wrestling / News

Cruz Montana Reacts to Grayson Waller’s Comments on Last Night’s NXT

July 29, 2026 | Posted by Yash Mittal
Cruz Montana WWE NXT 7-28-26 Image Credit: WWE

Former TNA World Champion Cruz Montana (FKA Mike Santana) has responded to the scathing comments from Grayson Waller on last night’s NXT. As noted previously, Waller returned to NXT last night and cut a scathing promo, expressing his frustrations about his main roster run while also taking shots at the NXT men’s division, especially its latest addition, Cruz Montana.

Waller said he was coming after Montana and took shots at the latter being a former TNA World Champion. The Aussie stated that being a top guy in TNA these days is like “being the best basketball player at the local YMCA.”

Waller jumped Montana and NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo during the closing stages of the show. Speaking on WWE Radio, Montana said he barely heard about Waller before last night’s NXT. However, he added that he knows where Waller is coming from, as he has been in a similar position in the past.

He also responded to Waller’s TNA jibe, noting the rich legacy of its World Title before adding that he’ll always be grateful to the company for providing him a platform to grow. Here’s what he said:

“I’ve never met this dude in a day in my life. Bro, I have barely even heard the name. Let’s keep it a buck, Bully! Like, what have you done? I got 20 years in the game, bro. I’ve travelled around the world. You don’t know what I’ve been through. You don’t know what I’ve gone through to get here.

“But I will say this: I’m always someone who will give props where they’re due. I was in his shoes before; I was pissed off at the world. I had opportunities taken from me. I had a ceiling put on me, I get it. So, I’ve got to give him props for speaking his mind, but you don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ve been through. You don’t know what I’ve gone through to get here.

“That little shot he took about being TNA World Champion, Bully, you’re a former TNA World Champion. You know the history and the weight that title holds. Name after name after name after name. For me to be among those names, to have had the opportunity to carry the brand that is TNA… TNA means a lot to me. TNA was the first place that gave me an opportunity to grow on a main platform. I’ll do anything for that place.”

Please credit WWE Radio and give an H/T to 411Mania for the transcription if you take quotes from this article.