Mexican referee dies after banned piledriver move

A Mexican lucha libre referee has died at age 75 after a fighter used a piledriver on him during a match.

According to outlets including the Latin Times, Univision and La Jornada, Gerardo Germán Pineda, known in the ring as “El Búho,” or “The Owl,” died after being struck by a wrestling move during a match at the Arena 11 de Julio in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

The incident occurred in the city of Mineral de la Reforma, USA Today reported. Pineda was overseeing a match between José Ángel Nájera, known in the sport as “Hijo de Fishman,” and Mascara Sagrada.

As part of the match, Nájera attacked Pineda, performing a double underhook piledriver.

The move involves the attacker bending the other person forward and placing their head between their legs and hooking their arms, before dropping the person in a sitting position to drive the opponent’s head into the mat.

The piledriver is banned in several wrestling commissions around the world due to the high risk of causing serious injuries, El País reported.

Pineda reportedly did not move after the attack, and medical staff rushed to the ring and the 75-year-old was later pronounced dead.

Nájera, the son of the late prominent wrestler Fishman, was later taken into custody for suspected “homicidio culposo,” a Mexican legal term generally translated as negligent or involuntary homicide, according to the Latin Times. He was released soon after.

El Patrón Espectáculos Lucha Libre, the promoter associated with the event, called “Deslealtades,” said in a statement, “The legal process is ongoing, and therefore, out of respect for the authorities and due process, this company will refrain from issuing any further information that could interfere with or prejudge the facts,” the promoter wrote in Spanish.

Following Pineda’s death, municipal authorities closed the arena. El País also reported that the venue allegedly did not have a permit for the event.

In its statement, El Patrón Espectáculos Lucha Libre urged fans, members of the media and the wrestling community to act with “prudence, discretion and respect, and to avoid spreading rumors or unconfirmed information, so as not to hinder the investigations and out of respect for all parties involved and their families.”

“We deeply regret the loss of life and express our solidarity with the family, friends and colleagues in the wrestling community,” the promoter added.

Authorities said the investigation into Pineda’s death is still ongoing.