José Luis Barajas Fernández is a retired Mexican

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

, or ''

Luchador Lucha libre (, meaning "freestyle wrestling" or literally translated as "free fight") is the term used in Latin America for professional wrestling. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form ...

'' as they are called in

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

. Barajas is best known under the

ring name A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...

, El Faraón (Spanish for "the

Pharaoh Pharaoh (, ; Egyptian: ''pr ꜥꜣ''; cop, , Pǝrro; Biblical Hebrew: ''Parʿō'') is the vernacular term often used by modern authors for the kings of ancient Egypt who ruled as monarchs from the First Dynasty (c. 3150 BC) until the an ...

"), a ring name and persona he used throughout his career from his debut in 1973 until retiring around the turn of the millennium. El Fareón was originally an '' enmascarado'' but lost a ''

Luchas de Apuestas Lucha libre (, meaning "freestyle wrestling" or literally translated as "free fight") is the term used in Latin America for professional wrestling. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form ...

'', or "bet match" to Fishman on April 23, 1973 and was forced to unmask. Barajas' career peak came in the 1980s where he won the

NWA World Middleweight Championship The NWA World Middleweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) between 1939 and 2010. For most of its existence, it was defended in the Mexican '' lucha libre'' promotion Consejo Mundial ...

NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship The NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). For the majority of its existence the title was promoted by Mexican promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libr ...

and the

Mexican National Middleweight Championship The Mexican National Middleweight Championship ''()'' is a championship (professional wrestling), professional wrestling championship controlled by the ' (Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission). The official weight definition of the Professi ...

, in addition to a long-running, intense storyline feud against

Sangre Chicana Sangre Chicana (Spanish for "Chicano Blood") is the ring name of retired Mexican professional wrestler Andrés Durán Reyes (born November 30, 1951). Reyes made his professional wrestling debut in 1973, wearing a red mask with a gold stripe, unde ...

that saw the two face off in a series of very bloody matches.

Professional wrestling career

José Luis Barajas Fernández made his professional wrestling debut in 1973, adopting the

''El Faraón'', an Egyptian inspired ring character complete with a mask, cape and wrestling trunks that reflected the imagery of Egyptian Pharaohs. Barajas only worked as an ''enmascarado'' (masked wrestler) for just under three years as he was unmasked after losing a ''

'' ("Bet match") against Fishman on April 23, 1976. The unmasking did not hurt El Faraón's career, on the contrary he achieved more success after he was unmasked due to his good looks and charisma, he also earned the nickname "''El Rudo de los Ojos Esmeralda''", Spanish for "The Bad Guy with the Emerald Eyes". On October 22, 1976 El Faraón defeated

Perro Aguayo Pedro Aguayo Damián (18 January 1946 — 3 July 2019) better known as "(El) Perro Aguayo" (Aguayo the dog) and El Can de Nochistlan (The Nochistlan Dog) was a Mexican wrestler through the 1970s to the 1990s. Aguayo was the first person ever ...

to win the

. Faraón's first title defense lasted for 140 days before Perro Aguayo regained the title on March 11, 1977. In November, 1977 Faraón regained the NWA Middleweight title, defeating Joe Plardy. Faraón's second title reign lasted only 84 days before he lost the belt to

Ringo Mendoza Genaro Jacobo Contreras is a retired Mexican professional wrestler, or ''Luchador'' in Spanish, and is a professional wrestling trainer for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). Contreras is best known under the ring name Ringo Mendoza, which he ...

on February 17, 1978. By June 1978 El Faraón had moved up from the middleweight division (a division with a weightlimit of ) to the light heavyweight division (which has a maximum limit) as he defeated

Alfonso Dantés José Luis Amezcua Díaz (April 13, 1943 – July 30, 2008) was a Mexican professional wrestler who wrestled during the 1960s and 1970s under the ring name Alfonso Dantés (the name was taken from the main character of the Count of Monte Cristo no ...

for the

. El Faraón held the title for 198 days before losing it to Pak Choo. On December 5, 1980 El Faraón defeated Ringo Mendoza to win the

, holding it for over 100 days before vacating it in April, 1981. The reason why El Faraón vacated the title is not known, the most likely reason is that he was injured. On November 29, 1981 El Faraón defeated Ringo Mendoza to become a three time NWA World Middleweight Champion, a title he would hold for 124 days before being defeated by

César Curiel César Curiel (born October 12, 1949) is a retired Mexican ''Luchador'' or professional wrestler who was active in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Curiel has three sons who are currently wrestling, Neutron, Steel Man and Cat Man. Early in Curiel's c ...

on April 2, 1982. On November 16, 1982 El Faraón defeated

Máscara Año 2000 Jesús Reyes González (born 10 March 1958) is a Mexican ''Luchador'', or professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Máscara Año 2000 or Máscara Año Dos Mil. His ring name is Spanish for "Mask of the year 2000", originally referri ...

for his second NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship, a title that would be his last major wrestling title. Faraón held the title for 60 days before losing the belt to Ringo Mendoza on January 15, 1983. After 1983 El Faraón's career did not focus on winning championships, instead it centered around a long-running, intense storyline feud against

that saw the two face off in a series of very bloody matches. The brutal brawls between the two wrestlers drew high attendance figures all over Mexico and continued on and off for several years. By the mid-1990s Barajas retired from wrestling, both due to his age and the toll wrestling had taken on his body. In 2007 Barajas as El Faraón made an appearance for

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. (CMLL; , "World Wrestling Council") is a ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City. The promotion was previously known as ''Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre'' (''EMLL'') (''Mexi ...

(CMLL) to present the mask to a wrestler billed as ''El Hijo del Faraón'' (the Son of the Pharaoh); the relationship was a storyline relationship as the two are not related. El Hijo del Faraón would later change his name to

Horus Horus or Heru, Hor, Har in Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as god of kingship and the sky. He was worshipped from at least the late prehistoric Egypt until the P ...

and reveal that he was the godson of Barajas', not his son and was given the name with the blessing of Barajas himself.

Championships and accomplishments

Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. (CMLL; , "World Wrestling Council") is a ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City. The promotion was previously known as ''Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre'' (''EMLL'') (''Mexi ...

( 1 time) **NWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1 time) **

(

2 times "2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...

) **

( 3 times) *Misc. Mexican promotions **Central America Continental Championship (1 time) **Occident Middleweight Championship (1 time)

''Luchas de Apuestas'' record

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Faraon, El 1947 births Living people Mexican male professional wrestlers Professional wrestlers from Mexico City Mexican National Middleweight Champions NWA World Light Heavyweight Champions 20th-century professional wrestlers NWA World Middleweight Champions