Lou Perez is an American professional wrestler who has competed in North American promotions including the

National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA ...

and

World Championship Wrestling World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...

during the late 1980s and early 1990s as well as the Puerto Rican-based promotion

IWA Puerto Rico The International Wrestling Association is a conglomerate of professional wrestling promotions that originated in Puerto Rico and currently operates there and in the state of Florida. Founded in 1999 by promoter Víctor Quiñones (who had also cr ...

. Although billed as the younger brother of

Al Perez Al Perez (born July 23, 1960) is a retired American professional wrestler. He held 16 titles during a 20-year career, including the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship. Professional wrestling career Early career Perez began wrestling as an amat ...

, Lou Perez is actually his cousin.

Career

Trained by Boris Malenko, Perez began wrestling in

Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as ...

in late 1988 facing

Scotty the Body Scott Levy (born September 8, 1964) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Raven. He is known for his appearances with professional wrestling promotions including Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Champions ...

and later teamed with Rex King and Austin in a 6-man tag team match against Scotty the Body, Bob Cook and

Jim Backlund David Everett Ferrier (November 30, 1962 – December 6, 2014) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Gigolo" Jimmy Del Ray. Del Ray was best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as one ...

. Briefly appearing in the

Professional Wrestling Federation Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as ...

the following year, Perez feuded with PWF Junior Heavyweight Champion Jim Backlund facing him on March 11, 1989. Perez became a mainstay in the area within several years and later teamed with

Mark Starr Mark Ashford-Smith (December 26, 1962 – June 7, 2013) was an English professional wrestler best known by his ring name Mark Starr. He competed as a member of several tag teams. Wrestling career Continental Wrestling Association (1986–198 ...

to defeat Jumbo Baretta &

Dennis Knight Dennis Knight (born December 26, 1968) is an American chef and retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling between 1992 and 1994 under the ring name Tex Slazenger and with the World Wrestl ...

for the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship in

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...

on November 12, 1989. He also had a short stint in World Championship Wrestling, defeating

Mike Thor Mike may refer to: Animals * Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum * Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off * Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documen ...

in his debut match in 1990. Feuding with

Steve Keirn Stephen Paul Keirn (born September 10, 1951) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in multiple National Wrestling Alliance territories as Steve Keirn as one-half of the tag team The Fabulous Ones, as we ...

over the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship, he defeated Keirn for the title in

Winter Haven, Florida Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is fifty-one miles east of Tampa. The population was 49,219 at the 2020 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 estimates, this city had a population of 44,955, making i ...

in July 1992. Trading the title with Kiern twice during the next two years, before being forced to surrender the title on November 6, 1995 after suffering a knee injury. He also competed in several other promotions during this time, feuding with the Cuban Assassin while in the World Wrestling Alliance and teamed with Rico Federico to defeat the

Southern Posse Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways Southern Airways was a regional airline (known at the time as a "local-service air carrier" as designated by the federal Civi ...

to win the IPWA Tag Team titles while in the International Pro wrestling Association during early 1994. He also faced the Black Assassin and

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

in various independent promotions later during the year. During an interpromotional event between the

and

Smoky Mountain Wrestling Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette. The promotion was based in Knoxville, Tennessee, wit ...

, he participated in the 1994 NWA World Heavyweight Championship Tournament fighting

Osamu Nishimura is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. Nishimura formerly worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and MUGA World Pro Wrestling (MUGA). Professional wrestling career Early years (1991–1998) Nishimura debuted ...

to a time limit draw in the opening rounds in

Cherry Hill, New Jersey Cherry Hill is a township within Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township had a population of 74,553, which reflected an increase of 3,508 (+4.94%) from the 71,045 counted in the 2010 census.

on November 19, 1994.

Championships and accomplishments

*International Pro Wrestling Alliance :*IPWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Rico Federico *

NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship The NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship was a major title in Championship Wrestling from Florida, USA and is now the major title in NWA Florida Wrestling Alliance. It started in 1937 and was abandoned in 1949. It was picked back up in 1966 by C ...

( 3 times) :*

NWA Florida Tag Team Championship The NWA Florida Tag Team Championship is the primary tag team title in NWA Florida Underground Wrestling. It started out in 1968 as the main tag team title in Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was ...

( 6 times) - with Mark Starr *Pro Wrestling Federation :*PWF Light Heavyweight Championship (1 times) *Other titles :*FWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time) :*PCWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time) *

Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...

:*PWI ranked him # 180 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1991

References

External links

Profile at Online World of WrestlingLou Perez
a
WrestleWiki
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perez, Lou Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American male professional wrestlers 20th-century professional wrestlers NWA Florida Heavyweight Champions NWA Florida Tag Team Champions