Sin Cara's backstage skirmishes got him sent to anger management classes.
Speaking with Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp, the former WWE Superstar (now Cinta de Oro) was asked about his willingness to fight and defend himself, having reportedly had altercations with the likes of Sheamus, Chris Jericho, and Simon Gotch. Questioned if the stories were true - and if so - what happened, Sin Cara laughed and said, "I got sent to anger management classes."
He clarified that it was WWE who sent him, but maintains that he does not have an anger issue. Sin Cara feels it was mostly the result of where he grew up and how that was a common method for earning other peoples' respect. He said the following:
"Yep, by WWE. Exactly. A lot of people have noticed, but they sent me. But, I don’t have an anger issue. Like, people that know me, they understand that it’s a respect issue. I grew up in the hood in El Segundo Barrio El Paso and Cuidad Juarez, that’s how you get respect, you know? If they don’t respect you, then you got to show them how to respect. For me, it’s never been about proving anything to anybody. If I made it to the WWE it was because I was talented enough to be there, you know? But, I got in a few here and there."
According to Sin Cara, none of the fights had any lasting impact on his relationships with the other people involved, saying that they were usually fine by the next day. At no point did he ever want to hurt anybody or say that he was better than them, but some within the industry have a tendency to be intentionally provocative, and when that happened, the one-time NXT Tag Team Champion was able to throw down. Here is what he said:
"But, you know what? The good thing about men like us is that we can get in a fight one day and tomorrow we’ll be fine. You take your frustrations out and you’re fighting and you're friends again. We don’t hold a grudge in that sense. For me, obviously, being a Latino kid, it’s different. I was starting a different life and for me, it was you have to earn your respect, you know? That’s how I grew up. Sometimes in wrestling, it’s a tough business because everybody wants to poke you and wants to see if you’re good enough to be there, you know what I mean? I was never there to hurt anybody or say that I was better than anybody in that sense, but obviously, when it was time to throw down, I can throw down a little bit."
As for his altercation with now-AEW Star Chris Jericho - who's had run-ins of his own with guys like Brock Lesnar and Goldberg - Sin Cara downplayed the situation, calling it a little misunderstanding. He has no grudge, though, and explains that sometimes when you're on a long tour and away from your family, emotions can run high. He said this:
"Yeah, we were good. It was just a little misunderstanding here and there, a little scuffle. Whatever. Then we spoke on this day. Everything was fine. I have no grudge on it. Nothing happened obviously. On social media things always get out of hand and say, ‘That is not true,’ and things like that. But, like I was saying before, you can get in a fight one day and the next day you’ll be fine. We talked and everything was okay, everything was cool. Sometimes in the middle of a tour, it’s tough because we’re away from home and a lot of emotions are going on and things happen."
Sin Cara can't say much more about the situation but does share how he was a wrestler in high school, going 35-0 during his senior year. He added this about his grappling background:
"But, at the end of the day, we’re good friends. I don’t mind anything that went on and it’s also a learning experience. Also, it teaches you a lot about yourself and sometimes you got to be able to control your emotions even in the toughest moments. So, for me, the things I went through or the stories that they tell, I always let him continue telling the story. The only thing I can tell you is that I have defended myself and that I can throw down a little bit here and there. I don’t like to do it, but I wrestled in high school.
I was a state champion wrestler in high school in Texas. I was undefeated, 35-0 as a senior. I was voted the [most outstanding] wrestler of the state tournament. I went to nationals. Wrestled a couple years in college. So, that’s a little bit about my background. As a young kid growing I had to learn how to throw punches because you thought you would get bullied. It wasn’t like today that you kids have social media, they have all this, you go to a counsellor and a lot of things for help."
Concluding, Sin Cara reiterated that the intention was never to hurt anyone but to build a level of respect that perhaps was lacking. When you're new on the scene, people are going to try and test you, and he wasn't about to bring the issue - whatever it may be - to a counsellor. Unlike Jericho and Sheamus, Sin Cara has no idea where Simon Gotch is these days but still wishes him all the best. He said the following:
"Back in the day, you were considered a wuss if you would go and say that you were getting bullied, you know? You can’t say that, so you have to learn to defend yourself and in wrestling in the beginning when you’re trying to make it, obviously, people are going to try and test you. See how bad you want it. So, for me, it was in that sense but it was never to hurt anybody or make anybody feel less than me, you know? Me and Sheamus have a great relationship. With Jericho, also. With Simon Gotch, I have no idea what he’s doing, but I wish him the best."
Sin Cara (who also portrayed Hunico) worked for WWE from 2009-2019. He requested his release in November 2019 and was granted it on December 8. Just as his 90-day non-compete clause expired, sadly, the pandemic had started shutting everything down which brought any independent work to a grinding halt. Over the past year, Cinta de Oro has only wrestled twice but is excited to get back in the ring once it's safe enough to travel around.
You can see our full interview with Sin Cara at the top of the page.
