Rito Romero

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Rito Romero
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Rito Romero
Rayo Mexicano[1]
Trained byDiablo Velasco[2]
Debut1942
Retired1960

Rito Romero Loza

luchador who wrestled in Mexico and in the NWA territories of Texas and Los Angeles. He appeared in several films in his native country along with a number of other luchadors. He is remembered for his innovation of the Romero Special/La Tapatia submission manoeuver, commonly known as the Surfboard.[3]

Career

Romero was trained as a luchador by Diablo Velasco,[4] a man also responsible for the training of Mil Máscaras and Gory Guerrero. His early career was spent in Mexico, making his debut in Guadalajara at aged just 15, having been in training for the previous 3 years.[4]

He began finding title success upon becoming a regular in NWA Texas (which would become

NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion twice, on the second occasion winning the title from Verne Gagne on 27 October 1950.[6][7]
In between his first title reign in 1949 and his retirement there was only one year (1960) during which Rito Romero did not enjoy at least some time with a championship.

During his career he became friends with the legendary

NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion) and travelled Europe with him. Thesz esteemed Romero so highly as to rate him as a better performer than his contemporaries El Canek and Gory Guerrero.[8]

Personal life

Romero was married to Yolanda and had 4 children. His brother Juventino Romero (1923–2009, also known as Cocoliso Romero and La Orquídea) was also a wrestler.[9]

Death

Rito Romero suffered a fatal heart attack on January 17, 2001. He had gone into hospital in his hometown of Guadalajara on the 16th with high blood-sugar levels where it was discovered he was suffering from appendicitis. Bored of being in hospital he decided to check himself.[4] While remonstrating with the hospital workers who were trying to make him return to his bed he collapsed.

Championships and accomplishments

Filmography

References

General
  • L.L. Staff (2008). "Lucha Libre: Conoce la historia de las leyendas de cuadrilátero". Rito Romero (1974) (in Spanish). Mexico. p. 51. Grandes Figuras de la Lucha Libre.
  • Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. .
Specific
  1. ^ a b c d "Rito Romero profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  2. .
  3. ^ Ocampo, Jorge (28 August 2011). "RVD y Daniel Bryan aplicando la tapatía la misma semana en TV en USA" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  4. ^ a b c "Rito Romero profile". WrestlingData. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  5. .
  6. .
  7. ^ Zordani, Jim. "American Wrestling Association". Regional Territories. Kayfabe Memories. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  8. ^ WrestlingClassics.com Message Board: Rito Romero + Lou in Mexico
  9. ^ "Juventino Romero profile" (in German). WrestlingData. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  10. .
  11. ^ "World Junior Heavyweight Title (Los Angeles)". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  12. ^ "International Television Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  13. ^ "International Television Tag Team Title (Los Angeles)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
  14. .
  15. ^ "Texas Brass Knucks Title [East Texas]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  16. .
  17. ^ "NWA Texas Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  18. .
  19. ^ "NWA Texas Tag Team Title [E. Texas]". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  20. .
  21. ^ "National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [E. Texas]". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  22. ^ a b c "Rito Romero Filmografía Parcial" (in Spanish). Cinefanía. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  23. ^ García Riera, Emilio (1975). Historia Documental del Cine Mexicano: 1958. Mexico DF: Ediciones Era. p. 67.

External links