TNA Wrestling personality Santino Marella is feeling confident about the company’s rapid growth and ambitious future. During an interview with Lucha Libre Online, the former WWE Intercontinental Champion praised TNA’s resurgence in recent years and expressed his belief that the company is on the verge of becoming the clear No. 2 promotion in the world.
“Obviously, the current locker room is ecstatic about the growth,” Marella said. “Yeah, when I came here it was not like this, man. Sometimes we were in Nashville or even in Toronto, we had 350–500 people, but we believed in ourselves, you know. And now that we have the audience size that feels right, we deliver every time. Every time we’ve had a sold-out crowd, we’ve never not had a good show. We’ve never wasted an opportunity.”
Marella pointed to the upcoming Bound for Glory event as the next major chance for TNA to showcase its momentum on a big stage. “Bound for Glory is going to be another one. We’re going to capitalize on that audience. We’re going to send the message out to the wrestling world, man — we’re here. We’re knocking on the door, and you better look out.”
He also addressed the current wrestling landscape, acknowledging WWE’s dominance while expressing confidence in TNA’s ability to surpass other competitors. “Once we get that TV deal, we’re number two, man. I know, whatever, Tony Khan has lots of money — I get it. But the fans speak. The fans dictate who’s number one, number two, number three, not your bank account,” Marella explained. “So, of course, WWE is number one. They’re so far ahead, we’ll never catch them in my lifetime. But number two is attainable. Number two is really something we can do. And if we accomplish that, man, that’s humongous.”
TNA has experienced a surge of renewed momentum in 2025, with cross-promotional appearances on WWE NXT, a string of sold-out events, and growing fan enthusiasm around its product. With continued success and a potential new television deal on the horizon, Marella’s bold prediction may not be far from reality.
