And through it all, he established the importance of the mask, not just through performance, but from never taking it off. Ironically enough, Santo spent the bulk of the first 8 years of his wrestling career unmasked, first under the names Rudy Guzmán, an abbreviated version of his real name, Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta, and Hombre Rojo, among other personas. Once he became El Santo, however, the mask stayed on. Santo was so committed to protecting his identity that he even arranged special traveling accommodations with Mexican and United States customs agents, in order to prevent fans, media, and even people he worked with from seeing him unmasked. Rumors even persist that Santo would remain masked in private functions, though it seems reasonable to believe he took the mask off at home. But aside from that, the mask never left Santo’s side, not even when he wrestled in his retirement match on September 12, 1982. 

Things changed, however, during a January 1984 appearance on the Mexican program “Contrapunto,” where Santo stunned the audience and fellow lucha libre legend Blue Demon by lifting his mask off and exposing his face. It remains one of the most shocking moments in the history of lucha libre, and also one of the most tragic, as it would turn out to be the last public appearance Santo would ever make. Only a week later, Santo passed away at 67 years old following a heart attack, effectively making his unmasking on “Contrapunto” a goodbye. The country was left in mourning, exemplified by Santo’s funeral in Mexico City, which some claim had over 10,000 people in attendance. As he was laid to rest, Santo did so with his silver mask on, a tradition that has since continued for luchadors that pass away, including Blue Demon. Santo’s burial with the mask on, and his public unmasking to say goodbye, have only added to the enduring legacy of El Santo, and his impact on lucha libre.