Al Perez

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Al Perez (born July 23, 1960 in Tampa, Florida) is a retired professional wrestler.


Alan Perez
Statistics
Ring name(s) Al Perez
Latin Heartthrob
Billed height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Billed weight 237 lb (108 kg)
Born July 23, 1960 (1960-07-23) (age 47)
Tampa, Florida, United States
Trained by Boris Malenko
Steve Keirn

Contents

[edit] Career

Perez started wrestling in 1982. He formed a team in ICW with Joe Savoldi known as the "New York Rockers". Perez went on to make a name for himself in World Class Championship Wrestling in 1987, where he was the top heel for several months. He was managed by Gary Hart and feuded with Kevin Von Erich, Kerry Von Erich and Dingo Warrior. In 1988, Perez moved to the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions with Hart and teamed with Larry Zbyszko along with feuding with Nikita Koloff and Dusty Rhodes. In September 1990, Perez competed as the Black Scorpion, wrestling Sting in a losing effort at Clash of Champions XII.

Perez wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation in 1989 and briefly returned to Liberty All-Star Wrestling in 2001 Where he beat Jimmy Jannetty for the LAW Heavyweight title, but retired for good in 2002. Al has a brother who wrestles as Lou Perez, and two sons Michael and Cody. He currently works for UPS, as well as doing concrete work.

[edit] Wrestling techniques used, birth of the Al Perez Suplex

Al Perez also possessed one of the most devastating suplexes of all time, using it many times to score victories during his short run as a babyface in the Mid South wrestling territory. The devastating Al Perez Suplex was used to crush opponents by driving them backward viciously onto the backs of their skulls, which carried Perez to many victories over the territory's top talent like Dr. Death Steve Williams and Ted DiBiase.

Perez later used a variation of the suplex during his brief time in the World Wrestling Federation, only this time he would hold his opponent heinously upside down over his head, spinning them several times before bringing them over and down to the mat. These moves have been affectionately dubbed the "Al Perez Suplex" in some fan circles.

Al Perez also appeared in a highlight video from the Mid South territory program, which featured a slow-motion demonstration of the devastating "Al Perez Suplex" administered viciously to a wrestling throwing dummy, along with various other secret training methods that were used by Perez during his stint in that territory; these included swimming and performing "leg extensions" in what appeared to be a private home gym.

In the video, Perez was also shown dating and dancing with a beautiful blonde woman, who remained nameless, in what appeared to be an upscale rooftop restaurant in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. Perez was also shown to be getting out of what appeared to be a Rolls Royce automobile at the beginning of the date. It appeared that the video was attempting to link the vicious and ruthless use of the "Al Perez Suplex" with the tremendous success both in life and with women enjoyed by Perez, during his time in the area. The video was set to the music of the rock band Santana.

Both versions of the "Al Perez Suplex" have become favorites among fans of Perez; version number one has become a slang (though usually idle) threat, still used at the time of this writing, as a "self-defense reference" among a small group of fans of Perez in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area, the former base of operations of the Mid-South wrestling territory.

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

  • NWA Australasian Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Mark Lewin
  • NWA New Zealand British Commonwealth Championship (2 times)
  • Supreme Wrestling Federation
  • PWI ranked him # 272 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.

[edit] External Sources