WWE released Lince Dorado on November 5, 2021, bringing his time with the company to an end.
Approximately two months before his release, Dorado reportedly asked the company to let him go because he was dissatisfied with the “lack of opportunities” he was getting. With his no-compete clause now expired, he’s ready to move on to the next chapter of his career, but he recently shined some light on the frustrations he dealt with as a WWE superstar.
In an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Dorado explains why he was frustrated with the way the company presented him and his Lucha House Party teammates, Gran Metalik and Kalisto. He described how he could see his glass ceiling in WWE, and he wanted to break it, but WWE decision-makers didn’t understand how to utilize luchadores beyond focusing on their high-flying skills. Dorado stated that he knew he could be more, and he’s focused on reaching this level moving forward.
“Before I asked for my release, I remember telling the [WWE] office, ‘If this is the best you have for us, it isn’t enough,’” Dorado said. “We spent weeks, months and years presenting something that wasn’t stereotypical, that wasn’t generic. I had six years there total, and by the third year, I saw my glass ceiling—and I was so determined to break it.
“They understood I was a luchador, but they didn’t understand the story or the motive or the creative thought that went into being a luchador. All they saw was, ‘This is just a guy in a mask that does incredible things.’ One of the things we told Vince McMahon was that wrestling, for us, was the easy part. We wanted to be superstars. And I didn’t want to be WWE’s Spanish star. I wanted to be represented as a WWE star who happened to have Latino culture and background. But they saw me only as a high-flyer. I knew I could be so much more, and that’s what I am working to become.”
Now that he has the creative freedom that he might have lacked in WWE, Dorado expressed his excitement to show different sides of himself. Dorado referenced how he had a good relationship with Vince McMahon and other high-ranking officials during his time with WWE. That being said, a clear “disconnect” in the understanding of lucha libre was one of the major obstacles he faced.
“There were no layers to my character in WWE, so there is so much for me to show,” Dorado said. “I had great rapport with Vince, John Laurinaitis and Michael Hayes—the problem was a disconnect between what they thought about lucha libre and what we all know about lucha libre.
“I hate quitting, but I left with two years left on my contract. I left behind more money than I’ll ever see the rest of my life, but I’ve been poor. I’ve been broke, I’ve been homeless, I’ve been in the street, I’ve been in the ghetto—and I survived. I’ll survive without WWE, too. I want more, and I need more.”
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