Legado Del Fantasma was originally a trio formed in 2020 bySantos Escobar,Cruz Del Toro, andJoaquin Wilde in WWE'sdevelopmental territory,NXT, as when Escobar, who at the time performed under the masked persona of El Hijo del Fantasma, turned onDrake Maverick and joined forces with Wilde and Del Toro (then known as Raul Mendoza) and unmasked himself, thus forming Legado Del Fantasma.[1][2] In August 2021,Elektra Lopez joined as the group's manager.
InAugust 2022, Escobar lost toTony D'Angelo in a street fight, and per stipulation, Escobar had to leave NXT. The following week, Escobar took the rest of the stable with him away from NXT (except Lopez, who remained in NXT), ending their tenure on the brand. Legado Del Fantasma then debuted on the main roster nearly two months later onSmackDown withZelina Vega replacing Lopez. After assistingRey Mysterio in early 2023, Mysterio brought the group into the revivedLatino World Order (LWO) to feud withThe Judgment Day. Later in November, Escobar defected from the LWO and feuded with Mysterio and the LWO. Escobar later brought inAngel Garza andHumberto Carrillo (eventually becoming Angel and Berto) alongside Elektra Lopez (the latter making her main roster debut) as the revived Legado Del Fantasma. In February 2025, Lopez was removed from the group after being released by WWE.
On the June 3, 2020 episode ofNXT,El Hijo del Fantasma defeatedDrake Maverick in the finals of a tournament to become the interimNXT Cruiserweight Champion due to outside interference by the two masked abductors who had attacked various cruiserweights.[3] The following week, onNXT, Maverick congratulated Fantasma and demanded a title shot but then two masked men who had been attacking wrestlers randomly confronted the duo and then Fantasma turned on Maverick by attacking him and unmasked himself. He changed his name to "Santos Escobar" while the two masked men were revealed to beJoaquin Wilde andRaul Mendoza. On the night one ofThe Great American Bash, the trio was named "Legado del Fantasma".[4] In their first match as a team, Legado del Fantasma defeated Maverick and Breezango in a six-man tag team match on the second night of The Great American Bash.[5]
The group was focused on ensuring that Escobar retained the Cruiserweight Championship while Wilde and Mendoza also began competing in NXT's tag team division and205 Live. AtNXT TakeOver XXX, Wilde and Mendoza competed against Breezango (Fandango andTyler Breeze) and the team ofOney Lorcan andDanny Burch in a triple threat match to determine the #1 contenders for theNXT Tag Team Championship. The match was won by Breezango.[6] At the night one ofSuper Tuesday, Legado lost toIsaiah Scott and Breezango in astreet fight when Scott pinned Escobar,[7] leading up to a match between Escobar and Scott for Escobar's Cruiserweight Championship atNXT TakeOver 31, where Wilde and Mendoza assisted Escobar in retaining the title.[8][9]
AtNXT TakeOver: In Your House, Legado del Fantasma would face NXT North American ChampionBronson Reed and NXT Tag Team championsMSK in a winners take all, six man tag team match in which Legado Del Fantasma would lose the match.[14][15] On the August 24 episode ofNXT,Elektra Lopez made her debut, helping Legado Del Fantasma win against Hit Row. On the September 28 episode ofNXT, Lopez would defeat Hit Row's B-Fab in ano disqualification match[16] and two weeks later, Escobar would fail to win the NXT North American Championship from Scott, ending the feud (Hit Row would get drafted to SmackDown in the WWE Draft).[17] In early 2022, Escobar would feud withNXT ChampionBron Breakker, leading to a match between the two for the NXT Championship atVengeance Day, where Escobar lost despite interference fromDolph Ziggler.[18] At NXT Stand & Deliver, Escobar failed to win the NXT North American Championship in a ladder match.[19] Shortly after Stand & Deliver, Legado Del Fantasma would feud with Tony D'Angelo, the self proclaimed "Don of NXT" and his "family". At this point, they would slowly turn into faces while portraying heelish tactics. After multiple meetings and kidnappings, Escobar defeated D'Angelo on the May 17 episode ofNXT.[20] However, atIn Your House on June 4, Legado Del Fantasma lost toThe D'Angelo Family (Tony D'Angelo, Stacks and Two Dimes) with the losers having to join the other person's family.[21] With Legado joining the D'Angelo Family, they would accompany each other during matches with them usually losing. On the June 21 episode ofNXT, Escobar cost D'Angelo his title match against NXT North American ChampionCarmelo Hayes.[22] AtThe Great American Bash on July 5, it was revealed that Escobar was hospitalized and the other members of Legado began working with The Lord D'Angelo Family.[23] On the August 2 episode ofNXT, Escobar returned and cost D'Angelo and Stacks their title match againstThe Creed Brothers, signaling that their alliance has come to an end.[24] D'Angelo and Escobar had one final meeting the following week where they agreed to astreet fight forNXT Heatwave on August 16, stating that if Escobar wins, Legado would be free from The D'Angelo Family, but if D'Angelo wins, Escobar agrees to leave NXT with Legado.[25] At Heatwave, D'Angelo defeated Escobar, signaling the end of his time on the brand.[26] However on the following episode ofNXT, Escobar appeared in a backstage segment inside a van. He would pick up the rest of his Legado teammates, and they would drive off, signaling that the stable had left NXT.[27]
Main roster debut and Latino World Order (2022–2023)
On the October 7, 2022, episode ofSmackDown, Legado Del Fantasma (withZelina Vega replacing Lopez) attackedHit Row during their entrance, marking the group's main roster debut asheels.[28] At theRoyal Rumble on January 28, 2023, Escobar entered his firstRoyal Rumble match at #10, but was eliminated byBrock Lesnar while Vega entered the women’s Royal Rumble match at #21 but was eliminated byLacey Evans.
On the February 10 episode ofSmackDown, Escobar competed in a fatal four-way match to determine the number #1 contender for theIntercontinental Championship, which was won byMadcap Moss. After the match in an off-air exclusive, Escobar approachedRey Mysterio, who also competed in the match, and showed respect. Escobar and Mysterio exchanged masks, starting a face turn for Escobar who then became involved in Rey’s feud with his son,Dominik andThe Judgment Day. On the March 3 episode ofSmackDown, Escobar was defeated by Dominik after interference fromRhea Ripley. After the match, Dominik tore up the mask Rey gave to Escobar, cementing his face turn. On the March 10, 2023 episode ofSmackDown, as Rey was about to address his induction to theWWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023, he was interrupted by The Judgment Day, only for Legado Del Fantasma to show up and assist Rey, establishing the entire stable as faces. Since then, Rey reformed theLatino World Order and Legado Del Fantasma joined.[29][30] On Night 1 ofWrestleMania 39, Escobar, Wilde, Del Toro andBad Bunny assisted Rey in his match against Dominik, who was assisted byFinn Bálor andDamian Priest. Rey went on to win his match against Dominik.[31]
On the April 21 episode ofSmackDown, Vega requested a match against Rhea Ripley for theSmackDown Women's Championship atBacklash, which was granted by WWE OfficialAdam Pearce.[32][33] However, Vega failed to win the title from Ripley but received a standing ovation from the hometown crowd after the match.[34] Vega defeatedLacey Evans to qualify for the2023 women'sMoney in the Bank ladder match on the June 2 episode ofSmackDown.[35] Escobar defeatedMustafa Ali to qualify for the2023 men's Money in the Bank ladder match on the June 9 episode ofSmackDown.[36] Vega and Escobar failed to win their respective Money in the Bank ladder matches in thenamesake event.[37] On the July 28 episode ofSmackDown, Escobar and Rey faced each other in theUnited States ChampionshipInvitational tournament finals,[38][39] where Escobar will go on to faceAustin Theory for the United States Championship after Rey suffered an injury during the tournament finals match.[40] On the August 11 episode ofSmackDown, Escobar was taken out by Theory before the match has started. Due to Escobar's injury, Pearce allowed Rey to take Escobar's place for the title match and defeated Theory to become the new United States Champion.[41]
AtCrown Jewel, during Rey's defense of the United States Championship againstLogan Paul, Escobar snatched away brass knuckles from a member of Paul's entourage but left it on the edge of the ring while chasing Paul's entourage away, which Paul used on Rey to win the match.[42] On the November 10 episode ofSmackDown, Escobar was accused byCarlito, who had recently joined the LWO atFastlane, for leaving the brass knuckles at the side of the ring at Crown Jewel, to which Escobar furiously stormed off. After Carlito's match withBobby Lashley, Escobar attacked Rey as Rey was checking on Carlito, turning heel, leaving the LWO.[43] On the following week's episode ofSmackDown, Escobar entered using the Legado del Fantasma theme. He chastised Rey for not sticking with him and kicked Vega, Wilde and Del Toro from the stable.[44]
On the December 22 episode ofSmackDown, Los Garza (Angel andHumberto) helped Escobar defeat Lashley in theUnited States Number 1 Contender Tournament, with Escobar dubbing the group as the "Legado World Order".[45][46] Escobar lost toKevin Owens in the finals atSmackDown: New Year's Revolution on January 5, 2024.[47] Two weeks later, the newly revived Legado Del Fantasma defeated Carlito, Wilde and Del Toro in a six-man tag team match.[48] Despite teasing a reunion with Wilde and Del Toro in December 2023,[49] Elektra Lopez appeared on the January 26 episode ofSmackDown to assist Escobar defeat Carlito in her reunion with Legado Del Fantasma.[50] Escobar entered the Royal Rumble match at thetitular event as the seventh entrant and was eliminated by Carlito.[51][52] On the March 1 episode ofSmackDown, Rey returned to help Carlito defeat Escobar in astreet fight match.[53] Three weeks later, Escobar defeated Rey after interference from his son,"Dirty" Dominik Mysterio ofThe Judgment Day.[54] One week later, Escobar thanked Dominik for his actions. Rey interrupted, introducedDragon Lee as the newest member of the LWO, and Rey and Lee subsequently challenged Escobar and Dominik to atag team match atWrestleMania XL, which was made official for Night 1.[55][56] AtWrestleMania XL Night 1 on April 6, Santos and Dominik teamed up against Rey andAndrade in a losing effort after interference fromLane Johnson andJason Kelce.[57]
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