The MVPs of IMPACT Wrestling's Pandemic Era
IMPACT Wrestling presents its annual Slammiversary pay-per-view this weekend.
In addition to marking the anniversary of IMPACT being founded in 2002, the event also marks the return of live fans to IMPACT Wrestling programming for the first time since March 2020.
Fans have been unable to attend the IMPACT Wrestling television tapings and pay-per-view events for the past 16 months due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. As has been the case for all professional wrestling promotions, the pandemic has certainly presented its challenges to IMPACT Wrestling.
Empty arenas, cinematic matches and piped-in crowd reactions have all been utilized in an effort to make IMPACT's broadcasts presentable.
Due to the difficult circumstances presented, several IMPACT talents have been forced to 'step up' and carry the promotion through these difficult times.
As we now see light at the end of the tunnel with crowds returning to IMPACT, let's take a closer look at the MVPs of IMPACT Wrestling's Pandemic Era.
#5 Current IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champion Eric Young
Eric Young completely reinvented himself in 2020.
The former leader of Sanity was largely forgotten about as WWE Superstar on Monday Night RAW. So much so, that when he was eventually released by WWE in April 2020 due to budget cuts there were hardly any eyebrows raised.
Young made his IMPACT Wrestling return at Slammiversary in July of that year. EY was a surprise entrant in the Fatal 5-Way main event for the vacant IMPACT World Championship against Eddie Edwards, Ace Austin, Trey Miguel and Rich Swann.
Despite being eliminated by Swann, Eric Young made sure that nobody was to ever overlook him again. After his elimination, Young violently attacked Rich Swann's surgically repaired ankle, kayfabe reaggrivating the injury.
This began a feud with Rich Swann that would quickly become the most compelling storyline on IMPACT television. During Swann's retirement speech on IMPACT, Eric Young once again viciously attacked the former WWE Cruiserweight Champion. Once again focusing his attack on a shattered ankle, Eric Young was quickly the top heel in the company.
The momentum carried Eric Young to once again becoming the IMPACT World Champion after defeating former champion Eddie Edwards on the August 15 episode of IMPACT.
Young dropped the championship to his arch-rival Rich Swann in the main event of Bound For Glory in October. But he continued his momentum by forming the Violent By Design faction. The growing faction currently consists of Joe Doering, Deaner and Rhino, with all members serving as the IMPACT World Tag Team Champions.