4 former WWE Superstars helping IMPACT Wrestling thrive
WWE's developmental system has created an infinite pool of potential superstars that the company can train, coach, and analyze in an effort to find the next big thing.
Some signees eventually navigate the system and make their way to the main roster, where they become household names and maybe even WrestleMania main-eventers—case and point - Roman Reigns.
Reigns started with FCW, and while he has a quality wrestling bloodline, he came in with no experience, fresh off of a football career. Now he is the top professional wrestler on the planet.
Some WWE Superstars enjoy a long career, filled with historic milestones and major accolades. Then some don't make it very long for one reason or another.
Thankfully, there are other options in this current era. AEW, NJPW, NWA, and IMPACT Wrestling are all great companies that can provide a new chapter for former WWE Superstars needing a new home.
Today we take a look at some former WWE Superstars who have found their way to IMPACT Wrestling and are making a difference.
Here is our list of four former WWE Superstars currently helping IMPACT thrive.
#4. Former WWE Tag Team Champion Heath Slater (Heath)
Following a 14-year run with WWE, Heath Slater was released in 2020 during the height of the COVID pandemic as a part of the company budget cut measures.
During his time with the company, Heath wore many hats, working numerous angles that fans still discuss today. While Slater was never really considered a main-event superstar, he still enjoyed many great moments and was a part of several major storylines.
Slater signed with IMPACT Wrestling in July 2020 after his no-compete clause ended. The former superstar dropped his last name and was now known simply as "Heath."
Since signing with IMPACT, Heath has had some incredible moments where he reunited with Rhyno but has also done well in singles competition as well. The former RAW star is a well-known, recognizable name among wrestling fans.
His popularity alone has resulted in curious wrestling fans who tune into IMPACT just to see what he's up to. This has helped the company gain new viewers on a weekly basis.
#3. Former FCW Tag Team Champion Fandango (Dirty Dango)
Dirty Dango is currently an active member of the IMPACT Wrestling roster and has been featured in feuds against stars like Brian Myers and Joe Hendry, just to name a couple. Dango continues to be featured on weekly shows as he is one of the company's most recognizable faces among wrestling fans.
Prior to signing with IMPACT in 2022, Dango spent quite some time as a WWE Superstar. During his run as Fandango, he enjoyed several milestones that hinted he may have been heading toward a major push.
His biggest win came at WrestleMania 29 when he had his "'Mania moment" defeating Chris Jericho. At one moment, Fandango was extremely over with the fans to the point where the arena full of fans were "doing the Fandango" dance, even when he was supposed to be a heel.
Fandango was red hot, but things quickly changed for the former WWE Superstar.
Once Vince and company decided to slow the Fandango train to a near halt, he was aligned with Tyler Breeze, and the duo was known as Breezango. The tag team had a minimal amount of success but was not really taken seriously, despite both superstars being very capable of doing much more.
Sadly, both Fandango and Breeze were released on June 25, 2021. This would mark the end of a 15-year run with the company.
#2. Former NXT Tag Team Champion Konnor (Kon)
When NXT was rebranded from FCW, The Ascension would become one of the yellow brand's most dominant tag teams. Viktor and Konnor were two menacing superstars who not only looked the part of a villainous tag eam, hey were incredibly gifted performers who could make The Ascension work as a great duo.
After holding the NXT Tag Team Championships for nearly one full year, Konnor and Viktor lost the titles to The Lucha Dragons at NXT TakeOver: Fatal Four-Way in late-2013.
Soon after dropping the belts, The Ascension made their way to the main roster, where they were expected to do well. However, after a series of uneventful squash matches with numerous unknown enhancement talents, The Ascension fizzled into wrestling irrelevancy until their release in December 2019.
Following their WWE run, Konnor and Viktor made several independent promotion appearances together as "The Awakening." In 2022, Konnor signed with IMPACT Wrestling as "Big Kon" and is currently aligned with Deaner in the IMPACT faction known as "Violent By Design."
Konnor uses his massive 6'5", 270-pound frame as a monstrous villain on IMPACT's weekly TV programming. Fans are intrigued to see what IMPACT may do with the former WWE Superstar, and so far, he has adapted well to his new role.
#1. Current IMPACT Knockouts Champion Trinity
During her time with WWE. Trinity was known as Naomi. She signed with the company in 2009 and made her main roster debut in 2012 as a member of The Funkadactyls.
Along with Cameron, Naomi was one of the cheerleaders for Brodus Clay for a couple of years before her singles run began.
When Stephanie McMahon called for a Divas Revolution in 2014, Naomi's career shot off like a rocket. She would eventually find herself at the forefront of a movement that changed women's wrestling forever.
Unfortunately, things went south later on in Naomi's WWE run. While she was one-half of the Women's Tag Team Champions with Sasha Banks, there were creative issues between the duo and the company's creative brass.
Last year, Banks and Naomi went as far as to no-show for a RAW event, and they were soon after released from their contracts.
Naomi signed with IMPACT Wrestling earlier this real after her time with WWE had come to an end. She is now known as Trinity, and as soon as her feet hit the ground, she immediately went after the Knockouts Championship.
Trinity went on to defeat Deonna Purrazzo and became the new IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Champion, and she still holds the title as of this writing.