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By Jenni Grattan
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Name:
Jose Estrada (has also been rumoured
to be called Jesús Guadalupe
Delgado Saldaña)
Aliases:
Aguila/Mr. Aguila (1994-2000), Papi
Chulo (1998-2000), Essa Rios (2000-present),
Super Medico 3, Solid Gold 18K and Vigilante
in Puerto Rico, and Black Hayabusa,
Crypt Keeper and Foreign Exchange in
Mexico and Japan.
Height:
5'10"/179 cm
Weight:
185 pounds/85 kg
Date of Birth:
December 10, 1977
Place of Birth:
Atotonico, Jalisco, Mexico
Date of Professional
Debut: January 3, 1994
Place of Professional
Debut: Guadalajara, Jalisco,
Mexico
Lost Mask To:
Ultimo Dragon - September 11, 1998 -
Arena México
Finishing Move:
Moonsault
Trademark Moves:
Flying Springboard Armdrag, Vuelo de
Aguila (running twisting plancha suicida)
Titles Held:
WWE Lightheavyweight Title, Puerto Rico:
IWA Junior Heavyweight Title
Jose Estrada began his wrestling career
in Mexico at the tender age of seventeen.
Although he was a popular wrestler in
Mexico and Puerto Rico, his popularity
did not peak until he was hired by the
World Wrestling Entertainment (then
World Wrestling Entertainment). Estrada
was hired in to the WWE to be part of
the new Lightheavyweight division, and
although he did not win the original
tournament, he had an exciting feud
with the tournament winner, Taka Michinoku,
which peaked at Wrestlemania XV.
After a short stint as Papi Chulo,
when his finishing move was the Shooting
Star Press, Estrada began wrestling
full-time for Superastros, WWE's Latin
American program. After nearly a year-long
absence, Estrada reappeared as Essa
Rios in Austin, Texas, with Lita by
his side. On February 8, 2000, Jose
Estrada won the WWE Lightheavyweight
Title from Eddie Gilbert with his new
finishing move, the top rope Moonsault.
Estrada went on
to hold the title for thirty-four days,
defending it with honour before losing
it to Dean Malenko on April 25. After
losing his Lightheavyweight Title, Rios
and Lita went on to have a brief but
entertaining feud with Eddie Guerrero
and Chyna. At Backlash 2000, with Lita
making her pay-per-view debut, Estrada
and Guerrero had a classic Lucha Libre
match, with aerial offense dominating
the match.
After breaking away from Lita, Estrada's
popularity unfortunately began to decrease.
WWE had hoped that, by turning on Lita,
Estrada would be able to get heat from
the crowd and feud with Lita, pushing
Lita in to the Lightheavyweight division.
Unfortunately, the WWE had the Hardy
Boyz rescue Lita, and instead of having
Lita seek revenge, had her smitten with
the Hardy Boyz. Rather than capitalizing
on Estrada's sudden heat, the WWE teamed
Lita up with the Hardy Boyz to take
on such people as Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley,
Kurt Angle, and Edge & Christian.
While this may have catapulted both
Lita and the Hardy Boyz to further fame,
it banished Estrada to the depths of
Heat, Metal and dark matches.
WWE released Estrada in 2001, claiming
that they were unable to use him in
storylines due to the fact that he can
not speak English. While he has continued
wrestling throughout Central America,
he has failed to regain the popularity
he once had. Although he is still young
and is rumoured to be learning English,
only time will tell if he will ever
be given the opportunity to reach his
full potential.
Mr. Aguila, papi Chulo and Essa Rios
were stage names used by Jesús
Guadalupe Delgado Saldaña
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