Aníbal

Carlos Ignacio Carrillo Contreras (November 5, 1940 – March 4, 1994) was a Mexican Luchador, or professional wrestler, known under the ring name Aníbal. Carrillo made his debut in November 1963, and adopted the enmascarado character (masked) Aníbal, named after the Carthagenian general Hanibal, in 1965. Carrilo's career peaked in the late 1960s and the 1970s as he worked for Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre and the Universal Wrestling Association, winning a number of championships. Carrillo was unmasked after losing a Lucha de Apuesta (bet fight) to Máscara Año 2000 on December 13, 1991. Carrillo retired from wrestling in 1993 and died from a brain tumor in 1994. El Hijo de Aníbal (Spanish for "the Son of Aníbal") is billed as Aníbal's son, but it has never been confirmed if he is indeed the son of Carrillo or if he paid for the rights to use the name, a practice not uncommon in Lucha Libre.

For other people named Aníbal, see Aníbal (name).
Aníbal
Birth nameCarlos Ignacio Carrillo Contreras
Born(1940-11-05)November 5, 1940[1]
Topilejo, Michoacán, Mexico[1]
DiedMarch 4, 1994(1994-03-04) (aged 53)[1]
FamilyEl Hijo de Aníbal (possibly son)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Aníbal
Carlos Carrillo
Billed height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Billed weight94 kg (207 lb)[1]
Trained byChico Fernández[1]
Salvador Flores [1]
DebutNovember 1963[1]
Retired1993[1]

Professional wrestling career

Carrillo began training for a professional wrestling career at the age of 20, training in Gimnasio Baños Gloria and at the Gimnasio San Francisco de Portales under the tutelage of Chico Fernández and Salvador Flores. He made his professional wrestling debut in November 1963 and earned 40 pesos for the match.[1] After wrestling for two years Carrillo was convinced by friends in the business that he needed to become an enmascarado, or masked wrestler, since young wrestlers who were popular wore masks. Carrillo came up with the name "Aníbal", after the Cartagenia general Hanibal who had crossed the alps and almost defeated the Roman Empire.[2] Carrillo was given a blue mask, trunks and boots and became the highflying tecnico ("good guy" or Face), quickly earning the nicknames El Guerrero Cartaginés ("The Carthagenian Warrior") and La Saeta Azul ("The Blue Arrow"); later he was also referred to as La Furia Azul ("The Blue Fury")[2]

During his early days as Aníbal Mil Mascaras and Black Shadow acted as his padrinos or mentors. In 1966 Aníbal won the Distrito Federal Light Heavyweight Championship, then lost it to Pepe Casas as he signed a contract with Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL).[3] He spent the next couple of years working his way up the ranks in EMLL, honing his high flying skills into a top level competitor. 1970 was Aníbal's breakthrough year. He defeated Mashio Koma to win the NWA World Middleweight Championship on December 6, 1970, and was named El Halcón Magazine's "1970 Wrestler of the year".[4][5] Aníbal's run with the NWA Middleweight title lasted over a year and saw him successfully defend the title in several high-profile main events. During his title reign Aníbal developed a heated rivalry with René Guajardo, a rivalry that saw the two face off in several main events all around Mexico.[1] On March 30, 1973, Guajardo ended Aníbal's NWA Middleweight title reign.[4] On June 28, 1974, Aníbal defeated Adorable Rubí to win the Mexican National Middleweight Championship in the main event of a show in Mexico City, Mexico.[6] On September 20, Aníbal became a double champion, defeating El Cobarde in a match for the vacant NWA World Middleweight Champiohship.[4] Aníbals run as a double champion ended when he lost the Mexican National Middleweight Title on November 29, 1974, to Ringo Mendoza.[6] His success in the ring saw him named "Wrestler of the year" in 1974.[5]

In May 1975, Francisco Flores and Ray Mendoza left EMLL to form a rival wrestling promotion called the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA). Aníbal was among the group of young wrestlers that left EMLL to join the UWA, vacating the NWA World Middleweight Championship in the process.[4] In the UWA Aníbal continued his rivalry with René Guajardo, losing to Guajardo in the finals of the tournament to crown the first UWA World Middleweight Champion.[7] It was not until 1977 that Aníbal was able to win the UWA Middleweight title as he defeated Guajardo on October 2, 1977.[7] He retained the championship until February 11, 1979, when Jungla Negra pinned him to win the title.[7] By the early 1980s Aníbal's popularly was still high, especially as he teamed with Villano III and El Solitario to form a trio called Los Tres Caballeros ("The three gentlemen"). The trio feuded extensively with La Ola Blanca Dr. Wagner and Ángel Blanco until Aníbal turned against his partners and El Solitario ended up teaming up with Dr. Wagner.[8][9] This was the first time in his career that Aníbal had worked as a rudo ("bad guy" or Heel character) in his career.[1] Aníbal had a series of very intense, very bloody matches against El Solitario in a storyline that drew full houses whenever it was on the card and that was headed for a very high-profile Lucha de Apuesta (Bet match) between the two with their masks on the line.[1] Before the two could face off in the Apuesta match Solitario died suddenly.[10] Following the abrupt ending to the storyline with El Solitario Aníbal defeated El Texano to win the vacant UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship.[11] Aníbal travelled to Puerto Rico to take part in WWC's 11th Anniversary celebrations. On September 15, 1984, he lost the UWA WOrld Junior Light Heavyweight Championship to Invader III, but would regain it not long afterward.[11] During his time in Puerto Rico Aníbal also won the WWC World Junior Heavyweight Championship.[12] On January 1, 1985, Aníbal lost the UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight title to Negro Navarro and then disappeared from the wrestling scene.[11] The years of working full-time had taken its toll on Carrillo's body, forcing him out of the ring due to a multitude of injuries.[1]

Mask loss and retirement

Carrillo returned in late 1990 and began working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL; the renamed EMLL). The years away from the ring and cumulative injuries had taken its toll as he was not nearly as mobile as before but still commanded respect due to his history. Carrillo returned to wrestling to get a big payday for losing his mask in an Apuesta match as he needed the money. The original plan was for Aníbal to lose his mask to Universo 2000, a wrestler CMLL was building up to be a main eventer, in the featured match of the 1991 Juicio Final ("Final Justice"). Those plans were changed when promoter Benjamin Mora, who was bitter at CMLL for not working with him, revealed several of CMLL's plans including who was going to unmask Aníbal. CMLL decided to change their plans and in the end it was Máscara Año 2000, Universo 2000's brother that unmasked Aníbal on December 13, 1991.[13] Not long after the mask loss Carillo retired, but returned in 1993 to wrestle a series of matches because he needed the money. By the end of 1993 Carrillo was in such poor physical shape he was forced to retire from wrestling for good.[1] Om October 24, 1993, Carrillo was on hand as El Hijo del Aníbal ("The son of Aníbal") made his professional wrestling debut. It has never been confirmed if El Hijo del Aníbal is indeed the son of Carrillo or if he paid for the rights to use the name, a practice not uncommon in Lucha Libre.[14]

Death

Carlos Carrillo died on March 4, 1994, from a brain tumor.[1] El Hijo de Aníbal died at 50 on January 23, 2021, from complications of COVID-19.

Championships and accomplishments

Luchas de Apuestas record
See also: Luchas de Apuestas
Winner (wager) Loser (wager) Location Event Date Notes
Aníbal (mask)Pepe Casas (hair)N/ALive eventN/A[13]
Aníbal (mask)El Zar de la Muerte (mask)N/ALive eventN/A[13]
Aníbal (mask)Gory Medina (hair)N/ALive eventN/A[13]
Aníbal (mask)El Reo (mask)Monterrey, Nuevo LeónLive eventN/A[13]
Aníbal (mask)El Nazi (hair)N/ALive eventN/A[13]
Aníbal (mask)Hombre de Ultratumba (mask)N/ALive event1967[13]
Aníbal (mask)Red Terror (mask)N/ALive eventFebruary 19, 1969[13][15]
Aníbal (mask)Joe Panther (hair)Panama City, PanamaLive eventSeptember 15, 1973[13]
Aníbal (mask) and Steve Wright (hair)René Guajardo (hair) and Tigre Colombiano (mask)Mexico City18. Aniversario de Arena MéxicoApril 26, 1974[13][16]
Aníbal (mask)El Centroamericano (mask)Monterrey, Nuevo LeónLive eventApril 18, 1975[13]
Aníbal (mask)El Fantasmón (mask)Iguala, GuerreroLive eventJune 19, 1975[13]
Aníbal (mask)Mr. Bruma (mask)Mexico CityLive eventJune 25, 1975[13]
Aníbal (mask)El Marquez (mask)Mexico CityLive eventJuly 16, 1975[13]
Aníbal (mask)El Galeno I (mask)Nuevo Laredo, TamaulipasLive eventOctober 20, 1975[13]
Aníbal (mask)El Remington (mask)Monterrey, Nuevo LeónLive eventFebruary 16, 1976[lower-alpha 2][13]
Aníbal (mask)Sandokán (Panama) (mask)Panama City, PanamaLive eventJuly 11, 1976[13]
Aníbal (mask)La Momia (mask)Guadalajara, JaliscoLive eventSeptember 19, 1976[13]
Aníbal (mask)Black Jack (mask)N/ALive eventDecember 1976[13]
Aníbal (mask)Mr. Power (mask)N/ALive eventJanuary 16, 1977[13]
Aníbal (mask)Gran Samurai (mask)Veracruz, VeracruzLive eventMarch 2, 1977[13]
Aníbal (mask)Mr. Atlas (mask)Zacatanco, TlaxcalaLive eventApril 23, 1977[13]
Aníbal (mask)Jungla Negra (mask)Monterrey, Nuevo LeónLive eventFebruary 18, 1979[13]
Fishman and Aníbal (masks)César Valentino (hair) and Kurisu (mask)Mexico CityLive eventAugust 10, 1980[13]
Aníbal (mask)Gran Hamada (hair)Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico StateLive eventAugust 22, 1980[13]
Aníbal (mask)El Fugitivo (mask)Monterrey, Nuevo LeónLive eventFebruary 26, 1986[13]
Aníbal (mask)Gran Markus (mask)Monterrey, Nuevo LeónLive eventMarch 18, 1987[13][17]
Aníbal (mask)Pirata Morgan (hair)Tlalnepantla, Mexico StateLive event1990[13]
Máscara Año 2000 (mask)Aníbal (mask)Mexico CityJuicio FinalDecember 13, 1991[13][18]
Sandokán (mask)Aníbal (hair)Panama City, PanamaLive event1993[13]

Footnotes
  1. In the 1970s El Halcón Magazine was the biggest magazine in Mexico, to this date the "Wrestler of the year" award givers list the El Halcón winners as part of the lineage.
  2. This was a triangle match that also included Mazambula.

References
  1. "Grandes Figuras de la Lucha Libre". Aníbal (in Spanish). Portales, Mexico. November 2008. p. 7. 17.
  2. Madigan, Dan (2007). "What's in a name". Mondo Lucha a Go-Go: the bizarre and honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher. pp. 209–211. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
  3. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006). "Districto Federal Light Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  4. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006). "EMLL NWA World Middlweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 389–390. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  5. "quiénes Han sido los mejores de la historya?". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). January 11, 2010. issue 346.
  6. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: National Middleweight Championship". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 392. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  7. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: UWA Middleweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 399. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  8. "Furia Azul contra Capucha Dorada / the Blue Fury versus the golden hood". Lucha Libre: Masked Superstars of Mexican Wrestling. Distributed Art Publishers, Inc. 2005. pp. 38–51. ISBN 968-6842-48-9.
  9. Centinella, Teddy (June 29, 2015). "En un día como hoy… 1980: René Guajardo rapa al Perro Aguayo… 2009: La Parkita y Espectrito II son asesinados". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  10. Madigan, Dan (2007). "El Solitario". Mondo Lucha a Go-Go: the bizarre and honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher. pp. 106–110. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
  11. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: Universal Wrestling Federation Junior Light Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 397. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  12. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006). "WWC World Junior Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 326. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  13. Enciclopedia staff (August 2007). "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Aníbal (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico. pp. 16–17. Tomo I.
  14. Madigan, Dan (2007). "A family affair". Mondo Lucha a Go-Go: the bizarre and honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher. pp. 128–132. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
  15. Centela, Teddy (December 17, 2014). "En un día como hoy… Aníbal destapa a Red Terror… Adrian Street en México". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  16. Lucha 2000 Staff (April 2006). "Arena México: 50 anos de Lucha Libre". Lucha 2000 (in Spanish). Especial 28.
  17. Centinela, Teddy (March 1, 2015). "En un día como hoy… 1987: Aníbal vs. Gran Markus, máscara contra máscara en Monterrey". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  18. "CMLL Juicio Final 1991". CageMatch.net. December 13, 1991. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
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