Hall of Fame luchador Villano V passes away
Villano V — a member of the legendary Mendoza wrestling family — has passed away at 62 years old.
His death was confirmed by CMLL with the promotion issuing a statement on Thursday sending its condolences to the family and friends of Villano V (Ray Mendoza Jr.). In their statement, CMLL called Villano V a great figure in Mexican wrestling history and a member of one of its greatest dynasties.
Along with his four brothers, Villano V was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame as Los Villanos in 2022. Their father Ray Mendoza was a lucha libre icon and part of the inaugural Observer Hall of Fame class of 1996.
Villano V made his pro wrestling debut as a teenager in the 1970s. In 2008, he was part of one of the best matches of the year when he headlined CMLL’s 75th Anniversary Show by defeating Blue Panther in a mask vs. mask match. He worked for WCW in the 1990s with Villano IV, who is now the only surviving Villano brother.
Lucha Libre AAA issued a statement extending its condolences to Villano V’s family as well.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.