Indi Hartwell recalls getting into back-and-forth with WWE higher-up about ring gear, Steph De Lander pulling her away

Photo Courtesy: WWE

Hartwell said she could not wear the gear due to copyright issues.

In November 2024, Indi Hartwell was among several talents releases from WWE. Hartwell spent five years with the company and present-day, she is officially a free agent as her 90-day non-compete is up.

Fresh off of her appearance at WrestleCon: Indianapolis, Hartwell sat down with K & S WrestleFest for a virtual signing. She looked back at the 2020 NXT Halloween Havoc special where IYO SKY defended the NXT Women’s Championship against Candice LeRae in a Tables, Ladders and Scares match.

An individual sporting a Ghostface mask got involved and it was later revealed that Hartwell was the masked individual assisting LeRae. Hartwell shared that in that moment for the run-in, Mercedes Martinez was the person behind the mask as Hartwell was quarantined due to COVID-19. 

She went on to mention that there was a time when she planned on wearing Ghostface-inspired gear in NXT as a callback to the aforementioned storyline. A higher-up at WWE told her she could not wear the gear due to copyright reasons. Hartwell got into a back-and-forth with said higher-up and it was current TNA Digital Media Champion Steph De Lander who pulled her away. Hartwell added that the higher-up is no longer with WWE.

This is what happened: The week that I was supposed to come in and help Candice (LeRae), there was a COVID outbreak and I had to be quarantined. So, when Candice had her Ladder match with IYO (SKY), they used Mercedes Martinez in (the) Ghostface (mask). That was ‘me,’ but it wasn’t me because I was at home having to quarantine. So then, I don’t even know who chose Ghostface but, I loved that-that happened because I love Scream, and it was cool.

That whole Ghostface thing with Candice, I think it happened on Halloween Havoc in 2021. So then the next year — maybe 2020 — and then a few years later, I had a Ladder match at Halloween Havoc. So I got Ghostface gear made. But then, right before the match, I was told by a higher-up, very high-up person who’s no longer there, I wasn’t allowed to wear the Ghostface gear because of copyright reasons. I tried to argue and say, ‘But we did it on TV a few years ago’ and they said, ‘No,’ so then I couldn’t wear it… Not argued (with the higher-up), but Steph (De Lander) definitely had to pull me away. 

Further speaking about De Lander, Hartwell said she is open to reuniting with her. She stated that their pairing in NXT was put on the shelf and that was out of their control.

I would consider joining up with Steph (De Lander). Steph and I, we tagged together in Australia and we tagged together in NXT. Unfortunately, that got cut short. Out of our control. But now, it’s all within our control.

Following Hartwell’s release from WWE, De Lander said during a media appearance that Hartwell should join TNA. She believes Hartwell would accepted with ‘open arms.’

If the quotes in this article are used, please credit K & S WrestleFest with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.

About Andrew Thompson 10028 Articles
A Washington D.C. native and graduate of Norfolk State University, Andrew Thompson has been covering wrestling since 2017.