Miguel Pérez Jr. (1937-2005)
Alias:
José Miguel Pérez
Miguel Perez Jr
Miguel Pérez
Birthplace:
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Born:
April 7, 1937
Died:
July 16, 2005
was a Puerto Rican professional wrestler who was best known for his tag team with Antonino Rocca. In 1974, Pérez joined the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico on January 6, 1974 as José Miguel Pérez. He was billed as the first WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight 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 Heavyweight 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 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. debut match. Pérez Sr showed up during a match between Eric Embry 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. Came back in 1993 and got involved in a feud with El Profe. 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.