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| Angélico | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Angélico in November 2015 | |
| Birth name | Adam Bridle |
| Born | (1987-05-07)7 May 1987 (age 37) Johannesburg,Transvaal, South Africa |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Adam Angel[1] Adam Bridle Adam Croft Angélico Backpacker Joe[1] El Angélico |
| Billed height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)[2] |
| Billed weight | 213 lb (97 kg)[2] |
| Billed from | Barcelona, Spain Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Trained by | Último Dragón Negro Navarro Black Terry |
| Debut | 2007 |
Adam Bridle (born 7 May 1987), better known by thering nameAngélico (/ɑːnˈhɛlɪkoʊ/AHN-heli-coh), is a South Africanprofessional wrestler signed toAll Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his work inLucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA),Lucha Underground andWorld Wrestling Professionals (WWP).[3][4][5][6]
Bridle started his career in 2007 in the short-lived Pro Wrestling Alliance: Africa promotion which was co-owned byBooker T.[7] He debuted under the nameAdam Crow before changing it toAngélico, going by the nicknamesThe Blonde Superman andThe Spanish Sensation. When PWA:Africa folded in 2007 due to internal problems, Angélico joined World Wrestling Professionals, a promotion with nationally broadcast television shows in South Africa and India. He toured with WWP and has participated in two of their television shoots, inWWP Thunderstrike and100% De Dhana Dhan.
Angélico spent six months wrestling in Spain working for numerous independents, including Nu Wrestling Evolution (NWE). His first link tolucha libre was working withÚltimo Dragón andSuper Nova in NWE. In his NWE big show debut on 13 July 2008, Angélico lost to NWE World ChampionOrlando Jordan.[8] On 18 July 2008, he lost to Orlando Jordan in a handicap match teaming with El Nazareno.[9] He lost toJuventud Guerrera on 20 July 2008 with Annie Social as his new valet.[10] At an Eventos de Wrestling Europeos card on 26 July 2008, Angélico lost to LSK in an NWL Spanish Championship match.[11] On 13 September 2008, Angélico wrestled three matches on an inter-promotional event pitting the Spanish EWE against the MexicanAAA. He defeated Luka Scott, went to a double count-out with Red Devil, and was defeated in a tag team match pairing withOctagón againstPirata Morgan and Red Devil.[12] Angélico's final match with NWE before becoming a mainstay in Mexico came on 2 November 2008, losing toVito.[13]
On 21 February 2009, he lost toJason Steele in one of his biggest matches in WWP.[14] One of his most notable feuds was with WWP wrestler Ananzi throughout 2008 and 2009, and on 22 November 2009 he took part in a ladder match that was edited heavily due to the network,Colours TV, considering most of the match to be too violent for primetime television. On 10 January 2010, he was awarded the previously-vacantWWP Cruiserweight World Championship, becoming the fourth champion in the title's history.
Angélico received training from Último Dragón in 2009 and subsequently joined theToryumon promotion. His Mexican debut took place on 14 December 2008, losing to Satoshi Kajiwara in thetorneo cibernetico final of theYoung Dragons Cup, an annual tournament in Toryumon showcasing the students of Último Dragón.[15] On 1 March 2009, in a six-man tag team match, he defeated Loco Max, Shigeo Okumura & Skandalo.[16] At Toryumon's Dragonmania IV event on 22 August 2009, he won his first dragon scramble.[17] On 18 October 2009, he teamed withSolar I and Último Dragón to defeat Juventud Guerrera,Negro Navarro andTrauma I.[18] On 20 December 2009, Angélico challenged unsuccessfully for the NWE Cruiserweight Title held byJuventud Guerrera on a Toryumon card.[19] On 17 December 2010, Angélico returned to Mexico, after a nine-month stint in Europe, taking part in Toryumon's 2010 Young Dragons Cup. After surviving thetorneo cibernetico portion of the tournament, Angélico defeated Trauma I in the finals to win the Cup.[20][21] On 27 February 2010, Angélico took part in Toryumon's Yamaha Cup at the Sala del Armas Magdalena Mixhuca del Distrito Federal, teaming withHijo del Fantasma. In the semi-finals, Angélico and Fantasma defeated Brazo de Oro and Brazo de Platino to advance. In the finals of the tag team tournament and one of Angélico's biggest matches to date, they beatLos Guerreros del Infierno (Rey Bucanero andÚltimo Guerrero), with Angélico going over Bucanero after executing an armbar submission.[22] On 12 March 2012, Angélico and Último Dragón won the 2012 Yamaha Cup.[23]
Angélico joinedIWRG in 2009 and was trained by Negro Navarro and Black Terry, primarily in the art of submissions. 18 April 2009 saw Angélico face two of his trainers in a tag team match when he teamed with Super Astro to defeat Negro Navarro and Black Terry.[24] On 25 June 2009, Angélico teamed with Negro Navarro and Bobby Lee, Jr., losing to Fuerza Guerrera, Juventud Guerrera and Ricky Cruz by disqualification.[25] On 7 January 2010, he teamed with Solar I and Ultraman Jr. to beat Negro Navarro, Trauma I and Trauma II.[26] One week later on 14 January 2010, he teamed up withEl Pantera and Solar I, defeating Negro Navarro, Bomber Infernal andEl Hijo de Pirata Morgan shortly before he would challenge for Negro Navarro's South American Light Heavyweight Championship.[27] He beat his teacher Negro Navarro on 21 January 2010, to become the new South American Light Heavyweight Champion.[5][6] On 28 February 2010, Angélico was part of a multi-man Steel Cage elimination match where the loser among the final two participants would have to face Chico Che in the main event. Angélico was the second to be eliminated, with 911 beatingEl Hijo del Diablo to win the match.[22] He would lose the South America Light Heavyweight Championship to Trauma I in his first defense on 11 March 2010.[28] In the start of 2012, Angélico and Dinamic Black participated in the El Protector tournament losing to Centurion and Negro Navarro in the quarter-finals. On 29 April, Angélico andLos Traumas won the Triangular de Tercias, defeatingEterno, Factor and Spartan in the final.[29]
On 21 March 2011, Angélico made his debut forLucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA), competing in a six-man tag team match, where he,Argenis andFénix defeated Dark Dragon, Polvo de Estrellas and Tito Santana.[30][31] In March 2013, Angélico began working regularly for AAA, making his return in the semi-finals of theAAA Fusión Championship tournament. Since returning, Angélico often teams up withJack Evans under the team nameLos Güeros del Cielo ("The Sky Blondes").[32][33][34][35] Their first PPV match came at AAA's biggest show of the year,Triplemanía XXI, in a five-way elimination tag team match for the vacantAAA World Tag Team Championship. On 18 October 2013, atHéroes Inmortales VII, Angélico and Evans won a four-way match to become the newAAA World Tag Team Champions.[36] AtTriplemanía XXII, both Angélico and Evans were part of a ten-way elimination match to unify the AAA Fusión andAAA Cruiserweight Championships.[37] On 7 December 2014, atGuerra de Titanes Angélico and Evans lost the AAA World Tag Team Championships toJoe Líder andPentagón Jr. in a three-way tag team match that also includedFénix andMyzteziz.[38] Angélico and Evans regained the title from Líder and Pentagón Jr. in a three-way match, also involvingDaga andSteve Pain, on 4 October 2015, atHéroes Inmortales IX.[39] They vacated the title on 22 January 2016, due to Angélico suffering a leg injury.[40] On 17 July 2016, Angélico and Evans won the AAA World Tag Team Championship for the third time.[41] They lost the title on 28 August 2016, atTriplemanía XXIV against Drago and Aerostar. On 24 November 2017, Angélico announced his departure from AAA and Mexico altogether.[42]
Bridle made his Japanese debut on 30 August 2012, when he, working under the ring name "Backpacker Joe", teamed with El Hijo del Pantera andLin Byron in a six-person tag team match, where they defeated Josh O'Brien, Takuya Kito andYusuke Kodama, with Bridle pinning O'Brien for the win.[43][44] Following the match, Bridle reintroduced himself as "Adam Angel", starting a partnership and a romance storyline with Lin Byron.[1] Angel and Byron were victorious in intergender tag team matches against the teams ofSonoko Kato and Takuya Kito,[45] andMio Shirai and Takuya Kito,[46] before suffering their first defeat at the hands ofAkira andSyuri on 22 September.[47] On 26 October, Angel entered theWNC Championshiptournament, but was eliminated in his first round match by Akira. Afterwards, Angel announced that the match signaled the end of his first tour of WNC.[48]
Angélico made his television debut onLucha Underground on 14 January 2015 broadcast in a 4-way Elimination match againstArgenis,Aero Star andCage. Later on, he exchanged victories withIvelisse andSon of Havoc. On 8 February, Angélico, Ivelisse and Son of Havoc won a tournament to become the inauguralLucha Underground Trios Champions.[49] During the time Angélico, Havoc and Ivelisse held the championships, they defended and successfully retained them against The Crew (Cortez, Cisco andBael) in aladder match on the 20 May episode ofLucha Underground,[50] and againstDelAvar Daivari andBig Ryck, &Cage, on 3 June episode.[51] On 29 July, atUltima Lucha Part 1, they lost the championships to The Disciples of Death (Barrio Negro,Trece and El Sinestro de la Muerte), due to interference fromCatrina.[52] They regained the title on 22 November.[53] They would later lose the titles once again due to Angélico suffering an unfortunate injury and Son of Havoc and Ivelisse being forced to defend the titles on their own. After a lengthy absence, Angélico made his return at Ultima Lucha where he attacked Johnny Mundo. On 11 April 2018 Angélico announced his departure from the Lucha Underground.[54]
Angelico made his debut for PWG on 24 July at Threemendous IV teaming with Jack Evans unsuccessfully challenging theYoung Bucks for thePWG World Tag Team Championship.[55] The first night of Battle of Los Angeles 2015 he and Jack Evans defeated The Inner City Machine Guns (Ricochet andRich Swann).[56] He then entered the tournament being eliminated by Jack Evans in the first round.[57] The next day Angelico alongsideFénix, Ricochet and Rich Swann were defeated by Mount Rushmore 2.0 (Young Bucks,Roderick Strong andSuper Dragon).
Angelico debuted for wXw entering the 16 Carat Gold 2016, he defeatedTrevor Lee in the first round but lost toDrew Galloway in the quarter-finals. Angelico and Jack Evans entered to the World Tag Team League 2016, they end with 1 wins and 2 losses failing to win the tournament. In May 2017, Angelico win the wXw Shotgun Title against Rey Fenix, Penta El Zero M and the champion Emil Sitoci.[58]He lost the championship in July againstDavid Starr in a triple threat match that also includes Emil Sitoci.[59]Angelico then participated in Shortcut to the Top 2017 failing to win the match.In October 2018, Angelico and Jeff Cobb entered the World Tag Team League 2018, they end with 1 wined and two losses failing to win their block.
Angelico made his debut for WCPW on 21 July defeating Drake. Angelico then qualified for the Pro Wrestling World Cup by defeating Icarus in the first round and Morgan Webster in the final. At the tournament, Angelico was defeated byRicochet in the first round. On 28 August, Angelico was defeated by Drake in a rematch. The next day he and Ricochet unsuccessfully challengedWar Machine for the WCPW Tag Team Championships.
On 8 May 2019, it was reported that Angelico had signed withAll Elite Wrestling (AEW).[60] He would reform his team withJack Evans, now known as The Hybrid2. The team made their debut at AEW's inaugural pay-per-view eventDouble or Nothing on May 25, losing toBest Friends (Trent Beretta andChuck Taylor).[61] AtFight for the Fallen on July 13, The Hybrid2 competed in athree-way tag team match against Jungle Boy andLuchasaurus andThe Dark Order (Evil Uno andStu Grayson), which the Dark Order won.[62] At theAll Out "Buy In" pre-show on August 31, The Hybrid2 lost toPrivate Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen).[63] Angélico obtained his first win in AEW on the October 8 episode ofAEW Dark, teaming with Evans and theLucha Brothers (Fénix andPentagón Jr.) to defeat Best Friends and Private Party in aneight-man tag team match.[64]
| Winner (wager) | Loser (wager) | Location | Event | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angélico (hair) andJack Evans (hair) | Dark Cuervo (hair) andDark Escoria (hair) | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Verano de Escándalo | June 14, 2015 | [72][Note 1] |
