Josh Alexander wants Impact Wrestling to have an advantage possessed by no other company.
His goal is to give Impact a world champion who will deliver every single time he steps foot in the ring, establishing a weekly product that fans of pro wrestling would be disappointed to miss.
“Our wrestling is going to grow our brand,” says Alexander, who will wrestle Moose for the Impact world title in the main event of Saturday’s Rebellion pay-per-view. “The next step is for me to get that world championship. When I do, I’m going to defend it all over and I’m going to give the best matches people can possibly see.”
And, for the record, Alexander wants to do it while carrying the flag for Impact.
“I’ve always been bothered that Impact has been used as a stepping stone,” Alexander says. “To me, that’s a knock against the company. I had other options, but I chose to stay with Impact Wrestling.”
Alexander’s contract expired in February, but he signed a multiyear deal that will keep him with Impact.
“I never wanted to leave,” says Alexander, who is 34-year-old Josh Lemay. “Brandi [Rhodes] calling me out in AEW, that prompted the news cycle to think I was going to AEW, but I never wanted to leave Impact.”
Though specifics on the terms were not provided, Alexander’s deal allows him to work dates on the indies as well as make appearances for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, which he just did Saturday night in a 10-man tag at the Windy City Riot show in Chicago. Throughout those travels, Impact will remain his home base.
“I love the locker room and the crew, and this company has given me nothing but opportunity to show that I can compete and be one of the best wrestlers in the world,” Alexander says. “There is a lot more for me to do, and a big next is against Moose at Rebellion.”
Alexander has thrived in Impact as a singles performer over the past 15 months. Before that, he had a successful run tagging with Ethan Page in The North, in which they had two reigns together as tag champs. Once the pair was separated, Alexander became an indispensable part of the singles scene, starting with an outstanding run as X Division champion.
During the past year, Impact had a working relationship with AEW. That led to Kenny Omega arriving and winning the Impact world title, which he later lost to former Impact star—and current AEW talent—Christian Cage. The belt was ultimately reclaimed by one of Impact’s own last October at the Bound for Glory pay-per-view when Alexander defeated Cage in an excellent match.
Yet those who blinked may have missed the duration of Alexander’s title run. Moose cashed in his title opportunity during the celebration, defeating Alexander and taking his belt in front of his wife and one of his sons.
“That night against Christian, right before I was about to hit the ring, I questioned whether anyone would react when I came out,” Alexander says. “That was just me in my own head thinking the worst possible. But that reaction from the crowd, it didn’t go unnoticed. That’s another reason why I always give it back every time I step in the ring.
“These last six months have been all about getting back to this point. I want to be the one carrying Impact. I want to have a lengthy title run. I want to give Impact something no one else has.”
There is endless potential for Alexander as champ, in which he could work with a variety of opponents including Eddie Edwards, Ace Austin, Matt Cardona, Chris Bey and possibly even “Speedball” Mike Bailey. Alexander continues to showcase new layers to his in-ring work, further solidifying himself as a major player in the industry.
“I was a big fan of Bret Hart, Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero, and I loved how they could wrestle anyone and make it work,” says Alexander. “That’s my goal, too.”
To reach that elusive next level, Alexander will need a memorable run as world champ. That could begin as soon as Saturday when he meets Moose in the Rebellion main event.
“This is the biggest match of my 17-year career,” Alexander says. “But this isn’t just for me. It’s for my family and my fans, the ones that have stuck with me.
“It’s been a long road to get here. I’m going to show that emotion, that motivation and the heart that brought me to this point—and that’s going to make me world champion.”
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Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
