Al Perez

Biography

Perez began wrestling as an amateur in high school and was one of the top athletes in his home state of Florida. He started professional wrestling in 1982. He formed a team in ICW with Joe Savoldi known as the "New York Rockers". Al Perez worked for the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico were he feuded with Invader l. In 1986 Perez wrestled for Bill Watt's Mid-South Wrestling. Perez began teaming with "Wildcat" Wendell Cooley and defeated the team of Steve" Dr. Death" Williams and Bruiser Bob Sweetan for the Mid-South Tag Team Championship. Sweetan was substituting for Ted Dibiase while Dibiase was touring the Orient. Perez went on to make a name for himself as "The Latin Heartthrob" in World Class Championship Wrestling in 1987, where he was the top heel for several months. He was managed by Gary Hart and feuded with Kevin Von Erich, Kerry Von Erich and Dingo Warrior. In 1988, Perez moved to the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions with Hart and teamed with Larry Zbyszko along with feuding with Nikita Koloff and Dusty Rhodes. In 1989 he wrestled for Dusty Rhodes' Professional Wrestling Federation based in Florida. He won the PWF Florida Heavyweight Title, defeating Mike Graham for the title. He would the lose the title to Dustin Rhodes. In September 1990, Perez competed as the Black Scorpion, wrestling Sting in a losing effort at Clash of Champions XII. According to Ric Flair, Perez was always meant to be the Black Scorpion but quit after finding out he was going to lose. Perez debuted in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1989 where he wrestled against the likes of Brooklyn Brawler, Koko B. Ware, Red Rooster, and Bret Hart. In the beginning of 1990, Perez left the WWF and appeared in WCW. Over the next several years, Perez competed in several independent promotions around the United States, including a return to Liberty All-Star Wrestling (LAW) in 2001 Where he beat Jimmy Jannetty for the LAW Heavyweight title, before retiring from the business in 2002.