On the January 1, 2026 episode of TNA iMPACT, Stacks took his rivalry with Santino Marella to a deeply personal level by delivering a striking comment that overshadowed the entire segment. The moment unfolded after Ariana Grace appeared alongside Team NXT and finally revealed why she turned against her father. With Stacks standing beside her, Grace expressed long-standing resentment, making it clear she no longer wanted to live under Santino’s shadow. She talked about how she felt invisible and misunderstood, explaining the deep-rooted nature of her struggle.
Grace shared her breaking point came when she quietly vanished from TNA television without any explanation from Santino. She discovered her removal when she checked with Travel and found no flight had been booked for her, which made her realize how excluded she truly was. This experience, she said, was part of a recurring pattern where her father repeatedly chose others over her. Resolute, Grace declared that she no longer sought her father’s approval and vowed to support Stacks, no matter what.
Stacks then grabbed the mic, turning the emotional moment into a fiery confrontation. Speaking directly to Santino, he said, “Hey, Santino. She may have been your little girl, but now she’s mine. And sometimes she calls me daddy.” This bold line transformed the storyline into one charged with provocation and humiliation, making the feud feel intensely personal rather than purely professional, with Grace firmly rejecting her father and Stacks fully embracing the tension.
Fan Take: This storyline hits a raw nerve by blending personal betrayal with professional rivalry, which will captivate WWE fans looking for more emotionally charged narratives. It could reshape how family dynamics are portrayed in wrestling, creating fresh, relatable drama that resonates beyond the ring.
