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.