Exclusive: Acey Romero Reveals Why He Asked For His IMPACT Wrestling Release

After two years with the promotion, Acey Romero was granted his release from IMPACT Wrestling on October 12. 

Romero hadn't been used by the company since the April 2021 tapings and he hadn't appeared on TV since the May 20 edition of BTI when XXXL squared off with Johnny Swinger and Hernandez. 

Speaking with Cultaholic Wrestling's Tom Campbell, Romero revealed issues with IMPACT started after he contracted COVID-19 in May and was unable to work the company's tapings that month. Following his recovery, IMPACT didn't bring Romero back to TV and he became frustrated by August.

"It all stems from me getting COVID," Romero said. "I got COVID in May of this year. So the last time I was at an IMPACT show was in April, I missed the May loop and then just never came back. I got to August and I was like, 'What are we doing here?' It just was a weird time because now there are a lot more talent on the show from different companies and obviously they've got to fill spaces so it was just one of those things where I'm ready to go, I've been ready to go since the end of May, and there wasn't any room. That was basically the answer I got - there's just too many people on the roster and there's not enough TV time at this moment in time."

Romero noted he spoke to IMPACT's talent relations but he was told there was nothing for him. 

"I had contact with them but it wasn't as much as I wanted. I would talk to talent relations but it was basically, 'We're trying but at this point in time nothing is happening.' It just sucks, it just sucked. You finally make it to a level and you're like, 'Yeah! Here we go,' and something stupid happens. In the middle of it all I understood but towards the end it did become frustrating. I just felt like they didn't want me. I'm not saying if they did or didn't but that's how it felt," Romero continued.

The former IMPACT wrestler revealed the final straw came in August when XXXL were booked for the promotion's next set of tapings, only to have their bookings cancelled a few days before Larry D and Acey were due to head to Nashville.  

"I just want people to know I'm not talking sh*t or trying to bury IMPACT. The last straw was we were going to be booked in August but we were pulled the week of. I'll be honest, IMPACT was a big chunk of my income and my deal was if I wasn't there, I wasn't paid. I was paid per appearance. So I was counting on that loop to help me financially," Acey said.

"I was ready to go. We were leaving on a Friday and it was a Monday and just, 'Hey, bad news. Creative has gone in a different direction and you guys aren't on the loop this month.' That's when the frustration really built, like 'What the hell?' I would call them and say, 'Can we do something better? What can we do to come back?' I just felt like we were getting d*cked around, for lack of a better phrase. And then we weren't on the next loop and I was like, 'That's it. I think I've been patient enough.' I can't speak for Larry but I can speak for myself, 'I know what I can bring to the table if given the opportunity. There's no hard feelings but if you don't have room for me or there's nothing you see for me to do on the show, let's just split ways at this point.'"

Acey would then request his release from IMPACT Wrestling. Romero's main point of contact was D'Lo Brown and the commentator told the Limitless Wrestling star to "kill it" after IMPACT granted him his release. 

"My point of contact most of the time was with D'Lo [Brown]. He was sad and he would ask me repeatedly, 'Are you sure that's what you want to do?' I would be like, 'D'Lo, I don't want to leave but if I'm not gonna be used I have to leave because I have my own things I need to worry about. My financial situation, I need to worry about my career. I can't just sit here for the better part of a year and not do anything and just be locked down.' Although he expressed to me that he was sad, he also said when he told me they were going to grant me my release, 'Alright, go out and kill it, kid. I believe in you. Go out and kill it,'" Romero concluded.

Check out Tom's full chat with Acey Romero here.