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Jorge González

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Information

Ring names

Giant GonzálezEl Gigante

Height

7 ft 6 in (2.28 m)

Weight

430 lbs (195 kg)

Born

January 31, 1966(1966-01-31)

Birth Place

El Colorado, Formosa, Argentina

Died

September 22, 2010 (aged 44)

Death Place

San Martin, Formosa, Argentina

Billed from

Andes Mountains

Debut

1989

Retired

February 8, 1995 Jorge González (January 31, 1966 – September 22, 2010) was an Argentinian basketball player and professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under the ring name El Gigante between 1989 and 1992 and in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name Giant González in 1993.

Contents

• 1 Basketball
  • 1.1 Club
  • 1.2 National team
• 2 Professional wrestling
  • 2.1 World Championship Wrestling (1989-1992)
  • 2.2 World Wrestling Federation (1993)
  • 2.3 New Japan Pro Wrestling (1994-1995)
• 3 Personal life
• 4 Death
• 5 In wrestling
• 6 Championships and accomplishments
• 7 External links

Basketball[]

Club[]

González, who came to be at 2.28 m (7 ft 6 in) the tallest Argentine basketball player in history, started his career with the youths of Hindú Club de Resistencia at the age of 16 (and already 2.15 m (7 ft) tall). Subsequently, León Najnudel, then coach of the Argentine national team, recommended the board of Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata to sign the player for the team's Argentine second division roster. During 1986, González helped Gimnasia achieve promotion to the Argentine first division. The player then signed for Sport Club de Cañada de Gómez, but saw little action due to an injury that left him out of the fields for 9 months.

In 1988, González was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the third round of the NBA Draft, after the American team bought the player's rights from his Argentine team for a 30,000 Argentine australes fee. However, he was unable to adapt to the physical demands of NBA basketball.

National team[]

León Najnudel included González in the Argentine national team that took part of the 1985 South American Basketball Championship (bronze medal) and the 1986 FIBA World Championship (12th place). However, his best individual performance with Argentina was in the 1988 Tournament of the Americas, where he attracted the attention of the Atlanta Hawks' scouts.

Professional wrestling[]

World Championship Wrestling (1989-1992)[]

In 1989, Hawks owner Ted Turner offered González a job as a professional wrestler with another of his ventures, World Championship Wrestling (WCW). After a year of training, Gonzales was introduced to fans as El Gigante on May 19, 1990 at the pay-per-view Capital Combat. Wearing shorts, he competed as a face and was billed as being close to eight feet tall. Over the next two years, he feuded with Ric Flair over the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, participated in a 'Chamber Of Horrors' match in 1991 and also had a date on TBS with Missy Hyatt. He also had a cross-promotional stint in the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion and then moved to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1993. (He also was in an episode of Baywatch.)

World Wrestling Federation (1993)[]

González competed as Giant González during his World Wrestling Federation (WWF) tenure as a heel, managed by Harvey Wippleman. González grew a beard and wore a full-body suit that featured airbrushed muscles with bushy hair attached. He was introduced at the Royal Rumble in January 1993, where he eliminated Wippleman's nemesis The Undertaker from the Rumble match despite not being an official participant. Gonzalez lost to The Undertaker at WrestleMania IX via disqualification after he knocked Undertaker unconscious using chloroform - this remains the only occasion that the Undertaker has not had a decisive victory in his 23 WrestleMania matches. After another loss to The Undertaker at SummerSlam, Wippleman berated Gonzalez leading Gonzalez to turn on him. Though the foundation was later set for a feud with Wippleman and Adam Bomb, it never truly began, as Gonzales left the WWF in October 1993.

New Japan Pro Wrestling (1994-1995)[]

Following his departure from the WWF, González wrestled in the Japanese promotions New Japan Pro Wrestling and WAR (Wrestle and Romance) until retiring. His last singles match was in Sendai, Japan on February 8, 1995, against The Great Muta and his last Japan tour for WAR in December 1995.

Personal life[]

Gonzalez lived on a farm ranch in Argentina in his later years. As of October 29, 2009, Gonzalez used a wheelchair full-time, and had to use a dialysis machine to treat kidney failure. It was revealed in an OWW radio interview with Harvey Wippleman that Gonzalez was diabetic while he worked with the WWF. Wippleman also said the two were close friends.

Death[]

Gonzalez died on September 22, 2010 at the age of 44, due to complications of diabetes in his hometown of San Martin, Argentina.

In wrestling[]

• Finishing moves
  • Chokeslam
  • The Claw (clawhold)
  • Cutter

• Signature moves
  • Big boot
  • Overhead chop

• Managers
  • Harvey Wippleman

Championships and accomplishments[]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him #112 of the top 500 singles wrestlers the PWI 500 in 1991
  • PWI ranked him #498 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the "PWI Years" in 2003
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
  • Worst Feud of the Year (1993) versus The Undertaker

External links[]

• Profile

1991 PWI Top 500 Wrestlers
1-100
Hulk Hogan • Lex Luger • Ric Flair • Randy Savage • Sting • Scott Steiner • Ricky Steamboat • Steve Williams • Arn Anderson • Rick Steiner • Ultimate Warrior • Jerry Lawler • Curt Hennig • Barry Windham • Road Warrior Hawk • Sid Justice • Ted DiBiase • Road Warrior Animal • Nikita Koloff • The Great Muta • Bret Hart • Terry Funk • Jake Roberts • Stan Hansen • Big Bossman • Rick Rude • Jushin Liger • Jeff Jarrett • Ron Simmons • Bobby Eaton • Steve Austin • Eric Embry • Big Van Vader • Antonio Inoki • Abdullah the Butcher • Sgt. Slaughter • Shawn Michaels • Larry Zbyszko • Irwin R. Schyster • Kerry Von Erich • Rick Martel • Mr. Saito • Eddie Gilbert • Brian Pillman • Cactus Jack • Davey Boy Smith • Dino Bravo • Tom Zenk • Konnan • Earthquake • Tony Anthony • Terrence Taylor • Greg Valentine • Bob Backlund • The Patriot • Richard Morton • Marty Jannety • Bam Bam Bigelow • Doug Furnas • Michael Hayes • Stan Lane • Dan Spivey • Robert Gibson • Tony Atlas • Bill Dundee • Chris Adams • Col. Debeers • Bezerker • Iceman Parsons • Jim Neidhart • Victor Zangiev • Austin Idol • Hercules • Al Perez • Warlord • Diamond Studd • The Mountie • Kevin Von Erich • Roddy Piper • Samu • Gary Young • Hacksaw Duggan • Jeff Gaylord • Big Bully Busick • The Barbarian • P.N. News • Manny Fernandez • Tracey Smothers • Black Blood • Smash • Riki Choshu • Dynamite Kid • Jim Garvin • Axis the Demolisher • Beau Beverly • Samoan Savage • Billy Jack Haynes • Ken Patera • Bad News Brown • Joel Deaton
101-200
Johnny B. Badd • Robert Fuller • Larry Cameron • Angel of Death • Brad Armstrong • Jimmy Snuka • Chris Benoit • The Grappler • Naoki Sano • Jerry Estrada • Negro Casas • El Gigante • Blake Beverly • One Man Gang • Paul Orndorff • Andre The Giant • Dick Murdoch • Dr. Tom Prichard • The Skinner • B. Brian Blair • Thomas Rich • Buddy Roberts • Butch Reed • Don Muraco • Paul Roma • Ron Garvin • Randy Rose • Big Josh • Carlos Colon • Bob Orton, Jr. • Dustin Rhodes • Steve Armstrong • Brickhouse Brown • Tito Santana • Akira Nogami • Brad Rheingans • Dan Davis • Jimmy Jack Funk • Billy Black • Fatu • Scott Norton • Mil Mascaras • Wendell Cooley • Haku • Mike Davis • Steve DiSalvo • Pat Tanaka • Kokina Maximus • Doug Gilbert • Ricky Rice • Jim Brunzell • Kevin Sullivan • Derrick Dukes • Ivan Koloff • Rip Oliver • Buzz Sawyer • Johnny Smith • Junkyard Dog • John Tatum • Hiroshi Hase • Awesome Dog • Scott Anthony • Kato • Bobby Fulton • Dick Slater • Brian Knobbs • Makhan Singh • Mr. Hughes • Dan Kroffat • The Honky Tonk Man • Shane Douglas • Steve Doll • Masa Chono • Chris Walker • Yellow Dog • Jumbo Tsuruta • Tim Horner • D.C. Drake • Vic Steamboat • Lou Perez • Paul Diamond • Steve Regal • The Equalizer • Buddy Landell • Chris Chavis • David Sammartino • Mitsuharu Misawa • Al Madril • Jerry Sags • Joe Savoldi • Destruction • The Sheik • Tommy Rogers • Soultaker • Johnny Ace • Tommy Jammer • Rex King • Harley Race • Rochester Roadblock • Brad Anderson
201-300
Jerry Morrow • Billy Travis • Sam Houston • Tom Brandi • D.J. Peterson • Cheetah Kid • Octagon • Ricky Santana • Terminator • Steven Dane • Steve Sawyer • Apocalypse • Ken Wayne • Doug Masters • Col Mustafa • Charlie Norris • King Cobra • Larry Sharpe • Todd Morton • Larry Oliver • Firebreaker Chip • Sunny Beach • Jonnie Stewart • Dutch Mantel • Miguel Perez Jr. • Stevie Ray • Bill Irwin • Afa • Lanny Poffo • Typhoon • Ranger Ross • Ray Odyssey • Kamala • Jay Strongbow Jr. • Preston Steele • Tyree Pride • Steve Simpson • Badstreet • Adrian Street • Rip Rogers • Ray Stevens • Jacko Victory • The Juicer • Russian Brute • Scott Putski • Virgil • Terry Garvin • Mr. Pogo • Steve O • Dean Malenko • Doug Somers • Skip Young • Lightning Kid • Eric Sbracchia • Handsome Stranger • TNT • Teijho Khan • Barry Horowitz • Koko B. Ware • Nikolai Volkoff • Ken Timbs • Rob Zakowski • Mondo Kleen • Fire Cat • Rip Morgan • Toshiaki Kawada • Tazmaniac • Pez Whatley • Ivan Putski • Joe Malenko • Buddy Rose • Jackie Fulton • Ron Harris • Luke Williams • Gama Singh • Leo Burke • T.C. Carter • Scott Casey • Chris Champion • Chick Donovan • Dory Funk Jr. • Greg Gagne • Mike George • Mike Graham • Invader I • Rocky Johnson • Cpl. Kirchner • Rufus R. Jones • Wahoo McDaniel • Van Hammer • Yoshihiro Asai • Killer • El Hijo Del Santo • Crush • Larry Power • Motor City Madman • Brian Adias • Mark Rocco • Ron Bass • Brad Baiton
301-400
Bobby Blair • Bob Bradley • Mark Miller • Dragon Master • John Rambo • Johnny Rich • Nelson Royal • Greg Wojokowski • Akio Sato • Soldat Ustinov • Fabulous Lance • Humongus • Jeff Collette • Bart Batten • King Kaluha • Johnny Rodz • Dennis Condrey • Gary Albright • Ole Anderson • Don Bass • Mark Youngblood • Jon Michaels • Equalizer Zip • David Power • Jerry Grey • Equalizer Zap • Sika • Frank Lancaster • Mike Sharpe • Steve Cox • Chris Youngblood • Baron Von Raschke • Steve Lawler • Ray Candy • J.W. Storm • Buck Zumhofe • Joey Maggs • Psycho • Les Thornton • Bob Brown • Shaun Simpson • Mike Samson • Festus • Tiger Conway Jr. • Barry O • Mike Jackson • Tugboat Taylor • Jason the Terrible • Kevin Kelly • Mike Winner • Terry Daniels • Scott Armstrong • Jim Backlund • Hurricane Walker • Black Bart • Tom Davis • Texas Ranger • Jimmy Valiant • Killer Brooks • Boris Zhukov • Botswana Beast • Bonecrusher • The Cuban Assassin • Rikki Nelson • Brady Boone • Larry Winters • Oz • Bull Rantos • Axl Rotten • Buddy Lee Parker • Jimmy Powell • Rod Price • J.T. Smith • Mark Starr • Hoss • Ron Cumberledge • Steve Lombardi • Tony Capone • Brian Donohue • Tommy Angel • G.Q. Madison • Madd Maxx • Dusty Wolfe • Frank Melson • Ron Shaw • Bob Cook • Jose Luis Rivera • Mike Cervich • Sabu • G.I. Bro • Mr. Atlanta • Jerry Lynn • Gene Ligon • Chris Michaels • Leatherface • Moondog Spot • Carl Styleas • Tony Stetson • Jim Powers • G.Q. Stratus
401-500