Latino World Order

### Members

Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro, Zelina Vega, Carlito, Bad Bunny, Eddie Guerrero, Juventud Guerrera, Psychosis, La Parka, El Dandy, Silver King, Villano V, Héctor Garza, Ciclope, Damián

### Managers

Spyder

On August 17, 1998, Eddie Guerrero gave a promo in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he claimed to want out of his contract. After being taken off television for several weeks, Guerrero returned on the October 5 edition of *WCW Monday Nitro*, forming the **Latino World Order (LWO)** with several other Mexican wrestlers. The group consisted of the majority of the Mexican roster, as well as Guerrero's bodyguard named Spyder.

The group consisted of almost every major Mexican wrestler on the WCW roster including Psychosis, La Parka, Hector Garza, and Juventud Guerrera. Their main feud lied with Rey Mysterio, Jr., after he refused to join the group. They also feuded with Billy Kidman, Mysterio's on-and-off American tag team partner. Mysterio was forced to become a member after losing a match to Eddie Guerrero. Chavo Guerrero, Jr. attempted to join several times, but Eddie did not allow him to become a member since Chavo was (kayfabe) mentally unstable at the time and carried around a wooden horse named Pepé.

An injury suffered by Guerrero on January 1, 1999 would help bring a premature end to the LWO. Three days later, the two factions of the New World Order reunited, and before long, various members of the LWO were found lying unconscious backstage. The nWo approached the LWO and demanded they immediately disband or face further consequences. The next week, Ric Flair also asked the LWO to disband and fight for WCW, promising he would treat them better than Eric Bischoff did and also promising them money, women and limousines. Every member other than Mysterio agreed, removing their LWO shirts and exiting the ring. Mysterio, who was not originally a willing member of the group, proved himself the most loyal when he refused to remove his LWO colors. The nWo beat him down and forcibly tore off his LWO shirt, leading to a feud between Mysterio and The Outsiders.

The reunited nWo also betrayed their only Latino member, Konnan, who had objected to the brutality used against Mysterio, leading them to form a team against The Outsiders. As Eddie Guerrero healed and made his in-ring return, key LWO members such as himself, Mysterio, and Juventud Guerrera formed a popular new group with Konnan known as The Filthy Animals.

On the March 31, 2023 episode of *WWE SmackDown*, Mysterio, who was set to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023 later that night, and was scheduled to wrestle his son, Dominik, at WrestleMania 39, revived the faction and gifted LWO shirts to Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Zelina Vega, Joaquin Wilde, and Cruz Del Toro) as the group had aided Mysterio in his fight against Dominik and The Judgment Day for several weeks prior.

On Night One of WrestleMania 39, Escobar, Wilde, Del Toro, and Bad Bunny assisted Rey in his match against Dominik, who was assisted by his Judgment Day teammates Finn Bálor and Damian Priest. Rey went on to win his match against Dominik and celebrated with his wife, Angie, and his daughter, Aalyah, in the ring. On the April 7 episode of *SmackDown*, the LWO lost their first match as a team with Mysterio and Escobar losing to The Judgment Day's Dominik and Priest. On the April 17 episode of *Raw*, Mysterio lost to The Bloodline's Solo Sikoa. Later that night, the LWO assisted Matt Riddle, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn in their brawl against The Judgment Day and The Bloodline. The LWO earned their first victory on the April 24 episode of *Raw* with Rey defeating Priest by disqualification when Priest threw a steel chair at Rey. The LWO also debuted new entrance music, which paid tribute to the original founder and leader of the stable, Eddie Guerrero. On the May 5 episode of *SmackDown*, Bad Bunny helped the LWO save Rey Mysterio from an attack from The Judgment Day, leading to Mysterio giving Bunny an LWO shirt, signifying his addition to the group. At Backlash, Vega failed to win the SmackDown Women's Championship from Rhea Ripley and Bad Bunny defeated Priest with the assistance of Savio Vega and Carlito, who were both wearing LWO shirts.

Vega defeated Lacey Evans to qualify for the 2023 women's Money in the Bank ladder match on the June 2 episode of *SmackDown*. Escobar defeated Mustafa Ali to qualify for the 2023 men's Money in the Bank ladder match on the June 9 episode of *SmackDown*. Vega and Escobar failed to win their respective Money in the Bank ladder matches in the namesake event. Escobar and Rey faced off against each other in the United States Championship invitational tournament finals on the July 28 episode of *SmackDown.* During the match, Rey suffered a minor injury, and was therefore unable to continue, giving Escobar the win and a title match against United States Champion Austin Theory. On the August 11 episode of *SmackDown*, Escobar was taken out by Theory before the match started. Due to Escobar's injury, WWE Official Adam Pearce allowed Rey to take Escobar's place for the title match and defeated Theory to become the new United States Champion. On the September 9 episode of *SmackDown*, Escobar requested Rey for a dream match for the United States Championship. Two weeks later on *SmackDown*, Rey defeated Escobar to retain the title. After the match, the pair were attacked by The Street Profits and Bobby Lashley. A six-man tag team match between the LWO against Lashley and The Street Profits at Fastlane was made official the next day on *SmackDown LowDown*. On the following week's episode of *SmackDown*, Lashley and The Street Profits took out Wilde and Del Toro, leaving the LWO a man short for Fastlane. At Fastlane, Carlito made his WWE return and joined the LWO to defeat Lashley and The Street Profits.

At Crown Jewel, Rey lost the United States Championship to Logan Paul, ending his reign at 89 days after Escobar, who snatched away a brass knuckles from a member of Paul's entourage, left the brass knuckles at the side of the ring while chasing Paul's entourage away only for Paul to use it on Rey to win the match. On the November 10 episode of *SmackDown*, Carlito angered Escobar by accusing him of purposefully leaving the brass knuckles in the ring at Crown Jewel. After Carlito's match with Bobby Lashley, Escobar attacked Rey as Rey was checking on Carlito, turning heel and leaving the LWO. On the following week's *SmackDown*, Escobar entered using Legado del Fantasma's theme. He chastised Rey for not sticking with him while kicking Vega, Wilde and Del Toro from Legado del Fantasma. A match between Carlito and Escobar was announced for Survivor Series WarGames. A day before the event, Escobar took out Carlito in the ring and backstage; Dragon Lee soon saved Carlito from Escobar and *SmackDown* General Manager Nick Aldis allowed Lee to face Escobar as Carlito's replacement at Survivor Series WarGames, but Lee lost the match. On the December 1 episode of *SmackDown*, Escobar defeated Wilde and continued attacking him after the match, with Lee coming out to save Wilde. It was later announced that Lee would face Escobar in a United States Championship tournament the following week, which Escobar won. On the December 5 episode of *NXT*, Rey announced that Lee would replace Wes Lee (who had to drop out due to injury) to face Dominik Mysterio for the NXT North American Championship at NXT Deadline. At the event, Rey accompanied Lee to the match, and Lee defeated Dominik to win his first title in WWE. On the December 19 episode of *NXT*, Lee successfully defended his title against Charlie Dempsey and Joe Coffey in a triple threat match. After the match, Dempsey's stable, The No Quarter Catch Crew, beat down Lee. Wilde and Del Toro then ran out to save Lee, which led to Lee, Wilde and Del Toro facing The No Quarter Catch Crew (Drew Gulak, Damon Kemp and Myles Borne) at NXT New Year's Evil on January 2, 2024 in a six-man tag team match. However, Lee missed the event due to travel issues, and a returning Carlito joined Wilde and Del Toro to win the match.