Falcon Coperis
Falcon Coperis, real name Louis Vagino Velazquez (born August 16 1969), in the Bronx, New York, is a retired professional wrestler.
Career
Early career
Louis Velazquez grew up in the Bronx, New York until the age of 13 when his family relocated to the borough of Queens, New York. This is where his journey into martial arts and professional wrestling and entertainment began.
In 1984 Velazquez began his martial arts training with Louis Rebollo of Rebollo Martial Arts. He trained with him religiously until Rebollo's death in 1991.
Then, in 1988 Velazquez began to train as a professional wrestler under the tutelage of Bobby Boldeagle. He also trained under Boldeagle for a year prior to having his first match. Velazquez wrestled in small venues, anywhere from a local Moose Lodge to the local bars in New Jersey and Delaware. Following a shoulder injury in 1994 he was forced to take a leave from the ring for a year.
Ultimate Championship Wrestling
In 1995 Velazquez entered into the squared circle once again with Ultimate Championship Wrestling (UCW), a division of UCW Entertainment. UCW was a wrestling promotion forged by a group of professional wrestlers who were looking to create something special. After several weeks of brainstorming with his fellow wrestlers, Velazquez developed the trademarked ring name "Falcon Coperis". Falcons are top predators in the world and "Coperis" was derived from the name of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus who formulated the scientifically-based heliocentric cosmology that displaced the Earth from the center of the universe. Velazquez was intrigued by the universe, hence the creation of Coperis.
From 1995 until 1998 he wrestled for Ultimate Championship Wrestling where he wrestled with Bruce Hart, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Chris Chavis "Tatanka", Marty Jannetty, King Kong Bundy, Bam Bam Bigelow, Tiger Khan, Tommy Cairo, Teddy Reade, and some of the last matches that were being arranged but never came to fruition included top names such as The Ultimate Warrior and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
Bruce Hart, son of Stu Hart and Helen Hart, comes from the most prestigious family in professional wrestling which produced such great talent as Bret Hart, Davey Boy Smith, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart, The Honky Tonk Man, Brian Pillman, Dynamite Kid, Nikolai Volkoff, Edge, and many other top names in the professional wrestling world. Bruce Hart added the missing element in the UCW organization which helped elevate the young talent to new heights, including Falcon Coperis, Marlon Kalkai aka "Tiger Khan","Ironman" Tommy Cairo from Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) fame and many others. He was the driving force within Stampede Wrestling and continues to be one of the most outspoken personalities in professional wrestling today.
Falcon Coperis held the Ultimate Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Championship title until the year 1997 when we was defeated by Chris Chavis "Tatanka" in New York, this came on the heels of being struck in the head with a crutch by his tag partner against Jim Neidhart and Chris Chavis, former partner of one time WWE Champions Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty.
There would be no rematch for the UCW Heavyweight Championship Title following that matchup with Chavis as Falcon Coperis sustained a back injury which not only forced him not to have a rematch but also to withdraw from various other matches that were scheduled.
Although he has not ruled out a return to the ring, even in a capacity other than actually wrestling, this has not been a main priority in his life. He continues to do positive things for children as he is able, using his time in the ring as a foundation for connecting with the youth and delivering to them positive messages in life when possible.
Film, Radio and Music
In 2005 he worked on a few music videos projects, including both the filming and subsequent editing process for two modern rock/pop songs by singer/songwriter Gary Glitter.
Velazquez is the host of a popular financial radio show which is also featured on popular news portals such as ABC News, CBS News, Boston Herald, and the Houston Chronicle.
In 2009 he is working with a team on creating a television show version of his radio show as well as on two film projects and various music related projects including the development of new talent.
Personal life
Coperis was honored by being inducted into The Martial Arts Hall of Fame for his work with children orally. He has been a member of various top martial arse organization over a 20 year time span and honored with various awards including one from the Okinawan Karate-Do Union which he holds in the highest regard to this day. He has also been honored by the Kids Hall of Fame founded by Victoria Nesnick of Long Island New York as an Honorary Ambassador.
Louis Velazquez is an ACTIVE supporter of the Martial Arts History Museum in California which is run by Michael Matsuda and has board members such as Director Art Camacho, Actor James Lew and Martial Arts Legend Alan Goldberg.
From 1994-1996 he lived in both Los Angeles, California and Queens, New York, traveling on business as his clients were attempting to acquire the Showboat Casino in Las Vegas Nevada during that time period. The deal did not come to fruition. Does anyone care?
In mid 1995 he saved an abused American Pitbull Terrier and repeated that action in 1996 with his second Pit. Later he purchased a third Pitbull, a two month old puppy which he trained to protect his mother who lived alone. The two adopted pitbulls died in early 2008, the last pitbull died on February 14, 2009.
In June 2001 he married just prior to the tragic events of 9/11 which his then wife survived, he has one step daughter from that previous marriage. He has no biological children of his own as of February 2009.
He is currently involved in the financial industry and works with various charitable organizations assisting with fundraising projects. He is a strong supporter of The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation due to the unfortunate circumstances that rendered his older brother paralyzed and eventually lead to his death in 2003.
Wrestling moveset
- Finishing and signature moves
- STF
- Press Slam
- Running Powerslam
- STF
- Clothesline
- Flying Forearm
- Shoulder block
References
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