Hoping to be a TNA-lifer, Sami Callihan was in dismay to hear that dream would no longer be in reach, as TNA Wrestling released him from his roles as a producer and an agent this past Wednesday. Positions that "The Death Machine" was happy to carry out after hisin-ring retirement last August. When asked by Bully Ray if he ever saw himself becoming an effective booker for TNA, Callihan had this to say."One hundred percent," Callihan replied on "Busted Open." "I am not one of the people that want to be in the limelight. I don't want to be in the forefront. I have made a career behind the scenes, helping make people, helping get people to the next level of professional wrestling...I understand, to a point, I feel like at this point in my life and career, I have my thumb and my fingerprint on what the modern generation of professional wrestling is all about. Like, professional wrestling could stay one way, but at some point, it has to evolve. I'm not saying we're trying to reinvent the wheel. I understand the analytics that goes into all of the stuff that goes into all of that stuff at this point."Prior to his release, Fightful Select reported that Callihan's reach backstage was highly favorable and likable, even to the point that some of his co-workers pushed for the former Impact World Champion to join its creative team for months. Nevertheless, Callihan knows how far he can take his creative and booking ventures, as he is the owner and operator of Pro Wrestling Revolver since 2016.Later in his interview, Callihan covered more on TNA's creative ideologies, including a candid response towards the company's upcoming pay-per-view event,Slammiversary,next Sunday. He felt that Slammiversary, along with the other pay-per-view events held so far this year, "didn't have the greatest builds," even after landing its television deal with AMC.If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
