{"id":10423,"date":"2017-12-07T21:55:51","date_gmt":"2017-12-08T02:55:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=10423"},"modified":"2017-12-07T21:55:51","modified_gmt":"2017-12-08T02:55:51","slug":"the-caribbean-report-pedro-morales-ngcw-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2017\/12\/07\/the-caribbean-report-pedro-morales-ngcw-more\/","title":{"rendered":"The Caribbean Report: Pedro Morales, NGCW & more"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pedro Morales inducted to the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Arguably the greatest Puerto Rican wrestler to ever come out of Puerto Rico<\/a>, Pedro Morales<\/strong> was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame<\/strong>. Morales, who is 75 now, is battling Parkinson’s Disease.<\/p>\n

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Pedro Morales, WWA World Champion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you don\u2019t know Morales\u2019s story, is an amazing one. He comes from one of the two tiny islands in the east side of Puerto Rico, Culebra. People that come from there usually must take a boat to do their shopping or go to work in the main land. Morales went to New York and got training early on – after having a preliminary role in the North East in the 60s, he traveled to the west, were he became a main event draw. On two occasions, he won the WWA Heavyweight title in the hot Los Angeles territory. He also became a NWA World Tag Team champion (San Francisco) when he \u2013 alongside Pepper Gomez \u2013 beat Ray Stevens<\/strong> and Pat Patterson<\/strong>. He would then go to Hawaii to try more luck, which he found, as he became a main eventer in 50th<\/sup> State Big Time Wrestling<\/strong>. As Dave Meltzer<\/strong> explains, it was there that Gorilla Monsoon<\/strong> saw potential in Morales drawing power, especially being Puerto Rican. He told Vince McMahon Sr. that he (Morales) should be the next face of the World-Wide Wrestling Federation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Pro Wrestling Illustrated<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1971, Morales would end up beating Ivan Koloff<\/strong> to become the first ever Latin American to win the WWWF World Championship<\/strong> \u2013 Bruno Sammartino<\/strong> had stepped out of the position of Main Event draw. Morales would end up having a legendary run in New York, that saw him setting record gates and selling out the Madison Square Garden<\/strong> in 21 occasions.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re asking yourself why Pedro Morales isn\u2019t remembered that well, while having those accolades, the answer lies in his run after 1973. Although he was a big draw in New York, in other areas of the northeast, Morales didn\u2019t draw well. He was resented by the Bruno Sammartino fans – he was seen as a replacement – and, his Latino status was a big factor with all the racism that persisted in that era.\u00a0 Morales would travel to the AWA<\/strong>, Puerto Rico (with the now World Wrestling Council<\/strong>), Florida and even California, but never achieved that same success that he gathered in WWWF. He would return in the 80s to the WWF<\/strong>, but he was old and didn\u2019t move that well.<\/p>\n

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Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Morales won the WWF Intercontinental Championship <\/strong>and the WWF Tag Team Championship<\/strong> to become the first ever Triple Crown champion, and some would argue that the first ever Grand Slam Champion, as he was the WWF United States Heavyweight Champion <\/strong>when he got his WWWF run in the 1970s. Morales was already in the WWE Hall of Fame<\/strong> (back in 1995), the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and a Cauliflower Alley Club honoree.<\/p>\n

NGCW event 2 weeks after FWR show<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There\u2019s nothing nastier than rivalry between promotion, especially if Puerto Rican promoters are involved.<\/p>\n

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Photo: NGCW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Just two weeks after Florida Wrestling Revolution<\/strong> has their show in Orlando, New Generation Championship Wrestling<\/strong> plans to comeback to Kissimmee\u2019s Fire Frog Stadium.\u00a0 The wrestling show will be co-promoted by wrestling legend and former WWE announcer, Hugo Savinovich<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

NGCW<\/strong> and FWR<\/strong> haven\u2019t had a friendly rivalry – when the latter one planned to start a promotion in the Kissimmee, Florida (which has a high Puerto Rican population), it was people from NGCW management that raised the red flag and blocked the show from happening in that part of Florida. That\u2019s the reason why the show is now happening in the Orlando Recreational Complex. Now, in a move that involves 2two shows targeted to the same audience \u2013 Puerto Ricans \u2013 NGCW looks to disrupt any momentum that FWR has gathered in this past months.<\/p>\n

The 2\/24 show has former WWE superstar Gene\u00a0<\/strong>Snitsky<\/b>\u00a0vs. Lucha Underground\u2019s<\/strong> and Puerto Rican legend Mil Muertes. Also, appearing on the show, Impact Wrestling\u2019s Johnny Mundo<\/strong>, Taya<\/strong>, Global Champion Eli Drake<\/strong>, former TNA World Champion EC3<\/strong> and Carlito<\/strong> (which is a slap in the face of FWR, since he is wrestling their show too).<\/p>\n

\u00a0CWA Keeps the Steam going<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As we referenced last week<\/a>, Championship Wrestling Association<\/strong> was the first promotion after Hurricane Maria to put a wrestling show in Puerto Rico. Now, for a show in December 17, CWA<\/strong> is having their season finale show, Christmas Showdown.<\/p>\n

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Photo: CWA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The show will be headlined by CWA Champion Starr Roger<\/strong> defending against former WWC Universal Champion Mighty Ursus<\/strong>. The announcement was made on Wednesday, after a video of the heel authority figure announcing Ursus surfaced on social media. They match is a big deal, as Roger will likely get hit one-year reign completed \u2013 the first in this decade in the island \u2013 against one of the best big-men of the island. Ursus was in negotiation since May with CWA, but that never was completed, as Ursus waited for WWC to get desperate \u2013 because of the pressure of the WWL \u2013 and ended up singing him back.<\/p>\n

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Photo: CWA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 12\/17 show also has WWC referee Pelayo Vazquez<\/strong> teaming with Niche<\/strong> & Lynx<\/strong> against Los Apostadores<\/strong> (they are on a 300+ day run) for the CWA Tag Team Championship, Justin Dynamite<\/strong> vs. Neo<\/strong> for the CWA Puerto Rican Championship, Black Bullet<\/strong> vs. Steve Joel<\/strong> for the CWA Intercontinental Championship and more. If CWA can play it well, they could end up drawing more than 300 people.<\/p>\n

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Photo: CWA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Loaded Card For CKCW\u2019s iPPV<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Cleveland Knights Championship Wrestling<\/strong> keeps hyping their 2\/9 show in Parma, Ohio. The promotion announced this week that their iPPV can be seen on the Fite App for 14.99.<\/p>\n

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Photo: CKCW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The promotion has big expectations for their New World Rising show. Eric<\/strong> Bischoff<\/strong> is booked to appear and that already got them a lot of buzz on social media. The card is stacked with the most promising talents from Puerto Rico and wrestling legends like former Smokey Mountain Wrestling<\/strong> Heavyweight Champion Tracey Smothers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The main event of the show will be headlined by J-Rocc<\/strong> defending his CKCW<\/strong> Heavyweight Championship against Impact Wrestling\u2019s Kongo Kong. In other matches, Vanilla<\/strong> Vargas<\/strong>\u00a0(c) vs. HoliDead<\/strong> and a Race for the Case match, involving Mike Mendoza<\/strong>, Sonny<\/strong> Vice<\/strong>, JD<\/strong> Smooth<\/strong>, Seth<\/strong> Allen<\/strong>, Brandon<\/strong> Edwards<\/strong> and former WWL Champion, El<\/strong> Nazareno<\/strong>. Also in the show, The<\/strong> Powers<\/strong> of<\/strong> Pain<\/strong> (Warlord and Barbarian), former NWA World Champion Kahagas<\/strong>, Xtreme Tiger<\/strong>, Ricky Reyes<\/strong> (Castro in LU), Hiram Tua<\/strong>, Starr Roger<\/strong>, BJ \u201cEl Fen\u00f3meno\u201d<\/strong> and more.<\/p>\n

Other news from the Caribbean<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Photo: WWL<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

– <\/strong>With Konnan<\/strong> leaving The<\/strong> Crash<\/strong><\/a> promotion, the chances of guys like Mike Mendoza and Angel<\/strong> Fashion<\/strong> on going to M\u00e9xico seem slim. The Crash pulled out both guys and Vanilla Vargas (she was replaced by Lacey<\/strong> Lane<\/strong>) from the San Luis Potos\u00ed show last week. It was going to be the debut of two promising stars, but the poor attendance and the Konnan situation pushed back the booking of the WWL guys. Now, with Konnan going to Aro<\/strong> Lucha<\/strong> \u2013 with Vanilla Vargas \u2013 WWL\u2019s relationship with The Crash seems long gone.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BcXfk6wFknC\/<\/p>\n

– Vanilla Vargas builds momentum for her debut in Aro Lucha. She is also on the 12\/9 show in Tennessee \u2013 promoted by MLLW<\/strong> \u2013 which includes talents like Rey Mysterio Jr<\/strong>., Drago<\/strong> (form LU), Pentag\u00f3n<\/strong> Jr<\/strong>., Sammy<\/strong> Guevara<\/strong> and Maximo<\/strong> Sexy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

– Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny launched a song called \u201cChambea\u201d, which has been received as a mega hit. If that title sounds familiar, is because your probably saw it on all social media alongside Ric Flair<\/strong>. Bunny asked, \u201cThe Nature Boy\u201d to appeared on the cover and the video on the song that right now has 22 million views in just 6 days. \u00a0Even WWE United States Champion Baron Corbin<\/strong> praise Bunny\u2019s collaboration with Flair on Twitter and even asked the Puerto Rican sensation when his next show in Florida was.<\/p>\n