Eddie Edwards Interview: Changing IMPACT's Perception, Evolving His Character, The Wolves & More

What went into the evolution of own character, and was that feud with Sami Callihan a few years ago the turning point?

Edwards: Like you said, what got the ball rolling was Sami Callihan hitting me in the head with a baseball bat. I wish I didn't have to say that, but that's just what happened. From that moment forward, it helped me get in touch with something inside of me that's a little bit different. I could go out there as I did for so long and wrestle and have a good match or be a good babyface or do whatever I needed to on the show, I could do out there and do it. But once that stuff with Sami happened, it was a chance for me to jump outside of the box and try different stuff character wise.

Did everything I tried work? No, but I learned from it and it's helped me transform into who I am today. It was more so about that confidence and being comfortable with whatever I was doing. I have confidence I can make it work. Whether it's a vignette or a pre-tape or a promo or an in-ring match, I have confidence I can go out there and do it.

What are some of your favorite matches you've had in IMPACT?

Edwards: This question is always so tough for me. As far as tag stuff, me and Davey getting to do Tables matches or Monster's Ball matches with teams like Team 3D and The Hardy Boyz. That's making it for a tag team. Being able to go out there and for us to emerge victorious as tag team champions against teams of that caliber, that was awesome. That's unforgettable. Obviously, I was a fan of The Dudley Boyz. I was a fan of The Hardy Boyz. To be able to go out there and have the kind of matches I've always been a fan of watching them and be able to be a part of it, that's pretty surreal. I always hold those matches in my heart because they're truly special to me.

And then obviously, winning the world title the first time from Bobby Lashley. I always enjoyed wrestling Bobby. Obviously, he's doing great now, everybody sees it as well. He was awesome during his time in IMPACT. I always enjoyed going out there with him because it's a natural story: a big machine of a guy and a super athlete in Bobby Lashley against me, who is a good wrestler but nothing compared to Bobby Lashley. I always felt we could go out there and tell good stories. A match a lot of people might not think about is our 30-minute Iron Man match.

We went out there and did our 30 minutes and we came back and I remember saying, “Well, we could have done that for an hour no problem.” I remember Matt Hardy saying, “That's one of the coolest things hearing you say you could have done an hour.” When you feel it in there, you feel it and those moments don't happen often, but with Lashley, we can make those moments any day of the week. We'll leave it at those two for IMPACT and winning the GHC Championship in NOAH in Japan, that was an absolute dream come true for me.