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Post: #515068
PT: #1/9
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I only followed WWC from the Apter mags, which means I don't know much about it
I do know Carlos Colon seemed to be champion most of the time (and now I know he also ran the promotion)
How good was he? Was this a case of him pushing himself to the moon but not deserving it. Or was it a case of someone like Jerry Lawler who was very good anyway and as owner made himself the top dog most of the time
I did see him a couple of times in the NWA and in one WWF royal rumble, but that was about it. He seemed to have some good skill and from reading in the Apter mags, he seemed to be a good brawler.
Couldn't tell if he had any charisma, but then again in WWC it would be different as he could speak to the audience in his native language while in WWF and NWA the audience speaks English.
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 davkot |
October 01st, 2008 22:05 GMT |
 
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Topics: 9
Replies: 98
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Post: #516081
PT: #2/9
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There is plenty of his matches on youtube. He was fairly charasmatic but not a good wrestler at all. There is no way he would have been a star anywhere but Puerto Rico. He tried to become a star in the mainland U.S. and Japan but flopped in both places. I guess early in his career he had a little success in canada doing a harry balafonte gimmick. Also if he wasn't the owner of WWC there is no way he would have been the top star as long as was but to be objective he would have probably been the top star in Puerto Rico for a few years but not decades.
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Topics: 22
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Post: #516196
PT: #4/9
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This message was edited by petersnow on October 02nd, 2008 15:57 GMT
Absolutely. To be totally honest, let me say this for the record:
1- Carlos was not the best performer: ABSOLUTELY.
2- Carlos was not the most talented wrestler on earth: ABSOLUTELY.
3- As the co-owner of WWC he was always on the top of the Mountain: ABSOLUTELY. Lot of other wrestlers in different promotions have done that.
4- Carlos was a great entertainer for almost 2 decades with sold out events in stadiums and coliseums: ABSOLUTELY.
5- He is a true legend in this sport: ABSOLUTELY.
6- He and Abdullah the Butcher turm PR a bloothbath for years with the most insame brutal and most barbaric feud in the history of this sport: ABSOLUTELY.
No other puertorrican wrestler have capture the attention of the fans the way Carlos did, he love the patriotic angles, the angles that love the fans here in PR, the humilliation angles, been busted open, leaving him in a pool of blood, handcuffed, involving his family, wife and sons in historic angles that will never be forget. He always said that the Universal bealt was his life and biggest motivavtion to win because the tittle was from Puerto Rico, that he was only a representant.
He was and still is excellent cutting promos, excellent on the microphone, he is a master involving the people in the history, that was the key to his success for many years. His matches with Flair, Blanchard, Leduc, the Funks, Brody, Hansen, Bravo and others are really superb.
The most similar and comparative wrestler from the new generation is definitively Mr. Rayting Ray Gonzalez. He is really excellnt in all aspects and much more talented than Carlos.
Regards
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| davkot |
October 02nd, 2008 17:28 GMT |
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Topics: 9
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Post: #516227
PT: #5/9
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I have always thought Colon's drawing power is overrated. Yes, it was impressive in Puerto Rico but he had a captive audience that has always loved combat sports and had relatively few entertainment options. I would have been more impressed if Colon had run big shows in Colombia and Venezeula and elsewhere in South America instead of just the Dominican Republic and Trinidad. If we look at the promoters who were also the big stars of their territory virtually all them were major stars elsewhere too but we cannot say that about Colon. Verne Gagne was a national star in the early 50's. Fritz Von Erich was huge in Japan and St. Louis. The Sheik was a star in Japan and elsewhere. Dick the Bruiser was a star in St. Louis, the AWA, and nationally in the 50's. But Colon never made it anywhere but Puerto Rico and for that reason I don't see him as a legend. I suppose we could compare him to the Crusher who was the AWA's biggest draw for the early 60's to the ealry 80's but he was the biggest draw without owning the promotion and he was huge memorable attraction in Japan despite his few apperances. Maybe Jerry Lawler is a fair comparision but he went on to become a national star as the color commentator on the most successful tv show in wrestling history. I don't want to put Puerto Rico down but really I don't see being the main star there as equivilant to being the main star in the mainland U.S., Japan, or Mexico. I know since it has such a small population one can argue that the numbers Colon drew are all the more impressive but in my opinion I don't see it that way because like I said he had a captive audience that always loved sports like boxing and being a small island had relatively few entertainment options compared to some other places. Just my thoughts.
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Topics: 22
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Post: #516247
PT: #6/9
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Probably I can agree in some of your thoughts, but to say that PR is a small island with relativaley few entertaiment options, that makes me laugh. Just thinking why the greatest stars came to the island when WWC was consider by the experts the best 3rd promotion in the world behind the NWA and AWA?
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| davkot |
October 02nd, 2008 21:40 GMT |
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Topics: 9
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Post: #516298
PT: #7/9
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WWC was never comparable to New Japan or All Japan. The peak of WWC was probably '81 to '85 right? Well those were glory days for the two Japanese promotions. They were on network tv in primetime on Friday and Saturday night. They made way more money than WWC because of the tv and the sponsers. It is true that attendance in Japan was nothing special during this era but they made up for that with very high ticket prices. Also during the '80's New Japan ran shows in the Philippines, Pakistan, and even Italy! In fact New Japan aired on Italian tv. Also the peak of WWC occured during a golden era in Mexico too. UWA was huge. In fact they followed a formula somwhat similar to WWC by bringing in foreigners to face the local guy. In UWA case Canek. I think it is interesting that Francisco Flores never brought Carlos Colon into UWA. If Colon was so charasmtic and such a big star surely he would have had a few main event tours of UWA and headlined the Bullring a few times. To the best of knowledge he was never brought in. During the peak of WWC there were several promotions doing much bigger business WWF, New Japan, All Japan, AWA, UWA, maybe EMLL?, But yeah WWC was a big deal back in the day and Colon is a legend in Puerto Rico but in the history of wrestling worldwide I don't see him as a legend.
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Kayfabe Messiah
Topics: 121
Replies: 2014
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Post: #516315
PT: #8/9
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One thing about Colon that he was great at is portraying himself as the hero of the Puerto Rican crowds who cheered him on wildly as he fought foriegn invaders for the pride & honor of the people. (Whatever that means. lol.) He was charasmatic enough to connect with the fans playing that role in his homeland. Once outside that position he was not as successfull. There's no shame in that. Besides, he looked great for picture taking when he was all bloodied & carved up with barbwire. 
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" Mr. # 1 derful " Paul Orndorff
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Post: #516511
PT: #9/9
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I was lucky to see Carlos in 1984 when he made some apperance in san antonio for southwest wrestling. I don't think he was over with the fans here. But I thought he was an ok wrestler.
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