2013 is already off to a hot start in the world of pro
wrestling. Within 5 days, 2 of the most
popular stars in the history of wrestling (The Rock and Sting) returned to WWE
and TNA respectively. Sting is coming
back to seek retribution against the Aces & Eights Faction, while The Rock
put WWE Champion CM Punk on notice that in “20 days” he was going to become a
champion again, for the first time in 10 years!
While I expect that both returns and their respective participation is
newsworthy and will create interest amongst fans, there was another pro
wrestling talent related signing that occurred this week that has a niche of
fans excited and filled with hope for the present and future of WWE. That man is EL GENERICO.
Now, if you’ve never heard or been exposed to El
Generico, do not let the photo above fool you.
El Generico is far and away one of the most talented professional
wrestlers in the WORLD! He can compete
in the ring with any competitor or style of wrestling from all over the
WORLD! He has traveled the globe more
than the Harlem Globetrotters. Even more
amazing, is that he does it without using his ability to speak to capture and
engage fans. Generico, The Generic
Luchadore is from Tijuana, Mexico and having not yet mastered full
bi-linguality with the English language, has created a fanbase that transcends
culture, language, ethnicity and more.
He is revered by die-hard “insider” wrestling fans as much as he is
loved by children for his antics and colorful mask and golden cape he wears to
the ring.
The bulk of my live pro wrestling exposure has come over
the last 10 years. Equal to that, the
exposure to many different promotions who run wrestling shows has greatly expanded
in that timeframe as well. Through these
opportunities I have seen El Generico and grown to appreciate him as being one
of the best. Take his bout against Kota
Ibushi from April 2008 in Ring of Honor.
On this warm, Spring evening, these two incredible athletes dazzled and
left fans exploding with excitement.
From my 2nd row seat, I popped up and down with amazement and
that same excitement. Or take his bout
(of the many) against long-time partner and rival, Kevin Steen, from Pro
Wrestling Guerrilla in December 2011. In
a tiny Reseda, CA building that was seemingly bursting at the seams with fans,
these men took risk after risk in a Ladder Match for the right to be PWG World
Champion. The insane amount of
punishment taken by Generico and the battle scars and welts he wore are images
still very real in my mind today and this match was seen by me on DVD; I can
only imagine what it must have been like in person!
Those are just two, brief snapshots of the many from Ring
of Honor, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, CHIKARA, Dragon Gate USA/EVOLVE and more and
more that Generico has created in terms of the legacy of the first half of his
pro wrestling career. The next chapter
will begin very soon, as the news that broke this week was of the agreement of
El Generico to become a contracted performer of World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE) and finally having earned what the majority of people who get into the
crazy world of professional wrestling strive for – a contract with the biggest
promotion in the world! The agreement in
principal will likely become official within the coming weeks. Generico’s likely destination will be Florida
Championship Wrestling (FCW), the developmental and “refining” territory where
the majority of WWE Superstars make a stop on their way to “the big show.”
There is no indication of how long Generico’s stint there
will be or who may join him, but that is the other aspect that has some fans
excitement. What is to come? WWE has long been known for a body-type and “mold”
for lack of better term when it comes to their wrestlers. A change has slowly been working its way into
and through the system, where the size and amount of muscles you have isn’t the
only ticket you need to play. With the number
of untapped wrestlers on the independent scene, with their trails of blood, sweat
and tears behind them, not only is WWE a professional goal, but the culmination
and reward for the hard work. This is a
welcome change from me – I find it refreshing that the sport of pro wrestling
is evolving to reward hard work and skill instead of (only) time spent in the
gym.
There is no sure outcome for what the future holds for El
Generico. He is on the doorstep to his
next great opportunity. Many have come
before him and many that people cheer or jeer now have succeeded (Daniel Bryan
being the first that comes to my mind).
Based on what I’ve seen, Generico has every single thing necessary to
join those ranks. I am excited to see
where the journey goes and hope that you hop on before the momentum takes off!
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