World Wrestling Council
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The World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association. The organization is also known as "WWC".
WWC produces WWC Superestrellas de la Lucha Libre weekly wrestling TV show, which airs every Saturday & Sunday at 11:00am-1:00pm AST on WAPA-TV and WAPA America, Saturday & Sunday 12:00-2:00pm EST on SuperCanal 33 in the Dominican Republic
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[edit] History
[edit] Capitol Sports Promotions
The World Wrestling Council was founded in 1973 as Capitol Sports Promotions, with Carlos Colon and Victor Jovica as promoters of the organization. WWC/Capitol Sports Promotions was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) until 1987.
Capitol Sports Promotions gained fame in Puerto Rican homes soon after their TV show, Superestrellas de la Lucha Libre, went on-air every weekend on channel 4, WAPA-TV. The taped show is still aired on weekends (both Saturday and Sunday for two hours).
Capitol Sports Promotions began touring all over the island, and with the golden era of boxing in Puerto Rico limited only to Ponce and the metropolitan area of Puerto Rico, Capitol Sports Promotions took their shows to many, inner country towns where people were not used to seeing live in-ring sports events. As a result, Capitol's shows usually filled the smaller town arenas.
Early stars, apart from Colon, included Barrabas, El Tigre Perez, Hugo Savinovich, Huracan Castillo and others. Famous wrestling tag-teams included Los Super Medicos, Los Invaders and others.
Many American stars came to Puerto Rico to wrestle for Capitol Sports Promotions during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Such were the cases of Randy Savage, Ric Flair, Bruiser Brody, Dory Funk, Jr. and others.
In 1983, Rickin Sanchez had taken over as Capitol's main promoter, as well as becoming one of the organization's broadcasters on the television shows. He was joined by the already retired Savinovich, to form one of Puerto Rico's most famous broadcasting duos in history.
[edit] Bruiser Brody Murder
In 1988, American star Bruiser Brody was murdered in a WWC Anniversary event in Bayamon. The alleged murderer was fellow wrestler Jose Gonzalez, known as Invader I. Apparently, the two men had a real-life feud that led to a confrontation in the locker room, that concluded with Brody receiving various stab wounds to his chest. It is said that a "witness" to the series of events that ended in the murder was Tony Atlas (even though he was not an eye-witness of the murder itself, it is said he saw both men enter an area of the locker room, and then Invader leaving alone... moments later Brody was found).
After Brody's death, and the failed conviction of the suspected murderer, WWC went through some difficult years, due to the fact that the flow of wrestlers that came from the United States suddenly ended. In a crisis that the WWC never overcame, many wrestlers thought that the administration of the WWC actually helped Brody's murderer go free and actually allowed him to continue to wrestle after the events.
[edit] World Wrestling Council
By the middle 1990s, the organization changed its official name to the World Wrestling Council. Women also began to have an ever increasing presence in the organization during that decade, with La Tigresa leading the way.
With the turn of the century came a turn of events for the WWC that almost destroyed the franchise. A small promotion, called International Wrestling Association, promoted by Victor Quinones, became a big competitor when it made an alliance with giant WWF and started featuring American superstars. Suddenly, WWC had to change its ways and realize that they were not the only game in town.
Since then, Puerto Rican wrestling talent has jumped from the WWC to the IWA, and vice-versa. The wrestling war is still going on, with both companies standing strong. But, in the last months of 2004, Carly Colon ("Carlito") was signed to WWE.
[edit] WWC Renewal
2005-2006 was a two year period during which the company started to turn around. This was accomplished by new faces in the company, like Abbad, 'La Amanza' Bryan, Black Pain, Los Adorables, Wizard, Fire Blaze, David & Dave D'Jour, Superstar Romeo, Los Bad Guys, 'El Juvenil' Noregia, Tim Arson, Demonique, "Mr.450" Hammett, among others. Victor Jovica's heel turn, and current feud with long-time best friend Carlitos Colon, has further improved the fortunes of the company. Attendence has grown in recent months, and WWC is enjoying its best years in a long time.
[edit] Roster
See: World Wrestling Council roster
[edit] Championships
[edit] Current
Championship: | Current champion(s): | Held since: |
---|---|---|
WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship | Jon Heidenreich | October 28, 2006 |
WWC Junior Heavyweight Championship | Brent Dail | May 4, 2006 |
WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship | El Bronco | March 25, 2006 |
WWC Tag Team Championship | Terror Inc. (Hannibal and Black Pain) | October 28, 2006 |
WWC Women's Championship | Vacant | March 1, 1999 |
[edit] Defunct and inactive
Championship: | Final champion(s): | Date won: | Notes: |
---|---|---|---|
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship | Ricky Santana | August 24, 2002 | Inactive since 2002 |
WWC Caribbean Tag Team Championship | The Latin Connection (Ray Gonzalez and Ricky Santana) |
September 28, 1991 | Abandoned December 2, 1991 |
WWC Dominican Republic Heavyweight Championship | El Bronco | September 22, 2001 | Inactive since 2001 |
WWC Hardcore Championship | El Nene | September 8, 2001 | Inactive since 2001 |
WWC Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship | Pierroth, Jr. | April 3, 1999 | Abandoned December 13, 1999 |
WWC North American Heavyweight Championship | Manny Fernandez | September 1991 | Abandoned 1991 |
WWC North American Tag Team Championship | The Hunters (Bob Brown and Dale Veasey) |
June 20, 1987 | Abandoned November 1987 |
WWC Television Championship | Vengador Boricua | July 19, 2003 | Inactive since 2003 |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official Site (in Spanish)
- WWC Title Histories