Manuel Cota Soto (June 5, 1954 – December 22, 2016) 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 ...

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 ...

Mocho Cota. "Mocho" is Spanish for "mutilated", and Cota had lost two fingers. In his career, which began in 1979, he held both the

Mexican National Welterweight Championship The Mexican National Welterweight Championship (''Campeonato Nacional Peso Welter'' in Spanish language, Spanish) is a Lucha libre, Mexican professional wrestling championship (professional wrestling), championship created and sanctioned by Comisi ...

and the

NWA World Welterweight Championship The NWA World Welterweight Championship ( es, Campeonato Mundial Welter de NWA) is an inactive professional wrestling championship governed by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and most recently promoted by NWA Mexico. The championship was ori ...

. He worked mainly for Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre / Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (EMLL / CMLL) throughout his career.

Professional wrestling career

Manuel Cota made his professional wrestling debut in 1979, choosing to wrestle under the ring name "Mocho Cota", a name he would use for his entire career. On November 12, 1982, he won the

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) promoted

by defeating Talismán. The title change set off a long running storyline feud between them that saw both men win ''

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 ...

'' against each other, seeing their opponents shaved bald after the matches. Cota's Mexican Welterweight title reign lasted for 265 days until he lost to

Chamaco Valaguez Javier Prado Valaguez (born February 19, 1957) is a Mexican retired ''Luchador'', or professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Chamaco Valaguez (Spanish for "Kid Valaguez"). Valaquez also wrestle as the '' enmascarado'' (masked) charac ...

on August 4, 1983. On January 27, 1984, he defeated

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 ...

to win the

. He lost the title to Valaguez on July 26, 1984. He died on December 22, 2016, aged 62.

Personal life

According to his son, "Mocho" earned his nickname by being amputated, losing two fingers and the top of another one, after an accident at a "Maquiladora" (a textile plant) working with a chopper before becoming a full-time wrestler. His brother wrestles as ''Guero Cota''. One of his sons has become an established name of the Mexican Wrestling Company AAA taking up his famous father's name "

Mocho Cota Jr. Alejandro Cota (born July 2, 1977) is a Mexican '' luchador'', or professional wrestler known by his ring name as Mocho Cota Jr., currently working for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) portraying a ''ru ...

" In February 2018, he and two partners: "Tito Santana (formerly known as Soul Rocker") and "Carta Brava Jr." known as "Poder del Norte" became champions of "Tercias (three wrestlers) of AAA.

Championships and accomplishments

( 1 time) **

( 1 time)

''Luchas de Apuestas'' record

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cota, Mocho 1954 births 2016 deaths Mexican male professional wrestlers Professional wrestlers from Sinaloa 20th-century professional wrestlers 21st-century professional wrestlers NWA World Welterweight Champions