HIDALGO.- Wrestling referee Gerardo Germán Pineda, 75, died after the wrestler known as "Hijo de Fishman" (36) applied a deadly hold on him inside the ring. The incident, which took place in Mexico, was recorded by attendees of the event and quickly went viral on social media. Following what happened, the fighter was detained and placed under investigation for alleged negligent homicide. The tragic death of the referee known as "El Búho" occurred Wednesday night at the Centro Deportivo Cultural 11 de Julio, located in the municipality of Mineral de la Reforma, in the state of Hidalgo, during a Mexican wrestling event, as reported by El Heraldo. In the footage that surfaced Thursday, it can be seen how "Hijo de Fishman" manages to subdue his opponent and, with him on the ground, receives a shove from the referee. Immediately after, the wrestler gets up and heads toward Pineda, a referee with an extensive career in this entertainment sport. The moment of the wrestler's fatal hold on the refereeOnce close to the referee, "Hijo de Fishman" subdues Pineda by grabbing his arms and placing him over his shoulders. Completely defenseless and at the mercy of the wrestler, the referee is thrown onto the ring floor. In wrestling jargon, this move is known as a piledriver, which consists of positioning a person upside down and dropping them headfirst onto the ground."El Búho" is left lying in the ring writhing in pain, while his attacker returns to the corner where he had left his opponent, whom he finishes off with another hold, placing his face between his knees. After a few moments, upon noticing that Pineda was not recovering from the attack, medical personnel approached to check on his condition, and it was there that the emergency team confirmed his death. As a consequence, authorities launched an investigation to reconstruct what caused Pineda's death, and the wrestler, whose identity remains withheld, was detained on charges of "negligent homicide," El Universal reported. The wrestler is the son of José Ángel Nájera Sánchez, better known as Fishman, one of the greatest legends of Mexican wrestling, nicknamed "Veneno Verde," who rose to prominence in the 1960s. "Hijo de Fishman" after being detainedBefore becoming a referee —a profession he practiced for nearly 30 years— Pineda worked as a wrestler for 15 years. Meanwhile, "Hijo de Fishman," 36, competes on the independent circuit and is the son of José Ángel Nájera Sánchez, popularly known as "Fishman," a prominent celebrity of Mexican wrestling during the seventies and eighties. Thanks to that lineage, the accused of negligent homicide inherited from his father the character and the mask he wears in the ring. For many Mexicans, lucha libre is more than a sport: it is a fundamental pillar of popular culture and the identity of the Aztec nation. Characterized by the use of colorful masks, high-risk acrobatic holds, and the classic theatrical battle between good and evil —which usually pits more technical wrestlers against more violent fighters— this discipline combines athleticism with the drama of a telenovela. Formally recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mexico City, lucha libre transcends the arenas to become a sociological phenomenon that reflects the mystique, folklore, and passion of the Aztec people. MexicoWrestlingViolent death