AEW Star Announces End Of Popular Tag Team

One AEW tag team is no more.

Mike Santana made his surprise return to AEW alongside his long-time tag team partner Ortiz on August 23rd ahead of them joining The Blackpool Combat Club in the Stadium Stampede match at All In.

Santana had missed over a year of action as a result of a serious knee injury suffered in the Blood & Guts match in June 2022 that also saw him in cahoots with The BCC. However, now he’s back in action, it seems like his long-standing partnership with Ortiz is no more.

On the 8th of September edition of AEW Rampage, a video message from Mike Santana played where he explained that he is focussing on me, myself, and I:

“There comes a time in everyone’s life where you reach a fork in the road. When you get there, there’s decisions that need to me made in order to proceed in the right direction. Some roads are easy and lead to mediocrity and comfortability. Some roads come with new challenges and force you to grow.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned through this process, it’s that you can’t depend on anyone to have the same passion or drive. Or hell, to even have your back the same way that you would. With that being said, the world has been asking all these questions. Now, the world is about to get all the answers. The road I’ve chosen to take is one that must be taken on my own. No crutch, no crew.

“All I’ve done my entire life is bet on myself. I’ll tell you this, I’m not here to be another guy in the game. I’m here to be the game. I know I’m gonna piss a lot of people off, but you ask me if I give a damn. I ain’t here to make friends. I’m here to make money. If you ain’t down, you’re gonna get run down. The nastiest is yet to come.”

“The nastiest is yet to come.”
– Mike Santana

Watch #AEWRampage on TNT!@Santana_Proudpic.twitter.com/l3QElTkYoZ

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 9, 2023

Why have Santana & Ortiz split up in AEW?

The last time Santana and Ortiz teamed up in a regular two-on-two tag team match was in February 2022 despite them being a tag team long before joining AEW.

Reports had suggested that the two had a serious falling out before Santana’s injury which might be behind the decision for him to go solo. It remains unclear what Ortiz’s future holds in the company as a singles star.