Raul Mendoza Gets New Name – NXT Superstar Raul Mendoza has finally received a new ring name, as WWE is now billing the Legado del Fantasma member as Cruz Del Toro. Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett first referred to Mendoza as Cruz Del Toro during last night’s NXT 2.0 episode.
The new name has been confirmed on the official WWE roster page. Google translates the name to “Bull’s Cross” and Cruz tweeted on Tuesday to reflect the name change.
Cruz had been working under his real name of Raul Mendoza until now. He first began working with WWE in 2016 for the Cruiserweight Classic, but he signed a contract to join the NXT roster in early 2017.
Cruz and Joaquin Wilde have been original members of Legado del Fantasma with Santos Escobar since the group formed in June 2020. Elektra Lopez joined the group in August 2021. WWE has not changed any other Legado del Fantasma names as of this writing, but the other members have not been using their real names like Cruz was.
There’s no word on if this name change means a main roster call-up is in the works for Cruz. Raquel Gonzalez was changed to Raquel Rodriguez for her call-up to SmackDown last week, while Marcel Barthel was changed to Ludwig Kaiser when he and Gunther were brought up to the blue brand last Friday night.
Escobar is currently feuding with Tony D’Angelo, but they have not had their first match yet. Cruz and Wilde competed in the Gauntlet Match to determine new NXT Tag Team Champions on last night’s NXT 2.0 episode, which was won by Pretty Deadly, but they were the first team eliminated. Cruz and Wilde recently competed in the 2022 Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, but they were eliminated in the opening round after a loss to Edris Enofe and Malik Blade.
