![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/10\/Carlito-WWE.jpg\")
5. Carlito<\/strong> 4. Ricky Banderas \u2013 Mil Muertes<\/b> 3. Miguel Perez Sr.<\/b> 2. Carlos Col\u00f3n<\/b> <\/p>\n 1. Pedro Morales<\/b> Jos\u00e9 Estrada Sr. \u2013 Super Medico I<\/b> El Profe<\/b> Apolo<\/b> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Emmanuel Rosada continues his look at the Top 10 Greatest Wrestlers from the island of Puerto Rico. Read part 1 of the Greatest Puerto Rican Wrestlers of All Time. 5. Carlito The son of one of the best or the best worker in Puerto Rico \u2013 we will debate that later \u2013 Carlito rose quickly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2085,"featured_media":8489,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[733,1058,1530,362,1206,1271,1053,1026,1519,1533,1534,1051,1517,1379,137,1414,1532,1531,232,929,1535,1177,61,1536,792,129,1147,989,47,540,1529],"class_list":["post-8191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","tag-aaa-lucha-libre","tag-abdullah-the-butcher","tag-apolo","tag-bret-hart","tag-bruiser-brody","tag-bruno-sammartino","tag-carlito","tag-carlos-colon","tag-chicky-starr","tag-davey-boy-smith","tag-el-profe","tag-epico","tag-iwa-pr","tag-konnan","tag-lucha-underground","tag-mesias-ricky-banderas","tag-miguel-perez-jr","tag-miguel-perez-sr","tag-mil-muertes","tag-pedro-morales","tag-primo-colon","tag-ray-gonzalez","tag-ring-of-honor","tag-slash-venom","tag-stu-hart","tag-tna","tag-vampiro","tag-wwc","tag-wwe","tag-wwf","tag-wwwf"],"modified_by":"Jamie Greer","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2085"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8191"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8191\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThe son of one of the best or the best worker in Puerto Rico \u2013 we will debate that later \u2013 Carlito rose quickly in the ranks of the biggest wrestling company in world by the mid- 2000s. Starting his career in his dad\u2019s promotion \u2013 the WWC<\/b> \u2013 Carlito was a quick learner who with the help of Ray Gonzalez<\/b> and a strong push that saw the crowd gravitating towards him, earning him the merit \u2013 at that time \u2013 of the youngest wrestler to ever win the WWC Universal Championship<\/b>. His feuds with Gonzalez, Konnan<\/b> and Vampiro<\/b> would put the eyes of the World Wrestling Entertainment<\/b> (WWE<\/b>) on him. Carlito, after just one year in developmental, have the honor to win the WWE United States Championship<\/b> in his debut in Smackdown<\/b> against John Cena<\/b>. This wasn\u2019t going to be the last time that he did that, in fact, in his debut in Monday Night Raw<\/b> he would capture the WWE Intercontinental Championship<\/b>. He would later feud over mid-card and main titles in the Raw brand, compete in Money in the Banks, winning the WWE Tag Tittles<\/b> with his brother Primo Colon <\/b>and then unifying them in WrestleMania XXV<\/b>. Many would point out that Carlito never did something big or important after his WWE run, because of the lack of participation in other \u201cbig\u201d wrestling companies \u2013 like TNA<\/b>, Ring of Honor<\/b> or New Japan<\/b> \u2013 but it is his lack of participation in those mentioned that show how big of a name he is, not needing to go primarily to those wrestling companies. Since his exit from WWE, Carlito \u201cCaribbean Cool<\/i>\u201d has traveled to Qatar, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Mexico and many other places. Even when WWE offered him a contract back in 2015, Carlito rejected the offer because of \u201chow low\u201d he was offered. Carlito right now stands as a 17-time WWC Universal Champion, one of the biggest draw in Puerto Rico\u2019s history \u2013 maybe the biggest in this decade, as he has headline the WWC Anniversary<\/b> show multiple times \u2013 and is one of the most on-demand talents from the island.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/10\/RB-1024x1024.jpg\")
\nAs many of the accolades that Carlito has, his counterpart from the rival \u2013 at the time \u2013 IWA did it better and bigger with a different path. Ricky Banderas \u2013 Mesias<\/b> in AAA or Mil Muertes<\/b> in Lucha Underground \u2013 started as Hispanic project by the then WWF with the collaboration with later owner of International Wrestling Association<\/b> Victor Qui\u00f1ones<\/b>. Banderas struggled early with gimmicks as \u201cThe Patriot<\/i>\u201d, but in the 2000s, everything seemed to \u201cclick\u201d for the man from Bayamon. After a brief tag team with Apolo<\/b> \u2013 named The New Generation \u2013 Banderas would turn heel and a new \u201cpersona<\/i>\u201d would unfold in the eyes of the viewers. He started becoming darker, swinging wildly a chair and even being deemed as a danger for the heel stable at the time. Flash Flanagan<\/b>, who wrestle as Slash Venom<\/b> in IWA Puerto Rico said, \u201cWhen Banderas started swigging with the chair I always preferred that he hit me in the face, his shot to the back were too hard that a head shot was better<\/i>\u201d. Banderas would become that face of IWA Puerto Rico, becoming synonymous with the company and becoming a threat for WWC. His \u201cmatch of the millennium\u201d<\/a> with Rey Fenix<\/b> \u2013 Rey Gonzalez\u2019s persona in IWA \u2013 still lives vividly in the hearts of wrestling fans in the island, as an image of Banderas doing a frog splash while rain pour through the baseball stadium is always visualize. Banderas would go on to be the top guy in AAA<\/b>, becoming the first ever AAA Mega Champion<\/b>, a title that he has won a record setting 4-times in his career. Contrary to Carlito, who was never been vision as the face of the company \u2013 outside of Puerto Rico \u2013 Banderas run in Mexico and in California proves that he is that and then some, being a favorite in Lucha Underground<\/b> as Mil Muertes and even capturing the Lucha<\/b> Underground<\/b> Championship<\/b>. Banderas once had a brief stint in Total Non-Stop Action<\/b> as Judas Mesias<\/b>, but his best work will always be in Mexico and in Puerto Rico, as once upon a time, he made WWC reconsider their options because of his success in IWA<\/b>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/10\/02-1.jpg\")
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\n\u201cOne half of the greatest drawing tag team in Madison Square Garden<\/i>\u201d is a highlight of Miguel Perez Sr. that quickly jumps out of its resume. Before there was a Carlos Colon, Ray Gonzalez or even a Pedro Morales \u2013 in the WWWF<\/b> days \u2013 there was a Jose Miguel Perez<\/b><\/a>. Hailing from Santurce, Puerto Rico and father of former WWF wrestler Miguel Perez Jr.<\/b>, Jose Miguel Perez was pivotal to the development of a wrestling territory in Puerto Rico. He started in the 1950s, training at a young age, it wasn\u2019t long before Italian turned-Argentinian wrestler Antonio Rocca<\/b> took notice of him. Alongside Rocca, Miguel Perez Sr. would headline Madison Square Garden multiple times in sold-out crowds \u2013 over 20,000 fans – with an uninterrupted run that started in 1957 and lasted until 1963. Is the only tag team to finish unbeaten on their run in the old Capitol Wrestling Corporation<\/b> \u2013CWC left the NWA and soon Vince McMahon Sr. would take over to change it to the World-Wide Wrestling Federation<\/b> \u2013 as they never lost the titles. Even when he finished his duties up in the North-East, Perez was a pioneer, helping Carlos Colon and Associates to start the Capitol Sport Promotion<\/b> \u2013 CSP and now WWC \u2013 as he was the first ever Puerto Rican Champion<\/b> in the newly established territory, even holding the title for a record of 426 days. Perez by any standard is the pillar that help build the Puerto Rican wrestling scene, inspiring many and having a stellar career around the world.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/10\/1763570-carloscolon001.jpg\")
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\n\u201cNot in the number 1 spot?<\/i>\u201d I already can feel the comments of outrage of my fellow \u201cboricuas\u201d as Carlos Col\u00f3n<\/b> was and is the hero of the wrestling scene in Puerto Rico. Is insane how of a drawing power he was in the island. \u201cCarlos Col\u00f3n was a cultural icon in Puerto Rico\u201d <\/i>said Jim Ross<\/b> in Carlos\u2019s WWE Hall of Fame induction video back in 2014. Inspire by the likes of Jose Miguel Perez, Colon started training in the states, carving a hard-working pedigree in the North-East, wrestling in various states and in Canada. Later, alongside Croatian wrestler Victor Jovica<\/b> and Gorilla Moonson<\/b>, Col\u00f3n would start the Capitol Sport Promotion, the prime wrestling territory in the island. What would follow, can only be described as \u201cpandemonium\u201d, Col\u00f3n became the icon, the hero, the main drawing power in the island. In the 80s, no one was a must-see in tv – specially in sports related content \u2013 that Carlos Col\u00f3n. He would slay every big North American heel that came across the territory, filling giant Baseball Stadiums with over 18,000 people. A career that lasted more than 40 years, Colon would go on to have epic battles against the likes of Abdullah the Butcher<\/b>, Ric Flair<\/b>, Stan<\/b> Hansen<\/b><\/a>, and any other heel that he saw that he could draw money with. Carlos was the it guy, especially in the whole decade of the 80s. With his children, Carlito and Primo, and his nephew Epico<\/b>, the Col\u00f3n name would solidify as one of the greatest families of the wrestling industry. Carlos Col\u00f3n holds the record of most WWC Universal Title wins with 27 reigns (he is the owner of the territory), he is a 9-times Puerto Rican Champion<\/b>, NWA World Heavyweight Champion\u00a0<\/b>(something that isn\u2019t recognized by the NWA), and a WWE and Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Famer. Col\u00f3n isn\u2019t rank in the #1 spot because he concentrated in just one territory and while his drawing power was incredible, we tend to forget that he did it on the local level and not in the soon-to-be \u2013 in those times \u2013 biggest wrestling company in the world. Also, we can\u2019t leave out that in the murder of Bruiser Brody<\/b>, Col\u00f3n was pivotal in a lot of ways that the murder is still a mystery.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/10\/CrMJCuu.jpg\")
\nAnd then there was one\u2026 \u201cOverlooked\u201d and \u201cUnderrated\u201d are the first word that come to mind when we talk about the great Pedro Morales<\/b>. Is amazing how, because of few appearances in the island, Morales is looked down upon and often never-talk about when you talk about the all-time greats of Puerto Rico. Hailing from the tiny island in the east of Puerto Rico \u2013 Culebra \u2013 Morales conquer other corners in the world that he never would have imagine. Morales started his career in the states, specifically in New York, were he would start travelling to every corner of the United States of America. He would wrestle in Connecticut, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Washington D.C or every other territory that was open for his arrival. It was in California that Morales started perfecting his craft, winning the WWA Heavyweight Championship<\/b> and becoming a fan favorite. After some trips in Japan, that included a loss to Giant Baba<\/b>, Morales would gain notoriety in Hawai. It was there as Jim Cornette<\/b> said that \u201cVince McMahon Sr. tough that if a Puerto Rican (talking about Morales) could draw in Hawai, imagine how he will do in New York\u201d<\/i>. That\u2019s exactly what happened, Morales in the then WWWF \u2013 now WWE<\/b> \u2013 started raking up wins. He won first the WWWF United States Champion<\/b> in a tournament by beating Freddie Blassie<\/b>, but his biggest win would come up later in 1971, when he beat \u201cThe Russian Bear\u201d Ivan Kollof<\/b><\/a> to win the WWWF Heavyweight Championship<\/b> \u2013 now WWE Championship. <\/b>Morales ascended the throne that Bruno Sammartino<\/b> had left in New York and became Vince McMahon Sr.\u2019s<\/b> biggest draw at the time \u2013 in absence of Bruno Sammartino. In that period, Morales would hold on to the championship for at least 3 years and have the dream match that everybody was raving about against Bruno Sammartino in Shea Stadium in front of 20,000 people. Morales career would continue to Germany, Japan, San Francisco, and in his home country in Puerto Rico. Later, again in New York in the WWF where he would earn the accolade of being the first ever Triple-Crown Champion<\/b> in WWE\u2019s history \u2013 winning twice the WWF Intercontinental Championship<\/b> and the WWF Tag Team Championship<\/b> with Bob Backlund. Morales is a WWE Hall of Famer, Cauliflower Alley Club honoree and a 1-time Pro Wrestling Illustrated \u201cWrestler of the Year\u201d, a total of accolades that not a single Puerto Rican in this list has in this list. For that and many other reasons, Pedro Morales is the greatest Puerto Rican wrestler of all time.<\/p>\nHonorable Mentions<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/10\/93ee0ae219joseestrada-e1507767867765.jpg\")
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\nOne part of the iconic stable known as \u201cLos<\/i> Super M\u00e9dicos\u201d<\/i> Jose Estrada<\/b> was a force in the singles division and the tag team division. Part of the old WWWF<\/b>, Estrada is a former Junior Heavyweight Champion<\/b> and regular in the WWF as Los Conquistadores<\/b> alongside his son Jose<\/b> Estrada Jr. <\/b>In Puerto Rico, Los Super<\/b> M\u00e9dicos<\/b>, commanded by Estrada amaze a total of 10 tag team championships between the WWC North American, Caribbean and World Tag Titles.
\n <\/b><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/10\/fbb1de142eb6de5a75f4161eadc5888f-icons-heroes-717x1024.jpg\"){kind=icon}
\n\u201cSu<\/i> Majestad<\/i>\u201d (Your Majesty) El Profe is one of the best well travel wrestlers in Puerto Rico. Also from Vega Baja as Chicky Starr, Angel Pantojas \u2013 Profe\u2019s real name \u2013 is as versatile as it comes. Tag team wrestler, singles wrestler, manager, interviewer and color commentator, El Profe could do it all. As the Per\u00f3n Brothers<\/b>, Profe travelled internationally mixing it up with the best at those times, feuding against the likes of Bret Hart<\/b>, Davey Boy, Rocky\u00a0<\/b>Johnson<\/b> and even the Ortons<\/b>. He would transfer to a manager role, were all the heel wrestlers that feuded against the big babyfaces at the time in Puerto Rico would follow his lead.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/10\/06.jpg\")
\nLess successful than his counterpart of \u201cLa Nueva Generaci\u00f3n\u201d <\/i>(The New Generation) \u2013 Ricky Banderas \u2013 Apolo was still a big draw for the IWA Puerto Rico. Standing 6 foot 5 and weighting more than 250 pounds, it was impossible to ignore the man dubbed as \u201cEl Le\u00f3n\u201d<\/i> (The Lion). Apolo has amaze an outstanding career and that has in his resume appearances around the world that include countries like Canada, Austria, Mexico, Qatar, India, South Africa, among others. In his career, Apolo is an 8-times IWA World Heavyweight Champion<\/b>, a 3 time\u00a0WWC Universal Champion<\/b> and a former NWA World Tag Team Champion<\/b> (when the championship resided in TNA).<\/p>\n