Vegan professional wrestler Austin Aries secured the top title at Impact Wrestling last week, earning himself the title of Impact Grand Champion after a victory over Matt Sydal.
Recently, the former WWE wrestler has dubbed himself “The Belt Collector” and with good reason. In addition to being the new Impact Grand Champion, Aries is also currently Impact World Champion, Defiant Wrestling Champion, IPW (International Pro Wrestling) UK World Champion, and the World Series Wrestling Heavyweight Champion. The victory over Sydal brings the total number of championship belts held by Aries up to five.
Since being released from top professional wrestling promotion WWE last year, Aries’ career has soared to new heights. Not only has he embodied the idea of a decorated champion by emerging to the ring while wearing all of his title belts, he has also authored a book about his experience as a vegan wrestler called “Food Fight: My Plant-Powered Journey From The Bingo Halls To The Big Time.”
Aries is not the only vegan professional wrestler to hold an Impact Wrestling champion title. Allie, a plant-based athlete who performed under the name “Cherry Bomb” in the independent circuit, is currently in her second run as Impact Knockouts Champion, the company’s women’s wrestling division. Allie has been vegetarian since she was 14-years-old and went vegan a few years ago. She also hosts a YouTube show called Allie’s World, where she vlogs about food, travel, workouts, and wrestling.
Outside of Impact Wrestling, a handful of young vegan wrestlers from the United Kingdom are currently making a splash in the industry. Tyler Bate became the first ever WWE United Kingdom Champion last year as well as the youngest singles champion in the history of the company at age 19. He lost that title to fellow UK vegan and British strong-style wrestler Pete Dunne. Their match at NXT TakeOver: Chicago went on to win the NXT Year-End Award for Match of the Year. Zack Sabre Jr., who also wrestles for WWE and in the independent circuit, has been voted Best Technical Wrestler by readers of Wrestling Observer Newsletter for four consecutive years from 2014 to 2017.
Along with Aries and Allie, these wrestlers are proving that you don’t need meat in order to be considered among the best in the industry.
Image source: Impact Wrestling
