All wrestlers have to start somewhere on the path to making their dreams a reality, whether it be a wrestling school, church basement, bingo hall, etc. From there, those wrestlers work their way up to the pinnacle of their dreams. For many, that’s a career in WWE or more recently AEW, IMPACT Wrestling or even NJPW. But sometimes the journey is just as important as the destination. In this edition, we learn about the journey of All Elite Wrestling’s rising star, Sammy Guevara.
From being a local talent to garnering appreciation from the masses, Sammy Guevara has an incredible story to tell. Despite being a former Taco Bell worker, Guevara has proved his worth amongst the peaking competition in the world of professional wrestling. He now stands not only as the beloved wrestler of thousands of wrestling fans around the globe but an avid YouTuber and a merch king, with his own action figure and playable game character.
Needless to say, everything that the young wrestler has achieved is well-deserved. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was Guevara’s eventual success. Let’s take a dive into “The Spanish God’s” life before he made it big.
Sammy Guevara: The Spanish God’s Journey
Initial Phase in Pro Wrestling
Guevara’s introduction to the pro-wrestling business transpired through vigorous training at Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling in Texas. He honed his wrestling style and in-ring basics under the mentorship of WWE Hall Of Famer, Booker T, who has talked highly about his former student. In an incident revealed by Guevara himself, he had claimed to be geared up for an upcoming matchup, but the 6x world champion knew otherwise. He advised Guevara on working his share with belief and learning from his mistakes.
“I think he could tell I was nervous and told me ‘Look, if the worst thing that happens to you is you go out there and have a bad match, life is going to be OK.’ I remember that to this day because we get so caught up in our own heads with what is going on in the moment and that’s not your whole life. It’s just a little piece of it. If you make a mistake, you can learn from it and have a better tomorrow.”
– Sammy Guevara
Throwback with a former student of mine @sammyguevara! Keep it up bro! pic.twitter.com/84rldxYOT9
— Booker T. Huffman (@BookerT5x) June 5, 2021
Guevara’s love for the art was unmatched, and as a kid captivated by WWE’s Shawn Michaels’s moonsaulting over the top rope, his affection for the sport met no bounds. Being a native of Houston, Guevara began leaving his mark as a homegrown, aspiring talent, wrestling inside his comfort zone.
However, after his incredible athleticism and charismatic personality were noticed by the spectators, he began receiving bookings outside of his hometown. An enthusiastic Guevara found this to be the ultimate opportunity for bringing his talent under the spotlight.
The Indie Struggles of Sammy Guevara
Sammy Guevara’s determination and perseverance landed him as a hardworking individual. He would initially hit the road on a bus, traveling solely to perform inside the squared circle. Another example of his tenacity is when he had driven over 30 hours to reach a wrestling ring.
His first year into the business saw him make a couple of appearances in the esteemed National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). He paired up with Laredo Kid against Los Matadores in a AAA Tag Team Dark match in the third year of his career. Rings were shared with the likes of Mustafa Ali, Keith Lee, Ricky Starks, Thunder Rosa (Intergender Wrestling), and Rey Mysterio.
This was followed by a number of opportunities swinging from all directions. In 2017, Guevara teamed with Davey Richards against the team of Drago and Taiji Ishimori on a weekly episode of Impact Wrestling’s Impact Explosion. He was also a part of the Super X Cup tournament, in which he lost to Drago in the first round.
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) became his next home, post his debut in the 2017 Battle of Los Angeles tournament, in which he made it to the quarterfinals. In May 2018, he fought for the PWG World Championship against then-champion WALTER at the Bask in His Glory event. He also spent a fair share of time in Major League Wrestling (MLW) in order to expand his reach. Just as every pro-wrestler faces legitimate injuries at some point in their careers, Guevara had his own share of injuries. He claims to be adrenaline-pumped to an extent where he becomes completely ignorant about the injury and wrestles through it.
His accolades on the indy circuit range from a number of championships, including the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship, Inspire Pro Pure Prestige Championship, APW Gladiator Championship, PWFP Ultimate Championship, WAR City Heavyweight Championship, Inspire Pro Junior Crown Championship (2 times), and others. “The Spanish God” was well-appraised for his strenuous productivity and received well-deserved appreciation from the indies as well, making his existence known.
Getting Noticed
February 7, 2019, was the day when Sammy Guevara was announced to have signed a contract with All Elite Wrestling. At the AEW Double Or Nothing rally, Guevara gave the people a taste of his egoistic, talented gimmick.
He soon displayed his potential in the second match of the Buy-In at Double or Nothing 2019, against his real-life best friend Kip Sabian. Donning panda headgear, the arrogant young blood fell prey to The Deathly Hallows but showcased his extensive move set. The ease with which he would perform moves like the 630 senton or the Shooting Star Press left the audience mesmerized.
Guevara’s next match with AEW would be at Fight for the Fallen in a six-man tag match. This time, he would be on the winning side, as his team with Shawn Spears and MJF would get the upper hand against Darby Allin, Joey Janela, and Jimmy Havoc. Soon enough, Guevara sensed the bigger opportunities heading his way. AEW inked their TV contract and his wrestling matches were about to be broadcasted on national television. The change was tremendous but Guevara adapted.
All Elite Adventures
For a promotion as fresh as All Elite Wrestling, their first-ever TV show was a big deal. The premiere episode of AEW Dynamite aired on October 2, 2019, on TNT and the very first match featured Sammy Guevara. His opponent was none other than the formidable, star of the show, Cody Rhodes. The highly anticipated bout saw a haughty Guevara put on an explosive opener that made the fans sit at the edge of their seats.
In the end, “‘The American Nightmare” got the W, but Guevara already created the impact he had wanted to. He had turned many heads and kept the buzz going with another epic matchup. The audiences were prepared to getting used to watching him on national television regularly. As much as his adaptive personality helped him generate the heat, so did his in-ring abilities.
Guevara’s momentum, however, was accelerated by Chris Jericho, who took him under his wing as his protégé in The Inner Circle. “The Painmaker” helped him double down on his heelish persona, by fighting alongside Santana, Ortiz, and Jake Hager. His cue card segments and wicked interferences attracted the developing fan base of AEW and portrayed him as a meaningful character.
Within The Inner Circle, he would eventually find a family, constituted of his mentor and brothers. Jericho and Guevara even wrestled as a tag team called Le Sex Gods, captivating the world with their energy bursts and polarizing characters.
Sammy Guevara in The Inner Circle
As a fragment of Jericho’s Inner Circle, Sammy Guevara engaged in a number of intriguing feuds. From going head-to-head against The Elite to running back-and-forth violence against Matt Hardy, and from disagreeing over MJF to shutting down The Pinnacle, Guevara has had a memorable time in All Elite Wrestling.
During the Stadium Stampede match at Double or Nothing 2020, Guevara had to endure a One-Winged Angel from a height of over 20 feet. He was pinned by Kenny Omega for the victory, costing The Inner Circle the match.
However, fast forward to one year later, Guevara performed a 630 senton over Shawn Spears to finish the feud between The Pinnacle and The Inner Circle on a high note. Guevara turned the tables completely; in one year’s duration, he managed to change his direction from an established heel to a beloved babyface. The fans cheered for him and connected with his feelings, as the referee raised his hand for the victory.
Tonight’s @sammyguevara vs @The_MJF match was one of the best I’ve ever seen in @AEW & I was living vicariously through the #SpanishGod as he beat the shit out of #MJF! Sadly the wrong man won, but both guys proved why #AEW is the BEST wrestling company in the world today!
— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) July 1, 2021
Sammy Guevara has taken over the AEW fans as yet another example of an ultimate babyface. The heelish aura that he had generated during his first year at the company transformed into babyface sympathy. His matches with MJF and Shawn Spears put him forward as an even better wrestler. The high-flying move set, combined with sudden reversals and unmatched flexibility makes his matches more entertaining.
Personal Background and Bright Future
Sammy Guevara has always been the self-described “skinny half-Cuban kid” with high hopes and a strong determination. He says that he wants to prove those people wrong, who had insisted on telling him he can’t do it. From his list of accolades, he has already proved them wrong.
Besides being a professional wrestler, Guevara has a huge following across social media platforms, including his YouTube channel that boasts of a loyal fan base of 184k subscribers. His YouTube channel is narrowly focused on vlogging, comedic skits, challenges, and all behind-the-scenes that real wrestling fans would love to watch. Guevara is fond of releasing new merchandise and promoting it, which he would initially do using his cue cards as well (sammyguevara.com, in case you need it). He is a collector of Funko Pop! figures and receives a many gifts from his fans regularly, thanking them.
Back in June 2020, Guevara got caught up in a controversial remark he had previously made on WWE Superstar Sasha Banks. However, he soon redeemed himself and apologized publicly in a YouTube video posted on his channel. Backstage, at AEW, he is close friends with Kip Sabian, Marko Stunt, Fuego del Sol, Ricky Starks, Thunder Rosa, Cody Rhodes, and several other wrestlers. He fought his way up through all of the struggles he had faced throughout his career. His girlfriend, Pam Nizio, has been by his side the whole time and “The Spanish God” proposed to her before this past September 13’s episode of Dynamite went on-air.
In Closing
Sammy Guevara has been described by a lot of people as an industrious individual, with a plethora of opportunities waiting around the corner. His jaw-dropping athleticism, charismatic personality, and smooth transition between being a heel and face say much about his untapped potential. As part of the All Elite Wrestling roster, he can find himself as the AEW World Champion or the TNT Champion much sooner than expected. No matter what his next step would be, his expanding fan base across the globe will be ever-supportive of him.
