There’s been speculation for weeks over who IMPACT Wrestling was going to announce as the 2018 inductee into the IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Fame, and those rumors only intensified in the past week when it was revealed that high ranking members of IMPACT management had meetings with the WWE last week. Names like Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, Eric Young and even AJ Styles were lobbied around, but ultimately it was revealed tonight that the next inductee is a man who has spent the bulk of his entire career with Total Nonstop Action (TNA)/IMPACT Wrestling – “The Monster” Abyss.
The last true TNA Original, Abyss has been with IMPACT Wrestling since the company was founded in 2002. Already an emerging indie star from the late 90s as Prince Justice, he debuted on the very first TNA Pay-Per-View in the Gauntlet for the Gold, where he appeared under the name Justice. But by his next appearance, in singles action against Julio DeNiro, he became the “monster” that TNA/IMPACT fans have come to love and hate, Abyss.
At TNA Genesis ’06, Abyss would defeat Sting to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (when TNA’s titles were all NWA titles) and would go on to become an IMPACT Grand Slam Champion when he added the TNA X-Division Championship, TNA Television Championship and TNA World Tag Team titles to his trophy case. A violent competitor, Abyss encompassed the dark and macabre, often employing former ECW Superstar Father James Mitchell as his manager, as well as having a barbaric fascination for violence – he’s competed in multiple Monster’s Ball matches, against the likes of Sabu and Judas Mesias (now Mil Muertes in Lucha Underground). In 2016, he won his second tag team titles as a part of the popular trio Decay, alongside Crazzy Steve and Rosemary.
Although as Abyss he continues to work the indie circuit around North America, his last appearance on IMPACT Wrestling was in another Monster’s Ball match, when he was defeated by Kongo Kong back in March. But the man behind the mask, Christopher Parks, is still very much a part of IMPACT Wrestling – he’s also the “twin brother” of Abyss, Joseph Parks, as well as a member of the IMPACT creative team.
While the WWE based TNA originals like Styles, Roode, Young or Joe would have been welcomed choices, there’s really no better choice for induction into the IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018 than the man who stayed loyal for the company’s entire 17 year existence.
