Mil Máscaras (born Aarón Rodríguez Arellano, July 15, 1942) is a Mexican luchador (professional wrestler) and actor.

[1] Mil Máscaras is considered one of the most influential wrestlers of all time for enhancing and popularizing the lucha libre style around the world, both in the ring and as the star of 20 films.

[4] Although he has never been unmasked and his true identity is generally kept a secret out of respect for lucha libre traditions, his real name is known due to appearing in the credits of the films he has starred in.

[6] Mil Máscaras was also one of the first wrestlers to introduce the high-flying moves of lucha libre, such as the plancha and tope suicida, to Japanese fans.

Mil Máscaras made his international wrestling debut in 1968 at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, getting involved in rivalries against the likes of Ernie Ladd, John Tolos, Black Gordman and Goliath.

These feuds took place mostly in Mexico and the US and were broadcast on Spanish language stations in the US, Mil Máscaras was also the heavyweight champion of the IWA wrestling promotion, which was founded by Eddie Einhorn, and still holds the title to this day.

In 1974, Mil Máscaras was the World Champion of the short-lived International Wrestling Association promotion based in New York City.

On December 5, 2002, Mil Máscaras defeated Manny Fernandez at the inaugural show for Legacy Wrestling Enterprises in Fort Worth, Texas.

On July 25, he celebrated his 50th in-ring anniversary to the day by teaming with his brother Sicodelico and his nephew El Hijo De Dos Caras to face one of his greatest rivals, Canek, along with Negro Navarro and Rey Bucanero in a special six-man tag.

El Santo had walked out on him over a contract dispute, and Blue Demon was injured unexpectedly and would require a prolonged time-out.

Not wanting to stop making his successful cinematic quickies, Vergara decided to transform Lucha Libre newcomer Mil Máscaras as the star of his next two movies.

The film gave Mil Máscaras a comic book-style origin story, which seems to have been somewhat swiped from the then-popular Doc Savage pulp novels that were selling very well in science-fiction bookstores in the mid-60's.

According to the script, Mil was an infant who was found clutched in his dead mother's arms in a war-torn area of Europe during World War 2 and was sent to an orphanage.

A group of scientists (not affiliated with any particular country) adopts the boy, secretly using him as a guinea pig, subjecting the child to an intensive regimen of physical exercise and mental training as he matures.

Federico Curiel directed Mil Máscaras' next two films in 1968, both of which feature American horror star John Carradine as a bad guy.

In Enigma of Death, Mil faces off against Carradine who plays the leader of an underground Nazi organization (who disguises himself as a circus clown!

The Champions of Justice (also 1970) saw Mil Máscaras in action with fellow wrestlers Blue Demon, Tinieblas, El Medico Asesino and La Sombra Vengadora (who all joined as sort of a super-team to fight monsters, mad scientists, criminals, evil dwarves or whatever else crossed their paths.)

He fought alongside the then-famous Superzan in Vampires of Coyoacan (1973) and later joined forces once again with El Santo and Blue Demon in 1977's Mystery in Bermuda, which most Mexi-cinema fans consider to be the last real entry in the then fading Mexican wrestling/horror genre.

Mil Máscaras has drawn criticism from fellow wrestlers such as Mick Foley[14] and Chris Jericho[15] for his unwillingness to sell moves and put opponents over.

If I miss a move, then I don't ask anyone to make me look good.In 1975, Mil Máscaras was voted as "The Most Popular Wrestler of the Year" by the company that now publishes the US magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

[20] Mil Máscaras has never been unmasked in the ring, and like most masked luchadores, he goes to great lengths to conceal his true appearance and personal life.

[21] Along with pro wrestling, Mil Máscaras is a fan of Japanese martial arts, and has practised judo, aikido, jujutsu, karate and kendo, among others.