Jose Lothario Death – Unknown Causes
Jose Lothario – Dead at 83. photo: wwe.com
1934-2018 (Age 83)
The beauty of professional wrestling is that a performer can play many roles during their career, even after retiring from active competition. Jose Lothario had a well-deserved reputation as a in-ring grappler long before he became known as Shawn Michaels’ mentor during the mid-1990s.
Borderland Sensation
Born December 12, 1934, Guadalupe Robledo slowly rose to fame as Jose Lothario, one of hundreds of grapplers seeking fame during the days when territories dotted the wrestling landscape.
Over time, Lothario earned a reputation as a solid worker, particularly in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) where he combined his legitimate boxing skills with wrestling ability to develop a captivating style. His star rose as he teamed with fellow Mexican Mil Mascaras as well as many other stars in promotions in Mexico, Texas, Puerto Rico, and Florida.
Jose Lothario became a frequent challenger for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and while the “Big Gold Belt” eluded him, he held many other singles and tag team regional titles. He earned the nickname, “Gran” Lothario, carrying it with him throughout his celebrated career. Giants of the industry such as former NWA World champions Jack Brisco and Dusty Rhodes praised Lothario for his work, considering him one of the finest workers during their time.
Jose Lothario became a legend in Texas wrestling, working programs with established stars as well as rising stars like Gino Hernandez.
Giving Back to the Industry
Despite a storied career in the ring, Jose Lothario is best-remembered by most fans today for training Shawn Michaels and appearing with “The Heartbreak Kid” during his quest for the WWF Championship. Lothario would second Michaels during his famous WrestleMania XII “Iron Man” Match where he defeated Bret “The Hitman” Hart for his first WWF Championship.
Lothario appeared several more times with Michaels, including an angle where Sid Justice attacked Lothario with a television camera at 1996’ Survivor Series.
Jose Lothario Death
The wrestling world lost a key figure from the territory era when Jose Lothario passed away on November 6, 2018. Jose was 83 and is survived by his wife Jean Robledo and two children.
What are your memories of Jose Lothario? Share them in our comments section below.
