Alex Shelley Comments On Winning Impact World Title At Age 40, Invokes Tom Brady

Impact Wrestling's Against All Odds event on June 9 ended in shocking fashion when Alex Shelley beat Steve Maclin to win his first Impact World Championship. Shelley, who turned 40 in May, is also a physical therapist and knows what's important in order to keep performing at a high level. During a recent interview with Ad Free Shows, Shelley discussed the evolution of athletes since he's been watching sports and entertainment.

"When I was a teenager, wrestlers by and large peaked athletically by 40, like non-negotiable," Shelley said. "Nowadays, and let's look outside wrestling. Let's look at sports on the whole. You see somebody like Tom Brady still playing professional football in his late forties at a pro level. It's unheard of, setting records at 45. Society on the whole has gone into a period of high-level athleticism and longevity that's been blended."

The new Impact World Champion noted that he would never tell anyone to wrestle a certain way, because that's their prerogative. He's of the belief that people should be able to do whatever they want with their bodies as long as they aren't harming anyone else. However, he does have tips for younger wrestlers who want to improve their longevity.

"That stated, there's ways to bulletproof yourself regardless of how you're going to wrestle too," Shelley added. "If I really had to pinpoint a few things that younger wrestlers could do, it would be learn how to land properly, so go through some jump training. Make sure you train your legs. Make sure you train the muscles on the backside of your body."

With a 20-year legacy already established, Shelley is set to headline Impact Slammiversary on July 15 when he defends the Impact World title against Nick Aldis.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Ad Free Shows with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.