Joe Gomez

Joe Gomez (July 2, 1973) is a retired American professional wrestler.
Although best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) during the late 1990s, he also had successful stints in international promotions including New Japan Pro Wrestling and the World Wrestling Council.
==Career==
===Early career===
Gomez began wrestling in Southeastern regional promotions during the late 1980s and, while in Championship Wrestling from Florida, he and Mike Graham defeated Kendall Windham and Robert Fuller for the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship in Tampa, Florida on May 8, 1990. Following Graham's retirement later that year, he would be replaced by Hurricane Walker although they would soon lose the titles to Sgt. Rock and Mark Starr on September 13, 1990.
Later that month, he began wrestling in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Allen Iron Eagle substituting for Terry Taylor at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois on September 30. Teaming with Lou Perez against The Fabulous Freebirds on the Power Hour several days later, he would also face The Iron Sheik, Buddy Landell, Stan Hansen, Mike Rotunda and, in a tag team match with Tim Horner, lost to the Master Blasters (Steel and Iron) at the UIC Pavilion on November 30, 1990.
The following year, he would also face Minotaur, Moondog Rex and, in an 8-man tag team match with Steve Armstrong, Tracy Smothers and Tim Horner, defeated WCW World Heavyweight Champion "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, WCW World Television Champion Arn Anderson, Barry Windham and Sid Vicious at the Cobb County Civic Center in Marietta, Georgia on January 14, 1991. Appearing on the Power Hour, he and Greg Sawyer lost to Motor City Madman and Big Cat when Gomez was pinned by the Motor City Madman on January 21.
In his last appearance in the promotion, he teamed with "Wildfire" Tommy Rich losing to The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin) at Clash of the Champions XIV on January 30, 1991.
===World Championship Wrestling===
After several years in various independent promotions in Florida, Gomez made his return to World Championship Wrestling in early 1996 later facing V.K. Wallstreet at the first annual Ilio DiPaolo Memorial show at the War Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York on June 7. He would appear in a backstage segment during a live interview on WCW Monday Nitro with Gene Okerlund, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and Debra McMichael. After Debra McMichael was heard screaming after entering the locker room of the Four Horsemen, Gomez attempted to help and was ambushed by Arn Anderson and Ric Flair who put Gomez in a Figure-four leglock. He would make one of his first television appearances several weeks later, defeating Disco Inferno on Monday Nitro on June 17.
The following month, he faced the Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit and Steve McMichael) in an 8-man tag team match with The Renegade and the Rock and Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) on Monday Nitro on July 1. Several days later, he would lose to Steve McMichael at Bash at the Beach '96 in Daytona Beach, Florida on July 7.
He would later engage in a short-lived feud with the Dungeon of Doom teaming with Alex Wright and Jim Powers in a 6-man tag team match to defeat The Leprechaun, Hugh Morrus and The Taskmaster via disqualification on Monday Nitro on July 22, 1996. At Hog Wild '96 the next month, he would again face the Dungeon of Doom losing a 6-man tag team match with Jim Powers and Mark Starr to Kevin Sullivan and the Faces of Fear (Meng and The Barbarian). Later that year, he would also try his luck in the newly created Cruiserweight Division losing to Juventud Guerrera at Monday Nitro on September 2, 1996.
On November 24 in Norfolk, Virginia, he participated in the 3-ring 60-man battle royal at World War 3 and was eliminated by The Giant. In December, he began teaming regularly with The Renegade and, appearing on Monday Nitro during the next several weeks facing the Amazing French Canadians (Jacques & Pierre) and High Voltage (Robbie Rage & Kenny Kaos), he and The Renegade would also appear on WCW Saturday Night where they lost to Jim Powers and Bobby Walker on January 11, 1997.
After losing to Harlem Heat at Clash of the Champions XXXIV in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on January 21, he and The Renegade split up for a time as Gomez would appear in dark matches facing Kevin Sullivan and Lasertron on Monday Nitro during the next few weeks. Losing to Hugh Morris in a dark match at SuperBrawl VII on February 23, he would again lose to him the following night on Monday Nitro.
By early March, he and The Renegade had begun teaming again as they defeated Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker & Sgt. Craig Pittman on WCW Pro after Gomez pinned Buddy Lee Parker. In a rematch against Harlem Heat on March 15, they were disqualified when Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge & Rocco Rock) attacked Harlem Heat during the match. During the next two days, they would also lose matches to Jim Powers and Bobby Walker on WCW Pro and Konnan and Hugh Morrus on Monday Nitro. After Gomez was pinned by Hugh Morris, he and The Renegade began arguing after the match.
Presumably splitting up shortly after, Gomez appeared in a singles match two days later defeating Mark Starr in a dark match on WCW Saturday Night and, on Monday Nitro days later, he was attacked by his former tag team partner while attempting to come to the defense of Chris Jericho who was being attacked by "Lord" Steven Regal after losing to Jericho. On April 14, he would also team with Ice Train to defeat The Extremists (Ace Darling & Devon Storm) with their valet Kimona Wanalaya in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Monday Nitro.
Feuding with The Renegade over the next few weeks, he was attacked by The Renegade after he had submitted to the "Tongan Death Grip" following a match against Meng during Monday Nitro on May 31. However, The Renegade's interference backfired as he was put in the submission hold by Meng as well.
He later defeated Mr. JL on WCW Pro, however he would lose matches to Buff Bagwell, Konnan, Dave Taylor and WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett during the next two months. Seen less frequently over the next two years, in one of his last appearances he defeated Bobby Eaton on WCW Saturday Night on March 13, 1999.
===Independent circuit===
In 2000, he left WCW to return to NWA Florida then under promoter Howard Brody defeating Al Green in Tampa on December 12. Later that month, he would also appear at a fund-raising event for the International Wrestling Federation teaming with Pat Tanaka against The Powers of Pain (The Warlord and The Barbarian) at the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds in Davie, Florida.
He remained semi-active in the Southeastern independent circuit until retiring in 2006.
==In wrestling==
*Signature moves
**Crossbody
**Inside cradle
*Nicknames
**"Desperado"
==Championships and accomplishments==
*National Wrestling Alliance
**NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mike Graham 
*Other titles
**ASW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tatanka
**IWF Tri-State Championship (8 times)
==External links==
* Profile
Category:American wrestlers
Category:1973 births
Category:1990 debuts
Category:All Star Wrestling alumni
Category:IWA Japan alumni
Category:IWA Puerto Rico alumni
Category:National Wrestling Alliance alumni
Category:Professional Wrestling Federation alumni
Category:World Championship Wrestling alumni
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment alumni
Category:Living people
Category:Male wrestlers
Category:2006 retirements