Summary

Black Tiger says his days as Magnus are over, and he is treating the new identity as a full reset in CMLL.

The wrestler recently received authorization from CMLL and New Japan Pro-Wrestling to become the ninth Black Tiger. In discussing the change, he framed it as more than a new mask or presentation, saying the Black Tiger era is meant to push him into a bigger spot in the promotion and beyond it.

He also tied the character change to unfinished business with Tiger Mask, while naming future goals that include championship success, more work in partner promotions, and a future showdown with Mistico.

Quote from Black Tiger

Black Tiger opened the interview by making it clear he no longer wants to be referred to by his previous name:

"I am doing very well, thank God, but let me tell you something: Magnus is dead. I'm asking you not to mention that name anymore, because around here, I'm Black Tiger ICHIBAN."

He later explained why the Black Tiger identity matters so much to him, especially after his past matches with Tiger Mask at FantásticaManía:

"First of all, there's a story behind this. Why? Because in my debut at FantásticaManía in 2024, my first match was against Tiger Mask, a Lightning Match, and of course, everyone knows it ended in a draw, but from that moment on, I proved what I was made of. At that time, I wore an outfit very similar to Black Tiger's. Why? To throw Tiger Mask off balance. This year I also have the opportunity to compete at FantásticaManía, and we all know this is Tiger Mask's retirement year, but it won't be just any retirement... Black Tiger is going to retire him!"

When speaking about the changes around Los Depredadores and his own role going forward, he said:

"Right now, everything's up in the air. We don't know what's going to happen. What's going on right now? Right now, I'm going through a Black Tiger phase; the Black Tiger era has just begun. You said it yourself: there was a phase; it was a different character; now, with Black Tiger, anything can happen. Black Tiger doesn't recognize hierarchies, doesn't recognize brothers, doesn't recognize cousins, doesn't recognize parents, doesn't recognize anything. Right now, I'm blinded by rudeza, by the rage to prove what Black Tiger is made of. It doesn't matter who it is, it doesn't matter if it's Volador, it doesn't matter who stands in front of me. We're going to move forward, show what we're made of, and why we were given the opportunity to carry the name and the sacred mantle of Black Tiger. With the authorization of New Japan Pro Wrestling and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, we're going to show why I was the one chosen to take down all these tecnicos and every wrestler who stands in my way."

Black Tiger also spoke about teaming with Averno early in this new run:

"It's worth noting that he's currently one of my coaches; Averno is one of my mentors, so being able to team up with the king, El Amo y Señor, of course, for me, it's a magnificent experience. Sharing the ring with my mentor, and, of course, he was one of the people who helped me humiliate Tiger Mask right from the start of the entire tournament tour. We humiliated guys like Tiger Mask, like Místico, like Máscara Dorada. Well, we fell short, just one step away from winning that cup, but, of course, we swept the floor and mopped the ring in every city in Japan with those paper idols."

Looking back at his earlier CMLL run and ahead to what he wants now, he added:

"It's been very different because from the very beginning, I had been an on-and-off. I was never fully involved. I'd go back and forth. So what do I plan to do as Black Tiger? Give it my all, go on tour, wear CMLL's jersey, etch it into my skin, carry New Japan with me, and represent them to the best of my ability anywhere in the world, because I'm here to build a solid career in CMLL from now on: no more on-and-offs, no breaks; being Black Tiger 100%. Being at CMLL's top events and the world's top events, and, why not?, represent the best flag: Mexican wrestling and also Puroresu wrestling with New Japan Pro Wrestling, because I want to give this sacred mantle my very best. I know there have been great competitors, but, as I mentioned, I'm going to give 100%, 1,000%, and 1,000,000% so that this version is the one everyone remembers for generations to come."

Black Tiger finished by laying out the names and prizes he is chasing next:

"Why not aim, alongside my mentor Averno, to win that CMLL World Tag Team Championship? I don't know, maybe even win a singles championship, whether it's the historic one or the World Council title. Why not also aim to compete in some of New Japan's biggest tournaments, make it to the United States, and even go to Europe? We have many partnerships: RevPro, MLW, and AEW. We have many avenues to reach, so I just want the Black Tiger era to be known worldwide and to win singles championships. We also all know that there is a great idol here in Místico. We all know, too, that Místico is made of paper, that Místico doesn't even give a tough guy a scratch, of course, least of all Black Tiger. So, Místico, I will corner you; I want to face you here at Arena México, and why not? To get even for everything you did at the Edion Arena in Osaka. You knocked me out of a major tournament: the NJPWFantastica Mania 2026 Tag Team Tournament. So now you're going to pay, make no mistake, and you're going to pay with blood."

Black Tiger's CMLL direction after the Magnus change

Black Tiger naming Tiger Mask, Místico, Averno and the CMLL World Tag Team Championship gives this character shift immediate direction instead of leaving it as a cosmetic relaunch. The strongest thread in his comments is that he wants this version of himself tied to bigger rivalry matches and higher-profile spots inside CMLL.

His comments also place New Japan and CMLL's wider partner network into that goal. That does not guarantee title matches or international dates right away, but it does show Black Tiger is presenting this run as a serious long-term push rather than another stop-start phase in the promotion.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.