Mickie James, who is the current IMPACT Knockouts World Champion, announced on Thursday that she has a broken rib.
James has been pulled from next Thursday’s night’s IMPACT x NJPW Multiverse United PPV, where she was set to defend the title against Miyu Yamashita, Deonna Purrazzo and Gisele Shaw in a fatal four-way. During Friday night’s Sacrifice, it was announced that if James is able to compete at next month’s Rebellion pay-per-view, she will defend against Jordynne Grace and the winner of the multi-woman match in a three-way at the Rebellion PPV.
If James is not able to compete at Rebellion, she will then have to relinquish the championship.
IMPACT announced Friday that Josh Alexander will relinquish the World Championship due to a triceps tear, which will require surgery. This ends Alexander’s championship run as the longest champion in company history at 335 days. IMPACT noted on their website that he is currently in Orlando, Florida, where Brad M. Homan, DO, FAOAO, performed the triceps tendon repair on Friday.
KUSHIDA and Steve Maclin will now square off at next month’s Rebellion PPV to determine a new IMPACT World Heavyweight Champion.