Tito Santana on Being Jesse Ventura's Favourite Opponent EVER!

[@johnfalcetta5431]

Tito was a phenomenal worker. He really helped make the Intercontinental title the workers belt

[@wiiliamhamilton147]

Hell. Santana was in my opinion The Greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time.

[@jimodirakallumkal5351]

Macho, bret, and the dragon were also perfect workers which epitomized the IC " Workers " belt

[@kenterminateddq5311]

I like how Jesse put Tito in shoot interviews as his favorite adversary but would called him,"Chico Santana", as a bad guy announcer.

[@MACHOMANRANDYSAVAGE2211]

Jesse was a special announcer and a great American

[@R8DRBeagle]

And the "Flying Burrito " he would call Tito's finisher.

[@lexbeltran1354]

Tito would encourage Jesse to keep up the insults, it generated heat

[@VincentRodriguez-km6nq]

It wasn't really disrespectful Chico it sounds kinda cool

[@kenterminateddq5311]

@@VincentRodriguez-km6nq I'll take your word, esse vato (as the late Eddie Guerrero would say).

[@fdeadlycommasir]

Great guy. Very humble. One of the very few wrestlers to go his whole career as a face.

[@legionarybooks13]

He actually asked if he could be the one to turn heel when they split up Strike Force and Vince told him no. While it would be interesting to see him work as a heel, I don't think the fans would have bought it.

[@frv1995]

​@@legionarybooks13 Tito woulda needed a heel manager to do the talking for him. Martel had more charisma than tito and could pull off the snobby model gimmick. Tito just wasn't that great on the mic

[@seanmcclure]

His flying forearm was one of my favorite finishers as a kid.

[@draconian45]

Agreed. It was cool looking. It's a shame we don't see flying forearms that much anymore. At least good ones.

[@mighty690am]

The flying burrito

[@joezapata9084]

@@mighty690am Bobby Heenan favorite move also! Lol

[@TheYetiLee]

@@mighty690am I’m a huge mark for the Brain and was coming to say this same thing. Great minds! lol

[@Anubisxian]

Heenan called it the Flying Jalapeno!

[@uiu510]

One of the most Honorable individuals to ever step into the wrestling ring!

[@paulrodney951]

Tito is a total class act. I'll be a big Tito Santana fan.

[@elchichosantana6410]

Its Chico Dumbass

[@brianribblett8686]

A taco salesman from Tijuana! LMAO.

[@vardenlongraf4688]

Tito is pure class. Someone who you truly enjoyed in the ring as a fan

[@davidfrederick1971]

Tito is admired by many of his legendary wrestling peers. His "timing" on come backs and working with his opponents. Whether it was Greg, Jesse, etc

[@jg3000]

I thought Tito's name was Chico for the longest time. Thank you Jesse Ventura. LOL.

[@proteus404]

I doubt there is many wrestlers/managers/promoters who have negative things to say about Tito. He was a great worker, he put on great matches, was not a danger to other wrestlers, and made the opponent look good whether he won or loss.

[@MyNameIsUnavailable]

I cant see Tito without seeing the Intercontinental Title

[@TheRealDannAlexander]

I met Tito at a car show in Calgary Alberta in 2000. He was with Tony Atlas at a table signing autographs. He talked to everyone for as long as they wanted to. I never forgot their generosity. I explained why I hated watching any of it since the early 90's and he seemed to understand.

[@jyesucevitz]

you are one of the greats Tito. I started watching in 78 or 79 after catching my uncle watching wrestling on a Saturday morning. it was Chief Jay Strongbow wearing his headdress in the ring. I started watching and that was it. I won't lie. being a nerdy red head kid a gravitated toward Bob Backlund. he was my favorite singles wrestler. Tito was right there though with Rick Martel, Ivan Putski, Pedro and the original Rock (no. not Johnson.) Don Morocco. you guys were my favorites. Morocco was the only guy I liked even though he was a heel at the time. Tito, thank you so much for the memories of my youth that still brings smiles to my face.

[@justint8635]

Backlund was a great technician. That’s a pretty solid list of other guys as well

[@Atomykpimp]

Tito said to Jesse “ hey man you’re bleeding” Jesse replied “I ain’t got time to bleed!”

[@GeneKing-lz8xg]

Tito and ric steamboat ,two very special class act guys, true goats.

[@alberthenley2988]

Tito's matches with Muraco, Greg Valentine, and Macho Man were epic. I think his run of feuds was too short. And then the changes of era, too.

[@dondemmeljr1765]

Truly a class act in professional wrestling. Him and Rick Martel are 2 guys that stand out in my mind after 25 years in wrestling to just be leaps and bounds above the others!👌😁

[@Clubber-Slang]

Strike Force! Split started at Mania 5 vs the Brain Busters when Tito hit Rick by accident.

[@davidcoates7615]

Jesse loved calling him Chico. Both these were great guys. Not a bad thing to say about either one.

[@dannycosta5540]

Flying Burrito Both Legends

[@donjohn2695]

Jesse was amazing at everything expect in ring ability

[@jarrodammons8915]

The flying burrito

[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

There were places where Jesse was the crowd favorite, and Tito played to it. In Detroit one time, the biggest pop of the night was when Jesse grabbed a coke from a fan and splashed Tito with it while they were brawling outside. Tito sold it like he'd been hit with battery acid and got counted out.

[@michaelmccarthy3139]

I saw Tito vs. Jesse in Anaheim where the referee went down and Jesse did something dastardly then threw Tito out on the floor. Jesse unofficially "counted out" Tito before Tito came back for the win, but that 'count out' was the biggest pop of the match. Something for everyone! 😆

[@theboombody]

That's how Mr. Perfect would have sold it.

[@MNC122703]

Such a Classy Guy

[@gregorykrug8034]

Ricky Steamboat and Tito Santana are two of the only wrestlers that I know of who were forever babyface.

[@theboombody]

Was Mysterio ever a heel? I've never seen it, but I haven't watched wrestling consistently throughout his career.

[@gregorykrug8034]

@@theboombody Great question! I am by no means a wrestling historian, but I have not known of anyone other than Steamboat and Santana who was never a heel (to my knowledge). I can add Mysterio to my list. Unless he heeled in Mexico, I think you may be right. I am not sure if Verne and Greg Gagne were ever heels. When I think of wrestlers who were only heels, I think of Adrian Adonis and The Iron Sheik, but there must be more than that.

[@lexbeltran1354]

JYD

[@gregorykrug8034]

@@lexbeltran1354 Good one! I think Bruno Sammartino and Magnum TA may fit the bill, too.

[@theboombody]

@@gregorykrug8034 Maybe if you go back to the WAY old days before recordings of televised matches were kept you can find some permanent heels because gimmicks didn't switch near as much back then. But I can't even find a match of Tor Johnson wrestling anywhere. It seems like everything pre-AWA is basically prehistoric wrestling and trying to find out anything before that time is difficult. You might find an old black and white filmed match here and there featuring Argentina Rocca or Gorgeous George or El Santo or someone like that, but I don't think very many of those matches were preserved.

[@Wirenut77]

Back when wrestling was wrestling loved the old days

[@MrTJohnston]

Loved how he called Tito “Chico”

[@andys30us]

Chico and the man.

[@undertakerfanz628]

Arrriiibaaa

[@jasonfite711]

During a match in Detroit Michigan Tito pulled Roddy Pipers wrestling trunks completely off and Piper had to hide under the ring and wait for Tito to give his trunks back.

[@michaelsadowski2360]

The art of wrestling! Miss those days. Nobody, and I mean nobody today can do what guys like Tito and Jesse did. Jesse did almost nothing for holds, or in the ring, but he made you hate him! And Tito was an amazing talent and just the ultimate baby face. God I miss those days. And Tito was the most important ic champ ever imo. He brought prestige and importance to that belt that no one else has been able to.

[@sall4090roughcuts]

Valentine vs Tito for intercontinental title was an amazing chase that culminating in the cage in Maryland. Valentine destroyed the belt because they created a new one. I saw the lumber jack match at msg thought Tito would get it there only for chaos to prevent him from winning. I miss the old days.

[@robbernath]

"Tito Santana" was the ring name for Merced Solis.

[@Cultofpersonality09129]

Funny. He was one of jesses favourite guys to ride when he was the heel commentator. Always calling him Chico Santana.😂😂. He Always bashed Hogan big time especially with the Hogan, Savage fued. He was able to use personal jabs at the guys he liked. Tito is such an underrated worker. It’s a shame that he’s not brought up enough in conversations.

[@vortega472]

Growing up Mexican I always thought that when Ventura referred to Tito as "Chico" it was being disrespectful, now I see it as respect and affection - alright Jesse and sorry.

[@mikejejenich7116]

Tito. Is. Underated. Guy could work…….. 💯

[@Opheggie54]

this is actually when you could not get away with a lot of things with the referee and it made it so much more entertaining to watch the cheating!

[@basssix1]

Finally!!!!

[@elchichosantana6410]

Yey Chico!

[@Hellhound6661000]

Jesse vs Tito was the main event @ the first live event that I ever attended . Jesse cut promos beforehand about how Detroit was "his town" & he wasn't lying....Tito got booed out of Joe Louis Arena. Tito would later became one of my favorites though

[@66deadman6]

El Metador Tito Santana The Great

[@Bellthorian]

To me what Tito was talking about is why wrestling sucks now. In Tito's day a wrestling match was used to tell a story. They could tell a story with very limited action and the fans ate it up. Today they use wrestling matches to highlight SPOTS. Very little story telling goes on in the ring today. Wrestling went from telling stories to a show about dangerous stunts.

[@stelvis7413]

"Chico Santana" Jesse Ventura.

[@summer20105707]

I think Tito was the greatest intercontinental champion ever.

[@krillin876]

CHICO Santan

[@jeffreyramires5642]

Chico Santana from Tijuana.

[@TheSanityMachine33]

Chico Santana... as Jesse called him.

[@williamdavis600]

Jesse The Body Ventura is my favorite wrestler all time..by a mile..Scott Hall is my #2.

[@FranBushardt]

That Style WOULD NEVER FLY IN CROCKETTS NWA, it was about IN RING ACTION..

[@Chris-ps4tn]

Chico Santana

[@jesse7747]

Chico

[@360whiplash]

Chico Santana.