Mike Santana Speaks Out After Steve Maclin Injury at TNA Sacrifice
Mike Santana has broken his silence after Steve Maclin was legitimately injured during their TNA World Championship match at TNA Sacrifice on Friday, March 27, in New Orleans. The match was stopped just minutes in after Maclin took a stiff superkick from the champion.
The bout came to an immediate halt when Maclin stumbled and appeared dazed following the kick. Referee Alice Lane quickly recognized the severity of the situation and stopped the match, which was ruled a no-contest. Santana retained the TNA World Championship.
Maclin was evaluated for a concussion and sent to the hospital as a precaution. He cleared all tests with no concussion diagnosis and was released the same night, according to Sports Illustrated.
On Sunday morning, Santana posted a lengthy statement on his X account addressing the incident. The champion revealed his pre-match ritual and reflected on the unpredictable nature of professional wrestling.
"Every time I'm getting ready to head out for a match, I always find a corner and take a moment to myself," Santana wrote. "I kneel and pray to God to protect me and my opponent. To watch over us as we head out to give the fans an escape and something worth what they pay their hard earned money for."
"But as we all know, freak accidents happen that are sometimes out of our control and in the moment," he continued. "That's the unfortunate reality of what we do. All we can do is learn from it and take preventative measures moving forward, so that we can avoid making the same mistakes."
Santana specifically highlighted the professionalism of referee Alice Lane, who was credited with quickly recognizing the injury and signaling for medical help.
"I will say, I'm truly proud of how TNA handled the situation," Santana stated. "And even more proud of referee Alice Lane. Her elite professionalism and quick thinking saved us. We were truly blessed to have had her out there with us."
The champion also expressed relief about Maclin's condition. "I'm glad that Steve is safe and doing well," he wrote. "He's one of the toughest guys I know and someone I've considered a close friend for a long time. At the end of the day, our health and well-being come first and we showed exactly that."
Following the match stoppage, Eddie Edwards attacked Santana. Edwards holds a guaranteed TNA World Championship opportunity.
