Santos Escobar has finally wrestled his first match since WWE let him go. After months spent recovering from two surgeries, the former Legado del Fantasma leader stepped back into the ring Sunday night and officially got his post-WWE wrestling career underway.
Escobar teamed with Blue Demon Jr. against Magno and Steven Juarez at the 5th International Lucha Libre Festival in Ciudad Juarez on September 27. Competing under his new Malverde identity, he made his first in-ring appearance since March.
That makes this return more than another independent booking. Escobar’s last match under WWE contract took place in AAA on March 14, before an injury layoff and his April release left his wrestling future up in the air.
His road back included surgery for a triceps injury in March, followed by another operation involving his ulnar nerve in April. Ringside News previously covered the second surgery that forced him to miss WrestleMania week, adding another setback while he was already trying to recover.
The WWE release landed during that recovery process. Escobar later told TMZ’s Inside the Ring that WWE contacted him roughly six days after his second surgery, recalling that he was doing rehabilitation exercises when the call came. His priority at the time was getting healthy.
“I was really focused on my injury, and that’s really the only thing I could think about.“
Escobar officially became a free agent in July, but the wait for his first match continued until Sunday. Teaming with Blue Demon Jr. finally put him back in action after a stretch dominated by surgery, rehabilitation and a major career change.
He brings plenty of experience into this next run. Before signing with WWE in 2019, he built his reputation as El Hijo del Fantasma in CMLL and AAA, then went on to win the NXT Cruiserweight Championship and lead Legado del Fantasma. His WWE run eventually took him to SmackDown, Money in the Bank and WrestleMania XL. Now, the question is where his return leads—and whether another major promotion becomes part of the picture.
Escobar’s first match after WWE is now in the books. After two surgeries and a release during recovery, he finally has something new for fans to talk about: what he does next inside the ring.
Where would you like to see Santos Escobar wrestle following his first match since leaving WWE? Share your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.
