Summary

Mike Santana used a recent appearance on The Humble Roses podcast to spotlight a wrestler he believes still does not receive enough praise from fans, naming Dean Malenko as one of the best ever.

When asked to name a match that deserves more credit, Santana pointed to Malenko's work in All Japan Pro Wrestling, specifically recalling a Malenkos vs. Bulldogs match. The comments add another layer to Santana's recent stretch of reflective interviews as he heads toward his TNA World Title match with Eddie Edwards at Rebellion.

Quote from Mike Santana

"Damn, you threw me off with that one. I feel like guys like Dean Malenko don't get enough credit. I feel like he was a big mentor for me, especially back a few years ago. I feel like he doesn't get enough flowers. He's one of the best ever. Especially even when he was a tag team with his brother Joe in All Japan. They were doing some revolutionary stuff. I feel like, actually, his match is the Malenkos versus the, what was it, the Malenkos against the Bulldogs, All Japan."

Why Dean Malenko Still Resonates With Mike Santana

Santana tying his answer to Dean Malenko's technical style says plenty about the kind of wrestling he values. He did not just praise Malenko as a legend, he framed him as a mentor and pointed to specific work from All Japan as an example of how ahead of the curve Malenko and Joe Malenko were as a team.

For TNA fans, that matters because Santana is speaking from the position of the current world champion, not just as a student of wrestling history. Comments like this help show the influences shaping how he sees the craft while he carries the top title.

What Santana's Comments Mean Heading Into Rebellion

Santana bringing up Dean Malenko's precision and innovation reinforces the image he has been building around this title run, a champion who values substance and ring work as much as star power. With Rebellion approaching, that kind of public framing keeps the focus on Santana as both a standard-bearer for TNA and a wrestler willing to connect today's scene to earlier generations.

It also gives fans more insight into Santana beyond match hype alone. Between his title business and recent comments on names such as AJ Styles, Santana is presenting himself as a champion with a clear sense of wrestling lineage.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.