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IMPACT Wrestling seems to be hitting its stride. With a ton of momentum following Slammiversary, the company has more viewers and people talking about them than they have in a long time.
The build-up to Slammiversary created a buzz, with teases of potential superstars arriving in the company at the event. In the days leading up to the event, Sportskeeda’s own Gary Cassidy broke the news that the Good Brothers Machine Gun Karl Anderson and the Big LG Doc Gallows had signed with the company. That excitement, plus the anticipation of other stars arriving presented an amount of hype that IMPACT Wrestling hadn’t received in quite some time.
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IMPACT Wrestling has added depth and variety to its roster with the addition of several wrestlers including Deonna Purrazzo, EC3, Eric Young, Brian Myers (formerly known as Curt Hawkins) and Heath (formerly known as Heath Slater). Couple those additions with IMPACT veterans such as Eddie Edwards, The North and Jordynne Grace, and you have a roster that has a healthy balance between fresh faces and people who’ve already established themselves within the company.
This balance played out during Slammiversary, where we got surprise arrivals and seeing IMPACT Wrestling’s current roster standing tall. Seeing these interactions provided excitement to veteran IMPACT Wrestling fans and piqued the interest of fans who had not watched the company's shows previously. Fans were left salivating over what could come next for the company.
Now IMPACT Wrestling has a great opportunity to continue to provide its current audience with high-quality matchups and storylines, but a greater opportunity to attract new wrestling fans. What’s next for IMPACT Wrestling and how can they continue to put their mark on the professional wrestling landscape?
Here are five ways that IMPACT Wrestling has elevated their company.
#5 Offering something for all fans
IMPACT Wrestling has a wide variety of characters, storyline and content that provide quality entertainment for fans no matter what they’re looking for. From wrestlers like Crazzy Steve to the legendary Ken Shamrock, IMPACT Wrestling has characters that can appeal to the masses.
The company also has a variety of content as well. From serious promos to the newly introduced Wrestle House, there is a healthy balance between providing dynamic wrestling matches and comedic entertainment throughout their shows.
Wrestle House, in its first installment on the July 28 episode of IMPACT Wrestling provided comedy, surprises, matches and an appearance from hardcore legend Tommy Dreamer. A mixture between Big Brother and other reality show competitions, Wrestle House could provide fans with a memorable experience in future episodes.
As the company continues to gain momentum, it will be interesting to see what they add next. Regardless of what fans are looking for in a wrestling product, IMPACT Wrestling has it to offer.
#4 Social Media
Leading up to Slammiversary, IMPACT Wrestling ramped up their social media game with teases and buzz to garner fan excitement. Their usage of social media led the company to an unprecedented response on social media during the event.
IMPACT Wrestling’s Slammiversary broke many of the company’s social media records, which doubled the previous record for single-day Twitter impressions. The success spanned IMPACT’s digital platforms, creating the company’s biggest live event in quite some time.
With the emphasis on creating a social media buzz, IMPACT Wrestling has now captivated wrestling fans across the globe. The content posted each week, whether its videos or teases, has allowed the company to reach further than they have before and keeps fans engaged in on-going storylines.
As IMPACT Wrestling continues to increase their visibility on social media, look for the company to continue to gain new viewers each week. In addition, the company’s presence on Twitch and providing continuous content provides fans with the ability to learn more about the company’s past as it heads into the future.
#3 Depth in the Knockouts Division
IMPACT Wrestling’s Knockouts Division has an abundance of talent from top to bottom. The division has continued to improve over the years and has been a staple of excellence in the company.
Former Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace and current titleholder, Deonna Purrazzo, put on one of the best matches of the night at Slammiversary a few weeks ago. Their match, along with the Knockouts Gauntlet match, showed the strength and depth of the division.
Eleven women participated in the gauntlet match that saw Kylie Rae emerge victorious, earning the number one contender's spot. Other standout performances in the match from Rosemary, Taya Valkyrie, Kimber Lee, and Kiera Hogan showcased the potential for future storylines and new stars in the process.
The emergence of Deonna Purrazzo has provided a fresh face for the Knockouts Division. When she burst onto the Knockouts Division scene, no one knew what to expect or where she would fit.
The Virtuosa has made the most of her opportunity, showcasing her in-ring skills and ability on the microphone. Her feud with Jordynne Grace and potential feuds with other Knockouts makes IMPACT Wrestling’s women one of the standout groups in all of professional wrestling.
#2 Acquisition of new talent
Leading up to Slammiversary, IMPACT Wrestling did a masterful job in hinting at potential new arrivals to their roster; they didn’t disappoint. Bringing in wrestlers new to IMPACT like Heath and The Good Brothers instantly increased credibility for an already deep roster. Bringing back IMPACT Wrestling veterans such as EC3 and Eric Young highlighted the company as a potential landing spot for future free agents.
EC3’s legacy in IMPACT Wrestling speaks for itself, but his new approach has had wrestling fans buzzing for months. Fans were left wondering where he would choose as his next home, but the final images of Slammiversary confirmed his return trip home. His usage of social media and production of quality promo video packages only heightened the anticipation.
The return of Eric Young in the IMPACT Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship match was also a pleasant surprise. EY’s previous run in IMPACT Wrestling made him a fan-favorite and beloved by many. Seeing him return in such a high-profile match provided a huge payoff to his fans.
The additions of Heath and Brian Myers fill out a roster that has depth and a variety of wrestlers with unique characters. Heath will battle TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose on the August 4 episode of IMPACT Wrestling. Look for both new additions to have an impact on the company’s momentum going forward.
#1 Loyalty to wrestlers who’ve been in the company
It would have been easy for IMPACT Wrestling to have Eric Young as the new IMPACT Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion or immediately put The Good Brothers in the Tag Team Championship picture.
To the company’s credit, they didn’t’ do that. Instead, Eddie Edwards captured the IMPACT World Heavyweight Championship which rewarded his loyalty to the company. The Motor City Machine Guns have also returned to IMPACT Wrestling, defeating The North for the Tag Team Championships.
While Deonna Purrazzo earned her first Knockouts Championship, her feud with Jordynne Grace leading up to the match provided fans an opportunity to see Grace in a different role. Now, Grace has become the hunter of another chance at the title and continue her feud with The Virtuosa.
IMPACT Wrestling, by being loyal to the wrestlers who’ve been in the company, have been repaid the fans of their company over the years as well. By choosing to slowly build in new talent, they’ve differentiated themselves from other companies by avoiding the knee-jerk reaction to elevate talent based on name recognition.
With the mixture of new talent and IMPACT Wrestling veterans, the company seems to have a bright future and is trending upward. Each week seems to create new intrigue and a hunger to see what happens next.
