When news broke that Mansoor was released alongside his Maximum Male Models tag team partner/platonic life partner Mace, it marked the end of an era for the WWE Universe.
Sure, basically everything that made Mansoor Mansoor during his initial run in the WWE Universe was thrown out the window when he joined the Maximum Male Models, as he went from an unbeatable star save for special occasions and matches in Saudi Arabia to a certified pin eater who was more often made the brunt of a joke than named the winner of a match but hey, it was still unusual to see the “International Hero” away from his long-time home, especially when it came so unceremoniously.
Fortunately, Mansoor isn't slowing down any time soon, as in a special New Year's Day post, he laid out a modus Operandi for 2024, declaring his intentions not just to take over the wrestling world but to do so on his terms.
“That is all I want out of this thing, to make people understand, not just the concept of professional wrestling but who I am. Because for the last five years, we have known a version of me, an abstract concept. But really, this is the first time we’re actually meeting,” Mansoor told fans on social media via Fightful. “So allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mansoor, and you will know me by my works because in 2024, I prove I am the most capable, captivating, charismatic performer in all of professional wrestling. Many of you laugh, and many of you will scoff at that statement. I look forward to nothing more than coming to your town and making you understand. That is the goal. My father, my mother, my sisters, my brothers, my wife, my daughter, my family, my friends, professional wrestling fans, every single person in every single country on God’s green earth, you, me, we are all going to understand because in 2024, I take over the professional wrestling world, and the world will rejoice. Why? Because I’m a godd**n international hero.”
What is the future of Mansoor in professional wrestling? Will he be able to prove that he's as good as WWE booked him like he was early in his career, turning in athletic masterpieces that would make performers like Will Ospreay, “Speedball” Mike Bailey, and Top Flight blush? Or will his abilities be exposed, as the “International Hero” hasn't wrestled a match of note since his match with Mustafa Ali in 2021? His match with Claudio Castagnoli in 2019? Ever? Needless to say, there's a lot riding on this run for Mansoor, as he probably doesn't want to be a comedy act forever.
Mansoor explains the moment his father “got” his wrestling career.
Elsewhere in his post on X, Mansoor detailed his desire to become a professional wrestler, which wasn't exactly condoned by his family. While Mansoor's father was aware of the sport, he didn't appreciate how folks from Saudi Arabia were often portrayed in it, which is a stigma the former WWE Superstar tried to change.
“When I was 17, I told my father I wanted to be a professional wrestler. He just kind of laughed and said, ‘Mansoor, people like us, that’s not what we do.’ I asked him what he meant, and he told a story about when he was in college in Miami,” Mansoor recalled. “He stumbled upon a professional wrestling show. A guy came out and they called him The Sheik. He was billed from Saudi Arabia, and he had the genie boots with the curled toes, the whole nine yards. He came out and he made mean faces, and everybody booed, and he got his a** kicked. My dad actually found him after the show, and he asked him, ‘What are you doing? Why are you making our people look bad?’ The wrestler looked at him and said, ‘Our people? Buddy, I’m Italian. I’m from Pensacola.’ For a long time, that’s what my dad thought professional wrestling was. Until four decades later, when his son had the match of his life against Claudio Castagnoli in front of 60,000 people in his hometown. I’ll never forget going up to him after the match and looking him in the eye, and him saying, ‘Mansoor, I understand.’ I have been chasing that feeling every single day.”
Fortunately for Mansoor, his storyline had a positive ending, as his father got to see him achieve his dream and work at the highest level in the business. If he can dominate this indie run and prove he's one of the top stars to watch in the world today, it's safe to assume his legend will only continue to grow.
Happy New Year.
See you soon🌎 pic.twitter.com/gHH0fUC1Ru
— Mansoor (@suavemansoor) January 1, 2024
Follow Us
Subscribe