{"id":79092,"date":"2019-05-03T18:02:19","date_gmt":"2019-05-03T23:02:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=79092"},"modified":"2019-05-03T18:02:19","modified_gmt":"2019-05-03T23:02:19","slug":"interview-highlights-johnny-impact-discusses-impact-wrestling-lucha-underground-smart-mark-rvd-joining-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2019\/05\/03\/interview-highlights-johnny-impact-discusses-impact-wrestling-lucha-underground-smart-mark-rvd-joining-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview Highlights: Johnny Impact discusses Impact Wrestling, Lucha Underground, smart mark, RVD joining Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-2696504656\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p><em>The following interview highlights from Johnny Impact&#8217;s interview on Interactive Wrestling Radio were supplied to PWTorch by the program&#8217;s producer&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Show: Interactive Wrestling Radio<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Geust: Johnny Impact<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Date: 05\/01\/19<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Your Host: James Walsh<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>We caught up with Johnny Impact as he toured Philadelphia in promotion of Friday night\u2019s Impact Wrestling TV tapings from the 2300 Arena formerly known as the ECW Arena. We discuss his recent title loss to Brian Cage at Rebellion, his first Ultimate X Match, Rob Van Dam\u2019s arrival back at Impact, the growth of Impact Wrestling in 2019, and even compare the Lucha Underground Temple to the ECW Arena. Lots of gems here on a busy media day for the Mayor of Slam Town!<\/p>\n<p>Impact plays the 2300 Arena, the former ECW Arena, in South Philadelphia, Pa. tonight and this weekend. For tickets, visit www.ImpactWrestling.com!<\/p>\n<p>To download this MP3 or listen via YouTube, visit www.WrestlingEpicenter.com!<\/p>\n<p><strong>INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u2022On life as the former Impact Wrestling champion:\u00a0\u201cYes I am. Ouch. It still stings to hear \u201cformer\u201d Impact champion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2022On the Rebellion pay-per-view as a whole:\u00a0\u201cA lot of positives. Everyone that watched it thought it was a great event with the exception of one thing. That is that meat-head Brian Cage walked out with my title. That doesn\u2019t sit too well with Johnny Impact!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2022On if he knew Brian Cage was injured after the Spanish Fly spot:\u00a0\u201cI was pretty aware. I guess you can\u2019t take the championship from Johnny Impact without leaving something. So, Brian lost the use of his back, spinal fluid, and the realignment of his vertebrates. I was surprised. I didn\u2019t expect that. But, I guess machines do break. That is part of what a machine is, what a human is, what a wrestler is&#8230; Nobody is above injury. In the moment, it was shocking for me. In the moment, I started thinking how I could change my strategy. I tried a couple of things. It ended up going not exactly how I thought it was going to go. \u201d<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3899393937\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>\u2022On his thoughts on his first ever Ultimate X match at United We Stand:\u00a0\u201cAbsolutely. Ultimate X is an Impact original. For me to be a part of it was really cool because it is something, for a long time, I\u2019ve really wanted to do. The creative possibilities in that type of a match are really through the roof. I ended up walking away as X Division #1 contender!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2022On if the X Division or World Title appeals more to him more right now:\u00a0\u201cOh, I\u2019ve got to get my World Title back. That\u2019s got to be the first plan. You\u2019re right. Every world champion is entitled to a remach. That\u2019s how pro wrestling works. There is a rematch clause. So, that\u2019s got to be #1!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2022On the 2300 Arena (ECW Arena) being compared to Lucha Underground\u2019s Temple:\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ve worked there once before with House of Hardcore (ECW Arena) but I think Friday night will show why I compared it to the Temple. It is a building that has a lot of tradition and nostalgia but also has always had an electric group of wrestling fans that pur energy into the night. For all those reasons\u2026 The energy, the nostalgia. I\u2019m expecting this weekend\u2019s TV tapings to be some of the best Impact Wrestling TV tapings to date.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2022On the stars of Lucha Underground becoming even bigger stars in Impact Wrestling:\u00a0\u201cAs I said when we spoke to promote Lucha Underground Season 2 (back in 2016), I believe the stars of Lucha Underground are some of the best in the world. The formula for a successful professional wrestling promotion is not rocket science. Get the best talent that you can get. Give them guidelines. But then, get out of the talent\u2019s way! Nobody knows how to be Fenix, Pentagon, or Willie Mack better than Fenix, Pentagon, or Willie Mack! And, there are some great OG Impact Wrestling talent\u2026 Moose, Eddie Edwards, people like that. The cool thing about Impact Wrestling right now is melting pot of talent from different backgrounds\u2026 Rich Swann, Ethan Page, the Deaners. (laughs) Killer Kross. All these talents with different backgrounds, from different countries, with different styles in the ring running into each other is, I think, what is really cool about Impact right now!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2022On Rob Van Dam coming to Impact Wrestling:\u00a0\u201cRob is someone who, even before I really started wrestling, I was a huge fan of. Since the day that I met him, I\u2019ve alwayshad a lot of respect for him in the ring and out of the ring. I would love nothing more than to take him to Slam Town! Mixed tag with me and Taya against him and Katie Forbes\u2026 Just me and him. I think eventually, in the world of Impact Wrestling, with a mouth like mine and a mouth like his, eventually\u2026 Impact isn\u2019t that big of a place. He\u2019ll get what he asks for. And, hopefully, I\u2019ll get what I ask for too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2022On the positive culture change of the perception of Impact Wrestling:\u00a0\u201cAbsolutely. I\u2019ve been here for maybe not quite 2 years. I\u2019ve noticed it in my tenure here. ANd, watching old clips of Impact until now, I definitely agree with Gail (Kim). The response we\u2019re getting at live events and also from the critics online and also from those watching on Twitch and Pursuit has become substantially more positive. I think there is a chicken and an egg like circumstance as far as which came first \u2013 The positivity in the locker room or the positive response from the fans. It all effects everything. The positivity of the locker room, the positivity and the energy of the office. And, across the board, everything is rising which is a very cool thing to be a part of.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2022On using the term \u201cSmart Mark\u201d to anger the crowd:\u00a0\u201cYeah! (laughs) Between you and me and everyone listening, I\u2019m also a smart mark! It is an interesting time because&#8230; Between 5 and 20 years ago, the word \u201cmark\u201d wasn\u2019t realy being used. To use that term to those who are that or maybe don\u2019t consider themselves that because of the negativity associated with that is fun! Wrestling is about finding things and calling them out, basing what we\u2019re doing on truth. And, when you have a truth, perverting it in a way to suit your agenda. (laughs) Throwing the term \u201csmart mark\u201d out there is taking something that is truth but swerving it into something that maybe it is not exactly. But, hopefully it makes people feel the way I want them to feel. (laughs)\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>RECOMMENDED:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2019\/04\/05\/interview-highlights-my-life-has-been-amazing-crazy-and-awesome-im-the-only-person-i-think-with-the-history-of-going-to-their-hometown-who-gets-booed\/\">Interview Highlights: \u201cMy life has been amazing, crazy, and awesome\u2026 I\u2019m the only person I think with the history of going to their hometown who gets booed.\u201d<\/a><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-1185756449\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-958303973\"><div id=\"pwtor-2531813531\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>The following interview highlights from Johnny Impact&#8217;s interview on Interactive Wrestling Radio were supplied to PWTorch by the program&#8217;s producer&#8230; Show: Interactive Wrestling Radio Geust: Johnny Impact Date: 05\/01\/19 Your Host: James Walsh We caught <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2019\/05\/03\/interview-highlights-johnny-impact-discusses-impact-wrestling-lucha-underground-smart-mark-rvd-joining-impact\/\" title=\"Interview Highlights: Johnny Impact discusses Impact Wrestling, Lucha Underground, smart mark, RVD joining Impact\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5547,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,4247,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-79092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prowrestlingnews","category-interview-highlights","category-news_wwe"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/MorrisonJohnGG_3x2_600.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79092"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79092\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79100,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79092\/revisions\/79100"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}