'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
During the recent set of Impact tapings, Impact Grand Champion Matt Sydal presented his Championship to announcer Josh Matthews and proclaimed him to be the new Impact Grand Champion. However, during Sunday's tapings Matt was still Champion and took part in a title defence.
In case you didn't know..
Austin Aries now holds 5 different Championships in wrestling. Aries won the World Series Wrestling Heavyweight Championship on 27 November 2017 in South Wales, defeated the Bullet Club's Marty Scurll for the Defiant Championship on 5 December 2017, then took down Mark Haskins at 'IPW:UK The Big Bang: Undisputed' for the IPW:UK World Championship on 17 December 2017, then beat Eli Drake for the Impact Global Championship during the beginning of the new tapings and has now taken the Impact Grand Championship from Matt Sydal.
Trending
The heart of the matter
On Sunday's tapings, Matt Sydal defended his title against Global Champion Austin Aries in a Title vs Title match.
Aries defeated Sydal and is now both Impact Global Champion and Impact Grand Champion.
Austin Aries is on fire and has already become one of the hottest wrestlers in the world since his release from WWE last summer. Parting ways with WWE was a let down for Aries at first but he is much happier today, finding success in other promotions.
What's next?
We can expect Aries to have a rematch with Matt during these tapings. If Austin manages to retain his new title, then he may have to defend his Grand Championship as well as the Global Championship against Alberto El Patron at Impact Wrestling's next pay-per-view Redemption in April.
Author's take
I think Austin being released from WWE was a huge blessing in disguise for him. Although his merchandise sales are not on par with the Bullet Club, I would go as far as saying Austin Aries is already far more successful than Cody Rhodes since parting ways with WWE. I can only imagine what he will do next.
