Steph De Lander and TNA have been on completely different paths since their messy split earlier this year. Based on her latest comments, that isn’t changing anytime soon.
Earlier this year, De Lander revealed she asked for her release after TNA refused to let her wrestle despite being medically cleared following two neck surgeries. The situation became one of the more talked-about stories in TNA at the time, with De Lander insisting she was healthy enough to compete.
Now she’s provided another update. While appearing on Inside the Ring, De Lander was asked if enough time had passed for things to improve between her and TNA. The interviewer specifically wanted to know whether the two sides were “good” now and if there had been any communication since her departure. De Lander didn’t leave much room for interpretation.
“I mean, there at the moment there is no relationship. You know, there is no communication. There has been no communication. Like, the last communication there was was me saying, ‘Send me my release papers right now,’ and I got them in an email and that was that.”
De Lander also revealed that she has crossed paths with people she believes were involved in the decisions surrounding her exit. According to De Lander, those encounters have been just as cold as their last conversation.
“You know, I’ve seen people that were high up in the company that I know were part of those decisions. I’ve seen them at shows and we just walk past each other, and I think it’s because they don’t want to have a conversation with me ’cause they know how that’s going to go. So, you know, there is no relationship at this point.”
That said, she isn’t ready to slam the door forever. De Lander pointed out that wrestling changes fast, and she’s seen enough people leave companies only to return years later. Because of that, she isn’t making any lifetime promises.
“That’s not to say that I’ll never go back to TNA again. You know, the way that wrestling is is everyone ping-pongs all over the place, you know. So, I’m never going to sit here and say I will never, ever, ever do this thing.”
At the same time, Steph De Lander made it clear fans shouldn’t expect that to happen anytime soon. She said too much would have to happen before a return even became a realistic possibility.
“But for right now, you know, I don’t see that as an option in the near future. Again, things can change, but conversations would have to be had, and I don’t care to have them anytime soon.”
Bottom line: Nothing in wrestling lasts forever, and Steph De Lander knows that. Right now, though, it’s hard to imagine a TNA reunion when both sides aren’t even talking.
Do you think Steph De Lander will eventually return to TNA? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
