Great Detailed Ray Mendoza Biography.
Title History
- NWA World Light Heavyweight title defeating Dory Dixon (September 11, 1959);
- (Mexico) National Light Heavyweight title defeating Espanto I (November 30, 1963);
- NWA World Middleweight title defeating Rene Guajardo (March 11, 1967);
- NWA World Light Heavyweight title defeating Dory Dixon [Tournament] (August 4, 1967);
- NWA World Light Heavyweight title defeating Angel Blanco (December 25, 1968);
- NWA World Light Heavyweight title defeating Carlos Elio Colisetti (March 20, 1970);
- NWA (Los Angeles) United National Heavyweight title defeating John Tolos (December 4, 1970);
- NWA (Los Angeles) Americas Tag Team titles w/Mil Mascaras defeating Goliath & Black Gordman (January ??, 1971);
- NWA World Light Heavyweight title defeating David Morgan (April 21, 1972);
- NWA (Los Angeles) Americas Tag Team titles w/Raul Mata defeating Killer Kowalski & Kenji Shibuya (May 5, 1972);
- NWA (Los Angeles) Americas Tag Team titles w/Raul Reyes defeating Gordon Nelson & Ripper Collins (May 18, 1973);
- NWA World Light Heavyweight title defeating Kim Sung Ho (December 21, 1973);
- UWA (Mexico) World Light Heavyweight title won a tournament (November 25, 1975);
- UWA (Mexico) World Light Heavyweight title defeating El Audaz (August 22, 1976);
- UWA (Mexico) World Light Heavyweight title defeating El Solitario (October 29, 1978);
Career Highlights
- Jose Diaz quit school early and married Lupita Mendoza at the age of 15!
- Jose Diaz got his name from his trainer’s first name (Ray) and his wife’s last name (Mendoza)..
- Ray Mendoza fathered all five of the Villanos (Villano 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and is the father-in-law of female wrestler La Infernal..
- February 25, 1956: Ray Mendoza appeared in a battle royal with varios Mexican wrestling legends:
- ~~~~~~~Gory Guerrero, El Santo, Cavernario Galindo, Blue Demon & Black Shadow..
- Ray Mendoza was the first Mexican wrestler to be the NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion..
- August 1978: Ray Mendoza fought Tatsumi Fujinami for WWWF Jr. Heavweight Title in a 2/3 falls bout..
- 1983: Ray Mendoza retired from active wrestling but continued to appear as a manager, authority figure & referee for many years..
- April 16, 2003: Ray Mendoza passed away as a result of a heart attack (after having kidney failure)..