Anthony Garcia

:"For the terrorist, see Anthony Garcia (terrorist)."Infobox Wrestler
name=Anthony Garcia
names=Tony Garciacite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/t/tony-garea.html|title=Tony Garea's Profile|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|accessdate=2008-08-01]
Tony Garea


img_capt=
height = height|ft=6|in=1
weight = convert|245|lb|kg st|abbr=on
real_height=
real_weight=
birth_date=birth date and age|1946|9|20
birth_place=Auckland, New Zealand
death_date=
death_place=
resides=Auckland, New Zealand
billed=
trainer=Wild Don Scott
debut=1971
retired=1986

Anthony Garcia (born September 20, 1946) is a retired New Zealand professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Tony Garea, who wrestled for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), spending thirty-two of his thirty-five year career in the promotion. After his in-ring retirement, he was employed by World Wrestling Entertainment to be a backstage worker.

Life

The son of Croatian-born Ivan Gareljich, "Anthony Gareljich" was born in Auckland, New Zealand to parents of Yugoslavian and Irish descent. He was originally an accomplished sprinter and a rugby player.

Career

Early career

Garcia was trained by Wild Don Scott. He made his professional wrestling debut in his native New Zealand. He worked in NWA San Francisco territory where he and Pat Patterson defeated Don Muraco and Invader I for the NWA San Francisco Tag Team Championship in May 1976.cite web|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ca/sf/rs/sf-nwa-t-shire.html|title=N.W.A. World Tag Team Title [San Francisco] |work=The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo|accessdate=2008-08-01]

World Wide Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Federation (1972-1986)

Debut / Early Tag Title Reigns (1972-1979)

Garea left New Zealand in 1972 and went to United States where he signed a contract with Vince McMahon, Sr.'s World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). He made his WWWF debut at a TV taping in the Philadelphia Arena on September 20 1972 as a babyface, defeating Davey O'Hannon. On May 30 1973, he teamed with Haystacks Calhoun and defeated Mr. Fuji and Professor Toru Tanaka to win his first WWWF World Tag Team Championship. [cite web|date=May 30|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/73.htm|title=WWWF Show Results 1973|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-01|quote=Tony Garea & Haystacks Calhoun defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions Prof. Toru Tanaka & Mr. Fuji to win the titles] cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/|title=World Tag Team Championship official title history|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-08-01] Garea and Calhoun feuded with Fuji and Tanaka for the rest of the summer before losing the titles back to Fuji and Tanaka on September 11. [cite web|date=September 11|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/73.htm|title=WWWF Show Results 1973|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-01|quote=Mr. Fuji and Prof. Toru Tanaka defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions Tony Garea & Haystacks Calhoun to win the titles when the referee stopped the match, ruling Calhoun unable to continue after Tanaka threw salt into the champion's eyes and choked him with his own horseshoe]

Garea continued the feud with Fuji and Tanaka with a new partner, Dean Ho. On November 14, Garea and Ho defeated Fuji and Tanaka for Garea's second and Ho's first WWWF World Tag Team Championship. [cite web|date=November 14|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/73.htm|title=WWWF Show Results 1973|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-01|quote=Tony Garea & Dean Ho defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions Prof. Toru Tanaka & Mr. Fuji to win the titles] Garea's second tag team reign was longer and better than his first reign. They held the titles for five and a half month before losing them to Valiant Brothers (Jimmy and Johnny) on May 8 1974 edition of "All Star Wrestling". [cite web|date=May 8|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/74.htm|title=WWWF Show Results 1974|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-01|quote=Jimmy & Johnny Valiant defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions Dean Ho & Tony Garea to win the titles] They continued teaming for a while before disbanding their tag team and working on their own. Garea, who had been successful as a tag team wrestler, began a singles career but he did not earn success as a singles wrestler.

Garea continued his singles career for three years before forming a tag team with new partner Larry Zbyzsko in August 1977. They began teaming after entering a tag team tournament for the vacant tag titles, where they were defeated by Mr. Fuji and Toru Tanaka in the finals on September 27 1977. [cite web|date=September 27|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/77.htm|title=WWWF Show Results 1977|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-01|quote="WWWF Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals:" Prof. Toru Tanaka & Mr. Fuji (w/Freddie Blassie) defeated Larry Zbyzsko & Tony Garea to win the titles] They continued to challenge for the titles before defeating The Yukon Lumberjacks (Eric and Pierre) for Garea's third and Zbyzsko's first WWWF World Tag Team Championship on November 21 1978 edition of "Championship Wrestling". [cite web|date=November 21|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/78.htm|title=WWWF Show Results 1978|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-02|quote=Tony Garea & Larry Zbyzsko defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions the Yukon Lumberjacks (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) to win the titles at 9:18 when Zbyzsko pinned Eric after the champions collided in the ring; after the match, Albano fired his team for losing the championship] They held the titles for four months before losing them to Valiant Brothers (Jerry and Johnny) on March 24 1979 edition of "Championship Wrestling". [cite web|date=March 6|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/79.htm|title=WWWF Show Results 1979|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-02|quote=Johnny & Jerry Valiant (w/ Capt. Lou Albano & Jimmy Valiant) defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions Larry Zbyzsko & Tony Garea to win the titles at 10:54 when Johnny pinned Zbyzsko after Jerry and Zbyzsko collided and Jimmy pulled Jerry to the floor, allowing Johnny to take his place in the ring] Later that same month, "Wide" was dropped from the promotion's name, renaming the promotion World Wrestling Federation.

Teaming with Rick Martel (1980-1981)

Garea continued to wrestle in the tag team division, with another former WWF Tag Team Champion Rene Goulet. The two participated in a tag team tournament for the titles, where they were defeated by Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika) in the finals on September 27 1980. [cite web|date=September 9|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/80.htm|title=WWF Show Results 1980|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-02|quote="WWF Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals:" The Wild Samoans (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) defeated Tony Garea & Rene Goulet at 10:08 to win the titles when Afa pinned Goulet following a double bodyslam behind the referee's back] Garea formed a tag team with new partner Rick Martel, which was Garea's most successful and most popular tag team. They defeated Wild Samoans on November 8 for Garea's fourth and Martel's first WWF Tag Team Championship. [cite web|date=November 8|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/80.htm|title=WWF Show Results 1980|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-02|quote=Rick Martel & Tony Garea defeated WWF Tag Team Champions the Wild Samoans to win the titles at 14:29 when Martel scored the pin with a sunset flip as the illegal Samoan covered Garea at the same time, moments after Garea and the legal Samoan collided in the ring] Garea and Martel continued to feud with the former champions for the rest of the year. After Wild Samoans left WWF, the champions began feuding with Moondogs (King and Rex). They dropped the titles to Moondogs on March 17 1981 edition of "Championship Wrestling". [cite web|date=March 17|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/81.htm|title=WWF Show Results 1981|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-02|quote=The Moondogs (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Tony Garea & Rick Martel to win the titles at 6:36 when Moondog Rex pinned Garea after Moondog King hit Garea in the head with his bone as the referee was knocked down]

Martel and Garea continued to feud with Moondogs, trying to regain the titles. On June 8, Garea beat a young rookie named Man Mountain Canyon in Madison Square Garden, who returned to WWF four years later as King Kong Bundy. [cite web|date=June 8|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/81.htm|title=WWF Show Results 1981|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-02|quote=Tony Garea defeated Man Mountain Cannon at 6:23 (King Kong Bundy)] On July 21 edition of "Championship Wrestling", Martel and Garea defeated Moondogs in a rematch to win their second WWF Tag Team Championship as a team, though, it was Garea's fifth and final individual reign. [cite web|date=July 21|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/81.htm|title=WWF Show Results 1981|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-02|quote=Rick Martel & Tony Garea defeated WWF Tag Team Champions the Moondogs (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) to win the titles at 8:14 when Martel pinned Moondog Spot with a sunset flip as Spot attempted to choke Garea with his bone] Garea's final run as a tag team champion ended on October 17 edition of "Championship Wrestling" after Garea and Martel were defeated by Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito for the tag titles. [cite web|date=October 13|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/81.htm|title=WWF Show Results 1981|work=Angelfire|accessdate=2008-08-02|quote=Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito (w/ Capt. Lou Albano) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Rick Martel & Tony Garea at 9:48 to win the titles when Saito pinned Martel after Fuji threw salt into the champion's eyes as Martel attempted a crossbody off the top, allowing Saito to roll through on the move to get the win] Garea and Martel continued to feud with Fuji and Saito, trying to regain the titles but failed to do so.

Martel left WWF in 1982 while Garea went on his own. He moved to the jobber to the stars status, jobbing rising newcomers before retiring in 1986. He was employed as a road agent by WWF which was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment in May 2002 due to a lawsuit with World Wildlife Fund for Nature. He is still holding the position of road agent. He recently appeared with former tag team partner Rick Martel at in June 2007. They came to the aid of the team of Sergeant Slaughter and Jimmy Snuka who were being beaten following their losing effort against Deuce 'n Domino. [cite web|first=Bryan|last=Robinson|date=2007-06-24|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/vengeance/matches/40811641114/results/|title=Tag champs win, but taught a legendary lesson|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-08-02|quote=Boos rained down on the brash duo as they continued to abuse Slaughter & Snuka after the final bell rang, prompting Tony Garea & Rick Martel to rush to the ring and show Deuce & Domino why they were champions]

When WWE came to New Zealand on 11th June 2008 in Auckland he was a guest on the very first international V.I.P Lounge along with Bushwacker Butch. The segment's host, MVP announced him as Bushwhacker Luke but then apologized. Eventually, MVP attacked Butch & Tony with the microphone. Butch & Tony recovered and fought off MVP, then celebrated with the Bushwhacker walk.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:*Octopus hold:*Abdominal stretch

Championships and accomplishments

*NWA San Francisco:*NWA World Tag Team Championship "(San Francisco version)" (1 time) - with Pat Patterson

*Pro Wrestling Illustrated:*PWI Rookie of the Year (1973) tied with Bob Orton, Jr.

*World Wide Wrestling Federation | World Wrestling Federation:*WWWF/WWF World Tag Team Championship (5 times) - with Haystacks Calhoun (1), Dean Ho (1), Larry Zbyszko (1), and Rick Martel (2)

References

External links

* [http://onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/t/tony-garea.html Profile at OWW]