Mike Santana has his eyes on a dream opponent, and he knows exactly where he wants the match to take place—inside a TNA ring.

Speaking with MuscleManMalcolm on Muscle Memory, the reigning House of Glory Heavyweight Champion made it clear that if he could face one wrestler from WWE or NXT, it would be none other than AJ Styles.

“TNA was the place that put me on the map… AJ Styles is the face of TNA, the number one homegrown talent, and I consider myself one, too,” Santana said. “To go head-to-head with him and elevate myself would be amazing.”

While the idea of a match between the two may have seemed impossible in the past, the recent working relationship between TNA and WWE makes it more realistic than ever. With Styles being the wrestler who is most identified with TNA Wrestling, it seems all but certain that the “Phenomenal One” will return home for at least a few matches while he’s still active.

Santana has been on a tear recently, defeating KENTA in a grueling match to retain the HOG Heavyweight Championship. He also recently took down former TNA World Champion Josh Alexander, further proving that he belongs among the best.

Having already checked off one dream opponent in KENTA, Santana believes a match with Styles would be the ultimate test. And while the bout could theoretically happen in WWE, he insists it belongs in TNA.

“I want it in a TNA ring,” Santana emphasized.

With both men sharing a connection to the promotion that helped define them, a Santana vs. Styles clash could be a show-stealer if the stars align. Now, the ball is in TNA and WWE’s court—will they make it happen?

Ricky Starks will make his debut for House of Glory Wrestling next January, amid his ongoing hiatus from AEW programming. Starks will compete at the Watch The Throne show on January 17, where he’ll challenge Mike Santana for the HOG World Championship. Santana has held the gold since December 1, 2023, when he ended the reign of the self-professed ‘Indy God’ Matt Cardona.

Not only is Starks not competing in AEW, but he was recently pulled from a GCW event, and all future events for the promotion. It has been reported that a comment by Effy, Starks’ planned opponent for the night, resulted in Tony Khan cutting Starks from all GCW plans. GCW owner Brett Lauderdale only learned that Starks had been pulled at the same time fans learned of the situation on social media. Instead of Starks, Effy will face Matt Cardona at the Highest In The Room 3 event on December 14.

Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Ricky Starks, as fans wait to see what’s next for him, and when, if ever, he next competes in an AEW ring.

Mike Santana has garnered a lot of inspiration from the legendary Bret Hart. The former AEW star and current House of Glory Champion has been one of the top names in the company after returning to his old stomping grounds back at TNA Rebellion. Santana made an immediate impact by defeating former World Champion Steve Maclin and did sign a deal with the promotion.

I recently spoke with Santana for SEScoops about his wrestling career, including where he’s been, where he is now and where he’s going. We got talking about what inspired him to lace up a pair of boots in the first place. The reigning House of Glory World Champion said it all comes down to the pink and black.

“I’ve always made it known Bret Hart is like an icon to me. He’s the reason why I got into wrestling.”

Santana said he was never into the big, over-the-top cartoon characters and in a time where there was a lot of big personas in WWE, Bret was an understated talent.

“Bret stood out to me because he was real, he was honest, he was himself, you know? What you saw is what you got. He spoke about his family, his values, where he came from and what he’s here to do so that always stood out to me.

I’ve always said that’s the kind of performer I want to be, you know? Just pretty much put myself out there and put a lot of my own personality into what I do.”

The ‘Excellence of Execution’ is widely considered to be one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Some have won more championships and some have drawn more money, but few have inspired more people to get into wrestling than Bret Hart.

• Bret Hart Shares Touching Tribute To Owen Hart On His Birthday

When Santana Met the Hitman

Santana did cross paths with Bret Hart years back when both were at an event in New York City. Hart’s agent knew Santana was a big fan and took him to meet The Hitman. Bret had a big line in front of him, but the WWE Hall of Famer made sure to make time for Mike Santana.

“He literally stopped the line and sat there with me for it felt like forever and we just talked. The fact that he knew who I was, it was awesome. It was a humbling experience. I felt like a kid. It was great.”

Hart knew that Santana was apart of LAX at the time and made mention that it was Konnan, LAX’s manager, who actually taught him how to execute The Sharpshooter. Santana said growing up in New York, he never got star struck, but getting to meet his childhood hero in the squared circle hit a different tone for him. Patterning his mentality after Hart is something that is paying off for Santana behind the microphone and inside the ring.

“I always say that Mike Santana is an extension of myself. It is myself, but just turned up. That intensity and that level of violence that I bring sometimes, it’s just I attribute it to what I used to be when I was younger. Like I still have that dude trapped inside and wrestling allows me to bring them out and not get arrested or not get into trouble or anything.”

With Santana planting his flag into TNA soil, one would think he’s going to play a big factor when the promotion has Slammiversary this forthcoming July.

Check out my other recent interview with fellow TNA star Hammerstone:

Sami Callihan returned to TNA Wrestling during Saturday’s Rebellion pay-per-view. This was a surprise, because he had just resurfaced in MLW. He wasn’t the only unannounced return, as ‘Broken’ Matt Hardy and Mike Santana also showed up after several years away.

SEScoops has learned that Sami Callihan will be working with TNA and MLW moving forward. His outta nowhere appearance involved an attack Kon, Jason Hotch, and John Skyler, which helped Jordynne Grace in retaining her TNA Knockouts World Championship against Steph De Lander.

TNA’s Approach

Callihan was one of several stars who returned to TNA at Saturday night’s PPV, along with Mike Santana and Broken Matt Hardy, who clarified after the show that he’s free to work anywhere.

All three stars, Hardy, Santana, and Callihan, have re-appeared on the TNA roster page. 

TNA pay-per-views often feature surprises in the way of debuts and returns. Bringing back three established former stars on a non-exclusive basis gives us some insight on what the company is currently looking for. Mike Santana, House of Glory’s reigning champion, has some really interesting match-ups awaiting him in TNA.

All three wrestlers also did a lot to boost their personal stock during their time away from the company. 

Hardy and Santana both spent time in AEW, where they received a spotlight on Tony Khan’s television shows. Whereas, Sami Callihan returned to MLW in January and will still be featured on the company’s programming and PPV’s.

🇲🇽Cinco De Mayo🇲🇽
NYC Arena

HOG Heavyweight Championship Match
🇨🇺vs 🇲🇽
Mike Santana (C) vs Psycho Clown

🎟️: https://t.co/opPJY5j1Ja 📺: @FiteTV pic.twitter.com/NKjn7WRsPR

— House Of Glory Wrestling (@HOGwrestling) April 19, 2024

Mike Santana could be back on pro wrestling television again soon.

The former member of Proud ‘n’ Powerful was released by AEW earlier this month and has since made his hay on the independent wrestling scene. However, there has been expectation that the talented star could be landing with another wrestling promotion soon enough.

Fightful Select is reporting that TNA is planning to bring in Santana, which happened to be a former home for the LAX member. Santana currently is the House Of Glory Champion.

Before heading to AEW in 2019, Santana and Ortiz were undoubtedly the top tag team in TNA (then known as IMPACT Wrestling) and the two certainly showed plenty of promise when becoming All Elite. The duo aligned themselves as members. of Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle and the two’s star power grew even further as time went on. 

However, it was Konnan who first revealed that legitimate tension rose between Ortiz and Santana. As time went on, it confirmed by both men that they grew apart. In a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, Santana made mention that he and Ortiz began to have different philosophies about tag team wrestling, indicating that he has a super driven mindset and was more willing to fight for himself and the team.

Not too long before Santana was released from AEW, he revealed that he was a full year sober on social media and made clear to Chris Van Vliet that he holds no ill will to his former partner, stating that he was a different person back then.

Santana and Ortiz were one of AEW’s most popular tag teams, but the two’s friendship became very fractured and their professional relationship ended.

When there were reports of tension between the two, many speculated that it could have been storyline-based, but that wasn’t the case. 

In a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, Santana talked about how him and Ortiz grew apart over time.

“We were together for 10 years, I think. When you’re together with someone that long, it’s like a married couple. There’s good, there’s bad, and I think, honestly, for the most part, it was like, I think we just grew apart over time.”

Santana says that the two’s philosophy on tag team wrestling became different and implied that he and Ortiz had different drives when it came to moving forward in the pro wrestling world.

“I’m a go-getter. I like to create opportunities for myself. I’m more than willing to fight for our spot, but also, I’m not going to be the only one.”

When asked if he and Ortiz still had heat with one another, Santana said that he holds no ill will to his former tag team partner and is in a different place in his life than he was during that time.

Santana & Ortiz really first caught fire during their run in TNA and it prompted Tony Khan and AEW to pick the duo up. They soon became a primary aspect to Chris Jericho’s first All Elite faction, The Inner Circle. Despite their popularity, they never did capture the AEW World Tag Titles and actually did turn their real life tension into an on-air storyline. Santana was released by AEW earlier this month.

Credit to Chris Van Vliet and h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.

Mike Santana has shared his gratitude to the fans, Ortiz, and others following the Inner Circle alum’s exit from AEW.

Earlier this month, . The tag-team specialist had been with the company since 2019 and had been a regular fixture of programming during the days of the Inner Circle. 

Mike Santana is Grateful

Taking to Twitter, Santana reflected on his exit from AEW. The wrestler was immensely grateful for the opportunities he received in the company. 

”Took a few days to reflect and I can’t tell you how truly blessed and grateful I feel. It’s been 5 years full of ups and downs, but above all it taught me so much about myself and this business. I’m thankful for the opportunity I was given to be a part of history at the ground level. I can say that I’ll forever be a part of that legacy right at day one. But as you know, there comes a time in life where you have to make decisions and take a bet on yourself. We only get one chance at this life thing and life is about taking risks.

You’ll never know your true potential unless you really put it to work. I’m a big believer in “When one door closes, a bigger door opens”, and im so excited for what the future holds for me. With that being said, I want to thank God and my father for continuing to guide me. My family for their endless support.”

”All the fans who have backed me endlessly no matter what. To Ortiz, for the years. And AEW for the knowledge and opportunity.

“I TOLD YOU THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”

Thank you, EVERYONE. 🙏🏽@AEW pic.twitter.com/Wy8zUTBCnT

— Mike SANTANA🇵🇷 (@Santana_Proud) March 8, 2024

While Santana is gone from AEW, fans can still find him in other promotions. He is the current House of Glory World Champion. 

Santana has been around since the early days of AEW, as he and Ortiz’s debut was an early surprise for the company when they joined the Inner Circle. Santana was the adamant one behind a Proud n Powerful breakup, and now he is no longer in AEW. 

There have been issues between Santana and AEW for a while. Now, it has been confirmed that his removal from the company’s roster page on their site meant an official departure. 

Santana Is No Longer All Elite

Fightful Select has confirmed that Mike Santana is no longer with AEW after his removal from their roster page. The separation between Santana and AEW reportedly occurred last week.

Mike Santana has not been present backstage at AEW events for several months, and sources close to him have indicated his departure from the company following his removal from the AEW roster page. He made his return to AEW on the August 23, 2023, edition of AEW Dynamite after being sidelined for over a year due to a torn ACL sustained during the Blood & Guts match in June 2022. 

His last appearance for AEW was in the Stadium Stampede match at AEW All In, after which he began a feud with his former tag team partner, Ortiz. Santana emerged victorious against Ortiz on the October 27 episode of AEW Rampage but has not competed for the company since.

What’s Next For Santana

Despite his departure from AEW, Santana has remained active on the independent circuit, participating in events such as House of Glory’s Reckoning on March 2, where he successfully defended the HOG Heavyweight Championship against Penta El Zero Miedo. Additionally, he has appeared for promotions like C4 and Beyond Wrestling.

Santana and Ortiz joined AEW in 2019 amid significant anticipation, given their status as four-time IMPACT World Tag Team Champions and other achievements. They were known as LAX in Impact Wrestling and worked well with Konnan.

During Santana’s time with AEW, he was prominently featured as a member of the Inner Circle alongside Chris Jericho, Ortiz, Sammy Guevara, and Jake Hager. Although the group disbanded during Santana’s injury hiatus, he briefly reunited with Ortiz, despite personal differences, for the Stadium Stampede match.

Mike Santana and Ortiz joined AEW in 2019, quickly becoming fixtures in the tag team division. Proud n Powerful had a lot of momentum coming into AEW as the former LAX, but that team is no longer a factor. 

Why Mike Santana & Ortiz Split Up

Unfortunately, Mike Santana and Ortiz’s relationship soured, leading to a permanent split. Last year, they made a surprising return but remained at odds. Aligning with the Blackpool Combat Club for the Stadium Stampede match at AEW All In, their partnership was short-lived. 

Despite a feud that ended with Mike Santana winning on the October 25th Rampage, fans were disappointed they didn’t reunite for another run. The two are not going to reunite, from everything we can tell.

The Shining Wizards Wrestling Podcast recently spoke to Ortiz, where his split with Santana came up. He made it clear that their team’s disbanding was totally Santana’s call.

”Unfortunately, it wasn’t the company’s call to split us (Santana & Ortiz). Me and Santana just couldn’t get it together personally and he was just very adamant about not working with me anymore. So, the company kind of had no choice but to split us up, right? So they’re like, ‘Okay, you’re just not gonna not tag. It doesn’t make any sense. Let’s at least make this make sense why you split.'”

Mike Santana & Ortiz’s Future

Mike Santana has been missing from AEW television since concluding his program with Ortiz. He remains part of AEW and continues to accept independent bookings. 

The future of the former tag team is uncertain, but it appears that if a reunion is in the cards, then they have a lot of personal issues to work through first.

Mike Santana is going to defend his House of Glory Championship belt against TNA’s Josh Alexander on January 6, 2024 at the Brace For Impact event.

Fightful reported about the news of the match. Alexander is the first challenger of Santana’s title, which he won at The Darkest Hour on December 1 from Matt Cardona, the previous champion.

Fightful has learned that Santana vs. Josh Alexander for the HOG Heavyweight Champion is set for January 6's Brace for Impact show!! pic.twitter.com/czC3P5geif

— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) December 21, 2023

Saturday, January 6th 2024#BraceForIMPACT Tickets Available ⬇️https://t.co/ghjp5frglt pic.twitter.com/iuqmvye9BZ

— House Of Glory Wrestling (@HOGwrestling) December 20, 2023

The Brace of Impact event on January 6 will take place at the NYC Arena. Santana wants to prove his mettle as the champion and wants challengers for his title. Meanwhile, this is former two-time Impact heavyweight champion Alexander’s House of Glory debut.

Also at the event at House of Glory, Mane Event and The ABC will go against each other for the HOG Tag Team Championship, Nolo Kitano will face Gringo Loco will for the HOG Cruiserweight Championship match. Crown Jewel Champion Carlos Ramirez, Women’s Champion Ultra Violette, and Black Taurus are also advertised for the event.

Santana, meanwhile, is very confident about his future. “Spent the last 4 months back in wrestling, warming myself up against some of the best in the game,” he wrote in a post on Twitter. “Now it’s time to officially start this journey and make this the best year of my career. The work begins.”

Spent the last 4 months back in wrestling, warming myself up against some of the best in the game.

Now it’s time to officially start this journey and make this the best year of my career.

The work begins.

Available WORLDWIDE.
MSantanaBookings@gmail.com pic.twitter.com/QykyExpdB6

— Mike SANTANA🇵🇷 (@Santana_Proud) December 21, 2023

Santana was last seen in AEW in late October on Rampage. Santa was fined by the wrestling company earlier this month for posting a frustrated message on social media about his AEW absence, writing “6 weeks.” He then later posted that he was fined by Bryan Danielson and the AEW Disciplinary Committee.

AEW has a lot of things going on, and Tony Khan has delegated responsibility to people he trusts to execute the job. It appears that Bryan Danielson has a huge role backstage in AEW, one that really matters for those who want to ruffle feathers.

We previously reported that Mike Santana dropped a snarky post on X about getting fined. This happened right after he posted and deleted something about his absence from AEW television. It seems that Bryan Danielson was behind that fine.

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that Bryan Danielson has taken on the role in AEW of monitoring talent’s social media activity. He is now responsible for handing out fines as well.

If someone poisons the social media water hole, Bryan Danielson is one of those responsible for laying down the law. Fightful Select reported last week that Danielson was effectively the face of the disciplinary committee in AEW, and that it extended to laying out fines when necessary.

Bryan Danielson is known for his limited presence on social media, but it is reported that he has played a role in imposing fines for social media behavior recently. The focus of these fines is on maintaining AEW’s professional image, which can include actions like retweets and likes. There is no information suggesting that fines are frequent.

The report also noted that Bryan Danielson has taken charge of various meetings, including discussions about CM Punk’s termination after AEW All In this year, addressing interview conduct earlier this year, and a talent meeting last year following the Brawl Out incident.

AEW officials are also reportedly enthusiastic about the Bryan Danielson vs. Daniel Garcia match. We will have to see how Bryan Danielson continues in the Continental Classic, as he continues wearing multiple hats for AEW.

https://twitter.com/bryandanielson/status/1733234323556639142

What’s your take on AEW putting Bryan Danielson in a position where he can issue fines to talent? Let us know what you think by engaging with us on social media!