Rolando Vera

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For the Ecuadorian long-distance runner with the same name see Rolando Vera (athlete)

Rolando Hernández Verástegui, better known as Rolando Vera, was a Mexican professional wrestler and wrestling trainer from Monterrey.

[edit] Career

Vera was born on February 1, 1915, in Monterrey, Nuevo León.

Vera was the first local star in Nuevo León. He got his training in wrestling in Tampico, Tamaulipas, while working in a petroleum plant.

During his rookie year, he was a recognizable face among the other local wrestlers, since he had been an amateur wrestler before becoming a professional. Vera has a legendary reputation as a tough wrestler, but he was not always a master of submission. Vera traveled to the United States where he learned the art of holds from a Turkish man named Joe Stanley.

Also, Vera had a four-year reign as NWA World Middleweight Champion at a time when that belt was the greatest prize worldwide in lucha libre. He won the belt from El Santo on October 19, 1956 in his home town of Monterrey, and lost it there on October 13, 1960 to his student René Guajardo.

He also wrestled in Germany, Cuba, France, England and the United States. Nevertheless, many consider the most important part of his career to be the time he spent as a trainer. He left as his legacy many great wrestlers, such as Blue Demon, René Guajardo, Mr. Lince, and Benny Morgan. He was a great técnico, an innovative wrestler (he created moves such as the Reinera and the Regiomontana). He died on March 29, 2001 at 11:30 pm after a heart attack while he slept in his home in Colonia Cumbres ('Colony Summits') in Monterrey. This created a great commotion in Monterrey, where he is considered a legend as big as El Santo and Blue Demon.