Wrestlers competing under masks has been around almost as long as the sport itself. The history of the mask can be traced back to the 1865 World’s Fair. For many luchadors, competing in Mexico, over the years the mask has become their identity. When the mask goes on the man is transformed into something more, something magical, someone who can do anything! A Super Hero.
Many Luchadors will not be photographed without their mask and if you saw such a masked wrestler on the street, he would look like any other person walking past you, that was the idea. Many look at the great Mil Mascaras as a legendary masked figure who helped the world understand masked competitors. Mil Mascaras translates to “Thousand Masks” and his popularity is still felt in wrestling today.
While each continent has witnessed amazing masked wrestlers over the years, like Jushin Thunder Liger, Ultimo Dragon and The Great Sasuke in Japan. In Mexico the mask is considered sacred, it is special and it defines ones career. In many cases, a masked wrestler will compete his entire career without ever removing his mask.
In IMPACT Wrestling, we have witnessed many masked competitors. Shark Boy, Rellik, Abyss, Pentagon Jr., Fantasma, Suicide, Fenix, Laredo kid, Tigre Uno, Super Eric, Willow and Manik to name quite a few. All either continue to or have left their mark on IMPACT Wrestling. If you remove the Monster Abyss, perhaps none have had a greater affect on IMPACT Wrestling than Pentagon Jr. who is already a former World Champion.
Pentagon not only knows how special it is to be a World Champion, but he also knows how special the masks are to himself and his friends. That is why Pentagon Jr. was there this past Thursday night to make sure Sami Callihan and the Crist brothers didn’t remove the mask from the face of Fantasma.
If you thought Sami Callihan had a shred of humanity or compassion that was answered on Thursday. Callihan wanted to unmask Fantasma and show his face to the world. That is something that could end the career of Fantasma. Tradition says, once you lose your mask or your face has been seen, you can’t compete with that mask again. So if we ever question if Sami tried to end the career of Eddie Edwards with a baseball bat and if he wanted to bust his face open. We don’t have to ask questions here, Sami wanted to expose the face of the Son of the Ghost.
Callihan is a vicious man, but did anyone know he was this dirty? This disrespectful? We found out what Sami is willing to do in order to get headlines, in order to be “The Draw” of IMPACT Wrestling. Will it cost him in the end? We certainly hope so.
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