Black Man (wrestler)

Black Man
Birth name Álvaro Meléndez Tibanez
Born February 19, 1949[1]
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Black Man
Celestial[1]
La Gacela[1]
Spiderman[1]
Billed height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1]
Billed weight 86 kg (190 lb)[1]
Trained by Diablo Velasco[1]
Debut 1965[1]
Retired March 13, 1993[1]

Álvaro Meléndez Tibanez (February 19, 1949) is a retired Mexican Luchador (Spanish for professional wrestler),, better known as Black Man. He was considererd a very talented wrestler, and innovative when it comes to high flying moves.[1]

Professional wrestling career

He is most known for a being part of a tag team, first with White Man, Alberto Muñoz, who formed a fan favorite tag team. The two teamed for a while but never won a tag team title, despite several chances at the Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship.[2] By 1978 Muñoz dropped the "White Man" character as he was forced to work a reduced schedule due to age and injuries.[2]

Later, Black Man would form Los Fantasticos with Kung Fu and Kato Kung Lee, a very popular trios team from the early 1980s.[3] Black Man would later try to reform Los Fantasticos with Kendo and Avispon Negro, but the trio was never as popular as the originals.[1] He was once El Santo's high risk move double in a movie. Late in his career he worked under the ring name Celestial, complete with a new mask and outfit to not reveal his real identity.[4]

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

Lucha de Apuesta record

Wager Winner Loser Location Date Notes
Mask Dr. O'Borman Spiderman Tijuana, Baja California 1966 [1]
Mask Black Man Demonio Azul Unknown April 7, 1977 [1][Note 1]
Hair Black Man and El Matemático El Signo and Lobo Rubio Naucalpan, State of Mexico January 29, 1978 [1]
Hair Black Man Pantera Negra Pachuca, Hidalgo October 2, 1983 [1]
Mask Blue Panther and Black Man Las Sombras de Plata Naucalpan, State of Mexico November 20, 1984 [1]
Mask Blue Panther Black Man Naucalpan, State of Mexico February 16, 1986 [1]
Hair El Brazo Black Man Naucalpan, State of Mexico February 7, 1990 [1]
Hair Black Man Black Terry Querétaro, Querétaro October 30, 1990 [1]
Hair Negro Casas Black Man Nezahualcoyotl, State of Mexico February 5, 1991 [1]
Hair Celestial Demonio Arrieta Mexico City, Mexico June 4, 1992 [1]
Mask Celestial Pólvora Querétaro, Querétaro August 11, 1992 [1][Note 2]
Mask Super Delfin Black Man Tokyo, Japan March 13, 1993 [1][Note 3]

Notes

  1. Not Blue Demon
  2. Not the current wrestler working as Pólvora.
  3. Remasked as Black Man to lose the mask in Japan.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Black Man (in Spanish) (Mexico City, Mexico). August 2007. p. 32. Tomo I.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". White Man (in Spanish) (Mexico City, Mexico). December 2007. p. 39. Tomo VII.
  3. "Grandes Figuras de la Lucha Libre". Kung Fu (in Spanish) (Portales, Mexico). November 2008. p. 34. 17.
  4. valdez, Apolo (October 14, 2012). "Reapareció Black Man para estar con sus aficionados". Medio Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  5. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: Universal Wrestling Federation Lightweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 400. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  6. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Mexico: UWA Trios Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 399. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  7. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "MEXICO: Universal Wrestling Federation Welterweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 397. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.