WWE: Dia De Los Muertos: The best deceased Mexican wrestlers ever
Honorable mentions: Perro Aguyao, Ray Mendoza and Gory Guerrero
Perro Aguyao recently passed away in July of 2019. Aguyao was one of the founding members of the AAA promotion based in Mexico City. Some of his most memorable feuds were with Konnan, Cien Caras and the legendary El Santo. His record in mask vs hair matches(one of the most popular stipulations in Lucha Libre) is astonishing with 40 victories to 10 defeats.
While he spent the majority of his career under the AAA umbrella, Aguyao was the answer to a history question. He defeated Gran Hamada on March 26th,1981 in Japan to become was the 1st ever WWF light heavyweight champion. His legacy has not been forgotten among the many fans of Lucha Libre.
Ray Mendoza was a very popular wrestler in the 1950’s. Mendoza was a professional boxer before his career was short due to a back injury, he would discover wrestling after working as being seen by a local gym owner who suggested he should try his hand in professional wrestling.
Mendoza was crowned as the NWA World light heavyweight champion in 1959. In doing so, he became the 1st Mexican born light heavyweight champion in the storied promotion’s history. Like many Mexican wrestler before him, Mendoza has a lineage of sons who joined the wrestling business. The first three Villianos are all sons of Ray Mendoza. While they have carved out fantastic careers for themselves, Mendoza would be the one whose light shined the brightest among Mexican fans.
The most recognizable name on this list is Gory Guerrero. He is the legendary father of 4 boys who have made their mark on the wrestling industry. Eddie, Mando, Hector and Chavo Guerrero are names that many fans are quite familiar with. That being said, Gory Guerrero was an outstanding performer himself.
Gory Guerrero is one of the most innovative performers in wrestling history. He has been credited with inventing the camel clutch, the piledriver, power bomb and his most famous maneuver, the Gory special. The Gory Special is a backbreaker executed with your opponent on your back. Hooking your arms to your opponent, you can keep him in a submission move or drop your foe into a facebuster. Indeed a painful proposition.
Gory would go on to win many secondary NWA championships. He would also wrestle the great Lou Thesz for the NWA World heavyweight title. While he would fail in his quest to win the championship, Guerrero became a household name among fans Worldwide.