Daria Rae Reveals What TNA Locker Room Was Really Like on Relaunch Night

Daria Rae’s return to wrestling television as The Suit in TNA Wrestling came with more than just a heel turn. The former Sonya Deville has stepped into a major new role as an authority figure in the newly relaunched TNA—complete with a cold-blooded betrayal of Santino Marella. But now, she’s peeling back the curtain on what the real vibe backstage was like during TNA’s first TV tapings on AMC.

Appearing on Busted Open Radio, Daria opened up about the emotional energy behind the scenes during the January 2026 relaunch, and how much this moment meant to everyone in the locker room—herself included.

“Hunger. Passion. Everyone there understands the magnitude of what just happened with this TV deal,” she began. “I mean, TNA has been around for so long and they've done so many cool things. But in my vantage point, this is the pinnacle of where the company has gone.”

She explained that the locker room was filled with veterans and new faces alike, all laser-focused on making the most of the new era. For some of them, this was the culmination of a decade’s worth of waiting. Even as a recent arrival, Daria could feel just how serious the moment was—and how determined the roster was to rise to the occasion.

“These people, some of them have been in the locker room for a decade or decades, waiting for this moment, waiting for their time.”

“All around from top to bottom it was like—we gotta do this. And especially after you gave your rah-rah speech to hype everyone up… like, I had goosebumps, tears in my eyes. Like, I felt it.”

She went on to describe the pride and intensity backstage that night, echoing the belief that TNA has earned the right to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any other major wrestling company.

“You could see the fire in everyone's eyes. Like, 'we fucking built this place.' I don't know if you can curse on here, but it was like, 'we built this place.' We've been here day in and day out waiting for a moment just like this and we have no option but to deliver.”

And in her words, deliver they did.

“They all delivered. And so it was an incredible show. And I think like you said, it's like that fight that you can only know when you've been through adversity.”

Daria’s full-circle moment with TNA comes after a rough stretch personally and professionally—including a real-life injury and a storyline betrayal by her on-screen daughter, Arianna Grace. But now, she’s not just back—she’s in control, and she’s not playing nice. As for where she goes from here as The Suit, the only thing certain is that she’s not about to fade into the background.

What do you think about Daria Berenato’s return and her backstage comments about TNA’s AMC relaunch? Does the locker room have what it takes to make this reboot last? Sound off in the comments below.

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