Santos Escobar recalls the night he joined the Latino World order.
Santos Escobar and Legado del Fantasma gradually aligned with Rey Mysterio in the early months of 2023. On the March 31 episode of WWE SmackDown, Mysterio gave the group Latino World Order t-shirts and revealed that they would be reforming the faction with him. The LWO initially formed in WCW, where Eddie Guerrero formed the group and aligned with other Mexican wrestlers, including Psychosis, Juventud Guerrera, and Hector Garza, among others.
Speaking on WWE's The Bump, Escobar discussed being part of the reformed LWO. Kayla Braxton asked him how it felt to get recruited to the group by Rey Mysterio and noted that it must have been surreal. Escobar agreed and recalled how it was a magical moment.
“That’s the precise word I would utilize, surreal. That’s how it felt. It was a magical night. I’ve been having those pretty frequently lately, magic nights, and that night was special because it was his induction to the Hall of Fame. We were just there to be with him, and when we called us to his locker room, we were just ecstatic. When he told us that it was official and we were forming again the LWO, I couldn’t believe it. Emotions went through the roof. I still had to get ready for the Hall of Fame ceremony, but I want crazy for a minute there. I couldn’t believe it," Escobar said.
Escobar was asked what it means to him to have the LWO represent multiple Latin backgrounds and cultures. He made it clear that this aspect of the group was special to him, as he appreciates the opportunity to represent Latinos worldwide. Escobar also stated that, as a group, the LWO wants to make Eddie Guerrero proud.
"I love it. This is a question that some people have asked me, what does it mean to you, the LWO? Is just a re-run of the previous LWO? What do you guys stand for? I told y’all, it’s time, it’s time for the Latinos to rise, everywhere. We are everywhere, and yes, we are paying homage to the previous LWO, of course, and we want to make Eddie of proud. But this is a whole new, different animal. Rey, myself, Legado Del Fantasma, representing all of my Latinos in the world. Worldwide Latino pride, baby. LWO for life. It’s time," Escobar said.
When asked how he may have been inspired by the original LWO, Escobar named some of the members of the group that impacted his career. He also emphasized that being part of the LWO is important to him, as he wants to honor the original version of the group while also adding his own flavor to it.
“Of course, Eddie. But if you remember, there was a lot of members there, important members of the Lucha Libre tradition. Damian 666, Hector Garza, who to me personally is a very important individual, may he rest in peace. He helped me a lot. We traveled together, he taught me a lot of things. We were champions together in Mexico. So to be a part of this reincarnation, reformation, regrouping of the LWO, it’s very important to me me because I get to carry on what they did and I get to put my own sauce and my own salt and pepper on it. I love that," Escobar said.
In a recent interview with Fightful, Escobar discussed his respect for Rey Mysterio. Check out his comments here.
Check out the card for the April 14 episode of WWE SmackDown here.
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