Masha Slamovich’s departure from TNA Wrestling was reportedly a foregone conclusion, with the company not planning to renew her expiring contract long before recent domestic violence allegations became public. The new details also clarify her noted absence from the recent NXT invasion angle, confirming she was never booked for the segment and was not in the country when it was taped.
According to a Fightful Select report, TNA’s booking decisions in recent weeks were a direct result of this planned exit. Slamovich’s loss of the Knockouts Championship to Ash by Elegance was predetermined with the knowledge that she would not be with the promotion long-term, likely beyond the Bound for Glory season.
While her departure was already in motion, TNA took action once the allegations from her former partner, independent wrestler AKIRA, were made public. The company pulled Slamovich from her scheduled match at Victory Road and, as later confirmed to Sports Illustrated, launched an internal investigation into the matter. The report noted that the pre-existing contract situation made the company’s decision-making process more straightforward.
WWE sources also indicated that had Slamovich been scheduled for the TNA crossover on NXT, those plans would have been paused pending the outcome of the investigation.
The fallout has extended beyond her TNA status. Slamovich was also removed from upcoming TNA television tapings, placing her on an indefinite hiatus, according to a separate PWInsider report. In addition, independent promotions including West Coast Pro and Prestige Wrestling have pulled Slamovich from upcoming appearances.
Slamovich addressed the situation publicly on September 24 in a prepared statement, calling the relationship “toxic and mutually destructive.” She added: “I take responsibility for my actions and I am sorry, embarrassed, and ashamed of the role I played in our relationship and the way things turned out… I apologize to those that I let down, including my former partner. I hope he is able to heal.” In his own statement, AKIRA, whose real name is Alexander Atkisson, revealed he attempted s–cide during the relationship.