Mike Santana has officially revealed his new WWE ring name, and it carries a special meaning. After making his surprise debut on WWE NXT last week, the former TNA World Champion confirmed on social media that he will now wrestle as Cruz Montana.
The new name isn’t just a fresh start in WWE. Santana said it’s a tribute to someone special. Moreover, it represents everything he has gone through to reach this point in his life.
Cruz Montana reveals the inspiration behind his new identity
Santana showed up after the brutal NXT Championship Street Fight between Tony D’Angelo and Naraku. He confronted D’Angelo and made it clear he had his eyes on the top prize.
During the segment, WWE’s commentary team never mentioned his name. WWE also avoided using his name on public platforms, which often happens when a star is about to get a new ring name, although his old name was used on social media once.
Santana later confirmed his new name himself in a video posted on X while promoting his first official appearance on NXT.
In the video, he said:
“Last week, I made my official debut on NXT and set the wrestling world on fire, all without saying a thing. But my actions let everyone know exactly what my sights were set on. But tomorrow night live, I put words behind those actions, and for the first time, you get to hear what Cruz Montana has to say, I’ll see you there,” Santana said.
Soon after announcing the new name, Cruz Montana shared the story behind it along with photos from his first WWE photoshoot. He explained that the name was chosen to honor his late father, who passed away six years ago.
Montana wanted something that would keep his father’s memory with him throughout his WWE journey.
In his social media post, he wrote:
“CRUZ MONTANA
A name I put together as a tribute to honor my late father. Who I’ve always made sure to keep as close as possible to my journey.
Losing him 6 years ago, is what sent me on the spiral that I’d eventually rise from, to become the man you see today. And today, that man ADDICTED TO GREATNESS.
Here’s to this next chapter.
LETS GET IT!”
Now, every time he steps into a WWE ring as Cruz Montana, he will be carrying a piece of his father’s memory with him.
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