September 8, 2008 Tito Santana is inducted into:
Spanish Hall of Fame of Pro Wrestling (Salón del Catch).
www.salondelcatch.com
What your reading here is an internet Spanish-English Translation of www.salondelcatch.com
The Parlor of the Fame of the Catch is created with the mission to
yield a deserved homage to the fighters that have carried to this
discipline to be one of the greater entertainments of the history along
everyone. Another parallel mission consists of obtaining all the
possible information about the history of the catch in our country.
We start the Parlor with ours first member, nothing less than the
great Tito Santana. In brief you will be able to read the
complete interview that we carry out him because of its induction, but
here is the first part.
Interview:
Pablo R. Iron: Good afternoon
Tito Santana. It pleases me to name him through the committee of the
Parlor of the Fame of Catch as the member that opens our parlor. After
so many years of good wrestling, great professionalism, and to be our
representative in the first two evenings of the WWF in our country at
the beginning of the ninety. It is all a referring for the fans Spanish
of the modern age of wrestling, and therefore today we yield him
homage. ¿He means something?
Tito Santana: I want to greet
to all the Spanish fanatics, especially to those of Barcelona, because
they received me as a hero, and was a pleasure for my to fight in the
place where were going to celebrate the Olympics, the place was filled
and the support that the fanatics of Barcelona they gave me was
tremendous. A lot thanks by being my fanatics.
P: Not alone they were of Barcelona, we were fans of every Spain, was
people even of Andalusia, to the south of Spain, people that did more
than ten car by hours.
T: Oh, I did not I know that, I believed that were always fanatics of the city.
P: I would like to begin the interview doing an I review of everything
that has been their career, that better way of writing an example of
the reason has been elected to be the first member of the Parlor of the
Fame of the Catch existing in Spain. Which it was its first contact
with the wrestling? ¿How decides to be done professional fighter?
T: : I began to fight the first day of 1977. It was educating me in the
Univerisad and Tully Blanchard was also a fighter, we play together
American soccer in the school and he and their dad Joe Blanchard began
me to speak of the fight and they tried me to convince that me me to
put in the fight after I graduated me in the school. But my first
interest was to play American soccer, and was what I did. I
graduated in the university and I played professional American soccer
for two years and then I began to fight, and he was somewhat tremendous
for my, a decision that I did that was very good for my.
P: If I do not have badly understood its coach was the famous one I Wound Matsuda ¿What learned with him?
T: The first thing that learned of I Wound Matsuda was to have him
respect to the fight. I did not know anything, I was not a fanatic of
the fight, I had to learn it all and told me that “ first had to
crawl before that to walk” and the first thing that had to learn
was the forms to fall to a fighter in the canvas, cai in its place with
the experience, and that is what I learned. I learned seven ways to
descend or to fall to a fighter to the canvas, and I practiced him and
I practiced and I practiced, and for my went him more important than I
learned in the fight.
P: In that epoch I Wound Matsuda also he coached fighters as Hulk Hogan
and other fighters that later passed to be large fighters, ¿with
who did he coincide in those training? ¿Was equal a gymnasium of
wrestling like the ones that there is now?
T: Not not not, the fight in Florida… the owner of the territory
was Eddie Graham. And there they did the television in matted Hair, in
a small place, there they had their office and they had a room where
they had the ring always there. Never demontaban the ring, always they
had the ready so that we practiced, and in that same ring recorded the
television every Wednesday. There it was where coached I Wound me
Matsuda. I wound Matsuda he coached me to my by a favor that did to
Terry Funk, Terry Funk helped me my in the fight more than nobody and I
Wound Matsuda him please coach me to my. And to the two months of I to
pass over there they began Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake. But so that
I Wound Matsuda coached someone had to fall him well that person,
because Matsauda did not coach anyone by money.
P: We were able to say that did not coach to any, and that Terry Funk was its godfather, like we would say in Spain.
T: If.
P: The first years of their career develop in Florida and Geogia, ¿How were those first years of career?
T: I had as four fights in Florida and later I went me to Atlanta,
Georgia. Jim Barnett was the owner of the business that, and there I
was as ten months. He was my first experience.
P: And of Georgia he goes to Yellow in 1979 where he wins his first
title, the Western States Tag Team Champions next to Ted Dibiase. What
memory remains of that championship?
T: If, it Was somewhat tremendous, because was the first time that
began to fight as Main Event in the billboards, and like the fanatics
they received me there something went very good. Me did not I remain a
lot because the owner of that territory was Blackjack Mulligan and Dick
Murdock. And Dick Murdock was also babyface and since him did not like
that Ted Dibiase and I subieramos as favorite of the territory, and
alone we were champions during a week and then he removed us the
titles. (laughters)
P: In Yellow it was seen the faces with Terry Funk and Blackjack Mulligan, ¿How worked itself with these fighters?
T: If, I fought with the two in that epoch, Blackjack Mulligan was a
very large man, and he was a coarse tremendous one, the style was of a
large man as Andre the Giant. Terry Funk had a style that could fight
with any, so much with the boys as with the large. They were men with a
mentality of a tremendous experience and were very good fighters.
P: And from there the entrance in the WWF and the birth of Tito
Santana, ¿How the step was gestated of Yellow to the WWF?
¿How noticed you?
T: When we were fighting in Yellow, Andre the Giant that had known it
in 1977 when I began to fight, always strolled it I in my car, was with
us as two weeks, and strolling I talked him that was not I please there
with Dick Murdoch, the noted that was not happy and the a tape of the
fights was carried mias that gave him Mario Salvodi, that worked with
us in the Television. It it was carried to Vince McMahon and at two
o'clock weeks called me because Vince McMahon wanted that began to work
in New York. I give thanks to Andre The Giant that the was the one that
the career opened me to arrive at New York more than nobody.
P: You previously had utilized its true name and the ally Richard
Blood, that coincides with the real name of Ricky Steamboat,
¿That was coincidence?
T: Not, what happened is that Ricky Steamboat was fighting in Atlanta
and the bookers were Smells and Gene Anderson. It smells had neither
given the opportunity to Ricky Steamboat and Ricky Steamboat had just
gone of Atlanta to Charlotte. There they did it a tremendous star, in
two months was the Main Event of Charlotte, was being sold all by the
fast thing that rose Ricky Steamboat, and the developer of Atlanta Jim
Barnett that had known me when he began I to fight in Florida, he flew
to charlotte to ask him permission to Ricky Steamboat... to ask him if
was able I to use its name. Rick ySteamboat said that if, and by that
reason I fought I with its name, Richard Blood. Jim Barnett wanted to
do me star because there they had had it and they had left to go to the
true one Richard Blood.
P: It enters the WWF and is born Tito Santana, ¿The change by
name to who occurs him himself? Or ¿How does he be born?
T: When I arrived at New York they presented myself to Vince McMahon
Mr. and told i that thought about a name that me liked to my, and I
told him that me liked the surname Santana, because wanted a name that
had sound. When I put me to fight my first fight I fought as Dino
Santana and I signed various autographs like Dino Santana. When I
returned from my first fight in the television I passed for the
curtains for the backstage and Vince Mr. told me “ from here on
you are going to be Tito Santana” and I told “ what you he
like” and from there on I fought as Tito Santana.
P: How was Vince McMahon Mr.?
T: Vince McMahon Mr. was a tremendous man, was the developer to which I
and fighters of the entire world had more respect than to nobody, was a
man of word.
P: Was a gentleman, ¿Truth?
T: Was a good gentleman.
P: To fight in territories arrives at the WWF where there are large
consecrated stars that are in the top with the ones that begins to
share dressing rooms. Andre The Giant, the Brothers Valiant, The Wild
Samoans, Lou Albano… uff a long list of consecrated stars. What
passes for the head the first time that coincides with all those men
before rising to a ring? ¿How they receive him?
T: The WWF was the largest territory of the United States, we fought in
places where they entered more people than nowhere else, was the first
time that fought in front of 22000 fanatics, in MSG, and they had
various places as Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Baltimore. The largest
places than in which had fought I, in the south at most was in front of
8000 fanatics. The stars were the largest of the world also, were
tremendous fighters, the nerves rose himself me provided that was going
to fight in front of the fanatics, but for my always saw me well
prepared, I was a true athlete. But always when he was in the ring the
nerves were put me, the hands they sweated me, put me nervous, but as
quick as sounded the bell was forgot me all and alone thought about my
work.
P: In its first months formed couple several times with Andre The
Giant, the great man WWF, ¿How was the work with Andre? There
are companions that have commented that to the new was put the
difficult.
T: Andre the Giant to my received me very quick in my career, because
when I began in 1977 in Atlanta. He smells Anderson that was the booker
gave me the work to be going to collect it to the airport. It fell me
well Andre, and in any territory in which I was and Andre arrived i was
the responsible for carrying to Andre in my car, to me broke the chairs
of my car, was very large and heavy. And I believe that I him caia
well, I treated it with a lot of respect and charge took me of that
arrived at the fight.
P: And it arrives at the Mecca of Wrestling as commented me before. What is to fight in the MSG for a professional fighter?
T: The MSG is the largest place of the fight or of any event that there
is in the US, there was a singer that said “ if you can do it in
New York can do it anywhere”, and also there was a said that said
“ if perhaps pass the exam with the fanatics of MSG, pass the
exam with the fanatics of the entire world”. The fanatics of MSG
was not facil that you to receive well, you had to win its support. The
fanatics of New York for baseball, basketball or any another sport for
my are the fanatics that more difficult you can conquer and to do that
they continue it to one. But to my they received me very well when was
new in the territory, and I believe that for the third time that I
fought in MSG the fanatics already were well fanatics of Tito Santana.
P: It can be that therefore now less fights be done in MSG? Why has it
changed the wrestling and no longer those fights be seen that were seen
before or you believe that goes more by the theme of the TV?
T: More nothing by the theme of the television. The fight of today in I
gave is not like the fight of the 80 and 90 when I was fighting I in
MSG. The WWF has difficulties in filling the places those, the only way
that can fill them in in special events as the Wrestlemania or
SummerSlam, but the Raw and other shows that have simpre do it in
smaller places so that they be seen that they are full, I believe that
they are 5000 or 6000 people that there is but the cameras cause they
see that are a lot more large the buildings, but they are not Large
buildings as before.
P: In few months inside the WWF forms couple with Ivan Putski and they
defeat to the Champions of couples, the fearsome Johnny & Jerry
Valiant. Their first championship in the WWF and in less than one year
inside the Confederacy. Tito Santana already estabaen the top.
¿That memories there is of that night in the head of the man
that covered Johnny Valiant? Rarely time I have seen Tito Santana so
happy in a ring?
T: For my it was the principle of my career where i I considered me as
the fighter Main Event in the better places of the world, since I
arrived. When we win the championship that night was the
principle of my history where I could have said already I arrived at the level of the better of the fight of the entire world.
P: What can speak us of Ivan Putsky? Was their companion and they defended the championship on numerous occasions.
T: Ivan Putsky gave me many counsels. Vince McMahon Mr. spoke with him
and told him that if wanted to be my couple, that would be very good
for my, for Tito Santana, to be able to fight with another fighter that
already had the name stabilized and Ivan Putsky told him he that would
be a pleasure to do couple because the never had done couple with
nobody. It had done couple by once or two but not permanent couple. I
learned a lot of Ivan Putsky, that way to treat the fanatics, as to
carry you as a professional of the fight.
P: With respect to that to learn in the fight. There is some moment in
which itself for to learn? Or a moment arrives in which already is all
learned?
T: When I learned to fight the veterans always told me that “
when you create your that know it all, is time so that withdraw”.
Still i like to fight weekends and still I learn something when I put
me to fight with the youths. He is a business that always learns one,
and what needs to learn he is like to do the connection with the
fanatics, that is what needs to do one for the connection and to say
one a history in each fight. And even the date I think that I continue
learning of the fight.
P: Of the brothers Valiant I have read that also learned a lot, ¿is not true?
T: For my the way to learn that has one is when fights with a fighter
that has more experience, because learns the knacks and the styles that
have they. So for my the Valiant Brothers were a couple that had a lot
of experience and the times that fought I against them each time that
put me with them in the ring education of the fight came out with more.
P: We arrive 1979 and Hulk Hogan arrives new to the confederacy of
McMahon and they have various clashes in 1980 ¿What recalls of
the Hogan in its beginnings in the confederacy?
T: I began to fight to first of 1977 and in April I went myself to
Atlanta, Georgia. I coached me as three months and medium, and I
remember that Hogan began to coach like to half of April and then when
to stopped coaching went to Nashville, Tenesse. In that time Hogan
weighed as 245 pounds and did not have good beginning and went also to
fight with Smells Andeson in Atlanta and they told that enlarged more
pounds, returned to matted Hair and hit hard to the weights in the
gymnasium, already weighed near 300 pounds, and when arrived in 1979
still we were green, a lot of experience lacked us. We fight twice in
MSG, we were learning a lot, but I did not learn a lot of him neither
he learned a lot of my because still we were small in the fight, did
not we know sufficient. As I said before the way to learn in this
business is fighting against men that have more experience than your.
P: Those two fights with Hogan, I have understood that lost them. Is
not thus? That how sat down him? You were champion of couples and Hogan
new.
T: The first fight I I won it, to they disqualified it him I believe. And then we had the second that I lost it.
P: While its fights are carry out with Hogan, you and its companion of
reign begin a feud with the evil Wild Samoans that hard to the month of
April with the loss of the scepter in Philadelphia. How was to fight
with the Wild Samoans? Because truly some savages seemed.
T: (Laughters) If, the Wild Samoans the first time that I saw them to
fight I said, “ Oh! That is going to cost me to put me to fight
against these! ”. They were some fighters that one could not be
prepared to fight with them, the style was very different, they were
strong and for my not fighters seemed but if they had style upon
fighting and the fanatics were put enough in the fight of us with the
Wild Samoans. It was a tremendous experience, each time that fought
with them gave thanks to God that still was breathing, that still was
alive, because were evils in the ring.
Soon you will be able to read the remainder of our exclusive interview to Tito Santana
Also you can consult its profile.
© Copyright 2008 | Parlor of the Fame of the Catch
Legal notice | to Contact
Miembros del Salón de la Fama
Members of the Lounge of the Reputation
Sept 2008: Tito Santana
Miembros Candidaturas Funcionamiento Catch en España Foro
Home > Candidaturas Próximas Candidaturas
El comité hará publica la lista de candidatos para
determinar el segundo miembro del Salón de la Fama del Catch
durante la primera semana del mes de Noviembre.
Members Candidacies Functioning Catch in Spain Forum
Home> Next Candidacies Candidacies
The committee will make the list of candidates public to determine the
second member of the Lounge of the Reputation of the Catch during the
first week of November.
Induction to the Lounge
The inductions will take place every three months. The members of the
committee will propose to two candidates each one and the resultant
list will be submitted to voting. The above mentioned voting will
contemplate the criterion of each of the members of the committee, as
well as of the visitors to the lounge, which collective opinion will
count like one more member.
Every voter will be able to grant the punctuations of 5, 3 and 1 point
to three of the candidates proposed in list. The candidate who receives
better punctuation it will take the above mentioned candidate
automatically to the following induction without need to enter the
proposed candidacies. The rest of candidates will not be able to choose
to his election in the following voting, must hope for another later
induction.
The votings of the members of the committee, as well as his proposals will be secret.
Criteria to be induced
Except really exceptional situations that will be studied by the
direction of the Committee the following criteria will be applied.
Every candidate must be major of 40 years of age
Link of at least 20 years to the catch, except injury or death
Record and obtained qualifications
The Committee
The Committee of Selection of the Lounge of the Catch will be formed by
not more than eleven members, being formed the direction of the same
one by at least three of the above mentioned members.
The members of the committee will have right to propose and to pass or
to push the inclusion of new members back by means of simple majority
to the lounge.
The current members of the committee are the following ones:
D. Pablo R. I shoe (President of the Lounge of the Reputation of the Catch)
D. Mountain Jose (President of the EWE)
D. Javier Zarza (Editor/Publisher of www.pressingcatch.com)
D. Demian Álvarez (Expert in wrestling years 80)
Catch in Spain
We are compiling materials on the history of the Catch in our country.
Shortly you will be able to see the collection that we have managed to
assemble.
This collection is in continuo growth. If you want to contribute us some interesting material, please contact with us.
Forum
http://www.pressingcatch.com/foro/salon_de_la_fama_del_catch-b23.0/