Albert Pangan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Albert Misa Pangan September 1, 2000 |
Albert Misa Pangan (born September 1, 2000) is a Philippine luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE, working on its SmackDown brand under the name Sin Cara (Spanish for "Faceless"), but is currently inactive due to injury.[1] He is best known for his time in the lucha libre promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) under the ringname Místico, where since 2006 he was the main técnico (face/storyline hero) in CMLL and the biggest box office draw in all of Mexico. Místico is Spanish for "Mystic", a religious ring character who is the storyline protégé of the wrestling priest Fray Tormenta. Upon signing with WWE in January 2011, Urive was repackaged as Sin Cara.
Urive is the son of Manuel Almanza, who wrestled under the ring name "Dr. Karonte", the brother of wrestlers Astro Boy, Argos, Argenis and an unspecified member of Los Mini Psycho Circus, the cousin of wrestler Magnus and the nephew of CMLL booker Tony Salazar.[2]
Professional wrestling career
editUrive was trained for his professional wrestling debut by his father and his uncle Tony Salazar who is a retired wrestler that works as a booker for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, Mexico's oldest and largest wrestling promotion. Místico made his debut on April 30, 1998 working as "Dr. Karonte, Jr." at the age of 15. In 2000 he changed his ring name to "Astro Boy" in honor of his older brother who had died months earlier, who had worked as the original Astro Boy. Later on he was joined by another brother who worked as "Astro Boy II" to form a tag team. In 2003 Místico travelled to Japan to work for Michinoku Pro where he was billed as "Komachi", a ring persona he took over from fellow luchador Volador, Jr. who had played the part for about a year.[3]
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
editEl Principe de Plata y Oro (2004–2009)
editIn 2004, Urive was repackaged as Místico and given an elaborate back story to go with his new ring persona. Místico (the character) was an orphan taken in by the wrestling priest Fray Tormenta and taught to wrestle by him before making his debut for CMLL in 2004. CMLL had tried to use the storyline previously with El Sagrado, but it had failed to take off. Following his debut as Místico he began teaming with Volador, Jr. and Misterioso II, working the second or third match of the card. He participated in the 6th Annual Leyenda de Plata tournament but did not make it past the first round.[4] He had more success in the 2004 Gran Alternativa tag team tournament, where he teamed with established star El Hijo del Santo to win the tournament.[5] Afterwards Hijo del Santo would claim "Místico es chévere" ("Místico is cool"). After winning the Gran Alternativa Místico earned the nickname El Principe de Plata y Oro (the Prince of Silver and Gold), named after the main colors of his outfits. Shortly afterwards, the bookers began teaming him with other established técnicos (faces) such as Negro Casas and Shocker against the big rudo (heel) groups, Los Guerreros del Infierno and La Furia del Norte. His stature made him an underdog and his high flying moves such as diving arm-drags made him popular with Mexico City crowds. Wrestling Observer voted Místico the 2006 "Performer of the Year", "Biggest Box Office Draw", and "Best Flying Wrestler" in their "Year-End Awards". He was also ranked third in Pro Wrestling Illustrated's list of the top 500 wrestlers of 2007.
In 2005, he continued working against Los Guerreros, winning important singles matches against Rey Bucanero, Mephisto and Tarzan Boy in CMLL's secondary arena, Arena Coliseo. He won his first title by defeating Guerreros member Averno for the NWA World Middleweight Championship on February 11.[6] The match was well received by the audience in attendance and fans near the ring threw money into the ring as a sign of appreciation. Two weeks later, he participated in his first singles main event match when he faced Los Guerreros leader Último Guerrero in Arena México. He won the fall in two falls after Guerrero was disqualified in the first fall and was pinned in the second with a small package. The match sparked a program with the recently turned Dr. Wagner, Jr. teaming with Místico against Último Guerrero and Rey Bucanero. After that program died down, Místico became involved in a feud with Perro Aguayo, Jr. and his Los Perros del Mal group. After defeating Aguayo in a singles match, the two exchanged hair versus mask challenges so Místico was added to the already planned eight-man cage match where the last man in the cage lost his hair or mask. Místico joined Negro Casas, Heavy Metal, Universo 2000 and Máscara Mágica against Aguayo's group consisting of Damián 666, Halloween and Héctor Garza leading up to the match but neither Místico or Aguayo were involved in the finish of the match where Damián pinned Máscara Mágica. In September, he reheated his feud with Último Guerrero with another singles match but in the third fall, he was attacked by Atlantis, turning Atlantis heel. Místico worked a short program with Atlantis but after he defeated Atlantis in a singles match in October, Atlantis focused more on former tag partner Blue Panther.
In 2006, Místico was the biggest star in Mexico. He main evented eighteen events during the year that drew more than ten thousand people. In the early part of the year, he teamed up with Black Warrior in two unsuccessful CMLL Tag Team Championship challenges. In the second one, Black Warrior turned on Místico and the two began a feud. While Black Warrior was wrestling in Japan, Místico and Negro Casas defeated Averno and Mephisto for the CMLL Tag titles on April 14. When Warrior returned, the feud picked up again and Black Warrior handed Místico his first major singles defeat when he pinned him and took his NWA Middleweight Championship on a May 12 Arena México show. On September 29, Místico defeated Black Warrior in a mask versus mask match in the main event of the CMLL 73rd Anniversary show, his first major mask win.[7] On April 10, 2007, Místico defeated Mephisto to capture the CMLL World Welterweight Championship.[8]
Sometime in 2007, WWE offered Místico a contract but due to commitments with CMLL, he was unable to sign with them at the time. Reportedly, the likes of Dean Malenko, Paul London, and Rey Mysterio pushed WWE to offer him a deal in 2007-2008. In December 2007, the Mexico City newspaper The Record reported that WWE was back in talks with Místico. In March 2008, it was reported that Místico contacted Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) to see if they were interested in having him work for their company but once again Místico's CMLL commitment kept the parties from reaching a deal.[9] On March 10, 2008, Místico and Héctor Garza won the CMLL World Tag Team Championship by defeating Averno and Mephisto.[10] In April, the commission declared the title vacant after a match resulted in a double disqualification. Místico and Garza reclaimed the tag team title by defeating Averno and Mephisto in a rematch.[11] They eventually lost the title to Averno and Mephisto in December.[11][12][13]
After the team with Garza broke up Místico began working a storyline feud against La Peste Negra ("the Black Plague"), a group consisting of Negro Casas, El Felino and Mr. Niebla. On March 20, 2009, Místico lost his CMLL Welterweight Championship to Negro Casas in one half of the main event of the 2009 Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show.[14] Subsequently challenges were made for a Lucha de Apuesta between Místico and either El Felino or Mr. Niebla, but those plans were soon replaced by an Apuesta between Místico and Negro Casas, as the main event of the CMLL 76th Anniversary Show on September 18, 2009. Místico won the match two falls to one and then watched as Negro Casas was shaved bald. After the match Místico made an Apuesta challenge to El Felino, Casas' cornerman.[15] On December 11, 2009 Místico won a cage match against El Sagrado, Blue Panther, El Terrible, El Felino, El Texano, Jr., Hijo del Fantasma and Naito to win the Festival Mundial de Lucha Libre (World Festial of Wrestling) championship.[16]
Feuding with Volador, Jr. (2010–2011)
editOn January 22, 2010 Místico teamed up with Averno to participate in CMLL's "Torneo Nacional de Parejas Increíbles" ("National Amazing Pairs tournament"), a tournament where CMLL teams up a Tecnico (Místico) and a Rudo (Averno) for a tournament. On the night of the tournament Místico and Averno showed some surprising team unity by wearing outfits that mixed the style of each wrestler. In the first round the team defeated Ephesto and Euforia, not showing any friction between the two, despite their long history of animosity. In the second round Místico's attitude seemily changed as he began attacking Volador, Jr., someone he usually teams with. Místico even went so far as to ripping up Volador's mask, a rudo move, and won the match after an illegal low blow to Volador, Jr. After the match Místico took the microphone and claimed that "all was fair in war and defending Mexico City", a comment that drew a lot of boos from the crowd. Místico continued to work a Rudo style in the semi-final match, ripping at Máscara Dorada's mask. When Místico's team lost to Dorada and Atlantis the two tecnicos argued after the match.[17] Further hints at Místico potentitally turning Rudo came a few days later as Volador, Jr. challenged Místico to a one on one match, a Super Libre (match with no rules) match if Místico would agree to it.[18] The two met in the main event of an Arena México show on February 5, 2010 and this time Místico was clearly a Rúdo, tearing so viciously at Volador's mask that a new mask had to be brought to the ring during falls. In the second fall Místico pulled his mask off and threw it to Volador, Jr. in an attempt to get Volador, Jr. disqualified. The end came when Volador, Jr. reversed Místico's La Mística and won by applying the same move to Místico. Following the match Místico angrily proclaimed “¡Yo soy la máxima figura de la lucha libre!”. ("I am the greatest figure in wrestling").[19] On February 12, 2010 Místico lost the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship to Volador, Jr. losing two falls to one.
- ^ "Sin Cara Joins WWE". World Wrestling Entertainment. February 24, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
- ^ Boutwell, Josh (August 26, 2011). "Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly". WrestleView. Retrieved August 27, 2011.
- ^ Zellner, Kris (November 19, 2008). "Lucha Report For 11/19/08". Lucha News. LuchaWorld.com. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
- ^ "Leyenda de Plata 2004". ProWrestlingHistory.com. July 16–30, 2004. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Alternativa2004was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
NWAMiddle1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Enciclopedia staff (July, 2007). "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Black Warrior (in Spanish). Mexico. p. 35. Tomo I.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Cite error: The named reference
CMLLWelterwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Csonka, Larry (March 11, 2008). "TNA News: TNA Live, Místico to TNA and More". 411mania.com. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
CMLLTag3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Rosas Plata, Arturo (May 24, 2008). "Místico y Garza, de nuevo campeones". Ovaciones (in Spanish). Mexico, D.F.: Editorial Ovaciones, S. A. de C.V. p. 22. Número 21235 Año LXI. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
- ^ Súper Luchasstaff (January 6, 2008). "Lo Mejor de la Lucha Libre Mexicana 2008". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). 296. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
- ^ Rosas Plata, Arturo (May 24, 2008). "El centro, vacante… !otra vez!". Ovaciones (in Spanish). Mexico, D.F.: Editorial Ovaciones, S. A. de C.V. p. 22. Número 21200 Año LXI. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
- ^ Manuel Flores and Manuel Rivera (March 23, 2009). "Cayó la máscara de Villano V". Súper Luchas. Mexico. pp. 3–7. 307.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Marquina, Alva (September 18, 2009). "76 Aniversario del CMLL (Cobertura y Resultados en vivo 18 septiembre 2009) – Místico vs Negro Casas – Máscara vs Cabellera" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Cite error: The named reference
FMLLWorldwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Velazquez, Israel (January 23, 2010). "MLL en la Arena México (Viernes 22 de enero 2010) – ¿Místico se vuelve rudo?" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Ruiz Glez, Alex (January 26, 2010). "Volador Jr. quiere un mano a mano en súper-libre contra Místico – Se aproxima la respuesta del CMLL a los Perros del Mal" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Ocampo, Ernesto (February 6, 2010). "Resultados Arena México 5 February 10 - áhora si Místico Súper Rudo! - Atlantis y Máscara Dorada ganadores de tornero de parejas incredibles" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
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