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Kushida and Steve Maclin Prepare for a Clash of Styles at Impact’s ‘Rebellion’ PPV

After Josh Alexander was forced to vacate the belt, Kushida and Steve Maclin will square off in a match that should be just as entertaining as Plan A.

Justin Barrasso

SI.com’s Week in Wrestling is published every week and provides beneath-the-surface coverage of the business of pro wrestling.

Kushida and Maclin square off at Rebellion

This Sunday is a chance for Impact Wrestling to redefine itself—and the same goes for the two men wrestling in the main event.

Instead of being headlined by Josh Alexander, who is the longest-reigning champion in company history, the main event of the Rebellion pay-per-view is a title match between Steve Maclin and Kushida. Alexander was forced to relinquish the title after tearing his triceps, necessitating a match to crown a new world champion. For both competitors involved, this match represents a significant opportunity.

Kushida is a star from New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He is a former rival of Kenny Omega, who he competed with for the IWGP junior heavyweight title, but unlike the AEW star, he has yet to reach that elusive next level of stardom in wrestling. That is largely because he still primarily works as a junior heavyweight, where he has enjoyed immense success—but the 17-year pro hungers for more.

“This is the opportunity I need,” says Yujiro Kushida, speaking through a translator. “I thank the gods of pro wrestling for giving it to me.”

As a six-time IWGP junior heavyweight champion, Kushida is no stranger to gold. But this would be his first heavyweight title, a goal he desperately wants to attain.

“I’ve never gotten the top championship,” says Kushida. “That means you are the face of the company. I want to be the driving force behind the company. I want to bring Impact all over the world.”

Maclin once appeared to be on the precipice of a breakout moment in WWE, but the unfortunate combination of the onset of the pandemic and his tag team partner Jaxson Ryker’s tweets supporting President Donald Trump during the Black Lives Matter protests of June 2020 ended any potential for success. He has flourished in Impact, benefiting greatly from working in a place where he is able to show his worth.

“Rebellion is meant for me,” says Maclin. “The opponent changed, but the story is still the same. This is mine.”

Maclin is United States Marine Corps veteran Stephen Kupryk. He proudly served two tours of Afghanistan during his time in the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines infantry battalion.

“Going from a dirt hole in the middle of Afghanistan all the way to this, wrestling for the world title in the main event of Rebellion, it means a lot to me,” says Maclin. “This is the biggest match of my career—and it’s the biggest match of his career, too. I have a lot of respect for Kushida, and it’s an honor to wrestle him for the biggest prize in the company. I’m giving every bit of me out there; I’m bringing everything I have.”

The show is taking place in Toronto at the Rebel Entertainment Complex, only four hours from Kushida’s home away from home. In 2009, he took residence in Windsor, Ontario, while training at Scott D’Amore’s dojo. His English consisted of only a few words and phrases, but he became enamored with Canada.

Kushida returns in prominent fashion, main-eventing a PPV for the promotion where D’Amore now works as president.

“Canada was cold, colder than you can imagine,” says Kushida. “I didn’t have a driver’s license. Tim Hortons was my one chance to relax, but I could not speak English well enough to order a coffee.

“Even though it was cold, I loved Canada so much. Now it is like another home. I was able to prove myself there. I am so excited to wrestle my title match there and prove I can be world heavyweight champion.”

Before Alexander’s injury, Impact was building toward Maclin dethroning him, but this is potentially a better clash of styles. The high-flying Kushida is a master of many forms, including a physical, hard-hitting strong style, and the brawling Maclin also plied his trade in Impact’s vaunted X Division. This match will be different and distinct from what is displayed in the main event of WWE or AEW, which is part of Impact’s charm.

A world-class wrestler, Kushida should not be limited by size. Showing more edge and aggressiveness, he now finally has the chance to be world champion.

“Wrestling for the world title is a dream,” says Kushida. “I can’t wait to make it come true.”

Like Kushida, Maclin has been passed over too many times in pro wrestling over the past decade. Sunday marks his chance to rebel against those who did not believe in him, and put forth a main-event-caliber performance before taking home the world title.

“I’m not going to let this opportunity slip away,” says Maclin. “Josh was a fighting champion, and now I’m going to carry the ball and move the company forward.

“I will keep working. I was a grunt in the Marine Corps. I’m a grunt in life. I’m going to keep grinding, but after Sunday, I’ll do it as Impact world champion.”

The (online) week in wrestling

  • Sanada is the new IWGP world heavyweight champion, defeating Kazuchika Okada in the main event of Sakura Genesis. It is the right call by New Japan booker Gedo, who needs new stars in the main event.
  • Mercedes Moné successfully defended her IWGP women’s championship this weekend at Sakura Genesis against AZM and Hazuki. Next up for the champ is a must-see bout against the wildly talented Mayu Iwatani on Stardom All Star Grand Queendom on April 23 in Yokohama.
  • Bringing back All In and holding the event at Wembley Stadium is a real statement for AEW, as Tony Khan delivered on his promise for a major announcement.
  • Could the Trish Stratus turn on Raw have been any more obvious? Still, it will be interesting to see Stratus in that role.
  • Kenny Omega’s next opponent for the IWGP United States title will be narrowed down this weekend.
  • While no date was attached to the announcement, Triple H spoke at Friday’s SmackDown and shared that WWE will be holding a new talent dispersal draft. Will this be how Reigns is stripped of one of his two titles?
  • Cody Rhodes made his plans clear on Raw, vowing revenge on Brock Lesnar. Also, the A&E special on Dusty Rhodes this past Sunday, which includes Cody and Dustin Rhodes, was phenomenal.
  • Congratulations to Chris Sabin on a remarkable accomplishment.

Israel Adesanya: “I grew up on the Attitude Era”

Israel Adesanya is the UFC’s reigning middleweight champion. He started his second reign Saturday, knocking out eternal rival Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 287 to regain the belt.

He is also a decades-long wrestling fan.

“I grew up on the Attitude Era,” says Adesanya. “I grew up watching wrestling.”

Last July, Adesanya’s entrance at UFC 276 paid homage to The Undertaker. He carried an urn, which had the name Jared Cannonier (his opponent for the fight) inscribed on it.

“I love The Deadman, f--- yeah,” says Adesanya. “I liked him in the biker gang era, too, as the American Badass. He’s a legend.”

UFC and WWE now share the same parent company in Endeavor. While Adesanya has no plans to transition to WWE once his fighting career is over, he does have fond memories of watching Raw when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin ruled the wrestling realm.

“I’ve always been a wrestling fan,” says Adesanya. “I don’t watch as much these days. They don’t allow blood anymore, which I liked. But it is what it is. I barely watch as much UFC as I used to. There’s too much s--- to do.

“I just posted The Rock and Stone Cold highlights from WrestleMania, that snippet I posted captured how I feel. When The Rock said, ‘I want to give everything to this,’ I really feel it. That’s the way I treat every fight.”

Tweet of the Week

That’s the same photo … right?

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.

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Justin Barrasso
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