Mike Santana breaks silence on his real-life heat with AEW star

AEW recently released Mike Santana after he spent almost five years with the company. The veteran talent is now opening up on real-life heat that became a problem in the locker room.

Santana and Ortiz first linked up in 2017 while members of LAX in TNA. They left the promotion in July 2019 amid rumors of interest from AEW and WWE, but ultimately made their All Elite debuts at the inaugural All Out pay-per-view. Proud & Powerful held a strong presence in the AEW tag team division, but never won gold. It was revealed this week how AEW was forced to nix major plans at one point.

Rumors of real-life heat between the longtime partners surfaced after Santana went down with an injury in the summer of 2022. He returned just over one year later, but AEW split the tag team up after All In. This led to Santana winning a No DQ match over Ortiz on the October 27 edition of Rampage, which was Santana's last match for the company.

Speaking to Chris Van Vliet for his Insight podcast, Santana was asked about the real-life heat with Ortiz. He compared the partnership to a marriage and said they were not on the same page when it came to their vision for the tag team.

"Well, we were together for 10 years, I think, and when you're together with someone that long, it's like a married couple. Right? There's good, there's bad, and I think, honestly, for the most part, it was like... I think we just grew apart over time, and also our visions for the tag team and its future, and its success... we weren't on the same page when it came to a lot of those things, and it is what it is, everybody has their thoughts. Everybody goes about things differently. But yeah, like I told you... I'm a go-getter. I like to create opportunities for myself. I like... I'm more than willing to fight for our spot, but also, I'm not going to be the only one," Mike Santana said.

The current HOG World Heavyweight Champion was then asked if there is still heat between him and Ortiz. He revealed what was said after their Rampage match.

"I wouldn't say [so]. I mean, for me, I don't hold any [grudges]. I told him after the match, 'Yo, I hope the best for you, hope you do well and there is no hard feelings.' I hold no hate, no grudge, nothing. I'm in a different place in my life in general, and I'm good. I'm chillin'...," Mike Santana said.

Following the No DQ loss on Rampage, Ortiz did not make his in-ring return for AEW until Collision on January 20. He teamed with Eddie Kingston for a 16-minute main event loss to Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli that night.

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Cody Rhodes cried with Mike Santana after learning of his father's passing at AEW Dynamite

Mike Santana has revealed how Cody Rhodes and Brandi Rhodes consoled him following the passing of his father.

Santana was filming for AEW at Daily's Place in Jacksonville, FL when he received a phone call about his father's passing in early 2020. Speaking to Chris Van Vliet for Insight, the 33-year-old recalled how Brandi was there for him, and how she brought Cody to sit with him.

"So, I found out my dad passed away when we were at Daily's Place. I flipped my s**t... I got the call and I go outside, and I'm flipping my s**t, I'm tossing guardrails and I was having a breakdown. Brandi [Rhodes] found me, and Brandi is like, 'What the hell?' She snatched me up... I'm like, bawling my eyes out, and I tell her what happened, and she's like, 'Come with me right now,' and she puts me in a room, and she's like, 'Stay here, do not move.' And she went and got Cody, and Cody came and sat with me, and he cried with me," Mike Santana said. [From 42:13 to 42:58]

Santana went on to have major praise for Cody, while also offering insider comments on how the former AEW Executive Vice President is now "finishing the story" in WWE.