El Ligero


Simon Musk is an English professional wrestler better known under his in-ring persona of masked Mexican luchador, El Ligero. He is most known for his time in WWE, on their NXT UK brand. For years before signing to WWE he became famous competing on the European independent circuit for promotions such as Progress Wrestling and Defiant Wrestling.

Professional wrestling career

Independent circuit (2002–2018)

El Ligero has been a professional wrestler since February 2002. He has wrestled in the United States, Italy, Switzerland, France, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Romania and many times in the UK, for over 100 different wrestling companies. Some of the more prominent companies he has worked for include: Pro Wrestling Noah, 1PW, Grand Pro Wrestling, New Generation Wrestling, All Star Wrestling, Frontier Wrestling Alliance, WAW, IPW:UK, IWW, NWA Wildside, EWF, EWE, PBW, 2FC, DCW, RPW, XWA, 3CW, What Culture Pro Wrestling and over 75 other companies. He wrestles as one half of the tag team Hubba-Bubba Lucha alongside Bubblegum.
El Ligero was involved in the early days of Grand Pro Wrestling as a sidekick for JC Thunder. Ligero broke free from Thunder's grasp and the two had one of the most bloody bouts in British wrestling history in July 2005. Ligero has been a mainstay on the roster since 2004, and in April 2014 he captured his first and only singles title in the promotion as he lifted the British Championship after defeating Zack Gibson. Ligero lost the title in June 2015 to T-Bone.
In the Frontier Wrestling Alliance, since August 2009 he has been engaged in a bitter feud with Ross Jordan, who dramatically sawed the horns off his mask during a memorable in-ring segment at "Hotwired" in November of that year. In 2010, El Ligero appeared for Insane Championship Wrestling, entering a tournament to become the inaugural ICW Zero-G Champion but was unsuccessful.
El Ligero made his Southside Wrestling debut on 24 October 2010. He has battled many including Davey Richards & Johnny Gargano. His near 3-year feud with Martin Kirby has been the highlight of his time in Southside Wrestling where they have had an 'I Quit Match', Street Fight, No Ropes match and finally ended in a Steel Cage at the companies 3rd Anniversary. At the Speed King event on 30 May 2015 in Nottingham, El Ligero won the SWE Speed King Championship. He lost it to Jimmy Havoc on 8 August 2015 at the SWE Menace II Society V event.
On 20 October 2016, it was announced that Ligero would take part at the taping of the British professional wrestling promotion World of Sport Wrestling.

Pro Wrestling Noah (2008)

On 21 June 2008, El Ligero took part in an exclusive British six-man tag team match, on the pre-show of Pro Wrestling Noah's UK event at the Coventry Skydome. The team of Hubba-Bubba Lucha along with Luke "Dragon" Phoenix defeated Zack Sabre Jr., Dave Moralez and Mark Haskins. The match was voted UK Match of the Year 2008 by renowned British forum, the UKFF, and received rave reviews in publications such as Fighting Spirit Magazine.

Preston City Wrestling (2011–2016)

In August 2011, Ligero appeared on the inaugural Preston City Wrestling card, beating Prince Ameen in a first round match in the PCW title tournament. Later that night, a storyline injury caused by Lionheart and Noam Dar took him out of the second show and the rest of the tournament, his place being taken by Kris Travis.
Ligero returned to PCW in October to take on Noam Dar in a submission match. The next appearance for El Ligero at PCW was in a 6-man Money in the Bank match, taking on Kris Travis, Joey Hayes, CJ Banks, Bubblegum and Martin Kirby. On 2 June, he took on Dragon Gate star Akira Tozawa at PCW Guild Wars. He next took on Dave Rayne, who has rebranded himself as a cruiserweight, in a "Fans Bring The Halloween Themed Weapons" match at Fright Night, on 31 October.
Since then, Ligero has renewed his Project Lucha tag team with Martin Kirby. The beat Fight Club at PCW Invasion, however this was via disqualification so they did not win the tag team titles. Next was a loss to The Young Bucks on 18 January. At Road to Glory Ligero was defeated in the first round by Super Crazy. El Ligero participated in the 30-man rumble match at Spring Slam 2013, but was unsuccessful.
Ligero competed again for PCW at Final Fight where he again teamed with Kirby in a losing effort against the team of Dean Allmark and Japanese legend Ultimo Dragon. On 31 October 2015 at Fright Night 4, Ligero defeated Bubblegum for the PCW Cruiserweight title. He lost the belt a month later on 27 November 2015 at Supershow of Honor 2 – Show 1 to Adam Cole in an elimination 3-way match which also featured Bubblegum.

Progress Wrestling (2012–2019)

Ligero appeared on the debut show for England-based promotion Progress Wrestling and spent the first four events pursuing the Progress Champion, Nathan Cruz. Ligero eventually won the title at Chapter Four: the Ballad of El Ligero in November 2012. He dropped the title to Rampage Brown at Chapter Eight and disappeared from the promotion.
Ligero re-emerged at Chapter Eleven to complete his trilogy of Progress matches with Noam Dar. Having won the first two meetings, Ligero came up short in the third match. Ligero later began a feud with Michael Gilbert culminating in a brutal no disqualification match at Chapter Sixteen.
He later turned heel and was revealed as a member of The Faceless, and was confirmed as the holder of the tag team titles The Faceless had won alongside s returning Nathan Cruz.
Ligero returned to Progress in March 2019, when Eddie Dennis announced Ligero as his replacement for an 8-man No Disqualification match at Super Strong Style 16 2019 where Ligero will team with Mark Haskins, Jimmy Havoc and Mark Andrews to take on the Do Not Resuscitate faction

What Culture Pro Wrestling / Defiant Wrestling (2016–2018)

Various storylines and Internet Championship reign (2016–2017)

Ligero made his debut facing Martin Kirby on the first ever episode of What Culture Pro Wrestling on 27 June 2016 in a winning effort. The next week he was in a match against then ROH World Heavyweight Champion Jay Lethal. The match ended in a draw after Martin Kirby ran out and attacked Ligero and Lethal. The next week on Loaded, Martin Kirby faced "Fat Ligero" and began beating on him until the real Ligero ran out and chased Kirby away. Two weeks later, at Built to Destroy, the two opened the show, with a "Mask v. Pride" stipulation where if Ligero lost, he would have to unmask, and if Kirby lost he would have to wear a dress. After winning, he put Kirby in a sleeper hold and forcefully put the yellow flowery dress on him and then woke him up.
Next week, he took part a triple threat between Will Ospreay and Noam Dar. He answered the open challenge made by WCPW Champion Joseph Conners in the opening match of Loaded episode 8 in which he lost, ending his winning streak. He faced Travis Banks at Loaded episode 10 with Martin Kirby handcuffed to the ring ropes on the outside, in which he lost after Martin Kirby spat water into his eyes. At WCPW's first iPPV Refuse to Lose, he faced Alberto El Patron and Travis Banks in a triple threat match to become the inaugural WCPW Internet Champion in which he won. At WCPW True Legacy, Ligero successfully defended the belt against Pete Dunne, only to be attacked by Dunne's new partner, Travis Banks. They challenged Ligero to a Qualifier for the Adam Pacitti Tag Team Tournament, which had Alberto El Patron run in as his tag team partner. In the end, Ligero and Patron were defeated by Banks and Dunne.
On 30 November 2016, at the iPPV Delete:WCPW, Ligero lost the title to Cody Rhodes, where Cody's GFW NEX*GEN Championship was also on the line. On 30 January 2017 Ligero unsuccessful at winning the ROH World Championship against Adam Cole. On 21 March, at WCPW Pro Wrestling World Cup – English Qualifying Round Ligero unsuccessful at winning the ROH World Championship against Christopher Daniels. On 30 April, at the WCPW Pro Wrestling World Cup – Mexican Qualifying Round Ligero was involved in the Mexico Leg where he defeated Drago in the Semi-Finals and was defeated by Penta el Zero M in the Finals.

Heel turn and The Prestige (2017–2018)

On 2 June, at WCPW Fight Back Ligero turned heel helping Joe Hendry defeat his former rival Martin Kirby to retain the WCPW Championship in a Last Man Standing match, joining Hendry's Prestige stable in the process. On 16 June at Build to Destroy, Ligero would face his former rival Martin Kirby only if he put his Magnificent 7 briefcase on the line. He would beat Kirby to win the Magnificent 7 briefcase with the help of the new member of The Prestige Stevie Aaron. He would go on to hold it until he was beaten for it by Marty Scurll.
At the last WCPW event before the name change, Ligero tagged alongside Hendry, against Will Ospreay and the Southcoast Connection and Marty Scurll and The Young Bucks, winning the match. At Defiant Wrestling's #WeAreDefiant, he faced off against Travis Banks, but was unsuccessful. On 15 December, episode of Defiant, Ligero, alongside Hendry and David Starr, attacked Travis Banks, until CCK made the save.

WWE (2018–2020)

On 16 May 2018 it was revealed that El Ligero, wrestling under the ring name Ligero, would be one of 16 men competing in a one-night tournament to face Pete Dunne for the WWE United Kingdom Championship. He would lose to Travis Banks in the first round. Over Instagram, Ligero revealed he signed a UK deal with WWE. On 24 October edition of NXT UK, he would take on "Wild Boar" Mike Hitchman in a winning effort. At the January 2019 tapings, he won both his matches, one of which was against Mark Andrews. At the February tapings Ligero defeated Joseph Conners. At the WWE Worlds Collide that was filmed over WrestleMania 35 weekend, he defeated NXT's Albert Hardie Jr. and 205 Live's Gran Metalik in a triple threat match. On 14 May, he debuted on the Cruiserweight brand 205 Live, in a match against WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tony Nese. He would lose the match, and be attacked by Nese's rival Ariya Daivari after the match.
As part of the Speaking Out movement Ligero was accused of sexual harassment, manipulation and sexual assault. Ligero apologised in response the harassment and manipulation allegations but denied the sexual assault charge. Ligero was released from his WWE contract on 26 June 2020.

Championships and accomplishments

1Defeated Martin Kirby at Build to Destroy to win the Magnificent 7 Briefcase.

Luchas de Apuestas record

Winner Loser LocationEventDateNotes
El Ligero Martin Kirby Newcastle upon Tyne, EnglandWCPW Built To Destroy16 6 2016Kirby lost therefore he had to wear a dress.