Santino Marella has one more miracle left.
Marella recently spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard, who asked if there’s a moment from his career he thinks is underappreciated. Santino pointed out that fans often tell him that his potential Elimination Chamber win in 2012 is a great moment, but it also highlights the essence of his underdog character.
“There are memes about how the world would’ve been a utopia if Santino won the Chamber. My gimmick has always been that there’s one more miracle left. I’m the Milan Miracle. But when I couldn’t wrestle anymore, I thought it was over. Then my body healed, and suddenly I can wrestle again. That’s another miracle.
“This year has been incredible—wrestling Robert Stone, Mr. Iguana, Ethan Page—great performances. When I wrestled Ethan, Shawn Michaels was at the curtain when I came back, like, ‘What the heck? You can still go.’ I kept up with the pace. Not perfect, but solid,” he noted. “I also won the Masters World Championship in jiu-jitsu. That was to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my physical ability is back. Cody talked about ‘finishing the story’—well, I have a story of my own I want to tell in 2026.”
Santino wants to inspire people with his story
Santino compared his journey to that of Jim Morris, the former pitcher who finally made the major leagues after retiring ten years earlier. Morris’s story was immortalized in the movie The Rookie, and Santino says wrestlers like him are redefining what’s possible for older competitors.
“The guy blew out his arm, became a teacher, then came back in his 40s, throwing 90 mph. Same with me. Our generation is redefining what’s possible in your 50s. I want to inspire people. If you take care of yourself scientifically, you can have a better quality of life.
“I went to Colombia for stem cells, then Cancun in 2019. Combined with therapy, I restored my abilities. People tell me I’m moving better now than I did back then. When something’s taken from you and you get it back, you appreciate it so much more.”
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