Popular Mexican Wrestler Dies After Match With WWE Star
TIJUANA, Mexico, March 21 (UPI) — A popular Licha Libre wrestler died after absorbing a blow from a WWE star during a match in Mexico.
Pedro Aguayo Ramirez, 35, whose moniker was “Hijo del Perro Aguayo,” died Saturday morning after WWE star Oscar Gutierrez, 40, also known as “Rey Mysterio,” kicked him in the neck during a match in Tijuana.
The kick sent Aguayo against the ropes before he collapsed, and the match reportedly went on for several minutes before anyone realized Aguayo was not moving. He later expired in the Hospital del Prado in Tijuana due to a spinal cord injury.
The Baja California state prosecutor’s office said an investigation has been opened and it is looking into possible manslaughter charges.
“Licha Libre” is a form of high-flying pro-wrestling popular in Mexico. Wrestlers wear colorful masks and perform acrobatic moves against one another.
Gutierrez is known for the style in American wrestling organizations such as ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) and WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), formerly known as WCW (World Championship Wrestling), where he has performed for over two decades. Aguayo was highly popular in Mexico over the same period.
