Twenty years ago, arguably one of the greatest professional wrestling matches of all time took place at TNA Unbreakable 2005. The match featured AJ Styles taking on Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels in a triple threat match that has been etched in the stone of professional wrestling's greatest matches.
Twenty years later, another triple threat match main evented Unbreakable. This time, it was Steve Maclin taking on A.J. Francis and Eric Young. This was after Maclin had already participated in another triple threat match, against Eddie Edwards and Ace Austin. While neither of these matches could or should be compared to the triple threat match at Unbreakable 2005, Steve Maclin says that he did feel pressure to put on the match of his career.
That's what Maclin recently told Jeremy Lambert and Joel Pearl on Fightful Overbooked's In the Weeds. During the interview, Maclin spoke about the pressure of main eventing Unbreakable, twenty years after one of the greatest matches of all time.
Of course it’s in the back of your mind, ‘How are we going to live up to this great and memorable triple threat match that everyone talks about when they think of TNA?’ Of course the pressure is there and there was extra pressure of being on after a barbed wire massacre match, which was very hard to do because some of the crowd kind of left because they thought that was the main event. Most times that’s the main event, when you see a plunder match like that.
It was very hard to follow, but I thought we got the crowd in the end and it was nice to hear chants of ‘Bulletproof,’ ‘Maclin,’ and ‘You deserve it.’ It’s much appreciated from me to the fans that have stuck with me and believed in me throughout this process. Pressure is always there, no matter what it is. I can be the opener, the countdown show, the main event, no matter what the pressure is there because I want to go out there and do the best job that I can, representing myself and TNA," Maclin said.
In the main event of Unbreakable 2025, Maclin defeated Francis and Eric Young (after beating Eddie Edwards and Ace Austin) to become the inaugural TNA International Champion.
That's not all Maclin has been doing recently.
Maclin is currently scheduled to pariticpate in the Tunnel 2 Towers Foundation's T2T Tower Climb on June 1, 2025. The climb, according to the T2T website, is the "only opportunity for the public to ascend 104 stories—or 2,226 steps—from the basement to the finish line on the 102nd floor."
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was designed to tell the story of Stephen Siller.
According to the T2T website, Siller was "A NYC firefighter who was off duty during 9/11, he drove his truck to the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, strapped his 60lbs of gear on his back and by foot ran through the tunnel to the Twin Towers where he ultimately lost his life.
"Started by his brother Frank, T2T helps support our nations heroes and their families by paying off mortgages and/or providing mortgage-free homes for families of fallen first responders, especially those with young children.
"More recently, T2T has expanded its work and is building smart homes for injured veterans and first responders. They have begun buying properties across the country to build “Veterans Villages” where they will house homeless veterans and provide supportive services to get these heroes back on their feet. Villages are currently being built across the country in places like Atlanta, GA, Bradenton, FL, Memphis, TN, Harrisburg, PA, Detroit, MI, and Las Vegas, NV, just to name a few. "
Maclin, a former Marine, filmed a commercial back in October, professing his support of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
.@SteveMaclin joins the @Tunnel2Towers Foundation in their mission to do good.
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) May 4, 2025
Maclin shares his 9/11 story, what led him to enlist in the Marines and how that service continues to impact his life today.
WATCH: https://t.co/MEMFZcSPsl
To read about how Steve Maclin wants to incorporate journaling and mental health advocacy into pro wrestling, click here.
Fans can find Fightful's coverage of TNA iMPACT! by clicking here. Check out the post-show podcast for a full review here.
