Matt Sydal’s return to Impact Wrestling decreed his ‘destiny’
By: Gary Kevany
Matt Sydal began his tenure some thirteen years ago on TNA’s first Pay-Per-View, Victory Road. It’s as if Sydal’s career had come full-circle when he returned last Thursday.
Sydal decreed it his destiny.
“(Impact Wrestling) is where I established myself in the sport of wrestling, so it feels like it’s destiny that has brought me back,” Sydal began.
Matt Sydal’s entry into the world of wrestling was somewhat humble, he didn’t explicitly want to become a wrestler but built a ring in his backyard, and the rest, as they say, is history.
“I first got into wrestling by building a wrestling ring in my backyard and found out I loved wrestling,” Matt said.
Despite such dedication to professional wrestling, Sydal told this writer that he never said he wanted to become a wrestler; he wanted to earn the respect of the guys in the locker-room.
“I never said I wanted to become I wrestler, I just became one, I never planned to go WWE, I never thought I’d be wrestling for money or fame, I just wanted to earn the respect of the guys I was on the card with, and in the locker-room and learn a martial art. I never set out to be a wrestler; wrestling just became what I do.”
Sydal had to juggle the commitments of education and a desire to prove himself in wrestling back in 2004.
“I used to drive from University for eight hours on Wednesdays to try-out for TNA for Xplosion, I’d wrestle two-on-one matches. Handicap matches; you name it, and drive eight hours back for school. You know, I really wanted to be a part of the X-Division and be a member of that scene.”
With the likes of Low-Ki, AJ Styles, Amazing Red and many others prominent in the X-Division at the time of Sydal’s tryouts, it’s little wonder he conveys such fondness for the division.
Quizzed on whether he still gets nervous prior to matches, Sydal began by echoing the sentiments of Drew McIntrye when he was also speaking to Wrestleview.
“The day you stop getting nervous is the day you stop caring. I don’t care if I get my teeth knocked out or kicked in the head, your entire life is there in front of the fans and that’s what I care about more than getting hurt. I know what it’s like to be a fan, I know what it’s like to pay your money, what makes me nervous is that the fans will sit on their hands and not enjoy my matches. I want them talking about my matches in the car on the way home and the next day.”
Sydal is also coming over to Ireland as part of Over The Top Wrestling in August and was asked whether that was something he was looking forward to, his response was an emphatic ‘absolutely!’
“I’ve been to Ireland a few times and I’m really looking forward to coming over again, the Irish fans are always loud and really show their appreciation for wrestling, it’s something I can’t wait to be a part of.”
Asked if there’s any difference between the Irish, Japanese and American wrestling fans, Sydal had an interesting insight into the business.
“Here’s the thing; wrestling fans are often identified by nationality but wrestling is a truly Universal language that does not need actual words to convey emotion, fans get to show how they love wrestling and get to show their emotions and feelings at every event no matter where they’re from.”
When asked to conclude with his goals for his Impact Wrestling run, Sydal repeated one particular goal numerous times:
“X-Division Champion, X-Division Champion, X-Division Champion, um… X-Division champion. I plan on becoming X-Division and not just winning the title but winning it emphatically. I’m going to walk up to Low-Ki and challenge him to a match and become X-Division champion for a very, very long time.”
If Sydal displays the tenacity and dedication to becoming X-Division he gave to his previous run, one can’t help but feel his goals will definitely be achieved.