Indi Hartwell Discusses the TNA Audience Seeing Her Growth as a Singles Star

TNA Wrestling star and former WWE Superstar Indi Hartwell recently joined the Battleground Podcast, where she discussed her growth in TNA, her wrestling journey, and more.

Indi Hartwell on Her Growth in TNA

“I think fans are finally getting to see me on my own, if that makes sense. And they’re basically seeing me grow as a singles competitor and as an individual because a lot of my NXT run I was in a group or in a tag team or in a marriage. So, I had never really got the chance to show me, just me. And I had that I had a short stint in NXT as champion and as a singles competitor, but the TNA audience, they’re getting to see me grow and like, you know, find my feet, I guess.”

On the Knockouts Division and Working Towards the Knockouts World title

“Oh, I mean, like that, that’s the whole reason why I’m there. That’s my main goal from the start. It’s been over a year since I’ve been at TNA. I haven’t achieved it. I’ve got the shelf ready to put the title, the replica title, back there. So, yeah, I still haven’t achieved it, but it’s still the goal. That’s why I resigned with TNA because I want to win the Knockouts World Title. I grew up watching TNA. I grew up watching the Knockouts. I remember at one point watching it and being like, ‘I want to be a TNA Knockout.’ So yeah, I’m still working towards that.”

On What Slammiversary Means to Her

“So, Slammiversary last year was like my first major pay-per-view, I believe. I wrestled Tessa Blanchard, and it was my first pay-per-view singles match ever, I believe. So, it was a new kind of scary experience for me. You know, the whole spotlight is on me and my opponent instead of a tag team or a group. So, it was honestly daunting going into it, but it was exciting. The crowd was amazing. Uh, we were at UBS Arena in New York, I believe. And yeah, it was amazing. It was a good experience. There was, you know, things that I can fix from that. And looking at the landscape of the Knockouts division from last Slammiversary to now, the Knockouts title has changed hands a few times as different Knockouts in the mix right now. And I just want to get back into the mix.”

Indi Hartwell on the TNA Locker Room

“I think everyone is truly at TNA for the love of the game, you know, just because we love wrestling and we want to be wrestlers. Everyone at TNA came from the indies or from WWE. So, you know, everyone really just wants it, and a lot of people there have something to prove, whether they came from another major company, and they got something to prove. I think Mike Santana is the best example of that. He’s really kind of like reinvigorated his career, and now he’s this singles star. He’s a two-time world champion now. Um, and that’s just from betting on himself. And that’s kind of a common theme for people at TNA is a lot of people are betting on themselves. I think Mustafa Ali is another example of that. Cedric Alexander just winning the X-Division title. So yeah, even Léi Yǐng Lee, the Knockouts Champion, like she’s someone who maybe never got a chance to show what she can do in WWE, and now she’s getting the opportunity to do that, and a lot of people are seeing that.”

During this week’s edition of TNA iMPACT!, Indi Hartwell made the save for Santino Marella following an attack by Ariana Grace and Stacks. Hartwell then challenged Grace and Stacks to a tag team bout on the show. However, Daria Rae shut that idea down.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the Battleground Podcast with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.