Montenegro is very close with his brother.

“When he decided to come here, that was a little difficult for me,” Montenegro said. “I was in Mexico doing my studies, but I called him a lot. He is my best friend.”

Montenegro learned from his father, uncles, brother and family friend, Pablo Marquez, a CCW indie wrestler who trains talent in South Florida. Marquez worked for the original ECW, IWA, Michinoku Pro, WWC and briefly in WWE as Babu.

“Pablo is one of my good friends in Florida,” Montenegro said. “I appreciate everything he did for me.”

Montenegro got a tryout with WWE NXT, then known as FCW, based in Tampa.

“I almost started wrestling in Mexico for CMLL,” Montenegro said. “but then I spoke with John Laurinaitis [who was the WWE’s senior vice president of talent relations], and he told me they were going to sign me.

“There’s a really big difference between the Mexican style and the American style. There’s more psychology in the American style. So to prepare, I also started working with American wrestlers in Mexico.”

Montenegro is 6-1, 225 pounds.

“My brother is 6-4, and he weighs more than me,” Montenegro said, “but for me I have good size here in America. I try to mix a little of the Mexican style with the American style. I do high-risk moves and combine it with the American style, so that helps me a lot.”

Montenegro loves animals almost as much as wrestling.

“I had two dogs, a cat, fish, and a lot of animals growing up,” he chuckled.

His father practiced what he preached as he earned a degree, too, in health and fitness, becoming a chiropractor.

Good to have a chiropractor in the family with all the bumps and bruises, aches and pains from wrestling.

Montenegro is learning to adapt and improving each day. What is it like training for WWE with WWE NXT’s staff?

“It’s an incredible experience,” Montenegro said. “In the three, four months I’ve been here, I’ve already learned so much. I can’t believe how much I’ve learned so far. I want to thank Bill DeMott, Norman Smiley, Joe Mercury, Ricky Steamboat, because they really help me and tell me my mistakes to learn from and improve and get better.”

Norman Smiley, who grew up in Miami, is best known as Screamin Norman Smiley (with Ralphus) in WCW, but in Mexico, he had a successful run as Black Magic.

“I remember in 2003 that was his last match in Mexico,” Montenegro said. “I know a lot of the career of Norman. I have a good relationship with him. We’ll talk after my match about my match. He’s my coach, and he’s my friend. ”

Montenegro can check one off the bucket list after Friday’s show. Another would be to team with his brother and father in a six-man tag. Never say never. That occurred in FCW for the Rhodes family (Cody, Dustin, Dusty).

“That’s another dream match, being with my dad and my brother,” Montenegro said.

Montenegro lives in South Tampa. He’s not fond of the weather but enjoys the city.

Dos Caras, 61, competes on special occasions in Mexico and Japan for legends’ matches.

“He really likes it when some promoter calls him,” Montenegro said. “For him, staying at home is like being in prison.”