The Famous Wrestling Priest
In order to become famous enough to be portrayed by Jack Black, you need to have done something truly remarkable. For Sergio Gutierrez Benitez, it was never about the fame or the glory, but rather the children. For 23 years he was known as Fray Tormenta, and he became a famous luchador, or Mexican wrestler, to raise money for a local orphanage.
The Mexican state of Hidalgo was where Benitez was brought into the world in 1945, in the city of San Agustin Mezquititlan.. Ironically, from his late teens, he had aspirations to be a wrestler after seeing several films about a fictional priest who moonlighted as a masked luchador in order to support good works. By the age of 22, Benitez was a drug addict; he entered the priesthood in hope that it would give him a more positive direction in life.
his wish was realized; he taught history and philosophy at several universities, after gaining an education in Spain and Rome, while in the priesthood. He then became a priest in Texcoco, and founded an orphanage that became home to 270 children. However, the institution found itself in dire need of money by 1973, and that was when the newly settled Father remembered the films that had inspired him as a youth.
Known locally as 'Friar Storm' Benitez fought wearing a red and gold mask under the Mexican name of Fray Tormenta.. Although it may seem strange, it is common for wrestlers to keep their true likenesses a secret by wearing these head coverings; unlike some of his fellows, however, the father had a reason to keep mum. He believed that people would laugh at him as not being serious if they knew that he was in fact a priest by day. He retired in 2011, after 23 years on the wrestling junket.
Sergio Gutierrez Benitez still works at the orphanage to this day, and continues to wear his mask during daily activities. Recently, one of the children he helped to raise has taken on the name Fray Tormenta Jr., and has as his legacy that of being a good father. The priest's story has inspired the 2006 American film 'Nacho Libre', which starred Jack Black, as well as a 2007 Mexican biopic in which he played the starring role. Like many other luchadores, he is also a supporting character in a comic book series. This remarkable man has inspired such gaming characters as King from 'Tekken', Crasher Wake of 'Pokemon' origin and 'F-Zero' from Crasher Wake.
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