Michael Elgin Says Impact Wrestling Hasn't Had A Five-Star Match Since AJ Styles Was There

Since leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling and debuting at Impact Wrestling Rebellion, there's been major buzz surrounding Michael Elgin. During a recent Impact media call, Elgin stated what he wants to accomplish as Impact's recent addition.

"My goal is to remain champion and put on matches that the world wants to see," Elgin said. "I've worked over half my life at this and I think I've always taken it serious but in the past couple of years, I've taken it more serious than ever. And that's with how I wrestle. That's with how I take care of my body and try to get in the best shape possible to perform at a level that nobody else can perform at. And that's a hard place to be because in the world of wrestling, there's so many great talents out there. My focus is to put the eyes on what I do wrestling on Impact." Elgin added.

Elgin dug up a TNA match from Unbreakable 2005 and set it as the standard for the quality of performance he would like to help bring back to Impact.

"I believe the last 5-star match in an Impact ring was Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, and Christopher Daniels in a three-way," Elgin said. "And that was many years ago. So, I'd say after being champion and retaining that championship, my goal is get myself on the record books underneath an Impact ring with a 5-star match." Elgin added.

Elgin has a long history of performing in numerous wrestling organizations. Now, a member of Impact, Elgin is bound to collide with new faces in addition to some old foes too. Elgin shared the Impact performers that he's looking forward to battling.

"Impact has a tremendous roster. As a wrestler, you always look forward to matchups and being in the ring with talent who is world class and make you step up to the next level. That's another reason why I wanted to come to Impact. There's guys like Ethan Page and Josh Alexander there who I know from our past together and they've grown in strides and have shown how talented they are. So, those are two guys I really want to be in the ring with. It's been many years since I've got to wrestle Moose. The Rascalls. Those are the top of my head guys that I haven't wrestled ever or in such a long time. I look forward to sharing the ring with them. I also look forward to showing them that now I'm in town, they don't really have a chance. But still, it will be a really fun match.

"I've recently wrestled Killer Cross and I do look forward to wrestling him under the Impact banner in an Impact ring. And Eddie Edwards, I've shared a lot of time with him in prior companies. To me, he's on the best wrestlers in the world. Being able to share a ring with someone who's that talented always brings you to a new level. I think it's been maybe six or seven years since I got to wrestle Eddie. I think we're both difference performers in that ring and two monsters in that ring. If I do get a chance with Eddie Edwards we're going to have a special match that people are going to be talking about."

Elgrin has reiterrated multiple times that he is a fan of wrestling and stays in tune with the current state of wrestling as a fan and a performer. Though he did debut at Impact Rebellion as wrestler, he also enjoyed the program as a fan.

"I thought [Rebellion] was a fantastic card from top to bottom," Elgin said. I've mentioned quite a few times now that I stay up to date on all wrestling because one, I am a wrestler, and two, I'm a fan. I feel that consistently Impact's Pay-Per-Views have been top notch and the best Pay-Per-View's going. Rebeillion was in that same vein." Elgin said.

Rebellion concluded with Elgin powerbombing Cage and the crowd chanting 'one, two, three'. After the event, it was reported that Brian Cage had suffered a back injury and was sent to the hospital. Elgin believes that he is responsbile for causing Cage's injury.

"I don't know when Brian Cage was hurt," Elgin said. "All I can tell you is when I walked out and power bombed him and the crowd counted 'one, two, three' when he had his shoulders to the mat- you could call myself the uncrowned champion. That's when he was sent to the hospital. He was standing tall with a championsip in his hands when I walked out. So, it's hard to say when he got hurt. But if you ask me, I'll tell you it's when I powerbombed him."

Continuing with familiar faces in Impact, Elgin spoke about what Rob Van Dam's return to Impact means to him and the company as a whole.

"I think it's great for Rob Van Dam," Elgin said. "I think it's great for Impact. Anybody whose in my age group and is a wrestling fan, was a huge fan of Rob Van Dam and what he did in ECW and later in WWE. He's a great talent and puts a lot of new eyes on Impact. He had a great career within Impact prior.

"He's one of those guys who has such a star quality and such an appeal to people that I think him on the Impact roster only means great things for Impact and great things for Rob Van Dam because there's such a new blood of talent within Impact that he might have never heard of or never wrestled. They're at a level that I haven't seen before. This is one of the best times to be a wrestler because everybody is so good. Because everybody is so good, only the cream of the crop rises to promotions like Impact. So, I think you're going to see some absolute fantastic matches out of Rob Van Dam because the talent that calls Impact home is just on another level."

Michael Elgin can be seen every Friday night on Impact Wrestling. It airs at 10 om EST and can be watched via Pursuit and Twitch.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.