Mike Santana Says He Asked For AEW Release Two Or Three Times Before It Was Granted

Mike Santana was part of AEW from the beginning, showing up alongside Ortiz at AEW Double or Nothing 2019. Santana was a featured wrestler during the early days of AEW as part of the Inner Circle with Chris Jericho.

Santana departed AEW in 2024 after not being used on television following his feud with Ortiz, whom he split with in 2023.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The Ariel Helwani Show, Santana was asked why he left AEW.

“I’m the type of person where I need constant growth in my life. Especially in this line of work. Any line of work, if we’re not growing, what are we doing? Ultimately, that was the case. A lot of unhappiness, a lot of things that I wasn’t about. Ultimately, business is business. I’m a brand the same way they are a brand. I was like, ‘I need to take care of my brand and I need to continue growing.’ This wrestling thing is my life. I dedicated everything to this. I’m also not the type of person that I can sit and collect a paycheck. That’s not me. Never has been. It was about that time. There was no heat or hard feelings. It is what it is. That’s the wrestling business. People come and people go. I looked at it as I need to do what’s best for me, my career, my life, and my sanity. I did exactly that. Was I worried? Was there fear and stuff? Of course. I’m leaving a guaranteed paycheck of a lot of money. I have a family, but me having done the work on myself, I knew the work I was willing to put in to get to where I wanted to be. I’m in the main event at UBS,” he said.

Asked if AEW tried to keep him, Santana replied, “I asked for my release multiple times. When I came back. I had the sort feud and match with my ex-partner [Ortiz]. After that, they stopped bringing me to TV. ‘Yo, just get me out of here. I’m good.’ I asked two or three times and finally they granted me my release and I was like, ‘Thank you.'”

Santana would sign with TNA in April 2024.

He is set to challenge for the TNA World Title in a triple threat match against Trick Williams and Joe Hendry at TNA Slammiversary.

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