Ex-AEW Star Mike Santana Explains His Decision To Return To TNA Wrestling

After helping kickstart AEW, former Proud & Powerful wrestler Mike Santana made the decision to leave the promotion early last year, ending his nearly five-year run with the company and going off on his own as a singles performer. Santana soon returned to TNA Wrestling, where he's been fairly active over the last eight months. During a recent interview with Tim Hann Rivera, Santana elaborated on choosing to go back to TNA.

"I felt like that was the best place for me to grow," Santana said. "For one, I already had the history there, right? And that was the first place that actually put me on the map. ... Timing is everything in wrestling, right? And I felt like it was just the right time."

Santana maintained a good relationship with TNA performers and officials during his time in AEW, which allowed him to hit the ground running once he came back. The wrestler is quite pleased with the opportunities he's been given in his latest TNA run, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

"They've even given me the opportunity to sit in on production meetings and learn that aspect of the business," Santana continued. "If I could start learning that side of the business now, while I'm still active or whatever — when that time comes and I'm ready to hang it up or whatever, it's just an easy transition into the next phase."

TNA in 2024 is a very different environment compared to past iterations of the promotion, which is something that Santana openly acknowledged. The wrestler was around for some of the company's "dark times," and Santana believes the people currently in charge at TNA are doing the right things to turn the promotion around, leading to packed houses at many of their big events.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Tim Hann Rivera with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.