By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
TNA issued the following press release on Thursday from Ace Austin regarding his tag team partner Chris Bey.
Chris Bey began his rehabilitation from neck surgery on Sunday, October 27, and he will remain in Detroit with multiple daily rehab sessions under the direction of specialists. He continues to show daily improvements that bring a smile to the face of those around him, and Bey himself.
He has family members by his side daily, along with close friends, TNA Wrestling management and members of the TNA roster.
Ace Austin has been by Bey since the Sunday night in-ring accident.
The two were put together as a team after Austin returned from Japan in 2022 “and we made a choice to come together and give it everything we had,” Austin said. “Our pairing worked so well from the beginning, largely because we share a similar work ethic and a deep love for wrestling.
“We could both see the raw potential we had in front of us if we just put our heads together and really became a team. We were friends before, but we really became partners fast and even quicker became brothers.”
Bey’s first match in TNA was an Xplosion match against Austin shortly after Austin was signed by TNA. “He was gracious, selfless, willing and incredibly talented,” Austin said. “When TNA signed Chris, he was right in the mix with me for the X-Division Championship.
“As rivals we grew immense respect for each other and had classic matches. As tag-team partners, we’ve been able to lift each other up and support each other in so many ways, both as wrestlers and as humans in this world.”
Austin and Bey form the magical, electrifying team known as ABC – and they already have accomplished incredible things that both are insanely proud of. The quick list of ABC accomplishments include:
- Ultimate X Match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship against the Motor City Machine Guns at the 2023 Rebellion pay-per-view;
- Three-team Full Metal Mayhem match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship at Bound For Glory 2024;
- Three reigns as the TNA World Tag Champions;
- Tag Team of the Year in 2023;
- Ranked No. 6 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 10 Tag Teams of 2023; and
- Second-place in the NJPW Super Jr. Tag League.
“We’ve seen so much of this beautiful world together,” Austin said. “Chris’s first time out of the country was to Japan by my side, and now we’ve been to five countries together.
“I was in the ring with Chris when the incident occurred last Sunday and I’ve been by his side ever since. It was just as normal as anything we’ve done in the ring thousands of times. Everything was alright until it wasn’t. Each moment is precious and I’m cherishing every moment I’ve had in the ring and around the world with Chris, and every moment I have by his side right now. There will be a lot of hard work ahead, but we don’t know any other kind of work.
“Chris won’t be alone for any of this. He’s going to be surrounded by love and support from every single one of us. The road to recovery is going to be easy as, ABC.”
SUPPORTING CHRIS BEY
There are multiple options for TNA Wrestling fans who want to support Bey:
T-Shirt
Chicago-based Pro Wrestling Tees (@PWTees on Twitter) released the official fundraising shirt for Bey, with all proceeds going to Bey. To order, go to: pwtees.co/4f12997.
GoFundMe
Jeremy Sanchez and Stan Victor, longtime friends of Bey, established the official GoFundMe page to support Bey and “show our support for him and ease the stress of the financial burden associated with this injury,” Sanchez said. “Your contributions mean so much and will help him focus on getting better without financial stress.”
To donate, go to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/
Whatnot
The Ultimate Finesse Auction is LIVE at 2 p.m. ET on @Whatnot, featuring exclusive ring-worn and autographed wrestling memorabilia, rare collectibles, and more.
eBay
TNA will be offering rare wrestling memorabilia, including autographed match-worn gear and one-of-a-kind souvenirs, on its eBay page: www.ebay.com/tnawrestling.
TNA Shows in Fayetteville
At the upcoming TNA shows at the Crown Arena in Fayetteville, N.C., set for November 8-9, TNA will have numerous fund-raising initiatives to assist Bey, including Bey pins and limited-edition and numbered collector photos.
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