Steve Maclin has small criticism for this beloved WrestleMania match: "It just felt weird"(Exclusive)

Steve Maclin came into his own when he arrived in TNA, then IMPACT Wrestling. Watching his evolution in this promotion, he has been influenced by a few key legends, specifically Stone Cold Steve Austin, another hardened, no-nonsense man with no sympathy for whoever stands across from him.

In an interview with our own Riju Dasgupta, the former TNA World Champion stated that his favorite wrestlers growing up were Bret Hart and Steve Austin. If you ask any wrestler or fan about their favorite matches, a few will repeat. Many revolve around WrestleMania, the yearly Premium Live Event that's grown into a week-long festival wherever it's hosted.

Steve Maclin is no different, as one of his all-time favorite matches comes from WrestleMania 17. However, he does have one small detail he'd like to change about it.

"WrestleMania 17. Stone Cold and The Rock. The build-up, the story to it, and so much chaos going on within that match. I just love picking it apart in my brain and thinking of where their heads were at. I always watch the finish and I just wish Austin would've stunned Vince at that moment because it just felt weird... But that's one of my favorite matches of all time." [7:14-7:38]

Prior to this, Steve Maclin named Bret Hart and Owen Hart vs the Quebecers at Royal Rumble '94 as the match that made him want to be a professional wrestler. And while Austin is one of his all-time favorites, he's number two on Maclin's list. Bret sits right at the top.

Steve Maclin praises one of his greatest rivals

During a rapid-fire section of the interview after Steve Maclin named his two favorite wrestlers from childhood, he picked a current star that may shock some loyal TNA fans. Last year, Maclin earned the right to take on Josh Alexander for the then-IMPACT Wrestling World Championship.

Unfortunately, an injury forced Alexander to relinquish the title before they could meet in the ring. He managed to take a few shots at Alexander even when he was handing the belt over, keeping the feud hot for when he returned. When asked to name one of his favorite wrestlers going today, he pointed to the Walking Weapon.

"Josh Alexander. He is one of my favorites to watch and also to work with right now." [6:26-6:32]

They would eventually get the eagerly anticipated one-on-one bout at Victory Road last September. It garnered high praise from fans, critics, and fellow competitors alike. With both men looking to climb back to the top of the ladder this year, we'll hopefully get another match between them in the near future.

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