Gory Guerrero

Infobox Wrestler
name= Salvador Guerrero Quesada
names=Joe Morgan
Gory Guerrero


image_size=
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birth_date=Birth date |1921|1|11
birth_place=Ray, Arizona
death_date=death date and age|1990|4|18|1921|1|11
death_place=El Paso, Texas
resides=
billed=
trainer=Diablo Velasco
Indio Mejía
Gilberto Martínez
Raúl Romero
debut= September 14, 1937
retired=
website=

Salvador "Gory" Guerrero Quesada (January 11, 1921 – April 18, 1990 in Ray, Arizona) was one of the premier Hispanic professional wrestlers in the early days of Lucha Libre when most wrestlers were imported from outside of Mexico.

Overview

Gory was born in Ray, Arizona but his family moved shortly thereafter to California where he went to an English school. His family moved to Guadalajara, Jalisco in Mexico and Gory used his language skills at a pottery shop. In Guadalajara, he joined the local "Box y Lucha" club (intending to learn boxing) and was trained by the legendary trainer Diablo Velasco as one of his first protegés. He made his debut shortly after in 1937 in Guadalajara.

Over the next few years, he would make important friends, learn more about the tricks of the trade and amateur wrestling. He made his debut for the Mexico City promotion Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre in 1943. He quickly rose the ranks, being named "Rookie of the Year" and winning two titles in 1945, the National Welterweight title (which he never lost) and the National Middleweight title. His feud with Cavernario Galindo is considered to be one of the first true blood feuds in the history of professional wrestling. The feud later evolved into a tag feud, with El Santo on the side of Gory Guerrero, forming the legendary tag team "La Pareja Atómica", and Black Shadow teaming with Galindo.

He continued his success, defeating Tarzán López for the NWA Middleweight title and even wrestling a match with NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz. He broke away from EMLL and worked as an independent in the mid-sixties, also beginning to branch out into booking. As he got older he was wrestling less and less until he retired in the 1980s. He died at the age of 69 in 1990 in El Paso, Texas.

Gory is best remembered for his aggressive technical style and he is credited with the invention of "La de a Caballo" (or "Camel Clutch" as it is known in the U.S. since it was used by Middle Eastern heels like The Sheik) and the "Gori Special", a back to back stretch hold which has been modified into a facebuster move (Gory Bomb) or a neckbreaker/backbreaker (Widow's Peak). He was well respected by several generations of luchadores for his toughness and ability.

A key part of his legacy are his children, Chavo Guerrero Sr. (whose son Chavo Guerrero, Jr. is also a wrestler), Mando, Hector and Eddie Guerrero (died in 2005). He also has two daughters, Cuqui and Linda. His wife Herlinda was the sister of Mexican wrestler Enrique Llanes. He was a born-again Christian and raised his children in the Baptist Church.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**Gory special – "Innovated"
**Camel Clutch – "Innovated"

Championships and accomplishments

*Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre:*Mexican National Middleweight Championship (1 time):*Mexican National Welterweight Championship (1 time):*NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)¹:*NWA World Middleweight Championship (1 time)²:*NWA World Welterweight Championship (1 time)³

*NWA Hollywood Wrestling:*NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Chavo Guerrero

*"'Pacific Northwest Wrestling:*NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Luigi Macera

*Southwest Championship Wrestling:*SWCW Southwest Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Southwest Sports, Inc.:*NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Cyclone Anaya

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards:*Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

¹The NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship is no longer a championship that is sanctioned or acknowledge by the National Wrestling Alliance as a world title.
²The NWA World Middleweight Championship is also not sanctioned or recognized by the NWA as a world title.
³The NWA World Welterweight Championship is no longer sanctioned or recognized by the NWA as a world title.

References

*"Wrestling With God" by Chad Bonham, 2001, ISBN 1-58919-935-9, pp. 125-138.
* [http://www.luchawiki.com/index.php?title=Gori_Guerrero luchawiki profile]
* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/g/gory-guerrero.html Profile at Online World of Wrestling]