Steve Maclin will keep tagging and bagging ’em until he gets the title shot he believes he’s earned.
IMPACT Wrestling is headed to Orlando for New Year’s Revolution on January 20 and 21, and WrestleZone spoke with Steve Maclin to promote the weekend’s slate of events. Maclin is coming off of a big win against Rich Swann at IMPACT’s Hard To Kill pay-per-view, and he says Swann was the latest in a line of former world champions in his path to gold.
“I’m feeling good [after Hard To Kill]. I don’t want to take away from Rich Swann, he’s a tough little guy. He’s pound-for-pound one of those tough guys who can do everything in the ring, and props to him,” Maclin noted, “but props to me as well for beating another former world champion. I don’t know what it’s going to take to get my shot at Josh Alexander and how many former world champions I do have to beat.”
Maclin wants the world title that is currently held by Josh Alexander, and it feels like that matchup is destined to happen in many ways. Asked if it matters if it was Alexander or another potential champion he challenged, Maclin said he hopes it’s Alexander standing across the ring from him when he finally gets his title match.
“So Josh is the longest-reigning champion, and kudos to him for that. That is a feat to be number one in IMPACT Wrestling as the longest-reigning World Champion, but at the same time, I’m doing what I can match to match, beating everyone that’s been put in front of me. I’ve been doing that for the past two years. It’s kinda funny that everyone’s been like, ‘Oh, you went from a nobody to a somebody.’ No, I was a somebody, you just didn’t know about it. That’s the fun part, is I’ve been who I am this whole time and it’s just been building and building. If it does get to Josh and I, whether it be at No Surrender or even at Rebellion in Toronto, which was just announced, I don’t know. I hope it is Josh that I can eventually face for that title,” Maclin said. “I think that would be the match-up that everyone wants to see and has been feeling that’s the way it’s supposed to go, and it feels like the right thing to do. But I also feel like I could’ve had that match a few months ago if need be, but Scott D’Amore likes to see otherwise.”
Scott D’Amore was written off of television after being attacked by Bully Ray, so IMPACT brought in Santino Marella as the new Director Of Authority. Maclin says no matter who is in charge, he still feels like he’s earned his place at the top of the card and he’ll keep beating up former champions until he gets what he wants.
“I just think Santino needs to do the right thing obviously and give me what I’ve rightfully earned. I’m not one to complain, and if people think of it that way as I’m complaining or moaning that I haven’t had my shot, then I guess I didn’t earn it in their eyes. To me, I have. Nothing has been announced yet for what’s happening at New Year’s Revolution, and that’s the good part about it. It’s IMPACT Wrestling that’s on the marquee, and that’s what people are showing up to see. Whether you see me beat up another former world champion or not, that day you’re getting the best wrestling that there is on the planet.”
.@SteveMaclin TAGS AND BAGS @DirtyDangoCurty on #IMPACTonAXSTV! pic.twitter.com/ESxuSUwMMW
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 20, 2023
Thursday’s Hard To Kill Fallout edition of IMPACT saw Steve Maclin square off with Dirty Dango, with Maclin picking up the win. Maclin was asked what it’s like working with Dango, who was known more for his comedic skills in recent years. Maclin noted how Dango started off as a serious character and called back to their days in NXT together.
“You can’t forget too that he also beat Chris Jericho at WrestleMania. So I know as much comedic purposes that you get out of Fandango as the character and Dirty Dango that he is, he’s still very much a competitor in ring, and I don’t take that lightly. For the shenanigans that he wants to pull off, dancing and all that,” Maclin explained. “That’s all fun and games, but when I punch you in the mouth, there’s no dancing after that. So it’s either put up or shut up. Like I said, I wouldn’t take him lightly, and when that match does air, you can tell I didn’t take him lightly.
“It’s funny too because outside of the wrestling world, he and I were married to each other when we were in NXT together,” Maclin added. “We were tagging together with him and [Tyler] Breeze against myself and [Wesley] Blake a lot, so we got to know each other very well. So it’s fun to have those experiences in another company and each the good times and reminisce, but also now here we are in a different light of just having the spotlight on us. It’s very fun to go out there and create a match that hopefully people will enjoy.”
IMPACT Wrestling presents New Year’s Revolution at Osceola Heritage Park in Orlando, FL on January 20 and 21; tickets for both nights of events are available here. Check out our full video interview with Steve Maclin at the top of this post.
Read More: Josh Alexander Shares The Next Record He’d Like To Set As IMPACT World Champion
