| Templario | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Templario in July 2020 | |
| Birth name | Unrevealed[a] |
| Born | (1992-02-27)February 27, 1992 (age 33) Calpulalpan,Tlaxcala,Mexico[2] |
| Website | |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Templario |
| Billed height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Billed weight | 98 kg (216 lb) |
| Trained by | Último Guerrero |
| Debut | 2010 |
Templario (born February 27, 1992) is a Mexicanluchadorenmascarado (or maskedprofessional wrestler). He works forConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), where he is the currentCMLL World Middleweight Champion in his first reign. He also makes appearances forNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member ofUnited Empire.
It is uncertain exactly when Templario made his professional wrestling career and if he has used a different ring name before adopting the "Templario" persona around 2012 or 2013. Prior to joining CMLL in early 2016, he wrestled on the Mexicanindependent circuit for a number ofprofessional wrestling promotions includingInternational Wrestling Revolution Group and Cara Lucha. Templario is a one-timeMexican National Middleweight Champion. He has also won the 2020Reyes del Aire tournament, the 2023Universal Championship, the 2021Torneo Nacional de Parejas Increibles withVolador Jr., and the December 2024Torneo Gran Alternativa with Legandario.
Several wrestlers have used thering name "Templario" (Spanish for "Knights Templar") in Mexico over the years.[3][4] Due to multiple wrestlers using the same name, it makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly when he made his in-ring debut. Templario's real name has not been revealed, nor reported on, which is a tradition inLucha Libre when a wrestler has not been unmasked.[1]
Templario wanted to be a professional wrestler from a young age, something that both his family and friends encouraged him to pursue. Initially, he looked for opportunities in his nativeCalpulalpan, and then later traveled toPachuca but was unsuccessful in both places. He ended up traveling to Mexico City, where he began a friendship withÚltimo Guerrero who both helped train him and get contacts for his first match.[2] Early in his career, Templario unsuccessfully challenged Turbo for the NWA Mexico Welterweight Championship.[5] By 2012, Templario began working on a regular basis, primarily in Mexico City and the surrounding federal district. On September 17, 2012, he competed in aReyes del Aire ("King of the Air") tournament, won byCamaleón.[6] In December 2012, Templario competed for theTrofeo Último Guerrero in honor of his trainer and friend. The 10-mantorneo cibernetico elimination match was won by Eddy Vega.[7]
Templario made his initial appearance forConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), on July 10, 2016, where he,Flyer, andPegasso lost to the trio ofForastero, Maquiavelo, andSkándalo on anArena México show.[8] After he joined CMLL, Templario changed his mask design to include apatriarchal cross symbol on the front of the mask. Wrestlers under a CMLL contract are allowed to work on theindependent circuit on days when CMLL does not require them to participate in a show, which allowed Templario to work forPromociones Cara Lucha on a regular basis. Templario defeated Andy Boy, Toro Negro Jr. andLátigo in a one-night tournament to become the inaugural Cara Lucha The Best Champion.[9] The following month, Templario teamed up with one of his CMLL trainers, Último Guerrero, for Cara Lucha'sTorneo Juventud y Gloria ("Youth and Glory tournament) where they defeated Fly Warrior andHechicero in the first round and Latigo andTrauma I in the semifinals.[10][b]
By the end of 2017, Templario was involved in a multi-mansteel cage match where the loser would be forced to unmask. The match, the main event of the 2017Sin Salidasupercard show, saw Templario escape the cage as the seventh man to do so, watching from the outside asStarman defeated and unmaskedEl Hijo del Signo.[12][13] In early 2018, Templario teamed up withAkuma to compete in a tournament for the vacantCMLL Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship. The makeshift duo was eliminated in the first round byFuego andStar Jr.[14] Next, Templario was entered into the 2018Gran Alternativa tournament, where CMLL bookers would pair up a rookie wrestler with a veteran wrestler for a 16-team tournament. Templario teamed up with Último Guerrero and fought their way to the finals by defeatingMáscara Año 2000 andUniverso 2000 Jr.,Audaz andKraneo, and finallyCarístico and Star Jr.[15] The following week, the team lost in the finals to Flyer andVolador Jr.[16][17]
Templario was brought in as a replacement forSoberano Jr. for theBlue Panther 40th Anniversary Show by his trainer Último Guerrero. After the show, Templario joined Último Guerrero's group,Los Guerreros Laguneros (Spanish for "The Warriors of the Lagoon"; Guerrero,Euforia andGran Guerrero) as their fourth member.[18] On October 26, Templario won atorneo cibernético elimination match over Audaz,Black Panther,El Cuatrero,Esfinge, Flyer, Forastero,Guerrero Maya Jr.,Kawato-San,Tritón,Virus andTiger to earn a match for theRey del Inframundo ("King of the Underworld") championship.[19] Templario lost the championship match toSansón on CMLL's 2018Día de Muertos show.[20][21] Late 2019 saw Templario compete in theLeyenda de Plata, one of CMLL's major tournaments, but he was the tenth wrestler to be eliminated as he was pinned by Volador Jr.[22][23]
Templario competed in the 2019Reyes del Aire, marking his participation in the annual tournament for the first time. Templario was the fifteenth and last competitor to be eliminated from the match as he was pinned by tournament winnerTitán.[24][25] He also made his first wrestling related journey to Japan, competing in the annual CMLL/New Japan Pro-Wrestling co-promotedFantastica Mania tour. He primarily teamed up withBullet Club membersGedo andTaiji Ishimori, facing off against Audaz and various tag team partners.[26][27][28] On March 30, 2019, Templario unsuccessfully challenged Soberano Jr. for theMexican National Welterweight Championship.[29] Templario and long-time rival Audaz were paired up for the 2019Torneo Nacional de Parejas Increíbles, but lost in the first round toAtlantis andNegro Casas.[30][31] On October 6, 2019, Templario once again challenged Soberano Jr. for the Mexican National Welterweight Championship, with the match ending in a draw with a double pin in the third fall.[32]
Templario started out by winning the 2020Reyes del Aire, lastly eliminating Star Jr. from the match.[33][34] Templario and Soberano Jr. found themselves teamed up for the 2020Torneo Nacional de Parejas Increíbles as part of their ongoing storyline rivalry. The team was eliminated in the first round byBárbaro Cavernario and Volador Jr.[35][36] When CMLL reintroduced theMexican National Tag Team Championship in February 2020, Templario andEl Hijo de Villano III teamed up for a16-team tournament. The duo defeatedDulce Gardenia and Fuego in the opening round,Disturbio and Virus in the quarterfinals and Soberano Jr. and Titán in the semifinals.[37][38] After three victories, the team lost toAtlantis Jr. and Flyer in the finals.[39]
On September 24, 2021, atAniversario 88, Templario defeatedDragón Rojo Jr. to win the vacantMexican National Middleweight Championship.[40]
On August 3, 2024 atViernes Espectacular, Templario unsuccessfully challengedMJF for theAEW American Championship.[41]
Templario made his US debut on June 13, 2019, on a show inPittsburgh,Pennsylvania, where he lost to fellow CMLL wrestlerSoberano Jr.[42] He returned to the US as a result of CMLL's working relationship withRing of Honor (ROH) teaming withHechicero andBárbaro Cavernario as they lost toCarístico, Soberano Jr., andStuka Jr. as part of ROH'sSummer Supercard pay-per-view show.[43] He later worked for Warrior Wrestling based inChicago,Illinois, losing to Soberano Jr. on September 1, 2019, and defeating Jake Lander on their December show.[44]
On December 9, 2024, CMLL's partner promotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) announced that Templario is the newest member ofUnited Empire.[45]
| Winner (wager) | Loser (wager) | Location | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Templario (mask) | Dragón Rojo Jr. (mask) | Mexico City | CMLL 90th Anniversary Show | September 16, 2023 | [49] |
