Raúl Mendoza (born November 25, 1991) is a Mexican professional wrestler currently signed to

WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...

, where he performs on the SmackDown

brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...

under the name Cruz Del Toro and is a member of

Legado Del Fantasma Legado Del Fantasma is a professional wrestling stable composed of leader Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro and Zelina Vega currently performing in WWE on the SmackDown brand. The trio was formed in 2020 when El Hijo del Fantasma tur ...

Professional wrestling career

Early career

Mendoza made his

professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

debut on September 16, 2006.Raul Mendoza at Cage Match
/ref> Over the next ten years, Mendoza would primarily compete on the Mexican

independent circuit In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indie circuit is the collective noun, collective name of independent professional wrestling promotions which are smaller than major televised promotions. It is roughly analogous to a minor lea ...

, most notably appearing for independent promotions Desastre Total Ultraviolento (DTU),

Perros del Mal Los Perros del Mal (''English: The Dogs of Evil'') was a Mexican ''Lucha libre'' wrestling group stable, originally competed in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and in Lucha Libre AAA World Wide (AAA). The name (meaning "The Dogs of Evil") is a pla ...

(PdM), and the International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG), while also appearing for national promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) and Japanese promotion

Pro Wrestling Noah (stylised as Pro Wrestling NOAH) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) ace Mitsuharu Misawa after he had led a mass exodus in which 24 of AJPW's 26 contracted wrestlers left the ...

WWE (2016–present)

Cruiserweight Championship pursuit (2016–2020)

In June 2016, Mendoza was announced as a participant in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic, a 32-man single-elimination tournament featuring competitors 205 lbs. and under, as a representative from Mexico. Mendoza was eliminated from the tournament in the first round by

The Brian Kendrick Brian David Kendrick (born May 29, 1979) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE. Kendrick is also known for his appearances with Ring of Honor (ROH), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), New Japan Pro-Wrestl ...

. Following the Cruiserweight Classic, Mendoza was signed by WWE, who assigned him to compete in the

NXT NXT may refer to: Professional wrestling * '' WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010 ** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory * '' NXT UK'', the British spi ...

developmental territory In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...

. Mendoza made his ''

'' debut on the May 25, 2017 episode, being defeated by Velveteen Dream. On February 9, 2018, at an NXT live event, Mendoza won a battle royal to become the number one contender to the NXT Championship. The following day on February 10, Mendoza was defeated by NXT Champion Andrade "Cien" Almas. Mendoza made his

205 Live ''WWE 205 Live'' is an American professional wrestling streaming television program that was produced by WWE. It premiered on November 29, 2016, and ended on February 11, 2022. The show originally aired exclusively on the WWE Network until March ...

debut on the July 23, 2019 episode of ''

'', where he teamed with

Humberto Carrillo Humberto Garza Carrillo (born October 20, 1995) is a Mexican professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Humberto. He previously worked under the ring name Último Ninja whi ...

to defeat Kalisto and Gran Metalik. On the November 1 episode of ''205 Live'', Mendoza unsuccessfully challenged the NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush.

Legado Del Fantasma (2020–present)

On the March 11 episode of NXT, Mendoza was abducted by a group of masked men and thrown into a van in the parking lot in what was originally an interview of Mia Yim. On the April 1 episode of NXT,

Joaquin Wilde Michael Paris (born October 5, 1986) is a American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Smackdown brand, under the ring name Joaquin Wilde. He is a member of Legado Del Fantasma. Paris began his career in 2004, ...

was similarly abducted during a post-match interview. On the June 10 episode of NXT, Mendoza made his return as he along with Wilde (who was also kidnapped) were revealed as the mysterious masked men and they aligned themselves with

Santos Escobar Jorge Luis Alcantar Bolly (born April 30, 1984), is a Mexican second-generation ''luchador'' (professional wrestler). He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Santos Escobar. Before his WWE ca ...

as they attacked Drake Maverick, thus establishing himself as a

heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human leg, leg. Structure To distribute the compressive for ...

. At night one of

The Great American Bash The Great American Bash is a professional wrestling event currently produced by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. Created by Dusty Rhodes, the event was established in 1985 and was originally produced by the National Wr ...

, the trio was named "

". In their first match as a team, Legado del Fantasma defeated Maverick and Breezango in a six-man tag team match on the second night of The Great American Bash. Wilde and Mendoza would start competing in NXT's tag team division and ''

''. At

NXT TakeOver XXX NXT TakeOver XXX (originally NXT TakeOver: Boston) was the 30th NXT TakeOver professional wrestling livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held exclusively for wrestlers from the promotion's NXT brand division. The event took place on Augus ...

, Wilde and Mendoza competed against Breezango ( Fandango and Tyler Breeze) and the team of

Oney Lorcan Christopher Girard (born December 21, 1985) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE as a coach at their Performance Center. Previously he performed on the NXT brand under the ring name Oney Lorcan. He is a former NXT Tag Te ...

and

Danny Burch Martin Harris (born 31 December 1981) is an English professional wrestler best known for his time with WWE, where he performed on the NXT brand under the ring name Danny Burch. He is a former one time NXT Tag Team Champion with Oney Lorcan. He ...

in a triple threat match to determine the #1 contenders for the NXT Tag Team Championship but were unsuccessful in winning the match. On night one of Super Tuesday, Legado lost to Isaiah "Swerve" Scott and Breezango in a street fight when Scott pinned Escobar, leading up to a match between Escobar and Scott for Escobar's Cruiserweight Championship at NXT TakeOver 31, where Wilde and Mendoza assisted Escobar in retaining the title. In 2021, Wilde and Mendoza entered the 2021 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic in which they lost to the eventual winners MSK (

Nash Carter Zachary Green (born April 29, 1994) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE, where he performed on the NXT brand under the ring name Nash Carter and in Impact Wrestling under the ring name Zachary Wentz (or simp ...

and

Wes Lee Deveon Everhart Aikens (born November 2, 1988) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Wes Lee, and is the current NXT North American Champion in his first reign ...

) in the semifinal round. They also faced MSK and

Grizzled Young Veterans The Dyad is a British professional wrestling tag team consisting of Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler, currently performing in WWE on the NXT brand. They are members of The Schism stable alongside Joe Gacy and Ava Raine. Reid and Fowler were previously ...

( James Drake and

Zack Gibson Jack Rea (born 8 August 1990) is an English professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Rip Fowler. He is also known for his work as Zack Gibson on the UK independent circuit. He f ...

) on night one of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver in a match with the Tag Team titles on the line, which MSK won. At NXT Takeover: In Your House, Legado del Fantasma would face NXT North American champion,

Bronson Reed Jermaine Haley (born 25 August 1988) is an Australian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Bronson Reed. He is a former NXT North American Champion. Professional wrestling ca ...

and NXT Tag Team champions, MSK in a winners take all, six-man tag team match in which, Legado del Fantasma were unsuccessful in winning the titles. On the August 24 episode of ''NXT'', Elektra Lopez made her debut helping Legado Del Fantasma win against

Hit Row Hit Row is an American professional wrestling stable consisting of Ashante "Thee" Adonis, Top Dolla, and B-Fab. The stable is currently performing in WWE on the SmackDown brand. They previously performed on the NXT brand. After their release from ...

. In April 2020 Mendoza's name would be changed to Cruz Del Toro. On the October 7 episode of '' SmackDown'', Del Toro alongside Wilde and Escobar would join Zelina Vega on the SmackDown

. On the March 10 episode of ''Smackdown'', Del Toro alongside the rest of Legado Del Fantasma helped Rey Mysterio against The Judgment Day, turning face in the process.

Championships and accomplishments

*Desastre Total Ultraviolento **DTU Alto Impacto Championship (1 time) * '' Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' ** Ranked No. 309 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the '' PWI 500'' in 2016 *

** Noah Wrestling Camp (2014) *Xtrem Mexican Wrestling ** XMW International Cup (2012)

References

External links

WWE profileCagematch profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendoza, Raul 1991 births Living people Mexican male professional wrestlers Masked wrestlers Professional wrestlers from Veracruz Sportspeople from Córdoba, Veracruz 21st-century professional wrestlers