Steph De Lander says there is currently no relationship between herself and TNA Wrestling following her departure from the company earlier this year.
Speaking on TMZ’s Inside the Ring, De Lander was asked where things stand with TNA at present. The Australian wrestler did not suggest that the two sides are quietly keeping a line of communication open. Instead, she stated that her final exchange with the promotion came when she asked for her release paperwork.
“At the moment, there is no relationship. There is no communication. The last communication there was was me saying, ‘Send me my release papers, right now.’ I got them in an email, and that was that.”
De Lander announced her exit from TNA in March. Since then, she has spoken candidly about frustrations from her time in the promotion, including her belief that she was not being allowed to wrestle again. Her latest remarks make clear that the split has not been followed by discussions about a possible reunion or an immediate return.
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Her description of the situation also extended beyond formal communication. De Lander said she has encountered people in senior TNA positions at wrestling events since her release, but those meetings have not led to conversations about what happened.
“I’ve seen people that were high up in the company that I know were part of those decisions. I’ve seen them at shows and we just walk past each other. I think it’s because they don’t want to have a conversation with me because they know how that’s going to go.”
For De Lander, that silence appears to be the defining feature of the current relationship. While wrestling is an industry where performers, executives, and promotions frequently cross paths, she said there is no active connection with TNA at this stage.
Steph De Lander does not rule out a future TNA return
Despite the blunt assessment of where matters stand now, De Lander stopped short of declaring that she will never work for TNA again. She acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the professional wrestling business, where talent can move between companies and old working relationships can eventually be revisited.
“There is no relationship at this point. That’s not to say that I’ll never go back to TNA again. The way that wrestling is, everyone ping-pongs all over the place. So I’m never gonna sit here and say I will never ever, ever do this thing.”
That distinction is significant. De Lander is not presenting a TNA return as likely in the short term, nor is she describing ongoing talks that could lead to one. But she is also leaving open the possibility that circumstances can change over time. In wrestling, a release or a difficult departure does not always become a permanent separation.
At the same time, De Lander made it clear that a return would require more than simply a call about an appearance. She said conversations would need to take place first, and she has no interest in having those conversations anytime soon.
“But, for right now, I don’t see that as an option in the near future. Again, things can change but conversations would have to be had and I don’t care to have them anytime soon.”
The comments leave the door technically open while underscoring how far away a reconciliation presently appears to be. De Lander’s position is not that the possibility can never exist; it is that there is no relationship, no communication, and no appetite on her side to begin repairing that situation in the immediate future.
A firm account of an unresolved exit
De Lander’s remarks add further context to her March departure. She has already discussed being unhappy with aspects of her TNA experience and voiced frustration that she was not permitted to wrestle again. The latest interview does not offer a resolution to those concerns. If anything, it emphasizes that the situation remains unresolved from her perspective.
Her reference to requesting release papers “right now” reflects how direct the final stage of the split was. She said the documents arrived by email, after which there was no further communication. That account contrasts with the kind of departure where both sides publicly express gratitude, maintain contact, or leave the door open through ongoing professional dialogue.
There is also a difference between being professionally available to return somewhere and actively pursuing that return. De Lander’s comments place her firmly in the former category. She is not drawing a permanent line through TNA, but she is not seeking a new arrangement with the company, either.
That measured approach is common in an industry with frequent movement between promotions. Wrestlers may work across multiple companies during different stages of their careers, and relationships that appear strained in one period can look different years later. De Lander recognized that reality herself when she said that people “ping-pong all over the place.” Still, she did not frame that broader truth as a reason to minimize her present feelings about TNA.
What De Lander’s comments mean right now
For now, the practical takeaway is straightforward: De Lander does not see TNA as an option in the near future. There have been no communications since she received her release papers, and she does not appear interested in reopening dialogue soon.
Her comments should not be read as confirmation that a future return is being planned. They say the opposite in terms of the immediate outlook. A TNA comeback would depend on circumstances changing, conversations taking place, and both sides being willing to address the issues that contributed to the separation.
De Lander did not specify what those conversations would need to involve, and she did not identify the TNA personnel she has encountered at shows. She also did not offer a timetable for when, if ever, she might be open to talking with the company again. As a result, there is no stated path toward a reunion at this point.
Instead, her message is centered on the present state of affairs. The relationship is inactive. Communication has ended. The final direct interaction, in her telling, was the request for her release. While the possibility of returning someday has not been eliminated, it is clearly not on her agenda now.
An open door, but no immediate bridge
De Lander’s answer provides a candid snapshot of a departure that remains emotionally and professionally distant. Her willingness to avoid saying “never” reflects the realities of wrestling, but her broader remarks carry equal weight: there is no relationship with TNA at the moment, and she does not want to initiate the conversations that might be necessary to create one.
That leaves her future with the promotion uncertain rather than closed. The distinction may seem small, but it matters. A permanent refusal would end speculation entirely. De Lander instead described a situation in which change is theoretically possible, yet not remotely imminent.
Until that changes, her TNA chapter remains paused rather than restarted. De Lander has made her current position unmistakable: the company is not part of her near-term plans, and any eventual return would have to begin with difficult conversations that neither side is having today.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.