10 Changes To Expect In Impact Wrestling
Here are the tidbits we learned from Executive Vice President Don Callis’ “State of IMPACT” address.
During a teleconference last week, Don Callis gave a “State of IMPACT” address. The Impact Wrestling Executive Vice President and color commentator digested a smorgasbord of questions and concerns from the media, from the expected future company goals to the oddball queries like will Enzo Amore show up in the Impact Zone.
Never afraid to speak his mind, the former Cyrus the Virus answered everything and gave some hints as to what we can expect from the company under the new regime.
Rich Swann
The former WWE Cruiserweight Champion’s impending arrival is common knowledge, but Callis revealed that Rich Swann’s wife (current Impact star Su Yung) was an advocate for his tryout at the next Impact tapings in June. After being arrested on charges of battery and kidnapping/false imprisonment, Swann was suspended by WWE for violating the company’s zero tolerance policy against domestic violence. The charges were dismissed over a month later, but WWE and Swann agreed to part ways. “Rich is a guy who has resurfaced on the indie scene. He’s going to get an opportunity the same way that other talent gets to show what they can do.”
Adiós, Alberto
Despite Impact having the reputation as the land of second chances, it appears that Alberto El Patron won’t be returning. After the former champion no-showed Impact’s joint show with Lucha Underground, he was removed from the Redemption main event and subsequently released from the company. “I don’t have anything to add to that,” Callis said. “The situation has been widely reported and covered. Certainly we wish Alberto all the best with what he’s doing and his life.”
Increased Fan Interaction
As evidenced by the company’s Twitch channel and Redemption press conference, the plan for increased fan interaction is already underway. As a matter of fact, winning back “one fan at a time” has become the unofficial slogan. “When I came up in the business, it was all about avoiding the fans in a sense,” Callis said. “If a fan came up to you and you were a heel, you’d blow them off. Now it’s a total 180 where not only are we expected to interact with the fans on a one-on-one basis, but now the fans have all these platforms where they can get involved in the product. I think that’s super cool.”
No More Titles
In this gluttonous age of a championship for every weight class and geographical region, it’s refreshing to hear Callis say that there aren’t any plans to add more titles. “I’ve never been a fan of too many belts.”
Integrated Roster
Learning from WWE’s mistakes with 205 Live, Impact will not be moving the X-Division to Xplosion, as a media member suggested. “I don’t like idea of segregating X-Division talent to their own show,” Callis said. “It could be viewed as these guys aren’t on the same level as guys on the main show. We want to give them the top platform to show what they can do.”
No More Authority Figures
For the past 20 years, everybody has been trying to replicate the Mr. McMahon character. In promotions across the country, there is a villainous boss trying to screw over the hero. Most of the time, it simply doesn’t live up to the Attitude Era. So even though Callis was recently attacked on-screen by Sami Callihan, he says you shouldn’t expect him being anything more than a commentator.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf0jehxB-J8&t=5s
More Partnerships
By teaming up with Lucha Underground, House of Hardcore and other promotions throughout the U.S. and around the globe, Impact has infused its roster with marquee names and international talent, creating dream matches for its fans. “I think it’s been one of the more exciting stories in wrestling in recent months,” Callis said. “In a universe where DC vs. Marvel is cool, I think people love stuff like this. We have broken the traditional old-school wrestling paradigms of you only work with who you work with. We’re doing some stuff with House of Hardcore, LU, AAA. We are very open to that.”
Surprises
Because of these partnerships, Impact has cultivated an atmosphere of unpredictability. You never know if Tommy Dreamer will show up or Pentagon Jr. will win the World Title. You also don’t know if Enzo Amore will stop. “Never say never,” Callis said. “You evaluate talent based on need. We have a long-term plan for how we engage with talent in terms of who is going to be on the roster. Any roster is going to be constantly changing, but we think surprises that are good for the fans will continue to come.”
Increased Production Value
One of the first things that Callis and fellow Executive Vice President Scott D’Amore did when taking over was ditch the six-sided ring for the traditional squared circle. It was a clear sign of new leadership, and one that many fans have been grateful for. Callis says fans can expect a different look and feel for Slammiversary, as well. “People will have to experience it.”
Reputation
After a decade of being the punchline, it’s time for Impact to reinvent itself as the “cool” wrestling company. When asked about the company goals for next year and the year after, Callis vowed to rinse the stench off the former TNA. “I would like us to be thought of as a destination promotion for talent, fans and customers. Part of that is the cool factor. We would like to be the company that everyone is talking about.”
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