La Sombra (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
La Sombra is a Mexican luchador
enmascarado
(Spanish for masked professional wrestler
). La Sombra's real real name is not a matter of public record, as is often the case with masked wrestlers in Mexico where their private lives are kept a secret from the wrestling fans. His last name is known to be Andrade, from his father Jose Andrade Salasa, who wrestles as Brillante. La Sombra made his professional wrestling debut a months before his 14th birthday and worked initially as Brillante, Jr. after his father. La Sombra is Spanish for "the Shadow".
In 2007 he began working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
(CMLL) as La Sombra and has met with in ring success as he has won the 2007 Torneo Gran Alternativa
, the 2011
Universal Championship
and at one point he was a triple champion; holding the Mexican National Trios Championship
, NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship
and CMLL World Tag Team Championship
at the same time. Currently he is the NWA World Historic Welterweight Champion.
(CMLL), and after more training from CMLL head trainer El Satánico
he made his debut as La Sombra. CMLL previously had other people work as La Sombra, in the 1980s and 1990s, but the new version has not been promoted as having any relation to those at all, in fact, his family relationship is acknowledge as he wears a black and silver version of his father's mask. La Sombra quickly moved up the ranks of CMLL in the months after his debut. The first sign of CMLL putting their faith in La Sombra came when he teamed up with CMLL's main good guy
(known as a "Técnico" in Spanish) Místico
for their annual Torneo Gran Alternativa
where a "rookie" and a veteran team up. La Sombra and Místico defeated Heavy Metal
and Super Nova in the first round, Dr. Wagner, Jr.
and Mascara Purpura in the semi-final and Último Guerrero
and Euforia
in the finals to win the 2007 Tornero Gran Alternativa. The following month La Sombra teamed up with El Sagrado
and Volador, Jr. to defeat Mr. Águila
, Damián 666 and Halloween
, collectively known as Los Perros del Mal
, to win the Mexican National Trios Championship
.
On November 27, 2007, La Sombra added the NWA World Welterweight Championship
to his collection as he defeated Hajime Ohara
to win the title, thus making him the youngest wrestler to ever hold that title at the age of 18. Throughout 2008 La Sombra was busy defending both titles successfully while further establishing him as one of CMLL'S future stars. On January 16, 2009 La Sombra became a triple champion as he teamed up with Volador, Jr. to defeat Averno and Mephisto
for the CMLL World Tag Team Championship
. La Sombra was only a triple champion for just over two weeks, until February 3, 2009 where Sangre Azteca
, Black Warrior
, Dragón Rojo, Jr.
, collectively known as Poder Mexica
defeated Sombra, Volador and Sagrado to win the Mexican National Trios Championship. On May 27, 2009 La Sombra lost the NWA World Welterweight Title to Mephisto
. La Sombra and Volador, Jr. have currently successfully defended the CMLL Tag Team title 8 times. Their teamwork got them voted the "CMLL Tag Team of the year" for 2009 by the fans of CMLL.
In early 2010 La Sombra began a storyline
feud with El Felino
. The feud began on February 2, 2010 with a singles match between El Felino and La Sombra, after each wrestler won a fall a Puma King
, El Felino's nephew, showed up wearing an El Felino outfit and mask, distracting both the referee and La Sombra long enough for El Felino to land a low blow on La Sombra to win the match. The two met in a Lighting match (a one fall, 10 minute time limit match) on the February 19 CMLL Super Viernes
show. Once again Puma King tried to help his uncle, but this time the referee disqualified El Felino for the transgression. After the main event of the February 21's show between Místico, La Máscara
and Negro Casas
against Volador, Jr., Último Guerrero
and Héctor Garza
Místico challengede Volador,Jr. to a Lucha de Apuesta, or bet match, between the two with their masks on the line. During the main event La Sombra came to Volador, Jr's aid while El Felino helped Místico. On the February 26 CMLL Super Viernes
show it was announced that Místico, Volador, Jr., La Sombra and El Felino would face off in a four way Lucha de Apuesta match as the main event of the 2010 Homenaje a Dos Leyendas. La Sombra was the first man pinned at Dos Leyendas and El Felino was the second, forcing the two to put their masks on the line. After a long match La Sombra pinned El Felino. After the match he unmasked and announced that his real name was Jorge Luis Casas Ruiz. On May 14, 2010 La Sombra teamed up with Máscara Dorada
and La Máscara
to defeat the then CMLL World Trios Champions La Ola Amarilla
(Hiroshi Tanahashi
, Okumura
and Taichi
) in a non-title match to earn a shot at the titles the following week. One week later the trio defeated Ola Amarilla again, ending the Japanese trios title reign after just two weeks. On July 12, 2010, at the Promociones Gutiérrez 1st Anniversary Show
La Sombra participated in a match where 10 men put their mask on the line in a match that featured five pareja incredibles teams, with the losing team being forced to wrestle each other with their mask on the line. His partner in the match was Histeria, facing off against the teams of Atlantis
and Olímpico
, Místico and El Oriental
, El Alebrije
and Volador, Jr., Último Guerrero
and Averno. La Sombra and Histeria was the first team to escape the match. In the end Místico defeated El Oriental to unmask him. While La Sombra had travelled to Japan to participate in the 2010 Best of the Super Juniors (BOSJ) tournament Volador, Jr. had begun showing rudo signs, but when La Sombra returned the two teamed up, seemingly without any problems. The two lost the CMLL World Tag Team Championship to the Los Invasores
team of Mr. Águila
and Héctor Garza on July 23, 2010, again without any signs of dissention between the two. During a later show Volador, Jr. finally turned rudo when he attacked La Sombra, tore his former partner's mask off and beat him up to start a feud between the two former partners. La Sombra entered the 2010 Universal Championship tournament
and qualified for the finals when he won "Block A" on the July 30, 2010 Super Viernes by defeating Mephisto, El Texano, Jr. and Último Guerrero. In the finals Jushin Liger
got revenge for his BOSJ loss against La Sombra when he, with help from Okumura
at ringside, defeated La Sombra to claim the tournament trophy. The unresolved issues between La Sombra and Volador, Jr. as well as La Sombra and Jushin Liger led to all three wrestlers being booked in the main event of the CMLL 77th Anniversary Show
,, a 14-man steel cage Lucha de Apuesta, mask vs. mask match. The match came down to Olímpico and La Sombra after the other 12 men had escaped the cage, following just under 10 minutes of one-on-one wrestling La Sombra pinned Olímpico to force him to unmask. After the match Olímpico announced that his name was Joel Bernal Galicia from Mexico City
since lucha libre tradition dictates that he revealed his real name after the Apuesta loss. On March 13, 2011, La Sombra defeated Mephisto to win the NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship
. On July 15, La Generación Dorada lost the CMLL World Trios Championship to Los Hijos del Averno (Averno, Ephesto
and Mephisto). On September 2, La Sombra entered CMLL's annual tournament of champions, the Universal Championship tournament
. After defeating Mexican National Trios Champions Ángel de Oro
and Diamante in his first two matches, La Sombra defeated NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Champion
Rey Bucanero
in his block's finals to advance to the tournament finals, where he will meet the winner of the second block, CMLL World Trios Champion Averno. On September 16, La Sombra defeated Averno to become the 2011 Universal Champion. Two days later La Sombra successfully defended the NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship against former partner Volador, Jr., in a match, which received rave reviews.
's (NJPW) Best of the Super Juniors XVII tournament that will take place between May 30 and June 16, 2010 in Japan. At age 20, this was La Sombra's first trip to Japan as well as his first appearance for NJPW. On May 30, 2010 La Sombra wrestled his first match in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, surprisingly defeating Tiger Mask IV
, who has been one of NJPW's top Junior Heavyweights for several years. La Sombra also pulled off an upset on the final day of competition by defeating the Junior Heavyweight wrestling icon, Jushin Liger
. However, he only gained six points by defeating Tiger Mask IV, Gedo
and Liger, which was not enough points to advance to the semi-finals. In a special tag match during the tournament, La Sombra teamed with Davey Richards
to defeat Jushin Liger and Nobuo Yoshihashi. In November 2010 La Sombra and Máscara Dorada took part in New Japan's five day long Super J Tag League. After winning two out of their four matches in the group stage, Sombra and Dorada finished third in their block, missing the finals of the tournament. Sombra and Dorada returned to New Japan on January 4, 2011, at Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome, where they defeated Jushin Liger and Héctor Garza in a tag team match, when Sombra pinned Liger, earning a shot at his CMLL World Middleweight Championship
in the process. Sombra received his shot at the title on January 22, 2011, at Fantasticamania 2011
, a New Japan and CMLL co–promoted event in Tokyo, Japan, but was defeated by Liger. On July 3 New Japan announced that La Sombra would return to the promotion in August to take part in the 2011 G1 Climax, a tournament normally reserved only for heavyweights. La Sombra started the tournament by picking up early wins over Wataru Inoue
and fellow CMLL worker Strong Man
, but then went on to lose his other seven matches, finishing eighth out of the ten wrestlers in his block.
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
enmascarado
Wrestling mask
A Wrestling mask is a fabric based mask that some professional wrestlers wear as part of their in-ring persona or gimmick. Professional wrestlers have been using masks as far back as 1915 and they are still widely used today, especially in Lucha Libre in Mexico.-History:In 1915 a North American...
(Spanish for masked professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
). La Sombra's real real name is not a matter of public record, as is often the case with masked wrestlers in Mexico where their private lives are kept a secret from the wrestling fans. His last name is known to be Andrade, from his father Jose Andrade Salasa, who wrestles as Brillante. La Sombra made his professional wrestling debut a months before his 14th birthday and worked initially as Brillante, Jr. after his father. La Sombra is Spanish for "the Shadow".
In 2007 he began working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
(CMLL) as La Sombra and has met with in ring success as he has won the 2007 Torneo Gran Alternativa
CMLL Torneo Gran Alternativa
The Torneo Gran Alternativa is an annual lucha libre tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The tournament was not held in 1997, 2000 and 2002 and was held twice in 1996 and 1998...
, the 2011
CMLL Universal Championship (2011)
Block BBlock B took place on September 9, 2011, and featured eight champions fighting for a place in the finals.FinalsThe finals of the tournament took place on September 16, 2011, and saw La Sombra defeat Averno two falls to one to become the 2011 Universal Champion....
Universal Championship
CMLL Universal Championship
The CMLL Universal Championship is an annual lucha libre tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre since 2009. The tournament format is a "tournament of champions" with all all officially recognized male CMLL Champions at the time of the...
and at one point he was a triple champion; holding the Mexican National Trios Championship
Mexican National Trios Championship
The Mexican National Trios Championship is a three-man tag team professional wrestling championship controlled by a "National title" controlled by the "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F." , which regulates all matches where the title is defended...
, NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship
NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship
The NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship governed by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
and CMLL World Tag Team Championship
CMLL World Tag Team Championship
The CMLL World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico for Tag teams only. The title was created in 1993 and is still promoted to this day...
at the same time. Currently he is the NWA World Historic Welterweight Champion.
Professional wrestling career
The person who would later be known as La Sombra was born on November 3, 1989 as the third generation of the Moro wrestling family. His grandfather wrestled as El Moro, his father wrestles as Brillante, his uncles wrestle or wrestled as Diamante/Moro III, Zafiro, Pentagóncito, Kevin and Espanto, Jr., his cousin works as Moro, Jr.. Being born into a wrestling family meant that he began training for a professional career from an early age and made his professional wrestling debut a month before his 14th birthday under the name Brillante, Jr. after his father. La Sombra also worked for short periods of time as Guerrero Azteca (Aztec Warrior) and Rey Azteca (II) (Aztec King), but mainly worked as Brillante, Jr. from 2003 until 2007.Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (2007–present)
In 2007 he signed with Consejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
(CMLL), and after more training from CMLL head trainer El Satánico
El Satánico
Daniel López López is a Mexican Luchador, or professional wrestler best known under the ring name Satánico . López is currently working as a wrestling trainer for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre , the company he's worked for most of his career...
he made his debut as La Sombra. CMLL previously had other people work as La Sombra, in the 1980s and 1990s, but the new version has not been promoted as having any relation to those at all, in fact, his family relationship is acknowledge as he wears a black and silver version of his father's mask. La Sombra quickly moved up the ranks of CMLL in the months after his debut. The first sign of CMLL putting their faith in La Sombra came when he teamed up with CMLL's main good guy
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
(known as a "Técnico" in Spanish) Místico
Místico
Luis Ignascio Urive Alvirde is a Mexican luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE, working on its SmackDown brand under the name Sin Cara...
for their annual Torneo Gran Alternativa
CMLL Torneo Gran Alternativa
The Torneo Gran Alternativa is an annual lucha libre tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The tournament was not held in 1997, 2000 and 2002 and was held twice in 1996 and 1998...
where a "rookie" and a veteran team up. La Sombra and Místico defeated Heavy Metal
Erick Casas
Erick Francisco Casas Ruiz is a Mexican professional wrestler currently working under the ring name Heavy Metal for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración...
and Super Nova in the first round, Dr. Wagner, Jr.
Dr. Wagner, Jr.
Juan Manuel González Barrón is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado who is best known under the ring name Dr. Wagner, Jr.. As Dr. Wagner, Jr...
and Mascara Purpura in the semi-final and Último Guerrero
Último Guerrero
Último Guerrero is a Mexican currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre , where he is also part of the booking committee and former CMLL World Heavyweight Championship...
and Euforia
Euforia (wrestler)
Euforia is the ring name of a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Euforia's real name is not a matter of public record, as is often the case with masked wrestlers in Mexico where their private lives are kept a secret...
in the finals to win the 2007 Tornero Gran Alternativa. The following month La Sombra teamed up with El Sagrado
El Sagrado
Luis Fernando Lopez Ramos is a Mexican Luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler, currently working for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre under the ring name El Sagrado...
and Volador, Jr. to defeat Mr. Águila
Mr. Águila
José Seldano is a Mexican professional wrestler or luchador currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
, Damián 666 and Halloween
Manuel Ortiz
Manuel Ortiz Partida is a professional wrestler who is currently wrestling the independent circuit in Mexico, particularly in the Tijuana area...
, collectively known as Los Perros del Mal
Los Perros del Mal
Los Perros del Mal is a Lucha libre stable originally formed in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and currently based in Asistencia Asesoría y Administración. The name is play on the name of the founder of the group, Perro Aguayo, Jr.. It was one of the main rudo stables in CMLL until October, 2008,...
, to win the Mexican National Trios Championship
Mexican National Trios Championship
The Mexican National Trios Championship is a three-man tag team professional wrestling championship controlled by a "National title" controlled by the "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F." , which regulates all matches where the title is defended...
.
On November 27, 2007, La Sombra added the NWA World Welterweight Championship
NWA World Welterweight Championship
The NWA World Welterweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship governed by the National Wrestling Alliance . For the majority of its existence, the title has been promoted by Mexican promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre , where it was known as the Campeonato Mundial Welter de...
to his collection as he defeated Hajime Ohara
Hajime Ohara
Hajime Ohara is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Smash. Ohara worked for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico for several years as part of his training mixing the Lucha Libre style of Mexico with the Japanese Puroresu style of wrestling.-Mexico:Hajime Ohara trained for...
to win the title, thus making him the youngest wrestler to ever hold that title at the age of 18. Throughout 2008 La Sombra was busy defending both titles successfully while further establishing him as one of CMLL'S future stars. On January 16, 2009 La Sombra became a triple champion as he teamed up with Volador, Jr. to defeat Averno and Mephisto
Mephisto (wrestler)
Mephisto , whose birth name is unknown, is a Mexican professional wrestler or Luchador currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Mephisto is the son of Luchador Astro Rey/Kahoz and has previously worked both as Astro Rey Jr. and Kahoz Jr. but has been most successful as Mephisto...
for the CMLL World Tag Team Championship
CMLL World Tag Team Championship
The CMLL World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico for Tag teams only. The title was created in 1993 and is still promoted to this day...
. La Sombra was only a triple champion for just over two weeks, until February 3, 2009 where Sangre Azteca
Sangre Azteca
Sangre Azteca is a Mexican luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Sangre Azteca's real name is not reveal in public, as is often the case with masked wrestlers in Mexico where their private lives are kept a secret from the...
, Black Warrior
Black Warrior (wrestler)
Jesus Toral López is a luchador or professional wrestler who has worked almost exclusively in Mexico. López has achieved most success under the ring name Black Warrior and has worked for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre since 1995...
, Dragón Rojo, Jr.
Dragón Rojo, Jr.
Dragón Rojo, Jr. born November 3, 1982 is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado Dragón Rojo, Jr. (Red Dragon, Jr., real name unrevealed) born November 3, 1982 is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado Dragón Rojo, Jr. (Red Dragon, Jr., real name unrevealed) born November 3, 1982 is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado...
, collectively known as Poder Mexica
Poder Mexica
Poder Mexica is a professional wrestling stable currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The stable was founded in December, 2008 and consists of Sangre Azteca and Misterioso, Jr.. Black Warrior and Dragón Rojo, Jr...
defeated Sombra, Volador and Sagrado to win the Mexican National Trios Championship. On May 27, 2009 La Sombra lost the NWA World Welterweight Title to Mephisto
Mephisto (wrestler)
Mephisto , whose birth name is unknown, is a Mexican professional wrestler or Luchador currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Mephisto is the son of Luchador Astro Rey/Kahoz and has previously worked both as Astro Rey Jr. and Kahoz Jr. but has been most successful as Mephisto...
. La Sombra and Volador, Jr. have currently successfully defended the CMLL Tag Team title 8 times. Their teamwork got them voted the "CMLL Tag Team of the year" for 2009 by the fans of CMLL.
In early 2010 La Sombra began a storyline
Narrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
feud with El Felino
El Felino
El Felino , is the ring name of Jorge Luis Casas Ruiz, who is a Mexican professional wrestler or Luchador currently wrestling for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . He is the son of wrestler and referee Pepe Casas, the brother of Negro Casas and Heavy Metal and the cousin of Black Star...
. The feud began on February 2, 2010 with a singles match between El Felino and La Sombra, after each wrestler won a fall a Puma King
Puma King
Puma King is a Mexican Luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler currently working for the Mexico City based professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Puma King frequently teams with his brother, luchador Tiger Kid...
, El Felino's nephew, showed up wearing an El Felino outfit and mask, distracting both the referee and La Sombra long enough for El Felino to land a low blow on La Sombra to win the match. The two met in a Lighting match (a one fall, 10 minute time limit match) on the February 19 CMLL Super Viernes
CMLL Super Viernes
CMLL Super Viernes is the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre's banner event that takes place every Friday in Arena México in Mexico City, Mexico...
show. Once again Puma King tried to help his uncle, but this time the referee disqualified El Felino for the transgression. After the main event of the February 21's show between Místico, La Máscara
La Mascara (wrestler)
La Mascara is a Mexican professional wrestler active as a tecnico in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, where he is the current NWA World Historic Welterweight Champion. Also one of his uncle is Brazo de Plata. His cousins are Psycho Clown and Máximo. La Mascara is the son of Brazo de Oro, and the...
and Negro Casas
Negro Casas
José Casas Ruiz is a Mexican professional wrestler and trainer currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre under the ring name Negro Casas. He is the son of former wrestler, turned referee Pepe Casas and brother of professeional wrestlers El Felino and Heavy Metal...
against Volador, Jr., Último Guerrero
Último Guerrero
Último Guerrero is a Mexican currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre , where he is also part of the booking committee and former CMLL World Heavyweight Championship...
and Héctor Garza
Héctor Garza
Héctor Solano Segura is a Mexican professional wrestler, known by his ring name Héctor Garza, who is currently working for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and Perros del Mal Producciones...
Místico challengede Volador,Jr. to a Lucha de Apuesta, or bet match, between the two with their masks on the line. During the main event La Sombra came to Volador, Jr's aid while El Felino helped Místico. On the February 26 CMLL Super Viernes
CMLL Super Viernes
CMLL Super Viernes is the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre's banner event that takes place every Friday in Arena México in Mexico City, Mexico...
show it was announced that Místico, Volador, Jr., La Sombra and El Felino would face off in a four way Lucha de Apuesta match as the main event of the 2010 Homenaje a Dos Leyendas. La Sombra was the first man pinned at Dos Leyendas and El Felino was the second, forcing the two to put their masks on the line. After a long match La Sombra pinned El Felino. After the match he unmasked and announced that his real name was Jorge Luis Casas Ruiz. On May 14, 2010 La Sombra teamed up with Máscara Dorada
Mascara Dorada
Máscara Dorada is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado . Máscara Dorada's real name has not been officially documented, a tradition in Mexican Lucha Libre where masked wrestler's real names often are not a matter of public record...
and La Máscara
La Mascara (wrestler)
La Mascara is a Mexican professional wrestler active as a tecnico in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, where he is the current NWA World Historic Welterweight Champion. Also one of his uncle is Brazo de Plata. His cousins are Psycho Clown and Máximo. La Mascara is the son of Brazo de Oro, and the...
to defeat the then CMLL World Trios Champions La Ola Amarilla
La Ola Amarilla
La Ola Amarilla is a professional wrestling group, also known as a stable in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The group is exclusively for Japanese-born wrestlers, often wrestlers touring CMLL through a talent-sharing agreement with New Japan Pro Wrestling...
(Hiroshi Tanahashi
Hiroshi Tanahashi
is a Japanese professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his fifth reign.-Early life:...
, Okumura
Shigeo Okumura
Shigeo Okumura is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and is currently billed simply as Okumura. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan but...
and Taichi
Taichi Ishikari
Maki Taichiro is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Taichi Ishikari or simply Taichi, currently performing in New Japan Pro Wrestling...
) in a non-title match to earn a shot at the titles the following week. One week later the trio defeated Ola Amarilla again, ending the Japanese trios title reign after just two weeks. On July 12, 2010, at the Promociones Gutiérrez 1st Anniversary Show
Promociones Gutiérrez 1st Anniversary Show
The Promociones Gutiérrez 1st Anniversary Show was a professional wrestling supercard event promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and Promociones Gutierrez, CMLL's local promoter in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The event took place on July 12, 2010 at the Plaza de Toros Lauro Luis...
La Sombra participated in a match where 10 men put their mask on the line in a match that featured five pareja incredibles teams, with the losing team being forced to wrestle each other with their mask on the line. His partner in the match was Histeria, facing off against the teams of Atlantis
Atlantis (wrestler)
Atlantis is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre where he performs as a Technico . Atlantis has held a large number of professional wrestling championships over the years, both in Mexico and in Japan...
and Olímpico
Olímpico
Joel Bernal Galicia , better known under the ring name Olímpico is a Mexican Luchador , or professional wrestler. Olímpico is sometimes Anglicised as "Olympico", and means "Olympian" in Spanish...
, Místico and El Oriental
El Oriental
Noé Astro Moreno Leon is a Mexican Luchador known under the ring name El Oriental, currently works for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre but is mainly known for his almost 10 year long stint in Asistencia Asesoría y Administración along with his sisters Cynthia, Rossy and Esther Moreno...
, El Alebrije
El Alebrije (wrestler)
El Alebrije is a Mexican Luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler, working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre as part of the group called Los Invasores. He best known for his work in Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, where he worked for 12 years as El Alebrije, along with his...
and Volador, Jr., Último Guerrero
Último Guerrero
Último Guerrero is a Mexican currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre , where he is also part of the booking committee and former CMLL World Heavyweight Championship...
and Averno. La Sombra and Histeria was the first team to escape the match. In the end Místico defeated El Oriental to unmask him. While La Sombra had travelled to Japan to participate in the 2010 Best of the Super Juniors (BOSJ) tournament Volador, Jr. had begun showing rudo signs, but when La Sombra returned the two teamed up, seemingly without any problems. The two lost the CMLL World Tag Team Championship to the Los Invasores
Los Invasores
Los Invasores is a Mexican lucha libre, or professional wrestling group, referred to as a stable in wrestling terms, working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The group is portrayed as a group of "outsiders" invading CMLL, but in fact they all work full time for CMLL...
team of Mr. Águila
Mr. Águila
José Seldano is a Mexican professional wrestler or luchador currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
and Héctor Garza on July 23, 2010, again without any signs of dissention between the two. During a later show Volador, Jr. finally turned rudo when he attacked La Sombra, tore his former partner's mask off and beat him up to start a feud between the two former partners. La Sombra entered the 2010 Universal Championship tournament
CMLL Universal Championship (2010)
Block BBlock B took place on the August 6, 2010 Super Viernes, featuring eight champions fighting for a place in the final.FinalsThe finals of the tournament took place on the August 13, 2010 Super Viernes and saw Jushin Liger defeat La Sombra two falls to one, after interference from Liger's...
and qualified for the finals when he won "Block A" on the July 30, 2010 Super Viernes by defeating Mephisto, El Texano, Jr. and Último Guerrero. In the finals Jushin Liger
Jushin Liger
, better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.He has wrestled and beaten many of the top smaller wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior...
got revenge for his BOSJ loss against La Sombra when he, with help from Okumura
Shigeo Okumura
Shigeo Okumura is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and is currently billed simply as Okumura. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan but...
at ringside, defeated La Sombra to claim the tournament trophy. The unresolved issues between La Sombra and Volador, Jr. as well as La Sombra and Jushin Liger led to all three wrestlers being booked in the main event of the CMLL 77th Anniversary Show
CMLL 77th Anniversary Show
The CMLL 77th Anniversary Show was a professional wrestling major show produced by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre that took place on September 3, 2010 in CMLL's home arena Arena México in Mexico City, Mexico. The event commemorates the 77th anniversary of CMLL, the oldest professional wrestling...
,, a 14-man steel cage Lucha de Apuesta, mask vs. mask match. The match came down to Olímpico and La Sombra after the other 12 men had escaped the cage, following just under 10 minutes of one-on-one wrestling La Sombra pinned Olímpico to force him to unmask. After the match Olímpico announced that his name was Joel Bernal Galicia from Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
since lucha libre tradition dictates that he revealed his real name after the Apuesta loss. On March 13, 2011, La Sombra defeated Mephisto to win the NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship
NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship
The NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship governed by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
. On July 15, La Generación Dorada lost the CMLL World Trios Championship to Los Hijos del Averno (Averno, Ephesto
Ephesto
Ephesto is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado . Ephesto's real name has not been officially documented, a tradition in Mexican Lucha Libre where masked wrestlers' real names often are not a matter of public record...
and Mephisto). On September 2, La Sombra entered CMLL's annual tournament of champions, the Universal Championship tournament
CMLL Universal Championship (2011)
Block BBlock B took place on September 9, 2011, and featured eight champions fighting for a place in the finals.FinalsThe finals of the tournament took place on September 16, 2011, and saw La Sombra defeat Averno two falls to one to become the 2011 Universal Champion....
. After defeating Mexican National Trios Champions Ángel de Oro
Ángel de Oro
Ángel de Oro is the ring name of a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler, currently working for the Mexican wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
and Diamante in his first two matches, La Sombra defeated NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Champion
NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship
The NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
Rey Bucanero
Rey Bucanero
Arturo García Ortiz is a Mexican professional wrestler currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre under the ring name Rey Bucanero . Outside of lucha libre, he has also worked in Japan for New Japan Pro Wrestling, Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling, Toryumon and Dragondoor...
in his block's finals to advance to the tournament finals, where he will meet the winner of the second block, CMLL World Trios Champion Averno. On September 16, La Sombra defeated Averno to become the 2011 Universal Champion. Two days later La Sombra successfully defended the NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship against former partner Volador, Jr., in a match, which received rave reviews.
Appearances outside CMLL
On May 8, 2010 it was announced that La Sombra had been selected to participate in New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
's (NJPW) Best of the Super Juniors XVII tournament that will take place between May 30 and June 16, 2010 in Japan. At age 20, this was La Sombra's first trip to Japan as well as his first appearance for NJPW. On May 30, 2010 La Sombra wrestled his first match in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, surprisingly defeating Tiger Mask IV
Tiger Mask IV
Yoshihiro Yamazaki , best known by his ring name Tiger Mask , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Yamazaki is the fourth wrestler to portray the Tiger Mask image / persona; having used it since 1995...
, who has been one of NJPW's top Junior Heavyweights for several years. La Sombra also pulled off an upset on the final day of competition by defeating the Junior Heavyweight wrestling icon, Jushin Liger
Jushin Liger
, better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.He has wrestled and beaten many of the top smaller wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior...
. However, he only gained six points by defeating Tiger Mask IV, Gedo
Keiji Takayama
Keiji Takayama better known as Gedo , is a long time professional wrestler. He formed a long-lasting tag team with Jado...
and Liger, which was not enough points to advance to the semi-finals. In a special tag match during the tournament, La Sombra teamed with Davey Richards
Davey Richards
Wesley David Richards is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Davey Richards.Richards is currently under contract with Ring of Honor, where he is the current ROH World Champion, but also wrestles for several companies on the independent circuit, including Pro Wrestling...
to defeat Jushin Liger and Nobuo Yoshihashi. In November 2010 La Sombra and Máscara Dorada took part in New Japan's five day long Super J Tag League. After winning two out of their four matches in the group stage, Sombra and Dorada finished third in their block, missing the finals of the tournament. Sombra and Dorada returned to New Japan on January 4, 2011, at Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome, where they defeated Jushin Liger and Héctor Garza in a tag team match, when Sombra pinned Liger, earning a shot at his CMLL World Middleweight Championship
CMLL World Middleweight Championship
The CMLL World Middleweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
in the process. Sombra received his shot at the title on January 22, 2011, at Fantasticamania 2011
Fantasticamania 2011
Fantasticamania 2011 was the name of two professional wrestling major shows produced that took place on January 22 and January 23, 2011 in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan...
, a New Japan and CMLL co–promoted event in Tokyo, Japan, but was defeated by Liger. On July 3 New Japan announced that La Sombra would return to the promotion in August to take part in the 2011 G1 Climax, a tournament normally reserved only for heavyweights. La Sombra started the tournament by picking up early wins over Wataru Inoue
Wataru Inoue
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Professional wrestling career:Inoue made his debut in 1999 on the Japanese independent circuit, then climbed the ladder to get to New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2004...
and fellow CMLL worker Strong Man
Jon Andersen
Jon Andersen Reel, normally referred to simply as Jon Andersen is an American bodybuilder, strongman competitor and professional wrestler. Anderson currently splits his time between working for Pro Wrestling Revolution in California and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico...
, but then went on to lose his other seven matches, finishing eighth out of the ten wrestlers in his block.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Brillante Driver (Schoolboy roll-up transitioned into a one armed powerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
) - Split-legged corkscrew senton (sometimes preceded by a Forward fireman's carry slam)
- Signature moves
- Back flip as a counter to a parried kickKickIn combat sports and hand-to-hand combat, a kick is a physical strike using the foot, leg, or knee . This type of attack is used frequently, especially in stand-up fighting...
, flapjack or a wrist lock - FeintFeintFeint is a French term that entered English from the discipline of fencing. Feints are maneuvers designed to distract or mislead, done by giving the impression that a certain maneuver will take place, while in fact another, or even none, will...
springboard moonsault into a standing moonsault - Hurricanrana
- Imploding senton plancha onto a standing opponent
- MoonsaultMoonsaultA moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...
- Multiple plancha variations
- Corkscrew
- Crossbody
- Moonsault
- Rope-assisted enzuigiri
- Springboard dragonrana
- Tiger feint kick
- Triangle springboard arm drag
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s - "El Centinela del Espacio" (SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for "The Space Sentinel")
Championships and accomplishments
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
- CMLL World Tag Team ChampionshipCMLL World Tag Team ChampionshipThe CMLL World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico for Tag teams only. The title was created in 1993 and is still promoted to this day...
(1 time) – with Volador, Jr. - CMLL World Trios ChampionshipCMLL World Trios ChampionshipThe CMLL World Trios Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in Mexico. The title has existed since 1993 and is contested for by teams of three wrestlers...
(1 time) – with Máscara DoradaMascara DoradaMáscara Dorada is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado . Máscara Dorada's real name has not been officially documented, a tradition in Mexican Lucha Libre where masked wrestler's real names often are not a matter of public record...
and La MáscaraLa Mascara (wrestler)La Mascara is a Mexican professional wrestler active as a tecnico in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, where he is the current NWA World Historic Welterweight Champion. Also one of his uncle is Brazo de Plata. His cousins are Psycho Clown and Máximo. La Mascara is the son of Brazo de Oro, and the... - Mexican National Trios ChampionshipMexican National Trios ChampionshipThe Mexican National Trios Championship is a three-man tag team professional wrestling championship controlled by a "National title" controlled by the "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F." , which regulates all matches where the title is defended...
(1 time) – with El SagradoEl SagradoLuis Fernando Lopez Ramos is a Mexican Luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler, currently working for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre under the ring name El Sagrado...
and Volador, Jr. - NWA World Welterweight ChampionshipNWA World Welterweight ChampionshipThe NWA World Welterweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship governed by the National Wrestling Alliance . For the majority of its existence, the title has been promoted by Mexican promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre , where it was known as the Campeonato Mundial Welter de...
(1 time) - NWA World Historic Welterweight ChampionshipNWA World Historic Welterweight ChampionshipThe NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship governed by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
(1 time, current) - CMLL Universal ChampionshipCMLL Universal ChampionshipThe CMLL Universal Championship is an annual lucha libre tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre since 2009. The tournament format is a "tournament of champions" with all all officially recognized male CMLL Champions at the time of the...
(2011CMLL Universal Championship (2011)Block BBlock B took place on September 9, 2011, and featured eight champions fighting for a place in the finals.FinalsThe finals of the tournament took place on September 16, 2011, and saw La Sombra defeat Averno two falls to one to become the 2011 Universal Champion....
) - Torneo Gran AlternativaCMLL Torneo Gran AlternativaThe Torneo Gran Alternativa is an annual lucha libre tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The tournament was not held in 1997, 2000 and 2002 and was held twice in 1996 and 1998...
: 2007 – with MísticoMísticoLuis Ignascio Urive Alvirde is a Mexican luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE, working on its SmackDown brand under the name Sin Cara... - CMLL Tag Team of the Year (2009) – with Volador, Jr.
- CMLL TechnicoFace (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
of the Year (2010) - CMLL Trio of the Year (2010) – with Máscara Dorada and La Máscara
- Lucha Libre Azteca
- LLA Azteca ChampionshipLLA Azteca ChampionshipThe LLA Azteca Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and Lucha Libre Azteca since 2009. This championship no have a weight limit...
(1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #91 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2010