Real-Life WWE Couple Addresses On-Screen Tensions

WWE

Two WWE stars who are a real-life couple have addressed their recent on-screen in-storyline tensions, which have brought other family members into the mix.

Over in TNA Wrestling, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo recently butted heads with his real-life father-in-law-to-be and Director of Authority, Santino Marella.

The daughter of Marella, Arianna Grace, recently commented on the situation between the pair, following Stacks punching Marella.

With Grace having recently slapped Stacks, with the TNA International Champion going on to goad her father into booking a steel cage match, which saw Marella adding himself to the mix.

Stacks and Grace have now attempted to heel the rift between them through the medium of a livestream, but things may not have gone as the NXT stars had anticipated.

The ‘heart to heart’ saw Grace initially apologize for slapping Stacks, as “people should not hit the ones they love”.

With Grace saying she it was “really embarrassing” for her to hit her fiance, Stacks would respond by saying:

“I get you slapping me. I punched your dad two weeks ago. When your dad goes out there, even if you’re next to him, the show, the light, he wants it all, and he’s not looking out for you. He’s not.

“He’s not looking out for what’s best for you, and that was starting to irritate me. He was sticking his nose in my business, and once again, the reason he was doing that was because he thinks he’s doing what’s right.

“He’s Santino Marella, and he wants to be the star of the show. He wants to be the center of attention.”

If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.

Grace would attempt to calm things by pointing out that Marella’s position on TNA iMPACT, noting the opportunities he’s given Stacks, stating:

“His job is to be the director of authority. He’s giving you opportunities. Like, you should be good.”

If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.

Stacks would remain unconvinced, saying that Grace had to beg her father to give him opportunities.

Responding to the fraught relationship on Twitter, Grace would suggest little has changed, tweeting:

“Well, the live-streamed heart-to-heart didn’t really change much… “

Stacks, by contrast, would go on to see things from a slightly different perspective, posting:

“I got a lot off my chest…🤷‍♂️”

The December 18 episode of iMPACT will see Team NXT (Lexis King, Stacks, Brooks Jensen, Tyson Dupont, and Tyriek Igwe) take on Team TNA (Mike Santana, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Steve Maclin, and Santino Marella) in the aforementioned Steel Cage match.

Well the live streamed heart to heart didn’t really change much… @Stacks_WWE pic.twitter.com/6TBgOfS65S

— Arianna Grace (@AriannaGraceWWE) December 15, 2025