Demonio Infernal

Demonio Infernal
Birth nameJosé Antonio Rojas
Born (1995-01-17) January 17, 1995 (age 29)
Mexico City, Mexico
Parent(s)Bombero Infernal (father)[1]
Relatives
  • Matrix Jr. (brother)[1]
  • Muerte Infernal (brother)[1]
  • Capitain Muerte (brother)[1]
  • La Bomberita (sister)[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)
  • Demonio Imperial
  • Demonio Infernal
Trained by
Debut2013

José Antonio Rojas (born January 17, 1995) is a Mexican professional wrestler (luchador in Spanish) best known under the ring name Demonio Infernal (Spanish for "Infernal Demon"). He is a second-generation wrestler, son of Guillermo Martinez Cid, best known as Bombero Infernal and the brother of wrestlers Matrix Jr., Muerte Infernal, Capitain Muerte and La Bomberita. Rojas made his in-ring debut in 2012, using the name Demonio Imperial.

He works for International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG) in the State of Mexico as well as taking bookings on the independent circuit in Mexico. Demonio Infernal, Eterno and Lunatic Xtreme (collectively known as "El Infierno Eternal") hold the Districto Federal Trios Championship and he is also the current IWRG Rey del Ring Champion as well as the IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Champion. Rojas was originally a masked wrestler (Enmascarado in Spanish) but was forced to unmask in 2016 as he lost a Lucha de Apuestas bet match to Dragón Fly and has competed unmasked ever since.

Personal life

José Antonio Rojas was born on January 17, 1995, in Mexico City. He is the son of Guillermo Martinez Cid, a professional wrestler best known under the ring name Bombero Infernal. His three younger brothers are also professional wrestlers, known as the enmascarados (masked wrestlers) Matrix Jr., Muerte Infernal and Capitain Muerte respectively.[1] His younger sister is also a professional, the enmascarada known as La Bomberita.[1] As neither of his brothers nor his sister have been unmasked via a Lucha de Apuestas ("Bet match") loss, their names are not a matter of public record.[2]

Professional wrestling career

The first documented match for Rojas took place on June 10, 2015, for International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG). Roja, working under the ring name Demonio Imperial ("Imperial Demon") lost to Soldado de la Muerte in a five-way match that also included Canario, Magic Dragon and Vardeus.[3] By early 2016 Roja changed his ring name to "Demonio Infernal" ("Internal Demon"). Over the summer of 2016, he became involved in a storyline feud with tecnico (also known as a "face"; the protagonists of professional wrestling) Dragón Fly. The feud between the two led to a Lucha de Apuestas ("Bet match") between the two, where the loser would have to unmask. Winning a Lucha de Apuestas match is considered more prestigious than winning a championship in lucha libre.[2] The two faced off in the main event of IWRG's August 2016 Máscara vs. Máscara show, which saw Demonio Infernal lose, and thus had to unmask and reveal his real name as per the rules of the Lucha de Apuestas.[4]

In early 2017, Demonio Infernal teamed up with wrestling veteran Negro Navarro for the 2017 El Protector tournament, a one-night tag team tournament where IWRG would team up a veteran wrestler with a relative rookie. The duo defeated Hip Hop Man and Mr. Electro in the first round, then defeated Demonio's longtime rival Dragón Fly and Villano IV in the semi-finals, before losing to Black Terry and El Diablo Jr. in the finals of the tournament.[5]

At IWRG's 2017 Prisión Fatal, Demonio Infernal defeated Lunatic Xtreme in a no disqualification match in the opening match of the show.[6] The feud between the two ran over several months and saw Lunatic Xtreme defeat Demonio Infernal in a Lucha de Apuestas match on January 28, 2018, forcing Demonio Infernal to have all his hair shaved off as a result.[7] Later on, Demonio Infernal began to team regularly with Lunatic Xtreme as their feud had been settled, and Eterno, forming a trio known as El Infierno Eterno ("The Eternal Inferno"). Demonio was one of four wrestlers risking their mask or hair on the outcome of the main event of IWRG's Relevos Increibles de Máscaras y Cabelleras show. Demonio Infernal and Freelance lost to Aramís and Dragón Bane. Due to the loss Demonio and Freelance had to face each other immediately, with Freelance losing the match and also losing his hair as a result. On February 3, 2019, El Infierno Eterno defeated Los Comandos Elite (Rayan, Spector, and Liderk) to win the Distrito Federal Trios Championship.[8]

On May 19, 2019, Demonio Infernal outlasted 29 other wrestlers to win the 2019 Rey del Ring tournament, as well as the IWRG Rey del Ring Championship. Near the end of 2019, Demonio Infernal became involved in a storyline feud against Fresero Jr., which included Demonio Infernal successfully defending the Rey del Ring Championship against Fresero Jr.[9] On the October 27 IWRG show Fresero Jr. helped El Hijo de Canis Lupus defend the IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship against Demonio Infernal by interfering in the match. Following the match Demonio Infernal made a Lucha de Apuestas, "hair vs hair" match challenge.[10] Fresero Jr. defeated Demonio Infernal in a Super Libre, no disqualification match, on November 24, followed by accepting the Apuesta challenge.[11] in the end Demonio Infernal defeated Fresero Jr. in a Lucha de Apuestas match at the PALL 1st Anniversary Show on December 1, 2019.[12] On January 1, 2020, as part of IWRG's Cinco Luchas en Jaula show, Demonio Infernal won a six-way steel cage match against Fuerza Guerrera Nueva Generacion, Pasion Cristal, Ave Rex, Emperador Azteca, El Hijo del Alebrije to win the vacant IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Championship[13]

Championships and accomplishments

Luchas de Apuestas record

See also: Luchas de Apuestas
Winner (wager) Loser (wager) Location Event Date Notes
Dragón Fly (mask) Demonio Infernal (mask) Naucalpan, State of Mexico Máscara vs. Máscara August 3, 2016 [4]
Lunatic Xtreme (hair) Demonio Infernal (hair) Naucalpan, State of Mexico IWRG show January 28, 2018 [7]
Demonio Infernal (hair) Freelance (hair) Naucalpan, State of Mexico Relevos Increibles de Máscaras y Cabelleras October 7, 2018 [15]
Demonio Infernal (hair) Fresero Jr. (hair) Naucalpan, State of Mexico PALL 1st Anniversary Show December 1, 2019 [12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Lyons, Judah (February 23, 2019). Luchadores: A history of Lucha Libre. Colorado Sprintgs, Colorado: Minute Help, Inc. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-629-17753-3.
  2. ^ a b Madigan, Dan (2007). "Okay... what is Lucha Libre?". Mondo Lucha a Go Go: the bizarre and honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperCollins Publishers. pp. 29–40. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
  3. ^ "IWRG Zona XXI - 42. Torneo FILL". CageMatch. June 10, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Lizarraga, Alfonso (August 4, 2016). "Dragón Fly se queda con la máscara de Demonio Infernal" (in Spanish). The Gladiatores. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  5. ^ Lazaro Rodriguez, Jose (February 20, 2017). "Diablo Jr. I y Black Terry ganan El Protector 2017". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved October 7, 2018.
  6. ^ Lizarraga, Alfonso (July 24, 2017). "En la prisión fatal Carístico se queda con la cabellera de Black Warrior". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Lizarraga, Alfonso (January 29, 2018). "Demonio Infernal pelón en cuatro caídas y Dr. Cerebro nuevo monarca Intercontinental medio IWRG". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved September 22, 2018.
  8. ^ a b Lizarraga, Alfonso (February 3, 2019). "Exitosa segunda defensa de los campeones de parejas de los Oficiales ante los Capos" [Second successful defense of the tag team champions Los Oficiales against Los Capos]. The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved February 4, 2010.
  9. ^ Lizarranga, Alonso (September 30, 2019). "Demonio Infernal sigue como firme Rey del Ring". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  10. ^ Lizarranga, Alonso (October 28, 2019). "Hijo de Canis Lupus continúa como firme campeón intercontinental completo IWRG". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  11. ^ Lizarranga, Alonso (November 25, 2019). "Con sangre y sentencias así fue la última función previa al primer aniversario de PALL en la arena Naucalpan". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  12. ^ a b Lizarranga, Alfonso (December 2, 2019). "Fresero cae ante Demonio Infernal y Marshe Rockett y Bryce Benjamin se coronan nuevos campeones de parejas de IWRG". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Lizarranga, Alfonso (January 2, 2020). "Con apuestas de cabelleras, máscaras y campeonatos abrió el 2020 la Arena Naucalpan". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  14. ^ Lizarraga, Alfonso (May 20, 2019). "Demonio Infernal Rey del Ring 2019". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  15. ^ Lizarraga, Alfonso (October 8, 2018). "Demonio Infernal deja sin cabellera a Freelance" [Demonio Infernal leaves Freelance without hair]. The Gladiatores (in Spanish). Retrieved October 8, 2018.