Update On AEW's Plans For Ortiz Following Santana's Injury
What next for Ortiz following news Santana could be out of AEW for up to a year?
News of a wrestler's tag team partner being sidelined for up to a year doesn't typically bode well for the healthy party - but not All Elite Wrestling's Ortiz.
Fightful Select reports that even though the 30-year-old's long-time tag team partner, Santana, is expected to miss around 8-12 months with a suspected ACL injury, Ortiz will remain on television. AEW sources had not heard of any plans for the company to stop using him during this period.
Wrestling legend Konnan commented last week that Santana and Ortiz have not been on good terms lately, confirming a months-old rumour. Fightful's writeup on Santana's injury confirms this.
Sunday saw Santana claim that he will soon break his silence:-
I’ll speak soon.
Advertisement— Mike SANTANA?? (@Santana_Proud) July 17, 2022
He and Ortiz have not worked a conventional two-on-two tag team match since Dynamite's 16 February episode. Though they have appeared together alongside The Inner Circle (pre-split) and later Eddie Kingston, they have contested just three traditional tags all year. Additionally, Santana has spent time working several independent dates without Ortiz in 2022.
The duo were part of the winning Blood & Guts team on 29 June, triumphing over the Jericho Appreciation Society. Unfortunately, Santana's injury occurred within seconds of entering the bout.