Mike Santana is glad people have his back and wants his story to be an inspiring one.
Frankie Kazarian cashed in his Call Your Shot Trophy to defeat Mike Santana to become the new TNA World Champion on the November 13 live episode of TNA Impact. Santana won the title at Bound For Glory. However, he lost the title in his first appearance as champion since TNA went on a four-week hiatus after the pay-per-view.
The next day, PWInsider.com reported that Santana missed his call time for TNA Turning Point. It was also reported that he skipped an advertised meet-and-greet after iMPACT. According to the report, Santana would not return TNA’s calls or texts, leading to speculation that something had happened.
Fightful (via Fightful Select) subsequently confirmed that the Santana story was an angle, with one TNA official attempting to pass it off as a legitimate issue. Fightful noted that they normally wouldn’t call it out, but this was the first time someone “in an official capacity” reached out with a worked angle to specifically deceive their audience.
Santana’s sobriety has been a big part of his resurgence in the pro wrestling world, as he’s been sober for nearly three years. Many fans and pundits were concerned that something serious had occurred, and were understandably upset after finding out that his absence was a work.
Mike Santana comments on the controversial storyline leading into Turning Point
Santana recently spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard about TNA using his personal issues to drive a storyline. When asked if he ever thought it drifted too far into reality or they discussed not using his sobriety as a story, Santana offered a more optimistic response.
“Honestly, first and foremost, it was so humbling to see that. It was something that I was grateful for. So many people reached out to me and were concerned about my well-being,” Santana explained. “It just shows how much the fans have resonated with my story and what I’ve been doing. They’re behind me more than ever, and it’s something that I don’t take lightly. It’s something that I’m very grateful for.
“If there’s anything that people know about me or have realized throughout this run that I’ve been on, it’s that I’m gonna bear all and I’m gonna give you everything, this is who I am,” he continued. “Take it or leave it, right? Authenticity and realism is my thing, and that’s what I put out there. So, I’m gonna be as open as possible. At this point it’s like, ‘What else do I have to hide? I have nothing to hide.’ I bear it all, I’ve been vulnerable, I’ve let people know about my struggles, and I think it’s very important for people to see that, and know that it’s okay.”
Mike Santana still turned a negative (reaction) into a positive (message)
Mike Santana ultimately showed up at TNA Turning Point and helped his team win their match. The next week, he opened TNA Impact and cut a promo, explaining that he had everything taken away from him. Rather than reacting with anger or something worse, he had to check in with himself and went to a safe place, an AA meeting.
Santana said that his message is still one that should resonate with everyone, whether they’re a wrestler or not. He’s human and wanted to turn his situation into a positive one, using lessons learned in recovery to get back on track.
“I think the overall message is that, like, I hit these bottoms and I have these struggles. But it’s also okay, because I’m a human. And what did I do? I tried to turn it into a positive. But also, I checked in with myself. I made sure that in a moment where things could’ve gotten pretty rough,” Santana explained. “I reared it back, and I used the tools that I learned throughout the years in my recovery to get me back on track and make sure that let’s get this ball rolling.”
