Wrestler arrested after referee dies from alleged piledriver during match

A professional wrestler in Mexico has been arrested and is facing a manslaughter charge after the death of a longtime referee during his match.

El Hijo de Fishman, 36, allegedly performed a piledriver on 75-year-old Gerardo German Pineda — known as El Buho — during a match against Mascara Sagrada in Hidalgo for the El Patrón Espectáculos Lucha Libre promotion on Wednesday, per multiple reports.

Pineda didn’t get up after the alleged piledriver and was pronounced dead.

Video from earlier in the match circulating online shows Fishman performing a bodyslam on Pineda, though the move appeared to be performed safely, and Pineda was moving afterward. A photo of the alleged piledriver is also circulating, though its authenticity is unclear. Video of the piledriver hasn’t surfaced.

A piledriver involves lifting a wrestler vertically and giving the illusion of dropping them on their head. The wrestler performing the move is supposed to have their own body take the contact to perform it safely, with the opposing wrestler’s head never actually hitting the mat.

But several wrestlers over the years, including Stone Cold Steve Austin, have suffered real injuries on piledrivers, and the move was banned in WWE for many years.

Fallece el réferi Gerardo Germán Pineda “El Búho” tras recibir un martinete del Hijo de Fishman en plena función.💀Fue detenido y el nacote se estaba riendo.🫩 pic.twitter.com/18rMmAcd94

“The local reports are that Buho lay on the mat unmoving for minutes before anyone checked on him, thinking he was selling. There was reportedly no ambulance or medical personnel on hand; those are required for Hidalgo shows, and this card was running a bit under the radar,” Luchablog wrote on X.

“When paramedics arrived, they could only confirm that Buho had passed away. The police are holding Hijo de Fishman in custody while investigating. A photo of the piledriver is circulating. Can’t circulate a photo of a medic who isn’t there, but that’s going to be as big a deal.”

El Patrón Espectáculos Lucha Libre called the incident “regrettable” in a statement.

“Our company is attentive to the development of the situation and has arranged accompaniment and legal assistance for Hijo de Fishman, so that the corresponding process is carried out in accordance with the law and before the competent authorities,” the company said in Spanish, according to Figure Four Online.

The lawyer and legal representative of the company maintains contact with the family of Mr. Gerardo Germán Pineda, “El Búho,” and with their legal representatives, to handle the case in the best way and guarantee respect for all parties involved.