Hechicero Speaks on Regaining the CMLL World Title, And More | INTERVIEW

Hechicero spoke with Fightful’s Luis Pulido about winning the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship, the Don Callis Family, and much more.

The Alchemist of the Ring, Hechicero, has been a standout in Mexican Wrestling for the past decade; however, he has caught fire internationally to the point of becoming the first wrestler to have a dual contract with both AEW & CMLL. It all culminated on the 2026 edition of CMLL’s Homenaje a Dos Leyendas event, where he once again became the World Heavyweight Champion by tapping out Claudio Castagnoli. The Mad Scientist spoke with Fightful following this landmark win.

World Heavyweight Champion Once Again.

When asked about his win against Claudio Castagnoli, Hechicero spoke about what was his strategy during his rematch against Castagnoli. He put him over as a very studious & intelligent grappler and acknowledged that he had to adjust his tactics compared to their last singles encounter in 2024.

“It was very tiring. Claudio Castagnoli is obviously a wrestler who’s clearly 15 or 20 centimeters taller than me, very strong, and above all—as I explained at the end of the match—very intelligent. He knows how to adapt his skills very well to the venue he’s performing in and to the wrestler he’s competing against. It might seem that way, but the Claudio Castagnoli who competes in AEW isn’t exactly the same as the one who competes in CMLL. That’s what has made him a unique wrestler, and that’s why he also benefits from this dual contract—not just in Mexico, but also in the United States—and he’s a very studious wrestler. I started watching his previous matches, the title defenses he had in this championship reign, and they were pretty tough, but it was made easier in a sense because you could tell he studied his opponents a lot, so I had to do the same. I had to study him and come up with a different strategy than the one I used in that singles match against him at Arena México, where we were the winners of the 91st Anniversary and the Grand Prix in 2024, and now it was a different strategy. I didn’t rely as much on llaves; I tried to wear him down physically more, and the only hold I managed to apply was the submission hold. It was the decisive hold; it came at the right moment and the right time.”

As mentioned previously, this is his second Title reign at the top of CMLL’s Heavyweight Division. Previously, he defeated Ultimo Guerrero in the main event of CMLL’s 88th Anniversary to win the title. He then dropped the belt against Gran Guerrero in 2022 at Arena Puebla. He spoke about the main differences between his first title win and his most recent one.

“Rather, I believe the big difference was the growing need I felt to win it back and to focus primarily on this championship. During my previous reign, of course, I made a name for myself at Arena México by defeating a wrestler of Último Guerrero’s caliber—a standard-bearer within CMLL and a genius of being a rudo—, and he always upheld the Heavyweight Championship to the highest standards. This championship, when Último Guerrero held it, always headlined the cards or major events, or served as a main draw in a match where something was at stake in the biggest events. After my reign, I wasn’t able to maintain that level of activity, mainly. I think four defenses in a year, or in eight or nine months, are very few for me. I would have loved to defend it every month, but the championship gradually lost its luster, and so did I. Then I lost it (the championship) to Gran Guerrero, and this championship was no longer at the forefront of my vision. Obviously, when Claudio Castagnoli won it, and we started seeing what he’s capable of both in Mexico and the United States, in CMLL and in AEW, he began defending it constantly; I think he had six defenses in four months. It’s spectacular to do this, and the quality of the matches—and of course, the championship itself, alongside Claudio, automatically took on a new dimension, reached a different level; the championship is revitalized and regains the prestige that defined it. So, of course, I said, “I want this championship.” It was previously mine, and those were the standards I wanted to compete at. So that was my goal. To say which win between Claudio and Último Guerrero: there’s definitely no comparison. The best moment in your life, in any area, including the one you live in; it’s your present. My best match is the one I’m going to have tomorrow; that’s what I compete for, and at the time, I classified both fights as the most important challenge of my career. That’s how every fight comes, that’s how I face it, that’s how I prepare, and I think the result was overwhelmingly positive—and I’m not just talking about having performed well or having achieved it, but about the positive outlook for what’s to come, for what I envision for this reign, for this season, and for the time I want to hold this championship.”

Dual Contract with CMLL & AEW. 

Hechicero’s journey with AEW began in 2024, when he teamed with Mistico, Volador Jr. & Mascara Dorada on AEW Rampage. This was followed by him facing Bryan Danielson on AEW Collision in Edinburg, Texas, in a match that received rave reviews. Since then, he has become the first wrestler to hold a dual contract with both AEW & CMLL. Many more have followed suit, including Mistico, Persephone, Mascara Dorada, and even Claudio Castagnoli. The Alchemist spoke about what it meant for him to be under a dual contract and on CMLL’s alliance with AEW.

“First off, I have a lot to be grateful for. Of course, to Mr. Salvador Lutteroth (Lomeli), director of CMLL, for trusting in my work and allowing me to cross borders. Of course, Tony Khan and AEW played a major role in this international expansion I’ve experienced; you’re right to mention that. There was an appearance with Volador (Jr.), Máscara Dorada, Místico, and Hechicero invading AEW, and four days later—well, the very next day—they announced that I would return to face Bryan Danielson one-on-one, and that definitely changed my wrestling life. Maybe those who know or are loyal fans of wrestling or who follow the sport around the world do recognize the top wrestlers from each promotion or each country, but the fact that I had this match with Bryan Danielson—and that he had it—is something I always want to explain clearly: When you step into the ring to compete, that’s the only way you can progress and become better. Every day is about allowing yourself to be challenged in the ring. All wrestlers, just like all athletes, have a comfort zone. We know it works for us—both against our opponent and with the audience—but when you’re competing against someone unknown, for the first time, or new to your sport, allowing yourself to be challenged—not closing yourself off—is like a boxer who closes his guard: it works for him, but it doesn’t put on a show. If you don’t take risks, you don’t win. I’m not just talking about winning a fight, but about not gaining experience, not gaining visibility, not gaining a following, not winning over the crowd. That’s what I tried to do. Chris Hero was also my coach for that match, my producer, and he gave me some very timely and specific advice at just the right moment, and I’ll share it with you all: Don’t lose your essence. Don’t make that mistake. We’re bringing you here; they’re inviting you to compete here against one of the most technical wrestlers in the world. If someone like Bryan Danielson was the best in his day, it’s because he has the ability and the quality. Don’t change. Don’t try to please the crowd by doing things that aren’t your style. Stand by your principles, what you came here to do, your essence. Yes, he’s very good, but if he does a submission hold, you do two submission holds; you come here to do what you know how to do—that’s why they brought you here. Don’t make the mistake of changing; I stuck to my style. Bryan Danielson competed, allowed himself to be challenged—which allowed me to challenge him—and he challenged me too. From that point on, my wrestling landscape changed. I believe that, from CMLL, I was the one working with AEW the most for nearly two years, constantly, until this contract was secured. I think I’ve always said this and made it clear within CMLL and to Mr. Salvador Lutteroth: I don’t need you to assign me responsibilities. I take it upon myself to be a standard-bearer, to carry the weight of representing CMLL, and at the same time, because I have this dual contract, whatever I do—right or wrong—will have a positive or negative impact on this synergy, on this partnership. So I believe that whatever I’ve done, whether much or little, I’ve done it well, and so much so that now there are more wrestlers. Of course, my colleagues’ great talent opened the door and put them in the spotlight to secure these contracts.”

Welcome to the Don Callis Family.

As part of being in the dual contract, Hechicero has become a staple of the Don Callis Family. He, alongside many others like Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, Andrade El Idolo, and many more, has been a constant on both AEW & ROH, as well as causing havoc when appearing in CMLL. He spoke about his experience in the family, and also addressed Don Callis’ “YO SOY HECHICERO!” introduction.

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Believe me, over the years—in life itself, not just in wrestling—you learn, of course, to plan and prepare for your goals, but you also learn to let yourself be surprised. Let life flow, let wrestling flow, and that’s what’s been happening to me these past two years in AEW. They’ve trusted my work, they’ve given me important matches, I’ve been a regular on the card, and by being part of the Don Callis Family. We’re a dysfunctional family, but I’m talking in a sense about the variety of characters and personalities; at the same time, the main families aren’t just bound by blood. It’s a family of ideology, of a way of thinking, of having this shared vision of what our goal is within wrestling, and every time we step into the ring. Imagine what it’s like to be in the same locker room where we change: Okada, Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, Lance Archer, Romero, Josh Alexander, Mark Davis, now Andrade, El Clon. There are about 13 or 14 of us in the Don Callis Family. We haven’t all been together at once due to injuries, but most of the time we’re there; so, in my view, it’s a pretty pleasant camaraderie. There are Mexicans like El Clon and Andrade, but when I walk in, I greet them and strike up a conversation. I know a little English, but they also know a little Spanish. This shows that they’re interested in talking, in having this connection with me, not only in the ring, but in the locker room. This speaks to a sense of belonging—even though the group can be intense at times due to everyone’s strong personalities—once you’re part of it, you feel welcomed, you feel like you belong, and that’s exactly how I feel. I don’t feel like a guest; I feel like part of the family because that’s how they make me feel—not because a T-shirt says so or because I’m listed on a website as part of the Don Callis Family, but because they make you feel like part of it. With “Yo Soy Hechicero,” Don Callis can do whatever he wants; people love it. “Yo Soy Hechicero” may have started as a translation error, but Don Callis is a marvel. He really sees that it fires people up, and that makes the audience turn to look at both him and me, since I’m the wrestler in the intro. For a new American audience that I didn’t have before, I wasn’t really on their radar. He’s going to keep doing it; he knows when to use the resources, the tools that come up, and a spark is born. A mistake there becomes an opportunity; he knows how to exploit everything, every resource in the profession.”

El Satánico.

In the same show, Hechicero won back the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship, and a legend of the sport said goodbye to the squared circle: Daniel Lopez, better known as El Satánico. Hechicero’s relationship with Lopez goes back years, including being a member of the legendary faction Los Infernales. Many greats have been part of this group alongside Lopez, including MS1, Pirata Morgan, Rey Bucanero, Ultimo Guerrero, Averno, Toscano (Tarzan Boy), and many more. Hechicero reflected on Lopez’s legacy in professional wrestling and even said he contemplated inviting Satanico as his second for his title match at Homenaje a Dos Leyendas.

“I can proudly say that I am the last Infernal. Maybe during the ceremony or in the promotional material leading up to the event, they didn’t mention Hechicero, but I can proudly say that I am the last Infernal he named and selected. Proud to be part of his Infernal legacy, throughout history, a great many wrestlers have passed through Los Infernales, many of whom have already become legends in professional wrestling. That speaks to its significance. We can say that Los Infernales is the most important group in Mexican wrestling. Not only because of the name and Don Daniel, but because of what he has left to wrestling and the way it has shaped wrestlers—it is a great, tough school, without a doubt—and it is the legacy left by Mr. Daniel López, to whom I send my regards, and the legacy he built. Enviable, worthy of emulation and imitation. Of course, no one will be able to achieve it. Everyone has their own time and moment, but without a doubt, we have to aspire to that in order to accomplish great things in professional wrestling. People were saying that Mr. Daniel López brings me good luck, and indeed, when I beat Último Guerrero for the championship (CMLL World Heavyweight Championship), I invited him to be in my corner, and he was with me. His advice was incredibly important, and on this occasion, I would have loved to invite him. I was on the verge of inviting him, but in the end, I didn’t think it was prudent. He was already caught up in the emotion and nostalgia of having had his final match in the familiar surroundings that had sheltered him after the ceremony and his retirement from wrestling, so I didn’t think it was prudent to even mention it to him. But I was this close to asking him to be with me in the corner. I went up wearing a hand-painted mask—a piece of craftsmanship featuring him—and the jacket I wore into the ring is the same one I wore when I was in Los Infernales. In one way or another, he was there with me, and of course, Mr. Daniel López brings good luck to my career.”

We’d like to thank Hechicero for taking the time to answer these questions! We also congratulate him on becoming a two-time CMLL World Heavyweight Champion!

For results from CMLL & across the wrestling world, check out Fightful’s results section.