Add as a preferred source on Google Sami Callihan was among the names let go in TNA’s recent wave of departures, with the move standing out in large part because of the role he had been playing backstage.
As previously reported by Wrestling Noticias, Callihan confirmed his exit shortly after Tommy Dreamer also left the company this past Thursday.
During a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio, Callihan revealed that he believed he was being called to take a spot on the creative team, something he said several major names on the roster had been pushing for.
“I overanalyze everything. I woke up because I didn’t go to sleep until four or five in the morning, because I was working on TNA work. I was working ten hours to get ready for Slammiversary. I woke up at 11 and my phone was blowing up, ‘Tommy is done in TNA.’ People on the roster were like, ‘It’s finally your time. You’re getting added to creative.’ Within five minutes of me waking up, I got a notification, ‘We need to have a conference call.’ I was like, ‘Oh shit. I’m getting added to creative. This is what I’ve been lobbying for for years.’ It’s what a lot of major people on the roster have been lobbying for. It’s what I’ve had dangled in front of my face from another administration, before this current one. ‘It’s finally happening.’ As my brain works, I looked at who was in the meeting. ‘Why would that person be in the meeting?’ I started, ‘Oh, I might be getting fired.’ I put two and two together, talked to my wife and a couple of people on the roster, ‘today is either the highest or the lowest of lows. I got on the Zoom call. It started, ‘We’re sorry, we’re going to have to part ways.’ I kind of went off.”
The former TNA World Champion said he had been working deep into the night on material related to Slammiversary when he woke up to several messages about Dreamer’s departure. Shortly after that, he was told to join a video conference.
“I’m not someone who goes off like this. I try not to be profanity-laced. It wasn’t screaming or yelling, but I stated my case. I was like, ‘You’re going to listen to me now. I’ve given my life to that company. There have been multiple times I could have left. I broke my leg, I was the world champion, I love TNA. I know the company better than almost anybody. From production to wrestling to everyone there. This is why you’re making a terrible mistake.’ I was not just a producer. I worked in more divisions than anyone in the company. I’d like people to know how valuable I think I am to a wrestling company and what I actually do. I was one of three people that ran the merch division and brought it up. Before that, the division kind of sucked. People weren’t making money and we didn’t have a lot of designs. I was one of three people who brought the merch income up to like 1000%. 99% of every piece of merchandise, I designed. I also worked in the marketing department. I was one of three people making sure we had asses in seats. I worked directly with Ross Foreman, who doesn’t get the credit he deserves. I was an agent for matches, a producer for pre-tapes. The list goes on. I was taken aback. I thought I was going to be a lifer in TNA. I think my loyalty to the company is good and bad.”
The exit happened just days before Slammiversary, which will take place on June 28 at Agganis Arena in Boston.