Carlos Edwin Colón (born Carlos Edwin Colón Gonzalez on July 18 1948 in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico), is a professional wrestler, better known in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling circles as Carlitos Colón. He is the father of wrestlers Carly Colón, known professionally as Carlito, and Eddie Colón.
| Carlos Colón, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 18, 1948 [1] Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Carlos Colón Carlitos Colón Prince Kukuya Carlos Belafonte (Stampede) |
| Billed from | Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico |
| Debut | February 16 1966 |
| Retired | 1993 |
Biography
Colón was born in the Jauca barrio of Santa Isabel, a poor agricultural community in southern Puerto Rico.[1] One of seven children, he emigrated to Brooklyn, New York in 1961, along with the rest of his family. Given his admiration for wrestlers Antonino Rocca and Miguel Pérez, he became a member at the gym they trained at, practicing wrestling moves and cleaning the place occasionally to pay for his dues. His dedication and affability helped him gain the respect of his peers, as well as the occasional wrestling match. His first bout occurred in Boston, Massachusetts, on February 16, 1966, when he wrestled Bobo Brazil.[1] Colon was paid US$15.00 for his participation in his first match. He eventually became an itinerant wrestler in the eastern states of the United States and in Canada over the following three years, with Montreal as his place of residence.[1]
Feeling homesick and noticing a void in the Puerto Rican wrestling scene, Colón returned to Puerto Rico in 1973.[1] Colón and Croatian-born wrestler Victor Jovica founded a promotional company, Capitol Sports Promotions, which aired wrestling television shows each Saturday and Sunday on WAPA-TV. He wrestled during a time where local stars such as Barrabas, Black Georgie and Pérez shared the spotlight with international wrestlers such as Argentinean-born Rocca, Cuban-born Huracán Castillo and others. He set the stage for local stars such as Los Super Médicos, Los Invaders and Chicky Starr to develop. His wrestling company was also responsible for inviting major American wrestling stars such as Randy Savage, Ric Flair, Bruiser Brody, Stan Hansen and others to wrestle in Puerto Rico. The nemesis of Colón's character was Abdullah The Butcher, with whom he staged a long-standing feud which lasted almost two decades.[1] Colón is quoted as saying: "Eighty percent of the blood I've shed in the ring I've shed because of Abdullah."
He was the WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion in Puerto Rico several times, and in 1983, after losing a match to Bruiser Brody, he required hospitalization due to injury at Brody's hands. News of his hospitalization made the covers of El Vocero and El Nuevo Día newspaper. Two weeks later, his character defeated Brody in a rematch.
On January 6, 1983, he defeated NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair in a "unification" match to win the title and also create the WWC Universal Heavyweight Title, but the match never made it to NWA television. He lost the title back to Flair on January 23, 1983. The title change is not considered official and the NWA does not consider Colón a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion.[1]
In 1993, Colón briefly participated in the World Wrestling Federation. After this, he decided to temporarily retire from professional wrestling, and he now helps train his sons, Carly Colón, also known as Carlito, and Eddie Colón who have followed Colón into the sport. He also has a daughter, Stacy Colón.
He sports over 70 scars on his forehead, and has said publicly that he wears them as awards given to him because of all the brutal, bloody bouts he has fought in.
Carlos Colón appeared on the September 11, 2006 edition of WWE Raw from Madison Square Garden in the audience cheering his son Carlito. He also was negotiating a deal for his other son Eddie Colón to work for WWE who was recently signed by said company.
In Wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- Figure Four Leglock
- Bridging belly to back suplex
- Top rope senton splash
- Jumping Headbutt
- Running powerslam
- One-arm atomic drop
- Swinging neckbreaker
- Kneeling (JYD) headbutts
- Vertical suplex
- Knee lift
- Running punch to forehead
- Leapfrog into Sunset flip
- Sleeper hold
- Side headlock with a low blow
- Elbow drop to legs
- Biting
- Cartwheels and Jumping Toe Touches
Championships and accomplishments
- Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Gino Caruso
- WWC Hardcore Championship (2 times)
- WWC North American Heavyweight Championship (8 times)
- WWC North American Tag Team Championship (11 times) - with Miguel Perez (2), Jose Rivera (2), Gino Caruso (1), Bob Ellis (1), Victor Jovica (1), Chief Thunder Cloud (1), Huracán Castillo (1), Eric Froelich (1), and Invader I (1)
- WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship (9 times)
- WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship (24 times)
- WWC World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- WWC World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- WWC World Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Jose Rivera (1), Pedro Morales (1), and Invader I (1)
- WWC World Television Championship (4 times)
- PWI ranked him # 39 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003.