6 Terrible Final Holders Of Wrestling Championships

Though with hindsight this seems like a particularly progressive storyline about gender identity, from the same company who eight years later would crown a woman with their otherwise exclusively-male top championship, it absolutely wasn't. Whilst Tessa Blanchard winning the Impact World Championship was presented entirely legitimately, marking a milestone for equality within the industry, Eric Young claiming one half of the Knockouts Tag Team Championships was basically a way to denigrate him.

This was emphasised by the fact that, despite having held onto the titles for 469 days, the pair were stripped of the honour on account of Young not fitting the outmoded criteria of what a Knockout should be. In other words, it took IMPACT management well over a year to define him as a man, and therefore ineligible. The doubles titles were deactivated with immediate effect - almost as if the booking team needed an excuse to can the division.

For his part, the future Sanity man took the role seriously, and he and partner OBD were both competitive and legitimate in the ring. The problem was the undercurrent of sexism running through the whole reign, via the suggestion that Young was somehow reduced by holding a 'woman's' title. Today, it wouldn't be unrealistic to see him compete with Jordynne Grace at the top of the IMPACT card with no hint of a tongue in cheek. Things have thankfully came a long way.