Pirata Morgan

Pedro Ortiz Villanueva (born July 29, 1962) is a Mexican professional wrestler, or luchador, and wrestling trainer who is best known under the ring name Pirata Morgan. Ortiz made his professional wrestling debut in 1979 and has in the last 20 years worked for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG) and is active on the Mexican Independent circuit, having left AAA in early 2009 after working for the company for over 10 years. Ortiz's ring name comes from the name of Captain Henry Morgan, a 16th-century Pirate noted for his cruelty.

Pirata Morgan has been a member of the Trio Los Infernales from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s and as part of that group he was one third of the first Mexican National Trios Champions and CMLL World Trios Champions. He was also the founder of the group Los Bucaneros (the Pirates), teaming with other family members who all used a "Pirate" Ring persona. In 1981 Ortiz suffered an injury during a match where he lost his right eye and has wrestled wearing an eyepatch ever since.

Professional wrestling career

Pedro Ortiz Villanueva made his professional wrestling debut on February 7, 1979 using the ring name "Siki Ozama II", teaming with Siki Ozama I. Over the next year Ortiz wrestled as "Pedro Ortiz" and later on "Ramón Morgan" as he gained in-ring experience. In December 1981, Ortiz worked a match against El Jalisco at Arena Colosseum Tapatía Perl, Ortiz won the first fall of the match, El Jalisco won the second fall before Ortiz suffered a terrible injury. El Jalisco was on the floor outside the ring and Ortiz leapt over the top rope, hoping to hit El Jalisco, but his opponent was out of position and Ortiz hit the ground face first. The impact of the fall burst Ortiz' right eye, spraying a mist of blood over the floor and the front row. Initially it was feared that Ortiz would not survive but after medical attention it became clear that he would survive, but had to have the remnants of his right eye surgically removed.^[1] When Ortiz returned to the ring he had to wear an eyepatch over his missing eye and used this as the impetus to change his ring persona, Pedro Ortiz became Pirata Morgan, a pirate ring persona named after 16th-century pirate Henry Morgan.^[1] On August 7, 1983, Pirata Morgan won his first singles title when he defeated Halcón Ortiz to win the Mexican National Heavyweight Championship.^[2] Morgan would hold and defend the title for 154 days until he lost to Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. on January 8, 1984.^[2]

Los Infernales

In 1985 Pirata Morgan was chosen to replace Espectro, Jr. as a member of Los Infernales together with Satánico and MS-1.^[3] The trio of MS-1, Satánico, and Pirata Morgan quickly became one of the most successful Trios of its time.^[4] In March 1985 Los Infernales participated in a tournamtn to determine the first ever Mexican National Trios Champions; Los Infernales defeated the two teams in the preliminary rounds to qualify for the finals.^[5] In the finals Los Infernales defeated Los Brazos ("the Arms"; El Brazo, Brazo de Oro, and Brazo de Plata) to become the first ever Mexican National Trios champions.^[6] That match was just the first match in a long running Inferlanes/Brazos storyline that would run off and on over the next decade. Los Brazos won the initial feud when they defeated Los Infernales for the Mexican Nations Trios Title on December 8, 1985.^[7]

In October, 1986 Pirata Morgan left the group to form a new group called "Los Bucaneros", teaming with his brother, Hombre Bala (who also worked as Rey Pirata), his nephew Rey Bucanero and a Mini called Piratita Morgan.^[1] Los Bucaneros feuded with Los Infernales, who had added Masakre to their ranks, the feud saw Pirata Morgan defeat MS-1 in a Luchas de Apuestas, hair vs. hair match that saw MS-1 shaved bald after the match.^[1] On August 30, 1987, Pirata Morgan teamed up with Hombre Bala and Jerry Estrada to win the Mexican National Trios Championship from Kiss, Ringo Mendoza and Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. The Trio held the title for 154 days before losing to Los Destructores (the Destroyers; Emilio Charles, Jr., Tony Arce and Vulcano).^[6] On October 21, 1989, Pirata Morgan defeated former team mate Satánico to win the NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion, holding it for 48 days before losing it to Fabuloso Blondy^[8]

In the early 1990s Los Infernales reformed, reuniting MS-1, Satánico and Pirata Morgan. The trio participated in the tournament to crown the first ever CMLL World Trios Champions. Los Infernales won the tournament, defeating Los Brazo in the finals to become the first ever CMLL World Trios Champions on November 22, 1991.^[7] Former Infernales member Masakre had formed his own group, Los Intocables (the Untouchables) consisting of himself, Pierroth, Jr. and Jaque Mate (Checkmate). Los Infernales regained the titles when they defeated Los Intocables for the championship on September 20, 1992.^[7] After the storyline with Los Intocables ended, Los Infernales renewed their rivalry with Los Brazo, facing off in several main events that drew sell-out crowds all over Mexico. On April 6, 1993, Los Brazo won the CMLL World Trios Title from Los Infernales; a victory that only helped increase the intensity of the rivalry. The Infernales / Brazos feud did not so much with a conclusive victory for either side but rather slowed down and then stopped when Los Infernales split up in the mid-1990s.^[1]

Asistencia Asesoría y Administración

Pirata Morgan left CMLL in the mid-1990s to join Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), working both as a wrestler and as a wrestling trainer. On December 12, 1997, Morgan won the IWC World Heavyweight Championship from Máscara Sagrada.^{[9][Note 1]} Pirata Morgan successfully defended the title against Vampiro twice, before losing the belt to La Parka in June 1998.^[9] In 1999 Morgan left AAA and began working for International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG) where he win the IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship from Pierroth, Jr. on August 1, 1999.^[10] By the end of 1999 Pirata Morgan returned to AAA and brought the IWRG Heavyweight title with him; IWRG published a fictitious title change in Japan to explain why Super Parka suddenly held the IWRG Heavyweight title.^[1][10] As Pirata Morgan had the physical belt in his possession he began defending it in AAA, billed as the "IWC World Heavyweight Championship", pretending that it was the same belt that he had held in 1997–1998. Morgan lost the championship to Héctor Garza but quickly regained it in mid-2000, before dropping it for the final time in August 2000.^[1] Only days after losing the IWC World Heavyweight Title Morgan teamed up with El Texano to defeat Héctor Garza and Perro Aguayo, Jr. for the Mexican National Tag Team Championship.^[11] Morgan and Texano would hold the title for 429 days successfully defending it against such teams as Sangre Chicana and La Parka, Jr. (twice), Heavy Metal and Perro Aguayo Jr. (twice) and Dos Caras and Dos Caras, Jr. (once) before losing the belts to La Parka, Jr. and Máscara Sagrada.^[11] On December 27, 2003, Pirata Morgan defeated El Zorro to win the Mexican National Heavyweight Championship, almost 20 years after having held it last.^[12] Morgan would only hold the title for 39 days before El Zorro regained it.^[13] In subsequent years Pirata Morgan has worked more and more with young, low card wrestlers to help improve their skills and less as a serious championship contender.

In 2007 Pirata Morgan introduced a group called Los Piratas to AAA, a group that consisted of Pirata Morgan, Jr., Barba Roja, and Drake Morgan. Pirata Morgan would often team with the group and was billed as their father, although only Pirata Morgan, Jr. was the only blood relation. In late 2007, Drake Morgan was replaced by El Hijo de Pirata Morgan, legitimately the son of Pirata Morgan. In late 2008 Barba Roja and El Hijo de Pirata Morgan were both cut from AAA. In early 2009 Pirata Morgan left AAA, citing his dissatisfaction with the direction of the company in recent years.^[1] Subsequently Pirata Morgan has worked on the Mexican Independent circuit as well as making appearances for IWRG. On September 30, 2011, Pirata Morgan lost his hair to Hijo de Pirata Morgan in a twelve man steel cage match.^[14] On February 7, 2013, Pirata Morgan, El Hijo de Pirata Morgan and Pirata Morgan, Jr. defeated Los Oficiales (Oficial 911, Oficial AK-47 and Oficial Fierro) to win the Distrito Federal Trios Championship.^[15] Pirata Morgan, along with Cien Caras, Jr., Máscara Año 2000, Jr. and Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. competed in a four-way steel cage match billed by IWRG as Prison Fatal ("Deadly Prison"). During the match Hijo de Máscara Año 2000 interfered, which caused Pirata Morgan, Jr. to enter the match as well to escalate the rivalry between Los Piratas and Los Capos Junior. The match ended with Pirata Morgan being the last man in the cage and thus had his hair shaved off.^[16] On March 24, 2013, Los Piratas won the vacant IWRG Intercontinental Trios Championship, winning a four way match against Los Oficiales (911, AK-47, and Fierro), La Familia de Tijuana (Mosco X-Fly, Super Nova, and Eterno) and Comandos Elite (Rayan, and Factor) and Máscara Año 2000, Jr. They lost the title to Los Poderosos (Hombre Sin Miedo, Kendor Jr., and Sobredosis) on November 4, only to regain it a week later.

Family

Pedro Ortiz is part of an extended wrestling family that includes his brothers who wrestle as Verdungo and Hombre Bala and sister La Marqueza. Ortiz also has at least one brother who is not a professional wrestler. Ortiz has two children who are also professional wrestlers, his son wrestles as Pirata Morgan, Jr. and his daughter wrestles as Perla Negra. In storyline terms wrestlers Drake Morgan, Barba Roja, and Hijo de Pirata Morgan have all been billed as sons of Pirata Morgan but are not actually related by blood. Several of his nephews and a niece are also professional wrestlers, using the ring names Rey Bucanero, India Sioux, Hombre Bala, Jr., and Corsario.^[1]

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Pirata Lock (Crossface / Scissored armbar combination)^[1]
  • Saka Otoshi (Inverted facelock takeover followed into a rear naked choke) (Often followed by the Pirata Lock)

• Signature moves
  • Powerbomb
  • Second rope moonsault press
  • Senton
  • Tope Suicida

Championships and accomplishments

• Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA)
  • IWC World Heavyweight Championship (3 times)^[9]
  • Mexican National Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with El Texano^{[11][Note 2]}
  • Mexican National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^{[12][Note 3]}

• Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL)
  • CMLL World Trios Championship (2 times) – with MS-1 and Satánico (Los Infernales)^[7]
  • Distrito Federal Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[17]
  • Mexican National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^{[2][Note 4]}
  • Mexican National Trios Championship (2 times) – with MS-1 and Satanico (Los Infernales), Jerry Estrada and Hombre Bala^{[6][Note 3]}
  • NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[8]

• International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG)
  • IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[10]
  • IWRG Intercontinental Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Hijo de Pirata Morgan^[18]
  • IWRG Intercontinental Trios Championship (2 times, current) – With Pirata Morgan and Pirata Morgan, Jr.
  • UWF United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)^[19]
  • Gran Legado (2012) – with Hijo de Pirata Morgan^[20]

• Mexico State Wrestling and Boxing Commission
  • Distrito Federal Trios Championship (1 time, current) – with El Hijo de Pirata Morgan and Pirata Morgan, Jr.^[15]

Lucha de Apuesta record

Footnotes

References