Impact Wrestling Fires & Suspends Several Wrestlers
Impact announces major roster changes following abuse allegations.
Impact Wrestling has announced several roster cuts as the #SpeakingOut movement progresses.
The most notable name is Joey Ryan, whom PWInsider had previously reported was likely done with the promotion. He has been released outright, as has Dave Crist, while Michael Elgin has been suspended.
Impact released the following statement to the Wrestling Observer:-
"Impact Wrestling confirms that it has terminated its contracts with Dave Crist and Joey Ryan, effective immediately. In addition, it has suspended Michael Elgin pending further review of allegations of misconduct."
Elgin was booked to compete for Impact's World title in a five-way bout at the Slammiversary pay-per-view (18 July). He was the subject of sexual misconduct allegations in December 2017, leading to him being blacklisted by multiple independent promotions and eventually fading out of New Japan Pro Wrestling. Indie wrestling Kaitlin Diemond accused him of sending her unsolicited images of himself in 2016 in a tweet made last week.
Ryan, meanwhile, has been accused of sexual abuse, misconduct, harassment, and assault by 15 different individuals since #SpeakingOut started gathering steam. There are three separate accounts of Crist's behaviour, though it is noted that he was likely on his way out of the company regardless.