Santana and Ortiz (aka Proud and Powerful) were one of AEW’s most popular tag teams during its initial years as a promotion, but news that there were issues between the two started popping up earlier this year. The pair haven’t worked together in a standard tag team match in any capacity since February and in the months that followed their appearances on AEW programming together started becoming less frequent. Santana then went down with a knee injury during the Blood and Guts match between the Blackpool Combat Club and the Jericho Appreciation Society in June and indicated in the following month that he intended to leave the promotion.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Konnan, who has an extensive history with both men, described the animosity between the two on the latest Keepin’ It 100. He even revealed that Santana and Eddie Kingston almost came to blows over the issue.
“It breaks my heart because I spent a lot of time with them and I’ve said before that they’re like my sons. I heard it almost got physical with Santana and Kingston over this. It’s not a good look, bro. I really hate seeing that these two guys who could have gone to WWE and really f—ing blown up, that they separated. I can see Santana when his contract is up, leaving. Ortiz is very chill and laid back. Santana is more of a hot head. Ortiz’s was like, ‘Hey, they ain’t doing s— with us’, and Santana’s like, ‘They ain’t doing s— with us’, and he’s right. Ortiz is more like ‘We’re getting paid and are taken care of’, and he was comfortable in his role and Santana wants more.”
Ortiz Without Santana in AEW
Even before Santana’s injury, AEW started presenting Ortiz as a solo act. He wrestled Chris Jericho in a Hair vs. Hair match at Road Rager on June 15 and has since wrestled 15 matches since the Blood and Guts bout. He hasn’t been on AEW TV since the All Out pay-per-view last month (which saw Tay Melo break Ruby Soho’s nose in an intergender tag match), but was on AEW Dark as recently as Oct. 13 and teamed with Kingston.
Should AEW find a way to mend the relationship between the two? Or should they let Santana leave once his contract is up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
