Carlos Cotto
Encyclopedia
Carlos Omar Cotto Cruz is an Puerto Rican
professional wrestler
, also known by his ring name
s, El Chicano and El Ilegal.
Super Light Middleweight Champion, Miguel Cotto
and Pan American medalists Abner
and José Miguel Cotto
. Other relatives within the sport include Miguel Cotto, Sr. and trainer Evangelista Cotto. He is married to Poison Ivy, who performed alongside him in professional wrestling. Cotto has three children, Doris, Victor Javier and Darielys Paola. Outside of wrestling, Cotto has worked as a supervisor in a private security company. He also acted as a songwritter and musician, releasing an album named Zona Illegal.
in 2000. His ring name of "El Chicano" originated when German Figueroa
compared his traits to that of a Chicano
. Early in his career, he was part of a stable named “Lucha Libre 101”, which was led by Eric Perez
.
for the first time. With this victory, he became the first wrestler to win a championship in every division within the company, being referred to as “the Grand Slam champion”.
. This decision was based on economic necessity. Cotto informed Jumping Jeff Jeffrey of his intention of abandoning the IWA, who supported the choice and accompanied him to the promotion. They arrived as "La Rabia", after one week in WWC, Cotto decided to return to the IWA, citing that he felt uncomfortable with the promotion's work ethics and feel.
, Booker T, in a “champion vs. champion” contest. The contest was part of an annual event titled “Histeria Boricua”. The conclusion came when Cotto inverted a “Book End” attempt, scoring a pinfall victory. On February 14, 2009, the promotion held a special event named “Noche de Campeónes”. In this card, Cotto defended the Undiputed Championship against Samoa Joe
. During the final stages of the fight, Noel Rodríguez intervened, injuring the referee. Both wrestlers continued performing, with Cotto scoring a pinfall victory after reverting a finisher and receiving the count from a substitute referee.
alongside Abbad and the WWC Women's Champion
La Morena. The tag team was dissolved in the middle of a feud, due to an injury to his partner. Cotto continued to feud for the tag team championships, but once the opportunity took place, he was removed, in order to introduce Savio Vega's student, Diego de Jesús. He was subsequently fired as part of an storyline, returning masked under his El Illegal character. He went on to pursue a feud with the aintercontinental and Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Chris Angel
. He was intially awarded the Intercontinental belt and Angel's undefeated record, but the result was revoked due to external interference from a second masked "Illegal" and an unclean pin. In a rematch, he won the Championship in a two on one contest, pinning Phillip Davian following an attack from a third masked wrestler.
as a masked character known as "El Ilegal", being booked to win a six man tag team match, alongside Damián 666 and Halloween by applying a new finishing move. His entrance to the company was explained in a storyline, where he was brought in by Dorian Roldán Peña to join La Sociedad
, a major faction trying to take over the promotion. In his second match, he was teamed with Hernandez
against Joe Líder
and Nicho el Millonario, gaining the pinfall. At Guerra de Titanes
, both teams unsuccessfully challenged Los Maníacos for the AAA World Tag Team Championship
in a ladder match.
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, also known by his 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:...
s, El Chicano and El Ilegal.
Personal life
Cotto is related to several combat sport athletes and instructors, including boxers such as World Boxing AssociationWorld Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
Super Light Middleweight Champion, Miguel Cotto
Miguel Cotto
Miguel Ángel Cotto Vázquez is a Puerto Rican professional boxer and the reigning WBA light middleweight champion. He is the younger brother of contender Jose Miguel Cotto and cousin of Abner Cotto...
and Pan American medalists Abner
Abner Cotto
Abner Cotto Román is a Puerto Rican professional boxer who currently competes in the lightweight division. He is a member of the Cotto family, which has produced a professional world champion and multiple amateur medalists. As an amateur, Cotto represented Puerto Rico in international competition...
and José Miguel Cotto
José Miguel Cotto
José Miguel Cotto Vázquez is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. He is the brother of the four-time World Champion boxer Miguel Angel Cotto...
. Other relatives within the sport include Miguel Cotto, Sr. and trainer Evangelista Cotto. He is married to Poison Ivy, who performed alongside him in professional wrestling. Cotto has three children, Doris, Victor Javier and Darielys Paola. Outside of wrestling, Cotto has worked as a supervisor in a private security company. He also acted as a songwritter and musician, releasing an album named Zona Illegal.
International Wrestling Association (2000–2007, 2008–2009)
After one appearance in an independent company in Puerto Rico where he worked as "El Pelotero", Cotto debuted in the International Wrestling AssociationInternational Wrestling Association
The International Wrestling Association is a wrestling promotion in Puerto Rico, started in Japan in 1994 by promoter Victor Quiñones. The Hispanic division was created in 1999. The company was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance until 2001, but again became a member in 2007...
in 2000. His ring name of "El Chicano" originated when German Figueroa
Germán Figueroa
Germán Figueroa is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler, better known as Nuevo Gran Apolo, or simply Apolo. Figueroa began performing in Puerto Rico's independent circuit, before entering the International Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Council...
compared his traits to that of a Chicano
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
. Early in his career, he was part of a stable named “Lucha Libre 101”, which was led by Eric Perez
Eric Perez
Eric Alexander Pérez is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler who currently performs under the ring name Eric Escobar. He is best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment , where he spent most of his career in developmental territories...
.
Grand Slam champion
On June 11, 2005, Cotto defeated Shane Sewell and Ricky Banderas in a three-way, in the process winning the IWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipIWA World Heavyweight Championship
The IWA Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the International Wrestling Association...
for the first time. With this victory, he became the first wrestler to win a championship in every division within the company, being referred to as “the Grand Slam champion”.
World Wrestling Council, return to IWA (2007)
During this timeframe, Cotto conversed with Moody Jack and decided to appear in the World Wrestling CouncilWorld Wrestling Council
The World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
. This decision was based on economic necessity. Cotto informed Jumping Jeff Jeffrey of his intention of abandoning the IWA, who supported the choice and accompanied him to the promotion. They arrived as "La Rabia", after one week in WWC, Cotto decided to return to the IWA, citing that he felt uncomfortable with the promotion's work ethics and feel.
Interpromotional defenses
On January 6, 2009, Cotto was booked to defend the championship against Total Nonstop Action’s Legends ChampionTNA Legends Championship
The TNA Television Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It was introduced on the October 23, 2008 episode of TNA's television program TNA Impact! as the "TNA Legends Championship"...
, Booker T, in a “champion vs. champion” contest. The contest was part of an annual event titled “Histeria Boricua”. The conclusion came when Cotto inverted a “Book End” attempt, scoring a pinfall victory. On February 14, 2009, the promotion held a special event named “Noche de Campeónes”. In this card, Cotto defended the Undiputed Championship against Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
. During the final stages of the fight, Noel Rodríguez intervened, injuring the referee. Both wrestlers continued performing, with Cotto scoring a pinfall victory after reverting a finisher and receiving the count from a substitute referee.
Return to World Wrestling Council (2009–2010)
Late 2009, Chicano and his partners "Los Fugitivos de la Calle" (El Niche, Lynx, El Cuervo) appeared on a television segment of WWC program "Las Superestrellas de la Lucha Libre" making an alliance with his old friend and former member of "Lucha Libre 101" Bryan Madness. Chicano and Bryan won the WWC Tag Team Champion in Euphoria 2010 by pinfall over Thunder & Lightning with the intervention of El Cuervo. Afterwards, the Fugitivos turned on Chicano who teamed with BJ and won the WWC World Tag Team Championship twice. He left the promotion in November 2010, to work with AAA in Mexico.Feud with Chris Angel (2011-present)
On March 5, 2011, Cotto returned to IWA in a live eventHouse show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
alongside Abbad and the WWC Women's Champion
WWC Women's Championship
The WWC Women's Championship was the top title contested for women in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council. The championship was established in 1987. Though the championship was abandoned in 1999, it was revived in early 2006.-Title history:-External links:**...
La Morena. The tag team was dissolved in the middle of a feud, due to an injury to his partner. Cotto continued to feud for the tag team championships, but once the opportunity took place, he was removed, in order to introduce Savio Vega's student, Diego de Jesús. He was subsequently fired as part of an storyline, returning masked under his El Illegal character. He went on to pursue a feud with the aintercontinental and Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, Chris Angel
Chris Angel (wrestler)
Chris Angel is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in the International Wrestling Association, where he became the only local wrestler to win the IWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship in his debut and first to win the IWA Undisputed World Heavyweight...
. He was intially awarded the Intercontinental belt and Angel's undefeated record, but the result was revoked due to external interference from a second masked "Illegal" and an unclean pin. In a rematch, he won the Championship in a two on one contest, pinning Phillip Davian following an attack from a third masked wrestler.
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (2010)
On November 7, 2010, Cotto debuted in Asistencia Asesoría y AdministraciónAsistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
as a masked character known as "El Ilegal", being booked to win a six man tag team match, alongside Damián 666 and Halloween by applying a new finishing move. His entrance to the company was explained in a storyline, where he was brought in by Dorian Roldán Peña to join La Sociedad
La Sociedad
La Sociedad is a Mexican lucha libre, or professional wrestling group, referred to as a stable in wrestling terms, working for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración...
, a major faction trying to take over the promotion. In his second match, he was teamed with Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez"....
against Joe Líder
Joe Lider
José de Jesús Álvarez is a Mexican professional wrestler, better known by his ringname Joe Líder. He currently competes in Asistencia Asesoría y Administración...
and Nicho el Millonario, gaining the pinfall. At Guerra de Titanes
Guerra de Titanes (2010)
Guerra de Titanes was professional wrestling major show event produced by Asistencia Asesoría y Administración , which took place on December 5, 2010, in the Auditorio Benito Juárez in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico...
, both teams unsuccessfully challenged Los Maníacos for the AAA World Tag Team Championship
AAA World Tag Team Championship
The AAA World Tag Team Championship is the main tag team title contested for in the Mexican lucha libre promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración...
in a ladder match.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Senton bomb
Championships and accomplishments
- International Wrestling Association
- IWA Undisputed World Unified Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
- IWA Intercontinental Heavyweight ChampionshipIWA Intercontinental Heavyweight ChampionshipThe IWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship is a secondary professional wrestling title defended in the Puerto Rican International Wrestling Association....
(3 times) - IWA World Tag Team ChampionshipIWA World Tag Team ChampionshipIWA World Tag Team Championship is a tag team titles being defending in the International Wrestling Association in Puerto Rico. It has been an active wrestling championship since January 6, 2000.-Title history:-References:*General...
(6 times) – with Bryan Madness (1), Jumpin' Jeff Jeffrey (1), Slash Venom (3) and StefanoDaniel Garcia SotoDaniel Garcia Soto is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler best known by his ring name Stefano.Soto wrestles for promotions across Puerto Rico including International Wrestling Association, World Wrestling Council and New Wrestling Stars...
(1) - IWA Hardcore ChampionshipIWA Hardcore ChampionshipIWA Hardcore Championship is a title contested under Hardcore Wrestling rules in the International Wrestling Association in Puerto Rico. On October 4, 2008, the title was unified with the IWA Puerto Rican Heavyweight Championship.-Title history:...
(4 times) - IWA World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipIWA World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe IWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship was a title for wrestlers that weigh 225 pounds and under that was being defended in the International Wrestling Association in Puerto Rico.-Title history:...
(1 time)
- World Wrestling Council
- WWC World Tag Team ChampionshipWWC World Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWC World Tag Team Championship is the tag team title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council.-Title history:-External links:***...
(3 times) - with Benjamín "BJ" Jiménez (2), Bryan Madness (1)
- WWC World Tag Team Championship