September 25th in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Stanley Weston 1919
Villano II 1949
Jerry Oske 1962
Happy Birthday:
Jimmy Garvin (73)
Aja Kong (55)
RIP Memorial: We stop & remember those who have passed on this day and gave themselves to the business for us, the fans. We salute you and thank you.
Ivan Rasputin 9-25-1976 at the age of 64
Anthony Durante\Pitbull 2 9-25-2003 at the age of 36
Curtis Smith 9-25-2023 at the age of 80
Significant Debuts
9-25-1946: Bulldog Danny Plechas lost to Gene Bowman at the Fairgrounds Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska
9-25-1980: Art Crews lost to Billy Howard at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas
9-25-1982: Jim Cornette made his professional wrestling debut
80 Year Flashback
9-25-1945: Gory Guerrero defeated Bobby Bonales for the EMLL National Middleweight Championship in Mexico City, Mexico
This significant victory took place at the EMLL 12th Anniversary Show, a major milestone in Guerrero’s career, solidifying his status as a rising star in lucha libre.
Guerrero debuted in professional wrestling in 1937 and joined EMLL in 1943, where he was named “Rookie of the Year.” Earlier in 1945, Guerrero had briefly held the Mexican National Welterweight Championship by defeating Jack O’Brien on April 20, only to vacate it five days later, likely due to weight issues. His victory over Bonales marked his second major title win that year and showcased his growing prominence in the Mexican wrestling scene.
Pictured:; Gory Guerrero
Bonales was a seasoned wrestler known as “La Maravilla Moreliana” (The Marvel from Morelia), Bonales was a key figure in early lucha libre. He had previously won the Mexican National Middleweight Championship on June 11, 1943, by defeating El Santo, and was a two-time champion by 1945. Bonales was renowned for his technical prowess and for innovating the Topé Suicida move.
Guerrero and Bonales had a storied rivalry, with their matches considered classics in lucha libre history. Notably, a later match where Bonales defeated Guerrero for the NWA World Welterweight Championship lasted an epic 1 hour and 50 minutes, highlighting the intensity of their encounters. Guerrero’s victory ended Bonales’ second reign as Mexican National Middleweight Champion. Guerrero held the title until May 31, 1946, when he lost it to El Santo.
Winning the Middleweight Championship further elevated Guerrero’s status in EMLL, establishing him as a top-tier wrestler. This victory came just months after his Welterweight title win, demonstrating his versatility across weight classes. It also set the stage for his later accomplishments, including forming the legendary tag team “La Pareja Atómica” with El Santo and winning the NWA World Middleweight Championship in 1946. While we don’t have any records of specific match details, this period of the 1940s were a formative period for lucha libre, with EMLL (now CMLL) establishing itself as Mexico’s leading wrestling promotion under Salvador Lutteroth. Guerrero’s win over Bonales reflected the sport’s growing popularity and the emergence of Mexican-born wrestlers, as opposed to imported talent.
The Mexican National Middleweight Championship, created in 1933, was controlled by the Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F. and promoted by EMLL until 1992. The weight class ranged from 82 to 87 kg (181 to 192 lb). Guerrero’s reign was part of a lineage that included notable champions like Yaqui Joe (the first champion) and El Santo.
One Thing I Learned Today About Pro Wrestling History
Curtis Smith worked as many of Southern Wrestling’s famous tag teams including as a masked Blue Demon, Blue Yankee, Mighty Yankee, Spoiler #1, Super Inferno #1 and Assassin #2. He was the brother of Rocky Smith, who often worked as the other masked wrestler in their tag teams.
Thank You for Reading
I’m Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter. Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
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