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Lucha Legend Perro Aguayo Passes Away at Age 73

It’s been a rough week for the wrestling community, as yet another former legend has passed away. One of the most famous and influential Mexican stars all of lucha history, it was announced on Wednesday that Perro Aguayo had passed away at the age of 73.

Perro Aguayo made his debut in 1968 and by 1972 was working for Empresa Mexicana De La Lucha Libre (EMLL – they would become CMLL in the 1990s). In 1976, he would become a major star with Universal Wrestling Association (UWA), where he became a 2x UWA World Light Heavyweight Champion and a 3x NWA World Middleweight Champion. He was the last major rival for El Santo before the legendary lucha godfather retired from the ring.

He made his NJPW debut in 1979, and had several tours throughout the 1980s to Japan. In 1981, he competed in the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship tournament to crown the first champion (at the time WWF was in alliance with NJPW). While the partnership with WWF would disappear when Vince McMahon Jr. took control in 1982, the WWF Light Heavyweight title remained a hot title in Japan and lucha libre. Aguayo held the belt for seven reigns throughout the 1980s. It actually remained being defended in Japan until WWE recalled the title in 1997 to reboot for itself.

In 1992, Aguayo jumped ship from his longtime home of CMLL/EMLL to join Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), an upstart promotion that was going to challenge CMLL for wrestling domination. AAA was founded by former CMLL booker Antonio Peña. The signed new young stars like Rey Mysterio Jr. and Psicosis, but also brought in many of CMLL’s top stars, like Aguayo, Negro CasasOctagón and Blue Panther.

Perro Aguayo wrestled for 33 years, finally retiring in 2001. His son, Perro Aguayo Jr., was also a very successful and revolutionary wrestler, who sadly passed away following an accident in the ring back in 2015. He was inducted into the AAA Hall of Fame in 2012.

The staff of Last Word on Pro Wrestling sends our condolences to the entire Aguayo family, friends and peers during this hardship.

https://twitter.com/Ligero1/status/1146582155239313408

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