A professional wrestler and actor has died after collapsing during a bout in London.

Cesar Barron, known as Silver King, was a star in his native Mexico and appeared alongside the comic actor Jack Black in the 2005 film Nacho Libre.

The 51-year-old was performing at the Roundhouse in Camden when he reportedly fell to the canvas.

A fellow Mexican wrestler paid tribute to his “great rival”, saying: “He went as he wanted: fighting!”

El Hijo del Santo, aka Jorge Rodriguez, tweeted his “deep regret” at the death of his “partner in so many battles”.

Barron had been in the middle of a match at the Greatest Show of Lucha Libre event on Saturday.

Reports in Mexican media suggest he may have suffered a heart attack.

Footage posted online shows the referee and several other men rushing to his aid after he collapsed.

The venue confirmed there had been an “incident” during the show but said it was unable to comment further.

Lucha Libre features masked competitors, or Luchadors, facing each other in acrobatic, choreographed battles.

Barron grew up in a Mexican wrestling family and his father was a popular lucha libre fighter.

As Silver King, Barron found worldwide success, appearing in the USA’s World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1997 to 2000.

In 2005, he starred as the villain Ramses in Hollywood comedy Nacho Libre alongside Jack Black.

Tributes have flooded in from the wrestling world, with US company WWE among those mourning the star. (BBC)

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