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As TNA Wrestling gears up for its biggest event of the year, Slammiversary, this Sunday, July 20th, at the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, one of the company’s cornerstone stars, Steve Maclin, is preparing for a milestone of his own: his first-ever win at the milestone pay-per-view.
“I forgot I haven’t won a match at Slammiversary yet too. Wow,” Maclin reflected in a recent interview. “But everything’s good. I’m excited for Sunday. UBS Arena—they just opened up more seats to get more butts in seats, and that’s a good sign. We’re almost over 5,000 fans now, tickets sold.”
In many ways, Maclin’s story mirrors TNA’s own: the tale of an underdog climbing uphill through perseverance and grit.
“Even four years ago when I started at TNA, from being IMPACT and then to the rebrand, you just felt that bubble building and building,” Maclin said. “Once that rebrand and that name of TNA Wrestling came back, the world just got more eyes on the product.”
That rebrand aligned with Maclin’s rise as a singles competitor, culminating in his crowning as the inaugural TNA International Champion at Rebellion. Since then, he’s defended the title against a variety of challengers—Mance Warner, Jake Something, Matt Cardona, and Eric Young among them.
“To be the first one ever International Champion is even cooler 'cause it’s up with the names of AJ Styles and Kurt Angle as the first-ever champions in TNA Wrestling,” Maclin said. “I never thought that in my entire career I would be in a list of that caliber of names.”
With the announcement that AJ Styles will be returning to the promotion this Sunday, Maclin noted it's a "a full-circle moment. And if he wanted to step up to me for the International Championship? Please—I would love that opportunity.”
Maclin also addressed the recent arrival of Cedric Alexander to TNA.
“Cedric and I wrestled before on a NXT house show in either Largo or Lakeland. I enjoyed being in the ring with him—he’s one hell of a competitor,” Maclin said. “If he wants a challenge for this International Championship, I think that’s a matchup that can main event a pay-per-view.”
With the WWE-NXT and TNA partnership opening the door for crossover appearances and dream matches, Maclin sees only upside.
“It’s gotten more people to look into TNA and go, ‘Oh wow, there’s something else out there,’” he explained. “I hope it ends up ending in some type of Worlds Collide-type pay-per-view. I’ll take on any challengers that want to come over and cross the line to our side.”
As TNA eyes a potential record-setting crowd at UBS Arena (the 2012 record stands just over 6,000), Maclin reflected on the significance of the Slammiversary main event featuring Trick Williams, Joe Hendry, and Mike Santana.
“My money’s on Mike, just because it is in his hometown area,” Maclin said. “But also don’t count Joe out—he’s been chomping to get back to that title. And Trick? I would love to have that match myself… if the title doesn’t come back home to TNA, I’m not against going after Trick Williams in NXT.”
Whether in the main event or not, Maclin is embracing the moment.
“I got into this business… to be on the bigger stage, the bigger arenas, to be out there in front of thousands of fans,” he said. “To go out there at UBS Arena on the biggest stage of the year—it’s going to be something else.”
TNA President Carlos Silva recently teased a major media rights deal potentially being finalized within the next 60 to 90 days. Maclin sees it as the missing piece that can complete the TNA puzzle.
“That’s what we’ve been missing… getting on that better network and getting people to see what we are able to do,” he said. “It’s a fun show to watch. So for that to be on a bigger platform is all we ever wanted.”
Beyond TNA, Maclin is continuing his charitable efforts with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, including an upcoming 5K across the Brooklyn Bridge in September. Some Tunnel to Towers representatives will attend Slammiversary, a gesture that means a lot to Maclin.
“They showed me into their world… now it’s getting them to come over and watch some professional wrestling.”
When Maclin isn’t in the ring, he’s studying it. Lately, that’s meant revisiting the work of Bobby Roode.
“People don’t give Bobby Roode enough credit,” he said. “He’s just an all-around talent and mind. I try to go back and watch a lot of his stuff lately… and Samoa Joe, and even some of the old X-Division triple threats.”
Names like Chris Harris, James Storm, Jerry Lynn, and Amazing Red also remain influential to him.
“These are the guys who laid the foundation,” Maclin added.
With Slammiversary on the horizon, Steve Maclin want to be more than just a titleholder—he wants to be the living, breathing symbol of the TNA resurgence.
“If I hadn’t stepped into TNA, I wouldn’t be a former World Champion. I wouldn’t be the TNA International Champion. Steve Cutler would not be Steve Maclin,” he said. “To be on a list with AJ Styles and Kurt Angle—it’s pretty frickin’ cool.”
And as for Sunday?
“I think you just gave everybody why they should watch,” Maclin laughed. “You’re going to see me in some shape or form. It’s never an easy night for me—especially being TNA International Champion."
TNA Slammiversary 2025 airs live Sunday, July 20th from the UBS Arena. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster. The event streams live on TNA+ and TRILLER TV, and is available on pay-per-view worldwide.
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