The 2011 Destination X was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, which took place on July 10, 2011 at the Impact Wrestling Zone in Orlando, Florida. Destination X was promoted with the tagline "Forward to the Past", as an all X Division event to commemorate the division that helped pave the way for the company long-term by bringing in popularity with its extraordinary athletic showcases. It was the seventh event under the Destination X chronology—first to be held in July—and the seventh event of the 2011 TNA PPV schedule.
The main event on the card featured two pioneers of the X Division in a battle, where A.J. Styles took on Christopher Daniels, which Styles won after hitting the Spiral Tap, a reference of his victory at the second TNA weekly PPV, where he became the first-ever TNA X Division Champion. The other main match on the card was Abyss defending the X Division Title against Brian Kendrick in a match that Kendrick prevailed in following a roll up. Other matches on the undercard included a Four Way X Division Showcase tournament final match for an exclusive TNA contract as Austin Aries defeated Jack Evans, Low Ki and Zema Ion, Rob Van Dam defeating Jerry Lynn, and an Ultimate X match, where Alex Shelley defeated Amazing Red, Robbie E and Shannon Moore to become contender to the X Division Title.
The event was mostly received positively by wrestling critics. It was rated 8 out of 10 by Canadian Online Explorer's pro wrestling section, SLAM! Sports.
In October 2017, with the launch of the Global Wrestling Network, the event became available to stream on demand.
Production
Background
The seventh installment in the Destination X chronology was originally planned to take place on March 13, 2011 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. However, in early January 2011 TNA switched the planned date for their Victory Road PPV event with Destination X. Causing Victory Road to take place on March 13 and Destination to be slated for July 17. Destination X was then moved again to July 10. To promote the event, TNA released a promotional poster featuring the tagline "Forward to the Past," featuring the signature six-sided ring once used by TNA, and was used again for this event.
Storylines
Destination X featured eight professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
The main feud on the card was between Abyss and Brian Kendrick over the TNA X Division Championship. On the May 19 edition of Impact Wrestling, during Eric Bischoff's agenda to eradicate the X Division, Abyss defeated the reigning champion Kazarian to win the title, effectively setting the plan in motion. With the X Division progressively being sidetracked, and even humiliated by Bischoff, Kendrick led a pack of X Division stars to fight for the survival of the division and get revenge against Bischoff and Immortal. At Slammiversary IX, Kendrick competed in a Three Way match with former champion Kazarian and Abyss over the title, but lost to Abyss. However, Kendrick was granted another match with Abyss when "The Network" decided that the Destination X pay-per-view would solely focus on the X Division. On the June 30 edition of Impact, Abyss, much in panic mode, discovered that his mask had been stolen backstage, setting off in a frantic search for it in his locker room. The next week, Kendrick revealed he had thieved the mask, claiming Abyss' ego hindered him from aiding the X-Division, but truly wore the mask to conceal his pain within. He pledged to help Abyss rid his ego and fulfill his potential, though his mission was to beat him for the X-Division Title. Kendrick then returned the mask to make a settlement with Abyss, who attacked him for his troubles.