The WWE/TNA crossover is still in effect.
Steve Maclin knows a thing or two about WWE since the International Champion was in the company for seven years as one of the members of The Forgotten Sons. But since his release in 2021, Maclin has been thriving in TNA and is one of the bright spots of the promotions.
Maclin hasn’t made the jump back to NXT yet. But the 37-year-old does have a few names on his list that he would like to face if he does. Speaking to Inside The Ropes, Maclin revealed that Pete Dunne, Drew McIntyre, and AJ Styles are at the top of his list. Though he mentions Chad Gable later on in the interview as well.
“I would love to get in the ring with the Phenomenal One, the one they called the standard of TNA Wrestling, or the man they call TNA Wrestling.”
Maclin also listed a couple of TNA stars that he wants to fight as well.
“I would love to get in the ring with someone like a Jason Hotch, Leon Slater, our youngest X Division Champion in history, Zach Wentz, Myron Reed, who I just wrestled at Wrestling Revolver, is another one I would love to have a match with. And then I would say among guys who have been there for long enough, I have beaten most of them.
I have Frankie Kazarian coming up at Victory Road, and then me and Moose one-on-one, you know that hasn’t happened cleanly ever, so that would be a fun one. But then one feud I would love to have, the one match, or best of seven series, if you will, would be against Eddie Edwards.”
He also talks about the impact the TNA/WWE crossover is having on both companies.
“It’s given us so many moments now that we never thought would happen, with AJ [Styles] coming home at Slammiversary after 11 years. We never expected that to happen, and there he was in front of a sell-out crowd in UBS Arena, New York, in Long Island. It was a moment that I won’t forget, and it was just so cool to talk to him behind the scenes and get to talk to him for the first time in a while.
To see him back in a TNA ring, which we never thought would happen, but with that partnership, that’s what has happened, and it has given us a ton of exposure. Granted, Trick Williams is our World Champion right now, but I’m not a big fan of that as well.
It has given us across the board, some great moments with Jordynne Grace when she was the Knockouts Champion, and then you have Joe Hendry in the Royal Rumble, Jordynne in the Royal Rumble and then Joe Hendry at WrestleMania and the crossover with NXT, and hopefully that RAW and SmackDown crossover at some point would be awesome for TNA to get that exposure but it’s also just everybody’s getting to know what TNA Wrestling is once again from that rebrand that we had about a year ago, over a year ago. It’s really cool to be a part of, just because I went through that boom in NXT, when it was happening in 2014, and it feels the exact same way.”
Check out the full interview where he talks about his dreams for the International title, the Dudleyz vs. Hardys match, and so much more.