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Mistico Aims For Greater Heights In 2026 Following A Record-Breaking Year For CMLL (Exclusive)

Nearly 20 years apart, Mistico has taken his spot among the biggest stars in all of pro wrestling coming off the heels of a remarkable 2025 and looks to continue his run as CMLL's top star in the new year.
Sid Pullar III|
Mistico
Mistico | CMLL

Back in 2007, Mistico first rose to superstardom as a mega draw over in Mexico, taking the wrestling by storm and becoming the Wrestler of the Year for several different outlets.

Now 18 years later, the Lucha Libre legend has reclaimed his spot at the top of CMLL.

The current CMLL World Light Heavyweight Champion is currently the biggest draw in all of Mexico and has played a major role in the success of Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre over the course of the past 12 months.

Setting records with over 60 sellouts for Arena Mexico shows in 2025, Mistico sits atop of the promotion and is amazed at how much he has accomplished over the past 20 years.

"It has been a long career for me, but I’m so proud of everything I did in every year. And as you said before, 20 years after it’s so great what I did in this 2025," Mistico told The Takedown on SI.

"All the achievements, all the support of the fans. In every show, I bring everything to the ring to prove that lucha libre is not my job, it’s part of my life or it’s my life, lucha libre."

On MLW & Lucha Apocalypto

cmll mlw lucha apocalypto logo
CMLL, Major League Wrestling

The success of last year was not isolated to just CMLL either with Mistico making his presence felt in Major League Wrestling where he is a former MLW World Middleweight Champion.

"So that’s the reason why every match I bring everything to prove why I love lucha libre and now with everything that’s happening with MLW, it’s so great for me. And I want to bring more and more to every show in CMLL, in MLW. I’ve been world champion in different companies and I want more goals in the next year.”

Mistico is no stranger to wrestling in the United States, having a noteworthy run in WWE as Sin Cara from 2011 to 2014. This stint was much maligned with a rough time adapting to the company's style for the legendary luchador.

However, Mistico has not had the same experience in other U.S. promotions since then like MLW. In Major League Wrestling, he is also a two-time back-to-back Opera Cup winner and looks to continue his success with the company in 2026.

MORE: 47 Years Into His Legendary Career, Blue Panther Is Just Getting Started [Exclusive]

“I love to be in MLW and also as part of this relationship between MLW and CMLL, it’s incredible the atmosphere that I live for every MLW show," Mistico said. "I was the MLW World Middleweight Champion. I became the first Mexican to win back-to-back, the Opera Cup. So I’m so grateful to be part for this show for Apocalypto in Chicago. It’s so important for me and I’m so grateful for every fan who support me on every MLW show.”

Mistico is set to compete at MLW's next event, Lucha Apocalypto, which will take place on February 7 in Chicago, Illinois.

Following his second straight Opera Cup victory, Mistico has his sights firmly on getting a shot at the MLW World Heavyweight Title, currently held by Mads Krule Krügger.

“I would like to take an opportunity to challenge for a world championship. If it’s the heavyweight, it would be great for me. As I said before, I love MLW, I love the fans, what every fan brings to every MLW show," Mistico stated.

"I’m so grateful for everything I did in 2025 and I want more achievements in 2026 and for sure like you said, I would like to have an opportunity for the MLW World Heavyweight Championship.”

On his signature entrance in Arena Mexico at AEW Grand Slam Mexico

AEW Grand Slam Mexico
AEW Grand Slam Mexico will be held June 18. | All Elite Wrestling

CMLL has not only left their mark in Mexico as the biggest and most successful promotion of the past year, but they have also established strong co-promotional relationships with both MLW and All Elite Wrestling in the United States.

One of the most memorable moments of 2025 in all of wrestling had to have been Mistico's entrance on AEW's first show in Mexico with Grand Slam Mexico last June.

With fans singing his theme song, "Me Muero," it was an iconic entrance that had to be seen to be believed. The Arena Mexico crowd greeted Mistico like a god and showed a worldwide audience on TBS his connection with the audience.

"“It has been very impressive for me this 2025 with the Mistico entrance. It is so incredible how the fans in the “Cathedral of Lucha Libre” or in another arena receive the Mistico entrance, how they sing the song, how they are with me in every presentation, it’s something wonderful for me that I receive the support of the fans."

The CMLL star wants to bring this experience to other places outside of Mexico and wants to feel the energy of the crowd whereever he performs next.

"I want to prove also the support of not only Mexico, also in the United States too, all the American fans to know how this atmosphere of this entrance is, the music, everything. I don’t want to do this only in Mexico, I also want to do this in the United States or in another country of the world to prove what’s the meaning of Mistico and what I bring in every entrance.”

Wanting to continue his rivalry with MJF

MJF at Grand Slam Mexico
MJF at Grand Slam Mexico | All Elite Wrestling

At the aforementioned Grand Slam Mexico 2025 event, Mistico faced MJF for the first time. The match ended in a disqualification and saw Maxwell Jacob Friedman steal his match after the bout.

This kicked started a multi-month feud between the two men that spanned AEW, MLW and CMLL. After several weeks of attacks, the rivalry between Mistico and MJF culminated in one of the best matches of 2025 at CMLL's 92nd Anniversary show on September 19th.

In front of another sell-out crowd in Arena Mexico, Mistico defeated MJF in a first time Mask vs. Championship main event. Despite a show of respect after the match, Mistico wants to continue this rivalry with the current AEW World Champion in 2026.

"I admire MJF and I respect him about what he did in this rivalry that was so important for me in this year," Mistico admitted. "And I also proved to him that it is not easy to step in Arena Mexico and to be on Anniversary show in CMLL in that historic match, Mask vs Title."

"It’s something that hasn’t happened in the history of lucha libre and for the first time in CMLL it happened and I proved that it’s not easy to be in the “Cathedral of Lucha Libre” against Mistico in a Mask vs. Title Match. For sure I took the victory and I became the new CMLL World Light Heavyweight Champion, but this is a rivalry that I want to continue to not only happen in Mexico."

Wanting to defend the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship all around the world, Mistico wants this feud with MJF to come to the U.S. and elsewhere, while also noting some of his other defenses in Mexico as well as more recently in the United Kingdom.

"I want this rivalry to happen in the United States. With the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship, I had some defenses in the UK against Michael Oku. A few weeks ago against Soberano Jr. (in Mexico). So I want this rivalry with MJF to continue also in the United States and also here in Mexico."

On his goals in 2026 and wanting to continue the massive success CMLL had in 2025

Outside of continuing the success of CMLL and wanting gold in MLW, Mistico detailed some of his other goals for 2026.

These goals include proving himself back in Japan at the upcoming Fantastica Mania shows with NJPW and wanting to headline the biggest event in Mexico of the year, the CMLL Anniversary show.

"My goals for [2026] is to start with everything with my heightened level. I’m going to be in February at FantasticaMania, so I also want to prove my level in Japan. There are some new challenges that I want to take on in the next year. I would like to be in the main event of the 93rd Anniversary show in CMLL."

Speaking on potential matches to headline the 93rd Anniversary show for CMLL, Mistico mentioned a few rivals he would like to face in the signature stipulation of the promotion, the Lucha de Apuestas Match.

"I would like to have a rivalry for a Mask vs. Mask Match or a Mask vs. Hair Match," Mistico said. "I would like to face Mephisto in a Mask vs. Mask Match, or against Averno, Volador Jr. There are some big names that I would like to face in a Lucha de Apuestas Match in the 93rd Anniversary show in CMLL."

The reigning CMLL World Light Heavyweight Champion once again reiterated that his claim for a shot at the MLW World Heavyweight Championship as another one of his major goals for the next 12 months.

"And for sure I want to challenge the MLW World Heavyweight Championship.”

Mistico will compete on the upcoming MLW Lucha Apocalpyto event on February 7 from the Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. Tickets for the event are already sold-out, but you can watch the show live on the MLW YouTube channel.

Whatever 2026 has in store, Mistico will be ready and leading the charge for what should be another exciting year for fans of Lucha libre and CMLL. Fans can watch Mistico every Tuesday and Friday by becoming a member of the CMLL YouTube channel.

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Sid Pullar III
SID PULLAR III

Sid Pullar III is a lifelong pro wrestling fan who has been covering the business for the past eight years. Starting off as a podcaster and creator of the Tru Heel Heat Wrestling YouTube channel, he made the transition to news and feature writing with Sportskeeda and WrestleTalk in 2020. His passion for the industry has been documented with over 3,000 videos on YouTube and 8,000 written pieces across multiple outlets, such as Fightful, WrestleTalk, The Takedown and more. Follow him on X @TruHeelSP3

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