three went on to have the greatest triple threat match in all of wrestling history. It was filled with action, huge spots, tons of drama, and perfect character work from everyone involved. Though they threw everything at each other, it was a pinning combination from Styles that earned him the title. It remains the best match in TNA history.