Bios
Gypsy Joe
Nickname: The Wandering Assassin
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 225 lbs.
From: Villalba, Puerto Rico
Birthday: Dec 2nd
Pro Debut: 1952
Aliases: Jan Madrid, Gene Madrid, Aztec Joe, Blue Inferno #1, Inferno I, Chief Tuna, El Grande Pistolero
Feds Worked For: NWA-West, USWA, WCCW, NWA, All Japan Pro Wrestling (Japan), All Star Wrestling (TN), All State Wrestling (TN), Big Bear Promotions (Canada), Big Time Wrestling (MI), Central States Wrestling (IA/KS/MO), Championship Wrestling Alliance (TN), Cleveland All Pro Wrestling (OH), Continental Wrestling Association (AL/TN), Georgia Championship Wrestling (GA), Grand Prix Wrestling (Canada), Gulas Wrestling Enterprises (TN), Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling (AL/TN), International Championship Wrestling (KY/TN), International Wrestling (Canada), International Wrestling Enterprise (Japan), IWA East Coast (WV), M & M Promotions (NM/TX), Maple Leaf Wrestling (Canada), Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (NC/SC), Mid-Pacific Promotions (HI), National Wrestling Federation (NJ/NY/OH/PA), NWA Chicago (IL), NWA Main Event Wrestling (TN), NWA Mid-America (AL/TN), NWA Mountain State Wrestling (WV), NWA Polynesian (HI), SMASH (Japan), Southern States Wrestling (TN), Southern Wrestling Federation (TN), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO), Stampede Wrestling (Canada), Tennessee Wrestling Alliance (TN), World Booking Office (NY), World Wrestling Council (Puerto Rico), Wrestling International New Generations (Japan)
Signature Moves: Knee Drop
Career Highlights: -Alabama Champion
-AWA Southern Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Skull Murphy)
-Grand Prix Champion
-ICW United States Tag Team Champion (w/ Tojo Yamamoto)
-NWA Gulf Coast Champion
-NWA Central States Tag Team Champion (w/ Mr. Pogo)
-NWA Central States Television Champion
-NWA (Chicago) Midwest Junior Heavyweight Champion (2x)
-NWA (Gulf Coast) Tag Team Champion (w/ Jack Curtis, Jr.)
-NWA (Mid-America) Southern Tag Team Champion (3x; 2 w/ Blue Inferno #2, 1 w/ Louis Tillet)
-NWA Mid-America Tag Team Champion (9x; 4 w/ Tojo Yamamoto, 2 w/ Tom Renesto, Jr., 1 each w/ Leroy Rochester, Dutch Mantell, and Buzz Tyler)
-NWA (Mid-America) World 6-Man Tag Team Champion (w/ The Beast & Tojo Yamamoto)
-NWA (Mid-America) World Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Blue Inferno #2)
-NWA Southern Tag Team Champion (2x; 1 each w/ Skull Murphy and Lenny Montana)
-NWA Western States Tag Team Champion (w/ Tim Brooks)
-NWA World Brass Knuckles Champion (3x)
-NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion
-Stampede International Tag Team Champion (w/ Jim Wright)
-SWF Hardcore Champion
-TSW Southwestern Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Louie Tillet)
-TSW United States Tag Team Champion (w/ Louie Tillet)
-TWA Hardcore Champion (2x)
-USWA Junior Heavyweight Champion
-West Virginia Champion (3x)
-WWC North American Tag Team Champion (3x; all w/ Blue Inferno #2)
Affiliates: The Angel, Tojo Yamamoto, Blue Inferno #2, Jack Curtis, Jr., Louie Tillet, Pepe Lopez, Tim Tall Tree
Notable Feuds: Rusher Kimura, Mighty Inoue, Ashura Hara, Tojo Yamamoto, Giant Baba, Great Kusatsu, Jumbo Tsuruta, Animal Hamaguchi, Bobby Eaton, Genichiro Tenryu, Sonny King, George Gulas, Isamu Teranishi, Bill Dundee, Lanny Poffo, Robert Gibson, Takashi Ishikawa, Dutch Mantell
Other Facts: -Real name was Gilberto Melendez
-Former husband of pro wrestler Robbie Rage, who he trained for pro wrestling
-Uncle of pro wrestler Dan Wilson
-Actually the second wrestler to use the name "Gypsy Joe". The first one wrestled primarily in the northeast part of the country from the 1940's until 1970's.
-First wrestler to ever successfully jump off a steel cage onto an opponent.
-In April 2003, Joe was involved in a memorable hardcore match with New Jack in which, due to Joe no-selling throughout the match, New Jack legitimately attacked the sexagenarian with a chain, a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire, and several other weapons.
-Wrestled his last match in 2011. His first match was almost 60 years earlier at age 18. He is 1 of 11 documented wrestlers to have competed in 7 different decades. (1950s - 2010s)
-Ranked #432 in the 1991 PWI 500 (as El Grande Pistolero)
-Had a foot amputated in July 2013 as a result of gout.
-Passed away on June 16, 2016
Supplemental Information
Latest News
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Spotlight in History
- 1989 Eric Embry def. Super Zodiac for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
- 2007 Matt Garza def. Mitch W. Carter for the IZW Cruiserweight Champion
- 2018 MVP def. Jack Swagger for the WCR Heavyweight Champion
- 2018 Anarchy [2nd] def. Skyler Fayden for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
- 2018 Alex Royal def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
Week of Sun 05-26 to Sat: 06-01
- 05-26 1989 Eric Embry def. Super Zodiac for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
- 05-26 2007 Matt Garza def. Mitch W. Carter for the IZW Cruiserweight Champion
- 05-26 2018 MVP def. Jack Swagger for the WCR Heavyweight Champion
- 05-26 2018 Anarchy [2nd] def. Skyler Fayden for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
- 05-26 2018 Alex Royal def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
- 05-27 1970 Luke Brown & Danny Hodge def. The Hollywood Blondes (Jerry Brown & Dale Valentine) for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-27 1977 Jimmy Snuka def. El Gran Goliath for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
- 05-27 2003 Chris Matthews became the ACW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-27 2017 Dane Griffin def. Jerry Bostic for the IWR Heavyweight Champion
- 05-28 1964 Louie Tillet def. Bull Curry for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
- 05-28 1968 Danny Little Bear & Kit Fox became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champion
- 05-28 1973 Dennis Stamp & Dewey Robertson def. Rip Tyler & Eddie Sullivan for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-28 1974 Red Bastien def. The Great Mephisto for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
- 05-28 1978 Bruiser Brody def. Dale Valentine for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
- 05-28 2005 Tommy D def. Angel Williams for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
- 05-28 2005 Angel Williams became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
- 05-28 2005 The Forsaken (Faith & Halo) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
- 05-28 2016 Kareem Sadat def. Buster Cerry for the EmpCW Independent Hardcore Champion
- 05-28 2019 Elias def. R-Truth for the WWE 24/7 Champion
- 05-28 2019 R-Truth def. Elias for the WWE 24/7 Champion
- 05-28 2022 Tego def. Adrian Vega for the EPW Internet Television Champion
- 05-28 2022 Tyler Watts def. Sweet Cakes for the EPW International Champion
- 05-28 2022 Psychotic Messengers (Maniac Mike & Malachi) def. The Entitled (Justin Grey & Father Padge) for the EPW Tag Team Champions
- 05-28 2022 Psychotic Messengers (Maniac Mike & Malachi) def. The Change (Drake Gallows & Muerte Silencio) for the AIWF Tag Team Champions
- 05-28 2022 Maddox Jones became the EPW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-28 2022 Logan Knight def. Striker for the EPW All-American Champion
- 05-29 1959 Mike DiBiase def. Angelo Savoldi for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 05-29 1970 The Hollywood Blondes (Jerry Brown & & Dale Valentine) def. Luke Brown & Danny Hodge for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-29 1972 Blackjack Mulligan def. Blackjack Lanza for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
- 05-29 1978 Paul Orndorff def. Ernie Ladd for the TSW North American Champion
- 05-29 2010 Josh Evans & Buddha def. Born Again Sunday (Kam & Koz) for the ACW Tag Team Champions
- 05-29 2010 Bobby Starr def. David Kyzer for the BYEW Entertainment Champion
- 05-29 2010 Shane Sanchez became the BYEW Caution Champion
- 05-29 2010 Rick Russo def. Shane Sanchez for the BYEW Caution Champion
- 05-29 2021 Psychotic Messengers (Maniac Mike & Malachi) def. DNR (Drake Gallows & Revan) for the EPW Tag Team Champions
- 05-29 2022 Striker def. Maddox Jones for the EPW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-30 1955 Ali Bey def. Mike Clancy for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 05-30 1970 Killer Kowalski def. The Spoiler for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
- 05-30 1979 Bill Watts & Buck Robley def. The Assassin & Angel [1st] for the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champion
- 05-30 1983 The Mongol def. King Parsons for the WCCW Television Champion
- 05-30 1986 Terry Gordy became the UWF Heavyweight Champion
- 05-30 2008 Dane Griffin def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Champion
- 05-30 2015 Aaron Neil def. Jordan Jacobs for the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 05-30 2020 Legend Has It (Thrash & Killbane) def. The Jet-Jitsu Dojo (J. J. Hefley & Jimmy Lorenzo) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
- 05-30 2020 Maddox Jones became the NCWO Heavyweight Champion
- 05-30 2020 Warren Powers & Karnage def. Giganto for the BPW 365 Champion
- 05-30 2020 Karnage def. Warren Powers for the BPW 365 Champion
- 05-30 2020 El Greengo Loco def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Champion
- 05-30 2020 Elijah Sparks def. El Greengo Loco for the BPW 365 Champion
- 05-30 2020 Bobby Joe Bristow def. Elijah Sparks for the BPW 365 Champion
- 05-30 2020 Karnage def. Bobby Joe Bristow for the BPW 365 Champion
- 05-30 2020 Giganto def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Champion
- 05-31 1954 Tor Yamato def. Rocco Perez for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 05-31 1968 Grizzly Smith def. Spoiler #1 for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
- 05-31 1971 Tom Jones & Billy Red Lyons def. The Spoilers (Spoiler #1 & Spoiler #2) for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-31 1981 The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) def. Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
- 05-31 2003 Anthony Jackson def. Rocco Valentino for the TPW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-31 2008 Slam Shady became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
- 05-31 2008 Brent Albright became the NWA-OK Universal Heavyweight Champion
- 05-31 2008 Xavior def. Sage for the SWCW Cruiserweight Champion
- 05-31 2008 3rd Rail def. Damon Windsor for the SWCW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-31 2008 Lady Venom def. Dominique LaReaux for the SWCW Womens Champion
- 05-31 2014 Cody Burns def. Sam Stackouse for the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-31 2014 Matt Majestic def. MHM, Inc. (Ray Martinez, Alabastair Hunt & K. P. Moore) for the SRPW Champion
- 05-31 2014 The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) def. The Sexy Camachos (Vinnie Camacho & Roberto Camacho) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 05-31 2014 Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) def. The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 06-01 1953 Billy Raborn def. Mike Clancy for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 06-01 1968 The Spoiler & Gary Hart became the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
- 06-01 1979 Jose Lothario & El Halcon def. The Spoiler & Mark Lewin for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
- 06-01 1981 Mike George def. Bob Sweetan for the TSW Tri-State Champion
- 06-01 2003 Jef Tiger became the ACW Hardcore Champion
- 06-01 2003 Tyler Bateman def. Jef Tiger for the ACW Hardcore Champion
- 06-01 2003 John O'Malley def. Tyler Bateman for the ACW Hardcore Champion
- 06-01 2008 Bad Boy became the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
- 06-01 2012 Tim Rockwell def. Brandon Walker for the ComPro Heavyweight Champion
- 06-01 2013 What Wrestling Should Be (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. The Birds of Prey (Phoenix & Falcon) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
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