The 2012 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 8, 2012 at the Impact Wrestling Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the eighth show under the Destination X chronology and seventh event in the 2012 TNA PPV schedule. Unlike last year, the event was held inside of a four-sided ring as opposed to a six-sided ring.
Nine matches were contested at the event. In the main event, Austin Aries defeated Bobby Roode to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. In other prominent matches, A.J. Styles defeated Christopher Daniels in a Last Man Standing match and Samoa Joe defeated Kurt Angle in a Bound for Glory Series match. The remainder of the show hosted an X Division Tournament to determine a new X Division Champion.
In October 2017, with the launch of the Global Wrestling Network, the event became available to stream on demand. It would later be available on Impact Plus in May 2019.
Storylines Destination X, also known as Project Destination Unknown, featured nine 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 event of the Destination X featured Austin Aries taking on Bobby Roode for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. On the June 14 edition of Impact Wrestling, TNA X Division Champion Aries was slated to main event Destination X as advertised. Aries, having hit the landmark of becoming the longest reigning X Division Champion in TNA history, asked General Manager Hulk Hogan for a World Title match against the longest and reigning TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Bobby Roode, at the PPV. Hogan, impressed with him as whole, gave him one week to decide on a proposal that if Aries wants his shot, he would be forced to relinquish the X Division Title (as Hogan did not want one wrestler holding both belts). A week later, Aries agreed to the stipulation with the caveat that all future X Division champions be given the same opportunity every year at Destination X. Hogan agreed to those terms and Aries was granted his championship match.
The ongoing feud between A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels entering Destination X featured both men in a Last Man Standing match. At Slammiversary, A.J Styles teamed with Kurt Angle to dethrone Christopher Daniels and Kazarian of the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the following week's Impact, Styles told TNA President Dixie Carter that they needed to bring the truth about what was happening between them to the forefront, as it was ammunition for Daniels against him in their feud. Styles and Carter revealed everything the following week, where a pregnant lady named Claire Lynch, opened up about Styles and Carter keeping her (Lynch) secret and helping her into rehab from her habits as an addict, making it clear there was no affair between the two. On the June 28 edition of Impact, with his head cleared from all the drama surrounding him and Carter, Styles announced that he got what he wanted which was a Last Man Standing match against Daniels at Destination X. Meanwhile, Kazarian expressed his hostility for partnering with Daniels and halting his friendship with Styles based on the revelation the week before, later only using this as a ruse to regain the tag titles with Daniels in the Slammiversary rematch that night. After the match, Daniels furthered the angle claiming that the truth was out regarding Claire, but not the fact that Styles is the father of her unborn child.
For two weeks leading up to Destination X, two X Division Title Tournament Qualifier matches took place featuring outside, non-contracted talent. The majority of the Destination X featured a tournament to crown a new TNA X Division Champion. First, there was a four-way match to determine the eighth and final qualifier. Then, the eight competitors (a mix of TNA contracted and outside wrestlers) were matched up in four semi-final singles matches. The winners of those matches advanced to an Ultimate X match later in the night, and the winner of Ultimate X, Zema Ion, became the new champion. In addition, there was a Bound For Glory Series match between longtime on-and-off rivals, Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe on the PPV.
Event Other on-screen personnelCommentatorMike TenayTazRing announcerJeremy BorashRefereeRudy CharlesMark "Slick" JohnsonAndrew ThomasInterviewersJeremy Borash Due to family commitments, Jeremy Borash replaced Taz at the commentary booth during the event. Also since a near career-ending injury suffered at the February Against All Odds PPV, X Division wrestler Jesse Sorensen made an appearance at the event to show his appreciation for all the fan support he had been getting throughout his recovery process. Eventually, Sorensen mentioned his unfinished business with Zema Ion, who inadvertently injured him at the PPV. Sorensen also expressed his desire to pursue the X Division Championship.
Preliminary matches Opening the event was the Last Chance Four Way match between Mason Andrews, Rubix, Dakota Darsow and Lars Only to qualify for the Ultimate X match contesting the TNA X Division Championship later in the night. Plenty of fast pace, back-and-forth high impact offensive maneuvers were seen between all four participants. Further on, Rubix cleared the ring and executed a leaping front flip dive to take out his competitors on the outside. Later, the match produced two big points where there was a three-way Tower of Doom out of the ring corner and a corner-to-corner missile dropkick by Rubix from one side of the ring to the next. After multiple moves that allowed all involved to showcase themselves, Andrews went on to hit his fireman's carry into a cutter finisher on Only to win the match by pinfall.
The second match was a Semifinal match with the advancing Mason Andrews taking on Kid Kash. For a majority portion of the match, Kash, picked apart Andrews, who had just previously competed in a grueling and high endurance match. Kash became frustrated at unsuccessful attempts to get a pinfall over Andrews, who fought back regardless of a heavy beat down, almost succeeding in defeating Kash. At the end, Andrews dodged a knee strike by Kash and rolled Kash up for the victory.
Kenny King versus Douglas Williams was next in a Semifinal match in the TNA X Division Title Tournament. Williams took control of the early goings of the match using his technical prowess. Gradually, action spilled to the outside after King exited the ring over the top rope with a twisting body charge at Williams on the outside. Back in the ring, King and Williams traded mat holds competitively until Williams nailed some offense, and eventually King returned some of his own. The match went to the outside again where both men were nearly counted out. The finish of the match came when King hit the Coronation and pinned to gain the win.
The fourth match on the card was a Semifinal match with Sonjay Dutt facing Rashad Cameron. Cameron established himself as a villain in the outset of the contest and handled the first parts of the match. Dutt eventually gained the upper hand, knocking Cameron out the ring, and following up with a flying dropkick. A little time later and Cameron regained control taunting at Dutt and the crowd. This didn't last as Cameron lost focus and started arguing with the referee. After some moves exchanged between Cameron and Dutt, Dutt brought the match to an end, connecting with a top rope moonsault double foot stomp onto Cameron and pinning for the victory.
The following match was a semifinal match where Zema Ion went face-to-face with Flip Cassanova. Ion dominated the match as soon as the bell rang and emphasized his cockiness by spraying up his hairstyle during the match. Cassanova was able to make a short comeback hitting a gut kick and a springboard corkscrew. Not enough to put Ion out; with Cassanova gasping after the aerial effort, Ion hit the Filipino Destroyer and covered Cassanova successfully.
Main events In the first of the main events of the night, longtime on-and-off rivals Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle, battled in a Bound for Glory Series match. Joe and Angle began the encounter trying to best each other in wrestling holds till Joe got the lead and executed a facewash with his boot on Angle's face in the corner of the ring and following that up with a running boot kick. Soon after, Joe hit Angle to the outside and then jumped on the opportunity to charge Angle with a running suicide dive elbow smash out of the ring and through the ropes. By the time the action returned inside the ring, Angle continued on his attack on Joe with both men attempting submission holds on each other. Dominating, Angle slammed Joe down with three consecutive German suplexes, and tried to lock on the Anklelock, but Joe eluded the situation. Pursuing Joe, Angle got dropped by Joe with a One-armed side slam out of the corner of the ring. After hitting the Muscle Buster which was not enough to keep Angle down, Joe grew frustrated. Keeping on the offense, Joe attempted the Rear naked choke; however, Angle countered it and locked on the Anklelock. Joe worked to fight it and was able to get Angle in the Rear naked choke, almost making him tap out. Before that could happen, Angle elbowed out of it and hit a desperate Angle Slam which did not put away Joe. Angle locked back on the Anklelock that was reversed by Joe, who slid over Angle for the Rear naked choke again, and this time, as the match came down to the wire, Angle passed out momentarily in the hold. Because of this, the referee called for the bell to reward Joe as the winner of the match.