Chavo Guerrero, Sr.

Salvador Guerrero III (January 7, 1949 – February 11, 2017), known under the ring names Chavo Guerrero, Chavo Guerrero Sr., and Chavo Classic, was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his work in Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), American Wrestling Association (AWA) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and for being the father of third generation wrestler Chavo Guerrero Jr. He was the oldest son of Salvador "Gory" Guerrero and part of the Guerrero family. He was the oldest WWE Cruiserweight Champion.
==Professional wrestling career==
===Early career===
Earlier in his career, Guerrero feuded with Atsushi Onita in Japan over lighter-weight titles.
In the 1970s, Guerrero moved his family to California so he could compete in Los Angeles's NWA Hollywood Wrestling. He also feuded with Roddy Piper for the NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship. Guerrero held the title 15 times between 1975 and 1980.
He usually teamed with his brothers, Mando and Héctor wherever he wrestled. In the late 1980s, he teamed with his brother Mando to go after the AWA World Tag Team Championship held by Diamond Dallas Page's team of Badd Company (Paul Diamond and Pat Tanaka).
===World Wrestling Entertainment (2004)===
In 2004, Guerrero began working for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), joining his son Chavo Jr. in a feud with the younger Chavo's uncle and the older Chavo's brother Eddie. While with WWE he competed as Chavo Classic and became the oldest WWE Cruiserweight Champion in history, defeating Chavo Jr. and Spike Dudley in a triple threat match. On the April 1 episode of Smackdown, Classic and Chavo Jr. lost to Spike Dudley and Rey Mysterio. In the April 22 episode of Smackdown, Classic and Chavo Jr defeated John Cena in a 2-on-1 handicap match. On the May 11 episode of Smackdown, Chavo Classic defeated Jacqueline thanks to outside help by Chavo Jr. On the June 3 episode of Smackdown, Chavo Classic retained the Cruiserweight Title against Funaki thanks to outside help from Chavo Jr. He eventually lost the title to Rey Mysterio less than a month later. On June 15, 2004, he was fired by WWE for no-showing multiple SmackDown! house shows. 
On the November 15, 2010, "Old School" episode of Raw, Guerrero returned as Chavo Classic, driving Alberto Del Rio to the arena.
=== Lucha Underground (2016) ===
Chavo Classic first appeared on Lucha Underground talking with Rey Mysterio about the upcoming match of the latter against his son Chavo Guerrero Jr. in a Loser Leaves Lucha match. During the match, Classic, who was in the attendance, turned on Mysterio and attacked his son, helping him win the match, but Dario Cueto ordered to restart the match, and Mysterio hit the 619 on Classic and defeated Chavo Guerrero, leaving Lucha Underground the Guerreros.
==Personal life==
Chavo is the son of Gory Guerrero and the older brother of Mando, Hector, and Eddie Guerrero. He grew up in El Paso, Texas, where he attended a segregated school. Growing up, he faced discrimination.
He has two children, wrestler Chavo Jr. and daughter Victoria and he is the brother in-law of Vickie Guerrero.
In July 2016, Guerrero and his son were named part of a class action lawsuit filed against WWE which alleged that wrestlers incurred traumatic brain injuries during their tenure and that the company concealed the risks of injury. The suit is litigated by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who has been involved in a number of other lawsuits against WWE.
==Death==
On February 11, 2017, Guerrero died due to liver cancer, aged 68.
==Other media==
In 1978 he co-starred with Henry Winkler in the movie The One and Only as a wrestler called Indian Joe.
He is the subject of the song "The Legend of Chavo Guerrero" by The Mountain Goats and is featured in its music video.
==Wrestling facts==
*Finishing and signature moves
**Moonsault Press 
**German Suplex
*Wrestlers managed
:*Chavo Guerrero (WWE) (2004)
*Wrestlers trained
:*Chavo Guerrero
==Championships and accomplishments==
*All Japan Pro Wrestling
:*AJPW International Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
*Empire Wrestling Federation
:*EWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*National Wrestling Alliance
:*NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (15 times)
:*NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (11, w/ Raul Mata twice, w/ John Tolos, w/ Gory Guerrero, w/ Butcher Vachon, w/ Victor Rivera, w/ (Roddy Piper), w/ Hector Guerrero, w/ El Halcón, w/ Black Gordman, w/ Al Madril)
:*NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
:*NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
*World Wrestling Association
:*WWA World Trios Championship (1 time) - with Eddie Guerrero & Hector Guerrero
*World Wrestling Entertainment
:*WWE Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
==External links==
* Profile
Category:American wrestlers
Category:Second Generation Wrestlers
Category:Guerrero family
Category:WWE Cruiserweight Champions
Category:Managers and valets
Category:Texas wrestlers
Category:1949 births
Category:1972 debuts
Category:2010 retirements
Category:2017 deaths
Category:All Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:American Wrestling Association alumni
Category:Asistencia Asesoría y Administración alumni
Category:Championship Wrestling From Florida alumni
Category:Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre alumni
Category:Continental Wrestling Association alumni
Category:Dradition Pro-Wrestling alumni
Category:Empire Wrestling Federation alumni
Category:Fighting Spirit Wrestling alumni
Category:GALLI Lucha Libre alumni
Category:Houston Wrestling alumni
Category:Jim Crockett Promotions alumni
Category:Lucha Underground alumni
Category:National Wrestling Alliance alumni
Category:New Japan Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:NWA Big Time Wrestling alumni
Category:NWA Hollywood Wrestling alumni
Category:NWA Western States Sports alumni
Category:Pacific Northwest Wrestling alumni
Category:Pro Wrestling Guerrilla alumni
Category:Super World Sports alumni
Category:Tokyo Gurentai alumni
Category:Ultimate Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Union Independent Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:Universal Wrestling Association alumni
Category:Universal Wrestling Federation (Bill Watts) alumni
Category:Vendetta Pro Wrestling alumni
Category:World Championship Wrestling alumni
Category:World Class Championship Wrestling alumni
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment alumni
Category:Wrestle Association-R alumni
Category:WrestleReunion alumni
Category:Xtreme Intense Championship Wrestling alumni
Category:Male wrestlers
Category:Wrestlers who have died