In the last few hours, the 90-day non-compete clause of the talents released by WWE in their most recent wave of layoffs has ended. One of the wrestlers who was eagerly awaiting this day is Santos Escobar, who this very afternoon has taken to his social networks to announce the new name by which he will be known from now on.
The announcement was made through a brief teaser. In it, Escobar bids farewell to his old gimmick at a funeral. A symbolic gesture before burying his last stage as a wrestler. "Renewal through expiration. Farewell Emperor Santos. WELCOME ROMEO MALVERDE", he wrote.
Malverde debuted in WWE in 2020 as a talent of the NXT brand under the character El Hijo del Fantasma. However, he soon abandoned this gimmick to present himself as Santos Escobar, beginning the most successful stage of his career in the company. During this stage, he won the Cruiserweight Championship, in addition to leading the faction Legado del Fantasma.
Escobar's career on the main roster, on the other hand, was full of ups and downs. From his inclusion in LWO to his heel turn and the reformation of Legado del Fantasma, the Mexican never found the consistency he expected in the company's television programming. His dissatisfaction led him to reject a renewal offer from WWE, which ended in his departure from the company in October of last year.
Just a few days later, WWE re-signed the wrestler, offering him an improved contract and promising him better treatment from a creative standpoint. However, Escobar was sent directly to Lucha Libre AAA, where he began a rivalry with El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., which extended until his injury. Shortly after, the wave of layoffs occurred that ended with Escobar out of the company.
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