Despite being signed with TNA, Mike Santana has captured the attention of key figures within WWE NXT. Following a pair of impressive back-to-back television appearances, internal discussions regarding the company’s interest in Santana have reportedly intensified over the last week.
Santana’s recent work has not gone unnoticed. He made his in-ring debut on the May 27 edition of WWE NXT against Tavion Heights, earning high marks from officials. That positive reception grew significantly after his high-stakes TNA World Championship match against Trick Williams on the June 3 episode of NXT. Though Santana was unsuccessful in capturing the title, the competitive nature of the bout further elevated his profile. The loss came after interference from A.J. Francis and KC Navarro of FIR$T CLA$$, who attacked Santana at ringside, allowing Williams to secure the victory.
The feud continued in TNA, with Santana being invited to the FIR$T CLA$$ Penthouse at the Against All Odds event on June 6.
Santana on His Authentic Persona
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Santana addressed his recent run and the importance of maintaining his authentic character, noting how WWE officials embraced his presentation.
“A lot of people are playing a character. I’m myself, bro. I’m thankful. I’m thankful that I’ve been able to get this far in my career not having to conform to anything or anybody and being myself. I’m thankful for that. Not a lot of people get to say that. That’s why it’s very important to me. The fact that I went down to WWE and they were so respectful of my authenticity and they were very on board with everything and my presentation and what I was doing and how I was doing it says a lot. It meant a lot.”
This past weekend, Santana’s busy schedule continued at the ‘Puerto Rican Weekend’ event for House of Glory on June 7. In the main event, he lost the HOG Heavyweight Championship to Charles Mason in a three-way match that also involved Tomohiro Ishii. After the match, Santana thanked the promotion for his title run and ended his message with a simple “goodbye.”
While WWE’s interest is said to be significant, any potential move is complicated by Santana’s current contract with TNA, which runs through the end of 2025. This situation makes him a major talent to watch as he is not legally a free agent, positioning him for considerable leverage in future negotiations.