Sami Callihan Says He'll Retire If He Can't Beat Fellow TNA Star At Emergence

For 20 years, Sami Callihan has traveled the world as a professional wrestler. At TNA Emergence, that might change.

On this week's episode of "TNA Impact," Callihan called for a singles match against Mike Santana, who many view as a future TNA World Champion, at the upcoming Emergence event. The motivation? Callihan aims to prove something to the fans, his peers, and himself. Should he lose, however, Callihan plans to retire from in-ring competition.

"Does Sami Callihan have it anymore or does he not have it?" Callihan asked himself during a backstage interview with Tom Hannifan. "So when I call a friend, somebody that right now people would questionably say is the best professional wrestler walking, he is the new standard of TNA Wrestling. At Emergence, I want one match to see if I still got it. Sami Callihan [versus] Mike Santana, and if I win, who knows, maybe this is the start of a great story of Sami Callihan getting in shape and becoming the Death Machine of all. But if I lose, I think I got my answer. I think I ride off into the sunset my way, I leave my boots in the middle of the ring and The Death Machine retires in Baltimore."

In his last two in-ring outings, Callihan has lost to fellow veteran Eric Young and then-TNA X-Division Champion Moose, the latter of whom defeated "The Death Machine" in less than three minutes. Meanwhile, Santana has blossomed into one of TNA's most popular and successful talents; he also had a recent opportunity to capture the TNA World Championship at Slammiversary. Looking ahead, he will now meet Callihan at TNA Emergence, which will emanate from Baltimore, Maryland on August 15.