Mistico vs. Averno (Good vs. Evil)

Averno is a masked Mexican Luchadore and well-known Rudo — which is the Mexican term for a wrestling rule-breaker.  The name “Averno” means “Hell” so, among the religious Mexican people, he is feared and disdained. He represents evil and is proud of it!

Images of Satan often feature him wearing a goatee, and Averno’s chinless mask reveals a Satan-style beard as well.  This gives him a more evil appearance and also draws attention to his mouth and lips, which makes us think of sin and indulgence and gluttony.

Mistico couldn’t possibly look more like the ideal hero in his eye-catching white and gold costume.  He is the image of light and glory and goodness.  He keeps his body fit (unlike Averno).  His mask doesn’t even have a mouth, so he can speak no evil, taste no evil, and lick no evil (unlike Averno).

Mistico, by the way, is now wrestling in the states, enjoying a big push in the WWE under the name of Sin Cara (which means “No Face”, I guess because he wears a mask with no mouth — like a chastity belt.)

Americans have grown pretty cynical lately, expecting the worst from everyone, assuming our leaders are all greedy and corrupt, accusing everyone else of lieing, cheating, or stealing to get ahead.  This cynicism has infected our wrestling ring as well.  We no longer celebrate the pure, innocent, lily-white Baby-Faces.  John Cena is a big hero to kids I suppose, but falls short as a role model with his dirty raps and homo-phobic insults.

In Mexico, however, it seems they still believe in good.  They still believe a man like Mistico can maintain a pure, almost saintly lifestyle.  He wears white clothing that is never stained or dirty, keeps his body in perfect fitness, and fights clean — never bending the rules nor taking short-cuts no matter how much his opponent cheats.  Mistico is so perfect, it’s sickening, but the fans south of the border eat it up.

Also in Mexican wrestling, they love the high-flying, death defying moves.  They want to see their wrestlers go airborn — especially the heroic Technicos.

They love Mistico because he puts his life on the line to impress and entertain them.  He looks like a ghost in his white gear, soaring over the ropes.  He totally confuses his slow opponent as he flips, jumps, sails, and springs all around the ring.

Hispanic guys are generally smaller than many other ethnic groups, so they enjoy seeing agility and speed (represented by Mistico) reigning victorious over size and brute force (represented by Averno).  In the states, however, we don’t go for a lot of this flippy-dippy action by an idealized super-hero Goody-Two-Shoes.  We’re far too cynical for that.  Therefore, Mistico (now know as Sin Cara) is having trouble fitting in to the American wrestling ring.  He may be a great Luchadore, but he doesn’t translate.  I’ve heard that they’re going to bring his arch-rival Averno into the WWE soon as well, to give Sin Cara someone to strive against — to hopefully import the heat and appeal of this match into the U.S.

Another reason the Mexican fans love Mistico is because he suffers so beautifully.  He is a very bi-polar wrestler — flying around with great dexterity and speed one minute, and laying still on his back, utterly inert and ragdolled the next minute.  The fact that he is so agile and acrobatic makes his prolonged suffering, helpless and motionless, seem even more pathetic and saddening.

With images of the cross, the crucifixion, in several places on his costume, Mistico references a martyr or Jesus in the minds of the fans.  Just as our lord suffered for us, so too must Mistico endure the punishment of evil men.  This usage of religious symbolism by a Luchadore is similar to a former Mexican wrestler and icon known as “El Santo” which means “The Saint.”

Averno shows the fans that he can be a high-flier himself, even if he is plus-sized.  He hurls his heavy body between the ropes and crashes down on the great Mistico, which draws gasps of shock and concern from the crowd.  The fans are partly impressed that a big beast like Averno can fly, and partly worried that their savior may have broken ribs after being flattened by the big devil.

Much of Averno’s arsenal involves crushing and smothering — laying his weight on Mistico, pressing and pinning the agile victim down to earth.  This creates the image of Mistico unable to rise, unable to fly, unable to breathe.  He is crushed under the weight of his opponent just as we all are crushed by our addictions, our wrong-doing, our infidelity. The story being told here is that, like Mistico, we must constantly strive to push off the weight of evil in order to achieve success and breathe free.

Even heartless and cynical Americans must feel some compassion for this beautiful muscular creature, clad in his flawless white gear, broken and hurting.  He is barely able to lift his body, utterly defeated by the cruel devil!  Memo to Vince McMahon:  maybe if the WWE would show more prolonged images of the great and wonderful Sin Cara, exhausted and helpless, the fans would fall in love with him and cheer for him more readily — at least certain demographics of fans.