Taka and Essa Rios in ECW

[Guest Annoyed Grunt]

I recently got a copy of Cyberslam '99 the other day and half way through the show there was a match between Taka and Papi Chulo. Not only was this a rematch from Wrestlemania XIV, but weren't both guys employed by the WWF at the time? If so, why were at an ECW show? Was Vince using ECW as an OVW type of developmental territory or what?

[Guest benoitrules2000]

WWF and ECW had a working relationship at the time like with wcw and njpw during mid-90's.

 

They regularly swapped talents which led to the ecw "invasion" of early 97.

[Guest Annoyed Grunt]

I figured it was something like that, but Styles was hyping up Taka's return hard enough to put some doubt in my mind

[Guest DeputyHawk]

in what period did essa wrestle as papi chulo in wwf? i remember hearing mention of it, but don't physically remember him before he showed up as rios in early-2000.

[Guest cynicalprofit]

He was Papi during WM 14, which I think was his introduction to the WWF, and I think he stayed Papi untill he got Lita, then changed his name. But I'm probably really wrong here cause I still dont give a flying crap about the guy and didnt follow his career at all. All his WWF stuff really sucked as far as I was concerned and the WM14 match was HORRID, worse kicks Ive ever seen in a match.

[Guest DeputyHawk]

no, he was known as pantera there & just some anonymous masked luchadore as i recall.

[Guest RevEvil]

He was originally Aguila. He used the name at WM14.

[Guest DeputyHawk]

rios was indeed aguila at wm14, pantera was the month before at no way out. so who played pantera?

[Guest razazteca]

it was 1st Mr Aguila then Papi Chulo then Esse Rios

 

Pantera is just another luchadore, a different person, not Esse Rios.

[Guest RedJed]

If I remember right he was playing Aguila in the WWF american version and then he would play as Papi Chulo on the SuperAstros show at the same time roughly. I think they did the same thing when Max Mini would occasionally wrestle in the WWF ppvs, etc.......and then they would have him unmasked doing interviews on SuperAstros, but never would give away the two personas were one of the same.