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Is AJ Styles The Next Inductee for the IMPACT Hall of Fame?

The internet has been a-buzz today following a report from PWInsider that stated that last week, top ranking officials from IMPACT Wrestling (Scott D’Amore and Ed Norholm) were at the WWE’s Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut to meet with members of Triple H‘s team. While many are starting the “IMPACT is dead” rumors once again, that it may be WWE finally buying IMPACT and its video library, the chances are that it could very well be something far less severe. But it could also mean something pretty cool. And it may involve IMPACT Wrestling’s Hall of Fame.

From PWInsider’s report today:

The meeting between the two companies took place in the middle of last week, after Impact officials had returned from Manchester, Great Britain and right before they headed down to Mexico City for a pair of Impact Wrestling tapings.

Tne WWE source described the meeting as a general discussion about the two companies and as a chance to get everyone in the same room as opposed to a a specific negotiation.  Since Impact was purchased by Anthem Media, WWE has worked with the company on several occasions, paying to license material from the TNA/Impact Wrestling video library for usage on the WWE Network, most notably the Hardy Boyz “Broken Universe” material and AJ Styles-related content.

When contacted today by PWInsider.com, Impact officials declined to comment on the nature of the meetings.  One Impact source specifically stressed that the meetings were not regarding the sale of either Impact Wrestling as a company or it’s video library, stating neither are for sale.

The time frame would put the time frame as somewhere between last Tuesday September 11 (as the IMPACT crew would have been getting home from Manchester, England from their IMPACT vs UK event at Wrestling MediaCon) and Thursday September 13 (when the IMPACT crew flew out to Mexico for the Mexico City IMPACT tapings). Shortly after the alleged meetings, IMPACT would go on to make a major announcement concerning Bound For Glory in October.

The return of the IMPACT Hall of Fame – the company avoided it last year while in transition – brings up many questions. Who could they possibly induct next? After all, with the new IMPACT regime trying to make big splashes with every move, it would need to be a legitimate TNA legend. As in a true main eventer who helped put TNA on the map in the first place. While they could go with current IMPACT employee Abyss, who has the longest tenure of any IMPACT star, or recently departed “Cowboy” James Storm, the rest of the big names are currently employed by the WWE – Samoa Joe (TNA World Heavyweight Champion, 5x TNA X-Division Champion, 2x TNA World Tag Team Champion), Bobby Roode (2x TNA World Heavyweight Champion, 8x World Tag Team Champion), Eric Young (TNA World Heavyweight Champion, 4x World Tag Team Champion) and EC3 (2x TNA World Heavyweight Champion) are all working with the WWE now. But the biggest prize, and arguably the biggest name in TNA/IMPACT history, is the current WWE Champion AJ Styles.

Photo: IMPACT Wrestling

When AJ Styles’ contract wasn’t renewed by the WWE in 2001 following a brief WCW career prior to the WWE’s purchase of the company, Styles headed to Ring of Honor and TNA in 2002. By 2007, he was practically TNA exclusive and the face of the company. Styles would spend 11 years with TNA (from 2002-2013), winning five World titles (3x NWA, 2x TNA), 6x X-Division Champion, 2x TNA Television Champion, and 6x World Tag Team Champion. There was no other wrestler more universally associated with TNA and any success TNA had achieved throughout the middle of the 2000s. By all accounts, he should be a first ballot member of the IMPACT/TNA Hall of Fame – in fact, many were surprised he wasn’t the first inductee into TNA’s Hall of Fame back in 2012. His departure from the company at the end of 2013 was less than amicable, as he was essentially forced out by Dixie Carter. But Styles had the last laugh, returning to ROH, joining NJPW and Bullet Club, and producing some of the best work of his career. He followed that up by joining the WWE in 2016, where he’s now a 2x WWE Champion and 2x WWE US Champion.

Photo: WWE

If this is the reasoning for the meeting, it wouldn’t mark the first time the two companies have worked out a deal involving a Hall of Fame. In 2012, the WWE inducted the Four Horsemen into the WWE Hall of Fame, enshrining Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson, Barry Windham and J.J. Dillon as the first faction into the HOF. Problem was, at the time, Ric Flair was an employee of TNA. In a back room side deal, TNA allowed Flair to appear on WWE television for the induction ceremony and at WrestleMania, in return for WWE Superstar and then current WWE Intercontinental Champion Christian (who previously held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in his TNA run under Christian Cage) to loan TNA his services for an appearance at TNA Slammiversary X (ironically, the same night that TNA’s Hall of Fame was begun with Kurt Angle as it’s first inductee).

The exchange most likely wouldn’t involve a talent loan like last time – there’s really no one on IMPACT’s roster that could add anything to a current WWE storyline by one guest appearance – but it could involve usage of many of Styles’ classic TNA matches for use on a future AJ Styles collection, either for the WWE Network or DVD collection/documentary.

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