The last straw for Acey Romero was being pulled from the television tapings in August.
Last week, former IMPACT Wrestling talent Acey Romero took to social media and confirmed that he had been granted his release from IMPACT. Acey had not been used by the promotion since the April television tapings. In early May, he was dealing with the affects of COVID-19 but went on to recover.
He is now back on the independent scene full-time and was in action on 10/10 in Buffalo, New York. Cultaholic recently caught up with Acey and talked to him about his IMPACT departure. Romero had been in contact with IMPACT in the months leading up to his release but they had nothing for him creatively. He said the final straw was when he and Larry D were booked for the August tapings but were pulled just days before.
I just want people to know I’m not talking sh*t or trying to bury IMPACT. The last straw was we were going to be booked in August but we were pulled the week of. I’ll be honest, IMPACT was a big chunk of my income and my deal was if I wasn’t there, I wasn’t paid. I was paid per appearance. So I was counting on that loop to help me financially.
I was ready to go. We were leaving on a Friday and it was a Monday and just, ‘Hey, bad news. Creative has gone in a different direction and you guys aren’t on the loop this month.’ That’s when the frustration really built, like, ‘What the hell?’ I would call them and say, ‘Can we do something better? What can we do to come back?’ I just felt like we were getting d*cked around, for lack of a better phrase. And then we weren’t on the next loop and I was like, ‘That’s it. I think I’ve been patient enough.’ I can’t speak for Larry but I can speak for myself, ‘I know what I can bring to the table if given the opportunity. There’s no hard feelings but if you don’t have room for me or there’s nothing you see for me to do on the show, let’s just split ways at this point.’
Acey did chat with IMPACT co-Head of Talent Relations D’Lo Brown and D’Lo asked Acey several times if he wanted to go through with leaving. When the release was approved, D’Lo told Acey that he believes in him and to go kill it.
My point of contact most of the time was with D’Lo [Brown]. He was sad and he would ask me repeatedly, ‘Are you sure that’s what you want to do?’ I would be like, ‘D’Lo, I don’t want to leave but if I’m not gonna be used, I have to leave because I have my own things I need to worry about. My financial situation, I need to worry about my career. I can’t just sit here for the better part of a year and not do anything and just be locked down.’ Although he expressed to me that he was sad, he also said when he told me they were going to grant me my release, ‘Alright, go out and kill it, kid. I believe in you. Go out and kill it.’
IMPACT Wrestling is inching closer to their Bound For Glory pay-per-view which takes place on October 23rd. Below is the current lineup for Bound For Glory:
- IMPACT World Championship: Christian Cage (c) vs. Josh Alexander
- Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match: Rich Swann, Brian Myers, Moose, W. Morrissey, Chris Sabin, TBD/TBA
- IMPACT Knockouts Championship: Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs. Mickie James
- Vacant X Division Championship — Three-Way Match: Trey Miguel vs. Steve Maclin vs. El Phantasmo
- Knockouts Tag Team Championships: Decay (Rosemary & Havok) (c) vs. The IInspiration (Jessica McKay & Cassie Lee)
- Heath vs. Violent By Design (Eric Young, Joe Doering or Deaner)
- Pre-Show – Vacant IMPACT Digital Media Championship: John Skyler vs. Crazzy Steve vs. Fallah Bahh vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Chelsea Green vs. Alisha Edwards or Tenille Dashwood
