Rito Romero Loza (May 19, 1927 – January 18, 2001) was a successful

luchador ''Lucha libre'' (, meaning "freestyle wrestling" or literally translated as "free fight") is the term for the style of professional wrestling originating in Mexico. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has develope ...

who wrestled in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

and in the NWA territories of

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

and

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. He appeared in several films in his native country along with a number of other luchadors. He is remembered for his innovation of the ''Romero Special''/''La Tapatia'' submission manoeuver, commonly known as the ''

Surfboard A surfboard is a narrow plank used in surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding an ocean wave. They were invented in ancient Hawaii, where they were known as ''papa hee ...

''.

Career

Romero was trained as a luchador by Diablo Velasco, a man also responsible for the training of

Mil Máscaras Mil Máscaras (born Aarón Rodríguez Arellano, July 15, 1942) is a Mexican Lucha libre, luchador (professional wrestler) and actor. He is regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of the lucha libre tradition in Mexico – along with El Santo a ...

and

Gory Guerrero Salvador Guerrero Quesada (January 11, 1921 – April 18, 1990), better known as Gory Guerrero, was one of the premier Mexican-American professional wrestlers in the early days of Lucha Libre when most wrestlers were imported from outside Mexi ...

. His early career was spent in Mexico, making his debut in Guadalajara at aged just 15, having been in training for the previous 3 years. He began finding title success upon becoming a regular in NWA Texas (which would become

World Class Championship Wrestling World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), later known as the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA), was an American professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by ...

. With tag-team partner Black Guzmán (brother of

El Santo Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (23 September 1917 – 5 February 1984), best known by his ring name El Santo (English language, English: "The Saint"), was a Mexican ''Lucha libre, luchador Wrestling mask, enmascarado'' (or masked professional wrestlin ...

) he would win the NWA Texas Tag Team titles 3 times, winning the same belts a further 5 times with different partners including Pepper Gomez. He would also co-hold the

NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) The Texas version (or East Texas version) of the NWA World Tag Team Championship was the main tag team professional wrestling championship in the Dallas/Houston-based Southwest Sports territory of the National Wrestling Alliance. While the name in ...

twice (the belts being recognised as World Championships by WCCW and

Dory Funk Dorrance Wilhelm Funk (May 4, 1919 – June 3, 1973) was an American professional wrestler. He is the father of wrestlers Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, and was a promoter of the Amarillo, Texas-based Western States Sports promotion. Earl ...

's Amarillo territory). As a singles competitor he had the distinction of being the inaugural NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Champion of the

territory in 1953 as well as being a two-time NWA Texas Jr. Heavyweight Title back in the region in which he remained a perennial star. He became

NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion The NWA Texas Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today. The title has used a variety ...

twice, on the second occasion winning the title from

Verne Gagne the Minnesota Golden Gophers wrestling, Minnesota Golden Gophers Laverne Clarence "Verne" Gagne ( ; February 26, 1926 – April 27, 2015) was an American amateur wrestling, amateur and professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Amer ...

on 27 October 1950. In between his first title reign in 1949 and his retirement there was only one year (1960) during which Rito Romero did not enjoy at least some time with a championship. During his career he became friends with the legendary

Lou Thesz Aloysius Martin Thesz (April 24, 1916 – April 28, 2002), known by the ring name Lou Thesz, was an American professional wrestler and wrestling coach. Considered to be one of the last true shooters (legitimate wrestlers) in professional w ...

(against whom he had his biggest match for the

NWA World Heavyweight Championship The NWA World's Heavyweight Championship is a men's professional wrestling Professional wrestling championship#World championships, world heavyweight championship owned and promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), an American professiona ...

at a time when he was

) and travelled Europe with him. Thesz esteemed Romero so highly as to rate him as a better performer than his contemporaries El Canek and

Personal life

Romero was married to Yolanda and had 4 children. His brother Juventino Romero (1923–2009, also known as Cocoliso Romero and La Orquídea) was also a wrestler.

Death

Rito Romero suffered a fatal

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

on January 17, 2001. He had gone into hospital in his hometown of Guadalajara on the 16th with high blood-sugar levels where it was discovered he was suffering from

appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation of the Appendix (anatomy), appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever and anorexia (symptom), decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these t ...

. Bored of being in hospital he decided to check himself. While remonstrating with the hospital workers who were trying to make him return to his bed he collapsed.

Championships and accomplishments

* NWA Los Angeles **NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version) (1 time) ** NWA International Television Championship ( 3 times) ** NWA International Television Tag Team Championship ( 3 times) - with Chief War Cloud (1)

Ray Stern Ray "Thunder" Stern, born Walter Bookbinder, (January 12, 1933 – March 6, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and entrepreneur. Biography At age 13 he joined the Merchant Marines using the name Paul Davis and discovered ...

(1 time) and Suni War Cloud (1 time) **NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship ''(Los Angeles version)'' (1 time) * Southwest Sports, Inc. ** NWA Brass Knuckles Championship ''(Texas version)'' ( 1 time) **

NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship The NWA Texas Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today. The title has used a variety ...

( 4 times)* **NWA Texas Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times) **

NWA Texas Tag Team Championship The WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship was the secondary professional wrestling tag team championship promoted by the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area-based World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). The championship was originally known as the NWA ...

( 7 times) – with Miguel "Black" Guzmán (3 times),

Sugi Sito Francisco Javier Mar Hernández (December 4, 1926 – May 4, 2000) was a Mexican professional wrestler and Promoter (entertainment), promoter, known by the ring name "El Orgullo de Oriente" ("The pride of the Orient") Sugi Sito. He was born in Gua ...

(1 time), George Drake (1 time), Pepe Mendietta (1 time), and Pepper Gomez (1 time) **

NWA World Tag Team Championship The NWA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling World Tag Team Championship, world tag team championship created by the National Wrestling Alliance. From 1948 to 1982, the NWA allowed List of National Wrestling Alliance territories ...

(

2 times "2 Times" is the debut single of English singer Ann Lee. It was released in Italy in December 1998 by X-Energy as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999), and was issued worldwide the following year. The single peaked at number tw ...

) – with

Dory Dixon Dorrel "Dory" Dixon (born February 1, 1934) is a Jamaican retired professional wrestler who worked for the majority of his career in Mexico, where he eventually became a Mexican citizen. He is currently a pastor for the Seventh-day Adventist Churc ...

(1 time) and Pepper Gomez (1 time)

Filmography

*'' La Bestia magnifica'' (1953) *''La Última lucha'' (1959) *''El Señor Tormenta'' (1963) *''Atacan las brujas'' (1968)

References

;General * * ;Specific

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Romero, Rito 1927 births 2001 deaths Mexican male professional wrestlers Mexican male actors Professional wrestlers from Jalisco NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Champions WCWA Brass Knuckles Champions 20th-century male professional wrestlers 20th-century Mexican professional wrestlers NWA World Tag Team Champions (Texas version) NWA Texas Heavyweight Champions