Published: Nov 28, 2022 by Ryan Coogan | Last Updated: Nov 28, 2022 by Ryan Coogan
@theothercoogan
IMPACT Wrestling
IMPACT Wrestling has signed the first openly gay wrestler to its roster since the company was originally founded as TNA in 2002.
Jai Vidal has signed a multi-year deal with the company, becoming the first openly gay man in the promotion’s history.
LGBT sports media outlet Outsport announced the addition of Vidal to the IMPACT roster via its Twitter account:
“Out pro wrestler @TheJaiVidal signs multi-year contract with @IMPACTWRESTLING, becoming the first out gay male wrestler to sign with the company in its 20-year history.”
Out pro wrestler @TheJaiVidal signs multi-year contract with @IMPACTWRESTLING, becoming the first out gay male wrestler to sign with the company in its 20-year history. https://t.co/JqvNr5PI0C
— Outsports (@outsports) November 28, 2022
Vidal revealed the news during a podcast appearance on OutSports’ LGBT In The Ring:
“It’s knocking down barriers and everything that I have always wanted to do for my community in professional wrestling.
“I talk about this a lot, but growing up, I had nobody to look up to when it came to representation.
“To know that maybe one day down the line somebody will see me on TV and will be inspired by me being openly gay, it will inspire them to chase whatever goals and dreams they have as an open person in the LGBTQ community.”
For more wrestling news, be sure to follow WrestleTalk on Twitter.
Transcription courtesy of F4WOnline.
Check out WrestleShop.com for all your favorite WrestleTalk merch, the WrestleTalk Magazine, wrestling shirts for grown-ups, and more!
Trending
- WWE Originally Wanted To Hire Andre Chase As A Coach, He Chose To Take A ‘Much Lower’ Salary To Sign As A Wrestler
- WWE Star Sheamus Reveals Graphic Head Injury Amid In-Ring Absence
- Killer Kross Shares Thoughts On Triple H Current WWE Booking, ‘This Looks Like A Situation Where He Can’t Call All Of The Shots’
- Heidenreich Reveals Reason For WWE Release: ‘Some Of It Was My Bad Decisions’
- WWE NXT’s Lexis King Says TNA Wrestling Crossover Run Was The Start Of His Transformation: ‘I Started To Find Myself’
- Rey Mysterio Says Kurt Angle Was The First Star In WWE To Take Him Under His Wing: ‘He Said ‘I’ve Always Wanted To Work With You”
- Former WWE Star Killer Kross Thinks ‘Door Has Always Been Open’ For AEW Move, Addresses Talks With Tony Khan
- ‘They Might Kill Me’ – Heidenreich Thought He Was ‘Done’ In WWE After Randy Orton Injury Scare
- Lexis King Addresses Being A Second Generation Wrestler In WWE: ‘You Have To Work Twice As Hard To Get To The Same Level Your Parents Did’
- Triple H Did Former WWE Star Heidenreich’s Legion of Doom Skull Face Paint: ‘We Had To Go Ask The Undertaker’
mailing list