Mike Santana on Leaving AEW, Splitting Up With Ortiz, Turning Down WWE

Mike Santana is a professional wrestler known for his time in AEW and TNA Wrestling. He was one half of the tag team Proud N Powerful with Ortiz in AEW. Mike sits down with Chris Van Vliet in Hollywood, CA to talk about his decision to ask for his release from AEW, what led to him and Ortiz splitting up, turning down WWE to sign with AEW in 2019, never winning the AEW tag team titles with Proud N Powerful, joining LAX in TNA, going to rehab and being sober for over a year, working with Chris Jericho in The Inner Circle, his future plans as a singles wrestler and much more!
BABBEL: Learn a new language and get 50% off your lifetime Babbel subscription at babbel.com/cvv
BLUECHEW: Use the code CVV to get your first month of BlueChew for FREE at bluechew.com
00:00 Intro
00:34 Being a lifelong New Yorker
01:41 His father passing away
01:57 Why did he leave AEW?
04:04 Overcoming addiction and being clean for over a year
08:43 Was he thinking about what was next in his career?
11:59 Taking a moment to realize his accomplishments
14:51 When did he know they were a hot tag team?
16:38 Deciding which President mask to wear at AEW All Out 2019
20:47 The AEW segment he did with CVV
21:56 Never winning the AEW Tag Titles
24:23 Where did the falling out with Ortiz begin?
26:52 Why did their feud not get more promotion?
27:35 How did he decide on the name Mike Santana?
28:24 Where is he taking bookings now?
29:05 Does he still have heat with Ortiz?
30:59 Was there ever any interest from WWE before signing with AEW?
33:28 Would he go back to TNA?
35:09 Did WWE discuss potential plans with them?
36:00 Working an office job before becoming a pro wrestler
37:35 Being a part of every Stadium Stampede match
40:30 Memories of the parking lot brawl with Best friends
40:57 Why did he think Cody Rhodes went to WWE?
44:07 What’s different about AEW now from when it started?
46:02 Who would he want to wrestle now?
49:22 Lessons learned from Chris Jericho
51:12 Favorite matches from his time in AEW
52:16 What is his favorite Bret Hart match?
54:44 Having a thin line between his character and real-life
55:53 3 Things Mike Santana is grateful for
Subscribe to / chrisvanvliet
Listen to "Insight with Chris Van Vliet": podcast.chrisvanvliet.com
Get awesome CVV t-shirts & merch: teespring.com/stores/chris-va...
Email me: [e-mail]
Follow me on Instagram: / chrisvanvliet
Like me on Facebook: / chrisvanvliet
Follow me on Twitter: / chrisvanvliet
#aew #wrestling #chrisvanvliet #BlueWireVideo

[@ChrisVanVliet]

Thanks for being here! Support the show by checking out our sponsors: Learn a new language and get 50% off your lifetime Babbel subscription at babbel.com/cvv BLUECHEW: Use the code CVV to get your first month of BlueChew for FREE at bluechew.com

[@Melo_Soul]

Santana could be a huge baby face after this if pushed correctly, question is nxt to tna ?

[@TimLoyalToWifeHaterFreeZoneA]

Love It ChrisVanVliet Bro.

[@sinisterinc]

Respect Chris so much for just letting Santana speak uninteruppted. Respect Santana for sharing his struggles. God bless!

[@StrengthOfSamson45]

This was a great interview. Prob my fav, and I don't even watch aew

[@Hakeem990]

I agree. Hopefully NXT sign up Mike Santana

[@zemox2534]

Satana is in TNA

[@conormcgregor8451]

Got teary eyed when Santana explains how Cody helped him dealing with just finding out his dad passed away, it takes a certain man to sit down and understand another man’s emotions and share them what a great man Cody is genuinely.

[@Duma2011]

People like to talk crap about Cody but he really is a genuine person. He damn near signed half of the initial aew roster and I would not be surprised if he could convince Santana to come to WWE in the near future.

[@Sleepwalkingok]

do you remember in what part of the interview he talked about that?

[@earlofsandwich7884]

Me too. My dad is closer to the end that he is to the start. That is going to be a bad day for me :(

[@zachwhitlow4]

@@earlofsandwich7884 Try as much as you can to cherish and enjoy all the good memories you have had with him and when that day comes, although the hole you'll feel will never go away you can take solace in knowing that he is no longer in pain

[@user-sj6um6zn8q]

I cried during that part of the interview. I lost my dad about 7 years ago. it hit me pretty hard

[@cnegron621]

This is 59 minutes of resiliency, strength and perseverance. As a Puerto Rican man around the same age, I am PROUD of how far he's come and Santana is more POWERFUL than ever.

[@Slick5150]

AEW Not putting the Tag Titles on Santana & Ortiz is one of their biggest missed opportunities Great interview as always Chris

[@Pacers31Colts18]

Right. I always felt like we should have gotten more out of Santana/Ortiz vs. Butcher/Blade during that era. Instead AEW runs title reigns way too long. Not saying to hotshot the titles around, but between The Bucks, Santana/Ortiz, Butcher/Blade, and Lucha Bros, there is no reason why all four of those teams shouldn't have held the belts.

[@pdg90]

Amen!

[@rezsurfer2808]

You cry "toolong" while others cry " the blet jump on TK favorites" blah blah yall do not know nothing about this business and whats really going on armchair QB is so easy. Yall whine to much @@Pacers31Colts18

[@TraphouseUnda2]

🎯 young bucks & jurassic express didn’t need year long title reigns Santana / Ortiz & private party deserved the belts in the early days

[@cwxgames468]

@@Pacers31Colts18 yeah that would have been a hell of a good way to show how HOT your tag teams are. you never know when one of the many great teams could pull out a win. also sometimes you have to hot potato the titles around.

[@SquiddleSquat]

I love all your interviews, but there’s something so awesome about listening to Santana. I really feel I could listen to his stories all day. Thank you for this one, Chris.

[@ChrisVanVliet]

Thanks for listening!

[@BabyMaharaja0]

​@@ChrisVanVlietinterview Elias, Jaxson Ryker, Shelton Benjamin, Santana Garrett, Missy Hyatt

[@nwf9525]

@@BabyMaharaja0do NOT interview jaxson ryker lol

[@BabyMaharaja0]

@nwf9525 why not? he interview Velvet Dream so why not Jaxson?

[@fulljuggaloalbumz2691]

​@@ChrisVanVlietinterview ICP bro

[@jasonmoehl6994]

I’ve been sober 2 years and I’m a supporter of anyone who’s brave enough to take on their battle with addiction so prayers for your continued recovery

[@FFA441]

His daughter very possibly saved his life

[@dante666jt]

Plus his grandmother.

[@Get_em_gone_888]

And babymother for making him realize everything he’s done

[@trustnoone3007]

Wow, that gratitude part when he was asked on what he was grateful for was something else…. I got a little teary eyed when there was a long pause involving him and I started to think about the things I’m grateful for. Amazing. Prayers and healing sent to Santana as he is embarking on this new journey in his life. Stay strong.

[@user-md1hu8go5q]

I was listening to this while I was working out. When it got to that part, I started tearing up. I felt that silence

[@KamoMustafaWWE]

I loved L.A.X. in Impact. Tony Khan dropped the ball with Proud and Powerful.

[@ownknow8161]

*I agree. They could’ve had the very best feuds with “The Bucks”, Omega and Page, “The Lucha Brothers”, FTR, and other elite tag teams. And they should’ve been the AEW World Tag Team Champions.*

[@martinputt6421]

How did he drop the ball? A bit difficult to book them as a tag team if they don't like each other.

[@EmhyrAndarz]

They split themselves what the fuck did tony do

[@Guzman3]

​@martinputt6421 that was at the end. In the beginning he kind of did...Santana and Ortiz should have been in a feud with Lucha Bros and Bucks and AEW should have put a 3 way Tag Team ladder championship match where they should have won. The 3 way match they did at HOG is one of the best matches I've ever seen and AEW fans should have gotten that match also.

[@Guzman3]

​@@EmhyrAndarzhe didn't book them right from the jump.

[@mindofmatt_2240]

Respect to Santana for getting clean I know first hand how hard that shit is and putting a year together is no joke ❤ wish this dude all the best

[@steven231]

As a Hispanic from the Bronx I can never in my life root against this man

[@EtheriousUltimisDragneel]

Facts bro. Same here! I’m glad more wrestlers from the boroughs are getting time and spotlight

[@CurseTheCosmos]

Exactly. Seeing this current crop of NY wrestlers get prominent recognition and tv time will always hype me up. We’ve been without for so long. From Eddie to MJF to Santana - but especially Santana.

[@bumblebtuna3066]

This was one of the best interviews to date. Letting him talk made a huge impact thanks Chris.

[@bijonimtiaz]

Chris, the way you show genuine empathy towards your guests makes you a great interviewer. This is one of the best if not the best interview you ever did.

[@joeydisla4095]

Mike keep your head up, you got this

[@kungfulou4467]

As a fellow Newyorican I really enjoyed this. A lot of us have gone through similar walks of life and have similar struggles. Seeing Mike Santana be vulnerable and speak from his heart was liberating. Thank you for your platform Chris, love that you make it about more than life within that squared circle. Amazing interview.

[@frankstarfyre]

I wasn't really knowledgeable of Santana and Ortiz prior to AEW. Listening to this cat is Hella inspiring and I'm officially a fan. Keep rolling , good brother.

[@alifnajmi1997]

I'll admit the very first time I heard about Santana and Ortiz is when he and Ortiz were together as LAX and during their feud with Homicide and Hernandez at TNA along with Konnan and Eddie Kingston

[@Fyhria]

Former version....

[@dhag72]

5:40 . That sigh from Mike, I felt that in my soul. That question is such a hard answer sometimes.i got injured around the end of 2016 at work, was prescribed percocet for a torn rotator cuff, and it was all downhill from there. I got clean in 2017, then about 2 years later got into a car accident. (Hit a culvert head-on doing 80kmh, fell asleep at the wheel completely sober) slipped back into things for a few months, quit again end of 2017. Years later, right before covid I went into a severe depression, almost lost everything, fell back into addiction again for about a month, September to October 2020. Got covid and ended up going onto Suboxone treatments and have been on it since. I do smoke weed, but I don't take anything else and I don't drink at all (just don't like it). Addiction is no joke. Good on you Mike for holding up since Feb 16th, LAST year! Keep it up man. When you're in the pits of despair, you have no idea what life can really turn into if you get straightened out. Everything just seems like hell, you avoid the people you love because you don't want them to see you like that or find out. Same for your close friends. You end up alone, not even trying to get high, but trying to avoid withdrawals because they're fucking horrible, and I wouldn't wish it upon anybody. But once you clean yourself up, dust yourself off, and reach out for help, things change for the better, and it happens FAST when you put the effort in. Like I said Mike, keep it up man. Sobriety is 100% worth it. And should something happen and you slip, you gotta catch yourself and fast. It does happen to some people sometimes, and your subconscious addict self can make you do some crazy shit just from old habits. It can be a slippery slope but fuck man, if I can do it, you definitely can. Proud of you homie

[@joeybudz2648]

Mike Santana VS. Matt Cardona!!!! Let's make it happen!!!!

[@WhiteWolfUSA31454]

Man I was wondering what happened to Mike Santana. I always rooted for Proud and Powerful, one of my fav tag teams in AEW since day one. Must respect to you Santana. I wish you the best. As an AEW Mark, I will miss seeing you in the ring. Always, family first bro. Got to take care of business, take care of yourself, do what fits you and enjoy the ride. Always you are one hell of a wrestler and just all around great man. Keep up the great work. Great interview Van Vliet.

[@doubles7533]

It takes a brave man to speak so honestly about his struggles. God bless you Mike! You got this!

[@GAM3OVR1]

I'm not gonna lie, I've been following for a while and I usually just watch the clips but THIS episode made me sit down from beginning to end. Crazy respect to u for allowing Mike to speak on his experiences and Santana as well for being vulnerable enough to share with u. LAX, Santana & Ortiz, Pride & Powerful, whatever u decide to call them they were special as a team. I always had a feeling Santana would be the breakout star of the team & now we get to see it. I'll be watching more in the future

[@joshstrope1092]

I appreciate you having the time stamps in the description! Great interview!

[@stonedViking304]

As a fellow parent/family man and someone battling what can only be described as “my dark side” I jus wanna say a few things in hopes that by some chance Santana sees this…Thank you for bein strong enough to speak on this, thank you for fixing yourself, thank you for being you! Us fans love ya man and respect the hell out of you!

[@BDXsinister]

His dad say “I brought you here to see your favourite wrestler and now I’m here to see mine” is unbelievably deep and it made me just sit back and say wow.

[@giancarlocrumps7564]

Never knew these guys before AEW and started to really like them and then they broke up 😢

[@jayquansmith9034]

Look at some of their earlier matches in tna that when I became a fan

[@infinitydime.i.c.p.goddess3559]

U gotta watch all wrestling as a wrestling fan it’s a great era right now for all brands. A lot of talent that needs to be put in the map

[@infinitydime.i.c.p.goddess3559]

Santana thank you for thinking of the family as a person raised around addiction it’s a hard thing to see

[@DanlowMusic]

I recommend them vs the American Guns. It was a dope match.

[@christopheramaro333]

​@@infinitydime.i.c.p.goddess3559 we do what scheduling allows

[@blacknation1142]

Proper booking and this guy is a ⭐️

[@rezsurfer2808]

That goes for anyone..

[@infinitydime.i.c.p.goddess3559]

Thanks for the interview ❤both of you guys I appreciate it and thank you

[@x_XW4LKERX_x]

Seriously this was one of the best interview's you have done. It was quite an emotional one in some parts & good to see a different side of him. Hope he reaches even higher success in the wrestling industry in the years to come. I didn't know much about him but been a fan . Was just very awesome !

[@LyonKnight24KX]

This was such a great interview brother! Wow. Just wow. Big up to Santana for being so open and passionate.

[@Sledgehammer003]

Great interview man! Its really nice to see him doing better, and actually feeling comfortable enough to talk about it ... Not many of us do that to friends, let alone on a youtube channel for the world to see... Fairplay to him !

[@kthking]

A rivalry between Swerve and Santana would've been epic, and other feuds too, because Santana is underrated on the mic. Feel like he would've been able to tell good stories as a singles guy in AEW. I love AEW, but Tony Khan really dropped the ball with Santana, even putting his feud with Ortiz on Rampage, was weird, cus that was kinda epic too and a great story that should've been on Dynamite and then lead to their grudge match at a PPV, but he just booked the whole thing on Rampage. Anyway, Santana will be aight, the man got a vibe about him that shouts big star potential.

[@davidthanos]

Your interviews keep getting better and better. This one hit a little close to home for me. When I lost me dad I went through really bad depression. I shut myself out from the world, family, , and friends. It's a hard hole to crawl out of but I did it. The good thing was I didn't do drugs or drink. But I felt his pain when he was talking about those hard times. I'm happy for him that he snapped out of it.

[@jamesjohnston8418]

The sincerity, the laughter and the vulnerability, such a great in-depth interview with the not just the performer and worker but the human being. So much “insight” with this.. loved it Chris

[@akkelly5601]

Great interview!! We all go through stuff but takes a man to realize it and do something about it. Respect!!!

[@marccote5494]

another Home run interview. thank you, Santana for being so open with all of us. Glad you’re doing better and super excited for your future.

[@mattsamaco9804]

Great interview Chris. Met both Santana and Ortiz a few times through the years. Very nice guys

[@EvtheEZway]

Just wanna say thank u for sharing this story with us , touches deep man. Stay blessed and hope to see u back in the ring.

[@crusadergamer4995]

I didn't know Mike Santana was fighting demons in his life thank God he still here with us today and I wish him luck in his future wherever he goes

[@leoflomusic1281]

Chris you definitely are amazing at what you do. You have the ability to make talent feel so comfortable talking to you where it doesn’t even feel like an interview just feels like a natural conversation. I’m glad to see Santana sober and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him in the world of professional wrestling

[@tomingram4108]

Congratulations Santana on your sobriety. Stay strong and sober never give up. It took me 30yrs to become sober and I have never felt better

[@richiepoppin]

Great interview love Mikey as a fellow Puerto Rican from The Bronx around his age I know the environment that he grew up in and so damn proud he's made it such a example to all from that background sky's the limit for him warrior for life n Chris great interviewer asks the right tough questions n let's his guests actually talk

[@Smilez83]

Such a great interview, respect you both

[@mikeyc.6022]

Sending all the love and wishing all the success for Santana. Such a great interview, thanks again Chris

[@dRadPUNX]

Thank you Chris for this interview. It's really nice to hear the real side of these performers who put their blood, sweat, and tears on the line to entertain us in a weekly basis. Much love to Mike Santana!

[@Get_em_gone_888]

Amazing interview Chris best in the game right now . Thanks for having this conversation with him I don’t know him personally but men need to talk to men more I’m sure this conversation going to take him a long way in life .

[@GetStruckTuesdays]

Damn, bro. I've been looking forward to this interview. Mike, let me just tell you that I am proud of you, My G. I quit drinking 3 years ago and I felt you talking about your addiction issues. I am so happy for you. You did this for your daughter and you just keep on doing it for her. Nothing but respect for you, man. Shouts to CVV for doing this interview and asking all of the right questions.

[@tonywalkingstick381]

Proud of your rebirth

[@Smythy182]

Another great interview Chris. One of the best yet.

[@williambishop1521]

Congrats dude! I recently celebrated 2 years. We are so much bigger than our problems and so much better off clean and sober.

[@mikefitchNYC1971]

Awesome job on this interview Chris!

[@KD_SWAGGER]

Deep conversation! Much respect to Mike Santana for opening up, being sober and wanting what's best for himself wrestling career wise.

[@trustnoone3007]

Chris is definitely the go to interviewer for wrestlers, especially if wrestlers have issues they want to clear up or get off their chest. Plus it’s a positive environment to air it out on his platform, which is good and fair. It’s really good that Chris provides that outlet for them because there is hardly no wrestling interviewers outside of the wrestling companies to do that for them. Therefore, thank you, Chris.

[@richk1306]

That was such an intriguing hour. I always enjoy your interviews with the personalities that I am already a fan of. It is always interesting to hear a different side of them separated from the character we see on TV. But this interview was with a wrestler I admittedly did not know much about. I am not an AEW fan and didn't follow Santana on the indies. He seems like a humble, bright and dedicated person and I am rooting for him.

[@richardhunt5600]

God Bless you Mike! So happy to see you so happy and Open! Can’t wait to see where you go next!

[@twig8523]

Super inspired & grateful for Santana sharing about his personal recovery journey. I relate so much. I knew it all had to change when my brother overdosed & died. Been clean over 5 & a half years now. We do recover, y'all!

[@iamthurnis745]

so much respect for Santana, I was at the blood and guts in detroit where he got hurt and it’s crazy to think these wrestlers we watch and admire we never know what they’re going through personally. i’m glad santana got cleaned, im hitting 90 days sober so hearing that 1 year mark is awesome and inspiring. good work as always Chris!

[@duclee2508]

I wish Mike very good Luck no matter what he does. What a nice Man

[@bencromwell707]

Great Interview As Always Chris💯👍

[@user-gl8fb4sf4o]

One of my favorite interviews I've ever watched. I hope someone makes him a major star. Because he deserves it.

[@kirenvythilingam9582]

This is one of the most amazing episodes I've watched of yours. Santana's emotion is beautiful and it is only possible because of how you do these interviews 👏👏👏

[@MCRUE78]

Chris does a phenomenal job with these interviews. Thank you for all your hard work Chris 👍

[@johngroves3251]

Loved this. "Your a real human" summed this interview up perfectly

[@JoeArnold333]

Massive love & respect for Santana for being so open man, dealt with addiction myself and its no easy feat getting clean and staying clean everyday is a battle and some days are way harder than others. Hoping for nothing but success and the best for this man and his family!

[@Ulysses1991]

I appreciate the honesty in this interview. Mike is a great dude. I wish him all the success.

[@ErikDeNiroDUB]

Great interview Mike, I hope to see big things for you. Keep focused and keep grinding

[@THE_GOONIES_FANATIC4lyfe15]

May I share my sober story? When my dad passed away in 2022 I started drinking and my attitude changed for the worse. I felt the only thing great that happened was my sister getting married. My mom was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer of November in 2022. December 19th of 2023 was my 43rd birthday and I don't remember any of it. I don't remember how I got home or into bed. I woke up a few days later and felt different. December 27th was my first therapy session and going to AA. In April I will be 4 months sober . Life is different now.

[@KassidyGinn]

It only gets better. 4 years here. One day at a time.

[@mundaney]

Great interview!

[@mringram]

Great interview Chris

[@jrob7176]

This was a great one Chris. All your interviews are fantastic but I really enjoyed this one. Proud of you and proud of santana

[@ChrisVanVliet]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Derek_5]

I love this video thanks for sharing Santana!

[@user-eo6gd7wg2n]

Thank you, Mike for being so open and honest!!!

[@bizzlea887]

Congrats to Mike on sobriety. It's crazy they never won the tag titles in AEW...they always had great matches. Wish him the best going forward, but I'd really love to see Santana and Ortiz make another big run somewhere

[@MattTheSith]

Great interview CVV! Santana sharing his dad’s words outside of MSG got me

[@thechroniclepodcastbrand]

Likeeee I’m tryin do dishes here at work and this sit down got me up in my emotions 😢😢😢😢 just from the get go mannnnn😭😭😭😭 thanks for sharing sirrr thanks Chris for giving us this platform to see this stars share🥺

[@Wrestlebae]

Amazing interview 💯

[@dashswagger6411]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Santana and Ortiz show up in stand and deliver

[@marcsydell8391]

God Bless you Sir, your honesty is so amazing for so many of us needing a hand in life !!! Thank you

[@pri0r_t0_a_weekago...fukwi48]

A lot of respect for this man, glad to see you doing good god bless

[@panchopolarbear]

Awesome interview

[@corieblake3450]

Great fucking interview as a fellow new yorker rooting for Santana. Much respect to see him overcome adversity

[@burtbun3689]

I couldn't relate more. I am over 5.5 years clean and sober and my Gram was always my rock, just like Santana. What an emotional journey. Some of us do make it, never give up, never lose hope. Life is hard. But what a gift it is. This man has the world in front of him. Go get it my guy! One day at a time.

[@KevinXO]

Almost shed a tear at 13:40, amazing interview.

[@Guzman3]

Emotional interview. I didn't know he had left AEW already. That sucks. He deserves to be pushed as does Ortiz. They are great wrestlers. Too bad the tag team fell apart, i really liked them in TNA and in HOG and as a Puerto Rican, i loved everything they was doing in TNA/HOG

[@1Sulster]

What an interview, Chris, Santana reminds me of old-school wrestling. Wishing this kid the best in the future!

[@joshharris7004]

Beautiful interview, thanks for sharing. Fellow alcoholic speaking and it speaks volumes of your character. TY ♥

[@skillspaybillsboxing9637]

Great interview. I was already a fan but even more so now. The talk about his daughter and her list hit me hard.

[@RedDave88]

This is a great interview. If I ever see this man again in the U.K. indies I will always cheer him.

[@stevel8341]

great interview with santana great seeing how open he was

[@jamesguzman8694]

Great interview

[@thewrestlingoldhead]

The guy is a star in the making! So glad he is given this platform to speak his truth. Thank you, CVV!

[@jaredmaio6301]

This interview made me more of a fan for sure, I was a casual fan of Santana and Ortiz as a great tag team but getting this one on one to watch just makes him so much more likeable and easy to root for

[@DBToy]

I’ve been there bro, your doing it one day at a time, don’t forget it, when I first turned this on I thought I had an idea of why you left but I was wrong and I respect your decision man

[@DarrenCawte]

Awesome interview Chris

[@garyrossetti2443]

Powerful-interview!

[@jesterboykins2899]

The best CVV interview I personally have ever seen. Not seen them all, but this made an impact. No pun intended. Seriously. I’ll cheer for him from now on.

[@ChrisVanVliet]

Thanks for taking the time to watch this one with Mike Santana!

[@jesterboykins2899]

@@ChrisVanVliet can I interview you for once? No one has done that have they? Someone should interview you. You should tell your story man. Just a thought. You’re good at what you do. Honest, genuine, caring. Keep it up bud. You’re the man. You’re welcome btw. Mike seems like a real good dude. You let people talk. Not many do it like you. Thanks again Chris

[@zenstudios3220]

The interviews are fucking amazing!

[@Amy-tt2se]

Such a class act, I wish all the best for you ♥

[@____K_____989]

Tremendo. Thank you Chris.