“Speedball” Mike Bailey has only been with IMPACT Wrestling for a few months, but like many of his peers, he has been influenced by the promotion’s legacy dating back to its TNA days.
IMPACT is celebrating its 20th anniversary on June 19 and the upcoming Slammiversary event offers fans and wrestlers alike to look back on the way their careers have been impacted by the former TNA.
In an interview with SteelChair Mag, when asked about what the company meant to him in his formative years, “Speedball” described how TNA greats like AJ Styles and other X-Division standouts inspired him. He noted that the blend of martial arts, wrestling and high-flying especially appealed to him.
“I always liked the athletic side of professional wrestling way more than the character and the storylines,” said Bailey. “I enjoyed the in-ring action. I remember when I was probably 12 or 13, and I was starting to seriously consider becoming a pro wrestler in like more of a just, ‘I’ll play wrestling,’ like in a couple of years I’ll be able to actually start training and going to wrestling school. It was guys like AJ Styles, Amazing Red, Low-Ki that I saw on the X-Division who inspired me.
“I saw the way those matches played out, with just constant action and a mix of martial arts and pro wrestling and high-flying, and that is absolutely what inspired me to become the wrestler that I am today, with the influence of martial arts. My style focuses on the action in the ring and really putting on the best match for anyone who’s watching, it is directly inspired by the early days and continuation of the X-Division.”
