Chris Sabin wins X-Division Championship for the 10th time

Impact capped off the celebration of their 1,000th television episode with classic X-Division wrestling. In the main event, Chris Sabin took back the X-Division Championship from Lio Rush to become a ten-time champion.

The match started much like their previous encounter at Slammiversary when Rush squashed Sabin to win the title. In the early going of round two, Rush hit the same handstand kick and suicide dive combo. This time, Sabin played possum trying to score a sneaky roll-up. That tactic didn’t secure the win, but it did keep Rush on his toes all night long.

Down the stretch, Sabin flattened Rush with a vicious clothesline. Sabin executed his Cradle Shock finisher, but Rush shockingly kicked out at 2.

The Bad Child rallied when Sabin took the Cradle Shock up a notch. Sabin tried to hit his finisher avalanche style, but Rush raked his eyes to set up the Final Hour frog splash. Sabin showed grit of his own to kick out at 2 on Rush’s finisher.

Sabin regrouped to pour on offense to slaughter his rival. He exploded for a flurry of strikes and borrowed signature moves from his Time Machine pals. Sabin bludgeoned Rush with Kushida’s Tanaka punch. Next came Alex Shelley’s Shellshock. Sabin finished the job with the Cradle Shock. Rush did not kick out of that sequence.

Sabin is the new X-Division champion for the tenth time. His first title win came in 2003. Twenty years later, Sabin has the gold once again.