Beloved Masked Wrestler Confirms Retirement At 35 And Unmasks For The First Time On Live TV

A pretty surprising announcement came out of CMLL this week. Grako has officially retired from professional wrestling. The longtime masked star appeared on CMLL Informa and revealed that his run as an active wrestler has come to an end after spending years competing inside the ring.

Then Came The Moment Nobody Really Saw Coming

The retirement announcement was big on its own. But during the same appearance, Grako did something he had never done publicly before. He took off his mask.

For lucha libre wrestlers, masks aren't just part of the gear. They're tied to a wrestler's identity and history. That's why the moment felt like such a big deal. Fans had never seen Grako unmasked before. CMLL later shared the clip on its official social media pages and confirmed the news.

He's Not Leaving Wrestling Completely

One thing that got lost in all the retirement talk is that Grako isn't actually leaving the wrestling world.

According to CMLL, he's getting ready for a brand-new role as a referee. So while his wrestling career is finished, his time around the ring is far from over.

The promotion described it as the start of a new chapter after years of work as an in-ring performer.

Masks Have Been Getting A Lot Of Attention Recently

Interestingly, Grako's unmasking comes at a time when masks have become a major talking point across wrestling.

AAA recently pulled off a huge reveal involving El Grande Americano. After a Mask vs. Mask match, Chad Gable unmasked and revealed himself as the "Original" El Grande Americano.

The twist got plenty of attention and also brought more eyes to the traditions that have always been a massive part of lucha libre culture.

Another Wrestling Legend Has Been Linked To Retirement Talks

Grako isn't the only name connected to retirement conversations lately.

Rey Mysterio's future has been discussed quite a bit as well. The WWE Hall of Famer is currently AAA's General Manager, and many fans believe his legendary career could be getting close to the finish line.

Part of that comes from WWE continuing to tease another match between Rey and Dominik Mysterio. Some believe Rey could eventually call it a career after sharing the ring with his son one last time.

2026 Has Already Seen Some Big Career Decisions

This year has already been a notable one when it comes to retirement stories.

AJ Styles has already stepped away from active competition, with his final match taking place against Gunther at Royal Rumble 2026.

Brock Lesnar also looked to be done with wrestling earlier this year, although that situation changed pretty quickly.

For Grako, the next step seems much clearer. His days as a wrestler are over, and the next time fans see him around a match, it'll likely be as the official keeping order inside the ring instead of competing in it.