By: “DragonKingKarl” Karl Stern (Patreon)
Professional Wrestling Historian: Author of DragonKingKarl's Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus
As reported by the Box y Lucha website, lucha libre legend Franco Colombu has died. He is the uncle of pro wrestling and lucha libre stars Rush, Dragon Lee, and Dralistico. The website reports: “Box y Lucha mourns the passing of retired professional wrestler Franco Colombo (Javier Esparza Coronado), who died on Sunday, September 20, 2026. He trained in Guadalajara, Jalisco, under Cuauhtémoc "Diablo" Velasco. He also wrestled as a masked performer under the persona "La Silueta." His nephews—Rush, Dragón Lee, and Dralístico—are also involved in professional wrestling. Additionally, Franco worked as a trainer and booker for CMLL; his students included Lady Apache, Sanely, Princesa Sujehit, Reina Isis, and Cirujano Hernández.”
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