Miguel José Pérez (April 7, 1937 – July 16, 2005) was a Puerto Rican

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...

who was best known for his tag team with

Antonino Rocca Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton; 13 April 1921 – 15 March 1977) was an Italian Argentine professional wrestler. He tag teamed with partner Miguel Pérez. He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the class ...

Career

Montreal Athletic Commission (1954–1957)

Pérez started his professional wrestling career in 1954 at the age of 17. He debuted on October 15, 1954 and wrestled for Montreal Athletic Commission in his early days. He was the MAC World Heavyweight Champion. He left the company in 1957.

Madison Square Garden (1957–1968)

In 1957, Pérez formed a tag team with popular wrestling star

. They both wrestled in the famed

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsyl ...

on a regular basis. Pérez and Rocca captured the

NWA World Tag Team Championship The NWA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created by the National Wrestling Alliance. From 1948 to 1982, the NWA allowed member promotions to create their own territorial version of the "NWA Worl ...

and were the first recognized champions in the ancestry of Capitol Wrestling Corporation, now known as WWE. While Rocca left the company in 1963, and Pérez appeared in other areas, he was a regular on the undercard at Madison Square Garden through March 1968, when he pinned Crazy Luke Graham in less than 25 seconds in his final appearance. Some of his matches include 1964 wins over Lou Bastein, Lou Albano, and Bull Johnson; draws with Tony Marino, and then Red Bastein; with Pedro Morales teamed to lose to U.S. tagteam champs Dr. Jerry and Crazy Luke Graham, but came back to defeat Magnificent Maurice and Klondike Bill. Pérez won on disqualification over manager Bobby Davis, then teamed with Haystacks Calhoun to defeat Davis and Gorilla Monsoon. In February 1968, he pinned Crazy Luke Graham in 18 seconds in the new Garden.

World Wrestling Council (1974–1981)

In 1974, Pérez joined the

World Wrestling Council The World Wrestling Council (WWC) (Spanish: "Consejo Mundial de Lucha"), is a Puerto-Rican professional wrestling promotion based in Puerto Rico. It was originally established as Capitol Sports Promotions in 1973 by Carlos Colón Sr., Victor J ...

in Puerto Rico on January 6, 1974 as José Miguel Pérez. He was billed as the first WWC Puerto Rico Champion and it was the first show of WWC. He lost the title to Dr. Klodied on March 8, 1975. He defeated Klodied just two weeks later to get his second Puerto Rico title. The title was held up on August 30 when Pérez had a match with Spoiler II. He won a tournament on September 20 and got his third Puerto Rico Heavyweight title. He lost the title to Tosh Togo on October 4. He would return teaming with former partner in CWC, Antonino Rocca. They both together captured the WWC North American Tag Team Championship on September 11, 1976 by defeating Los Infernos. They lost the titles to Higo Hamaguchi and Gordon Nelson on October 16. He was still the partner of Rocca and they both wrestled as a tag team until March 15, 1977 when Rocca died. Pérez started to compete on singles. On May 7, 1977, Pérez captured his fourth and final Puerto Rico Heavyweight title by defeating Hurricane Castillo in a tournament final. Just one week later, he lost the title to Castillo on May 14 in a rematch. Pérez still wrestled for WWC. He was injured on February 27, 1979 in a match against José Rivera. He was forced to retire from professional wrestling on March 6 because he was not able to wrestle. Though four months later on July 28, at Bayamon, he teamed up with Jack Veneno to take on the team of Hiro Sasaki and Kengo Kimura only for Veneno and Pérez to lose the match. After this, he retired for four years as a professional wrestler until he returned at WWC Anniversary on September 17, 1983, at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the ju ...

to take on Barrabas and defeated him. The next year at WWC Anniversary on September 14, at the same venue, saw Pérez's final match against Leo Burke and Burke defeated him. After this match, he retired as a professional wrestler for good.

Later years

Miguel Pérez, Sr. returned in 1985 for an angle, where he appeared as a photographer at ring side taking pictures and scouting opponents before

Miguel Pérez Jr. Miguel Pérez Jr. (born April 22, 1966) is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. The son of fellow professional wrestler Miguel Pérez (wrestler), Miguel Pérez, he began his career in Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council, winning several champio ...

debut match. Pérez Sr. showed up during a match between

Eric Embry Douglas Eric Embry (born July 10, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Championship Wrestling from Florida, World Class Championship Wrestling, and the United States Wrestling Association. ...

and a jobber. Embry went to ring side and attacked Miguel Pérez, Sr with camera in hand and Miguel Pérez, Jr came to his father's rescue. This eventually lead to Pérez Jr debut match. Managed Mighty Igor in WWC. He came back in February 1992 and got involved in a feud with El Profe. In his last match, he beat El Profe in a hair vs. mask match. For the next several of years he made more appearances in WWC and the International Wrestling Association. On July 16, 2005, Pérez died of a massive

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which m ...

Championships and accomplishments

* Montreal Athletic Commission :* MAC World Heavyweight Champion (1 time) * Capitol Wrestling Corporation :*

NWA World Tag Team Championship (Northeast version) The Northeast version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship was the professional wrestling championship promoted by Toots Mondt's Manhattan Wrestling Enterprises and Capitol Wrestling Corporation Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd. was an Americ ...

(1 time) - with

:* NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Northeast version) ( 1 time) - with Antonino Rocca *

WWC Puerto Rico Championship The WWC Puerto Rico Championship is the secondary professional wrestling championship that is defended in the World Wrestling Council based in Puerto Rico. The title was created in January 1974 and, as its name suggests, is defended exclusively wi ...

(

4 times "4 Times" (stylized as "4 TIMES") is the 50th single by pop/ R&B singer Koda Kumi. It was released on August 17, 2011 and debuted at No. 6, remaining on the Oricon charts for nine consecutive weeks. In commemoration of it being the fiftieth singl ...

) :* WWC North American Tag Team Championship ( 3 times) - with Carlos Colón (2) and Antonino Rocca (1)

External links

Miguel Perez Profile at OWW
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perez, Miguel 1937 births 2005 deaths Puerto Rican male professional wrestlers People from Santurce, Puerto Rico Professional wrestling managers and valets Stampede Wrestling alumni 20th-century professional wrestlers WWC Puerto Rico Champions