Los Metálicos

History

Los Metálicos started out with brothers Jesús Javier Hernández Silva and Ismael Hernández Solís adopting the enmascarado ("masked wrestlers) characters Oro ("Gold") and Plata ("Silver") with identical masks, only difference was that one had a gold pattern and the other had a silver pattern. The two were soon joined by a wrestler known as Platino (Platinum) to form a trio tag team known as Los Metalicos (The Metals). Platino was not a member of the Hernández but actually veteran wrestler Chamaco Valaguez under the mask. The team was quickly matched up against another trios team, a rudo ("Bad guy") trio known as Los Destructores ("The Destroyers"), with whom they had a series of very good matches. The fans quickly responded to the young team, vocally supporting the team when they wrestled, and showing appreciation for the fact that Plata and Platino were skilled high flying wrestlers and Oro had an aerial wrestling style that was unusual for the time. Oro's frequent and skilled execution of moves off the top rope helped usher in a style change in Lucha Libre as wrestlers started to incorporate more moves like planchas and topes, inspired by Oro's performances. Oro and Plata won their first professional wrestling championship just over a year after their debut, defeating Los Destructores to win the Mexican National Tag Team Championship on December 4, 1991. The following week a rematch between the two teams ended in a controversial manner and the championship was vacated. The following week Los Destructores regained the vacant title. Los Metalicos also captured the Distrito Federal Trios Championship at some point in 1991, but later lost the championship to Los Guerreros del Futuro ("The Warriors of the Future"); Damian el Guerrero, Guerrero del Futuro, and Guerrero Maya. In late 1991 Chamaco Valaguez abandoned the Platino character and retired, which led to a third Hernández being given the character.

Due to his style Oro was moved away from teaming with Los Metalicos to a singles career, which EMLL replacing him with Bronce (Bronze), a wrestling character patterned on Oro's image, but replacing gold with Bronze. Just like the original Platino Bronce was not a member of the Hernández family. EMLL put Oro in a storyline feud with veteran wrestler Mano Negra (The Black Hand). On May 23, 1993, Oro defeated Mano Negra to win the NWA World Middleweight Championship. On October 26, 1993, Oro died following an in-ring mishap in one of the most infamous incidents in Lucha Libre. Following the death of the original Oro his brother Ismael Hernández Solís adopted the "Oro" ring character for about a year before retiring. Once Ismael Hernández Solís retired Ismael Hernández Islas took over the character, officially billed as Oro III. Following the deal of Oro Los Metálicos stopped working as a trio, with most of the members either retiring or adopting a different mask and character, only occasionally working under their Los Metálicos names with the exception of Oro II. In 2011 Oro III was introduced to the wrestling world; he later began working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) as Oro, Jr.

The Hernández wrestling family

The Hernández family has been in the professional wrestling business for three generations, starting with the brothers collectively known as Los Hermanos Calavera ("The Skull Brothers"), their six sons and one grandson who either are or have been professional wrestlers at some point. Oro, Plata/Oro II, and Plata II are all brothers, and Bronce II is their cousin; all of them sons of Los Hermanos Calavera ("The Skull Brothers").

Plata / Oro II

Plata was primarily relegated to tag team matches, teaming with Oro, Platino or Bronce, although at times he would participate in a high-profile event. In 1992 he participated in a tournament to crown a new CMLL World Middleweight Championship when the title was vacated due to previous champion Blue Panther leaving the promotion. Plata did not win the tournament. After his brother's death Plata took over the Oro character, but with far less success than his brother. In 1995 he participated in a tournament to crown a new NWA World Welterweight Championship, defeating Rey Bucanero, Jr. in the first round, but losing to El Felino in the second. Oro retired from active competition in 1995, letting one of his younger brothers take over the name Plata, working as Plata II.

Oro II

Ismael Hernández Islas, one of the younger Hernández brothers began his professional wrestling career in 1992, working under a mask, using the name "Excalibur". When his older brother retired Hernández Islas took over the ring name "Oro", becoming "Oro II" (despite being the third to use the name). Oro II would work on a regular basis for CMLL, even participating in the 2006 Reyes del Aire ("Kings of the Air") tournament, but he did not win. On March 5, 2011, Oro II was featured in the main event of the Festival Mundial de Lucha Libre (World Wrestling Festival) in a Luchas de Apuetas, mask vs. mask match against Fantasma de la Ópera (The Phantom of the Opera). Fantasma cheated to defeat Oro II, forcing him to unmask and reveal his real name. Oro II challenged Fantasma de la Ópera to a rematch, which Fantasma accepted only for Oro II to pin him unmasking Fantasma as well.

Plata II

Plata II took over after his older brother retired, but did little of note, working sporadically over the years. It is unclear if he has worked under another ring identity.

Bronce II

The wrestler that originally wrestled as "Bronce" abandoned the character, and later became known as Black Warrior. With the original Bronce gone, EMLL gave the ring character to a nephew of the Hernández brothers to keep the Los Metálicos group going. Following the death of the original Oro, Los Metálicos stopped working as a regular team, with Bronce II only occasionally working under that ring name.

Championships and accomplishments

• Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
  • Mexican National Tag Team Championship (1 time) – Oro and Plata
  • NWA World Middleweight Championship (1 time) – Oro
• Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico Distrito Federal
  • Distrito Federal Trios Championship (1 time) – Oro, Plata and Platino

''Luchas de Apuestas'' record

Footnotes

References

References

1. (December 2007). "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Oro.
2. (August 2007). "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Las Gemas del Ring.
3. Madigan, Dan. (2007). "Mondo Lucha a Go-Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling". HarperCollins Publishers.
4. (October 26, 2012). "¡Oro: 19 años sin brillar...!". [[Súper Luchas]].
5. Royal Duncan and Gary Will. (2000). "Wrestling Title Histories". Archeus Communications.
6. (December 2007). "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Plata.
7. Royal Duncan and Gary Will. (2006). "Wrestling Title Histories". Archeus Communications.
8. Jorge, Ocampo. (August 2009). "Plata Contra Averno?". [[Súper Luchas]].
9. (December 2007). "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Oro (II).
10. (June 18, 2006). "Los Reyes del Aire 2006". Pro Wrestling History.
11. Ocampo, Jorge. (March 13, 2011). "Oro II y Fantasma de la Opera pierden la máscara". [[Súper Luchas]].
12. (July 2007). "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Bronce (II).
13. Royal Duncan and Gary Will. (2000). "Wrestling Title Histories". Archeus Communications.
14. Royal Duncan & Gary Will. (2006). "Wrestling Title Histories". Archeus Communications.
15. Royal Duncan and Gary Will. (2000). "Wrestling Title Histories". Archeus Communications.
16. (March 10, 2011). "Videos: Lucha histórica de apuesta (Máscara vs. Máscara y Máscara vs. Cabellera) entre el Fantasma de la Opera y Oro II en el Tercer Festival Mundial de Lucha Libre en Guadalajara, Jalisco". [[Súper Luchas]].