Frankie Kazarian is looking to add a sixth X Division title reign to his resume.
Kazarian will challenge Speedball Mike Bailey for the X Division Championship at IMPACT Wrestling’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view on October 7. Kazarian is signed to All Elite Wrestling, but he’s also walked through the “Forbidden Door” and made regular appearances in IMPACT over the past year.
Asked what this run means to him during a new interview with WrestleZone, Kazarian said that returning to IMPACT means many things to him and feels like it’s a cool story to tell.
“It’s kind of all of those things. It’s definitely a full circle moment because I am challenging for the X-Division Championship. Winning that particular belt in 2004 is really what put me on the map. That was my first big singles title for a major wrestling company, so it always holds a special place in my heart. And IMPACT Wrestling, I spent a lot of years there,” Kazarian explaind. “It kind of shaped who I was and who I am as a pro wrestler, so anytime I am blessed to have the opportunity to go back, it is a bit of a homecoming. To be in the X-Division title picture all these years later is really cool. It’s a cool story tell, the old guard coming back to see what his kingdom looks like now. Mike Bailey is an incredible wrestler. He’s super explosive, I’m a big fan of his. He’s done a great job carrying the torch, not only for the X-Division, but for IMPACT Wrestling.”
Mike Bailey’s name has gained more prominence since he returned to the United States last year and many people, including Kazarian, have taken note.
“I had heard the name and knew of him, but I’d be lying if I said I’ve been following his career very closely. But certainly, since he’s been back on the scene domestically here in the United States, I’ve stood up and taken notice. I’ve watched several of his matches, both on film and live when I’m there. He’s a dynamic performer,” he noted. “He really embodies what the X-Division was about and what the X-Division is about now. I’m proud of him. He’s done really well. He’s been a great champion, and he’s going to be a formidable opponent. I’m very much looking forward to being in there with him.”
Mike Bailey is an incredible talent. But…to win X-Division titles in the past, I’ve had to defeat guys like Amazing Red, AJ Styles and Jay Lethal. All of whom are incredible talents. This is where I excel. This is a match for the ages. BFG can’t come soon enough?? https://t.co/e24QtPkzeA
— ? Frankie Kazarian ? (@FrankieKazarian) September 26, 2022
Frankie Kazarian also spoke about his status in both AEW and IMPACT Wrestling and said he’d love to make the crossover appearances a long-term thing if it could happen.
“I would love it to be. I’m very, very lucky that Scott D’Amore has continued to bring me in and that Tony Khan has allowed that. There’s an agreement in place. That’s very cool on both gentlemen’s parts that they see the big picture when it comes to that. If it was up to me, I’d be doing this as long as I possibly could,” Kazarian stated. “I think it’s cool. I think it keeps things fresh. Obviously, I have history with IMPACT Wrestling. I was there for a decade plus, and with AEW, I was one of the first eight talents signed under contract. I was basically in AEW before it was a thing. So I have history there too. It’s cool, and it’d be even cooler winning an X-Division belt in 2022—something else no one could have predicted.”
Check out our full interview with Frankie Kazarian at the top of this post. IMPACT Wrestling’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view takes place on Friday, October 7 in Albany, New York.
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