5 Possible Returns we might see on 20th Anniversary of IMPACT
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2022 is not just another year for Impact Wrestling, it also marks 20 years in existence for them. Come June 19th Impact will be able to look back over their shoulder at 20 years of history, while the company has had so much history within it (both good and bad), you can’t say that Impact has not moved the wrestling world forward in a positive way.
The product we see on our screens currently with Impact is in very positive place and it really feels like they are slowly recapturing the feeling that they had in the late 2000’s or the NWA TNA day’s. Many will look at Impact never being able to get back to those so called glory days, however Impact are slowly taking steps to get there. Impact know themselves that taking a too big of a step could set themselves back another two steps, so slowly indeed does it.
When you look back at what built the company, you have to wonder if Impact do have anything special in mind for this year, with it being their anniversary year? Impact have already announced The Multiverse of Matches event for Wrestlecon weekend which include The Good Brothers vs The Briscoes and also the return of The Ultimate X, however could we see more people or matches make a return given the importance of the year we see before us? Especially if they were people or matches that were beneficial to building the company to what we see today?
5. Raven
Back in 2003 Raven made his surprise debut to NWA TNA attacking the then NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett and stealing the title from him. This was a great moment for a couple of reasons, firstly, Raven was the first “big” name who showed up to TNA and it really gave fans the feeling that if Raven could turn up, then who else might? Secondly it would lead to one of the most personal and bloodiest feuds in TNA history between Raven and Jarrett.
Raven remained with the company until 2007 and played a big part in the rise of TNA. He returned to the company a number of times since then, once in 2008, 2009, then in 2010 for the EV2.0 storyline. We did see Raven make a cameo appearance on Impact at the end of 2018 when he helped Eddie Edwards escape the insane asylum which was a nice Easter egg.
For someone who has such a history with the company, it would be fair to say that he would be a candidate to be around come Slammivery when Impact (officially) celebrates 20 years. Raven is so versatile also that he could be placed anywhere and it would instantly work, he could even be worthy at this point of a hall of fame induction to the company possibly?
4. World X Cup
Impact Wrestling thrive themselves on the X Division, it’s what the company found it’s identity on, The X Division is Impact Wrestling. In the early days of TNA you would have many multi man matches and one of those was The World X Cup. It was a series of matches where wrestlers from 3 or 4 different countries would compete in teams to gain the most points win The World X Cup
You would see maybe four wrestlers from Team Japan, Team Mexico, Team Canada (that’s how Team Canada came to be) go against four wrestlers who were on the Impact roster. You would see tag matches, singles matches and it would all lead up to an Ultimate X to culminate it all.
We have seen over the past few years Impact do something called The Super X Cup, And while they’ve been fantastic, it’s an event that has taken place all in a single night with 70% of the wrestlers already being on the roster. The last World X Cup we saw was in 2008 and with Impacts Multiverse Of Matches upcoming, you feel they could really do something there with AAA, NJPW, AEW and NWA to make a good World X Cup?
3. Church of Joshi/Disciples of the New Church
When you look at the asylum days, no other faction suited the term the asylum years better than The Disciples Of The New Church. The faction had a variety of members however the recurring members were Slash, Tempest, Brian Lee and Malice, all lead by The Sinister Minister Father James Mitchell.
The New Church were mainly centred around the tag team scene with Slash and Lee becoming NWA World Tag Team champions, Malice also had a shot at the NWA World Title against Ken Shamrock however was unsuccessful. The New Church where dominating and brought something unique to TNA at the time, the closest we’ve seen to this on Impact over the years is Decay but they’ve recently been watered down (in my opinion).
If you pay close attention to a specific person on twitter however, you may have come across a little something called “The Church Of Joshi.” This is a project of Su Yung’s and anything from the mind of Su is going to be crazy. A new version of The Disciples Of The New Church would be very welcoming, especially in Impacts anniversary year. With Impact’s Tag and Knockouts Tag division needing a boost, this could be a welcoming addition and an amazing throwback, especially if we see The Sinister Minister involved. James Mitchell alongside Su Yung for a new version of The New Church? Yes Please.
2. Team Canada
One of TNA most loved factions from the early days was that of Team Canada, the faction consisted of a young Petey Williams, Bobby Roode, Eric Young, Johnny Devine and A1. With these five wrestlers (in different variations, Divine and A1 were in the group at different times) lead by the coach Scott D’Amore, they were a dominant and increadily intimating force.
Team Canada were brought together for the 2004 World X Cup, then impressed enough to stay around until the summer of 2006. It’s quite surprising to think that Team Canada was only around for 2 years when they made such a mark in our memory. Sure there where a few times we saw members team up later on to give us memories of Team Canada, but it was never a fully fledged group.
Impact have teased us with Team Canada a few times over the last couple of years, and the recent promo between Scott and Josh where Josh says “I need a coach” was just another instance of this. They even mentioned Johnny Devine’s name a few times also, with all of this you really have to feel that the return of Team Canada is surely coming at some point, and this would be the year to do it surely?
1. Jeff Jarrett
Whether you love or hate Jeff Jarrett, you have to respect him. Without double J we would have no Impact Wrestling, and likely much of what we’re seeing on our screens now is building from the foundations on what he built 20 years ago.
Jarrett is someone who understands the heel and face dynamic (you only have to watch his stuff from the NWA TNA days), as good as he is at doing this though, he can also be at his worst (in my opinion) when he’s in a position of power. The early days of TNA was all centred around Jarrett and when he returned in 2015 it was again the double J show.
With the current creative team that Impact have, you have to feel they are strong enough to give Jarrett his time and not let him outstay his welcome. When you’re giving Impact it’s 20th anniversary, how can you do that without the man who founded the company? It just wouldn’t be right to not have Jeff turn up in some way.
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