To say somebody has given blood, sweat and tears in pursuit of something is generally a trite cliché – however in the case of “The Monster” Abyss it can be taken quite literally. Ever present in IMPACT over the last 16 years, from Justice to Joseph Park – Abyss has given every ounce of energy toward entertaining the IMPACT Wrestling audience. Volatile and versatile, dynamic and deadly, barbaric and brilliant – join us as we dive deep into Abyss’ Hall of Fame career.
Abyss appeared on the first ever NWA-TNA event in Hunstville, Alabama – then under the name Justice, Abyss is the very definition of an IMPACT original. While he was unsuccessful in that Gauntlet for the Gold match, Abyss certainly left an impression (and unleashed an early preview of his patented Black Hole Slam). Abyss would continue to hone his particular brand of brutality in Puerto Rico before “The Monster” would be unleashed in earnest on TNA in June of 2003.
The Monster was unleashed on IMPACT Wrestling in June of 2003 as @TherealAbyss made his full debut. We celebrate his Hall of Fame induction on October 14th.
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Speaking on the IMPACT Wrestling Press Pass, Abyss discussed his time in Puerto Rico, “Puerto played a really integral part in me becoming a better professional wrestler and it’s something I’ll never forget. This business takes you to a lot of different places around the world and Puerto Rico was a big stop for me. I wouldn’t be at where I am today without Puerto Rico.”
Associated with the likes of Kid Kash and Goldy Locks in the Asylum Years, Abyss soon struck a fierce rivalry with “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles. The gargantuan force and earnest underdog, Abyss and Styles displayed a fierce chemistry together. Their rivalry led to an NWA World Tag Team Title reign, though both men could hardly have been called partners, before it finally culminated at Lockdown 2005.
.@TherealAbyss' classic main event of the first ever Lockdown PPV vs. AJ Styles in 2005 is one of the many highlights of his Hall of Fame career.
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Abyss stepped into the main event for the first time, battling Styles inside Six Sides of Steel and headlining the inaugural Lockdown event. “The main event of me and AJ Styles in the cage at the very first Lockdown is probably my favourite (match of my career)”, Abyss said. “It was the first time either one of us had ever main evented a Sunday night live PPV – the pressure was on. We always had incredible chemistry together and we tore it down.”
That match would cement Abyss’ status as one of the elite in TNA Wrestling. In 2005 Abyss struck a deal with the devil that would eventually take him to the top. He found a like minded spirit in “The Sinister Minster” James Mitchell and one of the most destructive pairings in IMPACT history was formed. Mitchell brought out the worst of Abyss in the best way possible. Mitchell helped channel all of Abyss’ focus and intensity toward a single cause. Throughout the year of 2005, through rivalries with Styles, Lance Hoyt, Raven and Sabu – Abyss took his career to another level.
At the end of 2005, Abyss and Sabu made history as their long running rivalry reached a whole new level at Turning Point 2005. The ropes were removed and replaced with barbed wire, barbed wire implements of destruction were placed all over ringside – it was promised to be a massacre. “It was the first time that no ropes barbed wire had ever been televised live on PPV in North America so we were able to do something for the first time,” Abyss remembered.
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