The Good Brothers: Fitting the Bill

Teaming with Kenny Omega in the Hard to Kill headliner, The Good Brothers are back in the main event, landing on their feet in Impact Wrestling.

It’s been a winding journey but once again, The Good Brothers are the talk of the wrestling world. Reuniting with their Bullet Club comrades, Gallows and Anderson entered 2021 in ‘too sweet’ fashion. Closing the year’s first Dynamite with Impact gold around their waists, it’s fair to say that The Good Brothers have landed firmly on their feet. In many ways, this Saturday feels like the first big match of a brand-new chapter, as Gallows and Anderson team with Kenny Omega in the Hard to Kill main event.

Opposite the Impact World Champion Rich Swann and iconic tag team The Motor City Machine Guns, The Good Brothers find themselves back in the headlines. It’s been just under six months since their arrival in Impact Wrestling, entering to a sense of expectation and hope. For Impact, the signing seemingly signaled something grander, another notch in their rebuilding belt. Slammiversary had earned people’s attention and this was a triumph in that ongoing pursuit, securing one of the industry’s most recognizable tandems.

For Gallows and Anderson though, the move represented something slightly different. It had been four long years in the WWE for them, a stint of frustration and regret. As The Good Brothers struggled for momentum in that system, their usage became a regular topic of discussion. That wasn’t lost on the two men filling those often-demeaning roles either, announcing their own displeasure at the first opportunity. That’s a familiar headline in the wrestling world but in this case especially, it felt different.

Gallows and Anderson appeared motivated to make a difference, desperate to prove a point and more specifically, inspired to make an impact. While Impact was clearly delighted to bring The Good Brothers onboard, they were just as excited to get started. This was an opportunity for them, a chance to right wrongs and lead the way as one of a brand’s central acts. That was a challenge in some ways too, as for Anderson in particular, this wasn’t a format that he’d thrived in before WWE.

This team wasn’t returning home or anything close to it, they were landing on a different weekly show and demonstrating their worth. For those that had followed their careers more closely, Gallows and Anderson were never lacking personality. However, any attempts to capture that on RAW and SmackDown felt more begrudging than anything else. It just didn’t fit, as the act’s organic charm was unsuccessfully molded into something more controllable. Alongside AJ Styles especially, The Good Brothers certainly had their moments, but it never felt natural, never truly comfortable.

That had often been at the center of their appeal too, as Gallows and Anderson quite nonchalantly amused viewers in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Ironically, they were truly at home there, giving a knowing glance at the camera before unleashing their latest obscenities. In their first attempt, the same dynamic didn’t translate to the weekly format, or that particular version of it at least. For The Good Brothers to match the expectations awaiting them in Impact though, that would have to change, as they looked to become one of the promotion’s major attractions.

It didn’t help of course that they wouldn’t receive a hero’s welcome either. For all of Impact’s efforts, Gallows and Anderson’s debut could only feel so grand when received by such glaring silence. This wasn’t the moment that they or Impact deserved, but it was the reality of this situation and an indication of the challenges ahead. To the credit of all involved though, they’ve since adjusted admirably, positioning themselves for a potentially pivotal 2021. In just under six months, The Good Brothers have made Impact their home, maintaining their identity in the process.

Gallows and Anderson still feel special in that setting but they’ve quickly become a key part of the product too. Impact’s ‘variety show’ approach has allowed The Good Brothers to prosper, shining a light on their personality but doing so at the duo’s own pace. It’s an authentic presentation, fitting within the team’s brand but not sacrificing the show’s overall structure or style. Upon entry at least, Gallows and Anderson were lovable rogues, presented as stars and acting accordingly. They stand out from the crowd while still flying the Impact flag.

Unsurprisingly, the team quickly became the tag ranks’ centerpiece, defeating The North at Turning Point and becoming Impact champions. Impact have utilized both in singles competition too, especially leaning on Anderson in recent weeks. That element is a factor in the act’s overall value to Impact, as their general importance allows them to fill bigger roles, coloring outside the lines of undercard tag team tilts. They can not only make those titles mean more, they can expand their reach even beyond that division.

This Saturday feels like an example of that very thing, as Gallows and Anderson enter the aforementioned Hard to Kill headliner. Buoyed by their electric appearance on Dynamite, The Good Brothers are already a major part of Impact’s steady resurgence, with their famed past providing a backdrop to this ongoing crossover. Gallows and Anderson are an integral piece of this puzzle and incredibly, they’ve still yet to perform in front of a single Impact audience. It’s these unique circumstances that even position them here though, so it’s now a matter of maximizing these moments.

Thus far, The Good Brothers have achieved that and more, quickly reclaiming the status that once surrounded their names. This team’s success isn’t a miracle or mistake, it’s the result of comparable, but contrasting skill sets enhanced by an innate, palpable chemistry. It’s easy to get lost in the details but there’s something to be said for an act such as this. Gallows and Anderson are decorated and resilient pros, endearing as relatable conquerors and menacing as vicious outside threats. They just connect, regardless of which side of that coin is currently being presented.

The Good Brothers are essential to Impact’s return to relevance, a reward for their commitment to this process. The promotion represents similar importance to Gallows and Anderson though, providing them with the perfect platform for their very own rebuild. Impact have shown faith and confidence in this team’s instincts, trusting them to reach the heights that they were hoping for. In their own unique, often absurd way, The Good Brothers have managed exactly that, seamlessly filling the daunting roles that awaited them.

At Hard to Kill, Gallows and Anderson are back in the main event and back at the center of the wrestling world. Best of all, they belong again too, in the midst of blazing a new trail that just one year ago, seemed impossible. What was once a lost opportunity is now fast approaching reality, as a recent ‘what could’ve been?’ finds an answer to that very question. The Good Brothers represent Impact Wrestling with pride and optimism, bringing the promotion with them as this year and beyond, they extend their once-stalled legacy.

When and where that’ll occur? Time will tell but this Saturday comes first, as Gallows and Anderson enter their first Impact PPV main event, one of the more significant matches in the promotion’s recent history. This certainly feels like just the start though, both for The Good Brothers and Impact Wrestling, two entities that in a time of need, are truly helping each other.