Sugi Sito (1926-2000)

Real Name - Francisco Javier Mar Hernández

Lifespan - 12/4/1926 - 5/4/2000

5’8” 175 lbs. - León, Guanajuato, Mexico

Athletic Background - n/a

Teacher(s) - Rolando Vera

Aliases - Dragon de Oro

Peak Years - `48-`55

Place in History - The stereotypical Japanese heel was a fixture in pro-wrestling throughout the world in the second half of the twentieth century.  While men like Mr. Moto, Kenji Shibuya and Duke Keomuka are among the earliest, Mexico had a Japanese heel that predated the war in Sugi Sito.  The son of a Mexican father and Chinese mother, Francisco was trained by Rolando Vera and adopted his Japanese character early on.  Sugi Sito employed many standards of the Oriental villain - the wooden geta sandals, a kimona ring jacket and even the dual color half tights.  In the aftermath of World War II, Sugi Sito came into his prime years.  He worked on top with all the legendary technicos - El Santo, Tárzan López, Torbellino Blanco and so on, often battling for the NWA World Middleweight title when it was considered the most prestigious one in Mexico.  He also regularly teamed with rudo like Cavernerio Galindo and Ray Mendoza, but is probably best remembered for his partnerships with his younger brothers who followed him into the sport.  One became Huroki Sito while the other two became Manuel and Panchito Robles.  They often teamed up with the younger brothers getting the rub from their superstar brother.  Sugi Sito had such a strong heel persona that he was able to get over in the US in a way that many Mexican rudos could not.  He mainly worked tags in Texas, the Gulf Coast and Western Canada, making him one of the earliest Japanese heels in North America.  In the case of the latter two, Sugi Sito was nearing fifty with his best years behind him.  He teamed with people like Chin Lee and Tor Kamata, who were also non-native Asians playing Asian bad guys.  In that era that sort of deception was easy to pull off and easy to use to draw heat.  Sugi Sito was an innovator though and many followed in his footsteps, whether directly or indirectly.  He was the first and most famous member of one of lucha libre’s larger families with himself, three of his brothers, his daughter and son-in-law, nephews and others who worked in the sport to varying degrees of success.