Impact Wrestling announced in October that Jordynne Grace had signed with the promotion. It turns out, however, that was not entirely true. Grace had received a contract from the promotion but never signed or returned it. This led to a brief free agency period for the 23-year-old.
It had been her plan to show Impact her worth before coming back to them with her contract. Grace explained her contract situation in a recent interview with Fightful.
“I was hoping to have some good matches and show that I could follow direction and criticism beforehand, of course. I wanted to renegotiate the original deal once I had shown I had value and worth,” Grace said.
“Thick Mama Pump” also talked about offers she had on the table during her brief free agency period.
“I had contact with each of those companies (ROH, WWE, AEW, NWA), and had many options and offers in front of me. At the end of the day, Impact is where I wanted to be. I was ready to make a difficult decision if needed, but I was sincerely hoping everything would work out in the end! I can’t be sure if Double or Nothing had anything to do with it, but it’s a possibility.”
Grace continued to speak in regards to how much she enjoys working for the company.
“I cannot stress this enough. I love Impact,” Grace made a point to say.”No company is flawless, of course, and I think anywhere I went, there would have been some sort of problem. No company is truly without issue. Whether it’s not enough exposure, not enough money, not being used properly, not being used enough… I’m sure I would have gripes with ANY company. Impact is a company I truly believe in, and they’re doing their best. I have amazing friends there, and I have a blast backstage.”
It has been an interesting weekend for Impact Wrestling. Reports surfaced recently that Jordynne Grace was not under contract as she was believed to be. According to a report from PW Insider, while Grace’s signing with the promotion was announced in October, she never actually signed the papers given to her.
Grace is now confirming on Twitter that despite receiving other offers during her free agency period, she has opted to agree to terms with Impact.
Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux are also said to have requested their releases recently. Neither has been granted their release as of this writing, however.
Update: An earlier version of this article stated Bordeaux’s contract was up later this summer (as was reported via PW Insider). Impact Wrestling has since reached out to media to say Bordeaux is in the middle of a multi-year deal with the promotion.
Kross reportedly asked for more money and the two sides have not been able to work out a deal.
Impact Wrestling Issues Apology Over Pursuit Broadcast
While Impact Wrestling’s broadcast on Twitch this Friday went without complaint, the broadcast on Pursuit evidently was not as lucky in some areas. The Pursuit channel failed to return to Impact after what was supposed to be the final commercial break of the evening. Fans were treated to nearly 30 minutes of commercials rather than the headlining match of Michael Elgin vs Rich Swann.
Impact issued the following apology in response:
We apologize to Pursuit viewers who were not able to watch last night’s @MichaelElgin25 vs @GottaGetSwann main event due to a technical issue.
We’re making this episode available immediately to US users on @IMPACTPlusApp.
Scarlett Bordeaux is looking to obtain a release from her Impact Wrestling contract and it appears Jordynne Grace may have never signed hers. According to a report from PW Insider, Bordeaux asked for her release recently and although Grace was reported to have agreed to a multi-year deal with the promotion, she didn’t actually sign the papers.
Scarlett Bordeaux Requests Release From Impact Wrestling
Bordeaux is said to be paid per appearance. She is not expected to re-sign. As of this writing, her release has not been granted.
“Update: An earlier version of this article stated Bordeaux’s contract was up later this summer (as was reported via PW Insider). Impact Wrestling has since reached out to media to say Bordeaux is in the middle of a multi-year deal with the promotion.”
Jordynne Grace Not Under Contract To Impact Wrestling?
Grace’s situation is somewhat unclear. It was reported in October of last year that Grace had signed a multi-year deal with Impact. Now it appears she is not under contract with the promotion at all as she had never actually signed or returned her part of the contract. The promotion is said to be trying to sign her at the moment.
Earlier this year, Grace explained her decision to “sign” with Impact:
“(I’ve) never been contacted by the WWE besides for extra work, and there was something weird about the Mae Young Classic which I’m sure you’ll ask me about in a second too,” Grace said. “Ring Of Honor — I don’t know if you know my husband Jonathan Gresham, he is signed to Ring Of Honor, he’s been signed there for 2 years. I don’t know. Honestly, I have no idea. I went to tryouts, did all that stuff but I guess there was no interest in me and IMPACT was the first ones that reached out to me with a plan.”
Killer Kross Requests Release From Impact Wrestling
Killer Kross is said to have also requested his release from Impact Wrestling recently. He is believed to have requested a raise in pay which was not granted. His release has not been granted either and Kross is expected to remain with the promotion.
PROGRESS held their annual ‘Unboxing’ event last night at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, London. The card and performers for the show are always kept secret right up until they appear on the entrance ramp. One of the biggest bits of news from the night saw Jordynne Grace become the new PROGRESS Women’s Champion.
The world travelled star signed for IMPACT this year and debuted back in October. Grace defeated now former champion Jinny to take the title. Jinny is one of the Superstars signed to WWE’s NXT UK division. Whilst it is not yet known if Jinny will be returning several other high profile UK performers including Pete Dunne have confirmed that they are leaving the British independent scene.
Jinny was/is one of the centerpieces of PROGRESS’ Women’s division, if she has indeed left the company to be focused solely on NXT UK then that is a big loss, but a big gain for WWE. Jinny lost a ‘Loser leaves town’ match for Pro Wrestling: EVE earlier this month, again with the idea that she would not longer be featured with the company.
The ‘Fashionista’ has not yet made any public comment on Twitter regarding the loss.
Impact Wrestling’s Final Hour aired last night. The branded-episode featured an Impact World Championship match between Johnny Impact and Killer Kross. It was the final episode before the promotion heads to Las Vegas next week for 3 nights of tapings.
Here are 8 Takeaways from Impact Wrestling 11/8:
Johnny Impact Successfully Defended His Championship Against Killer Kross
Impact World Championship – Johnny Impact (c) defeated Killer Kross
Johnny Impact defended the Impact World Championship for the second consecutive time at Final Hour. He defeated Killer Kross with Starship Pain to close the show. The two built-up their main event match earlier this week on Impact Press Pass.
It wasn’t an easy victory for the champion, he survived a Razor’s Edge from the entrance ramp to the ring, several big suplexes, and a Straight-Jacket choke attempt to get the victory. It was the first time Kross has been pinned or submitted in Impact. The win means Johnny will head to the Las Vegas tapings still the champion.
The Lucha Brothers Defeated the OGZ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7hEYjU91Sw
Pentagon and Fenix defeated Homicide and Hernandez w/KIng
The Lucha Bros took out the OGZ this week, defeating them in the opening contest. In the back, Konnan congratulated Pentagon and Fenix and invited them to an after-party. LAX showed up and also congratulated the Lucha Bros but then seemed confused as to what Konnan was inviting the luchadors to. Konnan told them it was an after-party to celebrate LAX’s win over the OGZ but the tag champs brought up that match was a month ago. Could there be dissension building between LAX, the Lucha Bros, and Konnan? Time will tell.
Sami Callihan’s Army Of Minions Beat Up Brian Cage In Anonymous, Ohio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7rM_-hvQFY
The real Brian Cage went to Ohio this week but he got more than he bargained for. After Cage had asserted his dominance over Callihan, an army of Ohio-based minions came to defend OVE. Cage was simply out-numbered. Can Callihan’s army subdue the Machine? As Impact heads to Las Vegas, an X-Division title match has been confirmed between the two.
Allie Has Aligned With James Mitchell
Allie left her soul in the undead realm at Bound For Glory. Now she is consumed by a dark force. This week, James Mitchell offered to help Allie “heal”. Allie agreed to go with Mitchell if he agreed to leave her friends alone. Su Yung then magically appeared alongside Mitchell and the two of them led Allie away as Kiera Hogan protested.
When we see Allie again, it’s not clear if she will even resemble the person she’d been previously.
Moose Broke Eddie Edwards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0j6sQzchEY
Moose defeated Eddie Edwards
Moose may have won the match but did he go too far? In the closing moments of his match with Eddie Edwards, Moose power-bombed his opponent onto the entrance ramp. He followed that up by giving Edwards a spear inside the ring and pinning him. It’s a big win for Moose who re-establishes himself at the top of the men’s single’s division and also sends a message to the rest of the roster that he’s a dangerous man to mess with.
Jordynne Grace is a Strong, Strong Woman
Jordynne Grace defeated Katarina
Jordynne Grace made her debut at Final Hour last night. She defeated Katarina via submission due to a vicious bear-hug. The rest of the Knockouts might be advised to be on the lookout for Grace, who could rise up the rankings pretty quickly by the looks of it.
Eli Drake Attacked Joseph Park
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaR3BeZpMiI
Eli Drake cut a promo last night. He said he has officially retired the Open Challenge and is filing suit against Impact Wrestling for unsafe work conditions. Joseph Park then said there were others who were going to join the lawsuit as well but when he turned around to introduce them, Drake low-blowed him. Drake then beat him up while cutting a promo which acknowledged Park is also Abyss, the man who attacked him at Bound For Glory. He blamed Abyss for the state of the wrestling business and hardcore plunder-based wrestling.
Several Matches Announced For Las Vegas Tapings
Impact has confirmed a few matches which will take place at next week’s TV tapings in Las Vegas.
Johnny Impact vs Matt Sydal
X-Division Championship – Brian Cage (c) vs Sami Callihan
Tessa Blanchard vs TBD
LAX vs TBD
Quick Results:
The Lucha Brothers defeated the OGZ
Jordynne Grace defeated Katarina
Moose defeated Eddie Edwards
Impact World Championship – Johnny Impact (c) defeated Killer Kross
Popular independent wrestler Jordynne Grace made her Impact Wrestling debut at Tuesday night’s Impact TV tapings from Queens, NY at the Melrose Ballroom. According to PWInsider, Grace is said to have signed a two-year deal with the promotion.
Grace is 22 years old and hails from York, PA. She made her professional debut back in 2012. Grace has been wrestling for SHINE since last year and was one of the standout competitors in the ALL IN Over Budget Battle Royal last month.
Jordynne Grace joins Impact’s growing Knockouts roster. In addition to Knockouts Champion Tessa Blanchard, the division also features competitors such as Taya Valkyrie, Scarlett Bordeaux, Su Yung, Kiera Hogan, Rosemary, Allie.
The self proclaimed “Thick Mama Pump” is a great signing for Impact. Follow her on Twitter @JordynneGrace.
If you’ve ever wanted to know what kind of direct private messages female wrestlers receive, you’ll have your chance on September 1st.
Before she competes in the “Over Budget Battle Royal” at All In, fast-rising indy star Jordynne Grace will release “DMs of a Female Wrestler”. The book features DMs Grace has received through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram over the years.
“Preorder your very own copy of “DM’s of a Female Indy Wrestler”, featuring never before seen DM’s from a female indy wrestler that she’s received over eight years,” a description of the book reads.
“28 pages of funny, gross, and absurd DM’s that Jordynne Grace has received over the course of her career via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.”
Jordynn Grace “DMs of a Female Wrestler”
Grace made her pro debut 4 years ago and is quickly becoming a talked about star on the indy scene. Her feats of strength in the ring have earned her the nickname “Thick Mama Pump”.
Grace is a regular with Progress and the current Women Superstars Uncensored Champion. She is a talented inter-gender wrestler as well.
Grace recently competed in “the Northern”, a BOLA style tournament hosted by Smash Wrestling in Toronto. She was defeated by Joey Janela in the first round of the tournament. The match was heavily praised live by those who saw it.
Late last year Grace sat down with Impact Wrestling’s Alicia Atout: