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Bios

Tito Santana

Height: 6' 2"

Weight: 244 lbs.

From: Tocula, Edomex, Mexico

Birthday: May 10th

Pro Debut: February 23, 1977

Aliases: Richard Blood, El Matador, Merced Solis

Feds Worked For: AWA, JCW, MSW, NWA, NWA-West, WCCW, WCW, WWE, WWF, All-Out Mayhem Wrestling (ME), Amercan Wrestling Federation, Big Time Wrestling (MA), Canadian Wrestling's Elite (Canada), Connecticut Championship Wrestling, Danish Pro Wrestling (Denmark), Destination 1 Wrestling (IN), Deutsche Wrestling Alliance (Germany), Dutch Wrestling Allianz (Netherlands), East Coast Pro Wrestling, East Coast Wrestling Association (NJ), Eastern Wrestling Alliance (MD), Empire Wrestling Alliance, Forgotten Championship Wrestling (NY), Great Lakes Championship Wrestling, House of Pain Wrestling (WV), Independent Wrestling Federation (NJ), Independent Pro Wrestling (NJ), International World Class Championship Wrestling (ME), International Wrestling Cartel, International Wrestling Federation, In Your Face Wrestling (NY), IAW, IWA, Legends of Wrestling, Maryland Championship Wrestling, National Wrestling Superstars (NJ), New York Wrestling Connection, Northern Championship Wrestling (PA), Northern States Wrestling Alliance, Northern States Wrestling Association (MI), NOVA Pro Wrestling (VA), NWA Eastern (PA), Power Wrestling Alliance, Pro Wrestling Ohio (OH), Pro Wrestling Xtreme, Renegade Wrestling Alliance, Revival Pro Wrestling (MA), Southern Championship Wrestling, Southern Tier Wrestling (NY), Top Rope Promotions (MA), United States Pro Wrestling, United States Wrestling Federation (MA), Virginia Championship Wrestling (VA), WCWA, Xtreme Intense Championship Wrestling (MI),

Finisher: El Paso de la Muerte (Running leaping forearm club to the head of a bent over opponent), Figure-four Leglock, Flying Forearm Smash

Signature Moves: Atomic Drop, Big Boot, Diving Clothesline, Dropkick, Running Crossbody, Short-Arm Clothesline

Career Highlights: -AWF Champion (2x)
-EWA Champion-IAW Television Champion
-IAW Television Champion
-IWA Champion
-IWCCW Champion
-IWF Tag Team Champion (w/ Mr. Casino)
-HPW Tag Team Champion (w/ The Latin Tornado)
-NSWA Champion
-NWA Eastern Champion
-NWA Western States Tag Team Champion (w/ Ted DiBiase)
-PWW-1 Tag Team Champion (w/ Travis Lee)
-RWA Champion
-USA Pro Champion
-WWF Intercontinental Champion
-WWF World Tag Team Champion (2x; 1 each w/ Ivan Putski and Rick Martel)
-Won the WWF King of the Ring tournament in 1989

Affiliates: Rick Martel

Notable Feuds: Terry Funk, Dory Funk, Jr., Butch Reed, Greg Valentine, Rick Martel

Other Facts: -Not to be confused with the wrestler of the same name that competes in Mexico
-Father of pro wrestler Jenni Santana
-Lost his debut match to Crusher Verdu
-The town Santana was billed from, Tocula Mexico, did not actually exist. WWF intended to bill him from Toluca Mexico, but misspelled it and never went back to correct it.
-Sometimes billed from Mexico City, Mexico
-Played football for West Texas State University with Ted DiBiase & Tully Blanchard. Santana played tight end, while DiBiase was on the team as a defensive tackle, and Blanchard was quarterback.
-Wrestled using the name Richard Blood, which ironically is the real name of Ricky Steamboat
-Santana's catch phrase, "Ariba!" with the fist pump, was created by Dino Bravo.
-His victory at WrestleMania I was his only PPV singles win.
-Formerly known as El Matador, not to be confused with either member of the El Matador tag team.
-Under the "El Matador" gimmick, he faced Shawn Michaels 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 World 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 expand 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
-In 1997, Santana did Spanish color commentary for the WWF broadcasts.
-Competed in the first WWF match broadcast on the USA Network (against Rene Goulet)
-Voted Tag Team of the Year (w/ Ivan Putski) in 1979 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated
-Ranked #134 in the 1991 PWI 500
-Ranked #65 in the 1992 PWI 500
-Ranked #68 in the 1993 PWI 500
-Ranked #90 in the 1994 PWI 500
-Ranked #51 in the 1995 PWI 500
-Ranked #188 in the 1996 PWI 500
-Ranked #200 in the 1997 PWI 500
-Ranked #340 in the 1998 PWI 500
-Owns a hair salon in Roxbury, New Jersey and is also a Physical Education & Spanish Teacher.
-Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004
-Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2013