IMPACT World Champion Steve Maclin Talks NO DQ Match At Under Siege, Upcoming Against All Odds Match
Maclin won the vacant IMPACT World Title at Rebellion in a great match against Kushida. A few weeks later, he was made to defend it against pro wrestling icon and former IMPACT Tag Team Champion, Rhyno.
In only his second IMPACT World Title defense, Maclin took PCO to the limit at Under Siege and came out victorious. He talks about it here:
Speaking with Denise Salcedo of Instinct Culture, Maclin shared his mindset going into the match and what it was afterwards.
“To know it was ‘No DQ’ and to know who my opponent was, I knew we were going to go out and try to do something different that people haven’t seen in a long time. I can relate it to almost like Shawn Michaels and Mankind at Mind Games in 1996, where that was one of those matches where, ‘Holy shit, this evolved both talents.’ So, this is a way to showcase the best that he is and the best that I am and my adaptability as well because I feel like I can get in the ring and work with anyone now. That’s one of those things where whatever situation you put me into, I’m going to take that opportunity and try to knock it out of the park. I think I’ve been trying to do that and I think we did that at Under Siege,” he said.
As for whether or not there were any ideas he was apprehensive about, Maclin confirmed that he and PCO were told no on a few spots.
“We were told a few of those. It’s just one of those things where he and I had enough trust in each other. We’ve worked before. It was one of those things where we just wanted to make it the best match possible, whether it stole the show or not. I thought the PPV as a whole was as strong as anything from start to finish and that was one of those things where we were the only match with a stipulation or weapons used and it built to it. It really was mayhem for all. I’m just proud of it. Walk away from it and think, ‘Okay, don’t have to do that one for a while,'”
Maclin said.
He would then share that using a staple gun on PCO was the spot that made him the most uncomfortable.
“Staple gun was one of those things where it just, okay, yeah, staple gun. You would think the cinder block and sledgehammer but staple gun just skeeves me out,” he said.
Maclin would conclude by saying that he is feeling okay, though still a little beat up. He would even share a story about the cut he sustained on the top of his forhead.
“There was a point in the match where I went and wiped my forehead a little bit, which I shouldn’t have done anyways, and it looked like a big loogie of skin on my hand. I was like, ‘Ew!’ I just watched it hit the mat and it even made a splat sound. I was like, ‘That was gross.’ Just a big blob of skin, but it was pretty cool to have that,” he said.
H/T Gisberto Guzzo from Fightful full article here
Full interview here:
Maclin is scheduled to defend his IMPACT World Title against one half of the Motor City Machine Guns, Alex Shelley, at the LIVE Against All Odds event this Friday, 6/9.
Despite a very storied career with the company, the World Title is the biggest belt that has alluded Shelley throughout his entire TNA/IMPACT Wrestling career.
Shelley is a former 3x IMPACT Tag Team Champion with his partner, Chris Sabin, as well as a former TNA X Division Champion, and he’s hoping to add the World Title to his resume on Friday at Against All Odds.
Maclin has said he wants to be a fighting champion. He wants it to be the usual formula.
Tag Em, Bag Em, Mayhem for All.
Yesterday, IMPACT Wrestling put out an incredible hype video for this match. Check it out:
Follow Gerard at @BearDown316 on Twitter
If you enjoy Bodyslam’s content, you can help donate to the site here. You can also visit our PWTees store and buy Bodyslam official merchandise here.
You can listen to all of Bodyslam’s podcasts by following us on Spotify and subscribing to our YouTube Channel, or any of your favorite podcast platforms.
Be sure to check out Bodyslam.Net for all of your pro wrestling and MMA news!