Former WWE Star Regains Ring Name
In the world of lucha libre, names – like masks and hair – occasionally come and go. It makes for a great story when they return to the original user, an event that happened today for one of lucha libre's biggest stars over the last two decades.
As announced on Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre's talk show CMLL Informa this afternoon, top star Caristico, best remembered for his run as the original Sin Cara in WWE, is changing his name. He will now be going by the name Mistico, the name he originally used in from 2005-2011 before he signed with WWE.
The name change comes as his successor/predecessor, Mistico II, announced his departure from CMLL earlier in the afternoon. The brother of Ring of Honor stars Rush and Dragon Lee, Mistico II originally took the name Mistico in 2012, a year after the original Mistico's departure. He is expected to go under the name Dragonlisto going forward.
The original Mistico would achieve his greatest success under that name, winning Wrestler of the Year, Best Box Office Draw and Best Flying Wrestler in the Wrestling Observer Awards in 2006 (he would win Best Flying Wrestler again in 2007) and Best Box Office Draw for the entire 2000-2009 decade. His success got him on WWE's radar, but his three year run with the promotion as Sin Cara was marred by a Wellness suspension and a reputation for numerous botches during his matches.
The original Mistico was released in 2014 and the Sin Cara gimmick was given to his former rival Hunico, who held it till he himself was released in 2019. Mistico would join AAA under the name Myzteziz, wrestling there for a year before returning to CMLL under the Caristico name. He has continued to work there since. While occasional rivals, the original Mistico and Mistico II would eventually find success as partners, and were in fact CMLL World Tag Team Champions before Mistico II announced his departure today.
In addition to the original Mistico, Mistico II and Sin Cara II (now wrestling as Cinta de Oro), there is a fourth luchador wrestling under a Mistico like gimmick. In late 2018, midcard AAA luchador Angelikal began wrestling for the promotion under the name Myzteziz Jr., a play on original Mistico's AAA name. As of this time, there is no word on if a fifth Mistico gimmick will be created.
You can see photo's of CMLL's reveal below.
¡El Seminarista de los Ojos Blancos ha vuelto! @caristicomx vuelve a encarnar a Mistico, el personaje que lo catapultó a la fama internacional. Este Viernes tendrá su primera presentación en la Arena México. https://t.co/wHdgpc8MkX pic.twitter.com/xe7IJAn7Ne
— Lucha Libre CMLL (@CMLL_OFICIAL) August 25, 2021