Steve Maclin made his dramatic return to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on Thursday night’s “Impact” to take on Mike Santana for the world title.
Maclin’s match against Santana at Sacrifice was stopped due to an injury, and later, Maclin was briefly “fired” from the company before Director of Operations Daria Rae worked to get him reinstated. It was a highly anticipated match to see who would become the face of TNA.
Rae and Maclin were a part of a segment before the match began. Rae gave Maclin a pep talk of sorts before the match took place.
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“You remember when you got fired? Of course you do. You know what’s so interesting about this company? Everybody loves to brag about loyalty, that is until it’s inconvenient,” she told a stoic Maclin. “You put your hands on Tom Hannifan and this entire company turned on you overnight. They want to erase Steve Maclin from TNA history. But not me. I saw the situation differently. They saw you as a liability, and I saw the value. I saw a man who everybody else feared because they know exactly what you’re capable of when you’re focused.
“More importantly, I understand why men like you are built the way you are and what you’re built for. And tonight, you have an opportunity that nobody else is able to do – take out Mike Santana. Rip the heart right out of this company and put the TNA title back on somebody who is worthy of carrying it.”
Eric Young, who became the No. 1 contender for the TNA world title, also got into Maclin’s ear ahead of his match. He warned that the winner would have to face Young at his “most masochist.”
Maclin vowed to put Santana in a hospital as he tried to confront the champ before their match.
But would it be enough to dethrone Santana?
It was a fight from the very beginning. The two each had their moments when they had the upper hand in the match. As Santana got back into the match, Maclin was thrown out of the ring. Maclin tried to move out of the way of any aerial moves, but Santana smartly went to the top rope and hit a big splash on the outside.
Maclin used the outside to his advantage. He threw Santana into the ring post and got a table set up on the outside. Santana tried to jump off the steps to clothesline Maclin but came up a bit lame. Maclin immediately went to work on the tweaked left leg.
As the final minutes of the match wore on, it was go-time for both competitors. Santana hit Maclin with a Rolling Buck 50, but Maclin wouldn’t stay down — not even after a Blue Thunder Bomb.
Maclin got caught on the top rope as Santana hit an enziguri, causing Maclin to fall backward through the table he set up. Santana rolled him back into the ring and nailed a frog splash, but only a two count.
Santana signed for Spin the Block. Maclin collapsed before Santana could hit it. Santana checked on Maclin to make sure he was OK but fell for the trap. Maclin hit a superkick and tried for the pin, but to no avail.
Santana made one last gasp effort. He mustered up enough energy to hit Spin the Block and pinned Maclin for the win.
“This is my house,” Santana proclaimed as “Impact” went off the air.
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The System started the night basking in the glory that was Cedric Alexander’s X Division Championship win over Leon Slater.
“Leon Slater, you were one day away, one day away, one day away, I’ll say it again, he was one day away from accomplishing his dream. One day away from becoming the record maker. No, see, last week, I became the record taker,” Alexander said. “Boo all you want. It is a fact of life that I am now the standard in the X Division.
“I am the signature champion of TNA. And you know what? I got a problem. Instead of being able to celebrate my moment. Instead of being able to live in the moment, somebody decided to ruin the party.”
Alexander called out Fabian Aichner, who appeared at the end of Alexander’s match with Slater.
Aichner obliged and had a message for Alexander and The System.
“Buona Sera, System. Last week, I didn’t come out here for no reason. I came out here to make a name for myself – respect, redemption and recognition. That’s why I’m here. So, if you guys want to call yourself the best in TNA, perfect. You go right ahead because the bigger the obstacle, the bigger the fight, the better I become. I’m not just some gimmick. I am a future TNA champion. And you know what? That X Division title is looking real nice. So Cedric, enjoy your moment while it lasts, my man, because I’m not here to stand in line. I am here to take my spot.”
Bear Bronson and Brian Meyers rushed Aichner in the aisle but missed doing any damage. Aichner dumped Eddie Edwards to the floor. Alexander began attacking Aichner as he got into the ring. Aichner avoided Alexander’s Lumbar Check and reversed it into a chokehold.
Aichner was left standing tall in the ring as The System pulled Alexander out of the ring.
Aichner and Edwards will square off next week on “Impact.”
Stacks and his fiancée Arianna Grace were ringside to watch the match between Indi Hartwell and Elayna Black. Grace, the former TNA Knockouts world champion, had feuded with Hartwell for some time. Grace claimed that Hartwell was “obsessed” with her.
The match came to an end when Stacks unsuccessfully tried to distract the referee while Grace pushed Hartwell off the top rope and began her beatdown. Grace blamed her father, Santino Marella, for why she’s no longer the TNA Knockouts champion. She said current champ Lei Ying Lee didn’t deserve her chance at the title.
Marella, TNA’s director of authority, came out and called Grace “classless.” He said the only thing unfinished was Grace’s “attitude” and she needed to be “grounded.” He turned his attention to Stacks, saying that he made him “sick” and that he was the one “filling her head with all this garbage.”
Marella was about to use the cobra on Stacks before Rae came out and put a stop to it. Rae reminded Marella that if he wanted a match with Stacks, he would have to submit it to “the board” and get it approved.
Rae later announced that the match was approved for next week’s “Impact.” Marella will take on Stacks one-on-one.
