Josh Alexander achieved notable success with the promotion and played a crucial role in re-establishing TNA’s reputation for elite wrestling during his impressive 335-day title run. Alexander has now revealed that he worked through extensive injuries during his title reigns.
During his appearance on Sunday Night’s Main Event, Alexander discussed his time in IMPACT/TNA and detailed his two reigns as IMPACT World Champion. He first captured the title at Bound For Glory 2021 but lost it immediately, only to regain it at Rebellion 2022. However, Alexander had to relinquish the title due to a triceps injury, revealing that throughout his title reigns, he was wrestling with a torn knee.
Despite the knee injury, Alexander was determined to continue wrestling and even hid the extent of his knee issues from others to avoid being told he couldn’t train. He described wrestling with a torn knee for two-and-a-half years during his IMPACT run, only getting it fixed after his triceps injury. He underwent knee surgery 10 days after his triceps operation, highlighting the rapid recovery time compared to a previous surgery he had when he was younger.
”I just never wanted to get out of the ring. I had this true passion for this that if my knee got banged up when I was training, I might be stupid for doing this but I didn’t wanna show that my knee was banged up because I didn’t want them to tell me I couldn’t train. So I’d be hiding all this stuff that was happening whether it was a bruise or a swell or a sprain or all this other stuff but, I just never wanted to get out of the ring. So, that’s kind of the mentality I always had and then when I trained with (Johnny) Devine, it was like, ‘You don’t know what hurt is. I’ve been wrestling with a torn ACL for a year and I just wear this brace’ and as I progressed through my career, I’ve wrestled with a torn knee for two-and-a-half years of my IMPACT — my whole title run, my knee was torn and I didn’t get it fixed until my tricep went and then I just called the surgeon, he was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll fit you in next week and you’ll be healed in six weeks.’ I had knee surgery in secret just to clean out my knee finally, you know, to get me back to 100 percent but, wrestling, there’s no off-season, there’s no time to get stuff fixed, especially if you’re on a run so, you just gotta keep going.”
Alexander praised the advancements in knee surgery, noting that he was back in the gym just a week after the procedure. He emphasized the demanding nature of wrestling and the absence of an off-season, requiring wrestlers to push through injuries and continue performing despite physical limitations.
”I came home from triceps surgery and it was like 10 days later, my surgeon fit me in to do my knee… Knee surgery is amazing now. I had the same surgery done when I was 17 and I was out for months and this one, I was on the stairs at the gym a week later. He was just like, ‘The more you can move, the better.’ I was like, ‘That’s great for me’ so, yeah.”
Josh Alexander also recently dismissed TNA contract hostage accusations. It remains to be seen whether Alexander will stick with TNA for the long run once his contract expires next year.
Do you have more respect for Josh Alexander after battling through so many injuries during his tittle reigns? Sound off in the comments section below!