WWC in Puerto Rico announced on Sunday that the former World Heavyweight Champion would be making an appearance on their 53rd Anniversario show on June 26 in San Juan. This marks his first pro wrestling match since the end of 2024.
Hager is best known for his run in WWE under the name Jack Swagger, where he held the World Heavyweight title at one point before departing the company in 2017. He made appearances during the fourth season of Lucha Underground before jumping to AEW in 2019, where he was mostly associated with Chris Jericho and his various stables early in AEW’s run. Once that group disbanded, Hager was used sparingly before leaving in 2024.
Tony Khan drama & Power Slap debut
In interviews since his departure, Hager has been critical of Tony Khan, saying AEW’s president “can’t make himself a sandwich, let alone write a storyline that will [last]” and said AEW changed when Cody Rhodes left for WWE in 2022.
Last month Hager made his Power Slap debut and won his debut match that took place during WrestleMania 42 weekend.
He defeated Xavant at WWC Lockout on Saturday night at the Cancha Pepín Cestero in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Andrade revealed just hours before the show that his lawyer had received a letter from WWE granting him approval to perform on the event despite the 12-month no-compete clause he is currently under. He clarified that the letter only cleared him to work this specific show.
Andrade El Idolo has returned to the rings tonight in the event of the Puerto Rican company, WWC, Lockout, beating Xavant to become the NEW WWC Universal Champion.”
This is the second world title Andrade has won since leaving WWE. He also won The Crash Heavyweight Championship in October.
The WWC Universal Championship dates back to 1982 and has changed hands 165 times. Andrade is now the 50th wrestler to hold the title. Company founder Carlos Colón holds the record with 26 reigns and nearly 4,000 days as champion. He is followed by Ray González with 24 reigns and over 2,000 days, while Colón’s son Carlito ranks third with 17 reigns and more than 1,300 days as champion.
Andrade is in Puerto Rico, but won’t be at WWC’s event.
Both Lucha Libre Online and Fightful Select are reporting that while Andrade is in the country for Saturday’s WWC event, he will not be wrestling due to his ongoing contract situation with WWE. Fightful was told that he was doing whatever else he could do to make good for the booking, which was announced prior his contract situation with WWE taking place.
Earlier in October, Andrade made a shock return to AEW after being fired from WWE a month prior, attacking Kenny Omega and joining the Don Callis Family. However, he vanished from television soon after, with no word as to why. However, reports in the last week indicate that a new TKO non-compete clause could keep Andrade out for a year due to being fired for cause.
When asked about Andrade’s status with AEW during the AEW WrestleDream media call, Tony Khan didn’t directly answer the question and instead said he was excited to see what’s next for him.
Andrade’s first and only match so far post-WWE was when he won The Crash’s Heavyweight title on October 3. A match between him and LA Park was announced for October 26, but it is no longer being advertised.
Carlito is the latest member of Judgment Day to win championship gold.
He defeated Ray González at WWC Summer Madness 2025, held Saturday at the Pepín Cestero Arena in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, to win the WWC Puerto Rico Championship. It’s his second reign with the title, the first came in 2014, when he defeated TNT (Savio Vega).
— Lucha Libre Online (@luchalibreonlin) June 1, 2025
WWC announced last month that Carlito would return to the promotion for the first time in two years to wrestle on the show. The promotion released a statement revealing that Raw General Manager Adam Pearce had worked out a deal for Carlito to return and “settle outstanding accounts in Puerto Rico.”
With the title win, Carlito joins Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez as Judgment Day members currently holding championship gold.
WWC was founded in the early 1970s by Carlito’s father, Carlos Colón, along with Gorilla Monsoon and Victor Jovica. Saturday marked Carlito’s first appearance in WWC since the promotion’s 50th Anniversary show in 2023. He has held the promotion’s top title, the WWC Universal Championship, 17 times, behind only González with 24 reigns and his father with 26.
Nic Nemeth, the former Dolph Ziggler, will debut for the World Wrestling Council next month.
On Sunday, Lucha Libre Online published a video of Ziggler challenging Ray González for a match at WWC Euphoria on January 20 in Puerto Rico.
A translation of the post reads:
The two-time World Heavyweight Champion in WWE, The Most Wanted Man, Nic Nemeth, will have his first fight in Puerto Rico. His selected opponent, The Greatest of all time in Puerto Rico, Ray González. Will Mr. Raytings accept the challenge?
WWC presents Three Kings Day, on Saturday, January 6 at 6:00 pm at the Mayagüez Sports and Recreation Palace. Euphoria, on Saturday, January 20, 2024 at 8:00 pm at Pepín Cestero in Bayamón. Tickets are on sale at Rayting Mini Market at the Bo. Mameyal in Dorado. If you buy your ticket at Rayting Mini Market you get a photo with Ray González
El dos veces World Heavyweight Champion en la WWE, The Most Wanted Man, Nic Nemeth, tendrá su primera lucha en Puerto Rico. Su oponente seleccionado, El Más Grande de todos los tiempos en Puerto Rico, Ray González. ¿Aceptará el reto Mr. Rayting? 👀
Ladies and gentlemen, it doesn’t get any bigger than this. That’s right, WWC Euphoria Puerto Rico, baby! The most wanted man in professional wrestling today, the hottest free agent, and I am laying it down, baby. I’m laying down a challenge in Puerto Rico for Mr. Ray-tings, Ray González. You think you can step foot in the ring with me and go toe-to-toe with the best damn thing going today?
On January 20, WWC Euphoria, Mr. Ray-tings, the most wanted man Nic Nemeth is coming for you, if you got the guts.
Ziggler has also been announced for MCW Fan Jam 2 on February 4 in Joppa, Maryland, although it’s not clear if he will be wrestling at the event.
Ziggler was released from WWE in September after having been with the company since 2004 and wrestling over 1500 matches.
WWE has reportedly purchased the World Wrestling Council tape library out of Puerto Rico.
According to a PWInsider report, WWE officials secured a deal last month to purchase the video library of the WWC. The library goes back as far as 1983 when Carlos Colon, Victor Jovica and Gorilla Monsoon founded the promotion. The report also indicated that a portion of the tape library may have been damaged by Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico last year. This may have an impact on when WWC content will be rolled out, but WWE was aware of the potential issues before the deal became final.
Some of the biggest stars wrestled for the promotion in the 1980s, including Ric Flair, Abdullah the Butcher, Randy Savage, Rick Martel, Savio Vega and The Road Warriors. Colon’s sons Carlito and Primo and nephew Epico also started their careers in the WWC. During its hot period in the 1980s, the WWC was best known for its bloody brawls and hot, passionate crowds.
It was also in the WWC where the murder of Bruiser Brody took place on July 17, 1988 at the hands of then booker Jorge Gonzales, also known as Invader I. Brody’s murder caused a large amount of American talent to leave the promotion, though a few did eventually come back. Gonzales was found not guilty of the murder following trial.
Submitted by Leonardo Mendez Toledo from the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon
The show opened with local singer Barreto introducing Willy Urbina and El Wizard, who was escorted by a model. She was wearing a very revealing skirt and Wizard used that for comedy like pretending to tied up his shoes when his shoes didn’t have any shoelaces or dropping the mic to peek at her. She had a Christmas themed hat and Urbina joked that at least someone in the pair “had balls”. Fans were really into it. They then announced the card and it was clear that the fans were there for the two top matches.
Jr Title 4-Way Match: Peter The Bad Romance (w/ Angel Cotto) def. Rikochet, Morgan and Tommy Diablo in around 7 minutes to retain the title when he pinned Rikochet after a belt shot
This was a good opener with some cool looking spots. At one point, all three challengers chopped Peter and he complained to the referee who then also chopped him for a big pop. Late in the match Diablo took a Spanish fly and landed high on his neck, it looked real nasty; he went to the apron and barely moved afterwards. Peter then called from someone in the back and it was Cotto’s former tag partner OT Fernandez, who nobody knew; but OT attacked Peter and brawled with Cotto to the back. Morgan then did a Pescado on Diablo, who was selling on the outside, and they both remained outside; as the referee checked on them, Peter used the belt to get the pin on Rikochet. The referee did a slow count and Rikochet still didn’t kick out, which is a terrible spot for a face.
After the match, everybody left but Diablo was still on the floor. Some crew members checked him and he didn’t move. Other people came by, I guess from the commission, but he still didn’t move. They called someone from the back and instead of a doctor or paramedic it was Fernandez, who didn’t know what to do. He finally got to his feet and they helped him to the back. He got a minor response. Either this was legit or it was a way to write him off. He’s like the local Chris Jericho in the sense that he works part time.
PR Title #1 Contender’s Match: Joe Bravo def. Mike Mendoza (w/ Vanela Vargas) in around 10 minutes with help from Vargas
When Joe arrived, Diablo was still on the floor so he had to stale around while they worked on them. Vargas is Angel Fashion’s valet but is with Mendoza due to a 30 days stipulation; so this would lead to another match between the two. Below average match.
El Hijo de Dos Caras def. El Cuervo in 9 minutes
The intros were the highlight. Caras came first and cut a promo praising the Latin community just to then turn by saying that the only real Latin there was him; he stumble in the way but did get the message across and people reacted to it. A few years ago his brother did the exact same promo in a WWE show in San Juan prior to a match with CM Punk, so he took the idea from there. Cuervo then arrived with two guys dressed as druids and two women with face paint, one took his cape and the other his mask, fans reacted big to him. So-so match but it was the right result as it saved the heat for the other “PR vs Mexico” match. Caras won by hitting Cuervo with the PR flag.
PR Title: Miguel Perez Jr def. Angel Fashion to retain in 7 minutes
Fashion is usually good but Perez can’t do much these days. For some reason Perez wore a singlet, which at his age it’s a stretch.
Mighty Ursus (w/ JM Ortega) def. Black Pain (w/ Chicky Star)
They immediately went to the outside and fans went crazy for it, but then got back to the ring and lost the crowd. The biggest pop was when Chicky punched Ortega in the outside but it was just two times and they went to the back; Ursus used the distraction to hit Pain with a chain and got the pin in less than 5 minutes. During the decisive count the referee asked the fans about how Ursus got Pain to the mat but still made the count. Again, the face didn’t kick out after a long count. After the match, Pain teased a Chockeslam on the referee but he escaped, fans didn’t like that. This was a perfect scenario for a wild brawl with a double dq or count out, but by doing something else it felt more like an angle than a match.
Tag Titles: La Revolucion 2&3 (w/ Orlando Toledo & Revolucion #1) def. Thunder & Lightning to retain in 17 minutes
Pelayo Vazquez was the referee and got a nice reaction. Pelayo ordered #1 to the back. They started very slow with long rest holds. They then did some comedy which is weird given who they are. Finally they pick things up and got the crowd going. Finish saw T&L hitting their finish (3D) on the legal Revolucion member (it’s impossible to tell them apart) but the other Revolucion broke the count, Toledo then distracted them and #1 sneaked from the back, switched places with his downed fellow and used a brassknuckle on Lightning when he went for the cover.
Intermission
Chicano & Doris Cotto (his daughter) def. Apolo & Havana when Doris pinned Havana in less than 10 minutes
The guys started and did nothing but stalling, Apolo then tagged Havana and went outside, she slapped Chicano but he didn’t reacted because she is a woman; he went to the outside after Apolo instead and left the ring to Doris but the referee stopped her because she wasn’t tagged in (so the rules here were different than in WWE because there is no automatic gender tag). Apolo then put the heat on Chicano and they worked forever for a hot tag; it was mostly long rest holds but Apolo hit a prefect Enzuigiri, which is impressive for his size, and followed by lifting Chicano in a Electric chair and dropping him with a Michinoku driver II type slam for a near fall.
Chicano finally got the hot tag on Doris and the place exploded; they teased it for so long that it worked. She just throw a few punches and then won with a Samoan drop but the fans reacted big to her and the pin got a giant pop. After the match, the heels attacked and Apolo hit Doris with his Fondo del Abismo (Rock bottom) to a great reaction as the heel didn’t respect that she was a woman. Chicano try a comeback but Havana stopped him with a low blow. The heels then took a photo of Doris knocked out in the mat with their smart phone, which I guess is some form of modern times humiliation. Finally Chicano got to his feet and helped his daughter and she got a standing ovation. So she got a way better reaction than Tommy Diablo even though he is a veteran and got what it looked like a legit injury. Match wasn’t much but fans reacted to the story they wanted to tell.
Axel Cruz did a backstage interview with Alberto Del Rio who cut a great promo saying that Mexico was better than Puerto Rico not because he said it but because God himself said it. He noted that Mexico had recently beaten PR in the Caribbean Series of Baseball (which is suppose to be PR’s strength); in the Olympics Basketball Qualifiers (which is the number one sport in PR and the National Basketball Team is the main local sports team and PR had historical dominated Mexico and the region), and in boxing when Canelo destroyed Cotto (well Canelo clearly won but it wasn’t a beatdown). He called Cotto overrated and washout and told him to retire.
He then said that Puertorricans didn’t have any dignity as we lost it the moment we sold out to the USA. That line got a giant reaction and I joked with my friends that the local pro-independence party should hired him as a spoke person. The promo was so good that he even got some cheers; there was some Mexican fans there but it was mostly the pro-heel fans.
After ADR’s promo, Urbina came to the ring to introduce the singers for the National Anthems. The Mexican singer got massive heat during his performance. The local guy did a good job and some people signed along with him but not everyone.
Ray Gonzalez Sr def. Alberto Del Rio by DQ in around 15 minutes when Hijo de Dos Caras interfered
Alberto came in with a Mexican flag and climbed to all four corners with it for the easy heat. Ray music began to play but he didn’t appear; they teased it for a while until ADR went to the outside and argued with the referee and in doing so put his back to the entrance so Ray arrived with a 2×4 and hit ADR with it. He beat him all around ringside and the fans were going crazy for every hit. They got to the ring and the referee tried to get the 2×4 but Ray pushed him; another referee came in and Ray also bumped him; Pelayo arrived but he couldn’t do much either. The heat for this was unreal, the likes of which one can only see in old school videos. Alberto finally got a break and went to the top rope but when he jumped Ray nailed him again with the wood. ADR then took the mic, said that it was enough of fighting and asked for a “technical match” saying that that was what the fans wanted to major boos; he went to his knees and extended his hand to Ray; Ray teased a hand shake but then took the mic and said in Spanish the equivalent of “this is Puertorrican wrestling, dumbass” and slapped Alberto in the face for a major pop.
ADR went to the outside and grabbed a PR flag from a fan in the first row but the fan retaliated and pulled Del Rio by the hair, security broke them apart and Ray put Alberto in a rest hold until the fan was removed; they were lucky that the other fans controlled the guy instead of joining him.
After the long chinlock, Dos Caras came with a chair and nailed Ray in the outside, Ray bleed; Caras went to the back. ADR with a DDT; he went to the top rope for a Senton but Ray moved. Ray pulled a fork from his boots and nailed Alberto in the forehead with it several times, the fans went crazy for it which is odd given that’s a traditional heel spot; also of note is that Alberto didn’t bleed form it, maybe they respected the WWE rule. ADR came back with his Superkick and locked the Cross Armbreaker in the middle of the ring but Ray Gonzalez Jr, who got a big reaction, came to ringside and Alberto broke the hold; ADR talked trash to Jr but he throw dust to Alberto’s face and left; Ray Sr used the distraction to setup the Figure-4 with a series of leg kicks, Alberto bumped great for this; Ray finally locked his finisher and Del Rio was about to tap out when Dos Caras returned for the DQ. After such an intense match it was a lame finish.
The heels double teamed Ray until his son made the save. ADR hit Jr with a Mexican flag but then Sr did the same to ADR; they brawled in pairs outside the ring until Sr got a chair and the heels literally run to the back. Ray and Jr came to the ring and Sr cut a great promo. He invited the heels to came back so they could kick their asses one more time; and told them that they run like the chicken they are. He said that Alberto was a bully that took advantage of his son but he was there to protect him and told Jr that he would always had his back. He said that WWC has been running for a long time but if it was up to him it would last another 40 years more.
He then told Del Rio to ask Vince McMahon for another date so they can have a another match maybe inside a cage; the fans went crazy for that. He said that since Dos Caras doesn’t need anyone’s permission he can comeback whenever he wants because Ray Jr is ready for him for another big pop. He thanked the fans for their support during his career and asked for them to do the same for his son. He then put over the upcoming title match and asked fans to stay put to see it. The whole promo came across as a combination of a thank you message, a farewell speech and an I’m taking over note. Even with the weak finish this match needed to be on last just because of the heat and post-match promo.
Some fans started leaving here since it was post midnight by this point.
Universal Title: Mr 450 Hammett def. Sensacional Carlitos to retain in well over 20 minutes
These two are really over with the fan base, and each one got his own “section”. Nonetheless, another group of people walked away during the early stages and it didn’t have much heat early on even tough what they did was good. It was clear that fans were spent after the previous match and just needed a break. After ten minutes or so they got the crowd back and it was spectacular from that point on. The turning point was Carlitos with a Canadian Destroyer followed by a Flat liner and finished with a Koji clutch all in one smooth-fluid motion. The sequence was so good that fans thought it was the finish but 450 made the ropes.
With Carlitos outside, 450 did a bottom rope Suicide Dive and follow with a Asai moonsault. Back in the ring they traded until Carlitos sent 450 to the outside and did his own series of dives. From the apron, 450 did a springboard spear through the second and top rope. Hammett with a Tornado DDT followed by a vertical suplex and finished with his 450 splash from the top rope but Carlitos kicked out for a giant pop. Carlitos with a comeback and a senton bomb for a great near fall. They traded headbutts from their knees; then got up and traded hard chops. Carltios went for a springboard Stunner but hit the referee instead; with the referee down Hammett hit a series of German suplex like Chris Benoit or Brock Lesnar and the fans chanted “Suplex city”; Hammett then went outside took a chair, smashed Carlitos in the face with it and finally got the pin with his 450 splash finish. They did even more but I just can’t remember it all.
After the match, they congratulated each other but Carlitos hit 450 in the back of the head with the chair and cut a promo saying that he wanted a rematch in a TLC match at Euphoria on 1/9. This was the best match of the show but it could have been even better if placed in the semifinal spot. I understand that they feared that nobody could follow them, which is true most of the time, but on this occasion most of the fans were there for the Ray Gonzalez match.
Notes:
On Sunday TV they announced that the next big event would be Euphoria on 1/9 at this same venue which seems like a little early for a return date. So far announced is: Hammett vs. Carlitos for the Universal Title in a TLC Match; Ray Gonzalez & Ray Gonzalez Jr vs. El Hijo de Dos Caras & Scottie Santiago (the guy who called ADR in Texas Wrestling Academy); Ursus vs. Pain in a Chain Match; Revolucion vs. Thunder & Lightning vs. Sons of Samoa in a 3-way match for the tag titles; and Miguel Perez vs. Angel Fashion for the PR title. They also announced an event for 1/6 in Cidra with the gimmick that kids enter free if accompanied by an adult as a Three Kings Day special. No match has been announced so far.
They got a very good crowd, probably more than 4,000. The ringside and lower levels were all full and they had one of the upper deck open and it was half full. The number is even more impressive as it went head to head with a massive Daddy Yankee vs Don Omar “Reggeaton” (Rap) concert in near by San Juan that sold out four straight nights the Coliseum of Puerto Rico (the one WWE runs) and that would the cultural equivalent of a Tupac vs Notorious BIG concert at MSG if they both were still alive. As usual, they started late; it was schedule for 8:00 pm but the show began past 8:30. It was probably due the fact that PR, like Mexico, is a late arriving crowd, so people kept coming in late.
