Gilberto Melendez | |
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Ring name(s) | Gypsy Joe Jan Madrid Gene Madrid Aztec Joe Blue Inferno El Grande Pistolero Inferno I |
Billed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
Billed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
Born | December 2, 1933 Puerto Rico |
Resides | Tullahoma, Tennessee |
Billed from | Villalba, Puerto Rico |
Trained by | Carlos Colon Pampero Firpo Pedro Morales |
Debut | c. 1951 |
Retired | January 7th, 2011 |
Gilberto Melendez (born December 2, 1933) is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler better known under the ring name Gypsy Joe. Currently he wrestles for the Southern Wrestling Federation in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
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Gypsy Joe is known for his longevity in the wrestling business. He was the first wrestler ever to jump successfully off a steel cage onto an opponent. He made his debut in the United States in 1963 after a lengthy career in Puerto Rico. He has wrestled ever since and his career has continued well into the 2000s.[1]
In April 2003 Joe was involved in a memorable hardcore match with New Jack in which, due to Joe no-selling throughout the match, New Jack legitimately attacked the sexagenarian with a chain, a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire, and several other weapons.[2]
In 2007, WWE Magazine named Gypsy Joe the world's oldest wrestler at the age of 73. On January 7th, 2011 Joe wrestled his last match at the Gypsy Joe retirement show in Tullahoma, Tennessee.[3] Former wrestler and current Commentator Taz called Gypsy Joe the toughest wrestler he ever knew in the "Legends of Wrestling Roundtable" episode; "Bad Asses".