Alfonso Dantés


José Luis Amezcua Díaz was a Mexican professional wrestler who wrestled during the 1960s and 1970s under the ring name Alfonso Dantés. He would later receive the nickname El Tanque for his short but thick build. Dantés was the son of Al Amezcua, who wrestled in Mexico as Golden Terror. He and his brother Vick would follow their father into the sport. Vick would go on to wrestle as Septiembre Negro.

Professional wrestling career

Dantés was trained by Diablo Velasco and he made his debut in 1960 at the age of 17. Dantés won his first major title when he defeated Raúl Reyes for the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship on May 5, 1965. He would lose the title in February of the following year but eventually reclaimed the title twice before finally losing it on December 27, 1981. In the 1970s, Dantés won the NWA World Light Heavyweight title three times and defeated Chavo Guerrero Sr. on April 15, 1977, in Mexico City. In 1969, Dantés would team up with Mil Mascaras, Francisco Flores and El Medico to win three NWA America's Tag Team titles. He was involved in several hair vs mask matches and participated in a famous triangular tournament in which El Halcon lost his mask. Dantés would later capture the hair of El Halcon and El Faraón as well. He would also lose his hair to Sangre Chicana, Pharaoh and Ringo Mendoza. On March 30, 1984, Dantés captured the Mexican National Heavyweight Championship from Cien Caras, in Mexico City. He would lose the title but win it back one last time on August 8, 1988, when he defeated Gran Markus, Jr. Dantés vacated the title when he retired in March 1989 at the age of 45. In his last few years, Dantés would team up with his sons Apolo and Cesar. He was well respected within the industry for his work ethic and innovation in the ring. He is credited with inventing the Toque Tapatio, a move which Tiger Mask would make popular outside Mexico as the Tiger Suplex. In 1996, he was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame.

Championships and accomplishments

Winner Loser LocationEventDateNotes
El Faraón Alfonso Dantés Mexico CityLive event1970s
Cien Caras Alfonso Dantés Guadalajara, JaliscoLive eventUnknown
El Solitario Alfonso Dantés Mexico CityLive eventUnknown
Enrique Vera Alfonso Dantés Mexico CityLive event
Mil Máscaras Alfonso Dantés Mexico CityLive event
El Faraón and Ringo Mendoza Sangre Chicana and Alfonso Dantes Mexico City22. Aniversario de Arena México
Alfonso Dantés El Faraón Mexico CityEMLL Live event
Satoru Sayama Alfonso Dantés Mexico CityLive event
Sangre Chicana and Alfonso Dantes El Jalisco and Cobarde Mexico CityLive event
Alfonso Dantés Halcón Ortiz Mexico CityLive event1981
El Satánico Alfonso Dantés Guadalajara, JaliscoLive event