Bandido (wrestler)

For his debut he adopted the ring name Magnífico II, forming a tag team with his cousin who worked as Magnífico I, collectively known as Los Magníficos ("The Magnificent Ones"). The duo worked for various promotions on the Mexican Independent circuit such as Wrestling Martin Calderon (WMC), Cara Lucha, Lucha Memes and more.[3] In 2015 Magnífico II travelled to England, working a show promoted by El Hijo del Santo.[4]

In mid-2015 Magnífico II began working for El Hijo del Santo's Todo x Todo promotion, wrestling under the name "Cielito", named after the song Cielito Lindo.[5] On October 5, 2015 Cielito unsuccessfully challenged Ángel Blanco Jr. for the WWA World Welterweight Championship.[6]

In mid-2016 Los Magníficos split up, when Magnífico I began to work for CMLL under the name Magia Blanca, while Magnífico II began working for Lucha Libre Elite (LLE), adopting a new in-ring character, El Bandido. His character, ring gear and mask was inspired by the stereotypical Wild West bandit. His new mask incorporated a bandana covering his nose and mouth and a stylized "Lone Ranger" style markings around the eyes and a horseshoe on his forehead.[7] On November 18, 2016 Bandido outlasted Golden Magic, Argos, Emperador Azteca, Ciclón Ramírez Jr., Imposible, Eterno, Flamita, Diamante and Zumbido in a torneo cibernetico elimination match to become the first Lucha Libre Elite Welterweight Champion.[8] LLE closed 2017, but Bandido defended the LLE Welterweight Championship at least once after the promotion closed.[9]

On September 28, 2017, Bandido defeated Ángel Blanco Jr. to win the WWA World Welterweight Championship on a show in Aguascalientes.[10] In December, 2017 Bandido and Laredo Kid outlasted Perro Callejero Jr., Apando Negro Jr., Bestia 666, Crazy Latino, Dr. Polux, Emperador Azteca, Extreme Tiger, Murciélago Plateado Jr. and Rey Horus to win the G21 Torneo Gran Alternativa tournament.[11]

Starting in 2018 Bandido started to work more and more for promotions outside of Mexico, primarily in the United States, often teaming with Flamita under the team name "MexaBlood". Through Flamita's contacts in Japan, Bandido worked his first tour with Dragon Gate in January 2018 and a second tour in June 2018.[12] During the British Progress Wrestling promotion's tour of the United States Bandido and Flamita defeated AR Fox and Chris Brookes to win the Progress Tag Team Championship.[13] Bandido teamed up with Rey Mysterio and Rey Fénix in the main event of the Indy wrestling super show All In, losing to The Golden Elite team of Kota Ibushi and The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson).[14] MexaBlood travelled to England at the end of September 2018 to work for Progress wrestling once more. On September 30 the duo lost the Progress Tag Team Championship to Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis).[15]

Bandido came to national attention through his work for The Crash Lucha Libre as the promotion began expanding to touring nationally. His debut with the promotion was on November 29, 2017, where Bandido, Damián 666 and M-ximo lost to the team of Bestia 666, Garza Jr. and Mr. 450.[16] On March 17, 2018 Bandido and Flamita defeated the teams of Aeroboy & Septiembo Dragon and The Rascalz Dezmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz to win the vacant The Crash Tag Team Championship.[17] Two months later Bandido became a double champion in The Crash as he won The Crash Cruiserweight Championship, defeating Dezmond Xavier and Laredo Kid for the vacant championship.[18]

On March 23, 2018 at the "Time Is A Flat Circle" event, Bandido made his Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) debut, losing in a tag team effort with Flamita against The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz and Dezmond Xavier). He was brought back for All-Star Weekend 14, which took place during the month of April. Bandido lost against Taiji Ishimori on Night One, but went on to gain his first PWG victory against Rey Horus the next evening. His winning streak continued into May, when Bandido defeated Robbie Eagles at Bask in His Glory.[19]

Bandido kept winning consecutive matches after entering PWG's annual Battle of Los Angeles (BOLA) tournament. He defeated T-Hawk in the opening round, Flamita in the quarterfinals, and Joey Janela in the semifinals. Entering the final round, he was the last man eliminated by eventual winner Jeff Cobb.[20] After his national exposure in the tournament, it was reported that WWE, the world's largest wrestling promotion, was interested in signing Bandido to a full-time contract.[21] In October, he defeated REY FENIX at Smokey and the Bandido, the first PWG event to feature his name in the title.

On September 19, 20, and 22; Bandido participated in the 2019 Pro Wrestling Guerrilla Battle of Los Angeles. He defeated Puma King in the first round (which was also for the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship), Brody King in the quarterfinals, and Dragon Lee in the semi-finals. He defeated David and Jonathan Gresham in a three-way elimination match final to win the Battle of Los Angeles.[22]

In mid-2018 Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) began a storyline where "Lucha Libre Elite" (no longer a separate promotion) invaded AAA. As part of the "Invasion" storyline, AAA brought in several former LLE wrestlers including Bandido. Bandido, Flamita and Aramís made their AAA debut, losing to El Nuevo Poder del Norte (Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr. and Tito Santana)[23] Bandido was featured in his first major AAA storyline when he participated in a three-way match against Flamita and Fénix for the rights to challenge for the AAA Mega Championship. Fénix won the match and the title match.[24] At AAA's biggest show of the year, Triplemanía XXVI, MexaBlood defeated Team AAA (Aero Star and Drago), Team Elite (Laredo Kid and Golden Magic) and Team Impact! (DJZ and Andrew Everett) to become the #1 contenders for the AAA World Tag Team Championship. Bandido's last AAA appearance was at Héroes Inmortales XII where and Flamita lost a three-way tag team match for the AAA World Tag Team Championship to Los Mercenarios (Rey Escorpión and El Texano Jr.) in a match that also included Andrew Everett and DJZ.[25]

In late 2018 it was reported that Bandido has signed a full-time contract with the U.S. based Ring of Honor (ROH).[26] In an interview Bandido later revealed that he turned down an offer from "the biggest company in the world" (referring to WWE) and instead chose to sign with ROH.[1] He also turned down an offer to work for All Elite Wrestling that he received around the time of his ROH negotiations.[27] He made his debut for the promotion at their January 12, 2019 television tapings defeating Mark Haskins. He later joined a group called "Lifeblood" formed by Juice Robinson that also includes David Finlay, Mark Haskins, Tracy Williams and Tenille Dashwood.[28] The following day Bandido defeated P.J. Black as part of ROH's Honor Reigns Supreme supercard event.[29]

On April 23, 2019, Bandido was revealed as one of the Best of the Super Juniors 27 participants, he made his debut with the promotion in May 13, in a Tag Team Match involving him, Rocky Romero and Yuya Uemura losing to the team of Jado, Robbie Eagles and El Phantasmo.