{"id":109800,"date":"2022-02-10T10:00:18","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T15:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=109800"},"modified":"2022-02-09T23:17:52","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T04:17:52","slug":"santos-escobar-heel-all-seasons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2022\/02\/10\/santos-escobar-heel-all-seasons\/","title":{"rendered":"Santos Escobar: A Heel for All Seasons in NXT"},"content":{"rendered":"

NXT 2.0<\/em>\u2019s<\/strong> September 2021 premiere was met with trepidation and apprehension. Under the helmsmanship of WWE\u2019s<\/strong> executive vice president of global talent strategy and development Triple H<\/strong>, \u201cBlack and Gold\u201d NXT <\/em>was a cult favorite that had spawned a new breed of World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling. With his prioritization of female and international talent, and talent culled from the indies, in Triple H\u2019s NXT<\/em> these exciting acquisitions created a roster of hard-hitting, athletically credible talent that seemed primed to lead WWE\u2019s \u201cthird brand\u201d when the formerly WWE Network exclusive show launched on USA Network in 2019. Despite a slow start to his NXT<\/em> career due to an injury that kept him off television for some time in 2020, second-generation luchador Santos Escobar<\/strong> seemed marked for a meaningful destiny during the \u201cBlack and Gold\u201d days.<\/p>\n

Santos Escobar in NXT<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Santos<\/p>\n

Faction Warfare on the Black and Gold Brand<\/strong><\/h3>\n

His Legado Del Fantasma <\/strong>faction consisting of Raul Mendoza, Joaquin Wilde, <\/strong>and eventually Elektra Lopez <\/strong>was a sharp dressed backstage terror in the Hurt Business <\/strong>mold, eventually settling on a feud with hip hop inspired, edgy babyface clique Hit Row<\/strong> (Top Dolla<\/strong>, Isaiah \u201cSwerve\u201d Scott<\/strong>, Ashante Thee Adonis<\/strong>, and B-Fab<\/strong>). Apart from Legado, Escobar achieved the Cruiserweight Championship<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Despite being in contention for the North American Championship during Legado\u2019s feud with Bronson Reed<\/strong>, Santos Escobar has yet to attain that title, or the NXT championship. Despite this, Escobar\u2019s role in NXT 2.0<\/em> has been that of wily veteran who consistently puts NXT 2.0\u2019s<\/em> new crop of talent through their paces. Even without a substantial record of accolades behind him, Escobar\u2019s charismatic presence and in-ring skills have helped ground the \u201cnew class\u201d performers such as Carmelo Hayes<\/strong>, Xyon Quinn<\/strong>, and most recently, Bron Breakker<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In NXT 2.0\u2019s<\/em> early days, Escobar\u2019s match for the North American title, which had long eluded him, against Scott served audiences with a dash of the acrobatic, athletically hard-hitting in-ring work that had made the former regime beloved by the more discerning pro wrestling fan. The encounter was gripping enough to make Hayes cashing in his championship opportunity won in the NXT Breakout Tournament<\/em><\/strong><\/a> on Scott, who had retained, a genuine shock.<\/p>\n