There are already so many superstars struggling for screentime on WWE television, and it doesn't look like 2025 is going to make it easier, with AAA superstars making waves upong being incorporated into the pro wrestling organization. Mr. Iguana was a stand-out superstar for the promotion at Worlds Collide, and after all the superstars' praise we've seen in recent days, I think the oddball athlete is destined for upcoming WWE events.
Fans love wrestlers with strange gimmicks, and it doesn't get much stranger than Mr. Iguana. If you had told me we'd be fawning over a man with green face paint and a stuffed animal when watching Money In The Bank, I might have thought it was a tie-in to another streaming project available with a Peacock subscription.. Now, I'm ready to buy my own reptile-emblazoned T-shirt, and I have a feeling we'll see that kind of merch pretty soon, based on these encouraging signs.
JBL Thinks Mr. Iguana Can Do Well In The United States
John Bradshaw Layfield isn't just a beloved legend in the WWE, he's also one of the co-owners of AAA. Suffice it to say, he's going to plug anyone on the roster and hype them up as much as possible. It'd be justified with a number of promising brawlers on the AAA team, but everyone is understandably captivated by Mr. Iguana.
JBL was interviewed on Something To Wrestle and confirmed he's as big a fan of Mr. Iguana as everyone else. Not only that, he pointed out that he "lives the gimmick," and knows a good deal about the animal he gets his namesake from:
He’s an iguana fan. He’s not just — I mean, this isn’t just some bullshit gimmick that he’s carrying around. He knows all about iguanas — this comes out of a passion that he has for iguanas. And I was talking to him last time about you know, ‘You need to do some stuff like Ricky Steamboat did with the dragon and all this stuff. The vignettes not in the ring, because you don’t have a problem with PETA, if you start bringing live animals in the ring and so some something gets stepped on or something.
Ricky Steamboat is a phenomenal wrestler to emulate, as one of the most popular WWE wrestlers to never win the top title. It's no surprise JBL would throw that name out there for Mr. Iguana to aspire to, but could he ever reach the same level of success as "The Dragon"?
It's a lofty goal, but JBL thinks Mr. Iguana has the potential to really take his character to the next level. In fact, he's already been a big success in Mexico, and Layfield thinks he'll also hit it off with the American crowd with a few tweaks:
But he is just a good person. He knows the business. He’s gotten over like a million dollars. And I agree with you, this is a merch bonanza, this kid. They’re going to sell so many freaking iguanas. And it’s not just because he’s got a colorful look and a colorful little iguana that goes with him. It’s because of him. Again, it’s hard to get over. That kid has gotten over in Mexico…what worked in Mexico is going to have to morph a little bit to what works in the United States. And he’s smart enough to do it.
It's a good time to be a luchador in the WWE, as Penta continues to win over crowds. We also have Dominik Mysterio as the Intercontinental Champion, and his recent title defense against Octagòn Jr. opens the door for more AAA talent to take him on. Could Mr. Iguana be the next man up to challenge?
Mr. Iguana Received His Own Vignette On Monday Night Raw
The idea of Mr. Iguana challenging Dominik Mysterio isn't so hard to believe for me, especially after seeing his vignette on Monday Night Raw on Netflix. For those that missed it, the WWE put it up on its social media for all to see:
IGUANA CLUB 🦎@MrIguana & La Yezca captivated all of us and we want more! pic.twitter.com/PTEUh9hDiZJune 10, 2025
I'm ready to buy a stuffed iguana right now, so I'm hoping the WWE straps a rocket to this guy. Let's get Mr. Iguana going on the main roster, especially with the void for comedic wrestling left after R-Truth's character turn and Carlito's release. I think this guy could be the most PG version of Goldust we'd get in 2025.
We'll see if Mr. Iguana pops up on SmackDown, which airs on USA on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm eager to see what other AAA stars could be worked into the WWE roster, and how this further changes the landscape of one of pro wrestling's biggest companies.
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