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Raúl Mata
Raúl Mata
	Mata, c. 1973
Birth name	Raúl Mata
Born	January 26, 1947; Guadalajara, Mexico
Died	December 19, 2018 (aged 71)
Spouse(s)	Beverly A. Mata
Children	5
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Raúl Mata; El Rayo; Texan
Billed height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Billed weight	224 lb (102 kg)
Trained by	Cuhatemoc "Diablo" Velasco
Debut	1960s
Retired	1980s

Raúl Mata (January 26, 1947 – December 19, 2018) was a Mexican luchador, or professional wrestler, who was mostly active from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Mata was the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Champion for a record 1,164 days. He often teamed with his brother Carlos Mata and together they held the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship promoted by NWA Hollywood in the Southern California region. He also won the tag team title with Dory Dixon, Ray Mendoza, David Morgan, Victor Rivera and Chavo Guerrero (twice).

Early life

Mata was born in Guadalajara, Mexico on January 26, 1947, the third of twelve children of Jose Mata Espinoza and Angelina Martinez Aguirre.^[1]^[3]

Professional wrestling career

Mata trained as a professional wrestler under Cuhatemoc "Diablo" Velasco.^[4]

The exact year Mata began wrestling is uncertain, only that he was wrestling for Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL) by the late-1960s. Mata's first major championship was the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship, a championship he won on April 11, 1968, when he defeated Dr. Wagner to win the vacant title.^[5] The championship reign lasted until June 18, 1972, where Mata lost the title to Enrique Vera.^[5] In the early 1970s Raul Mata had begun working for the Southern California based NWA Hollywood based in Los Angeles, CA. In NWA Hollywood he held the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship with a multitude of partners. In 1972 Mata held the title with both Dory Dixon and Ray Mendoza, both regular EMLL wrestlers as well.^[6] between December 21, 1973, and October 28, 1976, Mata held the Americas tag title a further five times, teaming with David Morgan, Victor Rivera, Chavo Guerrero twice and finally with his brother Carlos Mata.^[6] In 1977 Mata won the Mexican National Heavyweight Championship when he defeated El Halcón on December 18, 1977, to win the title.^[7] Mata held the title until July 1, 1978, where he lost the title to El Nazi.^[7] In 1970 Mata won the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship again, this time teaming with Mando Guerrero to defeat Leroy Brown and Allen Coage for the titles, holding them for a month before losing the belts to the Twin Devils.^[6] Raul Mata also held the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship for 11 months, winning it on January 20, 1980, from Alfonso Dantés, losing it back to Dantés on December 15, 1980.^[8]

Personal life and death

Mata was married to Beverly A. Mata, who predeceased him. He had five children. He died on December 19, 2018 at the age of 71.^[3]

Professional wrestling style and persona

Mata was nicknamed the "Hawk of Mexico".^[1] He wrestled in a "technical" style.^[1] His signature moves were the "Mata Rola" (a modified huracánrana)^[2] and the dropkick.^[1]

Championships and accomplishments

Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre

NWA Hollywood
- NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (9 times) – with Dory Dixon (1 time), Ray Mendoza (1 time), Salavador Lothario (1 time), Raul Reyes (1 time), David Morgan (1 time), Victor Rivera (1 time), Chavo Guerrero (2 times), and Carlos Mata (1 time),^[6]
- NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship (2 times)

Luchas de Apuestas record

Winner (wager)	Loser (wager)	Location	Event	Date	Notes
El Nazi (hair)	Raul Mata (hair)	N/A	Live event	N/A
Raúl Mata (hair)	Shibata (hair)	Mexico City	EMLL 37th Anniversary Show	September 1970	^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Raul Mata". Cagematch.net. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Meltzer, Dave (December 20, 2018). "Raul Mata passes away at 71 years old". F4WOnline.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Raul Mata". DignityMemorial.com. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Oliver, Greg (December 20, 2018). "Raul Mata passes away". SlamWrestling.net. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "NWA Americas Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. pp. 296–297. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ ^a ^b ^c Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Mexico: National Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp. 390–391. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ ^a ^b Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Light Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 389. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
^ Ruiz Glez, Alex (September 7, 2010). "CMLL: 79 historias, 79 Aniversario, las 79 luchas estelares". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved October 20, 2012.