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Juan Manuel Rodriguez (February 11, 1962 – March 20, 2008) was a Mexican luchador, best known by his ringname Bestia Salvaje, who competed in Mexican and international promotions during the 1980s and 1990s, most notably with Emilio Charles, Jr. and Scorpio, Jr. as part of the stable Los Talibanes. A second generation wrestler, he was the son of Espectro II and the brother of Corazón Salvaje as well as the brother-in-law of Charrito de Oro.

During his career he wrestled mainly for Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL), later known as Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). He had several feuds during his career including ones against Ringo Mendoza, Mano Negra, and Héctor Garza. He won the CMLL World Tag Team Championship twice with Scorpio Jr., and the CMLL World Trios Championship with Emilio Charles Jr. and Sangre Chicana. He wrestled the last match of his career two months before his death in January 2008 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Career[]

Rodriguez made his professional debut on June 12, 1983, wrestling under the name Freddy Rodriguez at the Arena Jalisco in his hometown of Guadalajara. He continued in that role until 1986 when he transformed to Bestia Salvaje. By the late 1980s, he had become a leading rudo. In October 1988, he lost a hair vs. hair match to El Dandy and later feuded with him over the CMLL World Middleweight Championship during the early 1990s. Rodriguez defeated him for the title on September 4, 1992, but lost it back to El Dandy three months later.

Teaming with Mano Negra in the CMLL World Tag Team Championship Tournament, he and Mano Negro were eliminated in the opening rounds by Apolo Dantes and Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. on February 26, 1993. He would also team with Scorpio, Jr. and Sangre Chicana defeating La Ola Blanca (Dr. Wagner, Jr., Gran Markus, Jr. and El Hijo del Gladiador) for the CMLL World Trios Championship on March 31, 1995, and would hold the titles for over a year before losing them to Dos Caras, Héctor Garza and La Fiera on March 22, 1996.

During the CMLL Torneo Gran Alternativa, he would team with Chicago Express defeating Dos Caras and Bronco, El Hijo del Santo and Olímpico and Atlantis and Atlantico in the tournament finals on June 7, 1996. The following month, he competed in the 3rd Annual Grand Prix Tournament defeating Yone Genjin in the opening rounds before being eliminated by the Great Sasuke in the semi-finals.

Los Guapos[]

During the late 1990s, he formed the rudo stable Los Guapos with Scorpio, Jr. and Emilio Charles, Jr. who were later involved in one of the biggest controversies in Mexican professional wrestling when, during a 6-man tag team match with Scorpio, Jr. and El Felino against Negro Casas, El Dandy and Héctor Garza, El Felino apparently turned on his brother Negro Casas allowing him to be attacked by Carrillo and Scorpio, Jr. However, El Felino unmasked revealing himself to be longtime tecnico El Hijo del Santo in his first appearance since his loss to rival Negro Casas at the 63rd CMLL Anniversary Show in September 1996. Attacking Casas, this would result in minor rioting in the arena. Teaming with El Hijo del Santo for almost two years, Carrillo and Scorpio turned on El Hijo del Santo during a 6-man tag team match with Santos' partners Villaño III and Fuerza Guerrera.

He and Scorpio, Jr. later won the CMLL World Tag Team Championship Tournament defeating The Headhunters, Atlantis and Lizmark and El Satánico and Dr. Wagner, Jr. on November 13, 1998, in the finals to win the CMLL World Tag Team Championship. Later that year, he and Scorpio, Jr. would team with Zumbido in the CMLL Trios Championship Tournament defeating Shocker, Mr. Niebla and Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. in the opening rounds, Vampiro, El Dandy and Héctor Garza in the semi-finals before being eliminated by Blue Panther, Black Warrior and Dr. Wagner, Jr. in the finals on December 18, 1998.

Feuding with El Hijo del Santo and Negro Casas over the CMLL Tag Team titles, they lost to El Hijo del Santo and Negro Casas by disqualification on February 5, 1999, although El Hijo del Santo and Negro Casas refused to accept the titles. They would later lose the titles in a hair vs. mask match to El Hijo del Santo and Negro Casas on February 26. In December 1999, he and Moto Cross would be eliminated in the opening rounds if the CMLL Toreno Gran Alternativa by Negro Casas and Flecha.

In 2000, he and Blue Panther would enter the CMLL World Tag Team Championship Tournament defeating Olímpico and Brazo de Plata in the opening rounds before being eliminated in the semi-finals by Lizmark and Lizmark, Jr.. In early 2001, he lost to La Parka in a three way hair vs. hair match that also included El Dandy.

Teaming occasionally with Los Capos, Carrillo and the other members of Los Guapos, now known as Los Talibanes, he feuded with Shocker and his breakaway rudos faction of Mascara Magica and El Terrible eventually concluding in a 6-man cage match with El Terrible defeating Carrillo in a hair vs. hair match in August 2003.

Death[]

He wrestled the last match of his career two months before his death in January 2008 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Rodriguez died on March 20, 2008 of liver disease.

Championships and accomplishments[]

  • PWI ranked him #326 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003
  • WAR Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Lucha de Apuesta record[]


Wager Winner Loser Location Date Notes
Hair Bestia Salvaje Águila India Unknown Unknown  
Mask Bestia Salvaje América Salvaje Colima State Unknown  
Hair Asesino Negro Bestia Salvaje Guadalajara, Jalisco Unknown  
Hair Apolo Dantés Bestia Salvaje Mexico City, Mexico 1980s  
Hair El Dandy Bestia Salvaje Mexico City, Mexico 01988-10-02October 2, 1988  
Mask Bestia Salvaje Ninja de Fuego Guadalajara, Jalisco 1990s  
Hair Bestia Salvaje Cachorro Mendoza Mexico City, Mexico 01990-05-04May 4, 1990  
Hair Bestia Salvaje Huracán Sevilla Mexico City, Mexico 01992-02-14February 14, 1992  
Hair Bestia Salvaje Kato Kung Lee Mexico City, Mexico 01992-03-13March 13, 1992  
Hair Bestia Salvaje Mendoza, RingoRingo Mendoza Mexico City, Mexico

01992-08-16August 16, 1992

 
Hair Mano Negra Bestia Salvaje Mexico City, Mexico 01993-12-03December 3, 1993  
Hair Bestia Salvaje Black Power Mexico City, Mexico 01995-02-02February 2, 1995  
Hair Héctor Garza Bestia Salvaje Mexico City, Mexico 01995-12-01December 1, 1995
Hair Negro Casas Bestia Salvaje Mexico City, Mexico 01996-10-18October 18, 1996  
Hair La Fiera Bestia Salvaje Mexico City, Mexico 01997-08-29August 29, 1997  
Hair and Mask Negro Casas and El Hijo del Santo Bestia Salvaje and Scorpio Jr. Mexico City, Mexico 01999-03-19March 19, 1999  
Hair Negro Casas Bestia Salvaje Guadalajara, Jalisco 01999-09-26September 26, 1999  
Hair Perro Aguayo Bestia Salvaje Mexico City, Mexico 02000-04-14April 14, 2000  
Hair Negro Casas Bestia Salvaje Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas 02000-11-06November 6, 2000  
Hair Halloween Bestia Salvaje Tijuana, Baja California 02002-03-15March 15, 2002
Hair El Terrible Bestia Salvaje Mexico City, Mexico 02003-08-01August 1, 2003
Hair Bestia Salvaje Toro Blanco Guadalajara, Jalisco 02004-01-18January 18, 2004  
Hair Shocker Bestia Salvaje cd. Madero, Tamaulipas 02004-09-25September 25, 2004
Hair Bestia Salvaje Cyborg Naucalpan, Mexico State 02005-12-11December 11, 2005
Hair Bestia Salvaje Américo Rocca Guadalajara, Jalisco 02007-02-11February 11, 2007  

External links[]

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