Impact Wrestling: World Champ Johnny Impact Wins Ultimate X and Shot at X-Division Title

Impact Wrestling hosted United We Stand tonight in Rahway, New Jersey, and only one match in there were major championship implications moving forward for Impact Wrestling.

Impact Wrestling United We Stand opened with a must-see spectacle as their traditional Ultimate X match came to WrestleMania weekend, and the winner would get an opportunity at the X-Division Championship. The match was initially scheduled to feature Jack Evans and Kotto Brazil, but neither competitor was able to make it. A late addition of Ace Austin rounded out a five-man field that also included Jake Crist, Dante Fox, Pat Buck, and current Impact World Champion Johnny Impact.

That last name was definitely the most intriguing competitor going into the night, as is the way he found himself in this contest. Johnny was originally scheduled to be a part of the Team Impact vs. Team Lucha Underground match at United We Stand, but refused to team with bitter rival Brian Cage. Instead, Johnny Impact entered himself into Ultimate X and vowed to become a double champion.

The match itself was exactly the kind of high-octane demolition derby you expect from Ultimate X. We saw some great moments from Lucha Underground representative Dante Fox, WrestlePro representative Pat Buck, and oVe representative Jake Crist, but it was the last-minute addition Ace Austin that really set things on fire throughout the contest. He created what could end up being the most breathtaking moment of the night when he came flying off the top of Ultimate X with this eye-popping dive.

Ace Austin definitely looked like a star here and a future staple of the X-Division, but his performance wasn’t enough to escape with a victory. That honor ended up resting with current Impact World Champion Johnny Impact, who came through the chaos and managed to secure the red ‘X’ off the Ultimate X structure.

Now the active Impact World Champion has a shot at the X-Division Championship whenever he chooses. Johnny Impact is clearly looking to become a double champion, but there’s an extra factor here that could come into play. Johnny Impact is still embroiled in a bitter rivalry with Brian Cage. Many believe Brain Cage will capture the Impact World Championship when the two clash at Rebellion on April 28th.

If Johnny Impact is also the X-Division Champion at that time, he would have an extra opportunity to regain his title. While Johnny Impact may get a traditional rematch, the X-Division Title brings with it “Option C,” where the champion can relinquish the belt in order to get a shot at the Impact World Championship. This was the same way Brian Cage got a shot at the title at Homecoming, and would be a poetic way for Johnny Impact to try and reclaim the World Championship should he lose it.