Josh Mathews is back on the air for Impact Wrestling, hosting the new Before The Impact show that premieres Tuesday night.
Before The Impact will serve as the new one-hour weekly lead-in to Impact! on Tuesday nights, and it will be hosted by Nashville sportscaster Jon Burton, who will be joined each week by Mathews and Gia Miller.
“I’m a huge College Game Day fan on Saturday mornings, so if you like that style, then this is certainly something that is going to be appealing,” said Mathews. “We’re going to really dig deep into the upcoming matches and look at what is happening each week in Impact.”
Enhancing and elevating Impact’s storylines is second nature for Mathews, who has been on camera championing the product as the company’s lead announcer since January 2015. His role officially changed last month when it was announced Impact would have a new broadcast team of Matt Striker and D’Lo Brown. Among those advocating for that move was Mathews, who is now able to fully immerse in his role as Impact’s senior producer.
“Commentary is the reason I first came to Impact,” Mathews said. “I still have a passion for calling wrestling, but I really think the most impactful place for me to be for the company is in the truck. When [former producer] Keith Mitchell left Impact [in 2019], we fell off. As the announcer, I had a different view of our production, which led me to the belief that my role should be in that production chair. I want to make sure we have the best production possible, so people know the standard they are going to watch every single time they watch Impact.”
Mathews move to production full-time should not surprise anyone who has followed his career. His passion for the product is genuine, and he has learned from some of the industry’s premier producers during his 20 years in pro wrestling. Additionally, appearing on Before The Impact allows him the chance to maintain a voice in Impact’s current renaissance, while still achieving a lofty set of production goals.
“I’ve pushed for over a year to make this change,” said Mathews. “I learned so much from my time in WWE from Kevin Dunn and Vince McMahon, and I was pseudo-producing shows back then. Producing a live show is a real thrill, and I came alive in the truck when producing Countdown to Bound for Glory last October. Switching out of the truck and then going to call the show, it was different. I’m ready to oversee the whole presentation, which is a transition I’ve been pushing for.
“For me, it is even more meaningful that I was able to finish my broadcasting career calling shows with my wife Madison Rayne. Now I get to also focus on this new show, Before The Impact, as well as focus my attention in the truck.”
Mathews’s highlight reel for Impact is unique because so many of his most meaningful moments take place off-screen. He relishes the opportunity to be a team player and contribute to Impact’s success, which he is now poised to do as senior producer and an on-air talent for Before The Impact.
“There is so much I want to achieve in this role for Impact,” said Mathews. “We are beginning to reach a lot of goals we set, and there is still so much more for us to accomplish. Yes, there is the crossover with AEW and Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers, but I also hope people are taking notice of this Susan character, the X Division, as well as Matt Cardona and Brian Myers jabbing one another—and how Eddie Edwards is getting involved in that, and the Knockouts division with Deonna Purrazzo and everything else we have going on.
“There are so many stars in Impact. I hope people continue to enjoy our show every Tuesday, and now you also have the opportunity to dig deeper each week with Before The Impact.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at . Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
