The Most Obscure and Forgotten Champions In Impact Wrestling History

The Most Obscure and Forgotten Champions In Impact Wrestling History

June 25, 2022

By Ryan Porzl

Anyone who's been following my articles knows what's next. We'll continue celebrating Impact's 20th Anniversary with the second part which will look back at those Impact champions that have faded into obscurity and are not as remembered. Not every champion can be AJ Styles or Kurt Angle or Josh Alexander and we'll look at those champions. Again, I will not only cover TNA/Impact title reigns but also NWA reigns when Impact controlled the titles.

I don't own any of the pictures. I found them on google.

Sonny Siaki

Championship(s) Held: TNA X Division Championship

Perhaps it's only fitting we start with the original forgettable champion. Siaki originally trained at the WCW Power Plant and turned pro in March 1998 where he spent time in WCW paying his dues and working the c-level shows until leaving due to his unhappiness with where his career was going. After that, he did time in the indie circuit, specifically for Dusty Rhodes' short lived Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling promotion where he got further training. Siaki then joined Impact upon it's formation in 2002 and was put with Jimmy Yang and Jorge Estrada in a stable called "the Flying Elvises" where he made history winning the first televised match in Impact history against AJ Styles, Low Ki, and Jerry Lynn. A few months later, the stable broke up and Siaki joined Vince Russo's "Sports Entertainment Xtreme" stable where he got the nickname "Ace in the Hole" and it would be here where he became a champion. On December 11, 2002, during NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #25, Siaki would go on to challenge and defeat Jerry Lynn for the TNA X Division Championship. Siaki would hold the title for 63 days and successfully defended against the likes of Lynn, EZ Money, Amazing Red, and Kid Kash before losing the title to Kash on February 12, 2003, during NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #32. After losing the championship, Siaki would continue to work for Impact till he left in December 2005 but was never able to return to championship status though he did form several short alliances with the likes of Ekmo (Umaga) and Simon Diamond. After leaving, he signed a WWE developmental contract and did time for their Deep South Wrestling and Florida Championship Wrestling developmental territories where he mostly teamed with Afa Jr. (Manu) before being released in late 2007. After leaving the WWE, he briefly returned to the indie circuit until retiring in 2008 after he donated one of his kidneys to his brother. Since retirement, Siaki has worked for UPS.

Rob Terry

Championship(s) Held: TNA Global Championship

Rob Terry was one of those guys who had a look for wrestling and seemed like someone who would get opportunities but largely fizzled after a couple of years. A former bodybuilder, Terry trained at the Dudley Boyz Team 3D Academy and signed a WWE developmental contract in 2007 where he received further training and worked at the Florida Championship Wrestling developmental territory but was eventually released in 2008. Upon his release, he was signed by Impact in early 2009 and became the muscle for the British Invasion stable which also featured Nick Aldis (Brutus Magnus/Magnus) and Doug Williams. After a year with the BI and as part of Eric Young's World Elite stable, Terry eventually would have a fallen out and the BI broke up but this led to another opportunity for the big man. On January 27, 2008, Terry would face his former World Elite leader Eric Young for the TNA Global Championship in his hometown of Cardiff, Wales and would go on to defeat EY for the gold. Terry would hold the belt for 167 days and successful held the championship over the likes of Magnus, Homicide, Tomko, Abyss, and Orlando Jordan before losing the championship to AJ Styles on July 13th during an Impact TV Taping (shown July 22nd). After losing the title, Terry would then be sent to the midcard for the remainder of his Impact run as he had a run as a bodyguard for Ric Flair's Fortune stable before joining Hulk Hogan's Immortal stable and then had an alliance with Robbie E but titles continued to elude him. From 2012-2013, Terry then worked with Impact developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling where he enjoyed big success winning the triple crown of the Heavyweight, Television, and Southern Tag Team Championships as well as the Nightmare Cup Tag Team Tournament in 2013. He would also work several tours for the Japanese based WRESTLE-1 who also had a working agreement with Impact. From 2014-2015, Terry then returned to Impact where he was repackaged as masked man The Freak and was part of Knux's Menagerie stable along with Rebel and Crazzy Steve before being released in 2015. After leaving Impact, Terry worked the indie circuit for a number of years, mostly in Florida where he won several titles including the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Japanese wrestler Kazushi Miyamoto before retiring in 2019. 

                    

               Kevin Northcutt

Legend

                      

Kevin Northcutt and Legend

Championship(s) Held: NWA World Tag Team Championship

Time now for the first of several former NWA World Tag Team Champions during Impact's ownership of the belts that have been forgotten in Red Shirt Security of Kevin Northcutt and Legend. Northcutt was trained by Sika of the Wild Samoans and turned pro in 1994. He mostly spent time in NWA territories, specifically in Texas, where he enjoyed a lot of success having runs as NWA National, World Tag Team, and Texas Heavyweight Championships during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Along the way, he also made appearances for WWF, WCW, and ECW but wasn't hired. As for Legend, he was a Canadian wrestler who trained under Ron Hutchison and Sweet Daddy Siki where he turned pro in 1992 under the name Joe E. Legend and formed a tag team with Sexton Hardcastle (the future Edge) before taking part in the stable THUG Life with Hardcastle, Christian Cage, and Rhino Richards (the future Rhino) in the indie circuits. From 2000-2001, he worked for the WWF as "Just Joe" a gossip wrestler who spent most of his time stirring the pot in backstage segments. He also worked around the world winning regional titles as well as working for big promotions like Catch Wrestling Association in Germany and IWA: Puerto Rico, winning titles in both. By 2003, both made their way to Impact where Legend had a short rivalry with Jeff Jarrett while Northcutt would be part of Don Callis' Red Shirt Security with Ryan Wilson before Legend replaced Wilson. On January 28, 2004, at NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #82, Northcutt and Legend would challenge 3 Live Kru members BG James (Road Dogg) and Ron Killings (R-Truth) for the NWA World Tag Team Championships and went on to defeat them to win the championships. Northcutt and Legend would hold the belts for a week before losing them to AJ Styles and Abyss on February 4th during NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #83. 

After losing the belts, Northcutt would work a few more matches before leaving Impact in March 2004. Afterwards, he wrestled only sporadically on the indie circuit beginning in 2005 until retiring in 2009.

Legend would leave Impact in February 2004, shortly after the title loss and went back to touring the world working for promotions such as the Canadian based Border City Wrestling, Japanese based Pro Wrestling NOAH, Japanese based Pro Wrestling ZERO1, and the South African based World Wrestling Professionals winning the World Championship in the latter promotion. In recent years, he's made his home in Germany and mostly wrestles in Europe. Though he's slowed down in recent years, Legend still competes as of 2022. 

Johnny Devine

Championship(s) Held: TNA X Division Championship

When you think of Impact's greatest stables, one must think of Team Canada. Originally a team put together for the 2004 X Cups before becoming a permanent stable led by current Impact EVP Scott D'Amore. The group featured mostly a who's who in Impact history with the permanent line up consisting of four wrestlers with three being Impact legends in Petey Williams, Bobby Roode, and Eric Young. The fourth guy who pretty was "the other guy" was a wrestler named Johnny Devine. Devine trained in the Hart Dungeon by Bruce Hart and turned pro in 1997 where he worked the Canadian indies for the first seven years while also making appearances for WWF and ECW. In 2004, Devine got his break when he joined Impact as part of Team Canada's 2004 X Cup tournaments before becoming a permanent member. Unfortunately, he battled injuries and a stabbing incident which eventually saw him briefly leave in 2005. By 2006, he returned as part of Alex Shelley's Paparazzi Productions and then as part of the Serotonin before finally getting a push as an "X Division Traitor" when he aligned with Team 3D who were feuding with the division in late 2007 and it would be here where Divine would become a champion. On January 21, 2008, during a TNA Impact! TV Taping (shown January 24th), Divine challenged Jay Lethal to a street fight for the X Division Championship and would go on to be victorious in winning the belt. Devine would hold the gold for only 20 days but made two successful title defenses against Lethal at house shows before losing the championship back to Lethal in a six man street fight (Lethal teamed with the Motor City Machine Guns while Devine teamed with Team 3D) at Against All Odds 2008 on February 10th. After losing the title, Devine continued working for Impact for a couple more months and received a few rematches but wasn't able to regain the X Division Championship before being released in October 2008. Since his release, Devine returned to the indie circuit where he occasionally still wrestles to this day.

                  

                     Wilde (right) with Sarita (left)

Taylor Wilde

Championship(s) Held: TNA Knockouts Championship and TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship (2x)

I wasn't sure to put Taylor on this list because she did briefly return to Impact last year. However, her peak in Impact was more than a decade ago, she was retired for so long, and her return didn't last long so why not. Taylor trained and turned pro in 2003 and for her first three years, worked the indie circuit, paid her dues, and gained experience. From 2006-2007, she then worked for WWE under a developmental contract and worked their minor leagues like Deep South Wrestling and Florida Championship Wrestling before being released. In early 2008, she would be signed to Impact and began an angle where she appeared as a plant in the audience who eventually took part in Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong's $25,000 and after coming short, was able to earn another shot but this time, the belt would be on the line. On June 24, 2008, during a TNA Impact! TV Taping (shown July 10th). Taylor would challenge Awesome Kong for both the Knockouts Championship as well as the $25,000 and scored the upset to win the gold. Taylor would hold the belt for 121 days and successfully held off challenges against the likes of Kong, Velvet Sky, Jacqueline, Angelina Love, and Roxxi before losing the championship back to Kong on a live TNA Impact! on October 23rd.

After losing the championship, Taylor would get rematches but wasn't able to regain the title. Despite this, another opportunity would come her way when Impact created the Knockouts Tag Team Championship and Taylor would form a tag team with Sarita. The team would enter a tournament to crown inaugural champions. After defeating Alissa Flash and Daffney in the first round followed by Kong and Raisha Saeed before facing Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne of the Beautiful People at No Surrender 2009 on September 20, 2009 and would go on to defeat them to be the first champions. Taylor and Sarita would hold the belts for 106 days fending off challenges against the Beautiful People as well as ODB and Tara before losing the titles to Kong and Hamada on a live TNA Impact! on January 4, 2010. 

After the reign ended, Taylor and Sarita eventually went their own ways and later in the year, formed a new team with one of the knockouts who defeated her in Hamada and Taylor would once again taste gold. On July 27, 2010, during a TNA Impact! TV Taping (shown August 5th), Taylor and Hamada would challenge the Beautiful People for the Knockouts Tag Team Championships and went on to defeat them for the belts. After winning, Taylor and Hamada would hold the gold for 132 days while successfully defending against variations of the Beautiful People (which at the time consisted of Velvet Sky, Madison Rayne, and Lacey Von Erich) twice before being stripped of the titles on December 6th when both left Impact. After leaving Impact, Taylor would briefly work the indie circuit until announcing her retirement in January 2011 and having her last match in February. After that, Taylor would be out of wrestling for over a decade until she returned to Impact in April 2021. Upon her return she would mostly feud with Deonna Purrazzo as well as Madison Rayne and Tenille Dashwood of the Influence before leaving again in November due to personal reasons. As of June 2022, Taylor hasn't competed since November and while the door is open for a return, it's unknown when or if that will happen.

Anarquia (right) with Hernandez (left)

Anarquia

Championship(s) Held: TNA World Tag Team Championship

Hernandez is one of Impact's greatest tag team wrestlers. In fact, with the exception of "Cowboy" James Storm, he's probably the second greatest tag team wrestler in Impact history. Like the mentioned Storm, SuperMex is one of those guys who could gel and find success with almost anyone. He mostly became known for his time in LAX with Homicide but also achieved tag team success with Matt Morgan and Chavo Guerrero. However, there was one other partner Hernandez was success with but has largely been forgotten and that man is Anarquia. Trained by Ohio Valley Wrestling, Anarquia first came in to OVW in 2004 as Ramon Loco and formed a tag team called Los Locos with another wrestler named Raul LaMotta or Raul Loco where they captured the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship on two occasions over the years. Between the two title reigns, Anarquia went on his own and became known as Low Rider all the while being successful in the singles division as he held the OVW Heavyweight Championship two times. By 2011, he made his way to Impact just as Hernandez was putting together the Mexican America stable alongside Sarita and Rosita (Zelina Vega). Anarquia and Hernandez would quickly form a tag team and when it came to success, it was the same song and dance for Hernandez who had a different partner but the outcome was the same. On August 9, 2011, during an Impact Wrestling TV Taping (shown August 18th), Mexican America would challenge Impact's top team Beer Money Inc. and went on to defeat them to win the championships. Mexican America would hold the belts for 97 days, during which they successfully defended them against Pope and Devon as well as the team of Ink Inc. before losing them to Crimson and Matt Morgan on November 14th during an Impact Wrestling TV Taping (shown November 17th). After losing the titles, Anarquia continued working for Impact as well as OVW (which had a working relationship at the time) before being released in April 2012. Since then, he's retired from wrestling, only making a one night only return to OVW in 2015.

Apolo

Championship(s) Held: NWA World Tag Team Championship

Apolo was another former NWA World Tag Team Champion that's likely been forgotten despite having somewhat left his mark in Impact's early years. Originally turning pro in 1999, Apolo made his mark in his native Puerto Rico for the IWA: Puerto Rico where he achieved big success having multiple runs as heavyweight and tag team champion. Apolo would first make his mark in Impact at their inaugural show on June 19, 2002 where he competed in a Gauntlet for the Gold to determine the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion. He came up short and left after a few appearances to return to Puerto Rico. In 2004, he made his return to briefly feud with Jeff Jarrett before forming a tag team with D'Lo Brown. On April 14, 2004, during NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #93, Apolo and Brown would challenge Kid Kash and Dallas (Lance Archer) for the NWA World Tag Team Championship and went on to defeat them by disqualification for the belts (in this period, Impact allowed titles to change hands by disqualification). Apolo and Brown would hold the gold for a week before losing the belts back to Kash and Dallas on April 21st during NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #94. After losing the titles, Apolo would part ways with Brown and briefly form an alliance with Sonny Siaki until Siaki's departure in late 2005. In early 2006, Apolo again made his mark by being an original member of the Latin American Xchange along with Konnan and Homicide before being fired after no-showing Final Resolution 2006. After that, he returned to Puerto Rico but left IWA: PR after no-showing one of their shows and eventually went to work for WWC where he continued to achieve big success. From December 2007 to March 2008, he was signed to a WWE developmental contract and briefly worked in Florida Championship Wrestling. Since then, he's worked in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico and still wrestles to this day. 

Chase Stevens (left) & Andy Douglas (right)

The Naturals

Championship(s) Held: NWA World Tag Team Championship (3x)

The Naturals were a solid and talented team that had it's share of success during Impact's early years, mostly during the period where teams like America's Most Wanted and Triple X were dominating the scene. The team consisted of wrestlers Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas. Douglas trained and turned pro in 2000 where he worked the indies in Tennessee for the first three years of his career. Stevens turned pro in 1998 and also worked the indies during his early years. He first showed up in Impact in 2002 as part of the team "The Hotshots" with Cassidy Riley. By 2003, the two then began working for USA Championship Wrestling and would be paired up by booker and Impact employee Bob Ryder. The team would eventually make their way to Impact in late 2003 and quickly began a rivalry with top team America's Most Wanted where they began pursuing the NWA World Tag Team Championships. On July 7, 2004, at NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #105, The Naturals would go on to defeat America's Most Wanted for their first NWA World Tag Team Championships. The Naturals would hold the belts for 63 days and successfully defend against AMW, Triple X, and 3 Live Kru before losing the titles to Chris Harris (of AMW) and Elix Skipper (of Triple X) on NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #114.

After losing the titles, The Naturals would eventually form an alliance with Chris Candido and several months later returned to the top of the mountain. On April 26, 2005, during a TNA Impact TV Tapings (shown April 29th), The Naturals would once again defeat AMW to reclaim the NWA World Tag Team Championships. The match would be Candido's last appearance before his untimely death days later due to a blood clot and pneumonia. The Naturals would hold the belts for 162 days and would fend off challenges from the likes of AMW and Team Canada until the titles were held up against Eric Young and Cassidy Riley at NWA's Road to the 57th Annual Convention Day 2 due to controversy on October 5th.

Three days later, at NWA's 57 Anniversary show, The Naturals would rematch Young and Riley for the vacant championships and would go on to defeat them for a third reign. The Naturals would only hold the belts for three days before losing them to AMW on October 11th during a TNA Impact! TV Taping (shown October 22nd). After losing the titles, The Naturals would continue with Impact until 2008, during which, they were never able to regain the titles, even after recruiting Shane Douglas to be their manager. Despite this, they would find success in IWA: Puerto Rico, winning their tag team titles. In 2008, the team was released from Impact and then returned to the indie circuit until Douglas retired in 2010. Stevens continues to wrestle to this day, while he and Douglas would have a one night reunion in 2016, as he made the occasional prelim appearance for WWE and the occasional returns to Impact with his recent appearance being Slammiversary 2022. 

Lacey Von Erich

Championship(s) Held: TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship

Anybody who's a longtime wrestling fan or hardcore fan knows about the Von Erich wrestling family. Originally consisting of patriarch Fritz Von Erich who became a legend in the business during the 1950s to 1980s, it continued on with his sons, Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike, and Chris during the 1980s and 1990s before tragedy after tragedy would see all but Kevin pass away young. In recent times, the family has had a small comeback with Kevin's sons Ross and Marshall enjoying success in MLW but they weren't the only third generation Von Erichs that entered wrestling. Prior to Ross and Marshall, the first third generation Von Erich to enter wrestling was Lacey, one of Kerry's two daughters. Lacey originally trained in WWE's developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling and spent most of 2007 there but was ultimately released less than a year later. She then did time on the indie circuit most notably for the Wrestlicious promotion before signing with Impact in 2010. Upon her debut, she replaced Angelina Love in the Beautiful People alongside Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne and would quickly benefit from the alliance. On March 8, 2010, during a live TNA Impact!, Velvet and Madison would face Angelina Love and Tara along with Sarita and Taylor Wilde in a three way for the vacant Knockouts Tag Team Championship and would go on to win the belts. Due to the Freebird rule of professional wrestling, Lacey also became a champion as any two of the three Beautiful People could defend at any time. The Beautiful People would hold the titles for 141 days, fending off challenges from Angelina Love and Tara, OBD and Daffney, and Sarita and Rosita before the Lacey/Velvet version lost the titles to Taylor and Hamada on July 27th during a TNA Impact! TV Taping (shown August 5th). After losing the titles, Lacey continued in Impact until November 2010 when she left the promotion and retired from wrestling. Since then, she's run her own advertising agency in Southern California, had three children, and in 2021, became co-owner of the SWE Fury indie promotion in Texas.

Michael Shane

Championship(s) Held: TNA X Division Championship (2x)

Michael Shane is an interesting name on this list as he's one of those wrestlers who was stuck under an enormous shadow due to who his family is and like Donovan Morgan in ROH forgotten article, he's like the original MTV VJ's in that he'll always be the answer to a trivia question. Shane is the cousin of Shawn Michaels and trained under him during Michaels' 1998-2002 retirement period, eventually turning pro in 1999 where he first competed for Michaels Texas Wrestling Alliance. Eventually, he began making a name for himself touring for FMW, All Japan, and ZERO1 in Japan while also working for ECW during their final months (even wrestling their final show on January 13, 2001) and the early years of ROH. During this time, he also made the occasional WWE appearance but wasn't hired. By the summer of 2003, Shane made his way to Impact where he quickly became a top wrestler in the X Division, feuding with fellow up and comers Frankie Kazarian and Chris Sabin which not only led to Shane getting the championship but he would make history along the way. On August 20, 2003, during NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #59, Shane would face Kazarian and Sabin in the first ever Ultimate X Match for the vacant TNA X Division Championship and made history by not only winning the championship but being the first Ultimate X winner of all time. Shane would hold the belt for 140 days and made successful title defenses against Sabin, Christopher Daniels, Sonjay Dutt, Jerry Lynn, and Low-Ki before losing the title to Sabin in a four way Ultimate X (also involving Daniels and Ki) on January 7, 2004 during NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #79.

After losing the championship, Shane continued on as a contender in Impact and lightning would somewhat strike twice a few months later. On July 28, 2004, during NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV #108, Shane would again challenge for the championship in an Ultimate X match also involving champion AJ Styles and Kazarian. The match would end in controversy when Shane and Kaz would both pull the championship off the structure at the same time, thus being declared co-champions. Shane and Kazarian would reign as co-X Division champions for 14 days before both lost the title in a Gauntlet for the Gold match against Petey Williams on August 11th during NWA-TNA's Weekly PPV# 110. After losing the championship, Shane continued to align with Kazarian until Kazarian's brief departure in early 2005. It would be during this time, he began going by his real name Matt Bentley as WWE trademarked the Michael Shane name for another wrestler. Shane would continue in Impact for another few years but his stock would drop from there. He briefly would be part of the Serotonin stable with Kazarian and Johnny Devine until being released in 2007. Afterwards, he again got a WWE try out match but wasn't hired and began to wrestle less going into the 2010s. He would make some one night only returns to Impact from 2011-2013 but it never resulted in a full time return. His last match would be in 2015 for Jeff Jarrett's GFW promotion before retiring.