Steve Maclin has spent enough time in the ring with Rhino to understand why the veteran remains such a valued presence wherever he works. Their history includes a series of matches in TNA Wrestling in 2022, and the two have also worked together more recently in MLP. For Maclin, though, the experience carries meaning beyond simply being paired with an established name.
Speaking about Rhino, Maclin described the feeling of collaborating with someone he watched during Rhino’s runs in ECW and WWE. It is a professional relationship that blends the excitement of fandom with the responsibility of being a fellow performer expected to contribute ideas and help shape a match.
“I love working with Rhino, just because it’s ECW, it’s WWE, that nostalgia feeling for me of guys that I’ve watched and here I am throwing ideas at them and like, ‘Oh, yeah, I like that.’ Dude, it’s still surreal to be able to do that.”
That perspective says plenty about the unusual career moments that can arrive for wrestlers as they gain experience. A performer can grow up watching a particular generation, learning its personalities, signature moves, presentation and approach to match structure from a distance. Years later, that same performer may be standing across the ring from one of those familiar faces, not merely trying to keep up but actively discussing what will work best for the match.
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Rhino has long had that kind of visibility. His body of work across ECW and WWE made him a recognizable figure to fans from multiple eras, while his later work has kept him active in the wrestling landscape. That longevity means wrestlers such as Maclin can enter the ring with both a personal memory of watching him and a current, professional understanding of what he brings to an event.
A Different Kind of Veteran Dynamic
Maclin contrasted his experience with Rhino and the other experienced wrestlers he referenced with a more traditional view of how a younger wrestler was expected to interact with veterans. In that older model, the newer talent’s role was often to listen, follow direction and carry out the plan presented to them.
“Because normally the old ways is you just sit there and you shut your mouth and you listen to what the veteran wants to do and you do what they [say].”
There is a clear respect for that tradition in Maclin’s comments. He was not dismissing the value of veteran leadership or the knowledge that comes with time in the ring. Instead, he emphasized how meaningful it is to find accomplished performers who are open to an exchange of ideas and willing to place trust in the people working with them.
For a wrestler, that trust can be one of the most important parts of a successful collaboration. Matches require more than physical execution. They depend on timing, communication, understanding an opponent’s strengths and making sure both wrestlers can present the story they want the audience to follow. When performers are willing to listen to one another, the process can become more collaborative without losing the structure and experience that veterans provide.
Maclin said that Rhino and the others he was discussing have been receptive in that setting.
“But here I am with two guys that are willing to do anything and have the faith in me and the trust in me too. It just speaks volumes and I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity.”
The wording underlines what stood out most to Maclin: not just the chance to work with recognizable names, but the confidence they showed in him. Being able to present an idea and receive a positive response is a significant step for any wrestler who has moved from being a viewer of the previous generation to being a peer in the locker room.
Maclin and Rhino’s Shared History
Maclin and Rhino previously had a series of matches in TNA Wrestling in 2022. That gave them a foundation as opponents before their more recent involvement together in MLP. Repeated time in the ring can establish familiarity that is difficult to recreate in a single encounter. Wrestlers learn each other’s rhythms, how they react to certain moments and where a match can develop naturally.
Those earlier TNA matches also placed Maclin in the ring with a wrestler whose reputation was already well established long before Maclin reached this point in his own career. The appeal of that situation is easy to understand. Rhino’s ECW history and WWE tenure are part of the nostalgia Maclin specifically cited, but the collaboration is not limited to revisiting the past. The wrestlers have continued to work together in the present, including their MLP involvement.
Maclin’s comments frame that continuity as an opportunity. There is a major difference between admiring a performer’s past work and earning the chance to build something alongside that person. In Maclin’s case, he has had both experiences: first watching Rhino as a fan, then meeting him as an opponent in TNA, and later working with him again through MLP.
That progression is central to why the experience remains surreal for Maclin. Professional wrestling often brings together performers from different generations, but it is still a striking moment when a wrestler gets to offer creative input to someone whose career helped form their own early connection to the industry.
Trust, Ideas and the In-Ring Process
Maclin’s remarks offer a glimpse into the value he places on collaboration. He highlighted the ability to throw out ideas and have those ideas considered, which is a simple exchange on paper but an important one in practice. It signals that a wrestler’s voice is being heard and that their contribution is being treated as part of the creative process.
That does not erase the value of experience. On the contrary, Maclin’s reaction suggests that the approval and trust of established veterans means more precisely because of what they have accomplished. A positive response from a wrestler with Rhino’s background is not just validation of an individual suggestion; for Maclin, it is part of the larger realization that he is now able to work at that level of professional exchange.
His appreciation was direct. Maclin credited the willingness of his fellow wrestlers to do anything and their faith in him, then expressed gratitude for the opportunity. It is a reminder that respect in wrestling is often demonstrated through action: a veteran sharing knowledge, a peer listening to a proposal, or two wrestlers committing to making their time in the ring as effective as possible.
The comments also show why generational connections remain important. Fans may focus on the nostalgia of seeing familiar figures from ECW or WWE continue to compete, but the value extends behind the scenes and between the ropes. Established wrestlers bring perspective accumulated over years of work, while wrestlers such as Maclin bring their own ideas, ambitions and understanding of the current environment. When that relationship is based on mutual trust, it can create a productive dynamic for everyone involved.
Looking Ahead to MLP Northern Rising
Elsewhere in the same conversation, Maclin discussed preparing for his match against Adam Copeland at MLP Northern Rising. That bout is another notable entry in Maclin’s recent MLP activity and another example of him sharing the stage with a widely known veteran performer.
Maclin’s discussion of Rhino provides useful context for how he approaches those opportunities. He is clearly aware of the significance of working with names he watched earlier in life, but he also views those moments through the lens of a wrestler expected to contribute, prepare and deliver. The nostalgia is real, yet it exists alongside the practical work of building a match.
A two-part documentary focused on Maclin’s journey to MLP’s Northern Rising has also been released through the Boots To Boots YouTube channel. The project follows the lead-up to that stage of his MLP involvement, while Maclin’s comments on Rhino shed light on the relationships and professional respect that have accompanied his work in the promotion.
For Maclin, working with Rhino remains a full-circle experience. Their TNA history in 2022 and their more recent MLP work have allowed him to move beyond simply remembering Rhino’s ECW and WWE years. He now has firsthand experience collaborating with him, bringing ideas to the table and receiving the trust that he says still makes the situation feel surreal.
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.