Impact Wrestling Begins AXS TV Era
Scott D’Amore and Don Callis have done a lot in less than two years.
I don’t know if cats really have nine lives, but Impact Wrestling sure does.
The 17-year-old promotion, which has been in existence longer than WCW and ECW were, is starting yet another chapter. After airing on weekly pay-per-view, strictly online and five television homes, Impact will have its official premiere on AXS TV on October 29. Despite the turbulence the company has notoriously endured, this new era is the most promising because Impact’s parent company, Anthem Sports & Entertainment, has purchased a majority stake in the national television network, which is distributed to more than 50 million households. For the first time since its run on Spike TV, Impact has a sense of stability.
“There is no question of the commitment of the network,” Scott D’Amore, co-executive vice president of Impact Wrestling, said in a recent media call. “It’s an unbelievable time for pro wrestling with so much great product out there and fans having so many choices. With Tuesday opening up in the broadcast schedule, returning to prime time and getting on a bigger platform was obviously important for us. You know where you’re going to find us for the very long foreseeable future.”
Since D’Amore and Don Callis took over Impact’s day-to-day operations in January 2018, the company has been rejuvenated. From aesthetic changes like ditching the six-sided ring to replenishing the roster with young, hungry talent, the powers that be have performed an autopsy on the terminal brand, eliminated the cancerous cells and breathed new life into the once-beloved product. While previous management catered to special interest groups, making decisions based off personal preference or the wishes of their friends, D’Amore and Callis seem intent on making the fans happy by any means possible.
If that means collaborating with other wrestling companies to bring in un-signed talent for dream matches, then so be it. While Impact has strayed from working with other promotions in the past, D’Amore and Callis have welcomed partnerships with various independent entities like Wrestle Pro and Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, international organizations like AAA and Dragon Gate and even televised competitors like MLW and Lucha Underground. As a result, fans have gotten a taste of foreign performers and flavors like Strong Style and lucha libre, expanding their wrestling palette. By broadcasting these collaborations via live streaming service Twitch.tv, Impact has given rookies and regional grapplers global exposure.
One of the craziest stage dives we’ve ever seen!
▶️ https://t.co/sWu6SEiYN7#ALLGlory @_MarkWheeler @AlexZayne @Air_Blake2234 pic.twitter.com/OwaoUXYSmR
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) October 20, 2019
Taking Impact on the road and exploring these different markets has led to an evolving roster. The old guard has mostly been replaced by fresh faces, as D’Amore and Callis have focused on developing homegrown talent and showcasing somewhat known performers in a more prominent light. Dispatching EC3 and Bobby Lashley, Brian Cage quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with, now entering the AXS TV era as Impact World Champion. His most recent challenger Sami Callihan earned a reputation as the most dangerous man in wrestling after “accidentally” smashing Eddie Edwards’ face with a baseball bat. By being associated with Callihan, Jake and Dave Crist received the extra oomph they needed to be taken seriously by the fans. The brothers, along with The Rascalz, The North (Ethan Page & Josh Alexander), Rich Swann & Willie Mack, The Deaners, LAX and the Lucha Bros, have elevated tag team wrestling back to its former glory.
Meanwhile, the Knockouts division has undergone a similar resurgence. While WWE presents a “women’s revolution” while only featuring two champions and their monthly challengers, Impact has incorporated every woman on its roster as part of the show. Taya Valkyrie, the longest-reigning Knockouts Champion in history, has been a tremendous cornerstone of the division. In a nod to Lucha Underground’s cinematic aesthetic, the adventures of Allie, Rosemary and Su Yung in the Undead Realm have pushed the boundaries of suspending disbelief. Inside the ring, rising stars like Kiera Hogan, Jordynne Grace and Alisha Edwards clash with veterans like Jessicka Havoc, Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood.
And then there’s Tessa Blanchard, arguably the company’s breakout star. The former Knockouts Champion (and current champion of WOW Women of Wrestling, which also airs on AXS TV) has transcended the women’s division. Since Scarlett Bordeaux has left Impact, Blanchard has taken the baton in pushing intergender wrestling into the mainstream. She beat Joey Ryan – a major advocate who recently signed with Impact – at United We Stand, lost to Callihan in the first intergender pay-per-view main event in Impact history and unsuccessfully challenged for the X-Division Championship at Bound For Glory. While men and women competing against each other is still a controversial topic, Impact has been able to differentiate itself in the market by putting it in the spotlight.
“I don’t think it’s a risk to present one strong, powerful athlete against another,” D’Amore said. “We’ll continue to push until at some point it becomes a common understanding that it’s pro wrestling. We’re out there telling compelling stories between characters. Why would we ever limit who can interact in those stories?”
With such a stacked roster, Impact has greatly improved its pay-per-views, even though the $40 price point is outrageous in 2019. The WWE Network destroyed the pay-per-view model for wrestling companies. Even MLW is charging only $20 for its first PPV. However, Impact has done its best to give fans as much bang for their buck. You don’t get screwy finishes in every World Title match or main event anymore. You still get your X-Division car crashes and hardcore brawls, but you also get thrilling women’s action and tag team bouts. You get logical blow offs to feuds and even some surprises. Nostalgia acts and familiar faces like Scott Steiner, Rob Van Dam, Sabu and most recently, Ken Shamrock, pop up from time to time. Unlike in WWE, though, these legends help build the future, giving the rub to today’s stars like Eli Drake and Moose. You also have Tommy Dreamer, who puts over everybody!
Once again @IMPACTWRESTLING put on one of the BEST PPV’s of the year.
It’s our time.
Quit sleeping.
Quit hating.We’re #HardToKill.#BFG pic.twitter.com/IQXPUKnK6U
— The DRAW (@TheSamiCallihan) October 21, 2019
These stellar shows have impressed even Impact’s toughest critics. Although the company will forever have a stigma with some people, the dying stench has slowly drifted away. More wrestling fans are willing to give the company a second, third or even fourth chance. Just scroll through Twitter following pay-per-views and you’ll see the high praise. It’s usually a combination of lapsed fans hearing good things and wanting to check it out for themselves or loyal viewers saying the company has finally turned the corner.
The online perception has changed for the most part, which is also due to Impact mending its relationship with the press. The wrestling media’s influence is so strong these days that it’s vital for a promotion to develop a favorable relationship with reporters, journalists, bloggers, podcasters and streamers. AEW has done that better than anyone, but Impact has certainly been making strides over the past two years through weekly media calls with talent, open press conferences, encouraging live event coverage and accommodating interview requests. It also helps that D’Amore and Callis have been as transparent and honest as possible.
Of course, not everything is fixed. As recently as Bound For Glory weekend, there were production issues during both the beginning of the pay-per-view and the All Glory stream the night prior. Killer Kross’ contract dispute with the company has been making headlines for months. Similarly, his girlfriend Scarlett Bordeaux requested (and was granted) her release after believing she wasn’t being paid enough.
As a matter of fact, Impact’s biggest issue has been losing its top attractions and popular performers. AEW has scooped up Santana & Ortiz, Lucha Bros and Allie, as well as Kevin Sullivan, vice president of production for Impact. Although the Knockouts division has recovered since Allie’s departure, all three were major blows: Allie had built up equity as a beloved holdover from the previous regime, Lucha Bros were headliners and Santana & Ortiz were the top team in the company. Johnny Impact, former world champion who the company was built around from October to April, has reportedly left for WWE. Don’t forget Eli Drake, who had a falling out with the company in the spring and now works for the NWA.
It’s a shame that Impact keeps investing in these performers, giving them the platform to develop their characters and create a buzz, only for them to leave for greener pastures. Obviously, Impact doesn’t have pockets deeper than Vince McMahon and Shahid Khan, and you can’t fault these athletes for doing what’s best for themselves financially. Unless Impact can figure out a way to foster ECW-type loyalty among its talent, it’s just going to have to keep restocking its arsenal as the wrestling war continues.
At least with D’Amore and Callis at the helm, and the support of Anthem and AXS TV, Impact Wrestling finally has a fighting chance.
“Previous regimes lost trust within the industry and with the fan base,” D’Amore said. “We knew we had to rebuild that trust. When Impact says it’s going to do something, we follow through and deliver. While the groundswell was always negative for a good chunk of 2018, over the past year and coming out of an amazing Bound For Glory in a sold out building in Chicago, as well as being so close to having our premiere on AXS TV, you can see we have fixed trust with a lot of fans.”
“We also know it’s a continuing process,” D’Amore said.
You can watch Impact Wrestling on AXS TV, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST.
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