El Solitario

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Roberto González Cruz was a Mexican professional wrestler who wrestled under the name El Solitario. He entered the sport at the age of 14, and quickly became one of the best and most popular wrestlers in the country, especially after he defeated both Ray Mendoza and René Guajardo in hair vs. mask matches in 1968. His signature gold and black mask took its inspiration from the American TV show the Lone Ranger. During his career he held both the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Middleweight Championship.

After achieving stardom in Mexico's oldest promotion, Empresa Mundial de Lucha Libre, Cruz joined the breakaway promotion, the Universal Wrestling Association, where he held four more world championships in the early 1980s.

Cruz died of a heart attack at the age of 39, on April 6, 1986.

[edit] Championships and Accomplishments

Empresa Mundial de Lucha Libre

• NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• NWA World Middleweight Championship (1 time)

Universal Wrestling Association

• UWA World Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• UWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

[edit] Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (inducted in 1996)

[edit] Trivia

Cruz took his stage name from the popular comic book character El Llanero Solitario ("The Lone Ranger")^[1]

1. ^ Molinaro, John F.: Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time, page 158, Winding Stair Press, 2002.