Why Mr. Iguana's Name Is Actually Clever As Hell

It could be argued that June has been the month of luchador Mr. Iguana. That's not too shabby for a performer that, just over a month ago, many couldn't have picked out of a lineup, and most wouldn't have cared to know about if they were north of the border. But Iguana and his good pal Yezca, his "pet lizard" for those keeping score at home, were able to change their fortunes thanks to the right platform, WWE's Worlds Collide event, and the right performance, with Iguana, Yezca, and their antics stealing the show during the opening match. As such, it's now expected that Iguana will be a mainstay in WWE either on "NXT" or the main roster, though a follow up hasn't come yet aside from crowd appearances in "NXT," perhaps brought on by an interview Iguana gave in Mexico that may have gotten him in some hot water.

If that is the case, it's nothing that Iguana hasn't had to deal with before. For all the talk of the luchador being an overnight sensation, the 37 year old is actually a long-tenured, well respected veteran in Mexico, pretty much from the time he first burst onto the scene. He worked for every major promotion in his home country, including CMLL and AAA, where he's been the last seven years, wracked up a few title wins, and for all the hoopla over his comedic antics, has quietly been one of the best flyers in lucha libre during that time. In between it all, he even found a way to make a pretty damn good sugar cookie. But somehow, more impressive than all of Iguana's in ring skill, comedic timing, and baking prowess, might just be his name, the potential double entendre to end all double entendre's.

Now that may seem to be a little off base and, potentially, it could be. After all, what other meaning could there be for Mr. Iguana's name? He is, after all, quite green, much like an actual iguana. Meanwhile, Yezka, himself a lizard, is also green, which again fits with the whole "he's a lizard" theme Iguana has going on. Add it all up, and it sure seems like there's nothing more to look at there other than "this man is going for a reptile gimmick." And given Iguana hasn't really commented on the matter, that may be all there is. But for those who look deeper, the next question they could ask themselves is this; what else does Iguana look like? And the answer to some would be "a pot leaf."

Again, that may seem far fetched...but not if you really stretch it. First there's the name. Mr. Iguana and marujuana may not seem like they go together at first blush, but if you say it quickly, the similarity is, in fact there. Perhaps the more glaring piece of evidence that Iguana's name is a code for pot, however, is Yezka. That's because yesca is a commonly known slang term for marujuana, as well as the name of several different marujuana strains. Again, could this be coincidence? Sure. Could Yezka's name instead be a shoutout to a publication for the Spanish communist political party Worker's Party, or the Castile youth organization called Yesca? Sure. Then again, between Iguana's green appearance, and Yezka's name, it's difficult to see that Iguana's name is anything other than a clever reference to weed.