Ricky Vega

Infobox Wrestler
name=Ephraim Vega


names=Machete
Ricky Vega
height=6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
weight=260 lb (118 kg)
birth_date = Birth date and age|1976|12|2|mf=y
death_date =
birth_place = The Bronx, New York City
resides= Orlando, Florida
billed= Puerto Rico
trainer=Johnny Rodz,
Marty Jannetty,
Ted DiBiase
debut= December 2001
retired=|

Ephraim Vega (born December 2, 1976) is an Puerto Rican American professional wrestler and is best known working Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Machete, and in independent promotions under the name Ricky Vega.

Career

Vega played football in high school, but an injury prevented him from playing college football. After attending a business school and working in financing, Vega decided to become a professional wrestler. He was introduced to wrestling trainer Johnny Rodz on July 16, 2001. After training under Rodz, he debuted on the Pennsylvanian independent circuit under the name Ricky Vega, working for promotions such as World Xtreme Wrestling, Gladiator Championship Wrestling where he scored his first singles win by pinning Matt Striker and Pro-Pain-Pro-Wrestling. Later he worked for World of Unpredictable Wrestling and became North American Champion by defeating The Uptown Badboy. He went on to defeat Tim Arson, "Smooth Operator" Mike Gallagher and "Pain", "Shellshock" and Sgt. Vic all members of the "Terror Squad" a heel faction of disgruntled military extremist. Vega went on to debut on WWE's Velocity against Luther Reigns as well as on dark matches. A knee injury kept him from signing with the company in 2004 and out of action until returning in August 2005 at a Coastal Championship Wrestling show were he defeated Gino Carusso.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

In February 2006 at TNA Against All Odds 2006, Vega debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as "Machete", replacing Apolo as a member of the Latin American Exchange (LAX). The LAX went on to lose to The James Gang, with B.G. James pinning Machete. On the following TNA iMPACT show Machete(Vega) and Homicide would squash and defeat La Migra. LAX would capture and beatdown BG James in front of the announce table before Kip James finally made the save. Later during a Team Canada, James Gang iMPACT match LAX would interfere and cost the James Gang the win. They would proceed to beatdown the James Gang setting up a grudge match between the two factions. The LAX faced The James Gang in a rematch at TNA Destination X 2006 on March 12, 2006, but lost once again after Vega(Machete)was left alone in the ring with BG, Bob Armstrong and Kip, eventually leading to Kip James pinning Machete. On the March 18, 2006 episode of TNA iMPACT!, Machete was thrown out of the LAX by Konnan and a reluctant Homicide who viewed Machete as fearless. He was subsequently released from TNA. Vega is currently working Florida indy's and is set to return in January under his original stage name Ricky Vega.

Vega made his return to TNA on the February 15 episode of iMPACT pushing Konnan, who was then confined to a wheelchair due to hip surgery, to the ring for LAX's tag team match against Shark Boy and Norman Smiley. Machete (Vega) would play a major role in keeping LAX Tag Champions by interfering first at "Against All Odds" then again at "Destination X" in matches against Team 3D. Later on TNA iMPACT taping, he assisted Homicide in defeating Scott Stiener and Brother Devon in a three-way tag match. Vega would also keep VKM (Voodo Kin Mafia) from winning the belts on iMPACT by again interjecting himself in the match. Vega was also involved in the Belting Pot Match between Team 3D and LAX, which would turn into a gang scuffle between LAX Latino Nation members and Brother Ray's Italian Brotherhood. He would work as LAX's enforcer for a brief time before becoming a full-time member after Konnan's release.

Independent career

Dynamite Championship Wrestling

Vega made his way to Dynamite Championship Wrestling (DCW) [cite web |url=http://www.dynamitechampionshipwrestling.com |title=Dynamite Championship Wrestling |accessdate=2007-08-23 |publisher=Dynamite Championship Wrestling ] in August 2006. He debuted by defeating Viper. With the win he earned an immediate Heavyweight title match due to Hector Guerrero vacating the championship. He would go on to defeat Matt Bentley and become champion. Vega would later be stripped and the title held vacant setting the stage for a title tournament. Vega would defeat Bobby Barretta and JB Cool to move in to the finals against former WCW star Glacier. Vega and Glacier had developed a friendship in DCW rescuing each other on past events. The match seemed to be competitive and fair until Don Kiko Cabana came down to ring side and assisted Vega in regaining the title. Vega would shock the fans by embracing and accepting Cabana's help thus turning him into a heel. Vega would go on to feud with Glacier for three months until it all came to a head when they faced off in a Lumberjack Match. Vega would again defeat Glacier thanks to Benny Blanco and Simon Sez, who due to Vega's win became commissioner. Vega would later face and defeat Team 3D member Brother Devon in Melbourne with the help of Bill DeMott, setting the stage for a tables match with both Brother Devon and Brother Ray who form Team 3D facing off against Ricky Vega and Bill Demott. The match would prove to be Bill Demott's retirement match and although Team 3D would prevail by putting Vega through a table, Team 3D would give Bill Demott the respect he deserved by giving an emotional send off much to the delight of the DCW faithful.

International Wrestling Association

On August 17th, 2007 Ricky Vega signed on with The IWA in Puerto Rico after being recruited by long time wrestling promoter Mario Savoldi. Ricky debuted against Balbuena in Penuelas and got his first win. He would go on to defeat Cruzz and tv personality and wrestler El Bacano. During a joint angle between The NWA and IWA companies in Las Vegas, IWA wrestler Glamour Boy Shane and former WWE and WCW star Billy Kidman where involved in a match. Former WWE star Rob Conway ran in to interfere on Kidman's behalf, prompting Ricky Vega to come out for the save. This event marked the beginning of a new IWA tag team formed by Shane and Ricky Vega called The RS Express. The RS Express debuted against IWA tag team champions The Naturals consisting of Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas. With victory in hand the match was interrupted by two other tag team contenders The Star Revolution Corporation and Los Aerios. Due to a disqualification the rematch took place on Total Impact (A Telemundo television show for the IWA) which ended with Vega locking Stevens in the Bermuda triangle(sharp shooter)and Andy Douglas nailing Vega with the championship belt busting Vega wide open and earning another disqualification finish. The two teams would meet again on the big show at the Pepin Centero de Bayamon. The RS Express had the belts in there grasps until Andy Douglas nailed Shane with the championship belt. This time however Orlando Toledo the manager of The Naturals distracted the referee and would get the pinfall win over The RS Express. Fed up with getting hit with belts and falling short of gold The RS Express would challenge The Naturals to a hardcore street fight for the tag team championship belts. In a hard hitting and grueling street fight that saw sticks, chairs, pipes and even a fire extinguisher going off The Naturals would once again prevail due to outside interference from Tim Arson who would hit Vega with the extinguisher causing the pinfall.

A tag team eliminator four corners style was the end result pitting The Naturals, Blitz and Chicano, The RS Express and Tim Arson and Big Vito with the winner going to Las Vegas to challenge the NWA World tag team champions. The RS Express would eliminate the team of Arson and Vito via pinfall from Vega on Vito. Later in the match [Vega had Andy Douglas perched up for his finish when Tim Arson ran in with the fire extinguisher and hit Vega, allowing Douglas to get the pin on Vega eliminating them from the match. This incident set the stage for a feud between Ricky Vega and Tim Arson. They would first meet in Caguas where Vega would attempt a top rope cross body only to have it reversed into a pin giving Arson the victory. The two would hook up again in the town of Vega Alta where Ricky Vega would score the win via a German suplex reverse roll up pin. In the rubber match Ricky Vega would end the feud with an emphatic win via the bronx bomb finisher .Savio Vega in the middle of a feud with Apollo began having differences of opinion with Ricky Vega concerning Savio's actions and approach towards Apollo. It would all come to a head when Savio Vega would meet Apollo in a no DQ match. Savio would have Apollo in a camel clutch pulling on Apollo with a bat. Ricky Vega would run to the ring and appeared to be trying to talk Savio out of further hurting Apollo. Savio would shove Ricky away and continue his assault. Blitz the IWA Heavyweight champion would then come down to the ring in hopes of helping Ricky talk to Savio and avoid the situation from getting worse. Savio would shove Blitz away as well. When Blitz turned to seek assistance from Ricky Vega he was hit with a side walk slam. To much of the surprise of the fans Ricky Vega began stomping on Blitz while Savio continued his beating on Apollo. Eventually the rest of Savio and Ricky's stable came down to ringside to help in the punishment when Glamour Boy Shane came down to confront Ricky Vega. After the two exchanged words the group who would be called Los Autenticos began to attack Shane.

The stage was set for The RS Express to meet one another at Christmas in PR show in Bayamon. Ricky Vega leading up to the match would blame Shane for costing him the tag titles. The match would go to Ricky Vega in front of a packed house of 5000 plus who where in attendance. The two men would take there feud to the Pepin in a rematch which was billed as a Puerto Rican street fight. Ricky Vega would again come out with the win and earn a shot for the IWA World Heavyweight title, but much to his disappointment it would not be a singles match. Blitz two weeks earlier would meet Mr.Big the WWC World Heavyweight champion in a unification bout that would make history in Puerto Rico and finally have for the first time ever an undisputed World champion. Blitz would become the first undisputed World champion in Puerto Rico, and because of that win a five man dance was signed to take place in Caguas where Blitz would defend against Mr.Big representing WWC, Bison Smith representing Japan, Ricky Vega the no.1 contender and Glamour Boy Shane. Ricky Vega prior to the match began referring to himself as "The Alpha Omega" claiming that the wrestling business today begins with and ends with him. Bold a statement as that was he would claim the match and the title of Undisputed World Champion by recording the pinfall on Blitz. "The Alpha Omega" Ricky Vega was now on top of the wrestling world and successful title defenses against Shane,Apollo and Blitz enhanced his standing. In February 2008 Vega was named the number one ranked wrestler in Latin America.

A fallout would occur in April 2008 between Mario Savoldi and Savio Vega that would see the company come to a work stopage. The disagreement and public hatred created a black eye on wrestling in Puerto Rico. Savoldi and Savio would go through court proceedings and after months of uncertainty Savio was awarded the company including assets. IWA returned to television in May of 2008 where a tournament for a new IWA champion came down to Blitz and Chicano. At the pepin in Bayamon, Ricky Vega would shock the island by returning to the IWA with the title in hand. Many had thought that Vega was with the Savoldi group but nonetheless he was penciled in to defend making the match a three way dance. Ricky was knocked out of the match early by his cousin Savio who was the special guest referee and had an interest in Chicano becoming the champion. The finish saw Blitz knock Savio out and hit Chicano with a leg drop from the top rope. Ricky came running back to the ring this time wearing a referee shirt and counted Chicano out, thus awarding Blitz the win and making him the new champion. He would align himself with Blitz and La Rabia. Ricky would then challenge his cousin Savio for his Revolution X title in Panama. After defeating Savio in a non-title match, Savio would get revenge by using a heel referee to assist in screwing Ricky out of a match. After the match, Ricky acknowledged the fans by throwing his Great Omega tank top into the crowd, much to the delight of the audience.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**"Vega Driver" (Inverted Samoan drop)
**Diving headbutt
**Superkick
**Spinning sitout spinebuster
**Diving elbow drop

Championships and accomplishments

*Dynamite Championship Wrestling
**DCW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
*International Wrestling Association
**IWA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
**PWI ranked him # 235 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2008
*Other titles
**WUW North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

References

External links

* [http://www.cagematch.de/cgi-bin/database/english/profile.cgi?action=overview&worker=00003297 Ricky Vega at Cagematch.de]
* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/ricky-vega.html Ricky Vega at Online World of Wrestling]
* [http://www.dynamitechampionshipwrestling.com]
* [http://www.coastalchampionshipwrestling.com]
* [http://www.fullimpactpro.com]