Scott D’Amore recently opened up in a deeply personal and revealing interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, speaking candidly about his departure from TNA Wrestling, the emotional toll of losing control after its rebranding, and his instrumental role in launching a groundbreaking partnership between TNA and WWE.

D’Amore expressed a strong emotional bond with the TNA name and admitted that the decision to part ways was disheartening. He described his time at the company as one driven by passion. “Decisions get made. I can be a strong cup of tea or a biting sip of whiskey, whatever analogy you want to use. I was passionate about Impact Wrestling. I spent a long time fighting to make Impact Wrestling, TNA Wrestling again, because TNA wrestling mattered to me. Impact Wrestling never really did. I was happy to tackle it, but in my heart, it was always TNA wrestling. I fought hard for that branding,” he shared.

According to D’Amore, the return of the TNA branding was something he and a select few championed vigorously, often in contrast to Anthem management’s vision. “If it was left to Anthem upper management, I do not know if you would ever see TNA again,” he said, referencing the controversial connotations associated with the original name. “Me and a small group really believed in the TNA branding. I think that is what led to a lot of the surge.”

Despite having played a major role in the company’s revival, D’Amore admitted that he felt the reins were pulled from his hands. “Would I like to still be there heading TNA wrestling? Absolutely. Do I feel like it got pulled out of my hands? Absolutely? Does Len Asper and Anthem Sports have every right to do that? Absolutely,” he stated. He further elaborated on seeing long-term plans being executed without him, such as talent showcases and major event venue upgrades. “That was part of our proposal… that is the name of the game.”

While he expressed some frustration over how things played out, D’Amore also took pride in what he and his team achieved. “The guy in charge that is holding the purse strings made a decision to make a pivot, and he made that pivot. Is it frustrating? Sure,” he admitted. Reflecting on his role, he added, “I was a paid executive. I was a paid consultant, technically… I think myself and Don Callis and Jimmy Jacobs and, there are so many people that I cannot name them all, did an amazing, amazing job of taking a brand that was completely effing dead and putting life into it.”

As for the legacy he leaves behind, D’Amore remains content. “Bringing back that TNA name, no matter where it goes from now—if that is part of my legacy, I am comfortable with that. So would I like it to have continued? Yes. Do I think I would have done good with it? Of course I would, because I have an ego, but that was not the case.”

In a significant revelation, D’Amore disclosed that he was the catalyst for the ongoing collaboration between TNA and WWE. The partnership has led to cross-promotional appearances, such as TNA stars showing up on WWE platforms. “It started with me reaching out to Ed Norholm… and saying, ‘What do you think about this?’” D’Amore said. He eventually contacted someone at WWE, which sparked a conversation that led to a surprising text. “I got a text from a number I did not know… I had to send the number to somebody and say, ‘Is this really Hunter’s number?’ and they wrote back, yeah. I had a nice chat that got the ball rolling.”

Although he is no longer directly involved, D’Amore remains proud of setting the wheels in motion. “I am the person that reached out. I was not the only person that was involved in the process… I was able to get the conversation started, get Jordynne in the Rumble, get Jordynne on NXT,” he said. “The relationship has been picked up and handled without me since then.”

He closed with a realistic but hopeful outlook on the partnership’s future. “Do not judge us today, do not judge us tomorrow, judge us in a year, two years, five years. We will see where it goes. It was exciting to be one of the catalysts for that… Triple H was great to deal with… one of the first people to reach out after the news broke that I was let go.”