A new Impact Wrestling commentary team will debut at this weekend’s Hard to Kill pay-per-view.
Starting at Hard to Kill this Saturday, Matt Striker will be Impact’s new play-by-play announcer and D’Lo Brown will be on color commentary. Striker and Brown will also call episodes of Impact weekly going forward.
Josh Mathews and Madison Rayne had been Impact’s commentary team. Impact Wrestling announced that Mathews has been promoted to senior producer for their programming. Mathews has also signed a new multi-year contract with Impact Wrestling.
Rayne will discuss her wrestling future at Hard to Kill. It was reported last month that Rayne is leaving Impact Wrestling for a career outside of wrestling.
“My play-by-play career has spanned nearly 20 years — from WrestleMania to Bound For Glory to incredible moments from IMPACT Wrestling on AXS TV,” Mathews said in a press release. “Producing will allow me to have a bigger role in the overall production of our weekly show, PPVs and IMPACT+ Specials.
“This transition has been a great process, Matt and D’Lo are bringing a fresh energy and are ready to go. It was a special year in 2020, and both Madison Rayne and I will always be grateful for the opportunity and look forward to these exciting changes.”
“I’ve always loved professional wrestling. It is a love that unites so many people,” Striker said. “Pro wrestling is a sport and I want to be mindful to call it as such. I’ve learned and grown so much since I began, and I thank the fans — and the critics — for that. It is not lost on me the opportunity that is before me — I can once again lend my voice to the sport that I love. In doing so, I’m poised to describe, analyze, and witness the most advanced athletes the sport has ever seen. I am excited, nervous, thankful, and humbled. I cannot wait to get out there. You will always be able [to] hear the fan in me.”
“I’m very excited to join the IMPACT Wrestling broadcast booth and I know working alongside Matt Striker will be a lot of fun,” Brown said. “I believe in IMPACT Wrestling, with its amazing roster of skilled Superstars and Knockouts — and can’t wait to have the best seat in the house to call all the action. I’m humbled to follow the IMPACT broadcasting path of Don West and Mike Tenay, and most recently Don Callis, Madison Rayne and certainly Josh Mathews. I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity. I know there are big shoes to fill, but Striker and I will do our best.”
Hard to Kill will be headlined by AEW World Champion Kenny Omega & Impact Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) facing Impact World Champion Rich Swann & The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) in a six-man tag match.