When it comes to IMPACT Wrestling in 2020, there’s perhaps no talent more personally devious than Ace Austin. ‘The One True Ace’ will sink to any means necessary just to get inside the head of his opponent, particularly when there’s a woman involved. With the world currently sitting in lockdown, Last Word on Pro Wrestling were joined by the former X Division Champion for a chat about his IMPACT career thus far, and what his goals and aspirations are for the not too distant future.
When asked about how he originally got into professional wrestling, Ace stated that from the age of four, all he ever wanted to do was be a pro wrestler, seeing as that was all he ever thought about. Adding on, Ace stated “I lived my life with pro wrestling at the front of my mind, it was constantly like that. Everything I did, I did with pro wrestling in mind”. In fitting with his current IMPACT persona, Austin was willing to do whatever it took to get into the business, even though at the time he wasn’t really sure how to go about doing so.
“I grew up in an area where wrestling wasn’t super popular, so it was kinda just me with the love that I had for it”, which led Ace Austin to find the Wild Samoans Training Center in Pennsylvania when he was just about to turn 17 years old. “I started as early as I could, I went as hard as I possibly could”, added the now 23-year-old, who made his official debut in April 2015.
Despite starting at a younger age, there’s been nothing to get in the way of Ace Austin’s path of success, seeing as he won the X Division Championship at just 22 years of age, which makes him the second youngest X Division Champion in IMPACT history at just a year older than The Amazing Red when he won it. “It’s almost surreal, I feel like I’m still too young to really appreciate all of it at the moment. There’s going to be so much that I’ve done in these last short five years that I’m gonna look back on, and it’s just gonna be unbelievable to know that I was able to do that so quickly, so young”. Ace makes a good point there, considering he won an IMPACT championship within his first year as a signed competitor, and has already main evented IMPACT specials, which he believes is a testament to the raw talent and potential that he possesses. “I never expected it to happen this fast. When I started training, I met guys that had been doing it for five or six years, and they were just starting to get good”. It’s not being cocky if you can back it up in the ring, which ‘The One True Ace’ most definitely can.
After spending a few years working the independent circuit, Ace Austin officially signed across the dotted line for IMPACT Wrestling in March 2019, where he set himself some goals in his new home promotion. “I’ve always been good at speaking things into existence. I was determined to become X Division Champion inside of my first year”, something that Ace did end up accomplishing that October at Bound For Glory as he won the titles from Jake Crist in a five-person Ladder Match that also featured Tessa Blanchard, Daga, and the newly-signed (at the time) Acey Romero. “I think now it’s time for me to become the youngest World Champion in this company’s history, that is history that I’m gonna make”. Ace currently has until February 2021 to achieve that goal, seeing as current champ Tessa Blanchard is the youngest champion in history at 24 years of age.
Since his arrival to IMPACT, Ace has had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest names in the company, including Trey of The Rascalz, current Call Your Shot trophy holder Eddie Edwards, and the legendary Petey Williams. “Everything’s a stepping stone, it’s history in the making. They’re part of that history. I think you can appreciate and you can find value in everything, if you can’t find value, there’s no reason to be doing it”, which is a statement that could resonate with anyone reading this. Austin hasn’t been upset with any of his performances thus far, which is a fair statement to make, seeing as his matches are usually the highlight of any show he features on.
Upon being asked about who he’d like to see brought into IMPACT Wrestling, Ace claimed that anyone could come into the company, they just have to earn their seat at the table. As for his dream matches, Ace would choose either Jeff Hardy or Rob Van Dam, both former IMPACT World Champions and two of the main three who drew Ace into wrestling – the third being Shawn Michaels. “The fact that RVD’s on the roster right now means that that match is just on the horizon, that one’s bound to happen soon enough”.
In more recent times, Ace Austin has been associated with Adam Thornstowe and Luster The Legend, the tandem known collectively as Reno Scum, a trio that Ace was more than happy to be part of. “Those two are splendid dudes, those guys are the best. They have had my back more than anyone else in IMPACT, that’s for sure, and I certainly don’t mind having my back watched by two big tough dues like them”.
Seeing as Ace is unable to wrestle during this worldwide lockdown, he’s been keeping himself busy doing other activities for the first time in his career. “In my short, five year career, I haven’t ever taken any time off. As far as I can travel, what ever show I can be part of, every weekend”, meaning these ongoing issues within the world have been the perfect opportunity for the former X Division Champion to have some downtime without feeling too guilty about it. “I didn’t feel that I needed to rest, I didn’t feel run down or burnt out or anything like that. Playing lots of video games”.
A big thanks to Ace Austin for taking the time to chat to Last Word on Pro Wrestling, and a special mention to IMPACT’s PR agent Simon Rothstein for his ever-helpful support in setting the interview up!
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. Be sure to follow IMPACT Wrestling via IMPACT Plus and Twitch to catch all of the IMPACT action.
