Movie star wrestler dies in the ring at British show
A FORMER world wrestling champion and Hollywood star has died after collapsing mid-bout.
Cesar Barron – also known as Silver King – appeared opposite Jack Black as the evil Ramses in the film Nacho Libre.
He is thought to have suffered a heart attack while reprising the character in London on Saturday. Spectators initially believed the 51-year- old Mexican’s collapse was part of the show.
Footage shows him being pinned down by his opponent, Juventud Guerrera, who celebrates his victory before other wrestlers come to Mr Barron’s aid. Med
‘Deepest condolences to Silver King’s family’
ics arrived five minutes after being called at 10.21pm, but the wrestler was pronounced dead at the scene.
Roberto Carrera Maldonado, who attended the show at the Roundhouse in Camden, north-west London, told the BBC that Mr Barron’s condition initially appeared ‘ staged’. He added: ‘All of us were really shocked – it wasn’t clear what was happening.’
The wrestler’s Nacho Libre co- star Black posted a tribute on Instagram, writing ‘vaya con dios, hermano’ – Spanish for ‘go with God, brother’.
Mr Barron was the son of a wrestler, Dr Wagner, and his brother also competes as Dr Wagner Junior. An exponent of lucha libre – a popular form of wrestling in Mexico that features colorful masks, elaborate costumes and acrobatic techniques – Mr Barron won multiple titles as Silver King and once held the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship.
Lucha Libre World, which promoted the Roundhouse event, said in a statement that the wrestler ‘suffered what we believe was a cardiac arrest while performing in the show and sadly passed away’.
WWE wrote on Twitter that it was ‘saddened’ to learn of Mr Barron’s death and extended its ‘deepest condolences to Silver King’s family, friends and fans’.
Scotland Yard said the death is being treated as ‘non-suspicious’.
The tragedy comes weeks after comedian Ian Cognito died on stage in April in similar circumstances.
As with Mr Barron, the 60year-old’s audience believed his heart attack was all part of the show – and laughed along as he died during the performance at the The Atic bar in Bicester.