Impact Wrestling Senior Producer Josh Mathews recently spoke with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated to promote the new “Before The Impact” show that premiered tonight on AXS TV and The Fight Network. The weekly one-hour show will serve as the lead-in to the flagship Impact TV show, and will be hosted by Nashville sportscaster Jon Burton. He will be joined by Mathews and Gia Miller each week. We recently reported full details on the BTI show at this link.
Mathews worked as Impact’s lead announcer from 2015 until last month when Matt Striker and D’Lo Brown took over the commentary duties. Mathews was promoted to the role of Senior Producer full-time. He told SI that he can make the most impact for the company right now by being in the production truck. He admitted that production “fell off” when Keith Mitchell left in 2019.
“Commentary is the reason I first came to Impact,” Mathews said. “I still have a passion for calling wrestling, but I really think the most impactful place for me to be for the company is in the truck. When [former producer] Keith Mitchell left Impact [in 2019], we fell off. As the announcer, I had a different view of our production, which led me to the belief that my role should be in that production chair. I want to make sure we have the best production possible, so people know the standard they are going to watch every single time they watch Impact.”
Mathews noted that he pushed for the change to working production full-time for more than one year after learning from WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon, and WWE’s Executive Producer & Chief of Global Television Distribution, Kevin Dunn. Mathews worked with WWE from 2001-2014.
“I’ve pushed for over a year to make this change,” Mathews said. “I learned so much from my time in WWE from Kevin Dunn and Vince McMahon, and I was pseudo-producing shows back then. Producing a live show is a real thrill, and I came alive in the truck when producing Countdown to Bound for Glory last October. Switching out of the truck and then going to call the show, it was different. I’m ready to oversee the whole presentation, which is a transition I’ve been pushing for.
“For me, it is even more meaningful that I was able to finish my broadcasting career calling shows with my wife Madison Rayne. Now I get to also focus on this new show, Before The Impact, as well as focus my attention in the truck.”
Mathews talked more about what he hopes to achieve in this new role. He commented on some of the Impact talents and storylines, and said he hopes fans continue to enjoy what they are doing.
“There is so much I want to achieve in this role for Impact,” Mathews said. “We are beginning to reach a lot of goals we set, and there is still so much more for us to accomplish. Yes, there is the crossover with AEW and Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers, but I also hope people are taking notice of this Susan character, the X Division, as well as Matt Cardona and Brian Myers jabbing one another—and how Eddie Edwards is getting involved in that, and the Knockouts division with Deonna Purrazzo and everything else we have going on.
“There are so many stars in Impact. I hope people continue to enjoy our show every Tuesday, and now you also have the opportunity to dig deeper each week with Before The Impact.”
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