Rodolfo Galindo Ramírez
Birth name	Rodolfo Galindo Ramirez
Born	(1923-09-27)September 27, 1923 Chihuahua, Chihuahua,Mexico
Died	July 19, 1999(1999-07-19) (aged 75)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Cavernario Galindo El Cavernas Ruddy Valentino Ruddy Galindo
Trained by	Diablo Velasco[1] Yaqui Joe Jesús Garza
Debut	1938

Rodolfo Galindo Ramirez (September 27, 1923 – July 19, 1999) was aMexicanluchador andfilm actor, best known by his ring nameCavernario Galindo (Caveman Galindo), who was active inConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre from the 1930s to the 1990s. Well known for inventing La Cavernaria (aModified surfboard hold), a commonly used submission hold in modernLucha Libre.

Ramirez was born and raised inChihuahua, Mexico. As a young boy he survived a car accident that would leave him with noticeable facial scars for the rest of his life.^[2]

Galindo made his debut as a wrestler in 1938 at the age of fifteen under the name Ruddy Valentino. He would also wrestle as Ruddy Galindo before taking up the name that made him famous. His slight build combined with his brawler style of fighting made it unlikely that he would find much success in Mexican lucha libre.

A few years into Galindo's careerSalvador Lutteroth, the founder and owner ofEmpresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre noticed the young brawler and taking note of the young man's ugly appearance that resulted from his facial scars, gave him thegimmick as the animalistic Cavernario Galindo.^[2] Taking advantage of the opportunity, Galindo played his character for all that it was worth. In the ring his character would bite, claw, and brutally brawl with any opponent he came across to the boos of sold out crowds acrossMexico. One particular story, which may be anurban legend, persists to this day. According to some accounts, in the 1940s, Galindo tore a live snake apart with his bare hands and teeth in front of a horrified audience before one of his matches.^[2]

On July 1, 1949, he defeatedTarzán Lopez in Mexico City to win the only title he'd ever hold during his career, the National Light Heavyweight Title. He successfully defended the title for more than a year until he lost it during December 1950 againstEnrique Llanes.

The feud that defined Galindo's career more than any other took place in the 1950s.Gory Guerrero was a handsome and skilled technical wrestler, the exact opposite of Galindo's brawling character. Their multiple feuds are seen to this day as being among the bloodiest and most violent in the history of lucha libre.^[2] Galindo was known for his hoarse speaking voice which was the result of a throat injury he suffered during one of his matches against Guerrero. Galindo also feuded with the top luchadores of his generation, includingEl Santo,Blue Demon, andBlack Shadow.

His popularity lasted for decades and he continued to wrestle until the 1990s, in his seventies.^{[citation needed]} His career only ended when he broke one of hisvertebra. He died a few years after this injury on July 19, 1999, at the age of seventy-five. In 1996, he was inducted into theWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.

• Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre
  • Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[3]
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)^[4]

Galindo starred in severallucha films, usually in a supporting role or as a villain, but sometimes as a zombie or another fictitious character.^[6]

• Ruletera, La - 1987
• Leones del ring contra la Cosa Nostra, Los - 1974
• Leones del ring, Los - 1974
• Bestias del terror, Las - 1973
• Santo el enmascarado de plata y Blue Demon contra los monstruos - 1970
• Blue Demon contra cerebros infernales - 1968
• Isla de los dinosaurios, La - 1967
• Mujeres panteras, Las - 1967
• Lobas del ring, Las - 1965
• Fenómenos del futbol, Los - 1964
• Santo en el museo de cera - 1963
• Luchadoras contra el médico asesino, Las - 1963
• Señor Tormenta, El - 1963
• Tigres del ring, Los - 1960
• Última lucha, La - 1959
• The Magnificent Beast - 1953

• 1923 births
• 1999 deaths
• Mexican male professional wrestlers
• Mexican male film actors
• Professional wrestlers from Chihuahua (state)
• People from Chihuahua City
• 20th-century Mexican male actors
• 20th-century male professional wrestlers
• 20th-century Mexican professional wrestlers
• Mexican National Light Heavyweight Champions

• CS1 Spanish-language sources (es)
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020