Juan Conrado Aguilar Jáuregui (November 26, 1958 – January 15, 2006), better known by his
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 Texano, was a Mexican ''
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 ...
'', or
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 ...
. From the early 1970s to the early 2000s, he wrestled under
masked and unmasked monikers for various promotions including
Universal Wrestling Association
The Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) was a Mexican ''Lucha Libre'' or professional wrestling promotion based in Naucalpan, Mexico State that operated from 1975 until 1995. The name of the actual promotion was Lucha Libre Internacional (LLI) ...
(UWA),
World Wrestling Council
The World Wrestling Council (WWC) (Spanish: "Consejo Mundial de Lucha"), is a Puerto-Rican professional wrestling promotion based in Puerto Rico. It was originally established as Capitol Sports Promotions in 1973 by Carlos Colón Sr., Victor J ...
(WWC),
World Class Championship Wrestling
World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), later known as the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA) (1986–1991) was an American professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed ...
(WCCW), and
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...
(WCW),
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) and
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Antonio Peña Promotions, S.A. de C.V. d/b/a Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide is a Mexican Lucha Libre (professional wrestling) promotion based in Mexico City, Mexico. Commonly referred to as simply AAA (pronounced "triple A"; an abbreviation of its o ...
(AAA). His son Juan Aguilar Leos wrestles under the name
El Texano, Jr. in tribute to his father and another son wrestles as the masked
Super Nova
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last stellar evolution, evolutionary stages of a mass ...
.
During his professional wrestling career Aguilar helped populate the concept of the Trios match (teams of three facing off in a
tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
match) in ''Lucha Libre'', as a part of ''
Los Misioneros de la Muerte
Los Misioneros de la Muerte (Spanish for the Missionaries of Death') was a Mexican ''Lucha libre'', or professional wrestling Trio that has been credited with making the two out of three falls six-man tag team match the most common match form in ...
'' ("The Missionaries of Death"; Texano,
El Signo
Antonio Sánchez Rendón (born September 4, 1954), is a retired Mexican ''Lucha libre, luchador'', or professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known under the ring name ''El Signo'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "The Symbol"). Rendón w ...
and
Negro Navarro
Negro Navarro (born June 12, 1957) is the ring name of Miguel Calderón Navarro, a Mexican ''luchador'', or professional wrestler. Navarro works as a Freelancer on the Mexican independent circuit as well as making regular appearances for Inter ...
). He also worked for an extensive period of time with
Silver King, collectively known as ''Los Cowboys'', working both in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and the
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
, achieving notoriety outside of his native Mexico.
Personal life
Juan Aguilar was born and raised in
Mexicali
Mexicali (; ) is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California. The city, seat of the Mexicali Municipality, has a population of 689,775, according to the 2010 census, while the Calexico–Mexicali metropolitan area is home to 1,000, ...
,
Baja California
Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
but would later move to
Guadalajara
Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...
,
Jalisco
Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal En ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
where he lived until his death. Aguilar and his Guadalajara native wife had three sons together, two of whom became professional wrestlers, Juan Aguilar Leos who works under the ring name
El Texano, Jr. and
Super Nova
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last stellar evolution, evolutionary stages of a mass ...
, who is an ''
enmascarado'' (Masked wrestler) and thus his birth name is not publicized. He is the uncle of professional wrestlers Jonathan de Jesus Navarro Jímenez (works under the name
Mictlán), Juan Miguel Escalante Grande (known as
Inquisidor
Inquisidor (Spanish for Inquisitor) is the current ring name of Juan Miguel Escalante Grande (born March 24, 1977 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico) who is a Mexican ''luchador enmascarado'', or masked professional wrestler currently working for th ...
) and
Pólvora
Pólvora (born July 19, 1979) is the ring name of a Mexican ''Luchador'' '' Enmascarado'', or masked professional wrestler best known for his work in the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). Pólvora's r ...
(''enmascarado''). He is the cousin of professional wrestler Roberto Gutiérrez Frías, better known as
El Dandy
Roberto Gutiérrez Frías (born October 2, 1962) is a Mexican former professional wrestler and wrestling trainer, best known under the ring name El Dandy. He is the cousin of professional wrestler Juan Conrado Aguilar, known as El Texano, and t ...
.
Professional wrestling career
Aguilar began training for a career in ''
Lucha Libre
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 ...
'' (
professional wrestling
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 o ...
) at a very early age after receiving his parents' consent to do so. He made his wrestling debut on February 1, 1972 at the age of 13. In Mexico becoming a wrestler at such a young age is rare, but not unheard of if parental consent is given.
Rey Mysterio
Óscar Gutiérrez (born December 11, 1974), better known by his ring name Rey Mysterio, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand. Widely regarded as one of the greatest profes ...
made his in-ring about the same age as Aguilar, 13 years of age. He made his debut as an ''
enmascarado'' (masked wrestler) using 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 ...
"Billy the Kid", portraying a
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...
character. Aguilar continued to train under Antonio Cruz in the years following his debut as he worked under a number of different ''enmascarado'' characters such as Ry Navarro, El Vaquero ("The Cowboy"), Juan El Texano and Johnny Texas. After working primarily in and around his native state of Baja California he started making appearances in Mexico Citiy around 1975, working for
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 ...
(EMLL), the world's oldest and one of Mexico's biggest
professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling that has little relationship to the rules of the amateur olympic form. "Promotion" also describes a role which entails man ...
s. During one show in
Arena Coliseo
Arena Coliseo is an indoor arena in Mexico City, Mexico located at República del Perú 77 in the Cuauhtémoc, D.F., Cuauhtémoc Boroughs of the Mexican Federal District, borough. The arena is primarily used for professional wrestling, or ''lucha ...
, EMLL's secondary venue, a lucha libre magazine writer suggested he should simply work as "El Texano" ("The Texan"), a ring name Aguilar used from that point on until his death. While working for EMLL he also began training with
Guadalajara
Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...
,
Jalisco
Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal En ...
based wrestling trainer
Cuauhtémoc "Diablo" Velasco, one of the most famous wrestling trainers in Mexico.
Los Misioneros de la Muerte
In the late 1970s Aguilar, as El Texano, began working for EMLL's biggest rival the
Universal Wrestling Association
The Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) was a Mexican ''Lucha Libre'' or professional wrestling promotion based in Naucalpan, Mexico State that operated from 1975 until 1995. The name of the actual promotion was Lucha Libre Internacional (LLI) ...
(UWA) as they wanted to feature more wrestlers in the lighter divisions to strengthen their shows. UWA promoter
Francisco Flores wanted to build some of the lesser known lightweights into high card workers and decided to build a storyline between the masked El Texano and the recently debut
Brazo de Oro ("Golden Hand"), which later expanded to include Brazo de Oro's younger brothers
Brazo de Plata
José Luis Alvarado Nieves (March 19, 1963 – July 26, 2021) was a Mexican luchador best known under the ring name Brazo de Plata, a name he had used since his debut in 1977. He is also well known for his appearances in WWE as Super Porky. Al ...
("Silver Arm") and
El Brazo
Juan Alvarado Nieves (July 30, 1961 – October 15, 2013) was a Mexican Luchador (professional wrestler). He was best known under the ring name El Brazo (Spanish for "the Arm"), which he used since his debut in 1980. Alvarado was part of the Al ...
("The Arm"). The Brazo brothers were given the team name ''Los Mosqueteros de Diablo'' (The Devil's Musketeers) while El Texano began teaming with Antonio Sánchez Rendón, known under the ring name
El Signo
Antonio Sánchez Rendón (born September 4, 1954), is a retired Mexican ''Lucha libre, luchador'', or professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known under the ring name ''El Signo'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "The Symbol"). Rendón w ...
("The Sign") and Miguel Navarro, better known as
Negro Navarro
Negro Navarro (born June 12, 1957) is the ring name of Miguel Calderón Navarro, a Mexican ''luchador'', or professional wrestler. Navarro works as a Freelancer on the Mexican independent circuit as well as making regular appearances for Inter ...
. The team was dubbed ''
Los Misioneros de la Muerte
Los Misioneros de la Muerte (Spanish for the Missionaries of Death') was a Mexican ''Lucha libre'', or professional wrestling Trio that has been credited with making the two out of three falls six-man tag team match the most common match form in ...
'' ("The Missionaries of Death"). Early on in the storyline Brazo de Oro defeated El Texano in 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, which forced El Texano to unmask. The storyline expanded and saw the unmasked Misionaros clash with the masked Mosqueteros on UWA promoted cards all over Mexico. The fan reception to those matches and the positive coverage in various Lucha Libre magazines was so big that other promoters around Mexico wanted to book them on their shows, not as individuals but as teams, which was the start of the trios match becoming more and more prominent in Lucha Libre. With the team being so in demand UWA started to feature Los Misioneros more often, including El Signo winning the
UWA World Welterweight Championship
The UWA World Welterweight Championship is a championship in professional wrestling that is primarily contested for in various Lucha Libre promotions in Mexico. In 1993, the championship was recognized by the Japanese professional wrestling promoti ...
, a title he would later lose to El Gringo, who in turn would lose the belt to El Texano in order to legitimize him as a wrestler.
[ By 1981 ''Los Misioneros'' began working high on the card, often working the main event match starting a trend of having trios matches instead of singles matches as the regular main event match format, something that helped make that match format the most common match type in Lucha Libre since then.]
In 1981 the ''Los Misioneros de la Muerte'' name became a household name after a match in ''El Toreo de Quatro Caminos'' ("The Bullring with four corners"), UWA's main venue. During the main event ''Los Misioneros'' faced off against then 64-year-old El Santo
Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (23 September 1917 – 5 February 1984), known professionally as El Santo or in English The Saint, was a Mexican luchador enmascarado (Spanish for "masked professional wrestler"), actor and folk hero. He is one of the mo ...
, teaming with Huracán Ramírez
Daniel García Arteaga (April 9, 1926 – October 31, 2006), best known under the ring name Huracán Ramírez (English: "Hurricane Ramírez"), was a Mexican ''luchador enmascarado'' (or masked professional wrestler) and actor. García was nei ...
and Rayo de Jalisco. In that match El Santo collapsed in the middle of the ring, suffering a heart attack during the match. His life was only saved due to the quick witted actions of Ramírez. After the match the Lucha Libre magazinez, prompted by Francisco Flores, played off the real life tragedy by promoting ''Los Misioneros'' as the team that nearly killed the biggest name in Lucha Libre ever. The event made the team the most hated trio in Mexico for years to come and helped fill ''El Torero'' arena to the brim when ''Los Misioneros'' teamed up with 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 face El Santo, Gory Guerrero
Salvador Guerrero Quesada (January 11, 1921 – April 18, 1990), better known as Gory Guerrero, was one of the premier Mexican American professional wrestlers in the early days of Lucha Libre when most wrestlers were imported from outside Mexico ...
, Huracán Ramírez and El Solitario
Roberto González Cruz (May 22, 1946 – April 6, 1986) was a Mexican professional wrestler who wrestled under the name El Solitario. During his career he held both the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Middleweight Cham ...
in El Santo's retirement match. Following Santo's retirement ''Los Misioneros'' feuded with the top faces
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affe ...
(wrestlers portraying "good guy" characters) such as ''Los Tres Caballero'' (Aníbal Aníbal is the Spanish and Portuguese masculine given name equivalent of Hannibal (q.v.), itself a latinization of the Greek name Hanníbas (Ἀννίβας), derived from “ḥnbʿl” in the Carthaginian language (Carthaginian Punic script, 𐤇 ...
, El Solitario and Villano III
Arturo Díaz Mendoza (March 23, 1952 – August 21, 2018) was a Mexican professional wrestler who performed under the ring name Villano III (in Spanish Villano Tercero). Díaz was a second-generation wrestler, son of ''luchador'' Ray Mendoza an ...
both in trios and in individual competition. At one point Villano III defeated El Texano in a ''Luchas de Apuestas'' match, forcing El Texano to be shaved bald as a result of the loss.[ During the storyline El Solitario turned on his two partners, when he attacked El Signo with a bottle and costing ''Los Tres Caballeros'' an important match. The attack made the smaller ''Los Misioneros'' more sympathetic to the crowd, who began to support them more and more despite ''Los Misioneros'' being booked on the shows as the ]heels
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive forces exert ...
("bad guy" characters). Their popularity as a trio also led to them being invited to tour Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, facing off against New Japan Pro-Wrestling
(NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares ...
(NJPW) light weight wrestlers such as Gran Hamada
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler, the first to adopt the high-flying Mexican lucha libre style. He has wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the Universal Wrestling Federation, Michinoku Pro and All Japan Pro ...
, Tiger Mask
is a Japanese manga series written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Naoki Tsuji. The series was first published in Kodansha's ''Bokura Magazine'' from 1968 to 1970 and was later published in ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from 1970 to ...
, George Takano
, born June 23, 1958, is an American-Japanese retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler better known under the ring name . He was also billed from Uganda under the alias The Cobra, a Lucha libre#Masks, masked wrestler Glossary of prof ...
, Akira Maeda
(born Go Il-myeong (Hangul: 고일명, Hanja: 高日明), January 24, 1959) is a Japanese mixed martial arts promoter, writer and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist of Korean descent. Maeda was also known by the ring name K ...
and Osamu Kido
(born February 2, 1950) is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He participated in the foundation of New Japan of 1972 and the foundation of Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1984. In 2005, aft ...
. In 1984 ''Los Misioneros'' won the UWA World Trios Championship
The UWA World Trios Championship is a tag team professional wrestling championship created by the Mexican Universal Wrestling Association and defended there until the UWA closed in 1995. Since then, the championship has been defended in various p ...
for the first time, although it is not documented for exactly how long.[ In the mid 1980s the "War" between the UWA and EMLL had cooled off enough for ''Los Misionerios'' to actually wrestle on the EMLL 53rd Anniversary Show, losing a trios ''Luchas de Apuestas'' 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 ...
, Américo Rocca
Javier Hernández Padilla (born September 22, 1952) is a semi-retired Mexican ''Luchador'', or professional wrestler best known under the ring name Américo Rocca. Hernández also worked as the '' enmascarado'' (masked) ''Ponzoña'' from 1990 un ...
and Tony Salazar
Antonio Salazar Gómez, (born January 15, 1949) is a retired Mexican ''luchador'', or professional wrestler who works as the ring announcer for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre's (CMLL) Sunday shows in ''Arena Coliseo''. He is best known under the ...
. Los Misionerios regained the UWA World Trios Championship in 1987 defeating ''Los Villanos'' (Villano III, Villano IV
Tomás Díaz Mendoza (born April 9, 1965) is a Mexican professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Villano IV (''Villano Cuarto''). Within the stable Los Villanos, he has wrestled for Universal Wrestling Association (UWA), AAA, and Wor ...
and Villano V
Raymundo Díaz Mendoza Jr. (born March 22, 1960) is a Mexican professional wrestler, who has performed under the name Villano V (Villano Quinto, which means "Fifth Villain") until he was unmasked on March 20, 2009, after which he became known a ...
), after what was considered the "peak" of ''Los Misionerios''. With an influx of other popular trios both in the UWA and in Mexico in general ''Los Misioneros'' days on the top of the Trios scene came to an end, which was followed by the end of ''Los Missioneros de la Muerte'' in its original form. During a UWA World Trios Championship match against ''Los Villanos'' El Texano threw in the towel to save his partner El Signo any more punishment. After the match and title loss his partners turned on El Texano and attacked him after the match. The attack was done primarily to write El Texano out of the UWA storyline as he had given notice that he was leaving.
Los Cowboys
El Texano left the UWA and joined rival EMLL where he began working both as a singles wrestler and as a regular tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
with his cousin El Dandy
Roberto Gutiérrez Frías (born October 2, 1962) is a Mexican former professional wrestler and wrestling trainer, best known under the ring name El Dandy. He is the cousin of professional wrestler Juan Conrado Aguilar, known as El Texano, and t ...
, collectively known as ''Los Vaqueros'' or simply as ''Los Cowboys''. Later on El Texano began teaming with Silver King, replacing El Dandy as one of ''Los Cowboys''. ''Los Cowboys'' began working for other promotions than just EMLL both inside and outside of Mexico, which led them to work for various international promotions such as International Wrestling Association both in Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
as well as working the UWA. In 1991 the team won their first tag team championship together, winning a tournament to become the first ever World Wrestling Association
The World Wrestling Association (WWA) (Asociación Mundial de Lucha Libre in Spanish) is a lucha libre promotion based in the Tijuana-area of Mexico. It was founded in 1986 by Benjamin Mora Jr.. It featured some of Mexico's best ''luchadores'' a ...
(WWA) World Tag Team Championship
The world tag team championship is the name usually given to the primary tag team championships in professional wrestling promotions.
Nomenclature
The name of the promotion is often preceded to the term "world tag team championship" as the ...
. On January 19, 1992 they added the UWA World Tag Team Championship
The UWA World Tag Team Championship is a tag team professional wrestling championship created by the Mexican Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) and defended there until the UWA closed in 1995. After the UWA's closing, the title was inactive un ...
to their collection when they defeated Gran Hamada
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese professional wrestler, the first to adopt the high-flying Mexican lucha libre style. He has wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the Universal Wrestling Federation, Michinoku Pro and All Japan Pro ...
and Kendo
is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords (shinai) as well as protective armor (bōgu). Today, it is widely practiced within Japan and has spread ...
for the titles on a show in Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and brought the titles back to Mexico.
At the time of their run as double tag team champions the US based World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...
(WCW) was looking for international tag teams to compete in a tournament for the vacant National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA ...
(NWA) World Tag Team Champions and selected ''Los Cowboys'' to represent Mexico. The team faced off against The Fabulous Freebirds
The Fabulous Freebirds were a professional wrestling tag team who attained fame in the 1980s, performing into the 1990s. The team usually consisted of three wrestlers, although in different situations and points in its history, just two performed ...
( Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin
James Williams (born September 25, 1952) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring names "Gorgeous Jimmy" Garvin and Jimmy "Jam" Garvin. A member of The Fabulous Freebirds, Garvin is best known for his appearances wit ...
) in the first round of the tournament. The match took place at the Clash of the Champions XIX
''Clash of the Champions'' is an American series of professional wrestling television specials that were produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). ...
, which had El Texano billed as "Silver King II", was won by the Freebirds, marking the first and only time ''Los Cowboys'' worked for WCW. Texano and Silver King lost the UWA World Tag Team Championship to the masked duo known as The Can-Am Express
The Can-Am Express was a professional wrestling tag team comprising Doug Furnas and Dan Kroffat/Phil LaFon who wrestled in promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), Universal Wrestling Association ...
(I and II) on June 28, 1992 as part of a longer-running storyline between the two teams. Three weeks later ''Los Cowboys'' defeated the Can-Am Express in a tag team ''Luchas de Apuestas'' match and forced the team to unmask to reveal their true identities of Doug Furnas
Dwight Douglas Furnas (December 11, 1959 – March 2, 2012) was an American professional wrestler and powerlifter. He was an APF National and World Powerlifting Champion, who set multiple world records in the 275 pound weight class. As a wrestler, ...
and Dan Kroffat
Daniel Kroffat (born June 14, 1945) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling in the 1960s and 1970s, where he invented the ladder match.
Professional wrestling career
Stampede W ...
. On November 11, 1992 El Texano became the UWA World Light Heavyweight Champion, a title he would later lose to his partner Silver King.[ on July 7, 1993 Los Cowboys lost the WWA World Tag team titles to ]El Dandy
Roberto Gutiérrez Frías (born October 2, 1962) is a Mexican former professional wrestler and wrestling trainer, best known under the ring name El Dandy. He is the cousin of professional wrestler Juan Conrado Aguilar, known as El Texano, and t ...
and Corazon de Leon but regained them two months later. Their second run with the WWA World Tag Team titles only lasted a month as Villano IV and Villano V won the titles from them on October 10, 1993, 39 days later. El Texano had a brief reunion with ''Los Misioneros'' as they won the UWA World Trios Championship in 1993 and held it for 155, but failed to recapture the fans' attention like their original run had.[ By the end of 1994 ''Los Cowboys'' returned to EMLL, now renamed ]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) and began a long-running storyline with the tag team known as The Headhunters
The Headhunters are an American jazz fusion band formed by Herbie Hancock in 1973. The group fused jazz, funk, and rock music.
History (and name)
Hancock had grown dissatisfied with his prior band, Mwandishi, and wanted to make a band with a st ...
that resulted in a series of brutal and blood filled brawls between the two teams. On December 16, 1994 ''Los Cowboys'' won the CMLL World Tag Team Championship
The CMLL World Tag Team Championship (''CMLL Campeonato Mundial de Parejas'' in Spanish) is a professional wrestling World Tag Team Championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL; Spanish for "World Wrestling Council") in Mexico ...
when they defeated Defeated El Satánico
Daniel López López (born October 26, 1949) is a Mexican ''luchador'' (professional wrestler) and trainer, best known under the ring name El Satánico (Spanish for "The Satanic One"). He was originally an ''enmascarado'' (masked wrestler), but l ...
and Emilio Charles, Jr. in the finals of a 32-team tournament for the vacant tag team titles.[ Six months later the feud with The Headhunters saw ''Los Cowboys'' lose the CMLL World Tag Team Championship to the Headhunter duo.][ The two teams took their storyline around the globe, facing off both in the Headhunters' native Puerto Rico and in Japan as well. During 1995 Los Cowboys began working for the Japanese based International Wrestling Association where they won the IWA World Tag Team championship from the Headhunters on March 3, 1995.] The duo lost the tag team titles on August 20 the same year on the undercard of the IWA's "King of Deathmatches" show. After 1995 ''Los Cowboys'' would only team together on rare occasions.
Late career
In 1997 El Texano began working for ''Promo Azteca
''Promo Azteca'' (AZTECA, originally known as ''Promotora Mexicana de Lucha Libre'', PROMELL) was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Tijuana, Mexico, by Fuerza Guerrera in 1995. It was taken over by Konnan and Jorge Rojas the ...
'' and when that promotion folded joined most of the other ''Promo Azteca'' wrestlers as they were absorbed by Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Antonio Peña Promotions, S.A. de C.V. d/b/a Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide is a Mexican Lucha Libre (professional wrestling) promotion based in Mexico City, Mexico. Commonly referred to as simply AAA (pronounced "triple A"; an abbreviation of its o ...
(AAA), which had grown to become one of Mexico's top two promotions at the time (along with CMLL). In AAA he became part of a group known as ''Los Consagrados'' ("The Consecrated") along with his cousin El Dandy, 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 ...
and Pirata Morgan
Pedro Ortiz Villanueva (born July 29, 1962) is a Mexican professional wrestler, or luchador, and wrestling trainer who is best known under the ring name Pirata Morgan. Ortiz made his professional wrestling debut in 1979 and has in the last 20 ye ...
. Texano and Morgan won the Mexican National Tag Team Championship
The Mexican National Tag Team Championship ''()'' is a national Mexican professional wrestling championship controlled by the (Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission) and competed for by two-man tag teams. The championship was created in ...
from Perro Aguayo, Jr. and Héctor Garza
Héctor Solano Segura (June 12, 1969 – May 26, 2013) was a Mexican professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Héctor Garza. During his career he worked for various major Mexican professional wrestling promotions such as Consejo ...
on September 8, 2000 and held the belts for over a year until they were defeated by the duo of Máscara Sagrada
Máscara Sagrada (born November 6, 1959) is a Mexican ''Luchador enmascarado'' (or masked professional wrestler) who has worked for every major Mexican wrestling promotion over the last 20 years. His ring name is Spanish for "Sacred Mask" and is ...
and La Parka, Jr.[ El Texano was injured during a ]steel cage match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
in Tijuana
Tijuana ( ,["Tijuana"](_blank)
(US) and [< ...]
and wrestled his last professional wrestling match on May 15, 2005 participating in AAA's Triplemanía XIII event. During the match he teamed up with Mini Abismo Negro
Mini Abismo Negro (born November 21, 1978) is the ring name of a Mexican ''Luchador enmascarado'' who works in the ''Mini-Estrella'' division for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA). Mini Abismo Negro is a former, two time Mexican Nati ...
, Polvo de Estrellas
Polvo is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The band formed in 1990 and is fronted by guitarists/vocalists Ash Bowie and Dave Brylawski, with Steve Popson playing bass guitar and Brian Quast playing drums. Eddie Watk ...
and Tiffany only to lose to El Ángel
The Angel of Independence, most commonly known by the shortened name ''El Ángel'' and officially known as ''Monumento a la Independencia'' ("Monument to Independence"), is a victory column on a roundabout on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de ...
, Lady Apache
Sandra González Calderón (born June 26, 1970) is a Mexican professional wrestler or ''luchadora'', best known under the ring name Lady Apache. As Lady Apache, González has mainly worked for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and AAA, Mexi ...
, Mascarita Sagrada
:''At least three wrestlers have wrestled under the name "Mascarita Sagrada". This article is about the original.''
Mascarita Sagrada (Spanish for Little Sacred Mask, real name not known, born January 11, 1965) is a Mexican Mini-Estrella, Mini Luc ...
and Sexy Francis in a match where El Texano spent most of the match outside the ring.
Illness and death
During a match El Texano injured his back and was forced to undergo two back surgeries to two different parts of the spine. These surgeries not only did not help Aguilar's back problems but caused him more health problems. During the final months of his life his breathing was supported by a ventilator and he was unable to even sit up. On the evening of January 15, 2006, Aguilar was rushed to a hospital in Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Mexico, while the Guadalaj ...
, for emergency surgery due to complications from pneumonia. Aguilar was pronounced dead upon arrival due to lung and respiratory failure.[
]
Championships and accomplishments
*Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Antonio Peña Promotions, S.A. de C.V. d/b/a Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide is a Mexican Lucha Libre (professional wrestling) promotion based in Mexico City, Mexico. Commonly referred to as simply AAA (pronounced "triple A"; an abbreviation of its o ...
**Mexican National Tag Team Championship
The Mexican National Tag Team Championship ''()'' is a national Mexican professional wrestling championship controlled by the (Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission) and competed for by two-man tag teams. The championship was created in ...
(1 time) – with Pirata Morgan
Pedro Ortiz Villanueva (born July 29, 1962) is a Mexican professional wrestler, or luchador, and wrestling trainer who is best known under the ring name Pirata Morgan. Ortiz made his professional wrestling debut in 1979 and has in the last 20 ye ...
[the Mexican National Tag Team Championship is sanctioned by the Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission, but was promoted by AAA at this point in time]
*Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F.
**Distrito Federal Tag Team Championship – with Negro Navarro
Negro Navarro (born June 12, 1957) is the ring name of Miguel Calderón Navarro, a Mexican ''luchador'', or professional wrestler. Navarro works as a Freelancer on the Mexican independent circuit as well as making regular appearances for Inter ...
*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 World Tag Team Championship
The CMLL World Tag Team Championship (''CMLL Campeonato Mundial de Parejas'' in Spanish) is a professional wrestling World Tag Team Championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL; Spanish for "World Wrestling Council") in Mexico ...
( 1 time) – with Silver King
*International Wrestling Association of Japan
The International Wrestling Association of Japan, more commonly known as IWA Japan, was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion operating from 1994 to 2004 and again from 2010 to 2014. It was formed by Víctor Quiñones as a successor to the W ...
**IWA World Tag Team Championship
IWA World Tag Team Championship is a Tag Team Championship defended in Puerto Rico.The titles were first introduced in the first incarnation of the International Wrestling Association, where they are defended. They also made a brief appearance i ...
(1 time) – with Silver King
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
**PWI ranked him #342 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003.
**PWI ranked him #68 of the 100 best tag teams during the PWI Years with Silver King in 2003.
*Universal Wrestling Association
The Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) was a Mexican ''Lucha Libre'' or professional wrestling promotion based in Naucalpan, Mexico State that operated from 1975 until 1995. The name of the actual promotion was Lucha Libre Internacional (LLI) ...
**UWA World Light Heavyweight Championship
The UWA World Light Heavyweight Championship (''Campeonato Mundial Semi Completo de UWA'' in Spanish) is a singles professional wrestling championship initially promoted by the Mexican Lucha Libre wrestling based promotion Universal Wrestling As ...
( 1 time)
**UWA World Middleweight Championship
The UWA World Middleweight Championship (''Campeonato Mundial de Peso Medio UWA'' in Spanish) is a professional wrestling championship originally created and sanctioned by the Mexican lucha libre promotion Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) fro ...
( 1 time)
**UWA World Tag Team Championship
The UWA World Tag Team Championship is a tag team professional wrestling championship created by the Mexican Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) and defended there until the UWA closed in 1995. After the UWA's closing, the title was inactive un ...
( 1 time) – with Silver King
**UWA World Trios Championship
The UWA World Trios Championship is a tag team professional wrestling championship created by the Mexican Universal Wrestling Association and defended there until the UWA closed in 1995. Since then, the championship has been defended in various p ...
(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 ...
) – With Negro Navarro
Negro Navarro (born June 12, 1957) is the ring name of Miguel Calderón Navarro, a Mexican ''luchador'', or professional wrestler. Navarro works as a Freelancer on the Mexican independent circuit as well as making regular appearances for Inter ...
and El Signo
Antonio Sánchez Rendón (born September 4, 1954), is a retired Mexican ''Lucha libre, luchador'', or professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known under the ring name ''El Signo'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "The Symbol"). Rendón w ...
**UWA World Welterweight Championship
The UWA World Welterweight Championship is a championship in professional wrestling that is primarily contested for in various Lucha Libre promotions in Mexico. In 1993, the championship was recognized by the Japanese professional wrestling promoti ...
( 1 time)
*World Wrestling Association
The World Wrestling Association (WWA) (Asociación Mundial de Lucha Libre in Spanish) is a lucha libre promotion based in the Tijuana-area of Mexico. It was founded in 1986 by Benjamin Mora Jr.. It featured some of Mexico's best ''luchadores'' a ...
** WWA Tag Team Championship (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 ...
– with Silver King.
*World Wrestling Council
The World Wrestling Council (WWC) (Spanish: "Consejo Mundial de Lucha"), is a Puerto-Rican professional wrestling promotion based in Puerto Rico. It was originally established as Capitol Sports Promotions in 1973 by Carlos Colón Sr., Victor J ...
**WWC World Junior Heavyweight Championship
The WWC Junior Heavyweight Championship is a Championship (professional wrestling), championship contested for in the Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion, the World Wrestling Council. While ...
( 1 time)
*Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four We ...
:*Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON) Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling and mixed martial arts hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to their professions. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of t ...
(Class of 2019) as part of ''Los Misioneros de la Muerte
Los Misioneros de la Muerte (Spanish for the Missionaries of Death') was a Mexican ''Lucha libre'', or professional wrestling Trio that has been credited with making the two out of three falls six-man tag team match the most common match form in ...
''
''Luchas de Apuestas'' record
See also
* List of premature professional wrestling deaths
According to a 2014 study by Eastern Michigan University examining professional wrestlers who were active between 1985 and 2011, mortality rates for professional wrestlers are up to 2.9 times greater than the rate for men in the wider United States ...
Footnotes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Texano, El
1958 births
2006 deaths
Deaths from respiratory failure
Mexican male professional wrestlers
Professional wrestlers from Baja California
People from Mexicali
20th-century professional wrestlers
21st-century professional wrestlers
Mexican National Tag Team Champions
CMLL World Tag Team Champions
UWA World Trios Champions
UWA World Welterweight Champions
UWA World Tag Team Champions
UWA World Middleweight Champions
UWA World Light Heavyweight Champions