Bestia Salvaje (1962-2008)

Various websites are reporting Bestia Salvaje, real name Juan Manual Rodriguez, passed away this morning at 7:30 AM. The family has not released the cause of the death, though superluchas believes it was liver disease.

Bestia passed away in Guadalajara, where his career started. He ultimately found most of his success in CMLL, where he worked as a regular from the late 80s until April 2005. Bestia was a rising rudo with big hair wins in the early 90s before becoming changing to the veteran lose most of those matches. Bestia beating El Hijo del Santo was the main event of the 55th Anniversary Show and main evented the spring pre-cursors to the current Dos Leyenda shows, including a tag hair loss teaming with frequent partner Scorpio Jr. but falling to Negro Casas and El Hijo del Santo.

Bestia won the National Tag Team titles with Pierroth Jr., the CMLL Tag Titles with Scorpio Jr. and the CMLL Trios Titles with Sangre Chicana and Emilio Charles Jr. Bestia’s last big runs were as part of the Guapos (with Shocker, Scorpio Jr. and Emilio Charles Jr. in different variations) and as part of the Tailban with Scorpio and Emilio. After that last group drifted apart, Bestia disappeared from CMLL, but still wrestled regularly for IWRG and Guadalajara. Bestia’s had only wrestled a few times since last August. The last known match I have is one this past January at Arena Jalisco, Guadalajara.

Bestia Salvaje was 46.

I would expect there will be tributes to him tonight at the IWRG show, tomorrow at the CMLL show and probably on AAA TV (by Scorpio) if they haven’t finished editing this week.

5 thoughts to “Bestia Salvaje (1962-2008)”

  1. Damn, i was always a fan of Bestia Salvaje, he was an awesome non-nonsense rudo who wasn’t scared to bump his ass off.

    Thats a real shame.

  2. Remembering the skits from the old Talibans days, I always imagined he was still roaming the streets of Mexico City looking for Camels. RIP!

  3. And I thought he was hiding Osama bin Laden.

    I’ve seen him live at ArMex and Coliseo. I remember being in Mexico in 1995, and he pulled up to ArMex parking lot in a camaro with Dandy. Sad. I hope we don’t start seeing a generation of luchadors who die young like wrestlers in America do.

  4. RIP Bestia Salvaje.

    They rejoice in heaven for your home coming. But the tears from your family, friends and fans will be forever felt on earth

    Vaya Con Dios.

  5. I remember Bestia in AOL, one show in particular were it was raining a lot and they couldn’t do much in the ring, at the end, he actually went to talki with us (the fans) ashamed for the poor performance, but everyone was pretty happy and we were all hanging out as buddies…

    I feel sad, and that can not even be compared to the pain his family is going through, hope they can recover and my best wishes goes to them.

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