Today, we’re stepping into the spotlight with Mike Santana.
A battle tested powerhouse of TNA Wrestling. From reigning as TNA Heavyweight Champion to dominating the tag team division multiple times, Santana’s legacy is built on grit, gold, and undeniable intensity. Buckle up this is straight from the mind of a champion.
1. Your journey into professional wrestling wasn’t accidental. What moment made you realize this was the life you wanted to pursue?
Mike Santana: I have been watching wrestling since I was four years old. Professional wrestling was always my escape. Something I always ran to when things got rough or when I wanted to escape from what reality I was dealing with at the time.
Around the time that I was a teenager, I started doing backyard wrestling with my friends and stuff like that. I had a few friends that were like oh you’re actually pretty good. Plus, I was a pretty good athlete then so I was like maybe I can do this.
Then I met this kid in high school that was going to a wrestling school in Staten Island which I was living at the time then I asked him to take me and that was it going forward.
While training, my trainer told me that he wanted me to get my high school diploma so I would have a solid base to fall back on and I did that and after that I was off to the races.
TBN: Let me just take it back a little. I never heard of you at the time, and I remember I was watching TNA but back then it was Impact Wrestling on POP TV.
The lights went down then police sirens started then everything went black so I’m sitting back in my seat and I’m like who is this???
Then you and Ortiz came out and I was like let me pay attention this is something different. Seeing you then and watching you grow to the performer you are now. I’m like wow I really appreciate what you are creating in TNA and bringing TNA wrestling back to heights I thought they could never get back to.
Mike Santana: It’s been quite the journey man. When we first came to TNA that was our first time on a major platform it was scary at the time I was what 25 or 26 years old, 6 month before I got signed to TNA the first time I quit my full time job and at the time I had a family, daughter, bills to support it was the scariest decision I ever made but I knew that if I wanted this wrestling thing to work that I needed to go all in.
I started grinding out on the indies then I finally got the call from TNA and when we came in and found out that we were going to be working with Konnan what better person to learn from than the legend Konnan.
2. Every wrestler has a style and identity. How would you describe yours, and how has it evolved over time?
Mike Santana: Uh, I would say my style is very hybrid.
I like to incorporate all different styles of pro wrestling. I was taught from the very beginning that you want to be able to be placed anywhere in the world and be able to work.
I took that very serious so everywhere I went and whoever I wrestled I always tried to adapt to their style whether it was Lucha Libre, British style wrestling, Strong Style or American it didn’t matter to me I wanted to be an all around wrestler.
3. What’s the toughest lesson you’ve learned in the ring that fans may never see on TV?
Mike Santana: Man, that’s a good question. I would say less is more.
In the beginning I felt like in a match I had to do the most. Take the craziest bumps, the craziest spots and keep the crowd up which is cool right. But you also want to give time for the crowd to digest what you’re doing. If you’re constantly putting out craziness, you’re not telling a story in the ring. The ups and downs, the near falls and true storytelling aspect of what we do makes the fans want to invest in their emotions, time, and energy into the product we are displaying.
4. Preparation is everything in this business. What does a typical match day routine look like for you physically and mentally?
Mike Santana: Match day for me, I like to get up early and get a good workout in. Before every single match, I always kneel down and pray then I put myself in a mindset of I’m still surviving and I’m still hungry. Also, I think of all the struggles that I have been through in life that have gotten me to this point and that’s what lights the fire in me.
5. Who has had the biggest influence on your career, either as a mentor or an opponent, and why?
Mike Santana: Whew…. As far as mentors go, I have a few.
Konnan of course. He’s been a huge mentor for me; I still call him now and ask for advice.
Another one I have is Homicide another former LAX alumni.
He is someone who literally saw me in this business since the beginning at 17 years old, he’s an OG of mine someone I came up with training in wrestling.
Also, Amazing Red, another TNA legend. Those guys to me are family as well as mentors. They have been a part of my life since I was a kid. The fact that I get to say that I came up under guys like this is a blessing to me.
Influences in the ring wow that’s a tough one because I feel like I take away something every time that I am in the ring with someone. In this business you’re constantly learning and evolving.
6. Wrestling demands sacrifice. What’s something you’ve had to give up to chase greatness in this industry?
Mike Santana: My body, the time away from my daughter and family. One thing my trainer said in the beginning of my career is one thing you could be guaranteed is a life of pain, it couldn’t be more true but I feel great I’m only 34 years old.
I have done some pretty wild things and took some crazy bumps but for the most part I feel alright but of course some mornings I get up and be like whoa ok I’m feeling this.
17 years of wrestling and grinding on the road day after day you really start feeling everything after a while but it’s apart of the business.
Another thing is it can get pretty lonely. Anyone who is chasing greatness will say the same thing not everyone is able to do it right? So, there are times where you’re not understood, times where people won’t support you.
A lot of times you will end up alone, it’s a very lonely world at times but you know thankfully I’m a very chilled laid back type of guy so it doesn’t bother me as much.
7. When the crowd reaction hits just right, what does that moment mean to you as a performer?
Mike Santana: That’s everything. Man, that’s the drug that we all chase. As a professional wrestler, or any performer we chase that drug of having the crowd in the palm of our hands there’s no feeling like it.
That means that the story we are telling is working and the people are understanding it. That’s what we are doing it for!
That connection with the crowd, when they’re chanting your name or even booing you out of the building because they’re that invested. That’s why we do this!
TBN: Thank you again Mike for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with us. Is there anything you would like to plug wrestling related or non-wrestling related?
Mike Santana: I have two Immersed documentaries that are out right now. It pretty much follows me from the TNA Slammiversary PPV to the Bound For Glory PPV. Also check out our AMC TV debut of Thursday Night Impact January 15th at 9PM EST and our Genesis PPV Saturday, January 17th both will be held at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas.
Again, a huge thank you to Mike Santana for taking the time to sit down with us and share his story. We truly appreciate the insight, the honesty, and the passion. Wishing Mike continued success, championship moments, and nothing but the best moving forward.
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