Steve Maclin Reveals How WWE Release Forced Him To Reinvent Himself

Steve Maclin isn’t pretending his WWE exit didn’t sting — but the TNA star says getting released ultimately pushed him to rethink everything about his career.

Speaking on The Mike & JD Show, the former TNA World Heavyweight Champion explained that when WWE let him go, he treated the moment like a professional athlete being cut from a team. Instead of dwelling on it, he focused on how he could evolve and come back stronger somewhere else. Maclin said the situation forced him to look at the next step of his career with a different perspective.

“Everything's always intentional on my end. Everything I do matters. And for when I left, when I was let go from WWE, it's like an NFL player leaving a team and going to another. It's alright, cool — my game's changed, but how do I up it a little bit more and still continue to do what I was doing, but make it even better?”

Maclin eventually landed in TNA Wrestling, but his arrival came during a difficult time for the industry. The company was still operating in the tail end of the pandemic era, meaning many shows were happening without fans in attendance — something that made establishing a new character even tougher. He explained that performing long segments without a crowd forced him to rely on precision and storytelling rather than audience reactions.

“And then coming to TNA, I kind of had a fresh start. And granted, it was at the end of COVID, too, with no fans, which was a challenge for me as well to introduce a character to not play off of anybody in the crowd. And to have a 10-minute segment to 12-minute segment with no fans and it's a squash match, it's very, very challenging to go out there and try to do without wasting what you're doing, wasting what you're saying.”

Instead of rushing into the spotlight, Maclin spent time studying the roster and the product before making his full impact on the company.

“When I first got there, luckily I had a month to sit behind the scenes and watch tapings. So I watched everyone — who's doing what, who's saying what, what's their demeanor, what role will I fit in the best?”

That preparation quickly paid off. According to Maclin, former TNA executive Scott D’Amore was surprised by how well he performed once he stepped into the ring.

“Once I hit the ground running, Scott D’Amore said it to me. He goes, ‘Wow.’ He's like, ‘We didn't know you could work, but that's even the plus side now that we signed you.’ So it just made it even better.”

Maclin also revealed that one compliment from fellow TNA star Josh Alexander stuck with him more than almost anything else he’s heard in his career.

“One of the best compliments I could have ever got was from Josh Alexander after my first few months there. He goes, ‘You're not a WWE guy — you're a TNA guy.’ And that to me has stuck with me since because yeah, I came from somewhere else, but I came here to make it my home and make the best out of the situation. And I think I've done that for almost five years come June.”

Maclin’s mindset after his WWE firing clearly shaped the next chapter of his career. Instead of fading away, he used the moment as motivation to rebuild himself and carve out a major role in TNA. Now several years into that run, Maclin believes the gamble paid off — and the company became the place where he truly established who he is as a wrestler.

Do you think Steve Maclin’s WWE release ultimately helped him reinvent his career in TNA? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know what you think.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.