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It’s phenomenally hard to imagine any sport without Latino athletes so don’t even bother trying. Football’s had their share of countless Latino legends like Alfredo Di Stefano, Pele, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, Formula 1 had their fair share in the form of the great Ayrton Senna, Boxing had Latino greats to boast about in the form of Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez along with scores of others, so it’s only natural for the great sport of wrestling to have had some iconic Hispanics that have done the sport justice.
With that in mind let’s browse through the top 10 Latino wrestlers to have ever graced the game.
Eddie Guerrero
If any name deserves to lead this list it has to be Eddie Guerrero’s. A part of the legendary Los Guerreros family of wrestlers, Eddie is often considered as one of the most gifted wrestlers in a respectable career that was blighted by alcohol and drug addiction problems. A winner of 23 titles, Guerrero’s popularity skyrocketed as the leader of the Latino World Order which had many great storylines.
The Mexican had his finest hour in 2004 when he orchestrated the defeat of the great Brock Lesnar, cementing his status as a WWE legend. Guerrero’s career ended in tragedy after he succumbed to a heart attack in 2005, just a year after being declared champion, signalling the end of an era. All in all it’s safe to say that the man with the unforgettable catchphrase "I Lie! I Cheat! I Steal!", is still dearly missed.
Pedro Morales
One of the torchbearers of the Latino wrestling community, Morales will always be considered as one of wrestling’s most astounding athletes. Morales’ distinguished career boasts of three major WWF titles – the WWWF Championship, the Intercontinental Championship as well as the WWF World Tag Team Championship – making him the first wrestler in history to achieve that feat.
His remarkable achievements did not go unnoticed, and were honoured when he was named as the first Latino to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. All these factors combined have made Morales one of the most decorated Hispanic wrestlers of all time.
Rey Mysterio
The third place on this list goes to the man who’s proven that even small statured individuals can pack quite a punch. Oscar Gutirrez Rubio aka Rey Mysterio has revolutionized wrestling since the ‘90s and is considered as one of the sport’s most recognizable faces.
The 40-year-old, who is a three time World Champion, has been wrestling since the time he was a teenager under the tutelage of his uncle Rey Mysterio Sr along with many other pros who made him who he is today. The San Diego native with the astonishing 619 finisher continues to wow the wrestling world even today and will go down in history as one of the sport’s greatest sons.
Tito Santana
The Texas native was one of the wrestling’s best, most consistent performers during the 1980’s – the Golden Age of wrestling. Although he never won the WWF Heavyweight title, Santana’s enviable career boasts of two WWF Intercontinental Championships, along with two WWF Tag Team titles.
Even though it’s been years since he retired from wrestling he’s still made sporadic appearances in various matches over the years. The 62-year-old WWE Hall of Famer will undoubtedly go down as a great contributor to the sport. Arriba!
Alberto del Rio
Before making a name for himself in WWE, the highly talented del Rio also excelled at Mixed Martial Arts. Del Rio’s MMA background did him a whole lot of good, and created history after becoming the first Mexico born WWE Champion back in 2011, followed by a World Heavyweight title the following year. The 38-year-old’s WWE career unfortunately ended in disgrace after he was fired due to an alteration with an employee who aimed a racist jibe towards him. Even though the manner of his departure from WWE will always be a stain on his career, del Rico will always be remembered as one of the most gifted wrestlers to ever grace the competition.
Chavo Guerrero
If you have the surname Guerrero chances are that you’ll be superb wrestler, and that’s exactly what Chavo is. Although his famous uncle, who we’ll discuss later, hogged much of the limelight during his time in WWE, Chavo did an exceptionally good job of making his own name in the world of wrestling. The 44-year-old had some rather exciting matches along with a memorable pairing with his famous uncle which won them the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Tag Team of the Year award back in 2002 along with two WWE Tag Team titles. It’s safe to say that Chavo is a star in his own right and will be fondly remembered by wrestling fans worldwide.
Juventud Guerrera
Is it possible to compile this list without including the Mexicools’ flamboyant leader? I think not. Besides being known as the leader of the Mexicools, who overly prided themselves on their Latino heritage, the insanely brilliant Guerrera is known for being a crowd pleaser, which was furthered by his group’s famous lawnmower entrance as well as his entertaining games with Paul London, Nunzio among others.
Unfortunately Juve’s iconic 450 splash along with his many other outrageous moves drew concern from the WWE top brass who terminated his contract due to his act violating safety norms. Even though he’s been out of WWE for a while he’s created a lasting legacy which won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
Mil Mascaras
Widely known as one of the wrestlers who put the Mexican style of lucha libre on the map, Aaron Rodriguez aka Mil Mascaras’ status as a wrestling legend is undisputed. Mascaras’ popularity skyrocketed when he became the first masked wrestler to take the ring in New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden. Although he’s only made guest appearances in WWE he’s a cult favourite among the franchise’s fans.
The 72-year-old’s respect for wrestling as an art rather than a business has earned him many plaudits and has solidified his status as a legend. The Mexican’s contribution to the sport was honoured when he was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall Of Fame and the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2010 and 2012 respectively.
Supercrazy
Another member of the Mexicools, Super Crazy had a memorable run in WWE. Deceptively agile, Super Crazy’s greatest strength was his speedy moves which often caught opponents off guard.
His most memorable moments include his partnership with fellow Mexicools member Psicosis against Brian Kendrick and Paul London. However later in his career, his body unfortunately let him down leading to his WWE departure back in 2008 with a string of memories in tow.
Essa Rios
The highly talented wrestler exploded onto the scene at the tender age of 18 under the name Mr. Aguila. Rios’ duels with Taka Michinoku attained much fame, which skyrocketed when the youngster won the WWF Lightweight Title back in 2000.
Rios once again made headlines after his feud with Eddie Guerrero along with his short lived feud with Kurt Angle before his departure from WWE back in 2001 in an incredibly short but memorable career.
