Erick Francisco Casas Ruiz (born October 4, 1970) is a Mexican professional wrestler currently working under the ring name Heavy Metal for AAA. He is the son of referee Pepe Casas and part of the Casas wrestling family; the brother of Negro Casas and Felino.
Contents
Professional wrestling career
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Erick Casas started his professional career wrestling as Canelo Casas for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). As Canelo Casas he, along with Mr. Cid, was able to win the Naucalpan Tag Team Championship. He also won the Mexican National Welterweight Championship defeating Ciclon Ramirez in 1990.
Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide / AAA
Erick Casas left CMLL when he decided to go to the newly created promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, later known simply as AAA, in 1992. He changed his gimmick to Heavy Metal where he was a rudo and had a rock-star look which was based on heavy metal music. His first victory as Heavy Metal was the Mexican National Welterweight Championship, when he defeated Rey Misterio Jr. in 1993. He retained his title against Rey Misterio twice and El Hijo Del Santo. Santo and Metal would rival over Santo's WWA Welterweight Championship and over Metal's Mexican National Welterweight Champion. Both wrestlers would put both of their titles on the line in the same match where winner takes all. Heavy Metal lost his title to Santo in the fall of 1993 when both of them put both of their titles on the line. After the loss of the title, Metal turned into a tecnico. He formed a team with Latin Lover where both of them feuded with Rocco Valente, Tony Arce and Vulcano. Rocco Valente and Tony Arce were the Mexican National Tag Team Champions at the time. Heavy Metal and Latin Lover had a shot for the title and won the title in 1994. After Metal and Lover won the title, Arce challenged Metal in a luchas de apuestas (bet match) match which Metal accepted. The match took place just two weeks after Metal and Lover won the title. Metal was able to beat Arce and so Arce hair was shaved.
On November 6, 1994, the event When Worlds Collide Metal teamed with Rey Misterio Jr. and Latin Lover to face Fuerza Guerrera, Madonna's Boyfriend, and Psicosis in a tradition lucha libre six-man tag match. The final saw that Fuerza Guerrera making Heavy Metal submit. Fuerza Guerrera and his son Juventud Guerrera later started a feud with Heavy Metal and Latin Lover over their tag title. Heavy Metal and Latin Lover lost the tag title to them in late 1994. The teams later had a rematch in 1995 but Metal turned on his partner when he turned rudo again. The duo as a team ended after that. Later in 1995 Metal became a tecnico again. In early 1996, AAA announce that they were creating a new championship call AAA Americas Trios Champion, there was a tournament held for it too with a block A and block B. Heavy Metal teamed with Latin Lover and Winners for the block A tournament. The team was able to beat El Mexicano, Torero and Tornado on the first round. In the semi-final, the team defeated Blue Demon Jr., Principe Zafiro and Volador. In the finals, the team lost to Los Villanos (Villano III, Villano IV and Villano V). Heavy Metal teamed with Latin Lover and Cien Caras and making Caras the leader of the team on block B. On the first round they beat Frisbee, La Parka, and Rey Misterio Jr. On the next round they defeated Killer, Vegas, and Yeti. In the semi-finals they beat Cibernetico, Jerry Estrada, and Pierroth. In the finals the team was close to win but lost to Los Villanos (Villano III, Villano IV and Villano V).
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Heavy Metal went to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) because AAA's working agreement with the company and also to replace Juventud Guerrera's place for the America's X-Cup. Along with Abismo Negro, Mr. Águila and Hector Garza, "Team Mexico" was successful in winning the America's X-Cup. They later retained it against Team Canada as well. After the America's X-cup was over, Heavy Metal returned to AAA.
Return to AAA
After TNA, Heavy Metal returned to AAA. Since his return, he turned back into a tecnico. At the Verano de Escandalo event, Heavy Metal, El Intocable, El Zorro, beat Histeria, and Psicosis II and Mosco de la Merced II in a Steel Cage Match where the last man in the cage would lose his hair or his mask. Mosco de la Merced II was unmasked due to his loss. Heavy Metal later left AAA in late 2004.
International Wrestling Revolution Group
Heavy Metal and his brothers including Negro Casas and El Felino went to International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG) in 2005. The duo teamed and was able to capture the IWRG Intercontinental Trios Champion by defeating Black Tiger, Pantera II, Pentagon Black. The team lost the titles to Scorpio Jr., Veneno, and Cerebro Negro in early 2006. Heavy Metal defeated Scorpio Jr. for the IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion in 2005 but later lost back to him in late 2005.
Return to Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Erick Casas return to CMLL in 2005. Erick Casas remained under his Heavy Metal gimmick even though he had never been Heavy Metal in CMLL in the past. Heavy Metal participated in the Leyenda de Azul tournament in 2005. In the Leyenda de Azul first round he lost to Rey Bucanero. In the Torneo Gran Alternativa 2006, Heavy Metal was a veteran; teaming with El Texano Jr. In the quarter-final, the duo lost to Loco Max and Rey Bucanero. Heavy Metal participated in the Leyenda de Azul 2006. In the First Round, he lost to Black Warrior. In 2007, Heavy Metal teamed with Super Nova for the Torneo Gran Alternativa. In the first round, the team lost to the winners of that night La Sombra and Místico. In 2008, Heavy Metal lost his hair to Toscano in a Lucha de Apuesta. This was the first time Heavy Metal has lost in a Lucha de Apuesta match as Heavy Metal.
Return to AAA
At AAA's show in Mexico City, an event competing directly against CMLL's major event Homenaje a Dos Leyendas, Heavy Metal made surprising return to AAA, attacking Konnan and joining forces with Cibernético in his fight against Konnan's La Legión Extranjera faction. After a four-month break due to an injury, Heavy Metal returned to AAA on February 4, 2011, and entered a Best of Five Hair vs. Hair series with Electroshock, with whom he had feuded prior to his injury. The fifth match of the series, a Two Out of Three Falls Bull Terrier match, took place on March 18 at Rey de Reyes and ended with Heavy Metal defeating Electroshock, after a guitar shot, for his hair. After the match both Heavy Metal and Electroshock were attacked by members of La Sociedad, bringing the former rivals together to fight a common enemy. On June 18 at Triplemanía XIX, Electroshock, Heavy Metal and Joe Líder defeated Silver King, Último Gladiador and Chessman in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match. On March 31, 2013, Heavy Metal teamed up with Danny Casas to represent the Casas family in IWRG's La Guerra de Familias ("War of the Families") tournament. The team lost to Los Junior Dinamitas (Cien Caras Jr. and Hijo de Máscara Año 2000) in the first round. On June 16 at Triplemanía XXI, Heavy Metal defeated Chessman to become the number one contender to the AAA Mega Championship. He received his title shot later that same event, but was defeated by the defending champion, El Texano Jr.
Personal life
Erick Casas is the son of referee Pepe Casas and the brother of Negro Casas and Felino.
Championships and accomplishments
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración / AAA
AAA Campeón de Campeones Championship (1 time)
Mexican National Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Latin Lover
Mexican National Welterweight Championship (2 times)
International Wrestling Revolution Group
IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
IWRG Intercontinental Trios Championship (1 time) – with Negro Casas and El Felino
Rock y Lucha Championship (1 time, current)
Kaoz Lucha Libre
Kaoz Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI ranked him #174 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1995
PWI ranked him #178 of the Top 500 Singles Wrestlers of the "PWI Years"
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
America's X Cup (2004) – with Mr. Águila, Juventud Guerrera, Abismo Negro, and Héctor Garza
Universal Wrestling Association
UWA World Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)