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By: Manuel O. Gonzales/PRW News
7/17/2005 10:35:24 AM

Jose Miguel Pérez was born on San Juan, on April 7, 1937. During 1954, with the birth of TV in Puerto Rico, wrestling events were presented on WKAQ-TV, channel 2. He began to train as bodybuilder with a bodybuilder who was a former Mr. Puerto Rico, Roberto Santana. Was a fan of Antoninno Rocca and that make him to begin to train to become a wrestler. While training in Santana's gym, in 1955, received a visit from a Canadian promoter named Adrian Valayon (name can be other as it is the Spanish version of the name). Santana picked three guys to do wrestling events with Valayon, and among them were Pérez.

In 1956 he moved to New York. He stated that he saw weekly shows on NY channel 13, a wrestling promotion that were from Washington DC. He continued his admiration for Rocca. He meet Manuel Rodríguez, a columnist of a newspaper named EL DIARIO DE LA PRENSA. Rodríguez helped him in getting in touch with Colan Wariany, the manager of Rocca. He was 17 at the time and got a meeting with Wariany at the Holland Hotel. Wariany get impressed with him and wanted him to meet Rocca, who at the time of the interview was outside NY doing wrestling events (possibly TX). he told Wariany he was from Puerto Rico and had to show his papers to confirm that. Wariany got the idea on presenting Pérez as the first ever wrestler from Puerto Rico as there was beginning a big Latin community. He got a second interview with Wariany, a weeks later and Rocca get him to the gym of the hotel and there the longtime friendship began.

His entrance to the WWWF was due because Rocca has friend on the promotion with Vince McMahon Sr. He was the only puertorrican wrestler for a while in the promotion and McMahon get the reward on this because Rocca and Miguel sold out the Madison Square Garden several times. They also sold out events at Philadelphia and Connecticut.

While in the pre-WWWF era, they had battles against the Valentines, The Sheik and The Kangaroos, among others. They were the first and only NWA World Champion on the territory, defeating Jackie Fargo and Don Stevens. That title evolutioned to what is today the WWE Title.

Japan, Cuba, Mexico, Germany, France, Puerto Rico, Spain, Argentina, Italy, England, Brazil, India, Dominican Republic and Venezuela were among the countries that They visited as tag team partners.

In Puerto Rico, Pérez fought for several promotions in the pre WWC era. Had battles with Johnny Valentine, Jerry Graham and Abdullah The Butcher, among others. He worked for the L & G, FAM, LLP, WP and others and was the Puerto Rican champion for all the promotions he worked for in the pre WWC era. Is mentioned he kept that title for years undefeated. He was defeated by Huracan Castillo on February 12, 1972 in the LLP, Joe Romero and Luis Ortiz Rivero promotion for the title. Is mentioned that there was a female promoter named Hilda Rivero, who traveled to NY to contact him and here he began to travel to Puerto Rico to do wrestling events the Sixto Escobar Stadium at San Juan. Then he began to travel main plazas all around Puerto Rico, facing local and foreigners stars that traveled to Puerto Rico.

In 1974 he began to work with WWC and has introduced as the Puerto Rican champion. That show took place on January 6, 1974 at San Juan. He kept the title for well over a year. During that stint, wrestler El Rayo de Bayamón, better known these days as Barrabás, fought a while for the title and robbed the title from Pérez after being unable to win it. Pérez put the title on stake against the hair of Rayo in late 1974 in a way to get the title back. He lost the Puerto Rican Title to a foreigner named Mr. Klodied (believed to be Bill Klondike) on March 8, 1975 at Caguas and got it back on March 22 at Bayamón. The Title was held up on August 30 at Bayamón in a match against Spoiler 2 (said to be an American wrestler named Harvey Young), but Pérez won the title in a match on September 20 at Caguas after several matches with no clear winner.

Pérez lost the title to Odd-job Tosh Togo in October 4, 1975 at Bayamó. In the December 13 Capital Sports Promotions decided to vacates the title because Togo left the ring in every match against Pérez when he find himself in problems. A tournament was ordered and it took place on February 21, 1976 at Bayamón. The title and tournament was won by Hercules Ayala. Title changed hands several times until been declared vacated on April 3, 1977 when the champion Eric the Red and then time challenger Ernie Ladd were unable to compete for WWC due to having other commitments in the USA. A tournament was held on May 7, 1977 and Pérez defeated Huracán Castillo to win the title in a match that took place at Bayamón. Castillo won the title a week later at Caguas ending at 4 the times that Pérez was WWC Puerto Rican Champion.

Pérez was also WWC North American tag Team champion. In some point of early 1974 (date in unclear) he teamed up with Carlos Colón and defeated the team of Don Serrano and Huracán Castillo. They lost the title to Jim Dalton & Bruce Swayze at Caguas on June 1, 1974. The won the titles back on July 12 at Ponce. They lost the titles to The Assassins (The Florida version of that year, probably Joe ?? Hamilton and Tom Renesto) on July 20 at Caguas.

A couple of years later, Pérez teamed with Jose Rivera and they fought with The Infernos (Gypsy Joe & The Mummy) and they almost won the titles again. The title, with The Infernos being champions, was held up on March 6, 1976, but the Infernos won the rematch on march 13. Both matches took place at Bayamón. That is were Miguel Pérez get his longtime partner Antonino Rocca and they finally defeated The Infernos on September 11, 1976 at Bayamón. They hold the titles until October 16, 1976, when they lost to Gordon Nelson and Higo Hamaguchi at Bayamón.

Pérez career in WWC continued as a mid card wrestler after that. He introduced is son to wrestling with a match that was aired as being held in the Dominican Republic, either 1984 or 1985, with himself and son Miguelito Pérez defeating a Dominican tag team. He introduced his son and he began to wrestler fewer. Is mentioned he once opened a wrestling school at New York City.

In late 80's he had a feud with Eric Embry. He remembered in a recent interview that Miguelito was wrestling in Japan and on his return he had to face Embry. He helped his son in 'studying' Embry taking pictures from his matches and one day Embry attacked him. During the 80's he was well remembered in his manager role, as he managed Mighty Igor when Igor came to the island. He also feuded in the 80's against The Sheepherder because the Sheepherder attacked his son in 1986 and he took on Carlos Colón as tag team partner to feud with them. Finally he left wrestling in 1988 as he wanted that his son Miguelito to create a name by himself and he wanted not to be shadow for his career.

His final match ever was in 1992 when he was 55. It was a mask vs. hair match versus El Profe. He unmasked El Profe. In March 2000 he was awarded by the local Wrestling Commission with the award Millennium Award as being the local wrestler with the most world exposition.

In November 2000 he was selected to the Fame Pavilion of Santurce, where he was born. WWC dedicated him the 1989 Gillette Cup. In 2000 he began to be part of the behind the scenes advisor of the IWA. He was seen at the shows but never took part of angles, keeping his word on a complete retirement. Pérez is survived by his son Miguel and three daughters, Madeline, Roxane and Michelle. He was previously divorced from his former wife, Idalia Gonzalez.

Perez died on July 16 due to a heart attack while taking a shower. He was 68 at the moment of his death. From PRWNEWS we pray for Perez. REST IN PEACE!

By Manuel O. Gonzalez

Note: Additional facts regarding the life of Pérez are welcome to my private e-mail, cuadrila@prtc.net and may be posted later.

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