Comparing Hunico and the Original Sin Cara's Ring Work

Hunico at the helm of the Sin Cara character is an upgrade.

The original Sin Cara edges the man currently donning the mask in terms of athleticism, but Hunico is a more versatile and consistent in-ring performer. A reputation for being injury prone aside doesn't help Luis Ignascio Urive Alvirde's claim to the character, but on overall wrestling ability alone, Hunico is the better fit for Sin Cara.

The two men have been battling over gimmicks since their days in Mexico.

In the early '00s, Alvirde was known as Mistico. Hunico wrestled under that name as well. The inevitable legal battle followed, Hunico having to find a varied form of the moniker.

Both wrestlers competed under the Sin Cara name in 2011, a situation that ended with Sin Cara Azul (Alvirde) and Sin Cara Negro (Hunico) clashing in a mask vs. mask match. Alvirde won, once again forcing Hunico to change his ring name.

Now, Hunico has been wrestling as Sin Cara once again while Alvirde has stayed at home. The current Sin Cara can boast about two recent wins over Alberto Del Rio, likely a sign of a push coming.

Should the switch prove permanent, it will be the right choice in terms of their ring work. 

Areas Where Alvirde Is Better Than Hunico

• Leaping
• Speed

When Alvirde launches himself from the top rope, he looks like a man shot out of a cannon. He soars high into the air before landing on his foes.

That is a huge part of why there was so much buzz around him when he first debuted with WWE. Clips of work in Mexico as Mistico showcased a fantastic athlete.

His senton bomb is one of the best examples of that.

Alvirde reaches an impressive height with this move. His recent replacement doesn't match him there.

Hunico's version of the same move is impressive, but he doesn't get the same height on it. 

While grace is harder to measure than height, one would have to give Alvirde the slight edge in that department regarding this move as well. The difference is so minute, though, that many fans wouldn't notice.

Both are stunning wrestling moves from two athletic wrestlers.

The other area where original Sin Cara beats out new Sin Cara is speed. When Alvirde charges toward the ring during his entrance, his feet move like a cartoon character's.

When Hunico wrestled as Sin Cara Negro, his version of the entrance was not quite as dizzying.

Should the two Sin Caras compete in a high jump competition or race a 100-meter dash, Alvirde would win both contests. In terms of working a wrestling match, Hunico has the edge. He's plenty fast enough to dart around the ring and excite fans along the way.

Beyond that, his overall skill set beats out Alvirde's.

Areas Where Hunico Is Better Than Alvirde

• Striking
• Power
• Compatibility 

When the two met on the June 4, 2012, edition of Raw, a brief moment during the bout showed the contrast in their striking styles. 

The original Sin Cara tried to fight out of Hunico's grip by elbowing him. After Alvirde got his hit in, Hunico delivered his own. Alvirde's is uninspired, and Hunico's is like a sledgehammer.

This is where Hunico is most clearly ahead of Alvirde. The Sin Cara character isn't often asked to slug it out with anyone, but when Hunico plays the part, he can pepper that element into his matches.

He did that effectively against the original Sin Cara in their clash at Hell in a Cell 2011, throwing haymakers in between his acrobatic moves.

The two Sin Cara's difference is striking impact shows with kicks as well.

Alvirde's kick from the ring apron stings, but he too often delivers kicks to his opponent's thighs that are little more than love taps. In a battle against Sin Cara Negro, he anemically struck with his feet.

Hunico, on the other hand, kicks with more force resulting in far more believable strikes.

In a match on SmackDown, Hunico (as Sin Cara) pummeled Daniel Bryan's hamstrings, able to match viciousness with a master of the kick. Bryan's legs seemed to want to buckle.

It's hard to tell where the offense ends and the selling begins, a sign of the effectiveness of a wrestling move. Hunico surpasses Alvirde in this department.

The power portion of Hunico's offense is superior to Alvirde's as well.

Being about three inches taller and 20 pounds heavier than the original Sin Cara helps him effectively deliver moves like the Michinoku Driver.

Alvirde's repertoire doesn't include many moves like these. His forte is using moves common in Mexican wrestling like the head-scissors takedown and hurricanrana. Hunico is just as capable of pulling off those flashy moves but can punctuate them with a ring-rattling slam, like this one, better than his predecessor. 

This versatility is a part of why Hunico works better with more wrestlers.

Alvirde's best work has been against Hunico. Beyond that, his collection of greatest hits is minimal.

Too often, he's had awkward moments that disturb the audience's suspension of disbelief. Up against Del Rio on Raw from Aug. 19, Alvirde's arm-drag lacked smoothness. He followed that up with a suicide dive that ended with both men's noggins colliding.

WWE has struggled to find the original Sin Cara a rival who pairs well with him.

Hunico, on the other hand has had compelling ring work opposite Ted DiBiase and Justin Gabriel as well as his recent match against Del Rio that had the Seattle crowd chanting, "This is awesome!"

How often has Alvirde received that response since coming to WWE?

It's not surprising that WWE has seemingly decided to trade out one Sin Cara for another. Without even factoring any concerns about backstage divaism, injury-proneness and English-speaking ability, Hunico is the better all-around wrestler.

In making the switch from Alvirde to Hunico, you lose a few miles on the odometer and a few inches in vertical leap, but as a complete package, the latter improves the Sin Cara character.