.jpg) Hechicero in August 2025 | |
| Professional wrestling career | |
|---|---|
| Ring name(s) | Hechicero Rey Hechicero |
| Billed height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] |
| Billed weight | 104 kg (229 lb)[1] |
| Trained by | Arcángel[Note 1][2] Cachorrro Zapata[2] Chucho Villa[2] Garringo[2] Mario Segura[2] Pequeño Diamante[2] Katsuyori Shibata[2] |
| Debut | February 15, 2001[2] |
Hechicero (Spanish for "Sorcerer") is a Mexicanluchadorenmascarado (maskedprofessional wrestler). He is signed to AmericanpromotionAll Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of theDon Callis Family. He is also signed to Mexican promotionConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), where he is a one-timeCMLL World Heavyweight Champion, a one-timeNWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Champion, and a one-timeCMLL World Trios Champion.
He also makes appearances on the Mexicanindependent circuit, as well as in Japan for CMLL's partner promotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and in the United States for AEW's sister promotionRing of Honor (ROH).
Hechicero's real name is not publicly known, as is often the case with masked wrestlers in Mexico, where their private lives are kept a secret from the wrestling fans. He was formerly billed asRey Hechicero (Spanish for "Wizard King") when making appearances outside CMLL, but there is no pretense that it is two different characters that he is playing.
Inlucha libre, there is a long-standing tradition of keeping the personal information ofmasked wrestlers private from the public, including wrestling promotions not revealing their real names and news outlets not asking for personal details in interviews.[3] Because of this tradition, the real name of the wrestler known under thering names Rey Hechicero and Hechicero is not public knowledge, nor has the year of his birth been established, Hechicero himself has stated that he made his debut, on February 15, 2001, referring to it as "Hechicero's" birthday. Hechicero resides inMonterrey, Nuevo León,Mexico, but it has not been confirmed if this is also his birthplace. During interviews, he revealed that he had been trained by a number of Monterrey local wrestlers, both before making his debut and after, such as Arcángel, Cachorrro Zapata, Chucho Villa, Garringo, Mario Segura, and Pequeño Diamante, as well asJapanese wrestlerKatsuyori Shibata.[2]
Rey Hechicero made his debut on February 15, 2001, in his home town of Monterrey, Nuevo León working for alocal wrestling promotion. In 2004, he was listed as having worked a number of matches for theNaucalpan,State of Mexico-basedInternational Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG), but did not tour extensively outside Nuevo León.[4] In 2007, Rey Hechicero became involved in a storyline feud against another local Monterrey wrestler called Gitano del Norte ("The Gypsy of the North"), a storyline that led to both men putting their masks on the line on the outcome of aLucha de Apuestas ("bet match"). Rey Hechicero won and forced his opponent to unmask, which inlucha libre, is considered more prestigious than winning championships.[3][5] He capped 2007 by defeating Tigre Universitario to win theWWA World Middleweight Championship.[5] Defeating Tigre Universitario for the championship was part of a long running storyline between the two, a storyline that would see both of them involved in a four-manLucha de Apuesta on March 23, 2008. Both Rey Hechicero and Tigre Universitario escaped from the match with their masks whileValiente pinned Sergio Romo Jr., to force Romo to be shaved bald after the match since he was not masked.[6][7]
In late 2008, Rey Hechicero was scheduled to team up withÚltimo Guerrero for aRuleta de la muerte ("Roulette of death") tournament, where the losers of the match advance and the losing team have to fight each other for their masks. Rey Hechicero suffered an injury shortly before the tournament and had to be replaced by Difunto II. There was no verification if Rey Hechicero had indeed been injured or if the replacement took place, because whoever had originally agreed to lose his mask changed his mind and Difunto II agreed to lose his match.[8] Also in 2008, Rey Hechicero began working for a local promotion calledPoder Y Honor ("Power and Honor"; PYH) and in 2009 he outlasted Chucho Mar Jr., Estrella Dorada Jr. and Tigre Universitario to become the inaugural PYH Heavyweight Champion.[2] In the following years, he worked for a number of wrestling promotions as they toured through Monterrey, including winning the mask of Caifán Rockero I on aPerros del Mal show in March 2010.[9][10] While he began working forConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre ("World Wrestling Council"; CMLL) in 2014, he was also allowed to work for various local promotions by CMLL. On December 25, 2014, Rey Hechicero unsuccessfully challengedBlack Terry for the FLLM Master Championship on a Cara Lucha show in Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl.[11]
In early 2014, Rey Hechicero was introduced as part of CMLL'sGeneracion 2014 class, alongside seven other wrestlers making their CMLL debut around the same time.[12] His name was shortened to simply "Hechicero", possibly because CMLL already had someone working asRey Bucanero,Rey Escorpión, andRey Cometa and wanted to reduce the possible confusion. Hechicero was the only member ofGeneracion 2014, who was not a related to someone working for CMLL or a second-generation wrestler, and he and Espiritu Negro were notably older than the rest of the group.[12] He made his in-ring debut on January 7, teaming with El Rebelde and Rebelde's fatherHooligan, losing to the team ofDragon Lee,Star Jr., andStarman on a show inGuadalajara,Jalisco, the site of one of CMLL's wrestling schools.[13] A month later Hechicero participated in his first major CMLL event, teaming with one of CMLL's most experiencedrudos,Último Guerrero to take part in the 2014Torneo Gran Alternativa ("The Great Alternative Tournament"). In theGran Alternativa tournament, a rookie (in storyline terms) and a veteran team up for atag team elimination match. The annualGran Alternativa tournament is used to showcase the younger wrestlers of the team. Hechicero and Star Jr. won an eight-manbattle royal used to determine the match ups for the first round of the tournament. Hechicero and Guerrero defeated Star Jr. andAtlantis in the first round of the tournament, but were defeated by eventual tournament winnersBárbaro Cavernario andMr. Niebla in the second round.[14]
Hechicero was one of sixteen wrestlers given a chance to compete in the 2014En Busca de un Ídolo ("In search of an idol") tournament. TheEn Busca de un Ídolo tournament featured younger wrestlers, mostly low-to-mid-card wrestlers where they were given an opportunity to showcase their wrestling skills on a national scale. As part of the tournament each wrestler would earn points from the outcome of their matches, feedback from a panel of judges and a weekly online poll. Hechicero was one eight wrestlers to qualify as he survived aTorneo cibernetico elimination match along withCavernario,Cachorro,Dragon Lee,Guerrero Negro Jr.,Soberano Jr.,Star Jr., andSuper Halcón Jr.[15] Hechicero ended up on the team being coached byVirus each week, with coaching focusing not just on the actual wrestling but also how to play their characters in the ring, interact with the fans and so on.[15] During the weekly judging, Hechicero received praise for his in-ring skills, but also got several comments on the fact that he did not wrestle a veryrudo style and needed to be more aggressive in the ring, something he tried to incorporate from week to week. After the first round, Hechicero won almost every single weekly online poll, propelling him to the top of the ranking at the end with a total of 565 points, 114 more than the second place Cavernario. In the week between the first and the second round, Hechicero teamed up with Virus and Cachorro to defeatNegro Casas, Cavernario and Dragon Lee on the May 23 Super Viernes show.[16] In the second round Hechicero lost to Cavernario but defeated both Dragon Lee and Cachorro to earn a total of 250 points, including the majority of the online poll votes. The point score qualified Hechicero for the finals against Cavernario.[17] In the final Cavernario defeated Hechicero two falls to one to win the tournament.[18] The following week, all eight "Busca" competitors two trainers faced off in atorneo cibernetico elimination match that saw Casas eliminate Virus as the last man to win the match, Hechicero was eliminated as the sixth man by as he and Cavernario pinned each other at the same time.[19] In the weeks following theEn Busca de un Ídolo finals, Hechicero began teaming withMephisto andEphesto for a couple of shows, possibly signaling that CMLL had plans to make them a trio after Mephisto and Ephesto's regular partnerAverno had left CMLL. Later, when Mephisto and Ephesto were announced as teaming withEl Hombre Sin Nombre ("The Man with No Name"), there was initial confusion if that meant Hechicero was being given a new ring identity, but onceEl Hombre Sin Nombre made his debut, it was obvious that the physical appearance and wrestling style did not match Hechicero. On theOctober 10, 2014Super Viernes show, Hechicero debuted a new look, including a new mask design and trunks in black with gold or red embellishment.[20] As part of his image makeover, Hechicero began carrying a bowl that burned with red flames as part of his entrance rituals. At ringside, Hechicero often touches and sometimes scoops out the flames from the bowl without hurting his hands.[20]
On December 16, 2014, Hechicero and Cavernario unsuccessfully challenged the team ofDelta andGuerrero Maya Jr. for theCMLL Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship.[21] For the 2015Torneo Nacional de Parejas Increibles ("National Incredible Pairs Tournament"), Hechicero was forced to team up withÁngel de Oro, his rival at the time. The duo lost to the team of Atlantis and Último Guerrero in the first round of the tournament.[22][23] At the 2015Homenaje a Dos Leyendas ("Homage to Two Legends") show Hechicero teamed up withVangelis and Virus to defeat the trio ofBlue Panther Jr.,The Panther andStuka Jr.[24] Three months later, Hechicero replaced Blue Panther Jr. for one match in the 2015En Busca de un Ídolo tournament, losing to Delta atSin Salida ("No Escape") on July 17, 2015.[25]
On October 25, 2016, Hechicero outlasted 11 other wrestlers in atorneo cibernetico elimination match to earn a match for theNWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship. The following week, Hechicero defeated champion Rey Bucanero to win the championship, the first CMLL championship of his career.[26] A couple of weeks after winning the championship, Hechicero was one of sixteen participants in the 2016Leyenda de Azul ("The Blue Legend")torneo cibernetico elimination match, but was eliminated during the match.[27] On November 27, 2016, he defended the NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship against Caifan. The match took place at the Lucha Memes show Chairo 6, a non-CMLL show.
At the CMLL 88th Anniversary Show, Hechicero defeated Último Guerrero to win the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship.[28] He held the title for 410 days and defended it two times until he lost it against Gran Guerrero on November 7, 2022.[29]
In January 2016, Hechicero made his Japanese debut by taking part in the CMLL andNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) co-producedFantastica Mania 2016 tour.[30] Over the six show tour Hechicero competed in various multi-man matches, teaming with both CMLL and NJPW representatives.[31][32][33] On the last day of the tour Hechicero,Boby Z,Okumura andYoshi-Hashi lost to the team ofFuego,Stuka Jr.,Kushida andTiger Mask.[34] In January 2017, Hechicero took part in theFantastica Mania 2017 tour, unsuccessfully challengingMáximo Sexy for theCMLL World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of the January 21Fantastica Mania show.[35]
On October 29, 2016, Hechicero made hisRing of Honor (ROH) debut in Baltimore, Maryland where he teamed up with Okumura andÚltimo Guerrero to compete in a tournament to determine the first everROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. In the first round, the CMLL trio defeatedThe Addiction (Christopher Daniels andFrankie Kazarian) andKamaitachi, but lost toThe Kingdom (Matt Taven,T. K. O'Ryan andVinny Marseglia) in the semi-finals of the tournament.[36] On December 2, Hechicero teamed up with Fly Warrior forPromociones Cara Lucha as part of theirTorneo Juventud y Gloria ("Tournament of Youth and Glory") tournament where an established, "veteran" wrestler, teams up with a rookie. The duo lost to Último Guerrero andTemplario in the first round.[37]
In January 2024, it was announced the CMLL stars, Hechicero,Místico,Máscara Dorada andVolador Jr. would represent their home promotion, in American partner promotionAll Elite Wrestling (AEW).[38] The four men made their debut on the January 31 episode ofDynamite, appearing ringside duringJon Moxley's singles match againstJeff Hardy. After being taunted by Moxley during the match, the four men attacked him after his victory, before being chased off by members of the AEW roster.[39] The four men made their AEW in-ring debut during the February 2 episode ofRampage, defeatingChristopher Daniels,Matt Sydal,Angelo Parker and Matt Menard, in an 8-man tag-team match.[40] The following night onCollision, Hechicero made his AEW singles debut, facing Moxley'sBlackpool Combat Club (BCC) stablemate,Bryan Danielson, in a losing effort. After the match, Hechicero attacked Danielson, but was chased off by BCC stablemateClaudio Castagnoli.[41] On June 30 atForbbidden Door, Hechicero was defeated byMJF.[42]
On the February 20, 2025 episode ofROH Wrestling, Hechicero made his return to ROH, now the sister promotion of AEW, teaming withBárbaro Cavernario andSoberano Jr. to defeatDark Panther,Fuego, andSammy Guevara.[43] On June 4 atCollision: Fyter Fest, Hechicero teamed with Protoshita (Konosuke Takeshita andKyle Fletcher) of theDon Callis Family to defeatBandido andThe Outrunners (Truth Magnum andTurbo Floyd).[44] On June 10, Hechicero confirmed that he was now a member of the Don Callis Family.[45] On July 17, it was reported that Hechicero had signed with AEW.[46] On August 29 atDeath Before Dishonor, Hechicero unsuccessfully challengedBandido for theROH World Championship.[47] On September 9, Hechicero confirmed in an interview withFOX Sports Mexico that he had signed a multi-year deal with AEW, while also keeping his contract with CMLL.[48] On September 20 atAll Out, Hechicero teamed with stablemateJosh Alexander in afour-way Ladder match for theAEW World Tag Team Championships, but failed to win.[49]
| Winner (wager) | Loser (wager) | Location | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rey Hechicero (mask) | Gitano del Norte (mask) | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Live event | September 9, 2007 | [5] |
| Rey Hechicero (mask) | Caifán Rockero I (mask) | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Primer Festival de Lucha Libre en Monterrey | March 21, 2010 | [9] |
| Hechicero (mask) | Euforia (mask) | Mexico City | CMLL 91st Anniversary Show | September 14, 2024 |
