Carlito

Carlito is the ring name of Carlos Edwin Colón Jr., a Puerto Rican professional wrestler best known for his WWE run and for carrying on the Colón family legacy in World Wrestling Council (WWC). He debuted for WWC in 1999 and quickly moved into the main event picture.

Over the next decade, he became one of the promotion’s key figures, collecting multiple reigns with the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship and building a long rivalry with Ray González. He wrestled throughout the Caribbean and internationally, then signed with WWE in the early 2000s.

WWE introduced him to television in October 2004 as “Carlito Caribbean Cool.” He built his character around cool bravado, an ever-present apple, and a willingness to spit it in a rival’s face for effect. He made an immediate impact, defeating John Cena for the United States Championship in his first match on SmackDown. However, a legitimate shoulder injury soon after cut that first title reign short, but WWE kept him on screen in character while he recovered.

In June 2005, he was drafted to Raw and again struck right away, when he beat Shelton Benjamin for the WWE Intercontinental Championship in his first match on that brand. He remained a midcard fixture for several years, feuding with names like Ric Flair and Jeff Hardy, and he often worked in tag teams. In 2009, he and his brother Primo unified the WWE and World Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 25, the peak of their run as The Colóns.

After a release from WWE in 2010, Carlito wrestled widely on the independents while returning to WWC for extended stretches. He toured Mexico, Japan, and Europe, and kept his profile strong in Puerto Rico with headline programs and additional title runs. He briefly appeared for WWE in 2021 at the Royal Rumble, then made a full-time comeback in 2023.

That return began with a surprise appearance at Backlash in San Juan, followed by a televised return at Fastlane, where he aligned with Rey Mysterio’s Latino World Order. He later worked on Raw in a supporting role, joining The Judgement Day stable and becoming part of their storylines and other midcard feuds.

His second WWE stint ended in mid-2025 when the company chose not to renew his contract. He returned to WWC that summer and immediately reentered the title picture, including a short reign with the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship after a win over Ray González.

Carlito’s in-ring style combines brawling and athletic counters. His signature move is the Backstabber, a double-knee backbreaker that he can hit out of reversals or rope rebounds. He also uses a springboard back elbow, a swinging neckbreaker, and a sit-out spinebuster. His persona, laid-back but caustic, became famous for the apple-spitting taunt, which he used to insult opponents and rile crowds.

Across his career, he has held the WWE United States and Intercontinental titles and the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship with Primo, along with multiple championships in WWC. As of 2025, he stands as a veteran star from a storied wrestling family, active in the ring and closely tied to Puerto Rican wrestling.