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Despite being forced to retire from professional boxing, Díaz kept in shape by lifting weights at a local gym. The gym owner was impressed with Díaz's physique and work ethics and recommended he become a professional wrestler. Díaz was originally trained by Ray Carrasco and later also trained under Rogelio de la Paz, Genaro Contreas, Raul Rojas and [[Huracán Ramírez|Daniel García]]; the latter would later be famous under the name of "Huracán Ramírez".[ Díaz made his professional wrestling debut in 1954, using the [[ring name]] "El Pelón" ([[Spanish language|Spanish]] for "Baldy") Chato Díaz, then later on worked under names such as "Indio" Mendoza, El Rayo Rojo and El Hombre del Rayo Rojo. He also worked for a while as an ]''[[wrestling mask|masked]] character called Gargantua between 1954 and 1955. In 1955, Díaz came up with the ring name "Ray Mendoza", after his mentor Ray Carrasco and his wife's maiden name Mendoza. As Mendoza, he quickly forged a very effective ''[[Heel (professional wrestling)|rudo]]'' character ("bad guy") by using well developed physique and charisma to create a ring character that the fans loved to hate.[ In 1956, Mendoza began working for [[Salvador Lutteroth]]'s [[Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre|Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre]] (EMLL), the world's oldest and Mexico's largest wrestling promotion. He made his debut at EMLL's main arena [[Arena Coliseo]] in February 1956 in a [[Battle royal (professional wrestling)|battle royal]] that also included EMLL headliners [[Gory Guerrero]], [[El Santo]], [[Cavernario Galindo]], [[Blue Demon]] and [[Black Shadow (wrestler)|Black Shadow]], a match that immediately established him as someone who Lutteroth saw potential in.][ In EMLL, Mendoza struck up a friendship with [[René Guajardo]] and [[Karloff Lagarde]] out of the ring and a "partnership in crime" in the ring as the three became one of the most hated trio in professional wrestling at the time. The three drew full houses all over Mexico, setting box office record after box office record as they faced ''[[Face (professional wrestling)|técnicos]]'' ("good guy") such as El Santo, [[Rayo de Jalisco]] or Blue Demon. They also had a very financially successful feud with ''[[Los Espantos]]'' ([[Espanto I]], [[Espanto II]], and [[Espanto III]]) in what at the time was a rare ''rudo'' vs. ''rudo'' feud. Outside the ring Mendoza, Guajardo and Lagarde often spoke out on behalf of the wrestlers, demanding higher pay and better conditions, and since they were able to generate a lot of ticket sales, EMLL officials listened to their demands.] |
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Despite being forced to retire from professional boxing, Díaz kept in shape by lifting weights at a local gym. The gym owner was impressed with Díaz's physique and work ethics and recommended he become a professional wrestler. Díaz was originally trained by Ray Carrasco and later also trained under Rogelio de la Paz, Genaro Contreas, Raul Rojas and [[Huracán Ramírez|Daniel García]]; the latter would later be famous under the name of "Huracán Ramírez".[ Díaz made his professional wrestling debut in 1954, using the [[ring name]] "El Pelón" ([[Spanish language|Spanish]] for "Baldy") Chato Díaz, then later on worked under names such as "Indio" Mendoza, El Rayo Rojo and El Hombre del Rayo Rojo. He also worked for a while as an [[wrestling mask|masked]] character called Gargantua between 1954 and 1955. In 1955, Díaz came up with the ring name "Ray Mendoza", after his mentor Ray Carrasco and his wife's maiden name Mendoza. As Mendoza, he quickly forged a very effective ''[[Heel (professional wrestling)|rudo]]'' character ("bad guy") by using well developed physique and charisma to create a ring character that the fans loved to hate.][ In 1956, Mendoza began working for [[Salvador Lutteroth]]'s [[Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre|Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre]] (EMLL), the world's oldest and Mexico's largest wrestling promotion. He made his debut at EMLL's main arena [[Arena Coliseo]] in February 1956 in a [[Battle royal (professional wrestling)|battle royal]] that also included EMLL headliners [[Gory Guerrero]], [[El Santo]], [[Cavernario Galindo]], [[Blue Demon]] and [[Black Shadow (wrestler)|Black Shadow]], a match that immediately established him as someone who Lutteroth saw potential in.][ In EMLL, Mendoza struck up a friendship with [[René Guajardo]] and [[Karloff Lagarde]] out of the ring and a "partnership in crime" in the ring as the three became one of the most hated trio in professional wrestling at the time. The three drew full houses all over Mexico, setting box office record after box office record as they faced ''[[Face (professional wrestling)|técnicos]]'' ("good guy") such as El Santo, [[Rayo de Jalisco]] or Blue Demon. They also had a very financially successful feud with ''[[Los Espantos]]'' ([[Espanto I]], [[Espanto II]], and [[Espanto III]]) in what at the time was a rare ''rudo'' vs. ''rudo'' feud. Outside the ring Mendoza, Guajardo and Lagarde often spoke out on behalf of the wrestlers, demanding higher pay and better conditions, and since they were able to generate a lot of ticket sales, EMLL officials listened to their demands.] |
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In 1959, Mendoza won his first championship, defeating [[Dory Dixon]] to win the [[NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship]].[ This marked the first time the NWA Light Heavyweight title was held by a Mexican and helped establish the title as the top title in Mexico from 1959 until the mid-1980s.][ Over the years, Mendoza would become synonymous with the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship as he held it a record six times. During those title reigns, he worked a legendary feud against Gory Guerrero, a feud between two of the most influential, unmasked wrestlers of the golden age of [[professional wrestling in Mexico]].][ In 1965, Mendoza's in-ring success helped make him very popular with the fans, so popular it was decided to turn him ''técnico''. His first feud as a ''técnico'' was against his old partners Guajardo and Lagarde. First, Mendoza defeated Lagarde in a ''[[Lucha libre#Luchas de Apuestas|Lucha de Apuesta]]'' ("bet match"), hair vs. hair match. Matches between Mendoza, Guajardo and Lagarde drew full houses all over country, including a record breaking show where Guajardo defeated Mendoza in a ''Lucha de Apuesta'' match, the show drew the largest gate of that year and one of the best gates in Mexico in the 1960s.][ Guajardo and Mendoza also feuded over the [[NWA World Middleweight Championship]], although once Mendoza won it, he vacated it to focus on the Light Heavyweight division.][ In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mendoza would often work in the United States, working for the [[Southern California]] based NWA Hollywood. Here he held the [[NWA Americas Tag Team Championship]] on three occasions, teaming with [[Mil Máscaras]], [[Raul Mata]] and [[Raul Reyes]].][ In the late 1960s, Mendoza helped launch the career of [[Ringo Mendoza]], who was not related to Mendoza, but was allowed to use the last name as he bore a resemblance to Mendoza. Years later, Mendoza was instrumental in the careers of his sons who wrestled as [[Villano I]], [[Villano II]], and [[Villano III]].] |
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In 1959, Mendoza won his first championship, defeating [[Dory Dixon]] to win the [[NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship]].[ This marked the first time the NWA Light Heavyweight title was held by a Mexican and helped establish the title as the top title in Mexico from 1959 until the mid-1980s.][ Over the years, Mendoza would become synonymous with the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship as he held it a record six times. During those title reigns, he worked a legendary feud against Gory Guerrero, a feud between two of the most influential, unmasked wrestlers of the golden age of [[professional wrestling in Mexico]].][ In 1965, Mendoza's in-ring success helped make him very popular with the fans, so popular it was decided to turn him ''técnico''. His first feud as a ''técnico'' was against his old partners Guajardo and Lagarde. First, Mendoza defeated Lagarde in a ''[[Lucha libre#Luchas de Apuestas|Lucha de Apuesta]]'' ("bet match"), hair vs. hair match. Matches between Mendoza, Guajardo and Lagarde drew full houses all over country, including a record breaking show where Guajardo defeated Mendoza in a ''Lucha de Apuesta'' match, the show drew the largest gate of that year and one of the best gates in Mexico in the 1960s.][ Guajardo and Mendoza also feuded over the [[NWA World Middleweight Championship]], although once Mendoza won it, he vacated it to focus on the Light Heavyweight division.][ In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mendoza would often work in the United States, working for the [[Southern California]] based NWA Hollywood. Here he held the [[NWA Americas Tag Team Championship]] on three occasions, teaming with [[Mil Máscaras]], [[Raul Mata]] and [[Raul Reyes]].][ In the late 1960s, Mendoza helped launch the career of [[Ringo Mendoza]], who was not related to Mendoza, but was allowed to use the last name as he bore a resemblance to Mendoza. Years later, Mendoza was instrumental in the careers of his sons who wrestled as [[Villano I]], [[Villano II]], and [[Villano III]].] |
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