Laredo Kid Bringing Lucha Libre Flavor to MLW

Laredo Kid is on Wednesday's Major League Wrestling card. He meets ACH in a match for MLW’s Opera Cup tournament, and the presence of Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide’s most prominent luchador adds a special feel to the bout.

Courtesy MLW & Harry Aaron

In addition to his work in MLW, Laredo Kid is also preparing for the most important match of his 18-year career on Dec. 12 against Kenny Omega at TripleMania XXVIII. The annual event is the signature event for AAA in Mexico, and Laredo Kid is challenging Omega for the Mega Championship, the promotion’s top title. Laredo Kid is already the AAA World Cruiserweight Champion, but working a high-profile singles match with Omega is a chance to significantly elevate his stature throughout the industry.

No stranger to wrestling in America, Laredo Kid has also worked for Impact Wrestling in 2017, teaming with current WWE star Angel Garza. He also wrestled on AEW’s Fyter Fest card this past summer, teaming with Pentagon and Fenix against Omega and the Young Bucks.

Laredo Kid spoke with Sports Illustrated, discussing his upcoming title match with Omega at TripleMania, the potential of working for AEW and the opportunity to be part of MLW.

SI: You are one of the most elite luchadores in the world, dedicating and sacrificing an incredible amount to reach this point. What does lucha libre mean to you?

Laredo Kid: For me, it is my entire life. I have been in this business for 18 years, but it is so more than that. Lucha libre is a culture in my country of Mexico, it is my greatest passion.

SI: Your mask is a critical piece of your work. What can you share about it?

Laredo Kid: My mask and all the gear I use signifies an eagle, the eagle of the Bravo River. I have always identified with her. She represents force, speed, and power.

SI: Wrestling is a global phenomenon, with passionate fan bases across multiple continents. What makes you so determined to star in the United States?

Laredo Kid: I grew up in a town near Texas, so I know all about American wrestling. It’s amazing that people in America know about me. That means so much to me and for my career. There are so many new opponents and matches in America, and I need to prove here that I am one of the best in the world.

A long time ago, promoters told me that I could only be a star back home and nowhere else. Now I have starred in Mexico, America, and other countries, too. That’s amazing for me. I take a lot of pride in knowing people from the United States like my style.

SI: You have studied the art of lucha libre, and your style incorporates quintessential lucha, the storytelling elements of American wrestling, the hard-hitting strong style of Japan, and though it isn’t always on display, you also have a gift at British style technical wrestling. Is it your goal to continue the evolution of lucha libre?

Laredo Kid: Yes. Lucha libre is more than many people realize. It is all kinds of wrestling, and I can do it all. That’s why in promos I call myself the most complete luchador. I work the Japanese strong style, high flying, fast-paced, submissions, everything. I am going to show that to fans in America and across the world.

SI: On the subject of coming to America, you are part of the MLW relaunch. Your first match is against ACH, another incredibly talented wrestler. What made working for MLW such a priority for you?

Laredo Kid: MLW is a great company with a lot of amazing talent, so when they called, I was interested. There are so many people I wanted to wrestle, like ACH and Lio Rush and Gringo Loco. I am very happy to be in MLW. At some point, I hope there is an opportunity to work with their champion [Jacob Fatu]. I would like to bring that championship back to Mexico.

SI: TripleMania was postponed due to the pandemic, but it is finally set to take place on December 12. You are working with Kenny Omega, which is a massive opportunity to show the world your talent.

Laredo Kid: It’s the biggest match of my career. Kenny Omega is one of the greatest wrestlers in the world. He has had great matches in New Japan and AEW. Now I have the chance to wrestle him at TripleMania.

I have prepared for TripleMania, and it is an opportunity I wanted for a long time. I always put great pressure on myself, and I know I need to do something different in the ring with Kenny. This needs to be great for our fans. It is a big, big show. People around the world pay attention to TripleMania. And this is one of our biggest shows ever, especially with no fans. We need it to be special. Now we have a collaboration with Marvel, so there are going to be lots of surprises this year.

SI: You have wrestled Omega before in tag matches, like at AEW’s Fyre Fest and a six-man at TripleMania. Is this your first singles match together? And would you ever consider working in AEW?

Laredo Kid: For me and Kenny, this is our first time going one-on-one. We wrestled in AEW, and we wrestled last year at TripleMania, but never one-on-one until now.

You ask me about AEW. I would like to do more matches with them. I hope they like my style and what I can do in the ring. AEW is a great company, and it would be an excellent opportunity for me.

SI: Another star-making moment for you was your time on the Exathlon reality television show during the summer of 2019, which aired on the Azteca Uno television station. In terms of exposure, did this help enhance your drawing ability in Mexico?

Laredo Kid: It was amazing. It was a nine-month competition, and I did five months on the show. The experience was great for me. It is also very important that there was lots of exposure for lucha libre, which means the most to me.

SI: Wrestling is your life. For nearly 20 years, you have worked to become one of the best in the world. Why does this craft mean so much to you? And what are you planning on accomplishing next?

Laredo Kid: I am 33 years old, and I have dedicated my life to this. I hope I can continue for another 20 years, becoming a true legend. In the ring, I give my best high-flying, my best strong style and my best submissions. There is no better luchador.

I cannot wait for the future. I want people to watch my matches in MLW, and then see TripleMania. I have a new costume and new gear ready for TripleMania, and I get to wrestle one of the best in the world, Kenny Omega. I am going to do things in the ring that people have never seen before, and I am going to write my name in the history of wrestling.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.