Mexican 'lucha libre' wrestler dies after blow to the neck

A Mexican professional wrestler, the son of a wrestling legend in the country, died early Saturday from a hit suffered in the ring, the Baja California state prosecutor's office said.

Pedro Aguayo Ramirez, known as Hijo del Perro Aguayo, went limp on the ropes after a blow that appeared to have hit his neck, according to video of the match in a municipal auditorium in Tijuana. He was in a team matchup against another popular wrestling personality, Oscar Gutierrez, known as Rey Misterio, Jr.

The match continued several minutes before the other wrestlers and referee realised Aguayo was completely immobile and turned to attend to him.

He was taken to a hospital a block away and died about 1:30am, according to prosecutor's spokesman Raul Gutierrez.

The state prosecutor's office said it has opened an investigation into possible manslaughter.

Mexico is famous for its colourful characters and costumes in professional wrestling, popularly known as lucha libre.

Aguayo, 35, was the son of retired wrestler Pedro "Perro" Aguayo, a lucha libre sensation from the 1970s to 1990s.

The younger Aguayo began wrestling in his teens and also was very popular, leading a group called "Los Perros de Mal," or the bad dogs.