Penta has no fear, nor a desire to be anyone but himself. The masked superstar is arguably the most exciting debutant the WWE has seen in some time as the promotion continues searching for Rey Mysterio’s successor.
Mysterio, a WWE Hall of Famer, is widely considered the greatest luchador in WWE history if not all of professional wrestling. Eclipsing the three-time world champion may be an insurmountable challenge, but finding a suitable successor has also proved difficult.
Kalisto and Dragon Lee failed to make a lasting impact. Even Mistico, widely considered a generational talent, stumbled through a disappointing WWE run as Sin Cara. While it’s too soon to crown Penta as WWE’s next great luchador a month after his debut, early signs indicate the WWE has something special on its hands.
“I don’t want to be the next Rey Mysterio,” Penta told CBS Sports ahead of the Royal Rumble. “I want to be the first Penta El Zero Miedo.
“I love Rey Mysterio as a luchador and person. Penta is different. My style is different. My persona is different. For this reason, I want to be the first Penta in WWE.”
Penta, 39, is a decorated professional wrestler. Before signing with WWE, the 21-year veteran won many singles and tag team titles in promotions including All Elite Wrestling, Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, TNA Wrestling, Ring of Honor and Lucha Underground.
Penta’s WWE debut exceeded lofty expectations. It turns out Penta’s unique charisma and elite wrestling pair perfectly with WWE’s industry-leading presentation. According to PW Insider, WWE president Nick Khan said the company has high hopes for Penta at a Town Hall event on Jan. 29. His creative direction suggests as much. Penta is undefeated in three televised WWE appearances and lasted the longest of anyone in the Royal Rumble after starting the match with his idol Mysterio.
Check out the full interview with Penta below.
“It’s very surprising for me,” Penta said of the company’s feedback. “Last night someone called me to tell me how many of my masks WWE sold. I said, ‘Wow! Really? This number?!’
“I remember 20 years ago when I started this dream. The most important thing was I never doubted my talent, passion or anything. Now I’m living the dream.”
