Scott D’Amore recently announced the return of Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling. D’Amore talked about his company, his exit from TNA, AEW, WWE, and more during his interview on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet.
Scott D’Amore being released by TNA:
“The funny thing is, obviously not the choice of how I wanted things to play out. I can’t say I was shocked when it actually happened, because I could see the process playing out where we weren’t quite on the same page on things. I found out two days before Hard to Kill.”
On doing the TV tapings after Hard to Kill:
“I mean, first of all, Len Asper could have not told me that night, but I knew by that night, I already knew. It was like, okay, I told him you and me are having a conversation, and we had an honest conversation. I said, ‘Look, I disagree with it, I don’t like it, but it’s your decision to make. This is what I’ll do. I’ll get on that plane tonight and go to Las Vegas. I will make sure that we have two amazing kick ass shows in Las Vegas. Lockdown with the team. I’ll make sure that we go into Orlando and we get you out four TVs so that you’re in a position, because you’re going to have a lot to deal with. This way, at least you’re going to have five weeks in the can from when I walk out that door at the end of Orlando’, and that was my goal, right? Just going to finish up those shows in Orlando, walk out there and then just either walk off into the sunset or like the old monster movie, like where Godzilla just slowly goes back into the water and disappears, lonely and depressed. It’s going to be one of those things.”
On the talent writing a letter to bring him back;
“Yeah, and I appreciated it, it was touching. I also knew when there’s people saying, hey, like, the talent’s gonna walk out. Guys, I’ve been here, that’s, it’s not happening like everybody’s upset, and they’re gonna be upset for a bit, and I said, and they’re scared.”
On his offer to buy TNA:
“I presented it to them. I actually sent it to them the day that the Jericho Cruise was leaving. I know that because I wanted to get it out before going on that cruise. I was on the first Jericho cruise, and Wi-Fi was really rough on the first one. People said, ‘No, no, it’s better’, but I don’t want to be trying to do business on the Jericho Cruise. So I got the offer out then and then waited for the process to play out for them to say yes, no, or come back and negotiate and ultimately, it wasn’t something that they were looking at. We weren’t going to come to a deal.”
On why he was let go by TNA:
“We saw things differently as far as how we wanted to proceed. I think partially, they just wanted their guys in charge. I mean, I had a good seven years with those guys, but I’m not an Anthem guy. I don’t sit in that Toronto office. I have my thoughts. You could say it’s my ego. I just don’t think it was the right move, and I don’t begrudge them. They’re doing their thing. They’re still going, and they’re going to run that company. I always say that everything is bigger than one person, even me. If I’m gone tomorrow, things will still go on.”
On if he would go to WWE or AEW to be in a similar position he had with TNA:
“I mean, I’ll never say never because you can’t say that. You can’t say that in wrestling. You can’t say that in life. I would have said, ‘No, I was never going to jump back in’ when I left TNA years ago. If the right situation is there, obviously. I’m not making light of addiction. I come from a family who had its share of addictions. I have an addiction and it’s professional wrestling. I love professional wrestling. I’ve loved professional wrestling since I was a kid.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
