Mexican professional wrestler Pedro Aguayo Ramirez collapsed on the ropes of the ring, while the match continued for two minutes, before medics released he was seriously injured.
Ramirez, the son of a wrestling legend in Mexico, died on Saturday, after he received a blow in the ring. According to the Baja California state prosecutor’s office, Pedro Aguayo Ramirez, known as Hijo del Perro Aguayo, lost his consciousness after he received a kick from Oscar Gutierrez, another wrestler known as Rey Mysterio Jr.. The match took place in the municipal auditorium in Tijuana.
The match went on for almost two minutes before the wrestlers and the referee realized Aguayo was gravely injured. He was taken immediately to the hospital, but died a few hours later, said prosecutor’s spokesman Raul Gutierrez.
According to the state prosecutor’s office, the cause of death was trauma to the neck and a cervical fracture. After the autopsy, the authorities have opened an investigation into possible manslaughter.
The Crash, the company that organised the event, couldn’t be reached for comment. The Tijuana Boxing and Wrestling Commission decried the death as an unfortunate accident, a sad consequence high-risk sports.
The match continued as Pedro Aguayo hung motionless on the ropes, commission President Juan Carlos Pelayo explained that people checked his condition immediately, adding that the doctor in charge was not at ringside, as he was offering treatment to another injured wrestler. Paramedics and a doctor who was a spectator offered medical support to Aguayo.
“The reaction for medical attention was quick,” Pelayo said in a press conference Saturday.
Mexico’s professional wrestling scene is known for its colorful costumes and characters. Wrestling is called lucha libre, amd fighters perform spectacular aerial maneuvers both inside and outside the ring.
Aguayo was 35 years-old. He dhd wrestled for 20 years and was the son of the legendary Pedro “Perro” Aguayo. His father is now retired and a member of the Hall of Fame of Aztec lucha.
Aguayo Jr. led a popular group called “Los Perros de Mal” – the bad dogs. He won the national pairs title with his father, and also a national heavyweight championship.
“I think the fans in Mexico, the United States and Japan must be in mourning, especially because of his youth. It makes me very sad,” the wrestler Hijo del Santo said.
Image Source: El Debate