Villano III Has Died
Lucha libre legend passes away aged 66.
One of Mexican wrestling's most revered luchadores, Villano III, has sadly passed away after suffering a cerebral infarction. He was 66 years old.
Born Arturo Diáz Mendoza on 23 March 1952, Villano III was one of five sons to successful lucha libre star Ray Mendoza, all of whom went on to don the mask under the 'Villano' name.
Mendoza began his grappling career under various guises, including Pulpo Blanco ('White Octopus') and Mancha Roja ('Red Spot'), before settling on the Villano 'family name' established by his older brothers, José de Jesús and José Alfredo.
The masked siblings were subsequently promoted as the top draws of Ray Mendoza's newly founded Universal Wrestling Association throughout the mid-'70s, with Villano III the main attraction.
The Villanos dominated the UWA throughout the '80s, subsequently jumped ship to Antonio Peña's AAA after the organisation closed its door in 1994.
Even entering his 40s, Villano III's career showed no sign of winding down - in fact, it was yet to even reach its apogee. In 2000, the poster boy of UWA engaged in a spectacular feud with his CMLL equivalent Atlantis, culminating in an epic mask vs. mask encounter. The match claimed the Wrestling Observer's coveted Match of the Year award, and is widely regarded as one of the finest máscara contra máscara in Mexican wrestling history.
Beset by injury and with his eyesight failing, Mendoza hung up the proverbial mask in 2015. Unfortunately, his final match - a six-man with his brothers Villano IV and V, taking place on the ill-fated TripleMania XXIII - was a disaster. Fifteen years after claiming the Observer's highest accolade, Villano III achieved the dubious distinction of earning its 'worst' counterpart. It was a disappointingly unedifying end to a legendary career, but one which couldn't tarnish his forty year legacy.
Mendoza passed away on Tuesday. He is survived by his younger brothers Tomas and Raymundo.