Frankie Kazarian wants to prove he can still hang with the current crop of X Division talent as he looks to become a 6x…6x X Division Champion. Kazarian takes on Mike Bailey this Friday night at Bound for Glory for the X Division Title.
Asked what this run means to him during a new interview with WrestleZone, Kazarian said that returning to IMPACT means many things to him and feels like it’s a cool story to tell.
“It’s kind of all of those things. It’s definitely a full circle moment because I am challenging for the X-Division Championship. Winning that particular belt in 2004 is really what put me on the map. That was my first big singles title for a major wrestling company, so it always holds a special place in my heart. And IMPACT Wrestling, I spent a lot of years there,” Kazarian explaind. “It kind of shaped who I was and who I am as a pro wrestler, so anytime I am blessed to have the opportunity to go back, it is a bit of a homecoming. To be in the X-Division title picture all these years later is really cool. It’s a cool story tell, the old guard coming back to see what his kingdom looks like now. Mike Bailey is an incredible wrestler. He’s super explosive, I’m a big fan of his. He’s done a great job carrying the torch, not only for the X-Division, but for IMPACT Wrestling.”
Mike Bailey is on a tear of late and has had some incredible matches. So much so that Kazarian has taken notice.
“I had heard the name and knew of him, but I’d be lying if I said I’ve been following his career very closely. But certainly, since he’s been back on the scene domestically here in the United States, I’ve stood up and taken notice. I’ve watched several of his matches, both on film and live when I’m there. He’s a dynamic performer,” he noted. “He really embodies what the X-Division was about and what the X-Division is about now. I’m proud of him. He’s done really well. He’s been a great champion, and he’s going to be a formidable opponent. I’m very much looking forward to being in there with him.”
Frankie Kazarian also spoke about his status in both AEW and IMPACT Wrestling and said he’d love to make the crossover appearances a long-term thing if it could happen.
“I would love it to be. I’m very, very lucky that Scott D’Amore has continued to bring me in and that Tony Khan has allowed that. There’s an agreement in place. That’s very cool on both gentlemen’s parts that they see the big picture when it comes to that. If it was up to me, I’d be doing this as long as I possibly could,” Kazarian stated. “I think it’s cool. I think it keeps things fresh. Obviously, I have history with IMPACT Wrestling. I was there for a decade plus, and with AEW, I was one of the first eight talents signed under contract. I was basically in AEW before it was a thing. So I have history there too. It’s cool, and it’d be even cooler winning an X-Division belt in 2022—something else no one could have predicted.”
FULL LINEUP for the Premium Live Event—
Countdown to Bound for Glory:
IMPACT Wrestling Digital Media Title
-Brian Myers open challenge
RAVEN HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
Bound for Glory match card:
IMPACT Wrestling World Title
-Josh Alexander (c) vs Eddie Edwards
IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts World Title-Jordynne Grace (c) vs Masha Slamovich
IMPACT Wrestling World Tag Team Titles
-OGK (Matt TAVEN/Mike Bennett) (c) Vs Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin/Alex Shelley)
IMPACT Wrestling X Division Title
-“Speedball” Mike Bailey (c) vs AEW star Kazarian
IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Tag Team Titles-VXT (Deonna Purrazzo/Chelsea Green) (c) vs Taya/Jessicka
-Mia Yim vs Mickie James
Call Your Shot Gauntlet
-PCO
-Heath
-Rich Swann
-Gisele Shaw
-Moose
-Bhupinder Gujjar
-Bobby Fish
-Maclin
-Sami Callihan
(only participants announced so far – there will be more)
Get your BOUND FOR GLORY tickets here
Order now on Fite TV here
H/T Wrestlezone’s Colby Applegate. Original Article here
Follow Gerard at @BearDown316 on Twitter
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