Carlito has lined up his first match since his recent departure from WWE. He is set to face another former WWE star, Matt Riddle.
The match was announced by the Big Time Wrestling promotion. It will take place on Friday, July 25th, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
A New Chapter For Carlito
This booking marks the first step in a new chapter for Carlito’s career. His WWE contract officially expired in June 2025.
He announced his departure on social media earlier that month. He has since become a free agent and is available for bookings.
Clash Of Former WWE Stars
The match pits two charismatic former WWE United States Champions against each other. It is being billed as a “Battle for the King of BTW.”
WWE Hall of Famer Sting is also scheduled to make an appearance at the event. He confirmed this news in late June, stating that he had two weeks left on his deal. Carlito joked about the situation, saying WWE wanted him to pay back his salary for “stealing” money from them, according to multiple wrestling news outlets.
He also expressed gratitude to WWE and the fans, stating, “All jokes aside, gracias WWE & especially the WWE universe. Los quiero mucho.”
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Carlito’s WWE career began with one of the most memorable debuts in company history. In his first match on SmackDown in 2004, he defeated John Cena to win the United States Championship.
He continued this trend of instant success by winning the Intercontinental Championship in his Raw debut match the following year, becoming one of the few to accomplish this feat. With his signature apple-spitting and “cool” persona, he was a staple of the mid-card.
He later found his greatest championship success alongside his brother, Primo. At WrestleMania 25, they made history by becoming the first team to unify the WWE and World Tag Team Championships.
After his first departure in 2010, Carlito made sporadic appearances before a massive crowd reaction at Backlash 2023 in Puerto Rico led to his full-time return. He joined the popular Latino World Order (LWO) faction and later The Judgment Day. It’s unclear whether Carlito has an interest in going to AEW or TNA Wrestling.
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