doc gallows
Photo Credit: IMPACT Wrestling

Doc Gallows Hopes For A Rekindled Relationship Between NJPW And IMPACT

Along with his Good Brother comrade Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows is now in IMPACT Wrestling following the team’s WWE departure. One of the terms of their IMPACT deal allows the two to return to New Japan Pro Wrestling when they’re able. This is the company where they’ve had the most success, so a return would be highly anticipated by New Japan fans.

Going a step further in a recent conversation with “This is Wrestling” on TSN 1200, Gallows said he’d love to see a relationship form once again between IMPACT and NJPW.

I want IMPACT to continue to grow and get bigger and better so that when our friends are calling us and they got contracts up in other places we can go “hey we can do this for you over here. What do you think? Come jump on board, come have some fun, and come party with us?” I think it would be great. I would love to see New Japan and IMPACT form a working relationship at some point. I think it would be beneficial for both sides and I would really love to see that. Hopefully, (I) can be a part in making that come together.

When it was TNA, the company did have a relationship with New Japan, leading to things such as an Xplosion match between Shinsuke Nakamura and Elix Skipper and the introduction of the former five-time IWGP World Champion Kazuchika Okada as Samoa Joe sidekick “Okato.”

The misuse of NJPW stars led to an end to that relationship almost a decade ago, so any new partnership would have to be forged with very precise negotiations from both sides. Still, IMPACT is a long way from the days of TNA, and anything’s possible in the wacky world of pro wrestling.

RELATED: Doc Gallows Previews Talk ’N Shop A-Mania; Why The Good Brothers Signed With IMPACT


Doc Gallows also spoke with WrestleZone ahead of Talk ‘N Shop A-Mania and previewed the event, as well as what fans can expect.

“April 15th I was sitting in my sauna in my basement gym and I got called and let go [by WWE]. I hung up the phone and booked a signing in Spain,” Gallows explained, “and then I thought ‘Our last match in WWE was 12 days ago, it was the WrestleMania co-main event with The Undertaker in a Boneyard Match. If we don’t spoof that after they fired us 12 days later, we’re missing a huge opportunity.’

“The [Southpaw Regional Wrestling idea] was taken from my ‘Sex Ferguson’ character and it was a spoof on the way that I started wrestling. And if you can’t have fun with the entertainment side of professional wrestling, you don’t have a good sense of humor and you’re a different kind of fan, in my opinion. I said let’s take this thing—and it’s not disrespectful, it’s a big wink at everybody—you see a full roster of names on that Talk ’N Shop A-Mania card and you’re not going to see technical and exciting professional wrestling. You’re going to see these people portray characters that are more in tune with their own sense of humor and our sense of humor,” Gallows said, “and it’s a big wink at professional wrestling. You’re not going to see a big work-rate match because this is to make you laugh and have a good time, sit down for an hour and a half and forget about this pandemic, really just enjoy yourself.

“I don’t recommend letting the kids watch it because there’s a lot of f-bombs, but if you’re an adult professional wrestling fan like I am, I think you’re going to get a big kick out of it. The main event is a Boner Yard Match, for God’s sake,” Gallows said. “I bought a hearse and I had a grave built on my property. I have druids, caskets, it’s ridiculous. You’re only going to be out $15 even if you hate it. It’s available on pay-per-view in America and Canada, you can buy it on FITE TV; it’s August 1 and it’s Talk ’N Shop A-Mania, you’re never going to see anything like it unless you buy it.”

Check out the full interview at the top of this page.

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