Mistico to WWE

[Reznor]

Wow, that's a pretty major piece of news. Interesting stuff, not altogether unexpected as there's been rumours for months, and they've only grown in the past fortnight with Mistico being off CMLL cards

 

Mistico's pretty great. A real agile and spectacular luchador who has been massive in Mexico and the #1 star in CMLL for the past 6 years or so, albeit he has been going through the motions for a while. But for all that, i'm still not sure what they can really do with him and whether he'll be a success in the WWE environment. He's really small, and to the best of my knowledge doesn't speak fluent english, so that puts him at a real disadvantage right away.

 

In Mexico, Mistico was far more impressive than Dos Caras/Alberto Del Rio; in fact, Dos Caras wasn't even very good in CMLL, whether as a heel or face. But he was masked and doing a different thing then, and no one was really to know that he'd have the ability to adapt to the WWE style and the charisma to pull the gimmick off so well. There's probably a line of thinking from Mistico that if a luchador with a fraction of his popularity/heat in Mexico can get over in the WWE, it would go without saying that Mistico will manage fine - only, as we all know it doesn't quite work like that - the attributes you need to do well in CMLL are different to those you need in the WWE.

 

I do have my doubts as to whether he'll make it in the WWE, but maybe he'll surprise me with another side to his personality that he hasn't shown in Mexico. Whatever happens, it'll be real interesting to see what they do with him, what gimmick they give him, whether they keep the mask, whether they bring in anyone else from Mexico in the short-term etc. I'd imagine when he comes in it will be in the role of Rey Jr's protoge or something like that.

 

It could also be interesting for CMLL. Mascara Dorada and Sombra have been pushed to the moon in the past year, but will they feel they're too short on real star power now and give someone like Wagner, Park or even Santo a call?......

[$tew]

It could also be interesting for CMLL. Mascara Dorada and Sombra have been pushed to the moon in the past year, but will they feel they're too short on real star power now and give someone like Wagner, Park or even Santo a call?......

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Wagner does come across. He's a complete mercenary for money, but he'll work notice and do it professionally. Paco won't have any issues bringing Wagner back if he needs to. I understand issues with Park & Santo are much deeper.

 

Interestingly, stories now are that Mistico signed on the 25th of this month (probably just after coming back from Japan where he wrestled on the NJPW/CMLL Fantastica-Mania shows), and that he's given CMLL no notice at all... as in, he's gone from CMLL immediately. Suggestion is therefore that if Mistico tanks in WWE (or gets cut for "not knowing how to work" within a few months), he's burned his bridge to CMLL and he'll be forced to go to AAA.

[lightningxlock]

Haha the amount of double crosses and returns you see, I dont think there's such a thing as 'burning a bridge' in Mexico.

[pgi86]

The former WWE writer Court Bauer made some interesting points about the Mistico signing:

 

Mistico inking with WWE continues the trend of shaking things up - that's a good thing. But, and it's a big but, it's going to be a tough road for the silver masked sensation. In late 2006, I pushed for WWE to pursue bringing Mistico's talents to Stamford. Vince McMahon had mandated more Latin talent on the show (and rightfully so!) and at the time who fit the bill better than the KING of the Arena Mexico BO - Mistico! We brought him to our shows and there was a buzz amongst the boys. They knew this guy was legit as did many of us behind the scenes. Unfortunately, there were key people who found ways to ice a deal: "He doesn't speak English! How's he gonna draw?" "Dang (yes really) he's so SMALL!", "He's gotta work on those punches," "He can't sell because of that MASK?" and on and on. Here's the thing about "change" and WWE - if you want to change things, it starts at the core of the operations, not the secondary, etc. For those very same people who 86'd Mistico in '06 are still there & are still big time players today & their vision remains the same. Will they back Mistico all the way? Will the champion him to WrestleMania 30? Time will tell but one thing is for sure: Given their underperformance, PPV buys, thin roster, etc. WWE can't afford to NOT to change.

[air_raid]

Interesting. The same "flaws" - mask, size - didn't put them off the puny rat of Tijuana.

[Cobra1000]

Never heard of him until I looked through this thread, had a look around and i really like his look, I hope he keeps the mask, wwe needs a few more masks wrestlers. On the height thing, wiki says he is billed as 5ft 9 so I dunno. I reckon he'll be fine..

[Dirty Eddie]

he was an orphan who was trained in the ways of religion and lucha libre

 

 

That's a fricking awesome sentence, right there!

 

Also sounds like the premise for an equally brilliant Steven Segal film.

[PunkStep]

With Mysterio winding things down and injuries catching up on him, makes sense for them to bring in a new luchadore. The WWE value their Latino audience- and rightly so. In signing the biggest name in Lucha Libre, they have a world class replacement for Mysterio. But whether he does well in WWE, is another thing. Let's hope so. Also, I'm pretty sure he's taller than Rey Rey? So it's just a case of adding a bit more mass.

 

A Mistico VS Del Rio feud will be inevitable, and would get some incredible reaction in LA etc.

[Loki]

It's probably bullshit, but the rumour I read was that he's being brought in as a heel sidekick to Del Rio, to take out Rey Mysterio. So his first feud would be with Rey Rey.

[Vamp]

I honestly think it might all come down to his attitude. If he has the right one for the job, does what they ask him to, is willing to go down to development and at least look like he's putting the work in to learn the WWE style, doesn't show any arrogance and realises that to the majority of the WWE he'll just be a small fish in a big pond then, with good performences, there won't be much holding him back. People on the internet will probably sulk that he's being held back or that he's in the doghouse if he doesn't get a push right out of the gate but I wouldn't really buy that its just because of his size. Having said that, keeping your ego in check if you've been a bit of God in Mexico might not be all that easy. There's also the fact that he might just not adapt to the new style and if he can't speak English then that'll be a genuine concern because he won't be able to communicate with the other talent.

 

But still, I don't buy that he won't be given a fair chance. Whether he'll get pushed straight away remains to be seen, but then sometimes I think that's half the battle with the WWE, they want to see how dedicated you are and how much you think of yourself sometimes before they strap a rocket to your back.

[Big Benny HG]

He got a fair bit of stick from the hardcore Arena Mexico fans for being pushed majorly relatively early in his career, as well as the perception he has no technical wrestling ability (i.e. relies on flying and high spots), but I think Mistico is great. His lightning-fast firery technico comebacks are as exciting as they come.

 

I'm a year or so behind on my lucha libre (so haven't seen his recent-ish stuff with Volador Jr), but for those who haven't seen him before I would recommend checking out any of his multiple one-on-one bouts with Averno over the last 5 years for a good indication of what he's all about. There's also a bag-full of brilliant tag bouts between the pair too, with Averno tagging with his regular partner Mephisto and Mistico taking a variety of partners over the years (including El Hijo del Santo in a fab 2005 Guadalajara tag bout, Black Warrior, Negro Casas, Volador Jr, etc). There's at least two great singles matches against Ultimo Guerrero too.

 

If you want to see him in more of a red hot, hate-fuelled grudge match, check out his 2006 run against Black Warrior, and his ridiculously good Arena Mexico bouts with Perro Aguayo Jr which gave an indication of a future mega-feud which, unfortunately, never really saw a conclusion.

[ultimo the great]

There's been rumours in the last month but i was hoping it was just Mistico throwing his toys out of the pram again due to not being El Numero Uno anymore.

 

Sad day if this is the end of Mistico, no chance of him being Mistico in WWE they'll probably take his mask off and have him debut as a transexual hooker named Tammi.

 

No hope of seeing the Averno Mask match or an ending to his fued with Perro Aguayo, which couldn't be further from happening with Mistico cashing in and Perro off his face through most of his matches.

 

Won't effect CMLL too much they've built up a bunch of guys over the last two years who'll fill the void. Volador and La Sombra have been raised to Mistico's level this year and Mascara Dorada, Valiente, La Mascara are ready to move up plus if the rumours of a big name coming back are true and it's Wagner back working Arena Mexico that will be enough to cover the disapointment.

 

Total fucking waste.

[The Dart]

Apparently CMLL own the name Mistico anyway, so even if WWE wanted to call him that, they won't be able to.

[diamond_dust]

NXT Season 5 - Tico?

[Teedy Kay]

Haven't WWE been after a heel masked character to go against Rey for a while, I mean there was strong rumours Low Ki was going to don a mask before injuring himself.