TJ Perkins made his return to Impact at Thursday night’s Impact TV tapings in Queens, NY.
Using the name TJ Perkins, he defeated Ace Austin with a top rope cross body.
He got a warm reaction from the crowd, which chanted “TJP.”
What A Great Night Of #IMPACTWrestling Tapings! Had An Awesome And Amazing Time! Cant Believe @MegaTJP Is Back! Welcome Back Home Brother! @IMPACTWRESTLING #IMPACT #TJP pic.twitter.com/s2cWZSBomz
— ThePhenomenalAngel (@P1Ange1) June 7, 2019
Perkins worked in TNA as early as 2004 and made sporadic appearances until 2013, wrestling mostly as a masked wrestler called Puma. From 2013-2016, he wrestled as Manik, also wearing a mask, and won the X Division Championship in 2013. In 2016, his TNA contract wasn’t renewed and he ended up signing with WWE and winning the first Cruiserweight Classic tournament to become the first WWE Cruiserweight Champion in its current form. He was released by WWE for unknown reasons in February.