WWE departures have been a hot topic throughout the year, but the company has also signed some notable names. For months it had been rumored that former TNA Wrestling World Champion Mike Santana was WWE bound, and he officially arrived on NXT last week.
Mike Santana made his intentions known at the end of the show as he stared down NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo after Tony successfully defended his title against Naraku. While Santana’s arrival in NXT received quite the reaction fans couldn’t help but notice that the commentary team did not mention his name, which led to immediate speculation regarding a possible name change.
Today Mike Santana took to social media to announce that he will be appearing live on this week’s episode of NXT, and he also confirmed that he will be using the name Cruz Montana moving forward.
Last week, I set the world on fire…
Tomorrow night, I throw gas on the flames.LETS GET IT!
8PM | LIVE ON @WWENXT pic.twitter.com/kFHx06JAWB
— Mike SANTANA🇵🇷 (@Santana_Proud) July 27, 2026
WWE has let certain talents keep their names after signing with the company, but it appears that Mike Santana will be known as Cruz Montana from now on. Multiple NXT names have been called up to the main roster over the last year, and in their absence Montana seems poised to quickly become one of the top stars on the brand.
Stay tuned for updates.