'%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)
Ace Austin believes winning the X-Division Championship at Sacrifice 2021 was his IMPACT Wrestling career coming full circle. At the pay-per-view, Austin defeated TJP to kickstart his second run with the title.
Speaking to Chris Van Vliet, Austin stated that going undefeated for four months and then being defeated by TJP on the latter's IMPACT Wrestling return was the greatest failure of his career up until that time.
However, he further said winning the X-Division Championship a few months later at IMPACT Wrestling: Bound for Glory 2019 proved to be the turning point of his career.
"It definitely does feel different. I’ve been telling this full circle story about that match at Sacrifice. It was a total coming around of my IMPACT Wrestling career, and I’m seeing it as that next launching point into making up for what I consider my greatest failure, which is back then. In the beginning of my career, I was undefeated for 4 months. TJP re-debuts and just smokes me. We have a rematch a week later, it’s very competitive, but he taps me out in the end. So TJP just really upset me in the beginning. We never came back around to that match. 4 months later, Bound for Glory happens and I win the X Division Championship. My career takes off, I dye my hair purple, and everything went great from there."
The X-Division Champion revealed that he felt lost after failing to capture the IMPACT Wrestling Championship at Slammiversary 2020. He added that subsequent losses in tag team competition alongside Madman Fulton demoralized him.
Returning after some weeks of inactivity, he captured the X-Division Championship at Sacrifice 2020 after defeating TJP, the same man who ended his winning streak.
"I had an incredible run as X Division Champion, as soon as that ended I went into the World Title picture. Slammiversary main event, huge deal. That moment was my greatest career failure. When that didn’t happen, I went into the Tag Team division, and that rolled into Bound for Glory. After that, stalemate for a while, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. All of a sudden it came full circle, I beat TJP for the X Division title.”
Ace Austin is one of IMPACT Wrestling's brightest prospects
At just 24, Ace Austin has several more years ahead of him in pro wrestling, and IMPACT Wrestling must ensure they don't let him go from the promotion.
With his athletic abilities coupled with charisma, Austin has all the tools to be a wrestling megastar, someone whom IMPACT Wrestling can build its future around.
What do you think about Ace Austin's X-Division Championship run so far? Do you think he'll ever depart IMPACT Wrestling to seek greener pastures? Sound off the comments section below.
