Carlito (wrestler)
A cocky, apple-spitting second-generation star who brought Caribbean cool to WWE and held its United States Championship.
Born 1979 (age 47)·Puerto Rican professional wrestler·Birthday: February 21·Generation X
Biography
Carlito, born Carlos Colón Jr., didn't just enter professional wrestling; he was born into its royal family in Puerto Rico. The son of legendary promoter and wrestler Carlos Colón, he learned the craft in the family's World Wrestling Council before making his explosive WWE debut in 2004. With his signature sneer, dyed blonde tips, and a perpetual apple he'd take a bite from before spitting at opponents, Carlito embodied a brand of laid-back arrogance that instantly connected. His catchphrase, 'I spit in the face of people who don't want to be cool,' became a mantra for his disrespectful persona. He captured the WWE United States Championship just weeks into his main roster run, a testament to his immediate impact. Across multiple stints with WWE, Carlito carved a niche as a reliable mid-card villain and tag team competitor, always radiating a specific, smirking charisma that made him a memorable part of the Ruthless Aggression era.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Carlito was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Carlito Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Carlito's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the WWE United States Championship in his main roster debut match in 2004.
- Captured the WWE Intercontinental Championship in 2008.
- Held the World Tag Team Championship with his brother, Primo, in 2009.
- Is a second-generation star from the prominent Colón wrestling family of Puerto Rico.
Did You Know?
His signature move was called the 'Backstabber' (a backbreaker).
He and his brother Primo won a tag team turmoil match at WrestleMania 25.
He made a surprise return in the 2021 Royal Rumble match after a decade away from WWE.
His father, Carlos Colón Sr., is a Hall of Famer in both WWE and the WWC in Puerto Rico.
“I spit in the face of people who don't want to be cool.”
