Former WWC Star Hercules Ayala Passes Away

– Hercules Ayala, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico and Stampede Wrestling, has passed away. The Cauliflower Alley Club announced the news on Twitter this morning that Ayala died due to hart issues at the age of 69.

We heard this morning that Ruben Cruz, better known to wrestling as Hercules Ayala, passed away last night due to heart issues at the age of 69. Born in Puerto Rico, Cruz wrestled all over the world, winning dozens of titles in his career. We offer our condolances at this time pic.twitter.com/PbknUq0ekN

— Cauliflower Alley Club (@CACReunion) January 23, 2020

Ayala was born in Puerto Rico and grew up a fan of the business. He would take his first steps into professional wrestling when his mother moved his family to Boston and he met Angelo Savoldi at a gym. Savoldi began taining Ayala for the ring. He worked several undercard matches for the WWWF in 1974 and 1975 as Ruben Ayala, choosing Ayala as it was his mother’s maiden name.

He worked several territories after that, including the WWC where he started racking up title reigns, including runs as the Puerto Rico Champion in 1976 and 1977. He met the Hart family in 1978 and traveled to Stampede, where he worked in the late ’70s and early 1980s as a heel. He had a run with Jim Neidhart as the Stampede International Tag Team Champions in 1980.

All in all in the WWC, he held several titles multiple times including three Caribbean Heavyweight Championship reigns, one run as North American Heavyweight Champion, one with the North American Tag Team Championship alongside Victor Jovica, five Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championships, three World Junior Heavyweight Championship, the WWC World Tag Team Championship with King Tonga, and three WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship reigns.

Ayala also worked as a booker at the American Wrestling Federation and had an in-ring run there. He returned to the WWC after the AWF folded and had the 2011 WWC Anniversario show dedicated to him.

On behalf of 411, our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Ayala.