Rayo de Jalisco, Sr.

Máximino "Max" Linares Moreno
Ring name(s)	El Rayo de Jalisco Mr. Misterio Águila Negra Dr. Curtis Tony Curtis El Rayo
Born	November 22, 1932 (1932-11-22) (age 79) Mexico City, Mexico
Debut	1950
Retired	1989

Máximino "Max" Linares Moreno (November 22, 1932-), better known as Rayo de Jalisco (The Lightning from Jalisco) is a Mexican luchador (professional wrestler) who is considered to be one of the best wrestlers of his generation.

Professional wrestling career

Linares made his wrestling debut in February 1950, under the name "Mister Misterio". He would later appear in Mexico City under the name "Aguila Negra" (Black Eagle). He continued sharpening his skills under the supervision of his brother Tony Sugar, who was also a professional luchador. In 1960, he appeared under the name "El Rayo" and in 1962, he finally appeared as "Rayo de Jalisco", wearing his trademark black mask with a lightning bolt across the face. Success soon followed for Rayo, winning the National Wrestling Alliance Middleweight Championship and Occidente Welterweight Championship. Rayo would also win a series of matches against another famous luchador Chino Chow. He unmasked his rival La Bestia (wrestler) (The Beast) in a mask vs mask match in 1964. Rayo would become the tag team partner of the legendary Blue Demon and was named "The Best Wrestler" of 1963.

Rayo feuded with Blue Demon near the end of both their careers. Blue Demon actually came out of retirement to face Rayo in a mask vs mask match. Rayo was defeated, revealing his face to the world as Maximo Linares Moreno.^[1]

Rayo is considered a regional hero in the Mexican state of Jalisco. In 1996, he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.

Film career

Rayo would also star in luchador films along with other famous masked luchadores. His films included; "Superzam el Invencible" (1971), "El Robo de las Momias de Guanajuato" (1972), "Vuelven Los Campeones Justicieros" (1972) and "El Triunfo de los Campeones Justicieros (1974)".

Personal life

Rayo's son followed in his footsteps and currently wrestles as Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. Rayo Jr. married Mitzuki Wong, a professional luchadora. Their son wrestles as "Rayman".

In wrestling

• Finishing moves

• Diving headbutt

Championships and accomplishments

• Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre

• Mexican National Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with El Santo
• NWA World Middleweight Championship (3 times)

• Occidente

• Occidente Welterweight Championship (1 time)

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

Lucha de Apuesta record

See also: Luchas de Apuestas

Wager	Winner	Loser	Location	Date	Notes
Hair	Rayo de Jalisco	Chino Chow	Unknown	Unknown
Mask	Rayo de Jalisco	La Máscara (Not current version)	Unknown	1963
Mask	Rayo de Jalisco	La Bestia	Mexico City, Mexico	1964
Mask	Rayo de Jalisco	Guerrero Negro	Unknown	01975-04-06 April 6, 1975
Mask	Rayo de Jalisco	Mr. Sangre	Unknown	01975-04-06 April 6, 1975
Masks	Rayo de Jalisco & Huracán Ramírez	Los Hermanos Muerte	Unknown	01978-09-17 September 17, 1978
Mask	Blue Demon	Rayo de Jalisco	Monterrey, Nuevo León	01989-07-30 July 30, 1989	[1]

References

General sources - Championship Information

• Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "MEXICO". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp. 389–402. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. 

General sources - Career

• L.L. Staff (2008). "Lucha Libre: Conoce la historia de las leyendas de cuadrilátero" (in Spanish). Rayo de Jalisco (1932) (Mexico): p. 44. Grandes Figuras de la Lucha Libre. 

Specific

1. ^ ^{a b} Enciclopedia staff (October, 2007). "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras" (in Spanish). Rayo de Jalisco (Mexico): p. 6. Tomo IV. 

Persondata
Name	Rayo de Jalisco Sr
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1932-11-22
Place of birth	Mexico City, Mexico
Date of death
Place of death