Mistico Reflects On Mask vs. Title Win Over MJF at CMLL’s 92nd Anniversary Show

Mistico reflects on his match against Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) at CMLL’s 92nd anniversary show.

The rivalry between Mistico and MJF was so personal that it exceeded promotional boundaries. CMLL, AEW, and even Major League Wrestling provided a backdrop to this personal rivalry. For Max, it was all about embarrassing one of the greatest Luchadores of all time.

For Mistico, it was a matter of pride. Pride in himself, his Lucha heritage, and the Mexican people as a whole. The Rivalry came to an end when Mistico defeated the former AEW World Champion at CMLL’s 2025 anniversary event. Had Mistico failed to recapture the CMLL Light Heavyweight gold, he would have had to unmask. Their match was a rare bloody Affair in Arena Mexico, but Mistico came out on top and is now reflecting on the match.

Mistico told Luis Pulido of Fightful Español that a match like this had never been done in his career. Usually, Masks are defended against hair or other masks, but this was his first time fighting for a championship while risking his very identity.

“Typically in Mexico, an Apuestas match has to be mask vs. mask or mask vs. hair, or hair vs. hair, mask vs. mask, so a mask vs. championship had never been done before. As I told MJF, for my country, for my people, for myself, for my pride, I was accepted his challenge of my mask against his championship, and that was to show what I have done, that was to show my country, my people, that when you love wrestling, you have to earn respect and make Mexican wrestling great, because I believe that in my country we love Mexican wrestling very much, we love what we do. When you come to insult, when you come to speak ill, when you come with a big mouth to talk a lot, I think that’s what bothered me, and that’s why I gathered my courage and told him that I accepted a duel for my mask against his championship.

“There were tense moments when I thought I was going to lose at some point. I lost a lot of vital fluid, which is blood. But the support from the crowd was terrific. They encouraged me the whole time and wanted me to get up. I managed to get up, and I think MJF was very surprised. I showed him what I had already done and proved to him that there were no small rivals. Yes, he wanted to belittle me, but it backfired on him because Místico is loved by the public, loved by my country, Mexico. As we say now, I am made in Mexico, and I have done it in Mexico. It is for Mexico, for the whole world. I think it was such a thrill for me to be the star of the 92nd anniversary and, above all, to silence many people who thought it was going to be a bad match. I think it was one of the best fights.”

MJF is currently on a hiatus from AEW. However, he says that when he returns, it will be on his terms, and the destruction he causes will be carried out his way.

Check out the full interview embedded above.