FIGHTS: ZBFbooks.com says farewell to Sin Cara

MEXICAN LUCHA SUPERSTAR RETURNS TO HOME COUNTRY
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

You knew it was coming soon.

With the months of botched moves and a string of injuries as well as a 'wellness violation', Sin Cara finally got shitcanned by the WWE.

It's hard to blame them.  The dude was never able to get out of the gates.  The guy was a legend in Mexico, and became a laughing stock in the US.  He deserved better than that.  The guy was on top in Mexico, and even won a title in Japan against Tiger Mask IV.  How awesome is that?

Sin Cara apparently worked his contract to where he could keep his Sin Cara name for the rest of his career.  So you'll be seeing Sin Cara in Mexico.  It also appears he left on good terms with WWE.  He must have been ready to bail.

There's a Mistico wrestling in Mexico these days. Here's hoping we see a lucha dream match of Mistico vs. Sin Cara in the near future.

In the meantime, ZBFbooks.com wishes Sin Cara well in resurrecting his career.  We're still a fan.

INTERVIEW:

If you enjoy lucha libre, consider the 'Pit Fighter' combat sports book series from ZBFbooks.com.   'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights.  You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'.  Get it in paperback or Kindle today.

FIGHTS: A new luchador claims the 'Sin Cara' mantle

FORMER UNMASKED RIVAL TAKES PLACE OF WWE'S BOTCHED LUCHA EXPERIMENT
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

(Photos ripped off from wrestlingrumors.net)

Noted pro-wrestling pundit Brandon Stroud of With Leather along with other online writers reported that the luchador playing Sin Cara has been replaced by Hunico, the luchador that was once Sin Cara Negro who took on Sin Cara in an outstanding Mask vs. Mask match in Mexico.  Though I'm disappointed the original athlete who played Sin Cara has, apparently, been shitcanned, I'm happy at the prospect of the legacy of the name being carried on.

Sin Cara, once known as Mistico in Mexico, had become one of the biggest names in Mexico.  His athleticism and acrobatic attack was a thing of beauty when he was in his zone.  At his height, he was having international title matches like the one's below.

 

The guy was outstanding.  That is, until he began his run in WWE.

 

There's no sense listing his botches, as they have been the stuff of ridicule for years since he's come to the WWE.  Even one of his first t-shirts turned into yet another reason for the already stupid WWE universe to make fun of the Mexican superstar.

 

 

For whatever reason, the talented luchador could not get one shred of traction on his WWE run.  From injuries in matches to sadly hilarious botches to failed wellness testing, Sin Cara's run was atrocious.

 

But it seems WWE has been making enough money off of their own original lucha gimmick that they want to keep the name alive, at least for a while.  So it seems they passed the mantle to Hunico, an extremely talented lucha-style wrestler who once competed under a mask even before his WWE run.

 

Truth is, Hunico was actually pretty good.  And when he was Sin Cara Negro, his matches were on par with, if not better, than Sin Cara Azul's WWE matches.  But he lost his mask to Sin Cara and was repackaged as a Mexican thug cholo.

 

Truth is, I'm thankful that WWE has perpetuated the gimmick with someone else.  Though it completely violates the tradition of lucha libre, the silver lining is that they are continuing to back a gimmick that is a positive toward Mexican culture instead of just a trashy Mexican street thug. 

 

It's not the first time WWE has violated lucha tradition.  Rey Mysterio, who had lost his mask due to the work of asshole Eric Bischoff and the bane of pro-wrestling, Kevin Nash, reclaimed his mask in WWE.  Because Vince wasn't stupid like Bischoff and Nash and saw the money potential on the masks and the money of an always-supportive Hispanic/Latino demographic, he put the mask back on Rey.  Incidentally, Rey was a 'cholo' type character unmasked as well.   

 

 

Mexican Americans/Hispanics/Latinos/whatever you want to call us, need positive influences and examples for them.  And though WWE continues to perpetuate negative Mexican Archetypes (the cholo) like mainstream media, the legacy of the nobility of masked Mexican wrestlers is an archetype that I'm okay with.  I don't even have a problem with their main reasoning being the money they were making on their own original gimmick.  They created it, they earned it.  It's still a positive influence on Mexican/Latino culture.  So I'm hope they continue to move forward with this gimmick change.

 

Word on the street is they've been wanting a Rey Mysterio/Sin Cara match at WrestleMania.  Make it a Mask vs. Mask match, and a dream of mine will come true.

 

We'll see what happens and what WWE does with this Sin Cara 2.0.  So in the meantime, check out a book that features a lucha libre superstar who crosses over into MMA, very much like Alberto Del Rio once did.  Follow the adventures of El Aire in the combat sports series, 'Pit Fighters'.  'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights.  You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'.  Get it in paperback or Kindle today.

Bowie earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie for updates and news at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

FIGHTS: Meet the Pit Fighters - El Aire: Lucha Libre

MEXICAN LUCHADOR FEATURED FIGHTER IN ZBF.COM COMBAT SPORTS SERIES
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

Fighters from across the globe compete in the noted combat sports series, 'Pit Fighters' from ZBF.com.  One of them is a Mexican luchador who achieved fame and fortune in the pro-wrestling rings around the world.  But having achieved some of the highest honors in lucha libre, he has chosen to try his hand at mainstream mixed martial arts.

Here he is:

NAME:  EL AIRE
REAL NAME:  DIEGO VILLA (UNKNOWN PUBLICLY)
NICKNAME:  EL REY DEL CIELO
BIRTHPLACE:  MEXICO CITY, DF, MEXICO
BILLED FROM:  SAN UVALDE, TEXAS
NATIONALITY:  MEXICAN
FIGHTING STYLE:  LUCHA LIBRE
TRAINER:  EL PROFE
SIGNATURE MOVES:  THE SUPER CELL, CORKSCREW HEADBUTT
HEIGHT:  5'7"
WEIGHT:  86KG (190 LBS)

BACKGROUND

The free-wheeling and legendary lucha libre star, El Aire, is an outstanding athlete and lucha libre competitor.  He has earned titles in Mexico, Texas, and Japan.  He's also competed in the UK and Germany.  His name translates to 'The Air'.  His nickname translates to 'The King of the Skies'.  He earned that moniker because of all his high-flying aerial moves.

El Aire runs hard in the ring, giving his all for the fans and his own glory.  He also plays hard, spending long nights out with friends, drink, and women.

El Aire prefers suits to t-shirts, and is always dressed to the nines outside the ring.

Having reached many goals in lucha libre, El Aire decided to pursue the new sport of MMA in the united States.  He fights with his mask on.

His arch rival is Elena Maribel Navarro DeLaPena, a jilted lover and rich socialite who is determined to take his mask.

Here's his book trailer:

El Aire cuts a promo on Mesero VIII

Follow the adventures of El Aire in the combat sports series, 'Pit Fighters'.  'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights.  You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'.  Get it in paperback or Kindle today.

Bowie earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie for updates and news at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

FIGHTS: A Tale of two 'Sin Caras'...

By Bowie V. Ibarra

I was one of many pro-wrestling fans who were excited about the arrival of one of Mexico's biggest lucha libre superstars journey to the WWE.  People said this guy was as big as El Santo in his heyday.  Mistico was a true phenomena in Mexico, thrilling fans with amazing athleticism and a dazzling lucha-style attack.

WWE teased fans for weeks as the newly-christened 'Sin Cara' was going to take the world by storm with those same amazing moves that made him famous in Mexico.  I could not wait to see the amazing flying head scissors that sent a foe to the mat while he landed on his feet.  Or the whirling submission hold, La Mistica!

Then in his debut, he almost botched his first ever leap into the ring, but his athleticism pulled him through.  I didn't get to see the huracanrana to the feet, but I did see an amazing high 'plancha' from the star on Seamus.  Things looked exciting.

But Sin Cara couldn't get any momentum, as his matches would start great, but epic moves that failed left a bad taste in fans mouths.  In spite of all the moves he failed to execute, the announcers could not stop telling us how great he was.

His music was also weird, as if Enya and the dudes at Rivercenter Mall in San Antonio recorded a song in an aviary.  Listening to the song with the birds in the background randomly with the ghostly choir of monks kind of makes me feel I'm at a Rainforest Cafe during Halloween.  They also gave him some divine lighting, giving his matches a kind of 'mystic' feeling.

I knew it would not be long before people would turn on him, and it made me sad.  And I thought him not being able to speak English was going to be his greatest liability.

Things got worse.

Sin Cara then got suspended under the WWE wellness policy, and he was out for 30 days. 

But he had gained such momentum, and it seemed like he was making the WWE a lot of money.

So the buzz was another wrestler had taken his place while he was suspended, taking on his masked persona.  His name was Hunico, who was wrestling in FCW.

Appropriately enough, with a little research, I found out Hunico also fought not only as Incognito, but as Mystico de Juarez.  It seems he started around the same time as Mistico, and has some great athletcism and skill as a lucha libre artist.

In fact, when he appeared as Sin Cara, he actually did an even better job that the original Mistico.  His move set was completely different and lucha based, and he was very impressive.  Even more obvious was something that was absent from the suspended Sin Cara:  Confidence.

This Sin Cara had an edge, even going so far as to kick Bryan Danielson at the end of a match. 

Even better, this Sin Cara can speak English!  He's showing yet another strength over Sin Cara I.

Now, the buzz is that there might be a fight between the two Sin Cara's.  But with Sin Cara I's exile yet again, who knows if this fantasy matchup will go down now.

However, as a fan of lucha libre and supporter of truly talented lucha stars like Alberto Del Rio and Mistico making it to the big time, I would absolutely positiviely love to see that match.  At this point, it's only a fantasy match up.  But it would be great to see it happen.

And if that were to happen, then its time for classic lucha family tag teams:  Sin Cara I and II.

And while I'm at it, let's see Sin Cara I or II vs. Rey Mysterio in a mask v. mask match at 'mania!

A fan can dream, can't he?

==========

UPDATE!!!

THEY THREW DOWN, MASK VS. MASK!

http://zombiebloodfights.blogspot.com/2011/10/fights-mask-vs-mask-sin-cara-azul-vs.html

==============

Bowie Ibarra is the author of the "Down the Road" zombie horror series.  His MMA-themed book, "Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire", is a story of a stable of fighters from the early days of mainstream MMA.  It is available in paperback and Kindle.

His book, 'Codename: La Lechusa' is the story of a single mom who is also an assassin by night.  You can check out the book, available in paperback and e-reader here.

You can also network with Bowie at his website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

This blog has been brought to you by ZombieBloodFights.com