TNA World Champion Mike Santana discussed with PWInsider.com’s Mike Johnson various topics, including the significance of last week’s TNA iMPACT on AMC debut for him.
Santana said, “Thursday was a pivotal moment, not just for myself, but for the company as a whole. We haven’t been on a major network in over ten years, and the fact that we got to that point, and just the excitement behind it — not just from the fans, but everyone across the board. The locker room, the higher-ups, everybody, it was a good time live. That energy, man… it’s hard to explain. It was palpable. It felt like a soda bottle ready to burst.”
On his match with Frankie Kazarian:
“We brought out a lot of tributes to guys we came up with, guys who were mentors to us. Frankie and I have a lot of history together. We were both in very similar places in our careers and our lives. We had just lost our dads around the same time, so we really connected through that. We both bet on ourselves, went through the process, and got to main-event the very first TNA show on AMC. That was nothing short of amazing. Then, two days later, having to main-event the Genesis pay-per-view, a lot of work, a lot of pressure. But we’ve both been around a long time, and it was just like, “Let’s do what we do best.” And here we are.
On AJ Styles opening the show:
“When AJ came out to open the show. It was like, “That’s it. It’s a wrap. There’s no going back. That moment meant the world to me. AJ is my ultimate dream match. To share a moment with him, knowing how much that era of TNA inspired me, was incredibly special. I grew up watching that era of TNA, and even before that, AJ Styles and Amazing Red as ROH Tag Team Champions, having those crazy matches. To share that moment with him was a huge deal. And I’m still not letting go of that dream. I want that match. Hopefully, we can make it happen. For the title or just in general, I want to step in the ring with AJ Styles and have the honor of being one of his last matches.”
On how hard he worked to get in his position:
“This is a position I’ve worked my ass off for. I’m going to do everything I can to make it happen. It’s a team effort, but my focus is telling compelling stories. That’s what draws people in. My personal journey is part of that story. It’s about capitalizing on it and letting fans connect to it. I’m excited. It’s a new challenge, a new obstacle, and I’m all about it.”
