Jake Crist, most known for his stint in Impact Wrestling, shared a video of him dousing two title belts with gasoline and then lit them on fire. The belts he burned were the IWA World Championship and the IWA Mid-South World Junior Heavyweight Championship which he had held for over 200 days.
He told Ian Rotten in the video that he gave him a month to pay him and since the former ECW star burnt this bridge, he thought he would do a little burning himself. At this time, Rotten has yet to comment on Crist’s actions.
For everyone that’s been screwed over by a promotion this is for you! For the people!!! No excuses, you should have paid me, what’s done is done! pic.twitter.com/ScDLi4SNyX
Accountability. I said that last night in a space. If we can't hold people accountable for their actions then nothing will change. I have to stand by @TheJakeCrist to hold IWA accountable for their actions!
Since it has been the talk of indie wrestling the last couple of days I have decided that I am going to withdraw from @IWAMidSouth King of the Deathmatches. I stand with @TheJakeCrist and @TheDukeJWM.
— The Bloodbath Behemoth (@Tank_Est1996) June 14, 2022
The promotion was founded by Rotten in 1996 and based out of Indiana. IWA Mid-South was a starting place for several notable wrestlers includingColt Cabana, Chris Hero, and CM Punk. The promotion has had some controversial moments in the past including Rotten being accused of not paying talent.
Jeff Jarrett had a confrontation with Rotten’s son after a reported pay dispute between Jarrett and Rotten.
Impact Wrestling is bringing back one of his infamous match types at this Sunday’s Slammiversary event.
On Twitter, the company announced that the Reverse Battle Royal will be back and part of the Countdown to Slammiversary streaming event this Sunday at 7:30 pm ET.
The match will stream on Impact Plus and YouTube, and will also feature a Digital Media Championship match between Rich Swann and Brian Myers.
BREAKING: The Reverse Battle Royal returns and Rich Swann takes on @Myers_Wrestling for the Digital Media Championship on #CountdownToSlammiversary streaming LIVE & FREE this Sunday at 7:30pm ET on IMPACT Plus and YouTube!
While a traditional Battle Royal sees wrestlers toss one another out of the ring to eliminate their opponents, the Reverse Battle Royal isn’t quite so simple.
Instead, the match starts with all competitors outside of the ring, fighting to enter the ring to qualify for the second half of the match.
Once half the participants are in the ring, the second part of the match starts, which plays out like a standard Battle Royal until there’s one person left in the ring.
The match debuted in Impact when Abyss outlasted everyone, in a match poorly received by fans and critics.
In the 2006 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards, that year’s Reverse Battle Royal earned the dubious honor of ‘Worst Match of the Year.’
A year later, Eric Young won the match as seen below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJyG0v9jXdU
Slammiversary 2022
The return of the Reverse Battle Royal is just one part of a stacked card for this Sunday’s Pay Per View.
In the main event, Impact World Champion Josh Alexander will defend against two-time former champion Eric Young.
In his first match for Impact since suffering a broken ankle in September 2021, Sami Callihan will face Moose in a Monsters Ball match.
Knockouts World Champion Tasha Steelz will put her title on the line against Chelsea Green, Mia Yim, Jordynne Grace, and Deonna Purrazzo in the first Queen of the Mountain match.
Josh Alexander puts the Impact World title on the line against Eric Young this weekend at Slammiversary. The event takes place from Nashville, Tennssee and airs live on pay-per-view.
Ahead of the title defense, the Walking Weapon spoke with SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay about Impact’s return to Nashville, his favorite moments in company history and what it’s like to carry Impact on his shoulders as World champion.
Watch Ella Jay’s interview with Josh Alexander:
Here are some highlights of what Josh Alexander said about:
IMPACT Returning to Nashville:
Here’s what Josh Alexander had to say about Slammiversary taking place from Nashville, TN, the city where Impact launched 20 years ago:
“Well, I’m just psyched to be back here. We spent a lot of time in Nashville during the whole pandemic era and tapings and stuff, so I’m very familiar with the city. And then we had some crowds here before we ended up venturing out, starting at Bound for Glory last year. But we’ve been on the road like crazy.”
“It’s different coming back and being able to wrestle on the Nashville Fairgrounds, maybe not the same venue because they tore it down and built a new venue there. But to wrestle on the same hallowed ground where all these people that inspired me to become a pro wrestler made their names in the asylum era of TNA. It’s coming full circle and for me to do it as champion, it’s even sweeter.”
Favorite Memories in Nashville:
“I’ve had a lot of success with IMPACT Wrestling right here in Nashville. I’ve won pretty much every championship I’ve had here. I’ve become a Triple Crown champion in Nashville. I would say my fondest memory would be the Ironman match with TJP that we did in front of no crowd, because that just don’t come along on television that often.”
“I knew it was a huge opportunity for me to not only set myself apart, but kind of put the company on the map and show them what I could do in the ring. And the chemistry I have with TJP is something that doesn’t come along very often in wrestling. So I was very excited and happy for that opportunity and then we exceeded our own expectations with it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZfv1Ss6hB0
Full Match: Josh Alexander vs. TJP (Iron Man Match)
His Favorite Moments in Impact History:
“I always say my favorite moment, the most iconic moment that I can think of was when Kurt Angle headbutted Samoa Joe. And that Samoa Joe rose up behind him with his head bleeding and that just kicked off their feud.
Skipper doing the the run off the top of the cage, that made me jump off my sofa. But the one thing that really sticks out when you first said that was Gail Kim took a cutter off of the entrance ramp. And the way it was shot, it looked like she was just falling into oblivion, like she fell off the edge of the planet. And I remember standing up like, ‘oh, my God, she’s dead’. And then the camera cuts to just find the wreckage at the bottom beside the ring. Yeah, that that was one of the most memorable moments to me.”
Walking into Slammiversary as Impact World Champion:
“I actually was wrestling with my friend Isaac from high school on my trampoline right before he ran inside to order the very first pay per view. I had dinner with him maybe a month ago, and I was talking to him about how I just had to stop and pinch myself because not only did I never think this was possible, he certainly never thought it was possible back then that like this is where my life would have taken me. And I’m so blessed and privileged that I’m able to do what I love because this isn’t work to me. You know what I mean?”
His Favorite Stars from Impact’s 20-Year History:
“The very first episode, I remember the first match was Jerry Lynn and AJ Styles and Low Ki against the Flying Elvises. And I say it’s so often that when I saw Low Ki and AJ Styles for the first time just in that six and a half minute match they had, they completely blew my mind and just showed me this completely alternate style of pro wrestling than I ever thought possible. And that was really what got my wheels turning about, maybe getting involved with this myself and wanting to be a part of this business and pursue it as a dream. those two guys right off the bat, the entire X Division is one of the most innovative things.”
The Knockouts
“I think it’s changed the business across the entire world landscape right now. It’s all inspired by the stuff that those guys did between 2002 and 2010 and then the Knockouts Division especially, just seeing what they did like in 2007, when it really picked up steam with Awesome Kong, Gail, Kim, Tara, Mickie James, all these other people.
“It was something like you never saw before. You were used to bra and panties matches and then we were seeing kick ass wrestling coming out of the ladies like it’s carried forth to today where our entire Knockouts division was pretty much inspired by what those Knockouts did back then.”
The New Face of Impact Wrestling
Holding a company’s World title comes with a great deal of responsibility. A champion represents the organization and serve as the defacto locker room leader. We asked Josh Alexander how he’s adjusting to his role as champion.
“I recognize the responsibility that I carry because being champion, being the face of IMPACT wrestling, sure, I’m the face of the brand. I’m the one that has to trumpet and rah rah for IMPACT all the time, which is so easy for me because I started as a fan. I love this place. I can rhyme off names left and right and talk about the history of this company all day long and and I enjoy it.”
“I take the role especially seriously because the respect of my peers matters to me a lot. And I love this locker room. I love the crew. I love everybody here so much. I think we’re all–as much as this is a singular pursuit and professional wrestling, I think we all look at this like a team and we all have a chip on my shoulder. We’re all the little engine that could fight back and show that we belong and that we are the best and to represent them as the face of IMPACT Wrestling. That’s the thing I take most serious.”
Who He Wants to See “Step Up”
“As in-ring competition goes, I followed Eddie Edwards since he was “Diehard” Eddie Edwards and Noah back in the day. And I think he’s amazing. And I think if we locked up, he could do something special. And the second name, once he works his way up the ladder and comes into contention, I really think that I could make magic and trap a bunch of lightning in a bottle with someone like Mike Bailey.”
“Speedball” Mike Bailey:
“He’s a natural born talent. Once in a million kind of guy, once in a lifetime. He’s a generational talent, as they say. And I recognize that. I think everybody else does. And now that he’s gotten his Visa, he signed with IMPACT and he’s in front of the world. Everybody’s finding out really fast.”
Catch Slammiversary this Sunday, Jun 19th live on pay-per-view:
As a wrestler of over 30 years, Eric Young is no stranger to championship gold, but one prize that has alluded him is the NXT Championship.
In 2016, Young signed with WWE after a lengthy run in Impact Wrestling and formed the group Sanity alongside Killian Dain, Alexander Wolfe, Nikki Cross, and briefly Sawyer Fulton.
The group did hold the NXT Tag Team Championships, but Young never captured the brand’s top prize, despite at least one of his Sanity cohorts thinking he was ready.
Speaking to the Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling podcast, Dain said there was a window of time when he felt Young could’ve feuded with Shinsuke Nakamura who at the time held the NXT Championship.
That feud never transpired which remains a sore spot for Dain who said (via Bodyslam):
“WWE were idiots for not putting the NXT Championship on Eric Young while we were in NXT.”
Killian Dain on Young’s push in WWE.
Young after WWE
Young captured his second Impact World Championship upon his return to the company following his April 2020 WWE release.
Eric Young’s career in WWE may not have gone as he (or Dain) may have hoped, but the Canadian wrestler has done well for him since.
At July 2020’s Slammiversary event, Young returned to Impact Wrestling and captured the promotion’s World Championship in September that same year.
Young’s reign would end the following month when he lost the title to Rich Swann.
At next weekend’s Slammiversary, Young will once again challenge for the Impact World Championship, now held by fellow Canadian Josh Alexander.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jeff Jarrett claims AJ Styles was essentially “forced out” of IMPACT Wrestling before joining WWE.
Jarrett recently took to his podcast, “My World” and touched on Styles departing from IMPACT in 2014. This was just as Jarrett was making his exit from the company towards the end of 2013.
The WWE Hall of Famer notes Styles’ money was being cut, but the promotion didn’t want to cut his dates. IMPACT also began treating Styles, one of the founding pillars of the promotion, rather harshly, essentially forcing him to make the move to leave.
“I resigned December 21, 2013. In early December is when the Carter’s put the nail in the coffin for me and Toby (Keith) to acquire majority interest. We knew it was game, set, match.
“It was not happening. I knew I had to go. I knew Dixie’s position on all of it because of the, for lack of a better word, the financial de-spiral the company was in.
“AJ’s money was getting cut. They wanted to cut AJ’s money but not dates. He said, ‘If you cut my money, I’m cutting my dates.’ It was not just AJ’s contract. It was everybody’s. He was a complete, utter mess.
“AJ was so willing to commit to the product that he was willing to re-sign. I found this out later. They said some awful things and had devalued AJ. They basically forced AJ against his will to leave.
“That’s how committed AJ Styles was to the brand. He was TNA through and through. He had to be essentially forced out.”
Styles had been with IMPACT since 2002. Over the course of his career with the promotion, he racked up a plethora of titles and accolades, including two TNA World Heavyweight Championship runs, six X Division Title wins, and a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
After departing from IMPACT in 2014, Styles made appearances for Ring Of Honor (ROH), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), and various independent promotions. However, in January of 2016, Styles finally made his WWE debut at the Royal Rumble.
“Road Dogg was very instrumental in bringing AJ into WWE because of his position at the time with the company.
“AJ was such a tried and true, and committed to his core. He was going to go back to IMPACT with Doc and Karl before he signed with WWE. He was that committed to the brand.”
Jay White is reportedly done with IMPACT Wrestling.
PWInsider reports that White has finished up with the promotion. It’s said that, due to his busy schedule with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), there’s no way to use White consistently on IMPACT TV.
This is similar to the reason why Jonah departed from IMPACT as well. IMPACT would reportedly love to have White back when they can, however, he doesn’t have anything scheduled for them at the moment, and isn’t expected to any time soon.
White joins other names, such as W. Morrisey, aka the former Big Cass in WWE, to have recently left IMPACT. White was brought into IMPACT last July as part of the promotion’s working agreement with NJPW.
He confronted Kenny Omega, Don Callis, Doc Gallows, and Karl Anderson at Slammiversary. White then teamed up with Chris Bey and eventually recruited him into The Bullet Club.
White’s last IMPACT matchup took place on March 15 at the IMPACT TV tapings, where he worked a tag team match alongside Bey, against The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe).
Now back in Japan, White actually worked today’s Best of the Super Juniors Finals. He and Doc Gallows, Gedo, and Taiji Ishimori were defeated by Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, Jado & Tama Tonga.
He’s currently slated to challenge IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada for the World Title at NJPW Dominion on June 12th.
A former AEW star will be making his return to IMPACT Wrestling at Slammiversary.
This year’s Slammiversary event will take place in Nashville, Tennessee on June 19. The card will feature an IMPACT World Title match between champion Josh Alexander and Eric Young.
There will also be an IMPACT World Tag Team Title match between The Briscoes and The Good Brothers.
The official Twitter account of IMPACT has announced that Jack Evans, who recently finished his contract with AEW, is back with the promotion and will compete at Ultimate X on the Slammiversary card.
A big main event player for IMPACT Wrestling has made his exit from the promotion.
PWInsider is reporting that W. Morrisey, who was known as “Big Cass” in WWE, is no longer with IMPACT. His last televised appearance will be on the June 2 episode of IMPACT.
He’ll be in a tag team match with PCO taking on Moose and Steve Maclin.
Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast noted back in May that WWE was impressed by W. Morrisey’s appearance on AEW Dynamite. He was pinned by Wardlow.
There’s no word on what’s next for Morrisey but he’s been making quite the career comeback and may soon find himself working for another major promotion.
NWA Worlds Champion Matt Cardona has confirmed his injury.
Matt Cardona’s Injury
On May 28 at GCW Downward Spiral, Cardona faced Blake Christian. During the match, he, unfortunately, injured his arm. Due to the injury he sustained, Cardona had to miss his scheduled afterparty. He revealed that he needed to take a ‘redeye’ to Orlando to get the injury checked out. Cardona noted before the confirmation that he ‘thought’ that he has suffered a torn bicep.
On Tuesday, Matt Cardona confirmed on Twitter that his bicep was torn, following an MRI. He also revealed that he needs surgery and that he will be canceling upcoming dates.
Got a MRI today. Bicep is torn. Surgery needed. Will unfortunately need to cancel some dates.
Cardona is set to defend the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship at NWA Alwayz Ready on June 11 against Nick Aldis. The title of the pay-per-view is a nod to Matt Cardona and his branding.
Cardona also is the reigning AIW Absolute Champion, AIW Intense Champion, and the ASW Heavyweight Champion. Cardona also competes regularly in IMPACT Wrestling and Game Changer Wrestling.
Cardona Injury Update
Cardona recently appeared on Busted Open Radio to reveal that he will still be at the NWA Alwayz Ready show in some way.
Cardona shared, “The doctor is suggesting surgery, which I will be getting on Tuesday, but there is no way I’m not coming to a pay-per-view named after me. I will be there. I don’t know what exactly is going to happen and what exactly is going to go down. I’m going to be there, I’ll have the Ten Pounds of Gold with me. It’s really Billy’s [Billy Corgan] decision on what he wants to do.”
“Part of me wanted to tape it up and work through it, but I want to be doing this for a long time. It’s probably better that I get it taken care of right now. There is no good time to get hurt and this certainly isn’t it. NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, having a pay-per-view named after me, just being the King of Indies, the Deathmatch King, we have (IMPACT) Slammiversary coming up. It’s not a good time to get hurt, but shit happens,” Cardona continued.
It is unclear how long Cardona will be unable to complete. There is not yet an announcement on how the NWA will handle the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship situation.
H/T to Jeremy Lambert Fightful for the transcription
SEScoops would like to wish Cardona a speedy recovery.
There are results from GCW Downward Spiral included in our Saturday Night Results wrap-up here.
I think I tore my bicep and I still finished the match and beat you!!! https://t.co/PWzrCryEV6
Sorry guys. Gotta miss this after party at @NerdBarLV. Messed up my arm at GCW tonight and I need to get a red eye to Orlando to get it checked out. pic.twitter.com/tFgFRARlEE
Former TNA Wrestling commentator Don West is battling cancer for a second time after originally announcing last June that he had been diagnosed with brain lymphoma and he would begin treatment.
Things looked better last September when he announced the cancer was in remission after doing 8 weeks of chemotherapy and 13 treatments of radiation. Unfortunately, in December, it was announced his cancer had returned and he was battling it with chemotherapy.
PWInsider recently reported treatment had not worked as well as expected and now the brain tumor is “twice the size it has been”. West had been exploring stem cell treatment but due to the tumor size doctors are not progressing with those plans.
Impact Wrestling’s Scott D’Amore mentioned this past weekend that he will match 100% of all donations made to West’s GoFundMe Campaign through this Friday. He wrote the following:
“Folks, ?@IMPACTWRESTLING? OG ?@DonWestDeals? is one of the best humans to ever walk this planet. Let’s rally around DW! Any donations made by midnight EST Friday will be matched dollar for dollar. It’s currently at $34,776 so keep me honest.”
We wish him all of the best in fighting this.
Folks, ?@IMPACTWRESTLING? OG ?@DonWestDeals? is one of the best humans to ever walk this planet. Let’s rally around DW!
Any donations made by midnight EST Friday will be matched dollar for dollar. It’s currently at $34,776 so keep me honest https://t.co/w8qyJH5Du1
The 20th edition of IMPACT’s Slammiversary is just around the corner and the card is starting to take shape.
This show celebrates the 20th anniversary of Impact Wrestling. The show is exactly 20 years from the day of the first event promoted by Impact.
This will be the go-to article for an updated card of the matches and segments announced for IMPACT’s Slammiversary pay-per-view.
IMPACT Wrestling Slammiversary 2022 Matches
IMPACT World Championship: Josh Alexander (c) vs. Eric Young
Ultimate X Match for the Impact X Division Championship: Ace Austin (c) vs. Kenny King vs. Mike Bailey vs. Trey Miguel vs. TBD vs. TBD
Queen of the Mountain Match for the Impact Knockouts World Championship: Tasha Steelz (c) vs. Chelsea Green vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Mia Yim
Tag Team Match for the Impact World Tag Team Championship: The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe) (c) vs. The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson)
Date, Time & How to Watch
IMPACT Wrestling Slammiversary is scheduled to take place at The Asylum in Nashville, Tennessee.
IMPACT’s Slammiversary takes place on Sunday, June 19, 2022. The air time is set for 8:00 PM EST.
You can watch IMPACT’s Rebellion on FITE or through cable pay-per-view providers. The show is priced at $39.99.
Join us at #Slammiversary on June 19th as we celebrate 20 years of TNA and IMPACT Wrestling!
Bailey is considered by many to be one of the hottest names in wrestling outside of WWE and AEW.
After working his way through promotions including CZW, PROGRESS, Rev Pro, and Ring of Honor, the “Speedball” signed with Impact Wrestling in 2021 and debuted this year.
Veda has worked as both a professional wrestler and valet and has competed for Ring of Honor, Shimmer, and Absolute Intense Wrestling.
Scott made their TNA Wrestling debut in 2014 at the One Night Only Knockouts Knockdown event, losing to TNA veteran Gail Kim.
In 2020, Scott briefly worked for AEW, providing commentary for the Women’s Tag Team Cup Tournament, and later joined the commentary team on AEW Dark.
We here at SEScoops would like to congratulate Bailey and Scott on this joyous occasion.
Impact Wrestling star Tenille Dashwood has joined other wrestlers as part of the cast for ‘The Charisma Killers.’
On Twitter, the director Michael Matteo Rossi confirmed Dashwood’s involvement in the project but did not specify what role the Australian wrestler will play.
— Michael Matteo Rossi (@MichaelMatteoRo) May 21, 2022
The synopsis of the film is as follows:
“When the old mentor of 7 killers finds out he has terminal cancer, he gives them all an opportunity at his fortune to prove themselves for one night only to exact revenge.”
Dashwood is the latest wrestler to join the project after her fellow Australian Jessica McKay was cast last month one day after The IInspiration announced their hiatus from wrestling.
McKay, formerly Billie Kay in WWE, will play the role of ‘Swinger Wife.’
Last week, Rossi announced that AEW’s Brian Pillman Jr. has also signed on for ‘The Charisma Killers.’
The film will also feature performances by Vernon Wells (Commando), Marnette Patterson (American Sniper), and Jason Scott Jenkins (American Horror Story.)
Armando Montalvo, better known as the WWE Performance Center stalker, tried to invade a recent taping of Impact Wrestling.
Montalvo traveled to Kissimmee, Florida, where Impact Wrestling recently held their Citrus Bowl taping and live-streamed his actions over Facebook.
In the video, Montalvo wanders aimlessly around the venue wearing a yellow high-visibility jacket and no shirt.
When speaking to security, Montalvo asked if he could be booked for a match, and when told that this is not how wrestling works, asked the guard to put him in handcuffs.
Security informed Montalvo that he had to leave if he did not have a ticket, and the stalker responded by calling this incident his “redemption.”
Montalvo also asked the security guard to buy him a ticket but later decided to leave.
The entire incident can be seen here or in the player embedded below:
Montalvo’s previous incidents
This is the first time that Montalvo has tried to invade an Impact Wrestling tapings, but not his first attempt to interfere in a wrestling promotion.
In 2015, Montalvo caused a major disturbance outside WWE’s Performance Center and was shot after charging at a Florida deputy.
Montalvo was taken to a local medical facility in critical condition but recovered.
In 2019, a court order banned Montalvo from the Performance Center grounds, and he was arrested in June 2020 for trespassing.
During the hearing, Montalvo annoyed guards by wearing a red clown nose and reportedly frustrated the judge, calling her “baby girl.”
Former WWE Superstar Mia Yim made her return to Impact Wrestling at last night’s Under Siege 2022 event.
After Taya Valkyrie retained her AAA Reina de Reinas Championship against Deonna Purrazzo, an irate Purrazzo blindsided Valkyrie with a post-match attack but was stopped by the returning Yim.
Yim attempted a package piledriver on Purrazzo, who escaped before taking the move.
After the event, Fightful reported that Yim’s appearance wasn’t a one-off but that she has signed a new deal with the promotion.
Last night marked Yim’s first televised appearance at a wrestling event since her release from WWE in November 2021.
Her last match in WWE was a four-minute loss to Nikki Cross during a December 2020 taping of WWE Main Event nearly a year before her release.
In February 2022, Yim married Keith Lee, who was also released from WWE last November.
She made her return towrestling at the WrestleCon Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow on March 31, where she defeated fellow WWE alum Athena (Ember Moon.)
Mia Yim In Impact
Yim wrestled for Impact Wrestling as Jade from 2015 to 2017 and signed with WWE in 2018.
Debuting as part of ‘The Dollhouse,’ a heel faction led by Taryn Tarrell, the group would split in March 2016 and Yim would win the Impact Knockouts Championship the following month.
Her last match in Impact was on the January 12, 2017 Xplosion tapings, losing a Last Woman Standing match to Rosemary.
Kurt Angle may be a Hall of Famer for WWE, but the Olympic Hero put on some dominant performances during his run in TNA.
Angle held a ton of TNA gold in those days, including the prestigious X-Division championship that put the promotion on the pro-wrestling map. During the latest edition of the Kurt Angle Show he revealed that he once changed the finish to an X-Division title match without telling anyone.
The match in question was his 2007 showdown with Jay Lethal at that year’s Victory Road pay-per-view. Angle, who dropped the title to Lethal on that night, says that was not the matchup’s original finish.
“The crazy thing about that match is Jay Lethal wasn’t supposed to beat me. He got some heat for that match. Now understand at this particular time they wanted me to hold all the titles. So I was TNA World Heavyweight Champion, I was IWGP Champion, I was TNA Tag Team Champion, I was X Division Champion. They wanted all the gold around me.”
The master of the ankle-lock later explains that his thought process was to give back to the young hungry talent that TNA had at the time. Unfortunately, Lethal would lose the championship shortly afterwards due to management being upset.
“I felt like, ‘You know what, I want to give back to these guys.’ I thought, ‘You know what, why not put Jay Lethal over in the X Division.’ I thought it was a great idea. Of course, we got a little heat for it and Jay Lethal didn’t hold that title very long afterward.”
Angle adds that he had pulled Lethal aside before the match started to change the finish, with both men agreeing not to tell anyone.
“Beforehand I pulled him aside and I said, ‘Let’s just not say anything. Don’t tell anyone, let’s just put you over.’ That’s what I did and I wasn’t supposed to.”
Angle’s instincts may have been right as Lethal became a prominent figure in the industry following his TNA run. He was the longest reigning ROH Television champion of all time, won the ROH world championship, and is now competing for AEW, where he’s engaged in a feud with another TNA alumni, Samoa Joe.
Impact Wrestling World Champion Josh Alexander has assured fans that “everyone’s fine” after being involved in a car accident this week.
In a tweet, Alexander shared a video from the scene of the accident where the front of his vehicle was heavily damaged.
The Canadian wrestler tweeted that “seconds or inches saved us” and encouraged his over 35,000 followers to tell those they care about that they love them.
Alexander joined Impact in 2018 and is a two-time World Champion with the company.
His first reign saw him defeat AEW’s Christian Cage at Bound for Glory 2021, but his reign ended seconds later when Moose cashed in the ‘Call Your Shot Gauntlet’ trophy.
At Rebellion 2022 last month, Alexander defeated Moose to re-gain the title.
He will defend the Impact World Championship against New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Tomohiro Ishii at tonight’s ‘Under Siege’ event.
In addition to his two World title reigns, Alexander is also a two-time Impact World Tag Team Champion and former X-Division Champion.
An IMPACT Wrestling return is imminent and it could come much sooner than you think.
For weeks, IMPACT has been rolling out teaser trailers hyping up a mystery competitor. It comes across as a hit list with numerous IMPACT stars such as Moose and Eric Young being wiped off the screen.
As many had suspected, it looks like those vignettes are for Sami Callihan. Fightful reports that Callihan could be returning as soon as the Under Siege event tonight (May 7).
If he doesn’t appear tonight, it’s possible he could show up on TV soon as IMPACT has a set of tapings scheduled for May 8.
Last year, Sami Callihan suffered a broken ankle during a TV taping. He underwent successful surgery and was expected to be back this spring.
Willie Mack announced today that he is now a free agent after his Impact Wrestling contract expired. He also noted that he declined their offer for him to return.
Mack is now accepting indie dates and is slated to take on Jeff Cobb at next Sunday’s New Japan Strong TV taping in Philadelphia. He wrote the following on Twitter:
“After last night’s Impact episode I am no longer with @IMPACTWRESTLING. My contract has expired and I decided to decline their new offer. So now I’m gonna be doing my thing on the independents. Hit up bookwilliemack@gmail.com if you want to see me in ya city or town. #MackMode.”
Mack has been wrestling across the United States since 2016 including for promotions such as PWG and NWA Championship Wrestling. He worked in Lucha Underground as The Mack where he won the Trios titles and held them for almost two years with Killshot (Swerve Strickland), Dante Fox (AR Fox), and Son of Havoc (Matt Cross) as partners.
He made his Impact debut in 2018 and continued to work there until now in addition to other indies. In April 2020, he won the X-Division Title and defended it three times before losing the title to Chris Bey at Slammiversary that year.
His final Impact match came on Thursday’s show where he teamed with Rich Swann against Bullet Club’s Jay White and Chris Bey.
Athena, formerly known as Ember Moon in WWE, isn’t limiting her options.
Back in Nov. 2021, Athena was released from her WWE contract. She was part of a wave of talent cuts that included Keith Lee, Nia Jax, Karrion Kross, Scarlett Bordeaux, and more.
Now that a few months have passed, the former Ember Moon is free to sign with another promotion.
Athena Sends Messages To Promoters
If there’s one thing Athena wants to make clear, it’s that she isn’t opposed to truly testing the market.
She took to Virtual M&G/Asylum Wrestling Store and said she’s ready for the call from AEW, IMPACT, and Stardom (h/t DraVen).
“If I knew [I would be going to AEW], I wouldn’t tell you.
“If they came a ringing, if IMPACT came a ringing, heck, if STARDOM came a ringing, I would answer the phone and I would be there in a heartbeat.”
Current AEW Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa expressed her desire in facing Athena back in 2021.
Earlier this year, Athena and reigning TBS Champion Jade Cargill traded barbs on social media, leading many to believe that eventually, the two would clash in the ring.
Former Impact World Champion Moose says he was incredibly close to signing with WWE last year. His previous contract with Impact was set to expire in June 2021. At the time, it was rumored that WWE was interested in his services.
During a recent interview with Fightful, Moose reveals that he was extremely close to jumping ship.
“I was pretty much about to walk into WWE,” he said. “I was literally gone. The last talk I had with Scott D’Amore really showed me how much they wanted me. I talked to my wife about it. I was like, ‘You know what? I still have a lot of things I haven’t accomplished at Impact. So leaving to go to WWE right now would not be fair to myself and not fair to Scott.”
Moose on Impact Morale
Moose compared his current deal with Impact to the one he joined the company with in 2016.
“I’ve been there since when people weren’t getting paid. I remember my first contract I signed with Impact under the Dixie Carter era. I got paid when I first signed and I didn’t see another paycheck until like four or five months later.
“Scott taking over has really turned the locker room and turned Impact around. He’s made it an actual company people want to come work for.”
In addition to being a former Impact World Champion, Moose is a former TNA World Heavyweight Champion and two-time Impact Grand Champion.
IMPACT Wrestling Knockout Lady Frost is currently dealing with a scary “stalker” situation.
Frost took to Twitter to warn fans not to send any money to any pages claiming to be Lady Frost. She has lost her Instagram account yet again and is working on getting re-verified across social media.
DO NOT SEND MONEY TO ANY LADY FROST PAGES. Please. Still dealing with a stalker. My IG is gone, again. Working on getting @verified everywhere. My husband will provide updates if my pages are all gone. 🙏🏼
The situation really seems to be taking a toll on Frost mentally, as she also shared the following.
“Really being tested today. I’ve already lifted and had a giant cupcake. Meditation seems impossible. But I’m almost at the 30 day mark since I gave up drinking and this loser isn’t f*cking that up for me.”
Really being tested today. I’ve already lifted and had a giant cupcake. Meditation seems impossible. But I’m almost at the 30 day mark since I gave up drinking and this loser isn’t fxcking that up for me. 🙅🏼♀️ pic.twitter.com/ZzgvKeg72j
Frost joined IMPACT Wrestling back in July of 2021. Since, she has established herself as a top contender in the Knockouts division. Frost has had a few opportunities at the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Title, but has been unsuccessful thus far.
Hopefully Frost can put this stalker situation behind her soon, as the issue seems to be one spreading more and more throughout the professional wrestling community – mainly against women. Other notable names in professional wrestling such as Paige, Sonya Deville, Liv Morgan, and more have had to deal with similar situations.
Deonna Purrazzo prided herself on being a double champion. She held the ROH and AAA Women’s titles simultaneously and would issue the “Champ Champ Challenge” where she put either her Reina de Reinas title or ROH’s signature gold on the line.
She lost her AAA Reina de Reinas title at Rebellion on April 23 to Taya Valkyrie, which ended her reign at 252 days.
When SESoops’ Ella Jay caught up with “The Virtuosa” at WrestleCon, they discussed this and more.
You can watch our exclusive interview with Deonna Purrazzo below:
Below are some highlights of the interview:
On Chelsea Green
Deonna Purrazzo was asked who she thinks is the biggest surprise to step up to the plate recently. She named Chelsea Green.
“You know, what, I’m gonna have to say Chelsea [Green] was the biggest surprise. When I talked about this, we know her arm wasn’t really broken, whether she and I are in cahoots or not. No one will ever know. But, yeah, it was a surprise to see your best friend come out there. Always. And then, the three-way I think, you know, I put myself in a predicament where I could have lost, but I am The Virtuosa, and I said it on Impact when you mess with the bull you get the goddamn horns!”
Purrazzo also said that she would pick Chelsea Green as her tag team partner if she were to go after the Impact Knockouts World Tag Team Championships.
Purrazzo was also asked about her thoughts on the turn of events with Mickie and Chelsea:
“You know what? I know Mickie’s your number one, but I will say that I obviously saw this coming. Mickie is selfish, Mickie wants what Mickie wants and doesn’t want to give to anyone else and that’s just who she is. And you know, what, if she wants to live her life like that. That’s fine. But when people are giving the way Chelsea and I are giving you get fed up really quick. And that’s what happens.”
On Being A Champ Champ Champ
The Champ Champ.
Purrazzo held two championships at the same time – Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide’s Reina de Reinas Championship, and Ring of Honor’s Women’s World Championship. She lost the former to Taya Valkyrie on April 23 at Rebellion. But when she held the two titles, she called herself “The Champ Champ”. Purrazzo is also a two-time Knockouts Champion. She was asked if we will ever see “The Champ Champ Champ” era.
“I’d be the Champ Champ Champ. Yeah. Absolutely. I think there’s just this like an innate thing in all of us Knockouts that you want to be The Knockouts Champion. If you don’t want to be a champion in wrestling, you should not be in wrestling. So, of course, I have my eye on Miss Tasha Steelz. Tasha and I have a long history together. I don’t want to say it’s trainer-trainee, but it’s kind of like that, that dynamic is a little bit like that. So, you know, I was so proud that she won, but at the same time, I want to kick her ass and break her arm and get my Championship back.”
Losing To Mickie James
Mickie James and Deonna Purrazzo at Hard To Kill.
At Hard To Kill, Mickie James defeated Deonna Purrazzo in a Texas Deathmatch to retain the Impact Knockouts Championship. Purrazzo was asked what is her response to James sitting on the chair looking at her, and where she wants to go after this chapter is closed.
“You go on and you win more championships like I did. No, on a serious note, this underlying story that we didn’t really talk too much about of me being The Virtuosa, this evil queen that has the hold on The Knockouts championship for so long. And it was like, who’s finally gonna dethrone her? And I think the symbolism in the table being on me. There are chairs and Mickie sitting on top of me was really the perfect ending to my chapter in that time of my life.”
Thoughts On Texas
WrestleCon took place at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Purrazzo was asked what she liked about the state, and she quickly responded she loved the Texan accent. She also added that she’s had some of the best Mexican food there.
“Ooh, I say y’all all the time. So I love that everyone here and just it feels natural to be it down in Dallas and just be like, ‘sup y’all?’ like everyone is like you lost the Jersey in you, you say y’all? But I said y’all, when I lived in Jersey and where I’m from in Jersey is not the city Jersey. So I love that everyone has an accent and I’ve had the best Mexican food possible for lunch and dinner last night. So, the food is good.”
Purrazzo announced that she is engaged to fellow New Jersey native Steve Maclin in February 2022. She recalled how when wrestling at JCW a few weeks ago, the crowd chanted “Mr. Purrazo” at him.
Mark Briscoe has shared some positive news regarding his pregnant wife days after pulling out of his bookings with his brother Jay over the weekend.
Jay had revealed on Saturday that Mark’s pregnant wife was rushed to the hospital earlier in the day and doctors were trying to prevent a premature birth. At the time, he stated that both the wife and the unborn child are stable.
Mark updated fans by writing on Twitter: “Momma is home and baby is still in the oven!! Thank you all for your prayers and positivity.”
The Briscoes were pulled off Saturday’s GCW In Too Deep and Sunday’s PWG Delivering The Goods events due to the medical emergency.
At the GCW event, they were set to face GCW Tag Team Champions BUSSY (Allie Katch & Effy) and the Second Gear Crew (Mance Warner & Matthew Justice) in a three-way match. At PWG, they were slated to take on Aussie Open.
The Briscoes made their TV return to Impact Wrestling this past Thursday night where they beat Heath and Rhino to earn a shot at Tag Team Champions Violent by Design at Saturday’s Under Siege.
