| Savio Vega |
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| Savio Vega
Height: 5'11" Weight: 248 lbs. Real name: Juan Rivera Hometown: Vega Alta, PR Pro debut: 1989 Finishing move: Super Kwang Spin Kick Other aliases: TNT (PRWF), The Boss (IWA), Kwang (WWE), Hombre Dinamita (NWA IWA) Career highlights: WWC North American Heavyweight Champion, WWC World Tag Team Champion (w/Mr. Pogo), WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Champion (3), WWC Puerto Rican Heavyweight Champion, WWC TV Champion (5), WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion, AWF Americas Champion, WWA World Heavyweight Champion, WWA Puerto Rican Heavyweight Champion, NWA IWA Hardcore Champion, NWA IWA Heavyweight Champion, NWA IWA Tag Team Champion (w/Miguelito Perez) Vega was born in the town of Vega Alta (Where the “Vega” in his wrestling name comes from), where he received his primary education. He participated in wrestling events during his high school years. After graduating from high school, Vega went to Miami, Florida, where he auditioned for the WWF. He was accepted and sent back to Puerto Rico, where he wrestled for the Puerto Rican Wrestling Federation. In 1989, he debuted under the identity of “T.N.T.” and once he had gained enough wrestling experience, he was sent back to the United States. Following a series of television spots hyping his character, Rivera made his WWF debut under a mask, as Kwang the Ninja in late 1993 after being built up for several weeks through a series of vingnettes. Originally managed by Harvey Wippleman, Kwang spent most of the following year as a “jobber to the stars,” and was best known for spitting green mist at his opponents, in the tradition of other mysterious “Asian” wrestlers, such as The Great Muta. On May 14, 1995, the Kwang gimmick was dropped, as Rivera appeared in street clothes during the WWF first In Your House pay-per-view. When wrestler Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) was being attacked after a match by Jeff Jarrett and The Roadie, Rivera jumped over the rails and “rescued” Razor Ramon. Later on in the PPV, Ramon introduced his rescuer as his friend, the fiery Puerto Rican Savio Vega. Vega enjoyed some measure of popularity during the remainder of 1995. He competed four times in one night at the King of the Ring, beating IRS, Yokozuna and The Roadie before losing to Mabel in the finals (his match against IRS was a qualifying match for the spot vacated by the injured Ramon). The next night on Monday Night RAW, Vega came within inches of defeating Jeff Jarrett for the Intercontinental Title. This would be the closest to title contention he would come in his WWF career. In 1996, Vega fought Stone Cold Steve Austin in both men's Wrestlemania debut. A few months later, in a presentation called the Caribbean Strap Match at In Your House 8: Beware of Dog, Vega defeated Austin. Vega himself considers this his most important match. The match is historically significant for being the last time Ted Dibiase was seen on WWF programming until 2005. In 1997, he was an original member of the Nation of Domination with fellow wrestlers Crush (Bryan Adams) and Faarooq (Ron Simmons). Vega soon left that group and formed his own alliance known as Los Boricuas with Miguel Pérez, José Estráda and Jesus Castillo, which lasted over a year. In late 1998, Vega competed in the WWE Brawl For All tournament, making it to the quarterfinals before he lost to Darren Drozdov. In 2001, Vega announced his retirement from professional wrestling due to the vertebrae problems he had suffered since participating in the Brawl for All. Savio Vega now works in an independent wrestling promotion, IWA:PR. |