Steve Maclin is taking his omission from Team TNA at the upcoming WWE NXT vs. TNA Wrestling: ShoWDown event in stride — though he admits it did make him question a few things.
The former TNA World Champion has been one of the brand’s most vocal and passionate standard-bearers in recent years, repeatedly emphasizing his pride in representing the company. However, when the lineups were finalized for the historic NXT-TNA crossover event set for October 7th, Maclin’s name was noticeably absent from the men’s side of Team TNA.
During a recent appearance as a guest on The Mark Hoke Show for an in-depth interview, Maclin addressed the situation candidly, explaining that while being left off the team wasn’t what he hoped for, he understands the decision and is focused on the bigger picture for himself and the company.
“I’m hoping for the best for Team TNA and everybody involved,” Maclin said. “Obviously, I’m not there. I wasn’t picked for the team, which makes me wonder what’s going on in that situation.”
The former Marine used a military analogy to frame his outlook, saying that not every soldier gets sent into battle at the same time — and that his opportunity to represent TNA on a major stage will come when the time is right.
“I don’t know. I guess not all soldiers, in a way, or Marines, are going to go to fight the war at the same time,” he said. “So I guess I’ll just sit and wait for something a little bit bigger on that end,” he continued. “But I got my fingers crossed that Team TNA will do their thing, and we’ll see what comes out of that.”
Maclin has been a fixture on the roster since joining the company in 2021. Most recently, Maclin dropped the TNA International Championship to Frankie Kazarian, ending his reign as the inaugural title-holder for the newly introduced championship in TNA Wrestling.
The NXT vs. TNA Wrestling: ShoWDown special airs live on Tuesday, October 7, featuring Team TNA vs. Team NXT in a blockbuster inter-promotional showdown.
Make sure to join us here at WrestlingHeadlines.com this coming Tuesday night for the absolute best live results coverage of the highly-anticipated NXT vs. TNA Wrestling: ShoWDown special event from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
(H/T to Fightful.com for transcribing the above quotes.)
