Tag: Jai Vidal

Tag match added to Impact Slammiversary pre-show

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Impact Wrestling has added a new match to the lineup for Slammiversary 2023.

On the pre-show for Slammiversary, The Death Dollz (Courtney Rush & Jessicka) will team up with Jody Threat against Gisele Shaw, Savannah Evans & Jai Vidal. The pre-show streams for free on Impact Plus, YouTube, and Fite TV starting at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time this Saturday.

This is the second match that’s been confirmed for the pre-show. It will also feature a Digital Media Championship match with Joe Hendry defending against Kenny King.

St. Clair College Sportsplex in Windsor, Ontario, Canada is hosting Slammiversary. There have now been 10 matches announced for the event. The updated lineup is listed below:

Impact Wrestling Slammiversary 2023 (Saturday, July 15) —

  • Impact World Champion Alex Shelley defends against Nick Aldis
  • Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo defends against Trinity
  • X-Division Champion Chris Sabin defends against Lio Rush
  • Impact Tag Team Champions ABC (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) defend against Sami Callihan & Rich Swann, Brian Myers & Moose, and Subculture (Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews) in a four-way match
  • Knockouts Tag Team Champions The Coven (Taylor Wilde & KiLynn King) defend against Masha Slamovich & Killer Kelly
  • Bully Ray & Deaner vs. Scott D’Amore & TBA with former NHL player Darren McCarty as special enforcer (PCO’s status for the match is in question following an angle on last week’s Impact)
  • Ultimate X match: Mike Bailey vs. Jonathan Gresham vs. Angels vs. Kevin Knight vs. KUSHIDA
  • Frankie Kazarian vs. Eddie Edwards
  • Countdown to Slammiversary: Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry defends against Kenny King
  • Countdown to Slammiversary: The Death Dollz (Courtney Rush & Jessicka) & Jody Threat vs. Gisele Shaw, Savannah Evans & Jai Vidal

Jai Vidal becomes first openly gay man to sign Impact Wrestling contract

Posted on by Josh Nason

Jai Vidal has become the first openly gay man to sign a contract with Impact Wrestling.

Vidal revealed the news during a podcast appearance on OutSports’ LGBT In The Ring, saying he signed a multi-year deal with the company and learning about how he made company history on the morning the podcast was recorded.

“It’s knocking down barriers and everything that I have always wanted to do for my community in professional wrestling. I talk about this a lot, but growing up, I had nobody to look up to when it came to representation,” he said. “To know that maybe one day down the line somebody will see me on TV and will be inspired by me being openly gay, it will inspire them to chase whatever goals and dreams they have as an open person in the LGBTQ community.”

The 25-year-old debuted for Impact in October 2021, losing to Eric Young and JONAH in a pair of TV matches. In recent weeks, he has re-emerged as the content creator and personal stylist for Gisele Shaw. While he has been on screen with Shaw, he has yet to get back into the ring for Impact.

Shaw is also a trailblazer for the company, coming out as transgender this past June.

Vidal works regularly on the indies, appearing for GCW, Florida’s CCW, Las Vegas’ Future Stars of Wrestling and PCW, where he is their Ultralight Champion.