In PWMania’s latest exclusive interview, Mara Sadé (@itsmarasade) sits down to talk about her time in TNA Wrestling so far, including reinventing herself, working with The Hardys, the TNA on AMC era, Elayna Black, the WWE NXT – TNA partnership, her goals, and so much more. Watch it in its entirety down below.
What went into your character reinvention as you signed with TNA Wrestling?
“I feel like a lot of things in NXT I didn’t get to bring to life, or show the world. Coming to TNA really allowed me to step into who Mara Sade is, which I definitely got to dabble in, like showing the people another side of me. I feel like, along the way, TNA has given me the opportunity to work with amazing people and legends, like The Hardy Boys, who I feel like brought this extreme side out of me. I’m living for it right now. I love what I’m doing right now at TNA. I feel like there have been multiple things that have just helped me show people what it is that I’m here to do, which is to check my goals. But, I’m having a lot of fun just discovering myself and putting out the work that I always wanted to put out.”
One of your earlier matches in TNA, which you touched upon there, was working in a six-person tag match with The Hardys. What was it like to work with Matt & Jeff Hardy?
“It was surreal. Every time I think about it, I’m just like, did that really happen? Just hearing how they do things. They’ve been doing this for years. They’ve been elevating TNA so much, and to be standing on the apron next to them and hearing how they work… Legends. It made me feel like I’m here for a reason. This wasn’t by mistake, and I’m going to show everybody what they missed before.”
What does it mean for you to be a part of the TNA in the AMC era?
“It’s a big, big moment. I think TNA Wrestling is getting the AMC deal. I feel like timing is always perfect, to be honest. For me to be at TNA and for TNA to secure the TV deal makes sense. It’s just beautiful because we’re only elevating from there. Every show gets better and better. Even with the upcoming shows, we’re about to be in New Orleans, Cleveland, OH, and we’re going to be in so many new places. For it to be in front of thousands of people sitting at home, it’s an even better way to bring in people to see what TNA has to offer. I think we’re doing that. So, check.”
On Friday and Saturday night, March 27th and 28th, TNA Wrestling is returning to New Orleans for its big event, “Sacrifice,” followed by some tapings. What’s your mindset heading into this weekend?
“To be honest, I’m determined, and I’m super focused. I’ve been doing nothing but staying in the gym and training, making sure that when I show up, I’m checking all boxes. First things first, Elayna Black has been running her mouth, and I just want to shut her up and make her choke on all of her words. So, that’s where my minds at. I’m excited to go to New Orleans. It’s going to be my first time in New Orleans. I’m going to turn up, I’m going to show up looking fly as I do, but I’m going to do that and then some to defeat Elayna Black.”
Your story with Elayna Black goes deep. You two started around the same time in the same place. What is it like to work with her in TNA?
“Elayna definitely has come and is doing her thing, which she always has. Elayna has always been that girl. I don’t want to say it’s cool or anything because I have a competitor to go against. But just watching and seeing how she’s maneuvered as well, being that we’ve both been in similar situations, I really want to give her a pat on the back. It does take a lot for somebody to start again or begin somewhere else. It takes a lot of courage and another mindset of focus and really honing your craft to go back out there and show the people what you want to show them. I will clap for her on that, big props. But working with her, she cool, she cool, and we used to cool, that’s the thing. Then she started running her mouth. Here we are.”
What does it mean for you to be a part of one of the best women’s divisions in all of professional wrestling, the TNA Knockouts division?
“If we sit here and think about it, there have been so many legends as well who have come from the TNA Knockouts division. I’m always referring to Jazz, Mickie James just came through, these women really set the tone and paved the way for the knockouts like me. Being aware of the history and being part of it means a lot. To be in the locker room as well with all of these women and learn from them, I couldn’t ask for anything better. I’m a sponge here at TNA. I’m taking it all in, and I absolutely love it.”
What does it mean for you to be a part of one of the most unprecedented times in TNA Wrestling’s history, its partnership with WWE NXT?
“It’s crazy. Let’s see, maybe five years ago, partnerships weren’t really spoken of. When they did start unfolding, you were just like, “woah, what is this world?” It really opened up a lot of opportunity and I think it’s a beautiful thing because, again, five years ago, if people were to leave a company, I feel like it’d be almost, not unheard of, to go to other companies, but for them to be meshing together. To be in this world of collaboration, I think it’s awesome. I feel like wrestling is becoming super mainstream in the sense that all these collaborations are going down. Even with the entertainment and Hollywood side, and even with TV and bringing in all of these AMC stars to sit in the audience and be a part of our world, I love it. It’s crazy, and I think it’s going to keep transforming. I love it here. I love the collaborations. I love that everything is intertwining. That’s what wrestling is becoming, and I love that for us, I do.”
You have a couple of shows coming up in April with TNA Wrestling. On April 11th, you’ll be heading to Cleveland, OH, for “Rebellion,” and just a few days after, you’ll be coming up to Syracuse, NY, for a couple of days of tapings. What’s your mindset heading into these shows?
“I’m always excited. Whether I’m doing something or not, I’m always doing a little something, something on the side. I’m just really looking forward to putting out my best work, stunting on the knockouts division, and just experimenting more and using the time that I have to expand on all that is Mara Sade. Being the go-getter, checking my goals, which right now, my focus is on New Orleans and checking Elayna Black off my list. I’m just elated to be heading into spring with all of these shows. We’re just grinding. That’s what I came here to do, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
What are your future goals for 2026 and beyond?
“My biggest goal is most certainly having that TNA Knockouts Championship. Right now, Elayna is in the way. As soon as I can put her in her place, I’d love to check the goal of being the TNA Knockouts Champion. Even after that, just continuing to grow, that’s my biggest thing. As long as I’m elevating, the world is mine.”
Do you have anyone in mind that you’d really like to share the ring with?
“Yes. I’d really like to step in the ring one-on-one with Ash By Elegance. She’s definitely someone I believe would push me to the next level as well. Also, Lei Ying Lee. At Bound For Glory, we did have a little something, but to go toe-to-toe with her one-on-one again, I feel like she’d bring another side out of me that I’d love to experience. She’s bada**. It’d be between those two.”
What’s one thing fans may not know about you but would pop if they found out?
“I feel like a lot of people’s perception of me is like, ‘what don’t you do?’ So what can I say? This is a little funny, but fans may not know that I suck at baking cookies. Every time, they get burnt. But, I would say one thing people don’t know about me is that I love roller skating. I love just dancing, going around with wheels on my feet. I live for dancing and just having a good time, and that’s a good time for me. It’s like my happy place. I suck at making cookies, but I love roller skating.”
