Santino Marella, the forever-entertaining wrestler, had returned to WWE in-ring competition on the latest episode of WWE NXT, this past Tuesday night. This is also the first time that he was doing a WWE show as a performer with her daughter, Arianna Grace, being an active performer, as well. The two also featured in competition on the same night, making some sort of history.
On this week’s episode of WWE NXT, TNA’s Director of Authority Santino Marella competed in his first televised WWE match after 11 years. He faced Ethan Page for the NXT North American Championship and came up short. On a personal note, he achieved quite a milestone, and he couldn’t resist promoting it on social media.
After WWE NXT went off the air, Santino tweeted the following about competing in the title match, and that her daughter was also involved in a match in a dark segment,
“I didn’t get the W, but man did I feel alive. Last night was a little bit of history I believe as well. My daughter opened the NXT show in a dark match, and I closed the show in the main event. We’ve both appeared on NXT TV before, but this time we both wrestled on the same card/night.”
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Last week on WWE NXT, Page unveiled a new version of the NXT North American Championship, ditching the maroon-strapped belt for a new one with the Canadian flag on the strap. Page began boasting in Canadian pride, and he also prepared to sing the country’s national anthem. Marella, a fellow Canadian and former WWE talent, interrupted the session with the belief that the aforementioned title should be in the hands of someone who has respect.
This set up the title match on this past Tuesday night, where Marella wanted to unleash the Cobra, but the referee stopped him before it could strike. As the referee was dealing with something else, Page thumbed Marella in the eye and followed up with a Twisted Grin for the win, taking his reign to go beyond 64 days.
As for Arianna Grace, she was utilized as a liaison appointed on TNA Impact programming on behalf of WWE NXT since last year’s fall as a tie-up between the two brands. After spending months on TNA tapings to be aired on Thursday nights on TNA Impact+, she officially concluded her TNA Wrestling run in June via a statement on social media.