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Johnny Impact On Having Don Callis In His Corner, IMPACT Wrestling Potentially Going For More ‘Supernatural’ Elements

Johnny Impact On Having Don Callis In His Corner, IMPACT Wrestling Potentially Going For More ‘Supernatural’ Elements

Posted: May 9th 2019 By: Bill Pritchard

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Johnny Impact ahead of last weekend’s IMPACT Wrestling TV tapings at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. I asked Johnny about his working relationship with Don Callis, who in a recent broadcast of Figure 4 Daily talked about their working relationship back in WWE, and how he considered Impact a world championship caliber athlete back then. Johnny says Callis’ remarks are meaningful, and he thinks not winning the WWE World Championship during his tenure may have actually benefitted him in hindsight, as it allowed him to stay hungry and not grow complacent:

“Don has got a great mind for the business, and hearing him say that about me—I’ve heard similar things that he said about me—it means a lot. He really has a very specific view of the business, a very comprehensive view of the business. He’s got an old school mentality, but because he’s part of the active creative team at IMPACT, his old school psychology is not outdated. It’s constantly being updated because he’s dealing with current talent and a lot of what he said was true. I thought I should have won the title a long time ago, and I’ve won plenty of titles, just never the WWE World Championship, but ultimately, maybe it was for the best. Sometimes when you get what you want your motivation is lessened, and I guess that never happened to me because I hadn’t had that [opportunity] yet. I stayed hungry for so long that when I got to IMPACT I was still hungry before I got here, I was still working on leveling up my physical abilities, my psychology. It felt really good to win the IMPACT World Championship and it also feels good to have Don in my corner and to have a good working relationship with him. It’s meant a lot.”

In addition, Johnny also spoke about Lucha Underground’s uncertain future, and the potential for another promotion like IMPACT Wrestling to adopt more supernatural or theatrical storylines if the promotion does not return. Johnny said he’s not sure if pushing things too much in that different direction would work for IMPACT, but praised some of the more unique approaches that we’ve seen in the past few weeks and months with LAX and oVe:

“That’s a tricky question because I do love Lucha Underground, and I don’t know if it’s going to come back for a season five. I do know that the door is not completely closed, but as time goes on, it’s starting to seem less and less likely. As far as if I’d like to see IMPACT become a little more supernatural with elements of fantasy and darkness? I don’t know, because IMPACT is its own unique brand and Lucha Underground is its own unique brand. The stuff that LAX has been doing is fantastic. The stuff with oVe also, in its own way is not exactly what Lucha Underground was because it’s different thematically, but in a sense creatively it’s new and fantastic and fun to watch. I feel like as opposed to becoming similar to Lucha Underground, I would like to see IMPACT push the boundaries further in the way that oVe, LAX are creatively treated. That’s not a bad thing, but pushing it too far for IMPACT might be a mistake. [That might work] in Lucha Underground world, but IMPACT seems a little more grounded in reality.”

 

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Supplemental Information

1

Spotlight in History

  • 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion

Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

  • 04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
  • 04-26 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
  • 04-26 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
  • 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
  • 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
  • 04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
  • 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
  • 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
  • 04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
  • 04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
  • 05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
  • 05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
  • 05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
  • 05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title
04-27
  • Yasu Fuji Apr 27th Today!
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  • Sunshine Apr 29th
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  • Billie the Kiid Apr 30th
  • Dustin Tibbs Apr 30th
  • Anarchy [2nd] Apr 30th
  • Prince Maivia May 1st
  • Barrett Brown May 2nd
  • Americos May 2nd
  • Nightmare [1st] May 2nd
  • Big Bossman May 2nd
  • Kari Wright May 2nd
  • Don Fields May 2nd
  • Lester Welch May 3rd
  • Lily McKenzie May 3rd
  • Johnny Humble May 3rd
  • Malik Mayfield May 4th
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  • Olivier Vegos May 5th
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