Josh Alexander makes history.
MPACT Wrestling has a history dating back 20 years. Regardless of whether or not the promotion was known as NWA-TNA, TNA Wrestling, Global Force Wrestling, or IMPACT, its lineage of World Champions reads like a who's who of professional wrestling.
Including names like Ken Shamrock, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Sting, Jeff Jarrett, AJ Styles, and more, IMPACT has had at least four WWE Hall of Famers hold their World Championship and several others who could one day reach that status.
Now, Josh Alexander has broken the record for the longest-reigning World Champion in company history, holding the title for 257 days.
From IMPACT:
Josh Alexander today becomes the Longest-Reigning IMPACT Wrestling World Champion of All-Time. He claimed the title on April 23, 2022, at the Rebellion pay-per-view, defeating Moose. He has now been the World Champion for 257 consecutive days, surpassing Bobby Roode’s 256-day World Championship run that started on Oct. 26, 2011.
With his history-making title reign, Josh Alexander has established himself as one of the best pro wrestlers of all-time.
It also marks an amazing, improbable and unexpected journey – from overweight, troubled teenager to the pinnacle of the pro wrestling industry, focused on perfection and nothing less. He even endured a serious neck injury along the way that required two vertebrae be fused together.
“The IMPACT World Championship has a long and prestigious line of champions, and for Josh Alexander to break the record as the longest-reigning champion in company history is not something to be taken lightly. He worked for this, earned it, and deserves it. Congratulations,” said Chris Sabin, a former World Champion, three-time World Tag Team Champion and record-holding 8-time X Division Champion.
There have been 32 wrestlers to hold the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship, dating back to Kurt Angle in 2007. Alexander has been the World Champion for a combined 258 days, including his brief title run after the 2021 Bound For Glory event – and those combined 258 days as World Champion rank Alexander No. 6 all-time. Angle is the leader with a combined 608-days as World Champion in his six title reigns.
“The greatness of Josh Alexander and his tenure as IMPACT World Champion cannot be overlooked, but somehow it will because he has never needed to tell the world how great he is. He just is,” said Andreas Hale of The Sporting News. “The epitome of ‘Show and Prove,’ Alexander has etched his name into the Mount Rushmore of IMPACT World Champions, alongside the likes of AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode and Kurt Angle. But the frightening thing is that we may not have seen the final form of ‘The Walking Weapon’ … the best is yet to come.”
Alexander, 35, made his pro wrestling debut in 2005 and was signed by IMPACT in early-2019. He has been the IMPACT X Division Champion and is a two-time IMPACT World Tag Team Champion as The North, a team that also was record-setting. The North captured the World Tag Team Championship on July 5, 2019, in San Antonio – and they held the titles for a record 380 consecutive days.
“I’ve been lucky enough in my career to work with some of best wrestlers in this business, both in and out of the ring,” said IMPACT color commentator Matthew Rehwoldt. “Josh Alexander, without a doubt, is one of the most driven, most consistent, hardest working, and yes – best – athletes I’ve had the pleasure of being around, both in IMPACT Wrestling and professional wrestling as a whole.”
During Alexander’s amazing 257-day stretch, he has had 9 televised title matches (against Moose, Tomohiro Ishii, Eric Young, Joe Doering, Alex Shelley, Eddie Edwards, Bobby Fish, Frankie Kazarian and Mike Bailey) – and four of those nine matches are ranked in the top five IMPACT Matches of 2022 on the Cagematch website. And, the classic 60-minute battle, Alexander vs. Bailey, which aired in December, ranked in the top ten Matches of the Year anywhere on the Cagematch website.
Alexander had 4 hours and 16 minutes total worth of World Title matches in IMPACT in 2022, with an average World Title match length of 25 minutes, 37 seconds.
“Josh Alexander is The Standard of IMPACT Wrestling for a reason: he represents the best of us in the ring and behind the curtain,” said IMPACT play-by-play announcer Tom Hannifan. “Josh gets better with every match, and I firmly believe his best is yet to come. He’s now our longest reigning IMPACT World Champion of all time … imagine what else Josh will accomplish.”
Alexander’s amazing 2022 was award-winning, as voted by worldwide wrestling fans. During the “Best of 2022” IMPACT! on AXS TV broadcast, Alexander was rewarded three times. He won:
Male Wrestler of the Year:
Josh Alexander
Moment of the Year:
Josh Alexander winning the IMPACT World Championship at Rebellion PPV.
Match of The Year:
Josh Alexander defeated “Speedball” Mike Bailey on Dec. 8 in a 60-minute mat classic that is a must-see match. Alexander needed a full hour and two C4 Spikes to finally stop the non-stop offense that is “Speedball.”
“Josh Alexander has beaten the odds and overcome adversity numerous times to become a true World Champion. This amazing feat comes as no surprise to anyone who is familiar with his unmatched will and determination. As someone who has shared the ring with Josh, I firmly believe his reign is far from over,” Bailey said.
Added Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com: “What Josh Alexander has accomplished since winning the IMPACT World Championship is nothing short of extraordinary. It has been the rare championship reign that not only lives up to the 20-year legacy of IMPACT’s World Championship, but, in many ways, surpasses it. Alexander has evolved into the backbone of the promotion with incredible bouts against Moose, Frankie Kazarian, ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey, Tomohiro Ishii, Eric Young and many, many others. The work ethic Josh has brought to the ring will be what inspires the next generation and will be meticulously studied in the decades to come. It’s an era that will define IMPACT long after it concludes.”
About Josh Alexander, From Others In The Industry
Gail Kim, a member of the IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Fame:“It’s amazing to watch a fellow Canadian get to show the world that he’s one of the best in the world. Watching Josh’s journey from day 1, becoming half of the World Tag Team Champions to IMPACT’s longest-reigning World Champion of all-time is truly inspirational. He not only is a great champion, but a great leader. Nothing but respect for Josh Alexander.”
Jordynne Grace, reigning IMPACT Knockouts World Champion:
“He is Bret Hart, 2.0 … what more needs to be said?! Seriously, Josh is the spiritual embodiment of what IMPACT Wrestling represents. On a roster overwhelmed with wrestlers who are no strangers to hard work, struggle, or devotion to the sport, Josh stands out far above because of how he has given his mind and body to IMPACT Wrestling, in turn becoming the best IMPACT World Champion in history. If his name wasn’t already the first thing people thought of when IMPACT is mentioned, it now forever will be.”
Alistair McGeorge, of Metro (British daily newspaper):
“Josh Alexander continues to go from strength to strength, and his incredible run as IMPACT World Champion has positioned him as one of the best in the world. It’s been a career-making reign so far, from the emotional title win over Moose in April to December’s 60-minute epic with Mike Bailey, (as well as) classics with Tomohiro Ishii, Eddie Edwards, Eric Young and more.”
Adam Cailler, of Daily Star (British daily newspaper):
“Josh Alexander’s time as World Champion has been a defining moment in the history of IMPACT Wrestling. His grit and determination to win, coupled with a pure strong style of wrestling, makes him, arguably, unbeatable. Josh has seen off everyone, from legends and up-and-comers, to those who sit at the top of the IMPACT mountain alongside him, and he has also been involved in several Match of the Year candidates along the way. The future for IMPACT with Josh Alexander as World Champion is bright – long may it continue.”
Greg Oliver, of Canada-based SlamWrestling.net:
“I have known Josh Alexander on the Ontario (independent wrestling) scene for years, from his beginnings to his retirement. His return to action and subsequent ascension to the top with his IMPACT World Championship run has been nothing short of remarkable. Even better, though, is that he is still the same guy I knew years ago – the stardom has not gone to his head.”
Matthew Aguilar, of Comicbook.com:
“Regardless of the pressure or stakes, Josh Alexander never dropped the ball, delivering classics in the ring all year long against every opponent with a lethal mix of grit, ferocity, and technical skill. He’s come to embody what a World Champion is truly supposed to be, both in and out of the ring. While he’s already built an impressive legacy in IMPACT, the best part is, he’s only just getting started.”
Jon Alba, of FITE TV:
“Josh Alexander’s World Championship run has cemented him as one of the elite in-ring grapplers of his generation. He is the measuring stick for consistency, intensity and quality as a professional wrestler, and has provided the IMPACT World Championship with credibility and prestige. Josh Alexander, frankly, is a generational talent.”
Bill Pritchard, of WrestleZone.com:
“Josh Alexander is on an unprecedented run with IMPACT Wrestling, who will be the longest-reigning IMPACT World Champion when he competes at Hard To Kill, a record that stood for 11 years. Not only does it speak to IMPACT’s faith in him as champion, but also shows the quality of his work in the ring. Josh has defended his title against some of the world’s best, including Tomohiro Ishii, Alex Shelley and Eddie Edwards. Another successful title defense came in an outstanding match against Mike Bailey, earning Alexander Match of the Year honors for the second consecutive year. Josh Alexander is one of IMPACT’s biggest success stories and he might have an even bigger year in 2023. Alexander could potentially be the first titleholder to reach 300 days as IMPACT World Champion, one of several records he is within reach of breaking.”
HARD TO KILL Pay-Per-View Extravaganza
Josh Alexander defends the IMPACT World Championship on Friday, January 13, in his toughest test to date. He goes one-on-one against IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Famer Bully Ray, who is seeking his third run as IMPACT World Champion. The Hard To Kill main event will be settled under Full Metal Mayhem rules. Tables, ladders, chairs and more – everything is legal.Hard To Kill originates live from Center Stage in Atlanta! For tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0E005D4DB48A3439
On Saturday, January 14, IMPACT Wrestling presents the Hard To Kill Fallout Show, also at Center Stage, as the company’s television trucks will capture all of the in-ring action for upcoming episodes of IMPACT’s flagship weekly TV show, #IMPACTonAXSTV (Thursday, 8 p.m. EST on AXS TV in the U.S., Fight Network in Canada and Impact Insiders on YouTube.)
Before he won the World Championship from Moose, Alexander signed a new agreement with IMPACT. Recently, he explained why he made that decision and even said there was an offer from AEW on the table. Read more here.
