Impact Wrestling News: James Storm officially departs Impact Wrestling
What’s the story?
Impact Wrestling original James Storm wrestled his final ever match for Impact Wrestling on the January 4 show.
'The Cowboy' took on American Top Team Co-Founder, Dan Lambert, in a "Loser Leaves Impact" No Holds Barred match and lost, thanks to an interference from American Top Team. Storm departed Impact due to the company cutting all of their big money contracts.
Most fans knew about his departure as it was first revealed from spoilers from those tapings and then officially announced by Storm himself.
In case you didn’t know…
Storm had been with Impact since their first show in 2002. The former world cChampion and tag team specialist briefly left the company in 2015 and wrestled some televised matches for WWE on NXT shortly thereafter, but opted to return to Impact and signed a two-year contract with the company in January 2016.
When Storm returned to Impact over singing with WWE, the believed reason at the time was that it was over not being offered enough money.
However, Storm revealed in an interview just this past October that his decision to not sign with WWE wasn't money related at all, but was due to a combination of the hectic WWE schedule and having a newborn baby at home.
The heart of the matter
James was disappointed in having to depart Impact Wrestling but he has to do what is best for his family. He would have remained with the company had they not brought in this new policy of cutting big contracts.
What’s next?
James is open to working for WWE, if they take him. Now that his family is getting older, he may be able to commit to more time on the road. James recently commented on the possibility of returning to WWE NXT:
"People always say, 'main roster or bust type of guy,' but if you look at NXT, it's one of the hottest things going right now no matter what people say. And it's one of those things where anybody would be proud to be signed to NXT and have a good run there. I mean, it's plain and simple. They are doing as much as the people on the main roster is on the road and stuff like that right now. So, I mean, I'd definitely go and work with those guys and help them out as best I can."
Author’s take
Now that James is free from Impact, I wouldn't mind seeing him back on NXT. James is a selfless and dependable worker and has name value. I imagine the NXT faithful would welcome him with arms wide open.
If an official run with WWE doesn't happen, I'm sure 'The Cowboy' would tear it up on the independent scene.