Mike Santana will be leading the Men’s Team TNA at NXT Showdown tonight. On Sunday, at TNA Bound For Glory, he’ll face NXT’s Trick Williams one-on-one for the TNA World Championship, trying to put an end to the “Trick-NA era.” His Path to Bound For Glory has been a “Path of Purpose,” as Santana wants to bring the World Championship home.
Some of you may have found out about Mike Santana when he came back to TNA Wrestling last year. His story with the company dates back to 2017. Santana is a former 4-time TNA World Tag Team Champion with his former partner, Ortiz. What they did in the ring between 2017 and 2019 has been instrumental in building the legacy of the most famous TNA Boricua.
A Legendary Tag Team Champion
In March 2017, on iMPACT, Santana made his debut as a member of the Latin American Xchange (LAX), alongside Ortiz. They became part of LAX with Homicide, Diamante, and manager Konnan. They immediately inserted themselves in the Impact World Tag Team Championship picture and won it the following week.
On November 5 at TNA Bound for Glory, LAX lost to Ohio Versus Everything (OVE). The war between the two factions led to a Barbed Wire Massacre match. A bout so bloody and crazy that Pop TV refused to air it live. LAX won the Massacre, then the Tag Team titles back the week after.
In May 2018, Eddie “King” Kingston became the newest member of LAX. After the group leader Konnan was attacked, and Homicide and Diamante went missing in action, King assumed leadership of the faction and guided Ortiz and Santana back to being tag team Champions.
When Konnan was back, he confronted King, who admitted that it was he who had “taken out a hit” against Konnan to take over the faction. Former LAX members Hernandez and Homicide returned, entering the ring and attacking Konnan, Santana, and Ortiz. At Bound for Glory on October 14, Hernandez and Homicide lost to Ortiz and Santana in a Concrete Jungle Death match. Santana would later describe this match as a “pretty insane” bout.
Today in #IMPACTHistory: LAX defeated The OGz in a BRUTAL Street Fight. (IMPACT August 16, 2018) @MadKing1981 @Konnan5150 pic.twitter.com/0spn14F9oe
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) August 17, 2021
The Lucha Bros episode
On January 12, 2019, The Lucha Bros (Pentagón Jr. and Rey Fénix) defeated Santana and Ortiz at the TV Tapings in Mexico to win the Impact World Tag Team Championships. The storyline culminated at Impact Wrestling Rebellion, in a Full Metal Mayhem match where LAX won the Impact Wrestling Tag Team Championship back from the Lucha Bros. They held the titles until July, when they lost them to The North (Ethan Page and Josh Alexander).
The story, around an identity and a style, between the two teams led to a series of four insane matches. Fueled by Konnan, the storyline was about Lucha Libre and Latin American identity. The TNA Homecoming match was unreal. The spot where Fénix hits a tope suicida and Penta flipped him over onto L.A.X. on the ground is one of the most creative and craziest spots ever.
Today in #TNAHistory: The Lucha Bros defeated LAX to become World Tag Team Champions. (IMPACT February 8, 2019)
Watch on TNA+: https://t.co/FsgL8HkhUN pic.twitter.com/trB8oVb2RG
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 8, 2024
The second match of the beautiful rivalry between Lucha Bros and LAX was very good, harder than the previous technical one, but consistent with the climax of the feud. If you can skip the third, the Full Metal Mayhem is a really incredible match, with incredible action and spots. The chemistry between the teams was just as brilliant.
TNA Wrestling, at that time, had the two best tag teams in the world on its roster. They brought the fans to the quintessence of a style, what tag-team magic is meant to be, and the beauty of Lucha Libre style. Through the success of the teams, we also found out how insanely good Santana, Ortiz, Penta, and Rey Fénix were, and still are.
The Singles Return
When LAX left TNA in 2019, the duo started to derail. Injuries, addictions, and not having the same vision for the team made Santana leave AEW. The wake-up call would bring him home, in the company that was seeing him as a Champion. At TNA Rebellion 2024, Santana made his return to TNA Wrestling, defeating Steve Maclin. TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella announced him as the newest signed talent.
Maclin and Santana look like ‘TNA Originals’ in this new era of TNA. The year 2024 was fueled by a long feud with the System and a first chance at becoming the #1 contender for the TNA World Championship. After Genesis 2025, Santana entered a feud with Mustafa Ali. In the build-up, Ali would taunt Santana’s past of being a drug addict and would crash one of his counseling sessions.
Mustafa Ali, in fact, showed us the “real” Mike Santana while depicting him through his addictions. Dealing with addictions is a hero’s journey. We all know someone in our lives who has dealt with alcohol, drugs, or medication addiction. I am one of them. The first step to redemption is to say it.
Ali cheated twice before Santana defeated him in a Falls Count Anywhere match to end the feud at Rebellion 2025. This storyline was a way for Santana to say, “I may be an alcoholic, but I’m a proud father, a good human being, and a great wrestler.” TNA Wrestling already had a Champion in Santana; they now had a true hero ready to become World Champion on his own.
.@MustafaAli_X unleashed a vicious verbal assault on Derek, dragging his past addiction into the spotlight—making his war with @Santana_Proud even more personal.
Watch #TNAiMPACT on TNA+: https://t.co/nP3d7hOjOD pic.twitter.com/5FGdVgs8EH
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) April 4, 2025
The Road to the TNA World Championship
As crazy as it sounds, Mike Santana can thank NXT for being the new TNA hero in chief. When Trick Williams became the #1 contender for the TNA World Championship, Santana just crossed paths with Williams backstage in TNA. These five little seconds said everything about what was meant to happen next.
Joe Hendry lost the TNA title to Williams at NXT Battleground. Santana started his “Path of Purpose.” TNA put a large spotlight on Leon Slater on the Road to Slammiversary. Same for Santana, who was shown in some segments saying he could be the one to defeat both Williams and Hendry at TNA Slammiversary 2025. Williams cheated and retained. Hendry started to spend more and more time in NXT. Santana was determined to bring the title back home.
.@Santana_Proud comes face-to-face with his struggles and obstacles on his path to becoming TNA World Champion. What's his motivation to continue? What makes this time different? Join Santana on his path as he seeks out the answers within himself.
WATCH #TNAiMPACT on TNA+:… pic.twitter.com/RYRaoH6u57
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) September 26, 2025
Since Slammiversary, Mike Santana has made his way to the TNA World Championship, carefully. He appeared in NXT many times to show Williams he was not afraid. He earned the right to become the #1 contender for the belt, despite Williams’ attempts not to have the match or weaken Santana before Bound For Glory.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger: here lies the story of Mike Santana. From being a Champion to being caught up by the pain and addictions, Santana has worked his way to the World Championship, dealing with pain and pride. His father will watch from Heaven, his daughter from ringside. The Boricua time begins in five days at TNA Bound For Glory 2025.
.@Santana_Proud seeks guidance from the legendary @AmazingRed_iOD ahead of #TNABoundForGlory.
WATCH #TNAiMPACT on TNA+: https://t.co/bHjlPJpr4f pic.twitter.com/H6jrMo2XNE
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) October 3, 2025
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