It's been just over a year since Tom Hannifan made his debut for Impact Wrestling after nearly a decade working for WWE.
While at WWE, Hannifan (known then as Tom Phillips) had been used as a commentator for Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and PPV events, so his release in May 2021 came as a shock to fans.
Since arriving at Impact, Hannifan says he's now feels "so fulfilled", both personally and professionally, having been given the opportunity to be the company's lead commentator.
"It's been fascinating and just so much fun," Hannifan told Digital Spy exclusively. "It's been absolutely phenomenal. Personally and professionally, I feel so fulfilled.
"Having the chance to be the lead commentator for Impact Wrestling, it's a position that I'd been striving for for a number of years within WWE. Obviously that didn't happen but I am ecstatic to have that faith and that trust from Impact Wrestling.
"This is what I've always wanted. It was what I was always working for in WWE, I wanted to be in that seat as the lead commentator for WWE," he added.
"It didn't happen and now I'm in a different place where I've been given that opportunity. That means the world to me and I do not take that lightly."
Ahead of his Impact debut at 2022's Hard to Kill, Hannifan said he prepared for weeks, mostly reliving Impact's history.
"I had watched a lot of it as I was growing up," Hannifan said. "I had paid attention to Impact Wrestling here and there and especially when I was in WWE. I always paid attention to what was going on in other promotions, whether it was watching different wrestlers or watching announcers and hearing how they were doing.
"So I was always aware of what was going on in Impact, but it's a very different thing to be aware of it versus speaking on it authoritatively. So, I don't think I've ever taken so many notes in my life as I did for that first Hard to Kill because I just wanted to be prepared and pay tribute to all the things appropriately that were a part of Impact's identity and Impact's history."
Hannifan also had to adjust to the differences between Impact and WWE, who have a lot of specific words and phrases they like their on-air talent to use.
"WWE obviously has certain things they want their commentators to say and not say, and that's their prerogative," Hannifan said. "That's just how they like to position their product on the air.
"So it's something that you abide by when you're there. That's just not how Impact Wrestling positions its product. So there's certain words and phrases that I've kind of had to unlearn and then other things where it's just, opening up my personality and trying different things.
"I'm discovering a lot of new things about myself as a professional. So I'm just fortunate I'm in this environment to try new things."
Now entering his second year with Impact Wrestling, Hannifan has a lot he's looking forward to.
"I'm just excited to take on more responsibilities on air and off air, creating more content, just helping the company take steps forward," Hannifan said.
"That's been really, really important to me in this process, seeing that this company is making strides. This past Bound for Glory was our most attended event in three years. We sold out our first live broadcast, Hard to Kill in Atlanta. So I hope to see that trend continue for our live broadcasts especially."
Watch Impact Wrestling on Dazn, with weekly shows IMPACT!, Before the IMPACT! and IMPACT! in 60. IMPACT PPVs are available on Fite.
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