TNA's Mike Santana Names WWE HOFer That He Modeled His Career On

Rumors have been swirling around TNA star Mike Santana, with reports indicating that he may be bound for WWE in the near future. If that is the case, Santana will work in the same company where one of his idols made a permanent mark on the industry. During an interview with "McGuire on Wrestling," Santana revealed which of the company's Hall of Famers has inspired him throughout his career.

"I've never shied away from whenever I talk about my upbringing and talk about me coming up in wrestling and discovering wrestling – the Hart family has been there since day one for me," Santana said.

Santana stated that he was never into the larger-than-life characters often featured on WWE TV, but instead gravitated to Bret Hart. He holds a fond memory of WWE WrestleMania 7, where he saw Hart and Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart making their entrance and was instantly hooked.

"Seeing Bret made me believe that I could do it," he continued. "Bret was someone that always spoke about who he was, where he came from, his family, his values, and wanting to be the best. To a New York kid, that's everything, right?"

The wrestler also stated that he appreciated the genuine quality of Hart's character, as he seemed to be in real life exactly who he was on TV.

"That's how I modeled my career and modeled my persona when it comes to pro wrestling," Santana concluded.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "McGuire on Wrestling" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.