Sami: "We're the only company right now that isn't afraid to offend people, to try new things"

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Sky

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TalkSPORT interview

On getting the buzz back around the company:
IMPACT Wrestling is good right now. As much haters as we have, it’s one of the best weekly wrestling shows on the planet right now. I think this year has been a big year for IMPACT as far as getting that nasty taste out of the fan’s mouth from the Dixie-era goes. What people don’t realise is, when the new regime of Scott D’Amore, Don Callis etc took over, things don’t happen overnight. It took a while and a lot of hard work to get to where we are now and now over the past two years, we’ve completely changed the face of IMPACT Wrestling.
I was a huge IMPACT fan when I was younger, it was one of the companies I wanted to work for when I got into wrestling. I used to order every Wednesday pay-per-view and I really thought IMPACT Wrestling was going to be that company to go toe-to-toe with WWE. But the management from the Dixie-era and the Hogan/Bischoff-era really hurt that company and a lot of people tuned out at that time.

On what separates IMPACT from the pack:
People were screaming for an Attitude Era-like company to come back and I feel like IMPACT Wrestling is the closest thing to it. We’re the only company right now that isn’t afraid to offend people, to try new things, we’re not afraid to push the envelope and give you an edgy product and we’re not going to apologise for every single thing like a lot of the other companies. The other companies, if they see the internet wrestling community is upset, they just want to apologise about it instead of actually staying the course and giving people an alternative.

On "that" Eddie Edwards baseball bat moment:
Yeah, IMPACT didn’t apologise for it. Accidents happen in pro wrestling and it’s really funny that people like to judge me on that one moment even though I haven’t hurt anyone in my entire wrestling career, but that one moment put IMPACT back in the mainstream and it changed mine and Eddie Edwards’ career for the better. Now, Eddie Edwards doesn’t have to be looked at as a Dean Malenko-style wrestler anymore, he’ll go out of his comfort zone and do something different and I think we’re seeing the best version of Eddie Edwards we’ve ever seen at this point because he gets to be a different Eddie Edwards. He’s not held up to that same ‘oh, Eddie Edwards has to be the best technical wrestler in the world’ so much. Now he can go out and do something different for once and it changed both of us for the better.
[The reaction backstage] That's something that will stay with me forever, but that’s something that will stay between me, Eddie Edwards and IMPACT Wrestling. But, we jumped on it, it got me on TMZ and it made me one of the most controversial wrestlers of the last 10 years.

On feuding with Tessa Blanchard:
Well, I think it could have been done with a lot of different women because right now in 2019, I feel like women wrestlers are better than they’ve ever been. It’s time. People want equality, but then when you give them equality, they bitch and scream about that too. IMPACT is the first company to step up and I’m a big proponent of intergender wrestling not necessarily being deemed intergender wrestling, just professional wrestling. If you look at my company The Wrestling `Revolver, I rarely book woman versus woman matches.
It’s nearly always intergender wrestling because I think in a day and age where people want equality, it needs to happen in wrestling and it’s time for the women to step up and be top draws of professional wrestling. IMPACT is at the forefront of that and I think in the next five or ten years you’ll see the other companies follow suit.
I may not like Tessa Blanchard, but she is a hell of a professional wrestler at the end of the day. The thing that people get wrong is, this angle isn’t built off misogynistic insults. It’s not built on a man and a woman. I truly believe we built this angle on the reason I don’t like Tessa Blanchard is she’s apart of this new generation that just feels entitled to everything. I don’t hate her because she’s a woman. I hate her because she’s a spoilt brat. I have to wrestle her like I have everyone else for the past three years.

On why he left NXT:
I quit NXT because I wasn’t complacent. I wasn’t happy just collecting a paycheck and just being a toy on the shelf. I saw myself as a top guy, I had to go out and prove it and I’ve done just that. As soon as I got there, they wanted to change everything about me and I knew it wouldn’t work. I could have sucked it up probably been on RAW or SmackDown right now, but I’m not complacent to be the third or fourth guy, I want to be the top guy and I’ve been able to do that, I’ve proven that a normal white kid from Ohio can be the face of a company when that’s not the norm, because I connect with people.
 

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A good read from Sami and yeah Impact has found their niche the past few Years when people had them down and out. He's been a big reason why things turned around along with LAX, and the Lucha Bros and it's a great time to be a Impact fan.
 

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I don't know about the ONLY company but shit... whatever works for him. His feud with Tessa has been my favorite of the year and as long as Impact stays behind them and keep pushing the envelope, I'll be happy to support them.
 

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When I saw this thread in what's new I thought this was a Sami Zayn article. And I'm like yeah WWE is offendin' people to the point they don't wanna watch anymore. I'm not sure if that is what ya wanna brag about.

Glad to see this more about Impact's improvement over the last two years. I'm rarely disappointed in Impact when I do tune in. It's just so much damn wrestlin' is on the docket that I don't think Impact is gonna come back into my normal watchin' schedule anytime soon. His feud with Tess that I have seen off and on is a great step in progression but I do disagree that are more female wrestlers could be takin' seriously in that regard. I can only think of a handful. In these smaller companies with less muscle heads it's easier to integrate the rosters for such match ups with a lot of Indy darlings who don't think they need to hit the gym.
 
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When I saw this thread in what's new I thought this was a Sami Zayn article. And I'm like yeah WWE is offendin' people to the point they don't wanna watch anymore. I'm not sure if that is what ya wanna brag about.

Glad to see this more about Impact's improvement over the last two years. I'm rarely disappointed in Impact when I do tune in. It's just so much damn wrestlin' is on the docket that I don't think Impact is gonna come back into my normal watchin' schedule anytime soon. His feud with Tess that I have seen off and on is a great step in progression but I do disagree that are more female wrestlers could be takin' seriously in that regard. I can only think of a handful. In these smaller companies with less muscle heads it's easier to integrate the rosters for such match ups with a lot of Indy darlings who don't think they need to hit the gym.

Impact has a ton of big boys tbf. Michael Elgin, Moose, Brian Cage, Ken Shamrock, Madman Fulton, Willie Mack, Acey Romero, Luster The Legend, Fallah Bahh, Mahabali Shera. Hella beef on that roster.
 

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Impact has a ton of big boys tbf. Michael Elgin, Moose, Brian Cage, Ken Shamrock, Madman Fulton, Willie Mack, Acey Romero, Luster The Legend, Fallah Bahh, Mahabali Shera. Hella beef on that roster.

That is true but has Tessa been wrestlin' anyone like that? I could see her beat Shera but he always looks like he's about stumble over his own feet.
 

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That is true but has Tessa been wrestlin' anyone like that? I could see her beat Shera but he always looks like he's about stumble over his own feet.

Yeah she pinned Brian Cage a few weeks ago. She's wrestled Madman Fulton several times too, in singles and tag matches.
 

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She beat Cage? :lmao
 

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Yep. In an elimination/gauntlet match. He had just wrestled Rich Swann and she beat him with a sunset flip (I think) but a win's a win.
 

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Brian Cage needs to start sayin' he ain't sellin' for certain people. I've literally seen him have a 6-man match and it was just him tossin' around people for 10 minutes. Who's gonna tell him he can't be the monster he should be?
 

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Brian Cage needs to start sayin' he ain't sellin' for certain people. I've literally seen him have a 6-man match and it was just him tossin' around people for 10 minutes. Who's gonna tell him he can't be the monster he should be?

He's been booked strong as hell in Impact. But he's also been dealing with injuries for a lot of his run. He had his time at the top of the mountain, they're just (wisely) running with what's hot right now. Which is Sami vs. Tessa. He was well protected in the loss anyways, plus I'm sure he'll be World Champion again sooner than later.
 

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I felt Impact was stronger this time last year than it's become. They still have some good things going on there, but they can't maintain their roster to save their lives anymore. They get some good things going, but then the wrestlers always leave for other promotions. Sami and Tessa are still a lot of fun to watch there, but I really doubt either of them will be staying much longer.
 

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I felt Impact was stronger this time last year than it's become. They still have some good things going on there, but they can't maintain their roster to save their lives anymore. They get some good things going, but then the wrestlers always leave for other promotions. Sami and Tessa are still a lot of fun to watch there, but I really doubt either of them will be staying much longer.
Where would Sami go? Not like he's interested in another WWE run in the near future. AEW probably would have already snatched him if they wanted him. New Japan doesn't make sense. ROH would be a downgrade. Impact is the best place for him right now. He has a great platform and is being allowed to do virtually whatever he wants. Also he still gets to work indies. No reason why he should leave.
 

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Yeah one of the things about Tessa and Callihan is freedom for sure. They have been able to hone in on their Characters than any other place before arriving on the Scene in Impact Wrestling and it shows and they love Impact for giving them that platform. I can easily see Tessa and Sami staying for a long time. I would say though Impact needs new talent mostly for the Tag Division, but a few new ladies in the Knockouts and X-Division would be great as well.