A New Champion Emerges after Referee Earl Hebner Avoids Controversy Similar to Montreal Screwjob

At TNA Slammiversary, referee Earl Hebner faced a challenging situation reminiscent of the infamous Montreal Screwjob. In a match between Mustafa Ali and “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Hebner made a conscious choice not to replicate history when Ali applied the Sharpshooter on Bailey. Instead, he opted to officiate the match fairly. As a result of his decision, Bailey reclaimed the TNA X-Division Championship for the second time, leaving Ali disappointed. The event took place in Montreal, close to Bailey’s hometown in Laval, Quebec, adding extra significance to his triumph. Bailey’s victory at Slammiversary represented a turnaround from their previous encounter at Prestige Wrestling’s A Moment Of Violence event.