Octavio Gaona (1902–1996) was a Mexican ''

Luchador Lucha libre (, meaning "freestyle wrestling" or literally translated as "free fight") is the term used in Latin America for professional wrestling. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form ...

'', or

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

, known for his participation in the first ever high profile '' Lucha de Apuesta'', or wager fight, against

Murciélago Velázquez Jesús Velázquez Quintero (February 22, 1910 – May 26, 1972), better known under the ring names El Murciélago EnmascaradoLiterally translated as "Bat", Murciélago was a legendary fighting bull whose amazing fighting spirit during a corrida ...

. Gaona held both the

Mexican National Middleweight Championship The Mexican National Middleweight Championship ''()'' is a professional wrestling championship controlled by the ' (Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission). The official weight definition of the middleweight division in Mexico is from . The ...

and the Mexican version of the World Middleweight Championship. Gaona's son, adopted son, grandson and great grandson have all or are all professional wrestlers.

Professional wrestling career

Octavio Gaona made his professional wrestling debut in 1934, wrestling for various small promoters in

Guanajuato Guanajuato (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato), is one of the 32 states that make up the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 46 municipalities and its capital city i ...

and surrounding states. By 1937, Gaona wrestled full-time for

Salvador Lutteroth Salvador Lutteroth González (21 March 1897 – 5 September 1987) was a Mexican professional wrestling promoter of the mid-twentieth century. Lutteroth's organization, Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL), was the dominant Mexican wrestling pr ...

Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Co., Ltd. (CMLL; , "World Wrestling Council") is a ''lucha libre'' professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City. The promotion was previously known as ''Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre'' (''EMLL'') (''Mexi ...

(EMLL). On February 6, 1937, Gaona defeated

Black Guzmán Miguel Guzmán Huerta (1916 – December 1, 1973) was a Mexican professional wrestler, or '' Luchador'' as they are known in Spanish, who worked under the ring names Miguel Guzmán and Black Guzmán, a nickname he had earned due to his tan skin c ...

to win the vacant

. Gaona held the title until September 2, 1938, where Firpo Segra won it but would regain it on January 1, 1939. Gaona's second reign ended just over a month later on February 9, 1939. The loss was not a step down however, as he defeated

Gus Kallio Gustav Kallio (May 17, 1891 – March 2, 1962) was a Finnish born professional wrestler known under the ring name Gus Kallio or Gust Kallio. Kallio's wrestling career peaked in the 1920s and 1930s where he was known as the "King of the Welterweigh ...

to win both the

National Wrestling Association The National Wrestling Association (NWA) was an early professional wrestling sanctioning body created in 1930 by the National Boxing Association (NBA; now the World Boxing Association, WBA) as an attempt to create a governing body for professional ...

World Middleweight Champion Championship recognition 1884–1910 Champions were recognized by public acclamation. A champion in that era was a fighter who had a notable win over another fighter and kept winning afterward. Retirements or disputed results could lead to a cha ...

and the Mexican version of the World Middleweight Championship. Gaona's title win helped establish the World Middleweight title in Mexico. Gaona unified both titles, only defending them together. On February 4, 1940, Gaona lost the Championships to

Tarzán López Carlos López Tovar (28 August 1912 – 28 August 1975) was a luchador who was active in the 1930s and 1940s, better known by the ring name Tarzán López. Known as "Tarzan" because of his bodybuilder's physique, Lopez held the Mexican national ...

. Shortly after the title loss, Octavio Gaona took part in one of the most pivotal events in Lucha Libre as he took part of the very first '' Lucha de Apuesta'' match. After a long buildup of a storyline between Gaona and

, one of the top ''Rudos'' ("Bad guy" or Heel character) of the time, Gaona challenged Velázquez to face him in a match where the masked wrestler would "bet" his mask on the outcome of the match. Since Velázquez was so much lighter than Gaona he requested a further condition before he would sign the contract: Octavio Gaona would have to put his hair on the line as well, creating the first match in Mexico where a two wrestlers "bet" either their hair or their mask. On July 14, 1940, Octavio Gaona defeated Murciélago Velázquez, forcing him to unmask after the match in what would become a Lucha Libre tradition. Since then ''Apuesta'' matches have become headliners all over Mexico; winning the mask of an opponent is seen as prestigious, and the more famous the masked man is, the bigger the victory. In 1942 Velázquez would get his revenge on Gaona when he defeated him to win the vacant Mexican National Middleweight Championship, although the victory could never equal the loss of the mask. By the end of the 1940s, Gaona's wrestling career had slowed down, especially with the birth of his son Octavio Gaona, Jr. Gaona, Jr. would go on to become a professional wrestler, as would his son Arturo Gaona and Arturo's son Arturo Gaona, Jr. making the Gaona family a four generation wrestling family. Octavio Gaona also adopted Francisco Ruiz Arreola, who would wrestle under the name "Tamba", nicknamed "the Flying Elephant". Gaona came out of retirement in 1972, at 70 years old, defeating Tamba in a ''Lucha de Apuesta'' match to unmask him. Octavio Gaona died in 1996.

Championships and accomplishments

(

2 times "2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outsid ...

) **

NWA World Middleweight Championship The NWA World Middleweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) between 1939 and 2010. For most of its existence, it was defended in the Mexican ''lucha libre'' promotion Consejo Mundial d ...

( 1 time) *

( 1 time)

''Luchas de Apuestas'' record

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaona, Octavio 1902 births 1996 deaths 20th-century professional wrestlers Mexican male professional wrestlers Professional wrestlers from Guanajuato Sportspeople from León, Guanajuato Mexican National Middleweight Champions NWA World Middleweight Champions