Impact Wrestling star Brian Myers has extended his deal with the company through 2023, Sports Illustrated has learned.
Throughout his 18-year career, Myers has worked for multiple promotions, including runs with WWE. Over the past two years, he has received a legitimate opportunity in Impact on the microphone to showcase his personality and has been consistently involved in storylines culminating in pay-per-view matches. Myers is making the most of this heightened role, delivering the most compelling and confident work of his career.
“This was an easy decision for me,” Myers told SI, discussing his decision to remain committed to the company. “It’s a place where my talent is going to get the most opportunity. That’s what is important to me.”
Myers, 37, is hitting a new stride in his work. His in-ring presence is stronger than ever before, with a precision sharpened over time.
“I think what we do in the ring is so precious,” says Myers. “Father Time is eventually going to get us all, but I don’t want to stop doing what I’m doing until I have to. This is very important to me.”
Although it did not often materialize into a spot atop the card, Myers experienced an incredible amount of growth both personally and professionally during his two stints and combined 12 years in WWE. The lessons learned are ones he still carries with him, and have helped shape the performer he is now.
“I don’t have any regrets and I don’t hold any grudges,” says Myers. “You’ve got to have thick skin in this business. If I were the best hitter on the New York Mets, even if the manager hated me, I’d still be in the lineup every single day. Wrestling is different. It has a lot of politics. For whatever reason, I was never the chosen one in WWE. I was the guy who was there to make other people look great, and I took a lot of pride in that. All those opportunities led me to where I am now.”
Myers teams with Matt Cardona to form The Major Players, one of the more entertaining teams in wrestling. They made magic together in WWE when they won the tag team titles in 2019 in a meaningful moment at WrestleMania 35. Their work has significantly evolved since, but the goal remains gold. They seek to win the tag titles next month at Impact’s Hard To Kill pay-per-view in a four-way against the Motor City Machine Guns, Heath and Rhino, and Bullet Club’s Ace Austin and Chris Bey.
“The Impact tag scene is pretty loaded right now,” says Myers. “Matt and I, we are very eager to get in there with those guys. And Matt is incredible, especially the way he recovered from a torn bicep. The wrestling world didn’t really give him his due while he was out with his injury, but he still didn’t miss a booking. That goes to show the kind of performer Matt Cardona is. And the most important thing for us is to become Impact Wrestling tag team champions.”
The partnership with Cardona extends outside of wrestling, where they host The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast together. They even started their own line of action figures. In addition to his in-ring work with Impact, Myers also advises the company on their merchandise strategy and sales.
“When I first came in was a real down time for Impact in their overall merchandising,” says Myers. “To me, as a lifelong Impact fan, I grew up with Don West hustling everything imaginable. They were the kings of merchandise. But when I came in, there wasn’t a Don West-type guy. Matt and I built something special with our podcast and toy line, turning our passion into business. We almost became toy insiders. So we helped Impact relaunched the Micro-Brawlers. We helped initiate the Impact Wrestling action figure deal with Asylum Wrestling. Luke Gallows really helped out with the t-shirts. We hooked them up with a VHS deal that was a cool collectible. Now it’s really rolling, and I appreciate being part of that team as a consultant.”
Another integral element of Myers’ success is his wrestling school, Create A Pro, which he opened eight years ago in Long Island with Pat Buck, who currently works for AEW in talent development. Create A Pro has built a reputation as one of the premier schools, a major source of pride for Myers.
“One of my goals for 2023 is to get a Create A Pro talent with me at Impact Wrestling,” says Myers. “[AEW owner] Tony Khan has scooped up every single one so far, but I’d like to get to the point where there is a Create A Pro talent in every promotion, starting with Impact.”
Myers’ unbridled passion has cultivated a fan base, one that he continues to grow through an unrelenting work ethic. He has flourished amid a plethora of responsibilities, but the one that drives him more than any other is one yet to be attained.
“Hands down, my goal is to become the Impact Wrestling world heavyweight champion,” says Myers. “I’ve been an absolute workhorse for Impact Wrestling, and I truly believe this is my time.
“I have my eyes set on Josh Alexander. We’ve been wrestling for years, but this is our chance to do it on Impact’s grandest stage. I am ultimately going to be everything Impact wishes he was. I’m the complete package, and I’m going to prove that.”
