Fray Tormenta
Encyclopedia
Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez (born May 29, 1945) is a Mexican priest
who supported an orphanage for 23 years as a lucha libre
wrestler. While performing, he wore a red and yellow mask and used the ring name
Fray Tormenta. He made only sporadic in-ring appearances in the 2000s before retiring completely from wrestling in July 2011, but still wears his mask even in his duties as a priest. Fray Tormenta means "Friar Storm" in English.
Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez was born to José Gutiérrez García and Emilia Benítez on February 5, 1945, in San Agustín Metzquititlán
, Hidalgo as the sixteenth of their seventeen children. He had long been inspired to become a masked luchador after watching two 1963 Mexican films, "El Señor Tormenta" (Mister Storm) and "Tormenta En El Ring" (Storm In The Ring) both of which featured the story of a poor Mexican priest who supported the children of his orphanage by fighting as a lucha libre wrestler at night. At age 22, Gutiérrez, at the time a drug addict and alcoholic, became interested in the priesthood and was inducted into the Piarists Order. His theological training took him to Rome, and then Spain, and for a while he taught philosophy and history at Roman Catholic universities in Mexico. He later became a secular priest in the Diocese of Texcoco, where he founded an orphanage named "La Casa Hogar de los Cachorros de Fray Tormenta", which would serve as the home of 270 children. In need of money to take care of the children, the father became the masked wrestler known as Fray Tormenta. During that time he never let anyone know of his identity as a priest, explaining "No one would have taken me seriously as a wrestler had they known I was a priest."
In 1991, French filmmakers made a movie loosely based on his life called L'Homme au masque d'or (The Man In The Golden Mask) starring Jean Reno
.
In 2006, American film maker Jared Hess
made another film loosely based on the story of Fray Tormenta called Nacho Libre
, starring Jack Black
.
In 2007, Fray Tormenta appeared in the film Padre Tormenta as a priest who dons the luchador's mask and enters the ring to raise funds for the orphanage he directs.
Currently, Fray Tormenta stars as a supporting character in the Mexican comic book series Místico: El Principe de Plata y Oro as a mentor to the lucha libre wrestler Místico
.
In real life, although Fray Tormenta is now retired from professional wrestling he still works at the orphanage as a priest, and has inspired one of his children to take up his mantle so that the legend of Fray Tormenta can live on. The masked wrestler, whose real name is unknown, calls himself Fray Tormenta Jr. Although semi-retired from wrestling since 2001, he still wrestled occasionally and on January 11, 2011 won his second Lucha de Apuesta, by defeating Bugambilia, Super Crazy
, X-Fly
, Bestia 666
and Boy Danger, to win Bugambilia's hair. On July 3, 2011, Tormenta teamed with El Pantera
and Solar to defeat Black Terry, Negro Navarro and Scorpio, Jr.
at International Wrestling Revolution Group
's Festival de las Mascaras. After the match Gutiérrez announced that he had wrestled his final match.
from Tekken, Crasher Wake from Pokémon
, Tizoc from Fatal Fury, Leon from F-Zero
, and Greco from Chrono Cross
were inspired by his story, as was the movie Nacho Libre
.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who supported an orphanage for 23 years as a lucha libre
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
wrestler. While performing, he wore a red and yellow mask and used the ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Fray Tormenta. He made only sporadic in-ring appearances in the 2000s before retiring completely from wrestling in July 2011, but still wears his mask even in his duties as a priest. Fray Tormenta means "Friar Storm" in English.
Biography
San Agustín Metzquititlán
San Agustín Metzquititlán is a town and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 313.5 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 8,558....
, Hidalgo as the sixteenth of their seventeen children. He had long been inspired to become a masked luchador after watching two 1963 Mexican films, "El Señor Tormenta" (Mister Storm) and "Tormenta En El Ring" (Storm In The Ring) both of which featured the story of a poor Mexican priest who supported the children of his orphanage by fighting as a lucha libre wrestler at night. At age 22, Gutiérrez, at the time a drug addict and alcoholic, became interested in the priesthood and was inducted into the Piarists Order. His theological training took him to Rome, and then Spain, and for a while he taught philosophy and history at Roman Catholic universities in Mexico. He later became a secular priest in the Diocese of Texcoco, where he founded an orphanage named "La Casa Hogar de los Cachorros de Fray Tormenta", which would serve as the home of 270 children. In need of money to take care of the children, the father became the masked wrestler known as Fray Tormenta. During that time he never let anyone know of his identity as a priest, explaining "No one would have taken me seriously as a wrestler had they known I was a priest."
In 1991, French filmmakers made a movie loosely based on his life called L'Homme au masque d'or (The Man In The Golden Mask) starring Jean Reno
Jean Reno
Jean Reno is a French actor. Working in French, English, Spanish and Italian, he has appeared not only in numerous successful Hollywood productions such as The Pink Panther, Godzilla, The Da Vinci Code, Mission: Impossible, Ronin and Couples Retreat, but also in European productions such as the...
.
In 2006, American film maker Jared Hess
Jared and Jerusha Hess
Jared Lawrence Hess and Jerusha Elizabeth Hess are husband-and-wife American filmmakers known for their work Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre and Gentlemen Broncos , all of which they co-wrote and directed...
made another film loosely based on the story of Fray Tormenta called Nacho Libre
Nacho Libre
Nacho Libre is a 2006 comedy film directed by Jared Hess. It is a production of Nickelodeon Movies.The script was written by Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess and Mike White. It was loosely based on the story of Fray Tormenta , aka Rev. Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, a real-life Mexican Catholic priest who had a...
, starring Jack Black
Jack Black
Jack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
.
In 2007, Fray Tormenta appeared in the film Padre Tormenta as a priest who dons the luchador's mask and enters the ring to raise funds for the orphanage he directs.
Currently, Fray Tormenta stars as a supporting character in the Mexican comic book series Místico: El Principe de Plata y Oro as a mentor to the lucha libre wrestler Místico
Místico
Luis Ignascio Urive Alvirde is a Mexican luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE, working on its SmackDown brand under the name Sin Cara...
.
In real life, although Fray Tormenta is now retired from professional wrestling he still works at the orphanage as a priest, and has inspired one of his children to take up his mantle so that the legend of Fray Tormenta can live on. The masked wrestler, whose real name is unknown, calls himself Fray Tormenta Jr. Although semi-retired from wrestling since 2001, he still wrestled occasionally and on January 11, 2011 won his second Lucha de Apuesta, by defeating Bugambilia, Super Crazy
Super Crazy
Francisco Islas Rueda is a Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador, best known by his ring name Super Crazy. Islas is most known for his three year run in the original ECW...
, X-Fly
X-Fly
Juan Francisco Domínguez is a Mexican luchador or professional wrestler, currently performing under the ring name X-Fly. He is also known as the original Mosco de la Merced , a name which has since been given another luchador...
, Bestia 666
Bestia 666
Leornardo Carrera Lizarraga is a Mexican luchador or professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Bestia 666...
and Boy Danger, to win Bugambilia's hair. On July 3, 2011, Tormenta teamed with El Pantera
Pantera (wrestler)
Francisco Javier Pozas is a Mexican professional wrestler, or luchador, who is best known under the ring name El Pantera, but has also worked as Pantera II, El Manaya, América, Tritón and TANAKA over the years...
and Solar to defeat Black Terry, Negro Navarro and Scorpio, Jr.
Scorpio, Jr.
Rafael Núñez Juan is a Mexican Luchador or professional wrestler who is best known under his Ring name Scorpio, Jr. Núñez is the son of professional wrestler "Scorpio" and was trained by his father and Rafael Salamanca before making his debut on August 30, 1985...
at International Wrestling Revolution Group
International Wrestling Revolution Group
International Wrestling Revolution Group is a Lucha Libre promotion based in Naucalpan, State of Mexico, Mexico. Founded in 1996 by Adolfo Moreno and since Moreno's death in late 2007 has been controlled by his sons Alfredo and Marco Moreno...
's Festival de las Mascaras. After the match Gutiérrez announced that he had wrestled his final match.
Characters based on Fray Tormenta
The videogame characters KingKing (Tekken)
is the name of two characters in the Tekken fighting game series. The characters were inspired by the pro wrestler Satoru Sayama, as well as Mexican wrestler Fray Tormenta, a Catholic priest who became a masked wrestler in order to support an orphanage...
from Tekken, Crasher Wake from Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
, Tizoc from Fatal Fury, Leon from F-Zero
F-Zero
is a futuristic racing video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . The game was released in Japan on November 21, 1990, in North America on August 23, 1991, and in Europe on June 4, 1992...
, and Greco from Chrono Cross
Chrono Cross
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Chrono Trigger, which was released in 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System...
were inspired by his story, as was the movie Nacho Libre
Nacho Libre
Nacho Libre is a 2006 comedy film directed by Jared Hess. It is a production of Nickelodeon Movies.The script was written by Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess and Mike White. It was loosely based on the story of Fray Tormenta , aka Rev. Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, a real-life Mexican Catholic priest who had a...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Confessional (Figure four leglock)
Lucha de Apuesta record
| Wager | Winner | Loser | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mask | Fray Tormenta | Hijo de Judas | Nuevo Laredo Nuevo Laredo Nuevo Laredo is a city located in the Municipality of Nuevo Laredo in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The city lies on the banks of the Río Grande, across from the United States city of Laredo, Texas. The 2010 census population of the city was 373,725. Nuevo Laredo is part of the Laredo-Nuevo... , Tamaulipas Tamaulipas Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the... |
||
| Hair | Fray Tormenta | Bugambilia | Pachuca, Hidalgo | Six–way match, also involving Super Crazy Super Crazy Francisco Islas Rueda is a Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador, best known by his ring name Super Crazy. Islas is most known for his three year run in the original ECW... , X-Fly X-Fly Juan Francisco Domínguez is a Mexican luchador or professional wrestler, currently performing under the ring name X-Fly. He is also known as the original Mosco de la Merced , a name which has since been given another luchador... , Bestia 666 Bestia 666 Leornardo Carrera Lizarraga is a Mexican luchador or professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Bestia 666... and Boy Danger |