JOAQUIN WILDE

Michael Paris is a 37-year-old professional wrestler from Los Angeles, California. He is currently signed with the WWE and performs on RAW under the ring name, Joaquin Wilde.

Paris started training to become a wrestler in 2003 at the Coalition of Competition in Pennsylvania. He made his wrestling debut as, Shiima Xion, the “first Filipino male model of wrestling” on August 21, 2004, against Jason Gory for Black Diamond Wrestling. Paris competed throughout West Virginia and Ohio until 2004 since he was under 18.

Paris’ International Wrestling Cartel Debut

Once he turned 18, Paris began competing regularly for the International Wrestling Cartel, as well as making appearances in Chikara, Far North Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling Unplugged. By 2006, Paris’ Xion persona evolved into more of a glam rock star than a male model. He began wearing make-up to the ring, and had also changed his hair color from black to red/blonde. Xion’s hair style soon became his trademark, becoming best known for hairspraying his hair during matches.

In 2011, Paris began wrestling for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and he is best known for his work for the promotion. He was a two-time X Division Champion and wrestled using the ring names DJZ and Zema Ion for the promotion.

Between 2004 to 2019, Paris worked for various wrestling promotions including Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW), Far North Wrestling and Mexican promotions including International Wrestling Revolution Group, Lucha POP and X-Project.

Paris’ WWE Contract & Debut

In 2019, WWE offered Paris a WWE contract and was given the ring name, Joaquin Wilde. He made his in ring debut in the NXT Breakout Tournament losing in the first round to Angel Garza. In December, he made his debut on WWE’s 205 Live show defeating a local competitor.

On the April 1st 2020 episode of NXT, after a match with Kushida, Wilde was abducted in the parking lot by a van full of men in black clothes and luchador masks. Wilde made his return on June 10th; it was then revealed Wilde along with Mendoza were the mysterious masked men. They then aligned themselves with Santos Escobar and attacked Drake Maverick.

On the June 17th episode of NXT, Escobar revealed the name of his new faction with Wilde and Mendoza as “Legado del Fantasma.” Escobar, Wilde and Mendoza then attacked Maverick putting him through a table. In their first match as a team, Legado del Fantasma defeated Maverick and Breezango in a six-man tag team match on the second night of The Great American Bash.

Legado del Fantasma’s Feuds

Wilde and Mendoza then began competing in NXT’s tag team division and on 205 Live. At NXT TakeOver 30, Wilde and Mendoza faced Breezango (Fandango and Tyler Breeze) and the team of Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch in a triple threat match to determine the #1 contenders for the NXT Tag Team Championship. Wilde and Mendoza were unsuccessful.

At the night one of Super Tuesday, Legado lost to Isaiah “Swerve” Scott and Breezango in a street fight when Scott pinned Escobar. As a result, this led to a match between Escobar and Scott for Escobar’s Cruiserweight Championship at NXT TakeOver 31. At TakeOver 31, Wilde and Mendoza assisted Escobar in retaining the title.

In 2021, Wilde and Mendoza entered the 2021 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. They lost to the eventual winners MSK (Nash Carter and Wes Lee) in the semifinal round. They also faced MSK and Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson) on night one of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver in a match with the Tag Team titles on the line. MSK won.

On night two of Stand & Deliver, Wilde and Mendoza assisted Escobar in defeating the reigning Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin in a ladder match to become the undisputed Cruiserweight Champion.

At NXT Takeover: In Your House, Legado del Fantasma faced NXT North American champion, Bronson Reed and NXT Tag Team champions, MSK in a winners take all, six man tag team match. Legado del Fantasma lost the match.

On the August 24th episode of NXT, Elektra Lopez made her debut assisting Legado Del Fantasma to a win against Hit Row.

Legado del Fantasma Drafted to SmackDown

On the October 7th edition of SmackDown, Wilde alongside Cruz Del Toro and Santos Escobar joined Zelina Vega on the SmackDown brand. On the March 10th episode of Smackdown, Wilde alongside the rest of Legado Del Fantasma helped Rey Mysterio against The Judgment Day, turning face in the process.

Rey Mysterio reformed the Latino World Order on March 31st and invited Legado Del Fantasma to join as a token of appreciation for aiding him in his fight against his son, Dominik, and The Judgement Day. At the WWE Draft 2023, Joaquin Wilde was drafted to SmackDown.  On the November 10th episode of SmackDown, Escobar defected from LWO and removed Vega, Wilde and Del Toro from Legado del Fantasma the following week. On the December 1st episode of SmackDown, Wilde wrestled his first main roster singles match against Escobar but was defeated.

Wilde and Del Toro participated in the 2024 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament. They defeated Chase University’s Duke Hudson and Riley Osborne on the January 16, 2024 episode of NXT. They lost to Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams in the semifinals two weeks later. At Night 2 of the 2024 WWE Draft, LWO were drafted to the RAW brand.

Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde

STATS

Birth name: Michael Paris
Born: October 5, 1986, Los Angeles, California, USA
Height: 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight: 180 lb (82 kg)
Spouse: Rebecca Schott
Children: 1
Ring Name(s): DJZ, DJ Zema, Joaquin Wilde, Michael Montecarlo, Shiima Xion, Zema Ion
Current Roster: WWE RAW
Finishing Move(s): 630° senton

Joaquin Wilde’s Social Media:

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Joaquin Wilde Photos

Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde
Joaquin Wilde

Career Championships and Accomplishments

  • AAW: Professional Wrestling Redefined
    • AAW Heritage Championship (2 times)
  • Absolute Intense Wrestling
    • AIW Absolute Championship (1 time)
    • Absolute Intense Wrestling Intense Championship (1 time)
    • AIW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
    • Todd Pettengill Invitational (2011)
    • Triple Crown Champion
  • Championship Wrestling Experience
    • CWE Undisputed Championship (1 time)
  • Dramatic Dream Team
    • Takechi Six Man Tag Scramble Cup (2006)
  • Far North Wrestling
    • FNW Cruiserweight Championship (2 times)
  • Glory Pro Wrestling
    • United Glory Tag Team Championship (1 time)
  • Independent Wrestling Association East Coast
    • IWA East Coast Zero-G Crown (2008)
  • International Wrestling Cartel
    • IWC Super Indy Championship (2 times)
    • IWC Tag Team Championship (2 times)
    • World Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
    • IWC Super Indy IX Tournament (2010)
  • International Pro Wrestling
    • IPW Texas Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
  • Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide
    • Best Match of the Night (2017)
  • New Era Pro Wrestling
    • NEPW United States Tag Team Championship (1 time)
  • Real Championship Wrestling
    • RCW Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
  • Total Nonstop Action Wrestling / Impact Wrestling
    • Impact World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
    • TNA / Impact X Division Championship (2 times)
    • TNA X Division Championship Tournament (2012)
    • Feast or Fired (2013 – X Division Championship contract)