Gran Apache

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
In this
Spanish name, the first or paternal surname
is Balbuena and the second or maternal family name is González.
Gran Apache
Birth nameMario Balbuena González
Intestinal cancer[2]
Spouse(s)Lady Apache (divorced)[2]
Children
Relatives
  • Billy Boy (ex-son-in-law)[2]
  • Natsumi (granddaughter)
  • Marvin Apache (grandson)[2]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Chiva Rayada I
Cometa Azul III
El Apache
Gran Apache
Great Sasuke Tiga Power Version
Jabagengi
Kimba
Lion
Billed height168 cm (5 ft 6 in)[3]
Billed weight86 kg (190 lb)[3]
Trained byRafael Salamanca
Tony Lopez
Blue Demon[2]
Cometa Azules I[2]
Cometa Azules II[2]
DebutAugust 8, 1975[1]

Mario Balbuena González (April 16, 1959 – May 7, 2017),

trainer. Balbuena worked for AAA / Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide
(AAA) since 1996, both as a wrestler and a trainer. He was involved in training almost all young wrestlers who worked for the promotion during that period of time.

Two of Balbuena's four daughters—Faby Apache and Mari Apache—followed him into a professional wrestling career. His second wife also became a professional wrestler under the name Lady Apache. Balbuena and his family were part of a long-running "Telenovela" style storyline that also included Faby Apache's then-husband Billy Boy as well as their son, referred to as "Marvin Apache". As Gran Apache, Balbuena held the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship twice and the AAA World Trios Championship once with his daughters. In 2018 he was inducted in the AAA Hall of Fame.

Early life

Mario Balbuena González was born on April 19, 1959, in Mexico City, Mexico. Growing up, Balbuena was interested both in sports and music, so much so that by the age of 14 he was already part of a Salsa band and was hoping to make that his career.[2]

Professional wrestling career

In January 1975 Balbuena met

professional wrestlers Cometa Azules I[6] and II who invited the athletic Balbuena to come train with them. Initially, he had no specific interest in lucha libre, but as soon as he started to train he was hooked by the physicality of the sport.[2] Balbuena trained with Los Cometas Azlues for eight months before making his in-ring debut in August 1975. For his first match he worked as the enmascarado, or masked character, Cometa Azules III, using the name as an homage to his teachers.[2] Following the match, Santo, one of the biggest stars of lucha libre, greeted Balbuena, who was so fascinated by the culture and respect shown backstage that he decided to become a full-time wrestler.[2]

Following his decision to pursue a full-time career, he trained at

Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre, with the idea that they would work as a pair of masked Native American characters known as Pluma Blanca (white feather) and Pluma Amarilla (yellow feather). The duo got a better offer from the promoters at the Pavillón Azteca, where they became known as Gran Apache I (Balbuena) and Gran Apache II (García).[2]

Los Gran Apaches won the Pavillón Azteca Tag Team Championship, sometimes referred to as the AWWA Tag Team Championship. Their most notable achievement, however, was a long running storyline feud with a team known as Los Mohicanos, a rivalry noted for the violent matches that included the use of various foreign objects and often left one or more of the participants covered in blood.[2] In 1987 Los Gran Apaches' added Lady Apache as their valet; Lady Apache was Balbuena's second wife and had been trained by him for her professional wrestling career.[2] In 1989 Pavillón Azteca closed down and both Balbuena and García went their separate ways with Balbuena keeping the Gran Apache name.[2]

In 1992 Balbuena began working for

Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL, later known as Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre; CMLL). In EMLL Balbuena formed a group known as Rudos del Ritmo (bad guys with rhythm) alongside several CMLL wrestlers such as Ari Romero, Kung Fu, Búfalo Salvaje, América, Halcón Negro, Mario Prado and Estrellita.[2]

Japan

In 1994 Balbuena, dissatisfied with the opportunities EMLL was giving him, left the promotion to work for Carlos Máynes' promotion. While the promotion was past its heyday in Mexico, Máynes' connections allowed Balbuena to start working in Japan for the

Michinoku Pro off and on for several years both wrestling and training Japanese wrestlers.[10]

AAA / Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (1995–2017)

In 1995 Balbuena joined

Club Deportivo Guadalajara mascot.[11] The masked gimmick allowed the veteran wrestlers to train younger wrestlers by working against them and even allowed various trainees to work as "Chiva Rayada III".[11]

Apache family feud (2005–2009)

Starting in 2005 Balbuena and his family became the focal point of a storyline that would come to define their careers more than any other.[2] In real life Balbuena's daughter Fabiola, now working as "Faby Apache", had married José Roberto Islas García, better known as professional wrestler Billy Boy.[12] The storyline AAA presented depicted Gran Apache as the "overprotective father" who did not think that Billy Boy was good enough for her daughter. The storyline, sometimes described as a Telenovela, began when Billy Boy began showing up ringside during Faby's matches with flowers and signs professing his love for her. Gran Apache objected to the relationship and attacked Billy Boy as he was not "worthy" of his daughter. The storyline played out over several years and even had the birth of Billy Boy and Faby's son Marvin written into the storyline. At one point Gran Apache defeated Billy Boy, forcing him to not have anything to do with either Faby Apache or his son Marvin. Following the loss the storyline was that Billy Boy was so depressed that he was committed to a mental institution.[12]

Billy Boy later returned as the masked "Alfa", a trainee of Gran Apache, who earned the respect of the harsh father who declared that "Alfa" was worthy of his daughter. Following the statement Billy Boy unmasked to the surprise of everyone, reuniting with Faby Apache and Marvin, though the ruse did not please Gran Apache.

Steel Cage match at the 2009 Verano de Escándalo show.[15]

Later years (2010–2017)

After the Apache family feud ended Gran Apache focused primarily on working with younger luchadors, teaching them how to plan out matches and work in front of live audiences by wrestling against them on AAA shows. In 2016 his daughters Faby and Mari became involved in a feud with a group of males known as Los OGT (

Soul Rocker).[20]

Wrestling trainer

Having worked as the AAA head trainer for over a decade and as a trainer off and on since the mid-1980s, Balbuena had a hand in training almost every young wrestler that worked for AAA during the period of time, as well as many non-AAA wrestlers who attended his wrestling school. He was often cited as one of the best trainers of female wrestlers, starting in the mid-1980s where very few trainers would even consider working with women.[1][2][21]

Personal life and death

Balbuena had four daughters and was married at least twice. Balbuena and his first wife were the parents of Mariella Balbuena Torres (Mari Apache) born in 1979 and Fabiola Balbuena Torres (Faby Apache) born in 1980 and a third daughter before divorcing. In 1986 Balbuena married Sandra González Calderón (Lady Apache), and together the couple had one daughter before divorcing later on.[2]

Balbuena was diagnosed with

intestinal cancer in either late 2016 or early 2017, causing his health to rapidly deteriorate. On May 7, 2017, he died from the cancer.[2] Following his death many luchadors all over Mexico commented on the loss of a great teacher and a great friend.[22]

Championships and accomplishments

Luchas de Apuestas record

See also: Luchas de Apuestas
Winner (wager) Loser (wager) Location Event Date Notes
Gran Apache (hair) Perro Salvaje (hair) Mexico City, Mexico Live event May 1, 1983 [27]
Gran Apache (hair) Escudero Rojo Pista (hair) Mexico City, Mexico Live event December 2, 1990 [28]
Rocco Valente (hair) Gran Apache (hair) Mexico City, Mexico Live event January 14, 1992 [29]
Gran Apache (hair) Loco Valentino (hair) León, Guanajuato Live event April 5, 1992 [29]
Gran Apache (hair) Rey David (hair) Mexico City, Mexico Live event November 15, 1992 [29]
Gran Apache (hair) Reyes Veloz (hair) Mexico City, Mexico Live event November 21, 1992 [29]
Gran Apache and El Mestizo (hair) Escudero Rojo and Reyes Veloz (hair) Mexico City, Mexico Live event September 7, 1993 [30]
Gran Apache (hair) Cuerno de Chivo (hair) Monterrey, Nuevo León Live event October 17, 1999 [31][Note 1]
Chiva Rayada I (mask)[Note 2] Gladiador Fantasma (mask) San Juan Pantitlan Live event February 27, 2000 [11]
Óscar Sevilla (hair) Gran Apache (hair) Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas Live event March 31, 2000 [32]
Mosco de la Merced (hair) Gran Apache (hair) León, Guanajuato Live event July 15, 2002 [33][Note 3]
Gran Apache (hair) Billy Boy (hair) Guadalajara, Jalisco Live event April 30, 2006 [34]
Gran Apache (hair) Mohicano I (hair) Pachuca, Hidalgo Live event October 26, 2006 [25]
Gran Apache (hair) Billy Boy (hair) Naucalpan, State of Mexico Rey de Reyes March 18, 2007 [25]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Cage match with Apache, Panthro, Oscar Sevilla and Cuerno. Both tecnicos escaped so Apache fouled Cuerno and left the cage.
  2. ^ It is uncertain if it was Balbueno under the mask or not.
  3. Steel cage match

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Falleció El Apache, luchador de AAA". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). MSN. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Ocampo, Ernesto (April 7, 2017). Ocampo, Ernesto (ed.). "Víctima de cáncer, falleció el Gran Apache, uno de los grandes maestros de la lucha libre". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico: Impresos Camsam, SA de CV. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d "Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500 – 2002: 229 Gran Apache". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States: Sports and Entertainment publications LLC. September 30, 2003. p. 36. October 2002.
  4. ^ "Gran Apache (1959-2017) - wrestlingscout". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  5. ^ "Wrestlingdata.com - The World's Largest Wrestling Database". www.wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  6. ^ "Falleció el reconocido luchador mexicano Mario Balbuena "El Apache"". www.espn.co.cr. 7 May 2017.
  7. ^ LuchalibreAAA Staff. "Faby Apache". AAA. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  8. ^ "Mary Apache". Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  9. ^ "Gran Apache > Matches > Kimba". CageMatch. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  10. ^ "Gran Apache > Matches > Asia". CageMatch. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  11. ^ a b c Enciclopedia staff (June 2007). "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Las Chivas Rayadas (in Spanish). Mexico. p. 59. Tomo I.
  12. ^ a b c Boutwell, Josh (November 29, 2008). "!Viva La Raza! # Dos: Lucha News!". WrestleView.com. Retrieved February 24, 2010.
  13. ^ Boutwell, Josh (December 13, 2008). "Viva La Raza! # Cuatro: Lucha News". WrestleView. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  14. ^ Boutwell, Josh (March 6, 2009). "Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly". WrestleView. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  15. ^ "AAA Verano de Escándalo 2009 (Resultados 21 agosto) – Dr. Wagner Jr. retiene el Megacampeonato – Aparece Gron XXX – Roxxi se presenta con AAA". Súper Luchas Magazine (in Spanish). August 21, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  16. ^ Ocampo, Ernesto (August 28, 2016). "Cobertura y Resultatdos: AAA Triplemania XXIV Psycho Clown vs. Pagano, Regresa Rey Mysterio". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Archived from the original on August 29, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  17. ^ Csonka, Larry (August 28, 2016). "Csonka's AAA TripleMania XXIV Review 8.28.16". 411Mania. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  18. ^ "Australian Suicide sin máscara en Héroes Inmortales X" (in Spanish). AAA. October 2, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  19. ^ a b "Historia en Apizaco en la gira del 25 Aniversario AAA". Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (in Spanish). 5 March 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  20. ^ "Nuevos Monarcas AAA en Tijuana". Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (in Spanish). April 22, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  21. ^ "La lucha libre otra vez está de luto: ¡muere El Apache!". Excelsior (in Spanish). May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  22. ISSN 1665-8876
    . Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  23. ^ "AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship". Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  24. ISSN 1665-8876
    . 91.
  25. ^ a b c "2007 Lo Mejor de la Lucha Mexicana". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). December 26, 2007. issue 244. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  26. ^ Valdés, Apolo (August 26, 2018). "Villano III, El Apache y Dr. Alfonso Morales, exaltados al Salón de la Fama AAA". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). MSN. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  27. ISSN 2007-0896
    . 1604.
  28. ISSN 2007-0896
    . 1968.
  29. ^
    ISSN 2007-0896
    . 2072.
  30. ISSN 2007-0896
    . 2214.
  31. ISSN 2007-0896
    . 2436.
  32. ISSN 2007-0896
    . 2488.
  33. ISSN 2007-0896
    . 2593.
  34. ISSN 1665-8876
    . 192. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
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