Tom Hannifan Explains How Deonna Purrazzo & Steve Maclin Helped Him Join TNA Wrestling

– During a recent appearance on the B4 The Bell Podcast, TNA Wrestling broadcaster Tom Hannifan explained how Deonna Purrazzo and Steve Maclin helped him join TNA following his WWE exit. Below are some highlights (via Fightful):

Tom Hannifan on his relationship with Maclin and Purrazzo: “So Steve Maclin and Deonna Purrazzo are two very close friends of mine. Steve Maclin and I have known each other since the NXT days and he was already in IMPACT as Deonna was at the time and I think it was like December of that year and they were like, ‘Hey, I think they’re gonna make a change. It sounds like they’re moving on from Striker and they might need a new play-by-play guy. Do you want us to introduce you?'”

On how they opened the door for him joining TNA Wrestling: “So, thankfully, they opened the door. I had a great conversation with Josh Mathews who I worked with once upon a time. He did my audition in WWE. So just full circle and then I speak to Scott D’Amore shortly thereafter and it just clicked and it just clicked very quickly…”

On if he’d ever want to be involved in an on-air storyline in TNA: “I mean, it’s come up in a couple of different instances in TNA but it’s just never really worked out or made sense I guess. Part of it is I’m the only play-by-play guy so if you take me out, then it’s like, okay, what do we do now with the show? Because then it’s just (Matt) Rehwoldt going Joey Styles for what? However many weeks I gotta sell it.”