Ex-TNA Star Claims He Was Sent a Hand-Drawn Check Instead of Real Payment

Former TNA Wrestling star Grado shared a wild story about what he says was one of the strangest payment situations of his career — claiming the company once sent him a literal drawing of a check instead of actual money.

While speaking on Mic Check with Mr. Anderson, Grado explained that getting paid from the United States while living in Scotland was already complicated due to banking differences. He described how cashing American checks at the Bank of Scotland was always a long, frustrating process. Recalling the routine hassle at his local branch, Grado said:

“It’s always a nightmare to change at the Bank of Scotland. When you go to the Bank of Scotland with an American check, right, you need to go in and fill out this big form. And it was always the same lady in the Bank of Scotland. She’d see me coming and go, ‘F***, I need to do one of these American checks that take about 45 minutes to get into your system.’”

He went on to describe how even the bank staff dreaded seeing him walk in with another U.S. check to process.

“So every time she’d see me coming, she’d be like, ‘Oh, for f**** sake.’ She’d say, ‘Can they not just put it in your bank?’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t know. This is what they do in America. They use checks, right?’”

According to Grado, things escalated when a particular payment was delayed for an extended period. After following up with the company, he says he was reassured that the payment had already been sent via FedEx. Explaining the moment he questioned the delay, he said:

“But there was one time they were really taking ages to pay me. I’m maybe about two years in by this point, and I’m like, ‘Honey, I’ve not been paid.’ And they said, ‘It’s fine. It’s been FedExed. You’re going to receive it in the next couple of days.’”

When the package finally arrived, Grado claims he opened it expecting a standard check — but instead found something completely different. Describing what was inside the envelope, he stated:

“Right? And this is no word of a lie. I open up the FedEx, and I take out this piece of paper — and it was a drawing of a check. TNA sent me a drawing of a check. If you imagine a bit of paper with the numbers up at the top right, down the side, like that, in pen — you know, ‘,500’ — that was what they sent. They legit sent that to my house.”

Believing it might somehow be valid under U.S. banking practices, Grado said he took the drawing of a check directly to his local branch in Falkirk. He recalled the bank’s reaction:

“So I’m thinking, this must be an American thing. So I went to the Bank of Scotland in Falkirk and handed it over. And they went, ‘What the f*** do you want me to do with that?’ I went, ‘No, seriously, that’s what my employers in America have sent me. They sent me a drawing of a check.’ They were like, ‘There is nothing we can do with it.’”

Grado admitted the situation left him completely embarrassed. Reflecting on the awkward moment at the counter, he added:

“I was mortified. I’m walking into the Bank of Scotland with a drawing of a check for ,500, like, ‘I’m here to collect this, please.’ She just looked at me like I had two heads. That is a true story.”

If accurate, it’s one of the most unbelievable backstage payment stories to surface from the wrestling business. Between international banking confusion and a literal hand-drawn check, it sounds more like a comedy sketch than a contract dispute.