Impact Players
Encyclopedia
The Impact Players were a professional wrestling
stable in Extreme Championship Wrestling
that was composed of Lance Storm
and Justin Credible
.
announced his retirement on February 20, 1999 and was prepared to announce who the new "Franchise" was to be. Both Storm and Credible came to the ring and both said they were to be the next Franchise. Douglas then said neither of them were qualified and that the next one was to be Tommy Dreamer
. Storm brought along his valet, Dawn Marie
, and Credible brought along his manager, Jason
. Together, they formed one of the most dominant units in ECW history.
They first feuded with Jerry Lynn
and Sabu in singles matches and by late 1999, they had begun a violent feud with Tommy Dreamer
and The Sandman
. The team brutalized many singles stars during this period as well.
They won the ECW World Tag Team Championship at Guilty As Charged when they defeated Dreamer and his unwilling partner, Raven
. They dominated the tag team scene for the next four months before splitting when Storm left for WCW
and Credible won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.
At Guilty as Charged 2001, Credible was joined by Steve Corino
in the New Impact Players. This version of the group did not last long, as ECW filed for bankruptcy and went out of business two months later.
They reunited at One Night Stand
on June 12, 2005, when Credible helped Storm defeat Chris Jericho
at the PPV, and again later the same year on Hardcore Homecoming: November Reign when Storm helped Credible in his cage match against Jerry Lynn.
Storm and Credible were scheduled as part of British promotion 1PW
's Tag Title Tournament, to reform the Impact Players, but Credible missed his flight in order to be a part of WWE's ECW brand.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
stable in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
that was composed of Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
and Justin Credible
Peter Polaco
Peter Joseph Polaco is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Justin Credible. He is also known for his earlier stint with the WWF under the ringname Aldo Montoya...
.
History
The Impact Players formed when Lance Storm and Justin Credible started teaming in ECW in February 1999. They were brought together when Shane DouglasShane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
announced his retirement on February 20, 1999 and was prepared to announce who the new "Franchise" was to be. Both Storm and Credible came to the ring and both said they were to be the next Franchise. Douglas then said neither of them were qualified and that the next one was to be Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
. Storm brought along his valet, Dawn Marie
Dawn Marie Psaltis
Dawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
, and Credible brought along his manager, Jason
Jason Knight
Ronald Jason Knight is an American professional wrestler and manager. He is best known for his stints in Eastern / Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he was a one time World Television Champion.-World Wrestling Federation :...
. Together, they formed one of the most dominant units in ECW history.
They first feuded with Jerry Lynn
Jerry Lynn
Jeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Sabu in singles matches and by late 1999, they had begun a violent feud with Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
and The Sandman
Jim Fullington
James "Jim" Fullington better known by his ring name Sandman, is an American professional wrestler, best known for his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling , where he developed into a "Hardcore Icon"...
. The team brutalized many singles stars during this period as well.
They won the ECW World Tag Team Championship at Guilty As Charged when they defeated Dreamer and his unwilling partner, Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
. They dominated the tag team scene for the next four months before splitting when Storm left for WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
and Credible won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.
At Guilty as Charged 2001, Credible was joined by Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
in the New Impact Players. This version of the group did not last long, as ECW filed for bankruptcy and went out of business two months later.
After ECW
During the Invasion storyline, both Storm and Credible were a part of The Alliance, and teamed together frequently throughout the storyline, mainly on Sunday Night Heat, where they had a series of matches with the Hardy Boys, who represented the WWF in the storyline.They reunited at One Night Stand
ECW One Night Stand (2005)
ECW One Night Stand was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It was held on June 12, 2005 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, New York. The main event was a tag team match between The Dudley Boyz and the team of Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman...
on June 12, 2005, when Credible helped Storm defeat Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
at the PPV, and again later the same year on Hardcore Homecoming: November Reign when Storm helped Credible in his cage match against Jerry Lynn.
Storm and Credible were scheduled as part of British promotion 1PW
1 Pro Wrestling
One Pro Wrestling was a British professional wrestling promotion. 1PW was founded in 2005 by Steven Gauntley until the promotion went into liquidation in 2007; it was restarted within the same year..It ended in August 2011....
's Tag Title Tournament, to reform the Impact Players, but Credible missed his flight in order to be a part of WWE's ECW brand.
Members
- Justin CrediblePeter PolacoPeter Joseph Polaco is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Justin Credible. He is also known for his earlier stint with the WWF under the ringname Aldo Montoya...
- Lance StormLance StormLance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
- Dawn MarieDawn Marie PsaltisDawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
(valetManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
) - Jason KnightJason KnightRonald Jason Knight is an American professional wrestler and manager. He is best known for his stints in Eastern / Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he was a one time World Television Champion.-World Wrestling Federation :...
(bodyguardBodyguardA bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
)
Championships and accomplishments
- Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
- ECW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) – Justin Credible
- ECW World Tag Team ChampionsECW Tag Team ChampionshipThe Extreme Championship Wrestling World Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling...
(2 times)
See also
- The Network (professional wrestling)The Network (professional wrestling)The Network was a professional wrestling stable that was formed in 1999 when ECW began to broadcast nationally on TNN.-ECW incarnation:The Network was a professional wrestling stable that was formed in 1999 when ECW began to broadcast nationally on TNN.TNN did not give ECW much money to produce...
- Team Canada (WCW)Team Canada (WCW)Team Canada was a professional wrestling stable, active in World Championship Wrestling in 2000 and 2001. The team was composed of Canadian and American wrestlers who believed that Canada was superior to the United States of America.-History:...
- Triple ThreatTriple ThreatThe Triple Threat was a professional wrestling heel stable that existed in Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1995 to 1998. It was Shane Douglas's answer to Ric Flair's Four Horsemen...
- X-Factor (professional wrestling)X-Factor (professional wrestling)X-Factor was a villainous professional wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Federation led by X-Pac that featured Justin Credible and Albert....