Villano III
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| Villano III | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Arturo Díaz Mendoza |
| Born | March 23, 1952 [1] Mexico City, Mexico[1] |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Búfalo Salvaje Mancha Roja Pulpo Blanco Ray Rosas Rokambole Villano III |
| Billed height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1] |
| Billed weight | 96 kg (212 lb)[1] |
| Trained by | Felipe Ham Lee[1] Ray Mendoza[1] |
| Debut | January 29, 1970[1] |
Arturo Díaz Mendoza (born March 23, 1952) is a Mexican professional wrestler best known for performing under the stage name Villano III (in Spanish Villano Tercero). He is most famous for teaming with one or more of his brothers: Villano I, Villano II, Villano IV, and Villano V. His father is Mexican wrestling legend Ray Mendoza. Of the five Villano brothers Arturo is considered the most successful in terms of championship and Lucha de Apuesta (bet match) wins as well as the most talented luchador.[2]
Contents
Professional wrestling career
Arturo Díaz was born into a wrestling family; his father, Ray Mendoza, was already a successful luchador and his two older brothers José de Jesús and José Alfredo has begun wrestling in early 1969 when Arturo was just 17 years old. Arturo was trained both by his father and by Felipe Ham Lee, a family friend, before making his debut on January 29, 1970, under the name "Ray Rosas" (Ray after his father and "Rosas" after the color of his wrestling attire).[2] He later wrestled as various enmascarado (masked) characters such as Pulpo Blanco (Spanish for "White Octopus") and Mancha Roja ("Red Spot" or "Red Mark").[2] At one point he used the name Búfalo Salvaje ("Savage Buffalo"), a name also used by his older brothers for a while as they wrestled as Búfalo Salvaje I and II. In late 1970 or early 1971, his older brothers began wrestling as Villano I and Villano II and soon established that as the "family" name.[3] Arturo began wrestling as Rokambole, a name later used by his younger brother Raymundo as well, and often teamed with his older brothers.[2]
Universal Wrestling Association (1973-1994)
In 1973 Arturo's father and older brothers finally deemed him experienced enough to use the Villano name, becoming Villano III (Villano Tercero).[4] In 1975 Arturo's father joined with wrestling promoter Francisco Flores and investor Benjamín Mora, Jr. to form a new wrestling promotion called Universal Wrestling Association in direct competition with the company Ray Mendoza and Flores worked for, Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL). One of the reasons behind the split was that Mendoza felt EMLL were not giving his sons enough opportunities in the ring.[3] All three of the Villanos followed their father to the newly formed UWA. While his brothers worked as a tag team Arturo, as Villano III, became a singles competitor and pushed as one of the top stars, in no small part thanks to his father, but also because Villano III was the most talented of the Villanos.[3] On December 14, 1975, Villano III became the first ever UWA World Welterweight Champion by winning a tournament for the title.[5] Over the next couple of years Villano III defended the title in several main event matches, earning favorable reviews from the fans. His run with the Welterweight title lasted until May 29, 1977, when he was defeated by El Solar.[5] Following the title loss Villano III moved from the Welterweight division (with a maximum weight of 78 kg (172 lb)) to the light heavyweight division (with a maximum of 97 kg (214 lb)). On March 1, 1981, he defeated Fishman to win the UWA World Light Heavyweight Championship, a title his father had won as well.[6] Villano III lost the title back to Fishman 140 days later, ending the first of his two reigns with that championship.[6]
In the early 1980s Villano III became involved in a long, intense feud with Perro Aguayo, centering on the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship that the UWA promoted at the time. On March 20, 1983, Villano III defeated Aguayo to win the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship, beginning the first of seven reigns for Villano III, tied with Aguayo for most reigns with that title.[7] His first reign lasted 140 days before Aguayo regained the title.[7] The feud between the two also saw Villano III defeated Aguayo in a Lucha de Apuesta, hair vs. mask match, on August 21, 1983.[8] In 1985 Villano III defeated Gran Hamada to win the WWF Light Heavyweight Title for a second time.[7] Villano III's second title reign lasted 826 days, which is the longest of any WWF Light Heavyweight Champion in its history.[7] During the mid-1980s Villano III's brothers, Villano I and his two younger brothers Villano IV and Villano V who had taken the name in 1983, were involved in a heated feud with Los Brazos (El Brazo, Brazo de Oro, and Brazo de Plata); during this time Villano III and Villano IV teamed up with UWA mainstay Dos Caras to win the Mexican National Trios Championship from Los Brazos, but lost it back to them 26 days later.[9] Villano III's brothers would go on to unmask Los Brazos in a Lucha de Apuesta match in 1988.[10] Over the next few years Villano III traded the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship back and forth with Perro Aguayo, Rambo, and Sangre Chicana.[7] In 1991 Villano III began working against a young Canadian known as Pegasus Kid, sent to Mexico by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) to train and gain experience. Villano III and Pegasus Kid had a series of matches throughout 1991, including Pegasus Kid winning the WWF Light Heavyweight Title on March 3, 1991.[7] By late 1991. Pegasus Kid's learning excursion to Mexico came to an end, but not before Villano III defeated him in a Lucha de Apuesta match, forcing him to unmask and reveal his real name: Chris Benoit.[8] Villano III's seventh and last reign with the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship began on July 18, 1994, when he defeated El Signo. He held the title until January 1995 when the UWA closed and Villano III vacated the title with which he had been closely associated for more than ten years.[7]
Asistencia Asesoría y Administracíon (1995-1998)
In 1995 the UWA was forced to close down, leaving Los Villanos without a home base for the first time in their careers. The three brothers soon signed with Antonio Peña's Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) and began working for AAA as a trios group, marking Villano III's change from being primarily a singles wrestler to working more trios matches. In March 1996 Los Villanos defeated Cien Caras, Heavy Metal, and Latin Lover to become the inaugural holders of the AAA Americas Trios Championship, a championship created by Peña specifically for Los Villanos as AAA did not have an active Trios title at the time.[11] The team held the title until November 19, 1996, when they lost to Los Oficiales (Guadia, Oficial, and Vigilante), but regained the title less than two months later.[11] Los Villanos also became the first ever Meixcan National Atómicos Champions, teaming with Pierroth, Jr. to win the four-man team exclusive championship.[12] By mid-1996 Villano IV and Villano V had begun working for the US based World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In 1997 most of the wrestlers that worked for WCW split off from AAA to form Promo Azteca, which included Villano IV and V as well as their brother. By leaving AAA Los Villanos vacated both the Americas Trios title and the Mexican Atómicos title.[11][12]
World Wrestling Council (1998-1999)
During this time Villano III toured Puerto Rico several times, working for the World Wrestling Council (WWC) in Puerto Rico. He held the WWC Puerto Rican Championship twice.[13]
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
In late 1998 or early 1999 Villano III began working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). On December 25, 1999, Villano III and Super Astro teamed up to wrestle against Lizmark and Fishman in a Relevos Suicidas. When Villano III and Super Astro lost they were forced to wrestle against each other in a Lucha de Apuesta match. In the end Villano III won yet another Apuesta match, forcing Super Astro to unmask.[14]
Unmasked
on November 22, 1999, Villano III defeated Atlantis to win the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship. The title change was just one of the highlights of a long running feud between Atlantis and Villano III, a feud that also included III's younger brothers Villano IV and Villano V who no longer worked for WCW. On March 17, 2000, at CMLL's 2000 Juicio Final event, Atlantis won his biggest Apuesta victory to date as he defeated and then unmasked Villano III in a match that was voted the Wrestling Observer 2000 Match of the Year.[15] In 2010 SuperLuchas Magazine suggested that this may have been the lucha libre match of the decade for the 00s A few months later Villano III, IV and V defeated Escuadron de la Muerte ("The Death Squadron"; Cyborg Cop, Maniac Cop, and Vader Cop) to win the IWRG Intercontinental Trios Championship. Los Villano still worked for CMLL but they had a talent sharing arrangement with International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG) that allowed them to work for IWRG as well.[16] Villano III's CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship reign came to an end on September 7, 2001, when he was pinned by Shocker. Following the title loss Los Villanos worked more infrequently for CMLL, taking bookings both in IWRG and on the Mexican independent circuit as well. On March 21, 2002, Villano III's last title reign ended when Los Villanos were stripped of the IWRG Trios title as Villano V was injured and unable to defend the title.[17] In the latter half of the 2000s Villano IV and V have worked for CMLL while Villano III's CMLL appearances have been more sporadic, wrestling on the independent circuit. Villano III frequently appears in Lucha de Apuesta matches, having won the hair of Scorpio, Jr. (twice), Brazo de Oro, Brazo de Platino and El Cobarde II in recent years, only losing one Apuesta match, losing his hair against L.A. Park in a multi-man match on May 5, 2007.[8] In May, 2015 Mendoza announced that he would retire from active competition due to several knee injuries and diminishing eyesight leaving him unable to compete like he used to in the past.[18]
Personal life
Arturo Mendoza is the third son and third child overall of José Díaz Velazquez and Lupita Mendoza. His brothers, like himself all became wrestlers: José de Jesús (Villano I), José Alfredo (Villano II), Arturo, Raymundo Mendoza, Jr. (Villano V), and Thomas (Villano IV).[3] Lupita Mendoza died in 1986, his second oldest brother José Alfredo died in 1989, his oldest brother José de Jesús died in 2002, and his father José Diaz died on April 16, 2003.[3] Díaz was adamant that his sons get a good education instead of becoming wrestlers, wishing that they become lawyers or doctors as he wanted to spare them the physical suffering he experienced himself. Once he realized that his two oldest sons had begun wrestling under masks he agreed to train them and help their wrestling careers. He was also instrumental in training the rest of his son, although he insisted they both get college degrees before they were allowed to begin wrestling. Since his youngest son Thomas finished his education first he became known as "Villano IV" while Raymundo, the second youngest son, became Villano V".[3] Arturo's sons wrestle under the names Villano III Jr. and El Hijo del Villano III.[18] His nephews (sons of Raymundo) are also wrestlers, known as Kortiz, Kaving and Villano V Jr.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
Championships and accomplishments
- Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
- AAA Americas Trios Championship (2 time) – with Villano IV and Villano V [11]
- Mexican National Atómicos Championship (1 time) – with Villano IV, Villano V and Pierroth, Jr.[12]
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
- CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[19]
- Mexican National Trios Championship (1 time) – with Dos Caras and Villano IV[9]
- International Wrestling Revolution Group
- IWRG Intercontinental Trios Championship (1 time) – with Villano IV and Villano V[16]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him # 75 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 2000.[1]
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Match of the Year (2000) vs. Atlantis in Mexico City on March 17
- World Wrestling Association
- WWA World Trios Championship (1 time) – with Villano IV and Villano V[22]
Luchas de Apuestas record
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| Winner (wager) | Loser (wager) | Location | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villano III (mask) | Oso Polar (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Mr. Niebla (Original) (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Oso Polar II (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | César Valentino (hair) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Indio Vitela (hair) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Rubén Rubio (hair) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Toro Zúñiga (hair) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Cuervo (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Cuervo (hair) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Mariscal (hair) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Roy Meneses (hair) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Coloso Colosetti (hair) | Live event | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Centella Nolasco (hair) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Carlos García (hair) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Orfeo Negro (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Fantasma de Hidalgo (mask) | Live event | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | La Momia del Convento (mask) | Live event | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Mr. Dollar (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Médico I (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Bestia Roja (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | The Tempest (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) and Unknown (hair) | Los Hippies (hair) (Renato Torres and El Vikingo) |
Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III and Búfalo Salvaje II (mask) | Los Ángeles Infernales (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) and Unknown (mask) | Las Momias de Guanajuato (mask) | Unknown | Live event | Unknown | |
| Villano III (mask) | Rudy Espinosa (hair) | Ahuizotla, Mexico State | Live event | April 22, 1973 | |
| Villano III (mask) | La Cobra (mask) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | February 17, 1974 | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Jabalí (hair) | Tampico, Tamaulipas | Live event | May 6, 1974 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Ray Acosta (hair) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | August 4, 1974 | |
| Villano III and El Matemático (mask) | Los Hermanos Corzo I and II (mask) | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Live event | September 27, 1974 | |
| Villano III and El Matemático (mask) | Los Hermanos Corzo I and II (hair) | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Live event | October 1974 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Rudy Valentino (hair) | Tamaulipas | Live event | December 12, 1974 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Zebra Kid (mask) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | 1975 | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Infernal II (mask) | Unknown | Live event | February 4, 1975 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Orqídea Negra (mask) | Unknown | Live event | February 25, 1975 | |
| Villano III (mask) | La Sombra (mask) | Unknown | Live event | April 6, 1975 | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Desalmado (mask) | Unknown | Live event | July 13, 1975 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Lobo Rubio (hair) | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | July 26, 1975 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Máscara Negra (mask) | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Live event | August 10, 1975 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Estrella del Sur (mask) | Unknown | Live event | November 23, 1975 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Memo Ventura (hair) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | December 14, 1975 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Babe Face (hair) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | June 16, 1976 | |
| Villano III (mask) and Bobby Lee (mask) | Los Escorpiones I and II (mask) | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | August 13, 1978 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Alberto Muñoz (hair) | Veracruz, Veracruz | Live event | April 28, 1979 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Máquina Salvaje (hair) | Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico State | Live event | December 7, 1979 | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Signo (hair) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | August 1, 1982 | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Texano (hair) | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | August 15, 1982 | |
| Villano III and Unknown (mask) | El Estudiante I and El Estudiante II (mask) | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | January 20, 1983 | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Fantasma del Himalaya (mask) | Unknown | Live event | July 22, 1983 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Perro Aguayo (hair) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | August 21, 1983 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Flama Roja (mask) | Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua | Live event | May 1987 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Rambo (mask) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | September 25, 1987 | |
| Villano III (mask) and Perro Aguayo (hair) | Black Power I and Black Power II (mask) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | May 5, 1988 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Lockard (mask) | Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico State | Live event | October 21, 1988 | [23] |
| Villano III (mask) | Pegasus Kid (mask) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | November 3, 1991 | |
| Villano III (mask) | Rambo (hair) | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | September 24, 1993 | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Signo (hair) | Puebla, Puebla | Live event | July 25, 1994 | |
| Villano III (mask) | El Mastodonte (mask) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | February 9, 1997 | [Note 2] |
| Villano III (mask) | Super Astro (mask) | Tijuana, Baja California | Live event | December 25, 1999 | [Note 3][14] |
| Atlantis (mask) | Villano III (mask) | Mexico City, Mexico | 2000 Juicio Final | March 17, 2000 | [24] |
| Villano III (hair) | Máscara Año 2000 | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | August 4, 2000 | [Note 4] |
| Villano III (hair) | Rambo (hair) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | June 21, 2001 | |
| Villano III (hair) | El Signo (hair) | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | July 29, 2001 | |
| Villano III (hair) | Super Brazo (hair) | Cuernavaca, Morelos | Live event | February 28, 2002 | |
| Villano III (hair) | Brazo de Oro (hair) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | August 8, 2002 | |
| Villano III (hair) | Brazo de Plata (hair) | Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico State | Live event | September 16, 2002 | |
| Villano III (hair) | Kraken (hair) | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | March 15, 2003 | |
| Villano III (hair) | Pirata Morgan (hair) | Reynosa, Tamaulipas | Live event | October 28, 2003 | [Note 5] |
| Villano III (hair) | El Cobarde II (hair) | Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua | Live event | March 21, 2004 | |
| Villano III (hair) | Brazo de Oro (hair) | Unknown | Live event | July 11, 2004 | [Note 6] |
| Villano III (hair) | El Signo (hair) | Querétaro, Querétaro | Live event | August 13, 2004 | |
| Villano III (hair) | Veneno (hair) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | October 17, 2004 | |
| Villano III (hair) | El Signo (hair) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | January 16, 2005 | [Note 7] |
| Villano III (hair) | Super Brazo (hair) | Tampico, Tamaulipas | Live event | February 14, 2005 | [Note 8] |
| Villano III (hair) | Rambo (hair) | Acapulco, Guerrero | Live event | June 11, 2005 | |
| Villano III (hair) | Scorpio, Jr. (hair) | Xalapa | Live event | December 1, 2005 | |
| Villano III (hair) | Brazo de Oro (hair) | Querétaro | Live event | January 3, 2006 | |
| Villano III (hair) | Brazo de Platino (hair) | Cuautitlan | Live event | May 16, 2006 | [Note 9] |
| Villano III (hair) | El Cobarde II (hair) | Pico Rivera, California | Live event | March 10, 2007 | [Note 10] |
| L.A. Park (mask) | Villano III (hair) | Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | May 5, 2007 | [Note 11] |
| Draw | Villano III (mask) Mano Negra (mask) |
Mexico City, Mexico | Live event | November 25, 2007 | [Note 12] |
| Villano III (hair) | Scorpio, Jr. (hair) | Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico State | Live event | February 26, 2009 | [Note 13] |
Footnotes
- ↑ Though Villano III won the title seven times, none of the reigns are officially recognized by the World Wrestling Entertainment. No reign prior to December 1997 are officially is recognized by the WWE.
- ↑ Steel Cage match
- ↑ Lost a Relevos Suicidas match against Lizmark and Fishman and were forced to wrestle each other.
- ↑ Steel cage match that also included Perro Aguayo and Pierroth, Jr.
- ↑ Steel Cage match.
- ↑ Lost a Relevos Suicidas match against Shocker and Perro Aguayo, Jr. the previous week.
- ↑ Part of a Los Villanos vs. Los Misioneros de la Muerte match, the man pinned lost his hair.
- ↑ Four way match that also included Villano IV and Brazo de Platino
- ↑ Part of a Los Villanos (III/IV/V) vs. Los Brazos (Oro/Plata/Platino) Cage Match where the last man in the ring had his hair shaved off.
- ↑ Triangle match that also included Satánico.
- ↑ Cage of Death match that also included Blue Demon, Jr., Villano IV, Villano V, Silver King, Satánico and Hijo del Solitario.
- ↑ Exhibition match with wrestlers putting on masks they had lost in the past – and then going to a draw, with both "losing" their masks again.
- ↑ Finals of a "Losers advance" Ruleta de la Muerte tournament.
References
- General source – Lucha de Apuesta record
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- Specific
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