IMPACT X-Division champion Ace Austin hasn’t taken his eyes off of the IMPACT World Championship.
The two-time X-Division champion recently appeared on “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” and spoke about his future plans in IMPACT Wrestling, as well as the difference in winning the X-Division Championship for a second time.
“It definitely does feel different. I’ve been telling this full circle story about that match at Sacrifice. It was a total coming around of my IMPACT Wrestling career, and I’m seeing it as that next launching point into making up for what I consider my greatest failure, which is back then. In the beginning of my career, I was undefeated for 4 months. TJP re-debuts and just smokes me. We have a rematch a week later, it’s very competitive, but he taps me out in the end. So TJP just really upset me in the beginning.”
“We never came back around to that match. Four months later, Bound for Glory happens and I win the X Division Championship. My career takes off, I dye my hair purple, and everything went great from there. I had an incredible run as X Division Champion, as soon as that ended I went into the World Title picture. Slammiversary main event, huge deal. That moment was my greatest career failure. When that didn’t happen, I went into the Tag Team division, and that rolled into Bound for Glory. After that, stalemate for a while, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. All of a sudden it came full circle, I beat TJP for the X Division title.”
Austin also spoke about his future goals in IMPACT Wrestling, noting that he’s the X Division Champion, which also gives him ‘Option C’ and an easier path to the World Championship. Austin beat TJP at Sacrifice to win the X title, but teased making a move to the World Title picture once Rich Swann and Kenny Omega fight at Rebellion.
“I haven’t taken my eyes off of the World Title since Slammiversary. When I ended up back in the X Division picture, I have option C. I knew that becoming X Division champion meant that there was a sure-fire way I could get a title shot. After Rebellion, who knows what that might mean?”
Continuing to talk about his future, Austin was asked about the “forbidden door” being opened and who he’d like to face in AEW.
“I know the Twitter-verse wants to see me and Sammy Guevara. That’s a match that has never happened one-on-one. We did have a triple threat once for XWA with Anthony Henry. A lot of people want to see me and Darby too. PAC also for sure, we are both ultimate athletes. But Kenny Omega, that is inevitable.”
Related: Ace Austin Retains IMPACT X-Division Championship After Madman Fulton Interferes