Scott D’Amore spoke about his exit from TNA earlier this year while appearing on Busted Open Radio.
D’Amore appeared on the show to speak about the passing of Kevin Sullivan and ended the chat by speaking about his departure from the company he is so attached to.
In February, TNA announced that D’Amore’s contract was being terminated and was being placed by Anthony Cicione as TNA’s president.
The change in leadership occurred weeks after a very successful Hard to Kill pay-per-view in Las Vegas and the return of the TNA branding to replace IMPACT Wrestling.
D’Amore told host Dave LaGreca that the move was, “Not a total shock” and was informed of the changes two days before the January 13 pay-per-view.
D’Amore spoke with Anthem head Leonard Asper, and he noted that the news did him hard but was a professional and went to Vegas to complete the shows along with the subsequent tapings in Florida before the news was made public. In a follow-up conversation with Asper, he told the Anthem executive that he couldn’t say there weren’t any hard feelings but that he didn’t take it personally.
When D’Amore delivered his speech after the match between Will Ospreay and Josh Alexander in Florida, he already knew was on the way out.
He denied that he was attempting to divide the company, and it came down to a difference of opinion with Anthem opting to go in a different direction than the vision D’Amore presented.
D’Amore added that he took pride in reviving a brand that he described as, “Deader than dead” when he assumed control with Don Callis in 2017 and was putting in over eighty hours per week.
He also noted that he is being paid a lot of money to sit at home by Anthem.
D’Amore is not leaving the industry with plans to launch Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling in October with its first set of shows at St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario.
The full interview can be heard on Busted Open Radio.
