10 Things We Learned From Speaking To Orlando Colón
5. The Pressure And Responsibility Of The Colón Name
In Puerto Rico, Carlos Colón is professional wrestling. Not just that, but Carlos' sons Carly and Eddie have gone on to have global success as Carlito and Primo. When speaking to Orlando Colón, we chatted about the pressure and responsibility that comes with having the Colón name.
On how the Colón mantle affected him during his younger years, Orlando reminisced, "For me, it was a beautiful time. To have somebody you admire to be your uncle, to me it was an amazing experience. I used to love going to the arenas and seeing him, as a fan."
Having the legacy of the Colón name to live up to in the ring, the pressure of this saw Orlando work under a mask during the early part of his wrestling career and take on the name of Fireblaze.
As he explained, "At the beginning, I didn't know if I was any good. I didn't want to do the last name a disservice. It's hard as it is, just to be a Colón. Carlito was the champion in Puerto Rico, Eddie was wrestling with Rey Mysterio and tearing it up in Puerto Rico. People started getting tried of, 'Oh, here comes the son. Here comes the other son. Here comes the nephew.' People were starting to get disgusted by it, because of the fact that, 'Oh, these guys are getting it easy.' I get that, I absolutely get it, but at the same time there's the pressure. Having that last name and connection, opens you the door, that's true, it helps you get opportunity - but if you don't deliver with your last name, that door is only open one time."