Oro (wrestler)

Jesús Javier Hernández Solís
Born	December 24, 1971 Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Died	October 26, 1993 (age 21) Mexico City, Mexico
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Oro
Billed height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Billed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Trained by	Diablo Velasco
Debut	November 23, 1990

Jesús Javier Hernández Solís (December 24, 1971 – October 26, 1993), better known as Oro (Gold), was an influential Mexican professional wrestler who died inside the ring.

Wrestling career

Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, he and his brother wanted to become professional luchadores like their father, who wrestled as "La Calavera" (The Skull). His father was initially reluctant, but finally agreed to teach them some basic moves before sending them to Arena Mexico gym, where they would be trained by Diablo Velasco.

On November 23, 1990, at the age of 17, he debuted as "Oro" (Gold) alongside his brother "Plata" (Silver) for the CMLL promotion. Oro and Plata would team up with a third wrestler named "Platino" (Platinum), forming the trio tag team "Los Metalicos" (The Metallics). Los Metalicos would feud with "Los Destructores" in a series of tag team matches. Los Metalicos would win their first tag team belt on December 4, 1991.

Los Metalicos quickly became a popular tag team as Plata and Platino where both talented high flyers, but it was Oro's spectacular aerial attacks that really made them stand out. Although high flying maneuvers had long been a part of lucha libre, Oro is credited with starting the high flying craze that would come to dominate modern lucha libre. Oro would perform moonsault variations from different positions both inside and outside of the ring, along with a variety of planchas and topes. Oro was also noted for his sharp execution, his skills as a matt wrestler, and his ability to set up his big moves to make them look even more impressive. His skill and tecnique weren't the only things that set him apart, at 5 feet 10 inches and 200 pounds, he was also much larger and more powerful than the typical high flyer.

Oro made his Japanese debut in April, 1992 for Gran Hamada's Universal Lucha Libre promotion. His performance inside the ring was well received by Japanese fans, so he returned to Japan in mid-December when he toured for the newly formed "FULL" promotion. The reputation he gained in Japan was so impressive that when he arrived back in Mexico, he briefly teamed with Mil Mascaras and Ultimo Dragon to form a trio that was described as a dream team of high flyers.

In 1993, CMLL started pushing him as a singles wrestler, another wrestler named "Bronce" (Bronze) replaced him on the Metálicos team, although he still teamed with them on several occasions. Starting his singles push, he was almost immediately put into a feud with "Mano Negra" (The Black Hand). On May 23, 1993, Oro would defeat Mano Negra to win the NWA World Middleweight Championship. This would be the only singles title Oro would hold during his short but memorable career. Mano Negra would regain the title on July 3.

Many wrestling magazines hinted at an upcoming mask vs. mask match between Oro and Mano Negra, however, Oro's family was pressuring him to retire from the sport and he reportedly told Canek and his brothers that he was considering quitting the business in 1994. The CMLL was aware of this, so they decided to give Negra's mask to Atlantis, a wrestler who would benefit from the match.

Oro was very driven to improve as a wrestler and was willing to take great risks in order to entertain the audience. He would often perform dives outside of the ring while his opponent was in motion, risking crashing into the hard floor beneath. Oro would watch the undercard matches on his shows, and if a wrestler took a huge bump or performed a spectacular dive, he'd make sure that he outbumped that wrestler in his match. He would also watch tapes of Japanese and U.S. wrestlers in order to pick up new moves.

Death

Tragedy would strike on October 26, 1994 during a tag team match between Oro, La Fiera and Brazo de Plata vs. Kahoz, Dr. Wagner, Jr. and Jaque Mate at Arena Coliseo. Before the match, Oro told the other wrestlers that he would take a "Kobashi bump", in reference to the head first backdrop driver fall that Kenta Kobashi, from AJPW, took in a match against Steve Williams. That bump had a really dramatic effect as it looked like Kenta had broken his neck. During the match, Kahoz clotheslined Oro who spun and landed on his head. His opponent tried to pick him up, but soon thereafter he collapsed and his pulse became weak. Oro was put on a stretcher at the start of the second fall while his brother screamed "Don't fall asleep!", warning him to remain alert so that he wouldn't lose consciousness. Oro would die before being placed in an awaiting ambulance. He was twenty-one years old at the time of his death. Oro's family requested that an autopsy not be performed, however, it is believed that he died of a brain aneurysm.

The following day the news of Oro's death headlined every lucha libre publication and even the rival promotion AAA had a tribute to him before a championship match. Published photos of an unmasked Oro revealed a baby faced young man.

His brother Plata changed his name to "Oro II" as a tribute to his brother and kept wrestling in CMLL for a few months. He later moved to AAA and wrestled as Oro Jr., but would soon thereafter disappear from the wrestling scene.

Although his career only spanned a little over 3 years, he would be regarded as one of the most influential Mexican luchadores of his generation.

Finishing and signature moves

• Diving crossbody
• La Quebrada
• Corkscrew Asai Moonsault (aka) Quebrada Suicida
• plancha
• tope suicida

Championships and accomplishments

• Distrito Federal Trios Championship(1 time, with Plata and Platino)

• Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre

• NWA World Middleweight Championship(1 time)