Mike Santana says he asked for his AEW release multiple times before it was granted

Mike Santana, who has been working for TNA Wrestling and making appearances on WWE NXT, explained why he decided to leave AEW during an interview with The Ariel Helwani Show…

“I’m the type of person where I need constant growth in my life. Especially in this line of work. Any line of work, if we’re not growing, what are we doing? Ultimately, that was the case. A lot of unhappiness, a lot of things that I wasn’t about. Ultimately, business is business. I’m a brand the same way they are a brand. I was like, ‘I need to take care of my brand and I need to continue growing.’ This wrestling thing is my life. I dedicated everything to this. I’m also not the type of person that I can sit and collect a paycheck. That’s not me. Never has been. It was about that time. There was no heat or hard feelings. It is what it is. That’s the wrestling business. People come and people go. I looked at it as I need to do what’s best for me, my career, my life, and my sanity. I did exactly that. Was I worried? Was there fear and stuff? Of course. I’m leaving a guaranteed paycheck of a lot of money. I have a family, but me having done the work on myself, I knew the work I was willing to put in to get to where I wanted to be. I’m in the main event at UBS [Slammiversary].”

“I asked for my release multiple times. When I came back. I had the sort feud and match with my ex-partner [Ortiz]. After that, they stopped bringing me to TV. ‘Yo, just get me out of here. I’m good.’ I asked two or three times and finally they granted me my release and I was like, ‘Thank you.’” (quotes courtesy of Jeremy Lambert)