Why did Mike Santana leave AEW? Exploring potential reason
It has recently been reported that Mike Santana has left AEW. His departure brings a close to his five-year run with the promotion and has led to questions regarding potential causes for his exit.
Santana made his debut in All Elite Wrestling at All Out 2019 alongside his tag team partner Ortiz. As Proud and Powerful, Santana and Ortiz competed alongside and against several top names in the promotion, including Chris Jericho, Eddie Kingston, and the Blackpool Combat Club.
Mike Santana sustained an injury during the Blood and Guts match, where he and Ortiz teamed up with Eddie Kingston and the BCC to take on the Jericho Appreciation Society on a June 2022 episode of Dynamite. The 33-year-old star returned after a year-long hiatus at All In 2023 for the Stadium Stampede Match.
Since his return to action, Santana began to focus on his singles career, disbanding Proud and Powerful after defeating Ortiz in a No DQ match in an October 2023 episode of Rampage. The feud between the two men was deeply personal and grounded in real-life heat, which led to their breakup.
However, the former LAX member would not be booked on AEW television since the bout against his former stable-mate and partner. This led to him expressing his frustration on social media.
Santana has been active on the independent scene, however. He recently referenced his work outside of AEW in 2024 while responding to fan discourse regarding his underutilization in the Tony Khan-led promotion.
In March 2024, the New York native's profile was removed from AEW's roster, confirming reports regarding the star's departure from the company. Santana is currently enjoying great success as a solo performer in the indie circuit, and the HOG Heavyweight Champion's interest in advancing his singles career as a top star may have motivated his exit from All Elite Wrestling.
Mike Santana commented on AEW signing Bryan Keith
AEW has signed a number of new names to its ranks in 2024. One of the most exciting new stars to join the roster of the Jacksonville-based promotion is Bryan Keith. The signing of The Bounty Hunter elicited a message from Mike Santana on social media.
Following Bryan Keith's battle against Continental Crown Champion on a February 2024 episode of Collision, Tony Khan revealed that the 32-year-old star was officially All Elite. This prompted a response from Santana, who took to X to congratulate Keith with a heart-warming message.
"Get it homie! Stay hungry. The real work begins.☝🏽☝🏽☝🏽"
Check out the tweet here.
Bryan Keith was last seen in a three-way qualifier match to compete in the All-Star Eight-Man Scramble match at Revolution 2024 on the March 2 episode of Collision. He took on Penta El Zero Miedo and eventual winner Dante Martin.
What are your thoughts on Mike Santana's exit from AEW? Let us know in the comments!