Alex Shelley Pulled From Hard to Kill Main Event, Moose Announced As Replacement

Impact Wrestling has announced that Alex Shelley will be unable to travel to Nashville and as a result, has been pulled from Hard to Kill tomorrow night. Moose has been announced as his replacement, and will team with Chris Sabin and Rich Swann against Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers. The announcement reads:

NASHVILLE, TN – (January 15) There has been a huge change to tomorrow night’s industry-shaking HARD TO KILL™ Pay-Per-View main event. IMPACT Wrestling World Champion Rich Swann and Chris Sabin will now team with Moose as they battle All Elite Wrestling World Champion Kenny Omega and IMPACT Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson.

Moose replaces Sabin’s Motor City Machine Guns tag team partner Alex Shelley, who informed IMPACT Wrestling late last night that, due to unavoidable circumstances, he would be unable to travel to Nashville for HARD TO KILL.

IMPACT Wrestling Executive Vice President Scott D’Amore said: “When we got the news from Alex there was no question what we needed to do. Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures – I personally contacted Moose and he accepted the match immediately. I know Rich Swann in particular has his issues with Moose. but this is time to put personal issues and egos aside.

“HARD TO KILL is a huge event for IMPACT Wrestling and a historic one for professional wrestling in general. IMPACT Wrestling needs to put our best foot forward. Moose fits that bill. He is a physical specimen, a five-tool athlete, and has proven himself to be a world-class professional wrestler. Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers will have their hands even more full now when they step into the ring with IMPACT World Champion Rich Swann, IMPACT Original Chris Sabin, and the TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose.”

Moose downplayed the dynamic of teaming with Swann, who the 6-ft, 5-inch powerhouse is widely expected to challenge for the World Championship in the near future.

“I played alongside plenty of guys I didn’t like in football,” said Moose, whose NFL career spanned seven seasons.

D’Amore added Swann had yet to be informed of the change. “Rich is on a plane right now and his phone is off. I’m going to try to meet him at the airport for what I can’t imagine is going to be a pleasant conversation. But HARD TO KILL’s main event is set: Rich Swann, Chris Sabin and Moose will go at it with Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers.”

HARD TO KILL will be available on Pay-Per-View in North America this Saturday, January 16 at 8pm ET/5pm PT on InDemand, DISH, DirecTV, Vubiquity, Rogers, Bell, Shaw, Sasktel. It will be available around the world digitally via FITE TV (pre-order NOW).

Here’s the updated lineup:

* Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers vs. Rich Swann, Chris Sabin & Moose
* Impact X-Division Championship: Manik (c) vs. Rohit Raju vs. Chris Bey
* Impact Knockouts Championship: Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs. Taya Valkyrie
* Impact Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz vs. Havok & Nevaeh
* Ethan Page vs. The Karate Man
* Barbed Wire Massacre: Eddie Edwards vs. Sami Callihan
* Old School Rules: Tommy Dreamer, Rhino & Cousin Jake vs. Eric Young, Joe Doering & Deaner
* Tenille Dashwood & Kaleb vs. Rosemary & Crazzy Steve
* Countdown Show: Josh Alexander vs. Brian Myers