IMPACT Wrestling Star Sami Callihan Takes Credit For ‘The Design’ Faction, Wants To Create Memorable Moments
Sami Callihan aligned himself with “The Design” shortly after Eric Young departed and Deaner took over as the leader of the new faction, formerly Violent By Design.
Sami Callihan was a guest on Tru Heels BTR, where the former Impact World Champion spoke about his time with The Violent By Design stable now just called The Design after Deaner became the leader. Callihan noted how the faction should “thank him” and that he’s the reason why Eric Young “left Impact.” Young’s last Impact match was with Callihan in October 2022,
“Beat that dude’s a** so bad that he got out of the company,” said Callihan. “He was so softened up that Deaner was able to stab him right in the belly and send him a** packing. Here’s a thing, would there be a Design if it wasn’t for Sami Callihan? All those guys should honestly be thanking me because softening up Eric Young gave Deaner his chance to like to turn his entire back and stab one of his best friends figuratively and literally in the back. So there would not be any Design if it wasn’t for Sami Callihan. So, those guys should be thanking me because they’re on TV.”
The stabbing that Callihan alluded to happened on the December 1, 2022, episode of “IMPACTonAXSTV,” when Deaner and Young were at an abandoned prison and Deaner stabbed the former leader in the chest to become the new leader.
H/T Kellie Haulotte of Wrestling Inc. full article here
Sami was being tested by the faction because they didn’t trust his true intentions. Callihan finally turned on Deaner and The Design at Rebellion when he was at ringside with them and ended up hitting Deaner with his signature black baseball bat, when he did the “thumbs up, thumbs down” trademark.
Sami is currently scheduled to team with Rich Swann and one more partner of his choosing to take on The Design – Deaner, Big Kon, & Angels – in a 3 on 3 match. This has been an ongoing story between Sami and The Design, and lots of fans hope to get some closure with the result of this match, whatever that may be.
On making moments in pro wrestling:
Sami has been trying to make everything he does memorable in some way, which is why he indulges in death-type matches and lots of gimmicks. It’s not just the matches he focuses on, but the stories too.
In an interview with “Tru Heel Heat Wrestling,” Callihan shared his approach to pro wrestling and the things that make it memorable. While the moves and techniques are important to the art form, he shares that he tends to focus on the storytelling aspect so that fans will have memories of his work for years to come.
“That’s what made me a huge wrestling fan as a kid,” he said. “Not just the matches… It was people getting struck with lightning bolts and being resurrected from the dead. Even in Impact with Joker Sting, which is brilliant still to this day. Those moments are way more important than the wrestler themselves and the matches and the moves they do. You can name an amazing wrestler and sometimes you’ll very rarely be able to tell anyone what amazing matches they had. But you’re gonna remember … how it made you feel.”
H/T Ben Silverio of Wrestling Inc. full article here
Full Sami Camlihan interview:
Sami Callihan wrestled Kenny Omega at Slammiversary 2021 in a NO DQ match. At the time, Kenny was the IMPACT, AEW, and AAA World Champions all at once. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime memory that certainly won’t be forgotten.
Sami battled The Design’s Big Kon two weeks ago on IMPACT’s 5/4 episode of IMPACTonAXSTV, which ended in a disqualification after the Army of Violence attacked Sami in the ring. Sami has found himself a partner in Rich Swann and another partner he’s been teasing for the past few days to take on The Design at Under Siege on 5/26.
Head over to shopimpact.com for your official Sami Callihan & The Design IMPACT Wrestling merchandise.
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Follow Gerard at @BearDown316 on Twitter
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