It is not easy to create new stars in Puerto Rico. Many times the mixture of discipline, patience, and good ability shows to be complicated for the new generation. Since the Internet became our information hub, those three factors for creating a new star have become blurred. On rare occasions, companies encounter wrestlers who meet all three of these qualities but fail to raise it at the right time or simply stop believing in it. This is why one classifies the recent success of the former WWL Americas Champion, Mark Davidson, as a beautiful example when the two developing worlds come together.
Davidson, who now has a solid presence in the middle of the La Liga Wrestling shows, has shown in the past five months what he thought might be of him when he arrived in a desolate World Wrestling League. This was trained by Star Roger and from before, his teacher could see what could be done with the so-called “white shadow”. Roger sought various ways to stimulate the young ward, including taking him to Panama with him and winning a tag team championship together.
Davidson’s WWL story begins with Richard Negrin’s (former WWL owner) last days as the company owner. Back then, Moody’s famous “multiverse” was in effect and the company was being transferred into the hands of Savio Vega. Davidson had a foot in CWS (the little school) and in WWL. He would pair with Justin Dynamite and Excellence Mantell to be crowned WWL Six-Man champions. Back then, the company’s two obvious glowing lights were Justin and Davidson, but when the multiverse pact is broken, Dynamite returned to CWA. WWL would then have to deal with a crude young man – Davidson – who did not have the same skills as his former partner.
While CWA went on the attack in Justin’s development, WWL took several pauses in developing Davidson. First, he put it with the charismatic third of Allison and Mantell, where they remained champions for a year. While Justin was preparing for his big push against Roger, Davidson was harshly turned and betrayed his third, which made him a despised heel for a time.
By 2019, Davidson seemed destined to rise further, as a cruiserweight champion, he had been given the first intentions to use it at the top of the card. However, many in the company (divided by several officers in charge of it) doubted the young man’s charismatic abilities. Davidson, who has always had one of the best technicians of the new generation and who always refines his technical struggle, failed in how to make the public interested in him.
By spring of last year, all seemed lost for Davidson. He struggled to defend the cruiserweight championship and people felt nothing. Everything changed when Tommy Diablo became his mouthpiece. This, plus the arrival of his former partner, Justin, put Davidson in a strange place. On the one hand, he would not be in charge of his promos. On the other, Justin, who surpasses Davidson in skill, has an immense connection with fans.
La Liga Wrestling finally had faith in this, knowing that if they didn’t invest now, they were in danger of not creating something from the root for the company. That night, when Tommy spoke for Davidson and would later help him beat his old friend (Justin Dynamit), La Liga found success. Davidson proceeded to have solid struggles with El Gentil and recently, in his rematch with Justin, they helped lift WWL’s first iPPV.
A company official commented, “I really can’t believe it, we took him raw and now, he has taken over his character.” He then added, “It really has been a beautiful development.” One of the fans who stayed late, after Pena Capital, added: “Mark is eating it with those matches, the best thing they did was not take the championship away from him now.” Although it is too early to see the final fruits of Davidson, one can see on the surface that he is on the right track, being a rare mix these days of good discipline and good drive for the company. Mark Davidson’s evolution has been beautiful for the moment.
*This essay appeared originally in the Spanish Wrestling magazine, Impacto Estelar.
