Video: Former WWE Star Prepares For In-Ring Return
While it's not clear when Gran Metalik will be stepping back in the ring, the lucha libre star is getting ready. The former WWE star posted a short video on Twitter that saw the founding member of Lucha House Party training for his return by performing a standing shooting star press.
"#Simba de regreso," Metalik tweeted in Spanish, adding a lion and sunglasses emoji. The brief sentence translates in English to "Simba is back."
Gran Metalik hasn't wrestled a match since the September 13 taping of WWE main event, where he and fellow Lucha House Party star Lince Dorado lost to rival luchadores Angel Garza and Humberto Carillo. Metalik reportedly asked for his release from WWE sooner after; he and Dorado would then be taken off TV before being released in early November.
A sixteen-year pro, Gran Metalik first gained fame working for lucha libre promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) under the name Mascara Dorada, where he became known for his high flying moves and innovative offense. He would later tour New Japan Pro Wrestling several times, including once challenging current AEW star Kenny Omega for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, before joining WWE in 2016 to take part in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic.
Initially, Gran Metalik's WWE run started off well; he would make the finals of the Cruiserweight Classic, where he lost to TJP. Afterward however Metalik would fall into WWE's lower mid-card, and would see his average of at least 94 matches per year drop to 43 during his five-year WWE run. His lack of direction and his usage in WWE were reported as the main reason Metalik requested his release in September.
Gran Metalik's WWE non-compete officially expires Wednesday, February 2, 2022 along with several other recently released WWE talents. Oddly enough, February 2 is also the same day AEW has announced its return to Chicago for Dynamite and Rampage tapings.
You can watch Gran Metalik training below.
#simba🦁 de regreso 😎 pic.twitter.com/aiOw7nZY6N
— METALIK (@Mascaradorada24) December 1, 2021