Every Wrestling Rookie Of The Year: Where Are They Now?
28. 1995: Perro Aguayo, Jr.
Perro Aguayo, Jr. was both a legend and the top star of AAA when he tragically died, taking a routine move in March 2015, in a freak accident.
He was 36.
He was more worthy of his Rookie of the Year award than most, showcasing a natural ability comparable to Kurt Angle or Jun Akiyama. He was a headlining sensation as a teenager, but turned rudo (heel), after making the jump to CMLL, in what was thought to be a counterintuitive move. As great and likeable as he was in the face role, in those first few years at least, he was even better at generating heat. He was almost unfairly talented, and as the scenes in the US and Japan declined in the 2000s, Mexico flourished, and as the cool heel of the day, his hugely impressive consistency at the box office played a fundamental role in the boom.
His drawing power was lasting; by the time of his death, he had long since returned to AAA, which was red-hot with Aguayo, Jr. as the centrepiece.