| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Roberto Gutiérrez Frías (1962-05-28)May 28, 1962 (age 63) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name | El Dandy |
| Billed height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1] |
| Billed weight | 91 kg (201 lb)[1] |
| Trained by |
|
| Debut | 1982 |
| Retired | 2014 |
Roberto Gutiérrez Frías (born May 28, 1962), best known under thering nameEl Dandy, is a Mexican professional wrestling trainer and retiredprofessional wrestler. He debuted in la Arena Pacifico, Guadalajara in August 17,1982. While he had a retirement tour in 2014, Gutiérrez has wrestled most recently in March 2019. Gutiérrez has wrestled for most major Mexican promotions, includingConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre,Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide,Universal Wrestling Association,World Wrestling Association, andInternational Wrestling Revolution Group. In addition, he has worked for the US-basedWorld Championship Wrestling as well as the JapaneseSuper World Sports and theInternational Wrestling Association of Japan.
During his career he won a number of championships, including theCMLL World Middleweight Championship three times, theNWA World Light Heavyweight Championship, theNWA World Welterweight Championship twice, the Mexican National Featherweight Championship,Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship twice,Mexican National Middleweight Championship,Mexican National Welterweight Championship, theWWA World Light Heavyweight Championship, and theWWA World Tag Team ChampionshipCorazón de León. He was a part of atag team known asLos Fabulosos withSilver King and a member of theLatino World Order group in World Championship Wrestling. A 2004 match againstL.A. Park was voted "Match of the Year" by readers ofBox y Lucha magazine.
Gutiérrez began training for a wrestling career at the age of 14, training underDiablo Velazco in his hometown of Guadalajara, Jalisco. After five years of training he finally, but reluctantly, made his in-ring debut. Gutiérrez later stated that he was nervous for his debut in part because of his fear of the public. He opted to use thering name "El Dandy", after several of the wrestlers in Guadalajara gave him the nickname due to his success with women. He made his debut as anenmascarado, ormasked wrestler, teaming withÁguila Solitaria against Black Indian and Chamaco Hernández.[3] A local promoter asked Gutiérrez if he would prefer to wrestle unmasked instead, leading to Gutiérrez losing the mask and wrestling without a mask for the remainder of his career. At the time his family did not know he had become a professional wrestler, until they saw him on TV against El Dorado. While the match was so well received that the fans in the arena threw money in the ring, Gutiérrez's parents were not enthused with his career choice at the time.[3]
After showing his skills in Guadalajara, representatives fromEmpresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL), Mexico's largestprofessional wrestling promotion invited him to Mexico City to work for EMLL. Gutiérrez creditedMocho Cota andHerodes for getting him to Mexico City and also helping him out. Early in his EMLL career, Gutiérrez had to wash clothes for several wrestlers to earn enough money for food.[3]
El Dandy won his firstChampionship on July 31, 1982, as he defeated El Modulo to win the Mexican National Featherweight Championship. His 175-day reign ended when Pequeño Solin defeated him on January 22, 1983.[4] Two weeks after losing the championship, El Dandy won his firstlucha de apuestas ("bet match") against El Guerrero and, as a result, El Guerrero was shaved bald.[5] In Lucha libre aLucha de Apuestas victory is considered more prestigious than championship wins.[6] The following year, on December 6, El Dandy defeatedGran Cochisse in aLucha de Apuestas, continuing his rise up the ranks of CMLL.[7] By late 1984 El Dandy began teaming withFuerza Guerrera andTalisman on a regular basis, forming a trio known asLos Bravos ("The Brave").Los Bravos defeatedLos Destructores (Lemús II, Tony Arce, and Vulcano) in alucha de apuestas, winning the mask of Lemus II and the hair of Arce and Vulcano).[8][9] On September 1, 1985, EMLL decided to have El Dandy defeatAmérico Rocca to win theMexican National Welterweight Championship.[10] A total of 77 days later, El Dandy won theNWA World Welterweight Championship,[11] and, in the process, relinquished the lower ranking Mexican National title.[10] His 141-day reign was ended by Javier Cruz, as part of a long-running storyline feud between the two.[11] El Dandy regained the championship on August 24, holding it for 70 days before losing it to Américo Rocca.[11]
After competing as a welterweight for years, a weight class with a maximum limit of 78 kg (172 lb), El Dandy progressed to the middleweight division which is limited to a top weight of 87 kg (192 lb).[12] On July 17, 1987, he defeatedKung Fu to win theNWA World Middleweight Championship.[13] After his title win, El Dandy became involved in a storyline with another middleweight competitor,El Satánico. Kung Fu regained the championship when El Satánico helped Kung Fu cheat to win the title as part of the build up to aLucha de Apuestas match between the two.[13] In the lead up to the anticipated match, El Dandy defeated Satánico to win theMexican National Middleweight Championship on September 28.[14] Weeks later El Satánico defeated El Dandy, making him the first wrestler to pin El Satánico in alucha de apuestas match.[15][clarification needed] El Dandy's reign as Mexican National Middleweight Champion lasted 112 days until Javier Cruz won the championship.[14]
In June 1990, El Dandy defeatedÁngel Azteca to become the NWA World Middleweight Champion for a second time, holding it for 61 days untilAtlantis won the title from him.[13] The storyline between El Dandy and El Satánico was once again brought to the forefront in late 1990, with El Dandy evening the score between them by defeating El Satánico as part of the 1990Juicio Finalsupercard show.[15][16] The following year, El Satánico defeated El Dandy in their third overallLucha de Apuestas,[15] followed by El Dandy winning at theCMLL 59th Anniversary Show, to even the score at two-all inLucha de Apuestas matches.[15][17] In 1992, EMLL changed its name to Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL; World Wrestling Council) and created various CMLL championships. After having won both the NWA World and Mexican National championships in the middleweight division, El Dandy defeatedNegro Casas to claim the recently createdCMLL World Middleweight Championship.[18] His reign was ended byBestia Salvaje on September 4, 1992.[18] El Dandy regained the championship in December, with his second reign as CMLL World Middleweight Champion lasting until May 1993.[18] El Dandy had a third reign that started on October 5 and lasted until February 22, 1994, when he lost it to Javier Llanes.[18]
Next, El Dandy moved into the light heavyweight division, defeatingJaque Mate to win theNWA World Light Heavyweight Championship.[19] In 1996, El Dandy won twolucha de apuestas matches, first winning the hair of Babe Face on August 1,[20] and then Chicago Express on September 3.[21] The following month, on October 15, El Dandy's 681-day reign as NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion was ended byBlack Warrior.[19] While 1996 started with success, it ended with aLucha de Apuestas loss toEl Hijo del Santo in the main event of the 1996Juicio Final show.[22] El Dandy later competed in a tournament for the vacantCMLL World Trios Championship. Teaming up withHéctor Garza andVampiro Canadiense, the trio defeatedApolo Dantés,Gran Markus Jr., and Fuerza Guerrera in the first round, before losing to Bestia Salvaje,Scorpio Jr., andZumbido in the semifinals of the tournament.[23]
While working for CMLL, El Dandy also wrestled for theWorld Wrestling Association (WWA) in Tijuana, Baja California, as he was allowed to take independent bookings on days where he was not needed for CMLL shows. El Dandy andCorazón de León defeatedLos Cowboys (El Texano andSilver King) to win theWWA Tag Team Championship on July 21, 1993. Their reign lasted 42 days beforeLos Cowboys regained the championship.[24] El Dandy returned to WWA in 2000, teaming with Silver King to win the WWA World Tag Team Championship for a second time, defeating Los Brazos (Brazo de Oro andBrazo de Plata) on November 10, 2000.[25] He would also defeatLa Parka to win the WWA World Light Heavyweight Championship in early 2001.[26] El Dandy ended up losing both championships on June 17, as Antifaz and La Parka won the tag team championship and Asterico won the light heavyweight title.[25][26] El Dandy won the WWA World Tag Team Championship a third time, teaming up withRey Misterio to claim the vacant title on August 27, 2007. The team later vacated the championship for undisclosed reasons.[25]
In 1997, El Dandy began working for the US-basedWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW) along with a number of other Mexican wrestlers. His WCW televised debut took place on September 28, 1997, where he andDamian lost tonWo Japan representativesThe Great Muta andMasahiro Chono.[27] His firstpay-per-view (PPV) show match was as part of the 60-manbattle royal main event of WCW's annualWorld War 3 show.[28][29] He would later unsuccessfully challenge fellow Mexican luchadorJuventud Guerrera for theWCW World Cruiserweight Championship in January 1998.[30] In his next PPV match, El Dandy,La Parka,Psicosis, andSilver King lost toChavo Guerrero Jr., Juventud Guerrera,Lizmark Jr., andSuper Caló atSouled Out.[31]
For the 1998 Slamboree show, El Dandy was one of 15 wrestlers involved in a battle royal where the winner of the match would faceChris Jericho for the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship. During his introductions, Jericho referred to El Dandy as the "winner of theLou Ferrigno look-a-like contest".[28] Later that year, Dandy was a member of theLatino World Order, a group of Mexican wrestlers led byEddie Guerrero. Shortly after Guerrero's real-life car accident onNew Year's Day, however, the group was forced to disband by the reformednWo. The following year, El Dandy lost toLenny whom he challenged for the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship.[28][32] One of El Dandy's most notable moments came, not from the ring but, from an interviewBret Hart made. The heel Hart had selected El Dandy as his opponent, leading interviewerGene Okerlund to question why Hart had selected such an easy opponent. This led to Hart respond "Who are you to doubt El Dandy?"[33]
“Who are you to doubt El Dandy? ‘Cause this guy’s a serious professional.”
In early 2000, El Dandy and Silver King competed under the nameLos Fabulosos. On March 21, 2000, Los Fabulosos defeated XS (Lane andRave) in their first televised match under that name.[32] They later ended up losing toHarlem Heat 2000 (Big T andStevie Ray) in El Dandy's last match with WCW.[32]
Returning to Mexico, El Dandy generally worked for various independent promotions all over Mexico, mixed in with stints for IWRG and AAA. On October 15, 2004, he lost the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship toL.A. Park. Five months later, El Dandy regained the championship from L.A. Park.[34] His second reign lasted 750 days untilVangelis won the title on April 15, 2007.[34] In April 2009, El Dandy lost a match for theNWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship to titleholderBlue Demon Jr.[35] Later that same year, El Dandy defeatedEl Signo in a 7-mansteel cagelucha de apuestas match. The match also includedEl Fantasma,El Oriental,Super Muñeco,Villano III, andVillano IV, and saw El Dandy pin El Signo causing El Signo to be shaved bald after the match.[36]
In 2014, El Dandy began his retirement tour, facing off against his longtime rival El Satánico in various local shows around the country.[37] The longtime rivals split the first four matches between them, leading to "El Juicio Final" on May 18. El Dandy won the match, which meant that El Satánico was shaved bald. 12 days later, in what was billed as his last match, El Dandy defeated Satánico one more time.[37][38] While the 2014 tour was meant to be his retirement, El Dandy returned to the ring in 2015, working a CMLL match alongsideNegro Casas, defeating El Satánico andMr. Niebla.[39] He would also work a limited schedule, with four matches in 2016, and one in both 2017 and 2019.[39]
After returning from his stint in WCW, El Dandy began working for theNaucalpan-basedInternational Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG).[40] His first IWRG match took place on July 6, 2000, and saw El Dandy, Ciclon Ramirez,Kato Kung Lee, andSuper Parka lose toBombero Infernal,Dr. Cerebro,Mosco de la Merced, andSuper Crazy.[40] On February 8, 2002, he challengedScorpio Jr. for theIWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship but lost the match.[40] While in IWRG, he defended the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship on two occasions, once againstNegro Casas on July 24, 2003, and later againstBlue Panther on August 31, 2003.[41] He was one of eight wrestlers who put his hair on the line in a multi-manLucha de Apuestas match; Suicida lost the match and his hair.[40] On March 18, 2007, El Dandy was involved in a steel cage match where both his light heavyweight championship and theIWRG Intercontinental Welterweight Championship were on the line. In the end Fantasma de la Ópera defeated Dr. Cerebro to win the IWRG title.[40] His last match with the group took place a week later, where Damián 666,Misterioso Jr., and Villano III defeated El Dandy,El Sagrado, andMáscara Sagrada by disqualification.[40]
El Dandy began working forAAA, making his debut for the company on May 5, 2002.[42] El Dandy,Perro Aguayo Jr.Máscara Sagrada, and Máscara Maligna faced off in asteel cage match where the last person in the ring would either be forced to unmask or have their hair shaved off. Neither Dandy nor Aguayo were involved in the finish, watching from outside of the ring as Máscara Maligna lost and was unmasked.[42] Two weeks later, El Dandy defeated Perro Aguayo Jr. to win theMexican National Light Heavyweight Championship.[43] The storyline came to an end in the main event of the 2002Verano de Escándalo show, where Dandy, Aguayo,Electroshock andEl Zorro faced off in a four-wayLucha de Apuestas match. In the end, Perro Aguayo Jr. pinned El Dandy, forcing El Dandy to be shaved bald as a result.[43] El Dandy's last match, a victory over El Hijo del Santo, took place on May 11, 2003.[42]
At one point, Gutiérrez suffered a serious back injury that left him unable to perform for three months. During this difficult time, Gutiérrez contemplated suicide on more than one occasion, especially as few of his fellow wrestlers kept in contact with him. He found solace in Chiropractic and has since opened a full-time practice.[3] In early 2020, he was mentioned as a new member of the Mexico City boxing and lucha libre commission, assisting the commission in enforcing their rules and statutes.[44]
During El Dandy's days in EMLL,Wrestling Observer Newsletter founderDave Meltzer stated that El Dandy was one of the "three best workers" in EMLL.[45] In 1997,Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him at #167 in their "top 500" for the year.[1] Writer Matt Farmer stated that El Dandy was "highly underrated" and that he had "phenomenal matches" with Perro Aguayo Jr. during their 2002 feud.[43] His 2004 match againstL.A. Park was voted the "Match of the year" by readers ofBox y Lucha magazine.[46]
| Winner (wager) | Loser (wager) | Location | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Dandy (hair) | El Guerrero (hair) | Acapulco, Guerrero | Live event | February 2, 1983 | [5] |
| Draw | El Dandy (hair) / Dardo Aguilar (hair) | Mexico City | Live event | May 29, 1983 | [5] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Módulo (hair) | Mexico City | Live event | July 31, 1983 | [5] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Módulo (hair) | Mexico City | Live event | August 7, 1983 | [5] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Joel García (hair) | Mexico City | Live event | December 14, 1983 | [5] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Javier Cruz (hair) | [Mexico City | Live event | October 26, 1984 | [a] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Gran Cochisse (hair) | Mexico City | Super Viernes | December 6, 1985 | [7] |
| Los Bravos (Fuerza Guerrera (mask), El Dandy (hair) andTalisman (hair) | Los Destructores (Lemús II (mask), Tony Arce (hair) and Vulcano (hair)) | Mexico City | Live Event | July 5, 1985 | [8][9] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Javier Cruz (hair) | Mexico City | Live event | August 31, 1986 | [51] |
| Los Misioneros de la Muerte (hair) (El Signo,El Texano andNegro Navarro) | El Dandy,Talismán andJerry Estrada (hair) | Mexico City | Live event | September 5, 1986 | [51] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Aristóteles I (hair) | Acapulco, Guerrero | Live event | March 18, 1987 | [52] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Hombre Bala (hair) | N/A | CMLL show | August 1987 | [52] |
| El Satánico (hair) | El Dandy (hair) | Mexico City | CMLL show | October 1987 | [15] |
| El Dandy and Javier Cruz (hair) | Rizado Ruiz and Rudy Reyna (hair) | Acapulco, Guerrero | Live event | May 4, 1988 | [53] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Pirata Morgan (hair) | Mexico City | Super Viernes | September 23, 1988 | [54] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Bestia Salvaje (hair) | Mexico City | EMLL show | October 2, 1988 | [55] |
| Draw | El Dandy (hair) Emilio Charles Jr. (hair) | Mexico City | Super Viernes | July 28, 1989 | [b] |
| El Dandy (hair) | El Satánico (hair) | Mexico City | Juicio Final | December 14, 1990 | [15][16] |
| El Satánico (hair) | El Dandy (hair) | Mexico City | Live event | December 6, 1991 | [15] |
| El Dandy (hair) | El Satánico (hair) | Mexico City | CMLL 59th Anniversary Show | September 18, 1992 | [15][17] |
| El Dandy (hair) | La Fiera (hair) | Mexico City | CMLL show | November 27, 1992 | [57] |
| Emilio Charles Jr. (hair) | El Dandy (hair) | Mexico City | CMLL show | October 29, 1993 | [58] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Stuka Jr.[c] | Mexico City | CMLL show | December 14, 1993 | [60] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Babe Face (hair) | Mexico City | CMLL show | August 1, 1996 | [20] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Chicago Express (hair) | Mexico City | Martes De Coliseo | September 3, 1996 | [21] |
| El Hijo del Santo (hair) | El Dandy (hair) | Mexico City | Juicio Final | December 6, 1996 | [d] |
| Antifaz del Norte (mask) | El Dandy (hair) | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Live event | September 17, 2000 | [61] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Brazo de Platino (hair) | Cuernavaca, Morelos | Live event | May 30, 2001 | [62] |
| L.A. Park (mask) | El Dandy (hair) | Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas | Live event | April 6, 2001 | [e] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Negro Navarro (hair) | Tlalnepantla de Baz, Mexico State | Live event | September 3, 2001 | [64] |
| El Dandy (hair) | El Enterrador (hair) | Naucalpan, Mexico State | Live event | February 14, 2002 | [f] |
| Perro Aguayo Jr. (hair) | El Dandy (hair) | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Verano de Escándalo | September 16, 2002 | [g][43] |
| El Hijo del Santo (mask) | El Dandy (hair) | Tijuana, Baja California | Live event | October 29, 2004 | [22] |
| El Dandy (hair) | Pantera (hair) | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | IWRG show | June 19, 2008 | [67] |
| El Dandy (hair) | El Signo (hair) | Pachuca, Hidalgo | Pipino Cuevas Benefit Show | September 24, 2009 | [h] |
| El Dandy (hair) | El Satánico (hair) | Reynosa Tamaulipas | El Juicio Final | May 18, 2014 | [68] |
Articulo 242: "Super welter 82 kilos / Medio 87 kilos"
