With talks already linking Rey Mysterio to New Japan Pro Wrestling and WWE, the still very active pro wrestling legend’s busy 2018 may take him to yet another organization.
Mysterio, who suffered a partially torn bicep and is still scheduled for a NJPW match with Jushin “Thunder” Liger, is joining upstart pro wrestling organization Aro Lucha as a performer and co-owner, per the Tennessean.
That may not be entirely accurate according to the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer:
“I do want to say, that story is very overblown,” said Meltzer.
“He’s still in negotiations with WWE. He’s pretty much committed to Aro Lucha tapings. He may end up with ownership. He’s not an owner of the company right now. He may not (go to WWE). He is absolutely in talks with them right now. That does not change that story.
“They’re going to be taping television, they have no television deal. They’re going to try to get on TV. That’s not the easiest thing in the world. The crowdfunding thing. We’ll see how it goes.”
Aro Lucha is slated to be lucha libre and family-friendly wrestling, according to the report. The company will raise money by crowdfunding, allowing fans to purchase minority stakes. After launching shows in Nashville and Texas, filming is expected to begin in May or June, per the report. Konnan will join the company as well as the creative director.
Television deals are always the holy grail for fledgling wrestling companies, but they can be a mixed bag. ECW struggled with networks before going out of business. Jeff Jarrett’s Global Wrestling Federation tried for years to land a television deal, but never quite managed it. Impact Wrestling has gone through battles of its own. Ring of Honor is partially owned by the Sinclair broadcasting group, but recently streamlined its content through the “Honor Club” in hopes to developing more consistent programming.
Even WWE to an extent has faced difficulties with networks carrying its programming over the years. Aro Lucha faces an uphill battle, and that’s taking it lightly. As for Mysterio’s future, it seems everything is up in the air as for where he goes next.
