Atlantis Jr talks teaming with his dad, wrestling in the US, more

[Chris]

Atlantis Jr. is the son of legendary Mexican wrestler Atlantis. The young luchador is currently following in the footsteps of his father and working alongside him at CMLL.

His father, Atlantis, has worked with CMLL for his entire 40-year career.



Atlantis Jr. made his wrestling debut in 2017 and started his career with CMLL in late-2018. Since then, he has gone on to win La Copa Junior in 2022, and is currently both a CMLL Trios Champion with Star Jr and Volador Jr., and the current NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Champion in his first reign.

Just last month, Atlantis Jr. teamed up with his father to celebrate his father's 40 years in wrestling on the NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed card. It was an eight-man tag team bout that saw father and son team up with Mistico and Hiroshi Tanahashi in a win over Rocky Romero, Tiger Mask, Soberano Jr., and Adrian Quest.

Here are some highlights from my conversation with Atlantis Jr., conducted in Spanish and translated by Luis Pulido.

Teaming with his father

Atlantis Jr. has been lucky enough to team and travel with his father numerous times -- a number he estimated as well over 200 times.

"It is a great privilege because there are a lot of Juniors that do not have the opportunity to share the ring with their fathers, so being able to have that opportunity is a dream come true because ever since I was a child, I wanted to be like him.
I am about to celebrate five years as a professional wrestler and I have teamed up with my dad for over 200 matches and I am honestly very happy. I am more connected with my dad because we work together, we travel together, we share hotels together, and we are now more unified than ever because of it, so that is something really cool and I learn a lot, too.
My dad has lived a lot in wrestling and he knows all the tricks from number one to infinity, and I think he is the best counselor and best guide. The man that has been able to guide me to be a better professional has been my father."

He explained that when his father has his mask on, he is brought back to his childhood admiring him. However, when he has his mask off, he is simply his dad.

"I want him to scold me if he has to in order to keep growing and to mature as a professional wrestler. When he takes off the mask, that's my dad. It's completely different. We enjoy it 100%. We go out to eat, we go shopping, we do whatever. So, I really enjoy it a lot.
As soon as he starts to get dressed, he puts on the mask, I am like a little kid again with my eyes wide open, my mouth, my mouth open in awe because he still imposes. So, I think he is a gentleman. He is an incredible father, and as a wrestler, well, I think I have also told him that he is the best Mexican wrestler."

Of course, being the child of anybody who is great at what they do comes with pressure. He agreed that he had pressure pursuing the same career his father had done exceedingly well in.

"So obviously, the pressure was on but since that chip entered my head and I said, 'Let's see. I have to focus on my career, My father already did his thing, that's the character. Now I have to focus on my career, on what Atlantis Jr is.'
I have to take advantage of the opportunities, whether it's a tournament, whether it's a mask, whatever it is, I have to take advantage of it. And thanks to that, believe me, today I'm more relaxed, I enjoy it 100%, I have more fun, I'm more focused.
Nowadays, many people tell me that yes, it weighs me down. The truth is no, the truth is that I enjoy it 100%. I am now calmer. I think I have had opportunities, I have taken advantage of them, I have had falls, but as they say, from falls you learn and you have to get up stronger."

The AEW/CMLL relationship

He spoke on the newly-announced partnership between CMLL and AEW, saying that he doesn't want borders and wants to wrestle all over the world and be recognized worldwide.

"I don't want Atlantis Jr. to have borders. I want to go all over the world and I want it to be recognized worldwide and, well, if CMLL has an alliance with AEW, believe me, it would be awesome."

He mentioned Adam Copeland as somebody he would really like to wrestle in AEW.

"(AEW) also has wrestling legends like Edge (Adam Copeland) which would also be an honor to face him or be with him sharing the ring."

Additional names he mentioned as dream opponents included Tetsuya Naito, Will Ospreay and Sting.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/mexico/atlantis-jr-on-the-cmll-aew-relationship-working-with-his-father