The main event of WWE SmackDown on February 10th featured a huge Fatal-Four-Way Match to determine a new number-one contender for the Intercontinental Championship.
The bout saw Karrion Kross, Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar, and Madcap Moss battle for the right to face Gunther in seven days’ time. After a fast-paced encounter, it was Moss who surprisingly earned the win after hitting an Elbow Drop on Mysterio.
However, some of the most crowd-pleasing action came when Rey Mysterio squared off against Santos Escobar. The pair’s exchanges got fans to their feet and potentially laid the foundations for a singles match further down the line.
Santos Escobar Turns Face After WWE SmackDown?
After the show went off the air WWE released a clip online of a backstage interaction between the two men in which Escobar is very much away from his usual heelish persona. In the short video, Legado Del Fantasma’s leading man paid tribute to Mysterio and recalled watching him wrestle with his dad. Escobar said that he had been determined to take Mysterio’s legacy but after they had shared the ring he had even more respect for him.
As part of the exchange, Escobar handed Mysterio his mask before the Lucha legend did the same as the pair embraced. While it remains to be seen whether this is the start of a full-fledged face-turn for Escobar it was certainly a glimpse into the very real respect that exists between the two men.
It is something of an open secret that WWE has been looking for a Mexican star to become the ‘new Rey Mysterio’ for a number of years, could Santos Escobar finally be their man?
Before signing with WWE Santos Escobar starred for CMLL, AAA, and briefly IMPACT Wrestling, making the move to NXT in 2019. The star went on to join forces with Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro, and eventually Elektra Lopez.
The group moved to SmackDown in October 2022 with Zelina Vega taking the place of Lopez.