Former CMLL wrestler, trainer, and booker Franco Colombo, real name Javier Esparza Coronado, died at age 73.
Coronado’s niece announced his death on Facebook on Sunday, paying tribute to her uncle and asking for prayers for his family.
“Today, a legend passed away, my uncle Javier Esparza Coronado. I ask for your prayers for the whole family. My uncle was very loved by everyone. When we were little, we enjoyed taking walks together as a family. “God has called him to his side; he is now with my father in heaven. We will always remember you, Uncle. Say hi to everyone who has gone before us.”
Franco Colombo Spent Decades With CMLL
Trained by legendary lucha libre trainer Diablo Velasco, Coronado began working for Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre, later known as CMLL, in the 1970s.
Coronado spent most of his wrestling career competing unmasked, though he also worked under a mask as La Silueta.
One of his biggest in-ring accomplishments came in 1980, when he captured the Mexican National Welterweight Championship. His reign lasted 92 days into 1981.
After leaving the promotion during the late 1980s, Coronado eventually returned in a backstage role and became an influential figure in CMLL’s developmental system.
He was credited with helping overhaul the company’s approach to developing wrestlers and either hiring many of CMLL’s current trainers or training them himself during their in-ring careers.
Coronado remained associated with CMLL until the two sides parted ways for the final time in 2021.
According to LuchaBlog, different explanations were given for his departure. One account suggested Coronado left after being asked to accept a pay cut related to the COVID-19 pandemic, while another claimed CMLL had pushed him off its programming committee.
Despite Coronado’s decades-long association with the promotion, CMLL had not publicly addressed his death at the time of writing.
