Carly Colón
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"Carlito" redirects here. For the eurodance artist, see Jonny Jakobsen.
| Carlos Colón, Jr. | |
|---|---|
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| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | Carlito Carlito Caribbean Cool Carly Colón Carlos Colón, Jr. Carlos Colóne Carly Columbus |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Born | February 21, 1979 Santurce, Puerto Rico |
| Resides | Miami, Florida |
| Billed from | The Caribbean |
| Trained by | Carlos Colón, Sr., Ohio Valley Wrestling |
| Debut | 1999 |
Carlos Colón, Jr. (born on February 21, 1979) is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler currently wrestling on the RAW brand of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), as well as the World Wrestling Council (WWC). He is the son of Carlos Colón.
After winning the WWE United States Championship in his first WWE televised match, he became one of a few WWE wrestlers who have won a championship on their debut in World Wrestling Entertainment. Upon being drafted from SmackDown! to RAW, he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship in his RAW debut match, becoming the first wrestler to win championships in 2 separate debut matches.
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[edit] Career
[edit] World Wrestling Council and Ohio Valley Wrestling
Colón started out performing in Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council (WWC). As of 2006, he continues to perform there on special occasions. In June of 2003, Carly Colón signed a developmental contract with WWE and was assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), WWE's training territory. In OVW, he was briefly managed by Kenny Bolin. On December 15, Carly was placed in a special dark match before RAW where he teamed with Brent Dail to face Bart Gunn and Jim Steele.
During his time in OVW, Colón was still wrestling in WWC. In April of 2004, WWE prevented a scheduled match between him and TNA's Abyss, which would have taken place in Puerto Rico.
[edit] World Wrestling Entertainment
[edit] 2004
On October 7, 2004, Colón made his debut on SmackDown! as Carlito Caribbean Cool and defeated John Cena to capture the WWE United States Championship. He would be the United States Champion for a little longer than a month, before separating his shoulder and subsequently losing the title to Cena. At Survivor Series 2004, Carlito represented Team Angle in a 8-man tag team match against Team Guererro, but was eliminated after being chased out of the arena by John Cena before the match started. While injured, Carlito had a comical rivalry with SmackDown! general manager Theodore Long where he was made to do several demeaning jobs around the arena, such as selling hot dogs or mopping the floors, and in response created a petition to get Long fired from his job.
Using his WWE "Caribbean Cool" gimmick, Carlito had become a much hated heel in WWC, especially after spitting in the face of his own father, Puerto Rican legend Carlos Colón, on the Llamado de la Sangre event in November 2004 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. However, his successful run at WWE has since made him a loved wrestler in Puerto Rico, getting him cheers in recent events.
[edit] 2005
On March 26, 2005, Carlito made his return to the ring (after a forced recess due to a shoulder injury) in a match against his brother in Caguas.
Carlito made a high profile appearance at WrestleMania 21, interrupting "Piper's Pit". After insulting and attempting to attack both Roddy Piper and his guest, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Carlito received a Stone Cold Stunner. These events resulted in Piper and Carlito facing off at the Friday Madness event in WWC. Piper won the match.
Carlito's appearance on Piper's Pit led to his own interview segment, Carlito's Cabana, starting in April 2005. Carlito went on to feud with The Big Show, after Show turned down an offer to be Carlito's new enforcer on the Cabana. This feud involved Carlito tricking Big Show into eating a poison apple, and Matt Morgan as Carlito's enforcer. Carlito defeated Big Show at Judgement Day 2005 with the help of Matt Morgan.
Carlito moved to RAW in the 2005 Draft Lottery, winning the Intercontinental Championship from Shelton Benjamin in his debut match on RAW. He feuded with Benjamin over the title, retaining it against Benjamin several rematches, including one at Vengeance 2005. Carlito then went to feud with Ric Flair over the Intercontinental Championship, losing it to him at Unforgiven 2005.
Carlito would then enter a brand war against SmackDown!. In the beginning of this feud, Carlito announced the discontinuation of Carlito's Cabana. The following month at Survivor Series 2005, Carlito represented Team RAW in a 10-man Survivor Series tag team match against Team SmackDown!. Carlito was eliminated by JBL.
[edit] 2006
Near the end of 2005, Carlito set his sights on the WWE Championship, and entered the title hunt. After defeating Shelton Benjamin in a New Year's Revolution 2006 qualifying match, he was added to the Elimination Chamber main event match for the WWE title. At the pay-per-view, Carlito had an amazing showing, eliminating Shawn Michaels, Kane, and Chris Masters, and being one of the final two remaining along with John Cena. Earler in the match-up Carlito turned on Chris Masters, who he had made an alliance with earlier in the night. At the Royal Rumble, Carlito double-crossed Masters once again, by eliminating him.
Carlito appeared on a World Wrestling Council show in Carolina, Puerto Rico on March 15, 2006. He defeated Tyson Tomko in a singles match, and hosted Carlito's Cabana with special guests Carlos Colón, Sr. and Victor Jovica. At the end of the show Carlito surprised the crowd with a sudden face turn, defending his father and his brother when they were attacked by the heel stable led by Jovica and Mr. Hardcore Rico Suave.
Despite their past problems, Carlito and Chris Masters started to team up, and entered the hunt for the World Tag Team Championship, which was then being held by Kane and Big Show. At WrestleMania 22, Big Show and Kane defeated Carlito and Masters after Masters had inadvertently hit Carlito in the back of the head. After the match, Carlito confronted Chris Masters. During the confrontation, Carlito received a face-like reaction from the crowd.
After holding a feud with his brother, Eddie Colón, he reconciled with his family on the Camino a la Gloria event in April, 2006 in Carolina, Puerto Rico and became a face again, keeping his "cool" character. For the next few weeks Carlito would embarrass Chris Masters, including spitting in his face, attacking him from behind, and hitting him in the head with a steel chair. Their feud would culminate at Backlash 2006, where Carlito defeated Masters with help from the ropes. Despite Carlito’s heel-like antics, the crowd continued to cheer him, so naturally Carlito turned face. However, he could also be considered a tweener, as he has attacked face wrestlers as well.
Carlito, John Hennigan, and Shelton Benjamin were then scheduled for a Triple Threat match at Vengeance 2006 for Benjamin's Intercontinental Championship. The match ended when Carlito reversed a neckbreaker attempt by Benjamin into a Backcracker, and Nitro pulled Carlito out of the ring and pinned Benjamin, giving Nitro the win and the Intercontinental title. Then Carlito and Trish Stratus teamed up to face Melina and Nitro in a mixed tag match, which they won, at Saturday Night's Main Event, held July 15, 2006. Carlito and Trish then entered a (kayfabe) relationship.
Carlito then would get back in the Intercontinental title hunt, along with various other RAW superstars.
[edit] Finishing and signature moves
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- Backcracker (Double knee backbreaker)
- Outward rolling cutter
- Overdrive - used until shoulder injury in late 2004
- Flapjack lift into complete shot
- DDT
- Double springboard corkscrew Senton Splash)
- Springboard moonsault
- Hurricanrana
- Running knee lift to the side of the head followed into a clothesline
- Springboard back elbow
- Backflip over a standing opponent, off the top rope
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
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- WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion (10 times)
- WWC Tag Team Champion (2 times) - Eddie Colón (1), and Konnan (1)
[edit] Personal life
Carlito is the son of Puerto Rican legend Carlos Colón, the brother of fellow professional wrestler Eddie Colón and brother of Stacy Colón who has teamed up with Carlito in a few wrestling matches in the WWC. He is also cousins with Orlando Colón.
His decision to jump to the WWE when the opportunity arose was a controversial one amongst the local Puerto Rican wrestling community. Since his father Carlos Colón is a legendary wrestling promoter, many fans and insiders believed that it was only natural for Carlito to take the family business from his father one day, but when Carlito chose to go to the WWE, he was not only criticized by the locals, he was also labeled as someone who had "sold out" his Puerto Rican wrestling traditions over for the "flash and flair" of the WWE. Carlito spoke of this in an interview with the Calgary Sun in which he stated "I didn't care about what they thought. I've always dreamed of working for the WWE when I was young, and I took that chance when it came".
According to Dave Meltzer, the reason Carlito is so fluent in the English language is because his mother is Canadian. Carlos wrestled in several Canadian territories early in his career and they grew up speaking English at home.
Carlito's theme music to promote the WWE Wreckless Intent album is, "Quien Soy Yo (Who I Am)" by Kaballon, but he does not use this entrance music. His actual entrance music is called Cool, which was featured on the WWE ThemeAddict: The Music, Vol. 6 CD of 2004.
[edit] Trivia
- In an episode of RAW in Canada, Carlito claimed that he didn't have a Canadian background, which in real life he does. Carlito's mother, Nancy, is a native of Toronto, and he is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.
- Carlito is left-handed.
- In October 2006 he made a special guest apperence at the 2006 Australian Nickelodeon Kids choice awards presenting 'Best Actress'.
[edit] References
- Sun's interview with Carly Colón
- Another interview
- IGN's interview with Carlito
- Obsessed With Wrestling profile
- Ottawa Sun article mentioning Carlito's Canadian roots
- Citizenship and Immigration Canada official website. It states that anyone born outside of Canada to a Canadian parent after 14 February 1977 is automatically a Canadian citizen by descent; Carly was born two years afterwards
[edit] External links
