Bandido Reveals His Biggest Wrestling Influences

During a recent interview with Denise Salcedo, AEW star and ROH World Champion Bandido discussed the influence that Mistico and Rey Mysterio had on his in-ring career. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):

Bandido on His Luchador Influences

“The first influence was Mistico, then I just became more into the lucha libre world. Then Ultimo Guerrero became my idol, which – he is my teacher, which is good. And then I started to watch ‘wrestling’ [instead of lucha libre], and I discovered, ‘Booyaka, booyaka, 619!’ Rey Mysterio Jr., and that was amazing for me. I say, ‘He’s small[er] than me. He is not big like the other wrestlers. … I want to be like him.'”

On Wrestling Rey Mysterio at the First All In

“That was fantastic for me. That was a dream come true.”

Bandido will be in action tomorrow at AEW Double or Nothing 2026. He faces Swerve Strickland in the opening round of the men’s Owen Hart Cup tournament.

The event will be held aat Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. It will be broadcast live on pay-per-view. 411 will also have live coverage of the event.