Savio Vega

Juan Rivera (born August 10, 1964) is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler, best known for his work in the World Wrestling Council, where he won the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship three times and the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship three times. During the 1990s, he worked for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), initially under a mask as Kwang. He later portrayed Savio Vega, the eventual leader of a Puerto Rican stable, Los Boricuas.

After leaving the WWF, Rivera returned to Puerto Rico and joined Victor Quiñones' promotion, the International Wrestling Association, where he was a long-time General Manager and won five titles, including the IWA Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship. In 2011, he was featured in the first interpromotional angle between IWA and WWC.

Career

Early career (1987-1993)

Rivera was born and raised in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico. After graduating from high school, he went to Miami, Florida, where he tried out for the WWF. He was accepted and sent back to Puerto Rico to wrestle for the World Wrestling Council as TNT, adopting a gimmick based on his martial arts background and featuring several elements from stereotypical oriental gimmicks. He was managed by "El Profe" Ángel Pantoja Rivera, and first feuded with Chicky Starr. He won his first championship, the WWC North American Heavyweight Championship, on May 2, 1987, by defeating Miguel Pérez. On July 11, he became a dual champion, winning the WWC World Tag Team Championship with Mr. Pogo and holding it for nineteen days. To close the year, he teamed up with Abdullah the Butcher in All Japan Pro Wrestling, losing to Hiroshi Wajima and Giant Baba.