Frankie Kazarian announced during Friday night’s Hard to Kill that he has signed a new, long-term contract with the promotion.
During his promo, Kazarian said that after wrestling way from IMPACT, he had to decide whether to remain complacent and be with “people he thought were his friends” (referring to AEW) or push himself. He said that he chose to push himself. According to PWInsider, the word backstage at Hard To Kill is that Kazarian told the truth about what happened.
PWInsider further notes after his match with Josh Alexander at Overdrive, Kazarian asked Tony Khan for his release and it was granted. Kazarian’s departure from AEW was said to be completely amicable based around Kazarian wanting to push himself harder as he is getting closer to to the end of his career and that in IMPACT he will have a chance to get more opportunities vs. AEW that has a very stacked roster.
The report from PWInsider concludes that Kazarian “did business the right way” and would be welcomed back into the company anytime.
Former WWE Superstar Santino Marella made his debut at IMPACT Wrestling’s Hard To Kill PPV Friday night. He is the new Director of Authority, in place of the taking the place of the “injured” Scott D’Amore who is “recovering from being put through a table by Bully Ray on a recent episode of IMPACT Wrestling. PWInsider notes that he has signed a contract with the company.
PWInsider notes that WWE let the trademark for the Santino Marella name lapse, allowing Anthem Sports and Entertainment to be granted the trademark on December 19, 2022.
During Friday night’s Hard To Kill PPV, IMPACT announced that their next major pay-per-view event will be Rebellion, live from Toronto, Canada. No venue was announced. The company did say tickets for the event will go on-sale next Friday, January 20 through impactwrestling.com.
Per PWInsider, Anthem Media CEO Len Asper is sat in the crowd at Center Stage in Atlanta.
The show was a complete sell out and they had to turn away fans who showed up hoping to get in.
WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page was backstage.
Also visiting backstage was former WCW and WWE star Ernest “The Cat” Miller.