Pedro Morales
| Pedro Morales | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | October 22, 1942 Culebra, Puerto Rico |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Billed height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Billed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Trained by | Barba Rojo |
| Debut | 1959 |
| Retired | 1986 |
Pedro Morales (born October 22, 1942) is a retired, Hispanic/Latino professional wrestler. He began his wrestling career as a teenager in 1959 and continued through the mid-1980s.
Pedro debuted in 1959 at the Sunnyside Gardens beating Buddy Gilbert. Pedro Morales became the first hispanic to become the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) World Heavyweight Champion from February 8, 1971 until December 1, 1973. He was the fourth man to become WWE Champion. He also held the World Wrestling Association Championship in California circa 1965, the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship on two occasions, and the WWF World Tag Team Championship with Bob Backlund. Until 1992 he was the only man to have held all three major Federation Championships (Triple Crown).
Morales made his only WrestleMania appearance in 1986 when he was a part of a 20-man invitational battle royal at WrestleMania 2.
Pedro Morales was the first Hispanic and the first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1995. He was also the first Hispanic and the first Puerto Rican to win the WWWF Championship.
Finishing and Signature Moves
- Boston Crab
- Top Rope Cannonball Splash
- Left hand punch
Championships and accomplishments
World Wrestling Entertainment
- 1-Time WWWF World Heavyweight Champion
- 2-Time WWF Intercontinental Champion
- 1-Time WWF World Tag Team Champion (with Bob Backlund)
- 1-Time WWWF United States Champion
- Member WWE Hall of Fame (inducted in 1995)
- First Triple Crown Champion
Florida Championship Wrestling
- 1-Time Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time Florida Television Champion
- 1-Time Florida Tag Team Champion (with Rocky Johnson)
National Wrestling Alliance
- 3-Time NWA North American Heavyweight Champion (Hawaii version)
- 1-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (San Francisco version) (with Pat Patterson)
- 3-Time NWA Hawaiian Tag Team Champion (with Bing Ki Lee once & Ed Francis twice)
World Wrestling Council
- 1-Time WWC Tag Team Champion (with Carlitos Colon)
- 2-time WWC North American Champion
Other titles
- 2-Time WWA Heavyweight Champion
- 4-Time WWA Tag Team Champion (with Luis Hernandez, Mark Lewin, Ricky Romero and Victor Rivera)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 111 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- 1972 PWI Wrestler of the Year
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- 1981 Most Overrated Wrestler
- 1982 Most Overrated Wrestler