Tito Santana
Encyclopedia
Merced Solis better known by his ring name
Tito Santana, is an American
professional wrestler
whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit
. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation
. Competing almost exclusively in the WWF from 1979 to 1993, Solis helped bridge the gap between the 1980s "Rock 'n Wrestling Connection" era to the 1990s "New Generation" era. He also won the first match in WrestleMania
history.
, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha
Fraternity. The team was quarterbacked by future professional wrestler Tully Blanchard
, who would introduce him into the world of professional wrestling. After graduation, Solis was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs
during training camp. He played one season for the BC Lions
of the Canadian Football League
, appearing in 13 regular-season games.
in 1977-78, until he joined the World Wrestling Federation
in 1979. After a near 3 year run in the American Wrestling Association
form 1980-1982 he returned to World Wrestling Federation
in 1983.
to defeat Johnny Valiant
and Jerry Valiant for the WWF Tag Team Championship at Madison Square Garden
in October 1979. The duo held the titles for close to six months before losing to the Wild Samoans
in April 1980.
with Intercontinental Champion Magnificent Don Muraco
. Santana finally won the title on February 11, 1984, becoming the first Mexican American wrestler to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship
. He quickly entered into a feud over the Intercontinental Championship with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
. Valentine captured it from Santana in September 1984 in London, Ontario
. Soon after, Valentine injured Santana's knee and put Santana out of action for several months.
Santana returned at WrestleMania
, and in the opening match defeated a masked wrestler known as The Executioner
. Santana and Valentine went on to wrestle a memorable series of singles and tag team matches with neither gaining the upper hand. They wrestled in a variety of different types of matches such as regular title matches, No Disqualification matches, and Lumberjack matches.
Santana recaptured the Intercontinental title, only to lose it to Macho Man Randy Savage.
in the late 1980's. They defeated the Hart Foundation for the WWF World Tag Team titles and held them for five months before losing to Demolition at Wrestlemania IV. Due to a neck injury suffered by Martel shortly after the loss, the team was inactive until the Royal Rumble
in 1989. In their WrestleMania match against the Brain Busters
(Tully Blanchard
and Arn Anderson
), Martel turned on Santana during the match, leaving Santana to face both opponents alone. His feud with the newly heel
Martel would last throughout 1989, with both men on opposing teams at both SummerSlam
and Survivor Series
and Santana defeating Martel in the finals of the 1989 King of the Ring
tournament.
won the WWF Championship from Hulk Hogan
at WrestleMania VI
and vacated the Intercontinental Title, Santana took part in an eight-man tournament to name a new Intercontinental Champion. Santana made it to the finals, where he lost to Mr. Perfect
. Following that loss, Santana occasionally teamed with fellow undercard fan favorite
, Koko B. Ware.
At the 1990 Survivor Series
, he teamed with Nikolai Volkoff
and The Bushwhackers
; he was the winner and sole survivor in the elimination-style match against Sgt. Slaughter
, Boris Zhukov
, and The Orient Express
. As a result, Santana advanced to the final elimination match, teaming with Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior against Martel, Ted DiBiase
, the Warlord
, and Power and Glory
. Santana would eliminate the Warlord before being pinned by DiBiase. Santana would then wrestle at WrestleMania VII
, losing to The Mountie in a little over a minute.
in the opening bout of WrestleMania VIII
at the Hoosier Dome
in Indianapolis, Indiana
. Santana claims that at the time he was being considered for a run with the WWF Championship
but says that the spot was given to Bret Hart; the WWF was considering expanding into South and Central America, and felt that having Santana, its most high profile Latino wrestler, as champion would aid its cause. The plan was eventually scrapped and the decision was made to expend into Canada, thus making the Canadian-born Hart a more viable option as champion. In any case, Santana wrestled under the "El Matador" gimmick through 1993, mostly as a jobber to the stars. This included a loss to Papa Shango
at SummerSlam (1992)
. In his final in-ring WrestleMania appearance, he defeated Shango at WrestleMania IX
.
In his final appearance on WWF programming, Santana defeated friend and frequent tag team partner Virgil
on a 1993 episode of Wrestling Challenge
. As a sign of mutual respect between the two, both men embraced after the match.
Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas, Tito stated that he was somewhat disappointed with being the first match on WrestleMania. Vince McMahon
later told Santana that his reason for putting him in the opening match was to kick the show off with a quality match, something he knew Tito as a solid fan-favorite and former Intercontinental Champion would produce.
. Then known as Eastern Championship Wrestling, he won the ECW Heavyweight Championship in August 1993 by defeating former WWE rival Don Muraco
but forfeited the championship later that year to Shane Douglas
.
. He was both the first and last AWF Heavyweight Champion, defeating Bob Orton, Jr.
in a tournament final for the inaugural belt in November 1994, and losing and regaining the title from Orton on the same night in October 1996.
. He defeated Jeff Jarrett
in a Dungeon Match on WCW Monday Nitro
.
. On March 13, 2004 he was elected to the WWE Hall of Fame
, with an induction speech by his WrestleMania VIII opponent Shawn Michaels. In September 2008 he was inducted into the Spanish Hall Of Fame of Pro Wrestling (Salón del Catch).
Santana is also said to have had a hand in training independent wrestler, Vin Gerard
.
On the November 15, 2010 "Old School" episode of Raw, he ring-announced Alberto Del Rio.
Fraternity. He is now a Spanish teacher and basketball coach at Eisenhower Middle School in Roxbury Township, New Jersey
where he lives with his wife Leah and their three sons Matthew, Michael, and Mark. His wife operates Santana's Hair Salon in Succasunna, New Jersey
. He also teaches wrestling classes at the New Jersey-based Independent Wrestling Federation
. He still wrestles a dozen or so matches per year. He was also a physical education teacher for Smalley Elementary School in Bound Brook, New Jersey.
His autobiography, Tito Santana's Tales From the Ring (ISBN 978-1-59670-325-4), was released in 2008.
1Tito Santana's reign occurred while the promotion was an NWA
affiliate named Eastern Championship Wrestling
, and was prior to the promotion becoming Extreme Championship Wrestling and the title being declared a world title by ECW.
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:...
Tito Santana, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. Competing almost exclusively in the WWF from 1979 to 1993, Solis helped bridge the gap between the 1980s "Rock 'n Wrestling Connection" era to the 1990s "New Generation" era. He also won the first match in WrestleMania
WrestleMania
WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in late March or early April by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut...
history.
Collegiate and Professional Football
Solis played tight end for West Texas A&M UniversityWest Texas A&M University
West Texas A&M University , part of the Texas A&M University System, is a public university located in Canyon, Texas, a small city south of Amarillo. West Texas A&M opened on September 20, 1910...
, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
Fraternity. The team was quarterbacked by future professional wrestler Tully Blanchard
Tully Blanchard
Tully Arthur Blanchard is a semi-retired second generation American professional wrestler. He is best known as an original member of the Four Horsemen....
, who would introduce him into the world of professional wrestling. After graduation, Solis was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
during training camp. He played one season for the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, appearing in 13 regular-season games.
Early career
He pro debuted in Championship Wrestling From Florida in 1977, also worked in Georgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship Wrestling
Georgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
in 1977-78, until he joined the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
in 1979. After a near 3 year run in the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
form 1980-1982 he returned to World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
in 1983.
Debut & Tag Team Champion (1979–1982)
Santana had his first taste of WWF success in 1979 when he teamed with Ivan PutskiIvan Putski
Józef Bednarski , is a Polish former professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is known by the ring name Ivan Putski and was given the nicknames "The Polish Hammer" and "Polish Power"....
to defeat Johnny Valiant
John L. Sullivan (wrestler)
John L. Sullivan is a retired professional wrestler better known as Johnny Valiant. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation , which became the World Wrestling Federation during his time with the promotion. He won the World Tag Team Championship two times...
and Jerry Valiant for the WWF Tag Team Championship at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in October 1979. The duo held the titles for close to six months before losing to the Wild Samoans
Wild Samoans
The Wild Samoans was the professional wrestling tag team of Afa and Sika in Mid-South Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation . The Samoans held 21 tag team championships around the world.-Gimmick:...
in April 1980.
Intercontinental Champion (1983–1986)
In 1983, he engaged in a lengthy feudFeud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Intercontinental Champion Magnificent Don Muraco
Don Muraco
Donald Muraco , better known by his ring name "The Rock" Don Muraco, is a retired American professional wrestler...
. Santana finally won the title on February 11, 1984, becoming the first Mexican American wrestler to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
. He quickly entered into a feud over the Intercontinental Championship with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
Greg Valentine
John Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
. Valentine captured it from Santana in September 1984 in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. Soon after, Valentine injured Santana's knee and put Santana out of action for several months.
Santana returned at WrestleMania
WrestleMania (1985)
WrestleMania was the first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on March 31, 1985, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The attendance for the event was 19,121 fans...
, and in the opening match defeated a masked wrestler known as The Executioner
Buddy Rose
Paul Perschmann was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Playboy" Buddy Rose.-Career:Paul Perschmann was trained by Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson in the early 1970s...
. Santana and Valentine went on to wrestle a memorable series of singles and tag team matches with neither gaining the upper hand. They wrestled in a variety of different types of matches such as regular title matches, No Disqualification matches, and Lumberjack matches.
Santana recaptured the Intercontinental title, only to lose it to Macho Man Randy Savage.
Strike Force (1987–1989)
Santana formed a popular tag team (Strike Force) with Canadian Rick MartelRick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
in the late 1980's. They defeated the Hart Foundation for the WWF World Tag Team titles and held them for five months before losing to Demolition at Wrestlemania IV. Due to a neck injury suffered by Martel shortly after the loss, the team was inactive until the Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every January by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. The event was created in 1988, with its inaugural event taking place on January 24, 1988 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario...
in 1989. In their WrestleMania match against the Brain Busters
Brain Busters
The Brain Busters was the World Wrestling Federation name for the professional wrestling tag team of Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. Anderson and Blanchard adopted this name after joining the WWF in 1988 from Jim Crockett Promotions, where the two men had wrestled as part of the Four Horsemen...
(Tully Blanchard
Tully Blanchard
Tully Arthur Blanchard is a semi-retired second generation American professional wrestler. He is best known as an original member of the Four Horsemen....
and Arn Anderson
Arn Anderson
Martin Anthony Lunde better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is a former American professional wrestler and author. His career has been highlighted by his alliances with Ric Flair and various members of the wrestling stable, The Four Horsemen, in the NWA/WCW...
), Martel turned on Santana during the match, leaving Santana to face both opponents alone. His feud with the newly heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
Martel would last throughout 1989, with both men on opposing teams at both SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1989)
SummerSlam was the second annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 28, 1989 in the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey....
and Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1989)
Survivor Series was the third annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1989 at the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, Illinois. This was the first Survivor Series event to feature team...
and Santana defeating Martel in the finals of the 1989 King of the Ring
King of the Ring
King of the Ring is a professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held by WWE. The tournament was held annually from 1985 to 2002, with the exception of 1990 and 1992, and from 1993 to 2002 the tournament was produced as a pay-per-view event....
tournament.
Various Rivalries (1990–1991)
After the Ultimate WarriorWarrior (wrestler)
Also see Warrior .Warrior is an American retired professional wrestler who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior...
won the WWF Championship from Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
at WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI was the World Wrestling Federation's sixth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event and the first to be held outside of the U.S...
and vacated the Intercontinental Title, Santana took part in an eight-man tournament to name a new Intercontinental Champion. Santana made it to the finals, where he lost to Mr. Perfect
Curt Hennig
Curtis Michael "Curt" Hennig , also known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler, manager and color commentator who worked for, among other promotions, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World...
. Following that loss, Santana occasionally teamed with fellow undercard fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
, Koko B. Ware.
At the 1990 Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1990)
Survivor Series was the fourth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
, he teamed with Nikolai Volkoff
Nikolai Volkoff
Josip Nikolai Peruzović , better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation...
and The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers were a professional wrestling tag team that also competed as The Sheepherders during their long career. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation and Jim Crockett Promotions as well as a nearly 40 year run on the independent wrestling circuit...
; he was the winner and sole survivor in the elimination-style match against Sgt. Slaughter
Sgt. Slaughter
Robert Remus , better known by his ring name Sgt. Slaughter, is an American former WWE personality and semi-retired professional wrestler. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Slaughter had success in the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Association, and World Wrestling...
, Boris Zhukov
Jim Barrell
James Kirk Harrell is an American professional wrestler best known as Boris Zhukov in his time with the World Wrestling Federation.-Professional wrestling career:...
, and The Orient Express
The Orient Express
For the full article on Badd Company see Badd CompanyThe Orient Express was a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation in the early 1990s composed of Pat Tanaka and Akio Sato, who was later replaced by Kato....
. As a result, Santana advanced to the final elimination match, teaming with Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior against Martel, Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
, the Warlord
Terry Szopinski
Terry Scott Szopinski is an American professional wrestler. He is best known by his ring name The Warlord and for his tenures in Jim Crockett Promotions and the World Wrestling Federation as one half of the Powers of Pain alongside The Barbarian.-National Wrestling Alliance / Jim Crockett...
, and Power and Glory
Power and Glory
Power and Glory was a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation from 1990 to 1991. The team consisted of Hercules and Paul "Romeo" Roma...
. Santana would eliminate the Warlord before being pinned by DiBiase. Santana would then wrestle at WrestleMania VII
WrestleMania VII
WrestleMania VII was the seventh annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 24, 1991 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California...
, losing to The Mountie in a little over a minute.
El Matador & Departure (1991–1993)
Santana then adopted a Spanish bullfighter gimmick and the nickname "El Matador" in 1991. Under this gimmick, he faced Shawn MichaelsShawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
in the opening bout of WrestleMania VIII
WrestleMania VIII
WrestleMania VIII was the eighth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 5, 1992 at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana...
at the Hoosier Dome
RCA Dome
RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons ....
in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. Santana claims that at the time he was being considered for a run with the WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
but says that the spot was given to Bret Hart; the WWF was considering expanding into South and Central America, and felt that having Santana, its most high profile Latino wrestler, as champion would aid its cause. The plan was eventually scrapped and the decision was made to expend into Canada, thus making the Canadian-born Hart a more viable option as champion. In any case, Santana wrestled under the "El Matador" gimmick through 1993, mostly as a jobber to the stars. This included a loss to Papa Shango
Charles Wright (wrestler)
Charles Wright is an American businessman and former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s and early 2000s under the ring names Papa Shango, Kama, Kama Mustafa, The Godfather, and The Goodfather .After leaving the wrestling...
at SummerSlam (1992)
SummerSlam (1992)
SummerSlam was the fifth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 29, 1992 at Wembley Stadium, London, England but was aired in the United States on August 31...
. In his final in-ring WrestleMania appearance, he defeated Shango at WrestleMania IX
WrestleMania IX
WrestleMania IX was the ninth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. The event took place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 4, 1993 and was the first WrestleMania event held outdoors...
.
In his final appearance on WWF programming, Santana defeated friend and frequent tag team partner Virgil
Mike Jones (wrestler)
Mike Jones is an American professional wrestler, who most recently performed for World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Virgil, where he appeared on its Raw brand as Ted DiBiase, Jr.'s personal assistant...
on a 1993 episode of Wrestling Challenge
WWF Wrestling Challenge
WWF Challenge is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It was syndicated weekly and aired from 1986 to 1996. The show premiered as WWF Wrestling Challenge and became simply known as WWF Challenge in 1995. The show featured matches, pre-match...
. As a sign of mutual respect between the two, both men embraced after the match.
WrestleMania
Santana, along with only Hulk Hogan, holds the unique distinction of appearing in the first nine WrestleManias, accumulating a 2-7 record during that time. Officially he is recognized only for the first eight Wrestlemanias and a 1-7 record as the match against Papa Shango at WrestleMania IX was dark. On Right After Wrestling, hosted by Arda OcalArda Ocal
Arda Ocal is a Turkish Canadian TV personality, announcer and writer, currently with The Score Television Network...
Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas, Tito stated that he was somewhat disappointed with being the first match on WrestleMania. Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
later told Santana that his reason for putting him in the opening match was to kick the show off with a quality match, something he knew Tito as a solid fan-favorite and former Intercontinental Champion would produce.
Eastern Championship Wrestling (1993)
Santana played a role in the formative years of ECWExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
. Then known as Eastern Championship Wrestling, he won the ECW Heavyweight Championship in August 1993 by defeating former WWE rival Don Muraco
Don Muraco
Donald Muraco , better known by his ring name "The Rock" Don Muraco, is a retired American professional wrestler...
but forfeited the championship later that year to Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
.
American Wrestling Federation (1994–1996)
Santana finished his full-time career in the short-lived American Wrestling FederationAmerican Wrestling Federation
The American Wrestling Federation was a national professional wrestling federation founded by Paul Alperstein.-History:Alperstein, a promoter from Chicago, founded the AWF in 1994 and was on-air president of the company....
. He was both the first and last AWF Heavyweight Champion, defeating Bob Orton, Jr.
Bob Orton, Jr.
Robert Keith Orton is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Cowboy" Bob Orton. He is the father of wrestler Randy Orton, who is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment...
in a tournament final for the inaugural belt in November 1994, and losing and regaining the title from Orton on the same night in October 1996.
World Championship Wrestling (2000)
On January 10, 2000, Tito Santana made a one time appearance in WCWWorld Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
. He defeated Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
in a Dungeon Match on WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
.
Sporadic appearances
Tito Santana continues to make appearances on the independent circuitIndependent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
. On March 13, 2004 he was elected to the WWE Hall of Fame
WWE Hall of Fame
The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
, with an induction speech by his WrestleMania VIII opponent Shawn Michaels. In September 2008 he was inducted into the Spanish Hall Of Fame of Pro Wrestling (Salón del Catch).
Santana is also said to have had a hand in training independent wrestler, Vin Gerard
Vin Gerard
Vince "Vin" Gerard Durling is an American professional wrestler currently competing in the American-based promotion Chikara.-Equinox:...
.
On the November 15, 2010 "Old School" episode of Raw, he ring-announced Alberto Del Rio.
Personal life
While attending West Texas A&M University, Solis was a member of Lambda Chi AlphaLambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
Fraternity. He is now a Spanish teacher and basketball coach at Eisenhower Middle School in Roxbury Township, New Jersey
Roxbury Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,883 people, 8,364 households, and 6,532 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,117.4 people per square mile . There were 8,550 housing units at an average density of 400.0 per square mile...
where he lives with his wife Leah and their three sons Matthew, Michael, and Mark. His wife operates Santana's Hair Salon in Succasunna, New Jersey
Succasunna-Kenvil, New Jersey
Succasunna-Kenvil is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Roxbury Township, in Morris County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 12,569.-History:...
. He also teaches wrestling classes at the New Jersey-based Independent Wrestling Federation
Independent Wrestling Federation
The Independent Wrestling Federation is a professional wrestling promotion based in Woodland Park, New Jersey. The IWF features upcoming talent, in some cases, which have made it to the World Wrestling Entertainment . Along with producing live events for the public, the IWF also gives youth...
. He still wrestles a dozen or so matches per year. He was also a physical education teacher for Smalley Elementary School in Bound Brook, New Jersey.
His autobiography, Tito Santana's Tales From the Ring (ISBN 978-1-59670-325-4), was released in 2008.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- El Paso de la Muerte (Running leaping forearm club to the head of a bent over opponent) – 1991–1993
- Figure four leglock
- Flying forearm smash
- Signature moves
- Arm drag
- Diving clothesline
- DropkickDropkickA dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
- Headscissors takedown
- Knee lift
- Running crossbody
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling FederationAmerican Wrestling FederationThe American Wrestling Federation was a national professional wrestling federation founded by Paul Alperstein.-History:Alperstein, a promoter from Chicago, founded the AWF in 1994 and was on-air president of the company....
- AWF Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Eastern Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
- ECW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)1
- House of Pain Wrestling Federation
- HoPWF Tag Team ChampionshipHoPWF Tag Team ChampionshipThe HoPWF Tag Team Championship is the top professional wrestling tag team title in the House of Pain Wrestling Federation promotion. It was created on January 20, 1998, when Gutterboy & Randy The Violator defeated Flex Fenom & Shorty Smalls in Hagerstown, Maryland...
(1 time)
- HoPWF Tag Team Championship
- International World Class Championship WrestlingInternational World Class Championship WrestlingInternational World Class Championship Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion based in Boston, Massachusetts. It was promoted by Angelo Savoldi and his sons Mario, Tom, and Joseph Savoldi....
- IWCCW Heavyweight ChampionshipIWCCW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe ICW / IWCCW Heavyweight Championship was the top singles championship of International World Class Championship Wrestling between 1984 and 1995 where IWCCW closed down operations...
(1 time)
- IWCCW Heavyweight Championship
- NWA Western 0States SportsNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Western States Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Western States Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Western States Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling title in the National Wrestling Alliance's Amarillo, Texas territory, NWA Western States Sports....
(1 time) – with Ted DiBiaseTed DiBiaseTheodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
- NWA Western States Tag Team Championship
- National Wrestling Council
- NWC Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Northern States Wrestling Alliance
- NSWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 1979 – with Ivan Putski.
- PWI ranked him # 51 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1995.
- PWI ranked him # 93 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003.
- PWI ranked him # 70 of the 100 best tag teams during the PWI Years with Rick MartelRick MartelRichard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
in 2003.
- Renegade Wrestling Alliance
- RWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- USA Pro Wrestling
- USA Pro Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Unified Championship Wrestling
- UCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Universal Superstars of America
- USA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Chris MichaelsChris MichaelsBill Pierce, better known by the ring name Chris Michaels is a former American professional wrestler who wrestles in the southeast independent circuit.-Career:Michaels wrestled in both Smokey Mountain Wrestling and United States Wrestling Association....
- World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF Intercontinental ChampionshipWWE Intercontinental ChampionshipThe WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
(2 times) - WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Ivan PutskiIvan PutskiJózef Bednarski , is a Polish former professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is known by the ring name Ivan Putski and was given the nicknames "The Polish Hammer" and "Polish Power"....
(1), and Rick MartelRick MartelRichard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
(1) - WWE Hall of FameWWE Hall of FameThe WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
(Class of 2004) - WWF King of the RingKing of the RingKing of the Ring is a professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held by WWE. The tournament was held annually from 1985 to 2002, with the exception of 1990 and 1992, and from 1993 to 2002 the tournament was produced as a pay-per-view event....
(1989)
- WWF Intercontinental Championship
- Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame
- Class of 2007
- Other titles
- CWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- EWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- GWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- IAW Television Championship (1 time)
- USA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- UWS Tag Team Championship (1 time)
1Tito Santana's reign occurred while the promotion was an NWA
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
affiliate named Eastern Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
, and was prior to the promotion becoming Extreme Championship Wrestling and the title being declared a world title by ECW.