What a move to WWE could mean for Abyss

Rumours are running wild that Impact Wrestling’s Sonjay Dutt and Abyss are heading to WWE. Although their roles aren’t clear as of yet, particular attention is being paid to Abyss and what we could expect from him in WWE.

As first reported by PWInsider, Impact originals Abyss and Sonjay Dutt are done with the company and are WWE bound. Both men have been with the company since its early conception, earning them the status of ‘originals’. Abyss is also praised as the longest-tenured performer in the company’s history having begun his career back in 2002, earning him a place as the eighth member of the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame, so his move to WWE is huge news.

The Abyss character is one of the most legendary among the monster gimmicks, having been a prominent figure in Impact for over a decade. Abyss even pioneered the famous Monster’s Ball match, appearing in almost every single match of the 50 that have taken place. A Monster’s Ball match would often feature anyone who was worth being referred to as a monster, such as Rhyno, Samoa Joe and more recently Kongo Kong, so Abyss’s reputation as Impact’s resident monster is not one to be questioned.

Abyss accomplished everything during his time with Impact and during an interview I had with him a year ago for Total Wrestling Magazine, he went as far as to describe himself as an Impact man through and through: “I’m an Impact for lifer, I’ve been there since the beginning, I’m a lifer and I’m extremely proud of that,” he explained.

In recent years, Abyss transitioned to a more backstage role as part of Impact’s creative team. He was able to give back to the company he made his career in and also had a hand in building the stars of tomorrow: “I’m a big believer in helping the next guy get up to the next level. And that’s what’s it’s all about, you’ve got to help each other out and that’s what I love. I love helping a young talent achieve their goals and the company’s goals,” he explained.

However, he was also still able to do this in the ring as Abyss during his feud with Kongo Kong, who defeated him in a Monster’s Ball match in 2018: “That was a good opportunity, again like I’ve said, to build a young star. Kongo Kong is an up and coming guy, so I was proud to help get him off the launching pad into the stratosphere and help him grow.”

Considering his faith and pride in Impact it’s unlikely that we’ll be seeing Abyss in a WWE ring, but rather Chris Park (his real name) in a backstage WWE role. It’s a shame because having Abyss in the land of giants presents an array of dream matches with WWE’s own monsters such as Kane, Braun Strowman, Big Show and even The Undertaker himself, as well as a fair few Impact rematches with Jeff Hardy, Rhyno and Samoa Joe.

But don’t count out the monster influence Abyss will have in a backstage role, as he is a strong believer in characters and monster gimmicks: “To me they’re vitally important because they stand out, they’re different, they’re outside the box, they’re very progressive thinking, very aggressive thinking.”

“I’m a big believer in character and a big believer in gimmick, and monster gimmicks have always been a big part of this business and I really, truly believe they always will be,” Abyss explained.

So with him in a backstage role maybe we’ll see Abyss bring some of his monster flair and a new take to the business. WWE is also a big believer in its giants, so maybe we’ll see a resurgence in this gimmick.

Needless to say, the monster Abyss will be sorely missed and his work both in and out of the ring with Impact will go down in history, and we look forward to seeing what he will accomplish in his new venture.