Austin Aries Wins the Impact World Title, Then Completes the Impact Grand Slam

Plant-powered wrestler Austin Aries is now a Grand Slam champion in Impact Wrestling. On Thursday night's Impact he beat Matt Sydal in a champion versus champion match, retaining his Impact World Championship and taking Sydal's Grand Championship with his trademark brainbuster.

It caps a remarkable comeback. Aries only returned to Impact on February 1 episode, when he answered Eli Drake's boast about being the greatest champion in the company's history by beating him for the World title in an impromptu match, as Fightful reported.

With the Grand Championship added to his World, X Division and World Tag Team title reigns, Aries becomes only the fifth wrestler to complete the Impact Grand Slam, after Abyss, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Eric Young, according to Fightful. He has been calling himself a “belt collector” this year, and he isn't wrong.

Aries, who wrestled under the persona “The Truth”, has been open for years about eating plant-based, and last year he published his book Food Fight: My Plant-Powered Journey from the Bingo Halls to the Big Time. He credits the diet with keeping him at the top for nearly two decades:

From a longevity standpoint, my plant-based lifestyle has aided in my athletic performance. After 17 years, I can still compete at a high level and continue to win and thrive in my profession.

He also wants fans to question what they're told about food. “Society tells you one thing, and that doesn't mean it is the only thing,” he told VegNews. “Asking questions, educating yourself, and empowering your decisions with solid facts is important to me.”

Aries isn't the only plant-eater in the squared circle. We've covered the WWE heavyweight who is vegan because he “gives a damn”, and of course Nate Diaz’s shock win over Conor McGregor on plants. This year surfing great Kelly Slater went vegan too.

Four belts and counting. No meat, no problem.