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An AEW tag team recently split up under less than amicable circumstances. That team is Proud-N-Powerful, comprising Santana and Ortiz, who had a lot of momentum coming into the company as the former LAX. But for now, the tag team is no longer a factor in AEW.
Recently, Ortiz revealed that his former tag team partner did not want to continue teaming with him due to personal issues between them.
Speaking on The Shining Wizards Podcast, the 32-year-old opened up on the split, claiming that it wasn't the Tony Khan-led company's decision.
Ortiz shared, "Unfortunately, it wasn’t the company’s call to split us (Santana & Ortiz). Me and Santana just couldn’t get it together personally and he was just very adamant about not working with me anymore."
Ortiz felt their storyline breakup was rushed, as it was originally meant to play out over several weeks across AEW's different shows:
"It was supposed to happen more than once. But just due to stuff out of our control, out of my control, it just never seemed to pan out," Ortiz insisted. [h/t POST Wrestling]
Since splitting from Santana, Ortiz is trying to figure out his next move as a singles wrestler.
While Ortiz loves tag team wrestling, he acknowledged that it may not be possible for him to move forward. Outside of AEW, Ortiz and Santana continue to work independent dates. In December, Santana won the House of Glory Heavyweight Title by defeating Matt Cardona.
Also Read: Konnan explains real reason why major AEW tag team have officially split up after 5 years
Konnan believes Santana intends to be a singles star in AEW
WCW veteran Konnan, who was integral in Santana and Ortiz joining the LAX faction in IMPACT Wrestling, recently speculated on what's next for the duo.
Speaking on the Keepin' It 100 podcast, the veteran said:
"It doesn’t look like they’re going to be working together, which is a shame. I think Mike Santana wants to go solo and that’s what they’re doing. Good luck with that because there are so many other people that have not even been taken care of."
Konnan believes Santana wants to strike out on his own as a singles wrestler in All Elite Wrestling but notes that the singles division is already very crowded. With Santana and Ortiz having longstanding personal issues, their tag team split has seemed inevitable. But now both men face uncertainty as solo wrestlers.
Time will tell whether Santana and Ortiz can find success alone in All Elite Wrestling after years of being one of the top tag teams on the independent scene. For now, their fracture represents the end of an era, as Proud-N-Powerful is no more.
What do you think is waiting next for Santana and Ortiz in All Elite Wrestling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
