Mike Santana praises Homicide for his contributions to the pro wrestling scene.
On Thursday, Mike Santana will face JDC (Johnny “Dango” Curtis) in a Texas Death Match on TNA iMPACT. Recently, Santana spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard about a man who is no stranger to death matches, and someone he considers to be a great mentor — that being Homicide.
Much like Santana, Homicide has spent plenty of time in TNA Wrestling. Beyond that, though, Homicide has inspired a generation of wrestlers on the independent professional circuit, especially those in New York City.
“Homicide has been a mentor for me since I was like 18, 19 years old,” Santana said. “He’s known me since I was a little kid. Guys like him and [Amazing] Red, when they start coming out and breaking out back in 2000, 2001, 2002, those guys pretty much created what you see today as far as the whole independent movement. Those guys for me are like the forefathers of that indie style and that whole generation. They’ve both, especially Homicide, he’s had such a huge impact on so many guys in wrestling.”
“He’s worked with everyone you could imagine, from the CM Punks to the Samoa Joes to American Dragon [Bryan Danielson]. He’s had classics with all of them. I even say he doesn’t get the credit that he deserves because he’s had such a huge impact on so many guys. He’s been responsible for so many guys breaking into the business and being trained by him. He’s a special individual, and he was always such a huge representative for the New York City independent movement.”
New York City Ties
Also growing up in New York City, Santana recalled watching VHS tapes of Homicide and his “Doghouse” wrestling school comrades. Years later, Santana finds himself under the tutelage of Homicide, so much so that Homicide has passed the proverbial torch and cemented Santana as a “new head” of New York City.
“His whole story is very interesting,” Santana added. “[Homicide] literally started wrestling. He went to wrestling school maybe the day after he came out of jail, like something crazy. He gets off the bus from Rikers Island, he sees a flyer, and he starts wrestling school. For me, he was the first guy in wrestling that taught me that it doesn’t matter where you come from, how you grew up, what you’ve been through, you can make something of yourself. We both come from similar backgrounds as far as being born and raised in the Projects in New York City and growing up on the street and stuff like that.”
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