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Alex Shelley has been pulled from tomorrow’s IMPACT ‘Hard To Kill’ pay-per-view due to “unavoidable circumstances’.
IMPACT Wrestling issued a press release Friday, revealing Moose will be replacing him, teaming with Rich Swann and Chris Sabin against AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers.
IMPACT issued the following press release.
MOOSE REPLACES ALEX SHELLEY IN TOMORROW’S HARD TO KILL™ PAY-PER-VIEW MAIN EVENT
Teams With Rich Swann & Chris Sabin Vs. Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers Saturday 8pm ET/5pm PT
NASHVILLE, TN – (January 15) There has been a huge change to tomorrow night’s industry-shaking HARD TO KILL™ Pay-Per-View main event. IMPACT Wrestling World Champion Rich Swann and Chris Sabin will now team with Moose as they battle All Elite Wrestling World Champion Kenny Omega and IMPACT Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson.
Moose replaces Sabin’s Motor City Machine Guns tag team partner Alex Shelley, who informed IMPACT Wrestling late last night that, due to unavoidable circumstances, he would be unable to travel to Nashville for HARD TO KILL.
IMPACT Wrestling Executive Vice President Scott D’Amore said: “When we got the news from Alex there was no question what we needed to do. Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures – I personally contacted Moose and he accepted the match immediately. I know Rich Swann in particular has his issues with Moose. but this is time to put personal issues and egos aside.
“HARD TO KILL is a huge event for IMPACT Wrestling and a historic one for professional wrestling in general. IMPACT Wrestling needs to put our best foot forward. Moose fits that bill. He is a physical specimen, a five-tool athlete, and has proven himself to be a world-class professional wrestler. Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers will have their hands even more full now when they step into the ring with IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann, IMPACT Original Chris Sabin, and the TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose.”
Moose downplayed the dynamic of teaming with Swann, who the 6-ft, 5-inch powerhouse is widely expected to challenge for the World Championship in the near future.
“I played alongside plenty of guys I didn’t like in football,” said Moose, whose NFL career spanned seven seasons.
D’Amore added Swann had yet to be informed of the change. “Rich is on a plane right now and his phone is off. I’m going to try to meet him at the airport for what I can’t imagine is going to be a pleasant conversation. But HARD TO KILL’s main event is set: Rich Swann, Chris Sabin and Moose will go at it with Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers.”
FULL HARD TO KILL CARD
Six-Man Tag Main Event
Rich Swann, Chris Sabin & Moose vs. Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers
Knockouts Championship
Deonna Purrazzo (C) vs.Taya Valkyrie
Knockouts Tag Team Championship (Vacant Titles)
Havok & Nevaeh vs. Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz
X-Division Championship (Triple Threat Match)
Manik (C) vs. Chris Bey vs. Rohit Raju
Six-Man Tag Team Match (Old School Rules)
Eric Young, Deaner & Joe Doering vs. Cousin Jake, Rhino & Tommy Dreamer
Barbed Wire Massacre
Eddie Edwards vs. Sami Callihan
Singles Match
The Karate Man vs. Ethan Page
Mixed Tag-Team Match
Rosemary & Crazzy Steve vs. Tenille Dashwood & Kaleb with a K
FIRST MATCH OF THE NIGHT, BROADCAST ON AXS TV AND ONLINE INTERNATIONALLY AS PART OF “COUNTDOWN TO HARD TO KILL”
Singles Match
Brian Myers vs. Josh Alexander