Eddie Edwards talks about his career, being an IMPACT icon, and more [Exclusive]
Eddie Edwards has seemingly done it all in his career with IMPACT Wrestling
Edwards, a 19-year veteran and two-time IMPACT World Heavyweight Champion, has been an icon for the promotion and a locker room leader. He's also a triple crown winner, having previously captured the X-Division title and the tag team titles on multiple occasions.
Since joining the company in 2014, he has carved out an amazing legacy as one of its most consistent and hardest-working performers. Widely popular with the fan base, he is considered an IMPACT Wrestling legend and one of the faces of the franchise.
In an exclusive interview with sportskeeda.com, Edwards discussed his time with IMPACT, his time as part of The Wolves with partner Davey Richards, his longtime rivalry with Sami Callihan, and what to expect this weekend at the promotion's next premium event, Under Siege.
Edwards - who is still just 37 years of age - has seemingly been around the industry forever. Long before he became a star in IMPACT, he entered the business as a teenager, and says he was partially inspired by his brother:
"I was a big fan of wrestling as a little kid coming up," Edwards said. "Then, I kind of fell out of it as I got in to my early teens, because I playing other sports. I was playing baseball and basketball and stuff like that.
"And then my younger brother - when I was about 15 or so - he actually got me back in to wrestling. He put it on, and I saw it, and something just clicked. I always tell people it wasn't just one person, one wrestler or one event. It was the show as a whole.
"It was the athleticism, the showmanship, and the brutality. So, suddenly then? It was like... 'I need to do this.'"
Eventually, he would begin teaming with Davey Richards, as part of The Wolves, one of the most decorated tag teams of the past 20 years. The duo went on to win the IMPACT World Tag Team Titles on five different occasions.
Although he is now a singles star, he reflected on his time as part of that dynamic duo fondly:
"We had a good journey together," Edwards recalled. "I owe a lot to Davey, because he always went out of his way for me. He pushed the idea of me and him tagging together. And, once we started tagging? The chemistry was immediate.
"We were always on the same page, but also, somehow every match together? The chemistry grew even more. So, to come in to IMPACT with him? It was a great opportunity.
"It's something I cherish, and I know it's something that Davey cherishes. We had a great ride together, and I'm sure something will happen, and sometime down the road? We will get The Wolves back together."
Edwards was long considered one of the most technically sound mat wrestlers in the world. But, in recent years, he has changed up his style.
His battles with fellow IMPACT star Sami Callihan are the stuff of legend, and certainly part of his journey in the promotion. An infamous in-ring accident - where 'The Draw' crushed Edwards' face with a baseball bat - left him with several (legitimately) broken bones in his face. His orbital bone was shattered and Edwards feared that he may lose vision in one eye.
He says the experience - while traumatic - showed him how much he could continue his run in IMPACT
"After that night that it happened, I went to the hospital," Edwards said. "Once I found out that my vision wasn't going to be impared - that it was a broken orbital and a broken nose - I felt like we could take lemons and turn them in to lemonade.
"It was kind of like: Okay, it was a freak accident, but let's see what we can make of it."
The 'Diehard' performer made a quick comeback to continue his feud with Callihan:
"I'm pretty sure that the rivalry (with Callihan) will never fully come to an end," Edwards said. "We want to be like the modern day Tommy Dreamer and Raven. They had this feud that went on for years and years never really came to an end.
"The good thing about me and Sami is that we both take a lot of pride in what we do. We obviouly both take a lot of pride in what we do, and we take a lot of pride in being a part of IMPACT Wrestling.
"We both have the same goals," he continued. "We want IMPACT Wrestling to be the best it can possibly be. And, we've done it. We've gone out there, and left our blood, sweat, and tears. We've done it because we believe in IMPACT.
"When they give us a chance to do what we can do, me and Sami make some pretty memorable moments happen. Sami drives me, and he forces me to pull out the best I can, and I hope I do the same for him."
Now adopting a rougher edge, he's adopted a hardcore approach, and wields a kendo stick that he uses as an equalizer against his opponents. His unprecedented era of violence revealed a new side to his character, one that IMPACT fans had never seen before.
The promotion's next premium event, Under Siege, will take place on Saturday, May 15th and will air on IMPACT Plus. Coming off the hugely successful Rebellion show, which drew the biggest buyrate the organization has seen in years, they're riding a wave of momentum as 2021 rolls along.
Edwards will be part of a titanic, six-man tag team encounter when he once again defends IMPACT's honor. He'll be partnering with FinJuice to take on The Good Brothers who will be alongside the belt collector himself, the AEW and IMPACT World Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega.
Edwards predicts that there will be plenty of good action in this battle of both skills and wills:
"It's always great to step in the ring with the guy who is the champion, because you get to see what it's all about, and get what kind of champion he really is," he said. "It's going to be a great match. There's going to be a litte bit of everything. You're going to see some haymakers; you're going to see some high flying. There's going to be a little bit of everything, so I'm looking forward to it."