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Welcome to this week's edition of the IMPACT Wrestling Rumor Roundup. IMPACT Wrestling are marching forward towards their biggest PPV of the year - Rebellion. The show will see AEW World Champion Kenny Omega take on IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann in a title vs title match.
In today's edition, we will take a look at some of the interesting prospects for IMPACT Wrestling. A WWE Hall of Famer is set to make his debut for the company, while another former WWE Superstar reveals why he rejected WWE's offer to return and much more.
So without further ado, let us dive in and take a look at some of the biggest rumors regarding IMPACT Wrestling:
#5 IMPACT Superstar Heath Slater refused to return to WWE
Former WWE Tag Team Champion and current IMPACT Superstar Heath was released by WWE last year as part of budget cuts due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Heath soon became a part of IMPACT Wrestling.
Speaking on The Angle podcast, Heath revealed that WWE had made an offer to him to return to their company in 2020 itself. However, he said the pay being offered was very low and he already had obligations with IMPACT. So he had to refuse WWE's offer to return:
"They offered me one back, but it was like half of what I was making. I was like, ‘Nah, I need to find myself and do other things and just chill."
Heath also revealed that he was in talks with multiple companies after he was released but ultimately chose to join IMPACT Wrestling.
"I talked to IMPACT, New Japan, and ROH. I talked with AEW after I went with IMPACT. They just wanted me to come in for a three-week thing to do some things. I was already committed with IMPACT."
Should Heath have gone back to WWE?
#4 WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross to make IMPACT! debut
The iconic WWE and AEW veteran Jim Ross is finally set to make his debut for IMPACT Wrestling this week. The legendary commentator will be a part of "This is Rebellion'' special which will be airing on AXS TV on Tuesday at 9:00 PM.
IMPACT Wrestling is leaving no stone unturned to make the Rebellion PPV a grand success. After announcing that former WWE announcer Mauro Ranallo will be calling the main-event of Rebellion, they have now brought WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross on board.
IMPACT has made all the right noises leading up to the PPV:
BREAKING: Legendary commentator Mauro Ranallo will call the epic collision between IMPACT World Champion @GottaGetSwann and @AEWWorld Champion @KennyOmegamanX at #IMPACTRebellion!
#3 IMPACT Superstar Ace Austin's hilarious story involving AJ Styles
The current IMPACT X-Division Champion Ace Austin recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet. The young superstar spoke on multiple topics, including his embarrassing fan moment with AJ Styles in 2014.
AJ Styles was a major part of IMPACT Wrestling and was still with the company in 2014. It was during this time that a young Ace Austin got inside the ring with Styles to get his photograph clicked. Unfortunately for Austin, he lost his balance and fell:
"For $20 I got a photo of me and AJ Styles in the ring when I went to an IMPACT Show in 2014. I had never been in a ring before that. As soon as I stepped on the canvas, it was like nothing I stepped on before. I lost my balance, total fail."
It is ironic that after seven years, Austin has become a champion in the very company where he first stepped foot in the ring.
#2 Reason why Samoa Joe's push was cancelled in IMPACT Wrestling
Former WWE and IMPACT Wrestling writer Vince Russo spoke on SportsKeeda's Writing with Russo. He spoke about recently released WWE superstar Samoa Joe and the problems he faced with the Samoan Submission Machine during their time in IMPACT Wrestling.
Russo revealed that the reason Joe wasn't pushed heavily in IMPACT during the early 2000s was an issue with the former X-Division champion's weight:
''Well, you really want to know why we didn't do anything creatively? Well, I'm going to tell you why we didn't. The problem we always had with Samoa Joe, always revolved around weight. It was never that he was a pain in the ass or he wasn't talented or he couldn't do this... it was always weight."
Russo further went on to explain that during those days they had to shoot 6-8 weeks of television in a few days. So it would become a problem if Joe was fit during one set of tapings but wasn't during the next set which took place a month or two later.
#1 IMPACT Wrestling superstar done with the company
IMPACT Wrestling knockout Neveah is reportedly finished with the company. The knockout was featured heavily on IMPACT along with her tag-team partner Havok. The two had been involved in a program which was leading up to a feud between the friends. It was believed that Nevaeh would be teaming with Tenille Dashwood going forward.
The exact reason for her departure from the company is not known, but Fightful Select have reported that her leaving IMPACT Wrestling is not a storyline and the knockout is genuinely done with the company.
