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What's the story?
In a recent interview that Johnny Impact (Mundo in Lucha Underground) had with Brandon Kravitz on 96.9 FM's The Game in Orlando, Florida, they talked about a couple of topics, including life away from the WWE for Johnny.
In case you didn't know...
Under the ring name John Morrison, Impact was in the WWE from 2005 to 2011. He was discovered on the reality show Tough Enough, where he was the co-winner with Matt Cappotelli in 2002.
The heart of the matter
The reason Impact wanted to leave the WWE was due to creative autonomy, not just in his career but with his time overall. At the time his contract was up in the WWE, they offered him another three to five-year deal.
Johnny mentions how he will be competing in MLW's Never Say Never live event on December 7th, as well as the upcoming fourth season of Lucha Underground and Impact Wrestling.
He would talk more about the current scene outside of the WWE with the following quote (H/T NO DQ):
"I’ve been involved in all of these new, really cool alternatives to WWE. It’s a really good time, I think, to be outside of [WWE], and like you said [WWE] has been number one for a long time, but if you’re not there, now’s the time where it’s possible to have good matches with hot crowds and have a good time as a professional wrestler with some more control over your own time.”
What's next?
The previously mentioned MLW show takes place on December 7th in Orlando, Florida. Johnny will team up with Shane Strickland (Killshot on Lucha Underground) to take on the team of Jimmy Havoc and Darby Allin in a No Disqualification Match.
Author's take
I definitely respect Johnny's desire to have control over his character and his life overall. The WWE is a large commitment, and after a few years with the company, it is best to explore other options.
With that being said, I really hope that Johnny does return to the WWE one more time before his career is complete because there is some unfinished business and dream matches waiting for him in the company. He definitely deserves a run as a world champion within the company.
