Apolo

Photo credit: tnawrestling.com

Real name: German Manuel Figueroa
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 265 lbs.
Date of birth: May 6, 1975
Hometown: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Pro debut: 1999
Trained by: Hector Soto
Finishing moves: Full Nelson Slam

Biography

– Figueroa began his sporting life in basketball, playing for the Maratonistas de Coamo (now Santeros de Aguada) of the Puerto Rican professional BSN league
– Figueroa began his career as ‘Peter El Stripper’ in Puerto Rico’s IWA, but quickly dropped the gimmick in favour of ‘Nueva Gran Apolo’
– On May 7, 2000, Nueva Generacion (Apolo & Ricky Banderas) defeated Chicky Starr & Victor The Bodyguard to win the IWA Tag Team Titles
– On May 26, Nueva Generacion defeated Club WWF (Steve Bradley & Andy Anderson) by DQ to retain the IWA Tag Team Titles
– On June 2, Nueva Generacion defeated Sexy and Sensual (Andres Borges & Sean Hill) to retain the IWA Tag Team Titles
– Nueva Generacion lost the IWA Tag Team Titles to Club WWF on June 3, regained them in a 4-Way match on June 16, lose them back to Club WWF on June 17 before regaining the vacated titles on August 5, only for Banderas to turn on Apolo, kicking him out of the team in favour of Miguelito Perez
– On February 24, 2001, Apolo & Miguel Perez Jr (Banderas having now turned on him as well) defeated SOS (Andy Anderson & Vyzago) to win the IWA Tag Team Titles
– On May 27, Apolo defeated Ricky Banderas to win the IWA Heavyweight Title
– On June 16, Apolo defeated Banderas & Tiger Ali Singh to retain the IWA Heavyweight Title
– Apolo would trade the IWA Heavyweight Title back-and-forth over the next few months. He lost it to Pain on September 29, regained it from Glamour Boy Shane on October 27, defended it against Chainz on January 6, was forced to vacate it later that month, regained the title from Savio Vega on April 13, lost it to Primo Carnero on April 27, regained it on May 12, before losing it to Primo Carnero for good on May 18!
– Apolo was involved in the ‘Gauntlet For The Gold’ match on the very first NWA TNA event
– Apolo’s initial TNA run ended following a defeat to Jeff Jarrett on the August 7, 2002 event, and he returned to the IWA
– On November 9, Apolo defeated Rey Fenix to win the IWA Heavyweight Title
– On November 16, Apolo fought Ricky Banderas to a no-contest to retain the IWA Heavyweight Title
– On November 30, Apolo defeated Scott Hall to retain the IWA Heavyweight Title
– On December 8, Apolo defeated Rey Fenix to retain the IWA Heavyweight Title
– On May 24, 2003, Apolo defeated Ricky Banderas to win the IWA Hardcore Title, but lost it back later that day
– On July 19, Apolo defeated Ray Gonzalez to win the IWA Heavyweight Title
– On September 13, Apolo defeated Glamour Boy Shane by DQ to retain the IWA Heavyweight Title
– In January 2004, Apolo returned to TNA under a mask as ‘El Leon’
– Apolo unmasked on March 31 and formed a tag team with D-Lo Brown
– On April 14, Apolo & D-Lo defeated Kid Kash & Dallas to win the NWA Tag Team Titles, but lost them back a week later
– Following a further defeat to Kash & Dallas a week later, Apolo left TNA once more
– On September 4, Apolo defeated Ray Gonzalez to win the IWA Heavyweight Title
– On October 16, Apolo defeated Gonzalez to retain the IWA Heavyweight Title
– Apolo returned to TNA for a third run beginning in March 2005
– At Lockdown 2005, Apolo & Sonny Siaki defeated Chris Candido & Lance Hoyt
– At No Surrender 2005, Apolo & Siaki defeated Simon Diamond & David Young
– With Siaki’s TNA contract expiring in December, Apolo was teamed with Homicide, the pair being the first iteration of the famed LAX group
– Apolo no-showed TNA Final Resolution 2006 and was swiftly released from the company, his place in LAX being taken by Machete
– On April 15, Apolo defeated Savio Vega to win the IWA Heavyweight Title
– On April 29, Apolo defeated Bad Boy Bradley to retain the IWA Heavyweight Title
– Apolo left IWA in favour of the WWC in June 2006
– On May 12, 2007, Apolo defeated Alofa The Samoan Tank to win the WWC Universal Title, but lost the title in a Battle Royal match a week later
– On June 10, Apolo defeated Eddie Colon to regain the WWC Universal Title
– On June 23, Apolo defeated Bryan to retain the WWC Universal Title
– On July 13, Apolo defeated Goldust to retain the WWC Universal Title
– Apolo returned to the IWA in September 2007, shortly before signing a WWE development deal in December
– Apolo only wrestled a pair of matches for OVW before he was released by WWE in March 2008
– On December 27, 2008, Apolo defeated Danny Inferno to win the NWA Pro East Television Title
– On March 13, Apolo defeated The Giant Pharaoh to retain the renamed NWA On Fire Heavyweight Title
– Between April 21 and 24, Apolo successfully defended the NWA On Fire Heavyweight Title against Chico, Makua, Bobby Robinson & The Great Malaki
– On May 2, Apolo defeated Mike DiBiase to win the NWA North American Title
– On June 27, Apolo defeated Papadon to retain the NWA North American Title
– On August 9, Apolo defeated GQ Gallo to retain the NWA North American Title
– On November 21, Apolo defeated Brian Johnson to retain the NWA North American Title
– In June 2012, Apolo returned to WWC
– On June 30, Apolo defeated Gilbert to win the WWC Universal Title
– On November 16, 2013, Apolo defeated El Bronco I to win the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title
– On December 15, Apolo defeated El Bronco I to retain the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title
– On June 13, 2015, Apolo defeated Mr Fantastic to win the LCW Heavyweight Title
– On December 13, Apolo defeated Ragnar & Barrabas to retain the LCW Heavyweight Title
– On February 20, 2016, Apolo fought Chavo Guerrero to a no-contest to retain the LCW Heavyweight Title
– The next day, Apolo defeated Scotty 2 Hotty to retain the LCW Heavyweight Title
– On April 28, 2017, Apolo & Al Snow defeated Michael Kovac & Demolition Davies to win the vacant QPW Tag Team Titles
– On October 14, Apolo defeated Chris Raaber & Alofa to win the POW Heavyweight Title