Cruz Montana on WWE Raw: who he is and why he sided with The 946

Why people are searching for Cruz Montana now

WWE put Cruz Montana at the centre of its Raw highlights for 2 November 2026. The official video is titled "Cruz Montana levels Roman Reigns and joins The 946" [1]. Viewers who know Roman Reigns but not the newcomer want to know who he is, where he came from, and what the new faction means for the storyline.

From TNA to NXT under a new name

Cruz Montana is the ring name that Mike Santana uses in WWE [6]. WWE's profile describes "a globally respected catalogue of tag team and singles stardom" and closes with the line "He's here to take it." [3]

Before WWE, Santana was one of TNA's leading singles wrestlers. He left AEW in March 2024 [5] and won the TNA World Championship twice [4]. He lost that title to Nic Nemeth at TNA Slammiversary 2026, a few days before his NXT debut [4]. Slam Wrestling says he became one of TNA's top singles stars following his departure from AEW in 2024 [4].

He explained the move himself. "It wasn't an easy decision. They've done so much for me in my career, and loyalty is a big thing for me." He also said that TNA "was somewhere where I felt comfortable. I didn't want to feel comfortable anymore." [4]

The name has a family reason. Santana called it "a name I put together as a tribute to honor my late father" [6]. He was a free agent earlier in July 2026 [6]. His NXT debut came in the week of 21 July 2026, when he appeared at the WWE Performance Center after a title match [6]. The new name was confirmed on a Monday night later that month, a week after that debut [6].

What happened on Raw on 2 November 2026

WWE's results page says that "The OTC was seemingly in control, but NXT's Cruz Montana arrived and took out the World Heavyweight Champion" before seemingly aligning with the dangerous group, The 946 [2].

Earlier in the show, Reigns dismissed The 946 as a threat during a confrontation with Sami Zayn, who refused to back down [2]. The match was Royce Keys against Solo Sikoa. It ended in a no-contest, and WWE says it "ended with The 946 destroying The Bloodline" [2].

Bronco Nima, Lucien Price and Carmelo Hayes then entered the ring and attacked Sikoa. The page says that prompted Reigns and The Usos to come to his aid [2].

The detailed account of the 2 November episode that could be checked is WWE's own results page and video title. No independent recap of that episode was found when this page was written, so the segment details should be read as WWE's own version of events, not as an independently confirmed account [1] [2].

The 946 and the Bloodline feud

The results page does not give a full roster for The 946. It names Bronco Nima, Lucien Price and Carmelo Hayes as the members who attacked Sikoa, and says Cruz Montana appeared to align with the group [2]. The page places Reigns and The Usos on the other side, coming to Sikoa's aid [2].

WWE lists Reigns as the World Heavyweight Champion [2]. It lists Sami Zayn as the Undisputed WWE Champion, and says Zayn refused to back down to Reigns before Crown Jewel [2].

Montana's own NXT path points the same way. In an article dated 29 July 2026, Slam Wrestling said his NXT aspirations had already been mocked by Grayson Waller on social media, and that he has made no secret of his ambition to challenge Tony D'Angelo's NXT Championship [4]. Wrestling Inc. says Cruz Montana is "primed to be a future main event player" in NXT, and reports that he wished he could have faced AJ Styles, saying "the ultimate match for me" would have been that match (quoted from an interview with Complex). The article notes that Styles retired from in-ring competition in January 2026 [5].

What comes next

Sami Zayn ended the show by attacking Reigns with a Helluva Kick. The page places the Zayn dispute with Reigns "before WWE Crown Jewel", which takes place on Saturday [2]. The results page does not name Montana's next opponent or date, so his next match is not confirmed here [2].