Ex-WWE star Santino Marella has revealed why he made the decision to sign with IMPACT Wrestling recently.
Over the weekend, Marella debuted for IMPACT at their Hard To Kill event, being revealed as the new “Director of Authority” while Scott D’Amore recovers from his attack courtesy of Bully Ray. Shortly after his debut, Marella joined The Dave Van Auken Show to discuss his debut.
Marella was able to debut as the actual Santino Marella character from his WWE days, as WWE didn’t renew the trademark for the character, allowing IMPACT to pick it up.
“I have two small children—one and four—so I wasn’t really looking to get on the road again. Scott D’Amore is a friend of mine, and we chatted about possibilities a few times, and everything seemed to line up. All of a sudden, I was looking for 2023, not this early, but to kind of get back out there and do something.
“Scott, as a habit, when he gets former WWE guys, he goes and checks the trademarks. He found that in 2021, WWE did not renew the Santino Marella trademark. Scott jumped on it and IMPACT Wrestling now owns the Santino Marella trademark. So that’s why a lot of people, when I came out and said I was Santino Marella, they were like, ‘Woah, how is he able to use that?’
“That was almost bigger news than me coming out, being able to use the name. It was fun. Not having to modify the character and just being Santino, something that I am good at and comfortable with, and I can flick a switch and I can be Santino on the drop of a dime. I wasn’t gone long enough to where nobody knows me, but I was gone long enough that it means something. It was a good balance. Timing is everything, and it was the right time.”
Marella admitted that he did have one ask for D’Amore when he signed, and that’s to do something with his daughter inside the ring once she’s called up.
“I did talk to Scott in the beginning and said, ‘One of the only things I ask is that when my daughter is able to be called up, I’d like to do something in the ring with her.’ He’s cool with that.” Marella said.
“AEW, I’ve been to a couple of shows backstage, a lot of friends. So many guys I admire or I’ve worked with. WWE, my life is so perfectly balanced right now, I can’t gamble that. To go on the road for 50 weeks a year, even if it’s for one day—the Booker T schedule where I fly in, do commentary, fly home—that’s still every week. I really like this schedule [with IMPACT].”
Marella initially ran with WWE from 2005 to 2016. He won two Intercontinental Titles during that time, as well as a United States Title run, and a Tag Team Title run alongside Vladimir Kozlov. Since his WWE release, Marella has been working sporadically through the independent scene for the past several years.
Quotes via WrestleZone
