IMPACT Executive VP Scott D’Amore recently spoke with PW Insider to hype up this weekend’s Slammiversary pay per view, where D’Amore revealed that commentator Matt Striker was taking some time off due to personal issues but will return for Saturday’s show. He also discusses Don Callis and the work he’s doing with AEW and The Elite. Highlights are below.
Says that Matt Striker has been dealing with some personal issues but will be back for Slammiversary:
As for Matt Striker, I’ve seen comments, I’ve seen questions. So Ross Forman, for those that don’t know, is our Impact Wrestling publicist and so many other things that he handles, too numerous to mention. He’s going to give me crap for this, but I’ll say it right here, Matt Striker will be at the desk at Slammiversary. He’s chomping at the bit to get back. Matt needed some time and we gave that to him. We were happy to support him and give him the time he needed to take care of what he needed to take care of. And he’s excited to get back in that chair and call one of the best damn pay-per-views out there this Saturday night on Slammiversary.
On Don Callis not being an executive anymore and his work with AEW:
No, no, no I’m good. I think we’re in a great place. I think Don’s right where he should be. I think he is one of the best talkers in the business. I think he’s a great mind. I think he’s a guy who’s also at a point in his life. It’s easy to forget that me and Don have been friends for so long. And when you’re in your 20s, your 30s… Whether you’re 23, or 29, or 30, you’re in a much different place. As we get older… I mean, Don respectfully has got a handful of years on me. I know, last week on the show, he said 47. But I think we all know that’s not true. Where he’s at in life, I think he’s in a great place. Me and him talked for 90 minutes last night. And it was just great. I think we have a great crew. One of the things that I’ve always strived to do and it’s not just with Impact Wrestling, it’s not just in the restaurant business but it’s with any business or any organization I’m involved in, I was taught this many years ago. If you really have built a strong organization, then you can take any one piece out, and the machine’s going to keep going. Because you’re going to backfill and go. And Don’s contributions over the years, we’re very grateful for having him. But this has been a process over the course of the last couple of years. Like it’s not like, ‘Oh sh*t, tomorrow we’re making this change.’ It’s been a gradual thing. From 2018 to 2019, 2020 and ’21, this is the direction we’ve been heading. And I think he’s where he should be. And I think we’re where we should be.