On Impact Wrestling's recent episode on AXS T.V., fans saw the current X-Division Champion Rohit Raju issue an open challenge. While remaining his cocky confident self, Rohit waited for any and all challengers. Answering the call after Rohit proved too picky-choosy, was Former Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace. Grace won against Rohit with an excellent textbook O'Connor Roll earning her the 1 - 2 - 3 victory! Much to the dismay of X-Division Champion Rohit Raju and the tongue in cheek humor of Willie Mack! As a result, the Impact Wrestling office announced a boon of a match for Impact Wrestling's biggest PPV of the year - Bound For Glory!
At Bound For Glory later this month, the X-Division Championship Title will be on the line and defended in a six-person scramble match. Jordynne Grace fast on the heels of her win against the current X-Division Champ secured herself a spot as one of the six Impact Wrestling stars to be fighting in the six person scramble for the X-Division Title. Heading into Bound For Glory, Jordynne Grace will make history as only the second woman to my knowledge to ever challenge for the X-Division Title. A title held by the likes of such immensely talented stars as AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Low Ki, Jerry Lynn, Tigre Uno also known as Xtreme Tiger, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Homicide, Austin Aries, and so many more! Going in regardless, win or lose, Grace will be in the history books! And rightly so.
On the Independents Jordynne Grace was no stranger to adversity and overcoming challenges. Indeed neither was she a stranger to Intergender Wrestling and fighting men all over the world. Over the years, Grace has cultivated an impressively unique style of wrestling that actually made her one of my favorite opponents to work with. Her versatility is one of the very things that makes her exciting to watch and equally fun to wrestle with in the ring. It was no surprise to me seeing her be signed to Impact Wrestling. In my mind it wasn't a matter of if but when...
Fast forward and fans have been able to enjoy seeing Jordynne Grace be given a platform to showcase her talent and simultaneously seeing her run with it. In her own way she's shattered stereotypes, challenged the status quo, and elevated what's expected of women's wrestling. Kudos! Yes! Grace had an impressive run as Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion. To become Knockouts Champion, Grace had to defeat then Knockouts Champion - Taya Valkyrie.
Taya Valkyrie was on a high as the longest reigning Knockouts Champion. Taya's reign as Knockouts Champion surpassed the previously longest reign held by Taryn Terrell. And so Grace entered Mexico City, Mexico knowing exactly what she needed to do to get to the top, defeat the champion. And that's exactly what Jordynne Grace did! She not only defeated Taya Valkyrie but she also successfully ended the longest reign of any Impact Wrestling Knockout.
Jordynne Grace's dedication to honing her craft really began to show throughout her reign as Knockouts Champion all while having the proverbial target on her back with competitors like Taya Valkyrie, Tenille Dashwood, Rosemary, Miranda Alize and more. Proving herself to be an immovable force as Champion she also showed her creativity within her art as well. Explosive power, impressive technical wrestling skills and incredibly light on her feet making her quick and agile. The ideal championship material. Her meticulous attention to detail all with an astounding resume for such a young competitor makes her a great get for Impact Wrestling especially with the promise of her longevity.
So many people in the toxicity of the wrestling internet community were ready to count Deonna Purrazzo's entrance into Impact Wrestling as Jordynne Grace's downfall. However, to me, I felt the opposite. In my opinion, this was the perfect opportunity for Impact Wrestling to slowly begin repackaging Grace with an in depth lengthy storyline completely relatable for fans. And that's exactly what you are seeing now...
Think of longevity. If you see the same match or hear the same joke over and over it eventually gets stale. So with Jordynne Grace being on top in the women's division in Impact this was perfect timing. Jordynne Grace as Knockouts Champion needed a new mountain to climb and show some more character development. As champ loses title at Slammiversary after repeated incidents with the challenger Deonna Purrazzo. Grace after suffering the loss gets a small chip on her shoulder. Fights off the disrespect of the new Knockouts Champion. Fights for rematch afterall she was a fighting champ. She battles it out in an Iron Woman Match. Falls short. That chip becomes bigger and bigger. The former champ sees herself falling and has to make her way back up… What better way than more competition? Especially with Impact Wrestling's 'Option C' as concerning the X-Division Title. Regardless, there's so many ways in which Impact can write this for Grace and 90% will be money.
The X-Division Championship itself has been around since its creation in 2002 and the hard fought inaugural champ was AJ Styles. Fast forward to 2020 and Grace will be one of only two women to challenge for it in eighteen years. The X-Division title is five years older than the Knockouts Title that was won for the first time by Gail Kim at Bound For Glory in 2007. The X-Division Title has explicitly been fought for by men since it was created. However, nowhere in its description was it defined or definitively intended as a male only division title. Without a doubt, the division as well as the Ultimate X have provided mind blowing must see T.V. for years! No doubt about it!
Now, we don't need to debate the pros and cons of Intergender Wrestling. You're entitled to your opinion. To each their own. The aim is to draw attention in this article to the hard work and progress that's gone into the industry as a whole, Pro Wrestlers like Grace, and subsequently the company itself - Impact Wrestling. In 2002, the year the X-Division Championship Title was introduced, Pro Wrestling was a completely different beast than what we know and enjoy today.
In 2002, there was no Knockouts Championship. Knockouts were not getting two or three matches on T.V., and nor were they main eventing. The stigmas surrounding the cookie cutter stereotypes seemed most desirable in the industry were at an all time high. And quite literally some of the least diverse times in Pro Wrestling. The X-Division Title has been around longer than the Bound For Glory PPV where it'll be defended. So Eighteen years later we'll definitely see some pretty epic Impact Wrestling history making moments. Some of which were hard earned by Jordynne Grace. If she can successfully defeat the other five competitors especially in a believable way for fans, Jordynne Grace will stand to become the ninety fourth X-Division Champion and the first ever female X-Division Champion. Add onto that the 'Option C' clause regarding the forfeit of the X-Division Title shot in favor of the World Title could potentially see Jordynne Grace becoming the first woman to hold 3 different titles in Impact Wrestling. Grace could irrevocably be the x factor going into the six person scramble match for the X-Division Title. Underestimating her will be the other competitors' fatal mistake and ultimate defeat. If there's anything I know about Jordynne Grace, it's this and pun intended, she's beauty, she's Jordynne Grace, and she'll equal opportunity punch you in the face!
Catch Impact Wrestling's Bound For Glory their biggest PPV of the year on October 24th. The PPV is already promising a stacked card with must see matches! Catch Impact on AXS T.V. every Tuesday leading up to Bound For Glory and beyond.
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