Alfonso Dantés
Encyclopedia
José Luis Amezcua Díaz was a Mexican
professional wrestler who wrestled during the 1960s and 1970s under the ring name
Alfonso Dantés (the name was taken from the main character of the Count of Monte Cristo novel, Edmond Dantès
). He would later receive the nickname El Tanque (which means “The Tank”) for his short but thick build. Dantés was the son of Al Amezcua, who wrestled in Mexico as Golden Terror. He and his brother Vick would follow their father into the sport. Vick would go on to wrestle as Septiembre Negro. Dantés was trained by Diablo Velasco
and he made his debut in 1960 at the age of 17.
Dantés won his first major title when he defeated Raúl Reyes
for the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship on May 5, 1965. He would lose the title in February of the following year but eventually reclaimed the title twice before finally losing it on December 27, 1981.
In the 1970s, Dantés won the NWA World Light Heavyweight title three times and defeated Chavo Guerrero
on April 15, 1977, in Mexico City.
In 1969, Dantés would team up with Mil Mascaras
, Francisco Flores
and El Medico
to win three NWA America’s Tag Team titles. He was involved in several hair vs mask matches and participated in a famous triangular tournament in which El Halcon lost his mask. Dantés would later capture the hair of El Halcon and El Faraón
as well. He would also lose his hair to Sangre Chicana
, Pharaoh and Ringo Mendoza
.
On March 30, 1984, Dantés captured the Mexican National Heavyweight Championship from Cien Caras
, in Mexico City. He would lose the title but win it back one last time on August 8, 1988 when he defeated Gran Markus, Jr.
Dantés vacated the title when he retired in March 1989 at the age of 45. In his last few years, Dantés would team up with his sons Apolo
and Cesar.
He was well respected within the industry for his work ethic and innovation in the ring. He is credited with inventing the Toque Tapatio, a move which Tiger Mask
would make popular outside of Mexico as the Tiger Suplex. In 1996, he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
professional wrestler who wrestled during the 1960s and 1970s under the ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Alfonso Dantés (the name was taken from the main character of the Count of Monte Cristo novel, Edmond Dantès
Edmond Dantès
Edmond Dantès is the protagonist and title character of Alexandre Dumas, père's novel, The Count of Monte Cristo.Dumas may have gotten the idea for the character of Edmond from a story which he found in a book compiled by Jacques Peuchet, archivist to the French police. Peuchet related the tale of...
). He would later receive the nickname El Tanque (which means “The Tank”) for his short but thick build. Dantés was the son of Al Amezcua, who wrestled in Mexico as Golden Terror. He and his brother Vick would follow their father into the sport. Vick would go on to wrestle as Septiembre Negro. Dantés was trained by Diablo Velasco
Diablo Velasco
Cuahutémoc Velasco Vargas was a professional wrestler and trainer of other wrestlers under the name Diablo Velasco. Velasco trained many famous Mexican wrestlers, including Gory Guerrero, Perro Aguayo, Essa Rios, and Mil Máscaras...
and he made his debut in 1960 at the age of 17.
Dantés won his first major title when he defeated Raúl Reyes
Raúl Reyes
Luis Edgar Devia Silva , better known by his nom de guerre Raúl Reyes, was a Secretariat member, spokesperson, and advisor to the Southern Bloc of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-EP...
for the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship on May 5, 1965. He would lose the title in February of the following year but eventually reclaimed the title twice before finally losing it on December 27, 1981.
In the 1970s, Dantés won the NWA World Light Heavyweight title three times and defeated Chavo Guerrero
Chavo Guerrero
Salvador Guerrero III , better known as Chavo Guerrero or Chavo Guerrero, Sr., is a former professional wrestler. He is known for his work in Universal Wrestling Federation , American Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Entertainment and for being the father of third generation wrestler...
on April 15, 1977, in Mexico City.
In 1969, Dantés would team up with Mil Mascaras
Mil Máscaras
Aaron Rodríguez , best known as Mil Máscaras , is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler and actor, who has starred in several films with fellow luchadores...
, Francisco Flores
Francisco Flores
Francisco Flores may refer to:* Francisco Flores Pérez , former president of El Salvador* Francisco Flores , Mexican wrestling promoter* Francisco Flores...
and El Medico
El Medico
Reynier Casamayor Griñán, known as El Medico , is a Cuban musician and doctor who is, enjoying success in Spain as a composer and performer of reggaetón music....
to win three NWA America’s Tag Team titles. He was involved in several hair vs mask matches and participated in a famous triangular tournament in which El Halcon lost his mask. Dantés would later capture the hair of El Halcon and El Faraón
El Faraón
José Luis Barajas Fernández is a retired Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador as they are called in Spanish. Barajas is best known under the ring name, El Faraón , a ring name and persona he used throughout his career from his debut in 1973 until retiring around the turn of the millennium...
as well. He would also lose his hair to Sangre Chicana
Sangre Chicana
Sangre Chicana is the ring name of Mexican professional wrestler Andrés Durán Reyes . Reyes made his professional wrestling debut in 1973, wearing a red mask with a gold stripe, under the name Lemus. A year later he changed his name to Sangre Chicana but kept the mask with the golden stripe...
, Pharaoh and Ringo Mendoza
Ringo Mendoza
Genaro Jacobo Contreras is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador in Spanish and currently a professional wrestling trainer for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Contreras is best known under the ring name Ringo Mendoza, which he has used since his debut in 1968...
.
On March 30, 1984, Dantés captured the Mexican National Heavyweight Championship from Cien Caras
Cien Caras
Carmelo Reyes González is a Mexican professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Cien Caras...
, in Mexico City. He would lose the title but win it back one last time on August 8, 1988 when he defeated Gran Markus, Jr.
Gran Markus, Jr.
Cándido Robles Cruz is a retired Mexican Luchador, or professional wrestler . Cruz is best known under the ring name Gran Markus, Jr. and for his work in the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
Dantés vacated the title when he retired in March 1989 at the age of 45. In his last few years, Dantés would team up with his sons Apolo
Apolo Dantés
José Luis Amezcua Muñoz , best known by his ring name Apolo Dantés, is a Mexican Luchador, or professional wrestler, who has been a longtime mainstay of Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre throughout the 1990s and now owns and operates "Dantés Wrestling Factory" in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico...
and Cesar.
He was well respected within the industry for his work ethic and innovation in the ring. He is credited with inventing the Toque Tapatio, a move which Tiger Mask
Tiger Mask
is a Japanese manga series written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Naoki Tsuji. The series was first published in Kodansha's Bokura Magazine from 1968 to 1969 and was later published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1970 to 1971...
would make popular outside of Mexico as the Tiger Suplex. In 1996, he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Toque Tapatio - Innovated
- Signature moves
- Backbreaker submission
- Gory special
- No-handed surfboard
Championships and accomplishments
- Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Guadalajara
- Occidente Middleweight Championship (1 time)
- Empresa Mexicana de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
- NWA World Light Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA World Light Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship is a currently inactive professional wrestling championship promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance . For the majority of its existence it has been promoted by Mexican promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre , where it was known as the Campeonato...
(5 times) - Mexican National Heavyweight ChampionshipMexican National Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Mexican National Heavyweight Championship is a Mexican Lucha Libre championship created and sanctioned by "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F." . While the Commission sanctions the title, it does not promote the events in which the Championship is defended...
(2 times) - Mexican National Light Heavyweight ChampionshipMexican National Light Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship is a national Mexican singles professional wrestling championship controlled by Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F....
(3 times)
- NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship
- NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Americas Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA Hollywood Wrestling based out of Los Angeles, California....
(3 times) - with Mil MáscarasMil MáscarasAaron Rodríguez , best known as Mil Máscaras , is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler and actor, who has starred in several films with fellow luchadores...
(1), Francisco Flores (1) and El Medicio (1)
- NWA Americas Tag Team Championship
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameThe Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
(Class of 1996)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
Lucha de Apuesta record
| Wager | Winner | Loser | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair | Alfonso Dantés | El Faraón El Faraón José Luis Barajas Fernández is a retired Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador as they are called in Spanish. Barajas is best known under the ring name, El Faraón , a ring name and persona he used throughout his career from his debut in 1973 until retiring around the turn of the millennium... |
Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
Unknown | |
| Hair | Cien Caras Cien Caras Carmelo Reyes González is a Mexican professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Cien Caras... |
Alfonso Dantés | Guadalajara Guadalajara Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco... , Jalisco Jalisco Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states... |
Unknown | |
| Hair | El Faraón El Faraón José Luis Barajas Fernández is a retired Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador as they are called in Spanish. Barajas is best known under the ring name, El Faraón , a ring name and persona he used throughout his career from his debut in 1973 until retiring around the turn of the millennium... |
Alfonso Dantés | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
Unknown | |
| Hair | El Solitario El Solitario Roberto González Cruz was a Mexican professional wrestler who wrestled under the name El Solitario. During his career he held both the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Middleweight Championship... |
Alfonso Dantés | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
Unknown | |
| Hair | Enrique Vera | Alfonso Dantés | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
||
| Hair | Mil Máscaras Mil Máscaras Aaron Rodríguez , best known as Mil Máscaras , is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler and actor, who has starred in several films with fellow luchadores... |
Alfonso Dantés | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
||
| Hairs | El Faraón El Faraón José Luis Barajas Fernández is a retired Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador as they are called in Spanish. Barajas is best known under the ring name, El Faraón , a ring name and persona he used throughout his career from his debut in 1973 until retiring around the turn of the millennium... and Ringo Mendoza Ringo Mendoza Genaro Jacobo Contreras is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador in Spanish and currently a professional wrestling trainer for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . Contreras is best known under the ring name Ringo Mendoza, which he has used since his debut in 1968... |
Sangre Chicana Sangre Chicana Sangre Chicana is the ring name of Mexican professional wrestler Andrés Durán Reyes . Reyes made his professional wrestling debut in 1973, wearing a red mask with a gold stripe, under the name Lemus. A year later he changed his name to Sangre Chicana but kept the mask with the golden stripe... and Alfonso Dantes |
Unknown | ||
| Hair | Satoru Sayama Satoru Sayama is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He's wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked Super Tiger, Tiger King, Tiger Mask and The Mask of Tiger... |
Alfonso Dantés | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
||
| Hairs | Sangre Chicana & Alfonso Dantes | El Jalisco & Cobarde | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
||
| Hair | Alfonso Dantés | Halcón Ortiz | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
1981 | |
| Hair | Satánico | Alfonso Dantés | Guadalajara Guadalajara Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco... , Jalisco Jalisco Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states... |
1985 | |