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The 2018 inductee to the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame is a very deserving Abyss (real name Chris Park), who with the exception of a short period where he was in between contracts with the company and considered a WWE offer, has been with Impact Wrestling since it was formed in 2002 under the NWA: TNA name. He will be inducted over Bound for Glory weekend in New York City next month. The induction announcement was be made during tonight's episode of Impact Wrestling.
Trained by Roger Ruffen, Abyss, 44 years old, has held the NWA World title, the X-Division Championship, the now-retired TNA TV title and held the TNA/Impact Tag Team Championships on several occasions, including as a member of Decay with Crazzy Steve and Rosemary. Obviously, his work was greatly inspired by Mick Foley and he has well carried the tradition of crazy bumps and barbed wire, going far beyond the call of duty and sanity to his own physical detriment over the course of his career.
Before his run with Impact, he worked for IWA in Puerto Rico, where the masked Abyss persona was devised by Dutch Mantel.
Over the course of his run with the company, Abyss has been placed in a number of roles, ranging from hardcore wrestler (where he did far more to himself physically than anyone ever should) with feuds against Sting, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Sabu and many others, teaming with Hulk Hogan, stepping into the "Broken Universe" as a foil for the Hardy family and even transitioning into a comedic character as Joseph Park that showed a completely different side of him as a performer. If there is such a thing as an Impact original, Abyss' photo is next to the definition.
Abyss' career, far more than anyone else in the history of the company, is completely intertwined with Impact Wrestling's existence. It would have been hard to have had any sort of run of consequence in the company and not have been across the ring from him.
Abyss, who recently signed a new deal with the company and has been working behind the scenes as a producer in recent months, joins Sting, Jeff Jarrett, Kurt Angle, Team 3D, Earl Hebner and Gail Kim as being enshrined by the company. Impact is bringing the Hall of Fame back this year after not naming an inductee last year. They do so with the best choice possible when you look at longevity and from the perspective of what he's gifted to the company and its fans with his own body and soul.
PWInsider.com Elite subscribers can listen to past interviews with Abyss on Page 2.
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