On March 20, 1983, Villano III defeated Perro Aguayo to win the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship, beginning the first of seven reigns for Villano III, tied with Aguayo for most reigns with that title. His first reign lasted 140 days before Aguayo regained the title. In 1985, Villano III defeated Gran Hamada to win the WWF Light Heavyweight Title for a second time. Villano III's second title reign lasted 826 days, which is the longest of any WWF Light Heavyweight Champion in its history. Over the following years, Villano III traded the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship with Perro Aguayo and Sangre Chicana. Pegasus Kid won the WWF Light Heavyweight Title from Villano III on March 3, 1991. Villano III's seventh and last reign with the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship began on July 18, 1994, when he defeated El Signo. He held the title until January 1995.
On August 21, 2018, Villano III passed away.