Ramos grew up in Houston and attended wrestling matches with his uncle and father. In the early 1960s, his uncle suggested that Ramos enter the profession. He, however, was boxing at the time and turned down the idea. He later met
Paul Boesch, a wrestling promoter, who helped him get into wrestling. He entered the professional wrestling business in 1964 and was trained by
Danny McShain,
Cyclone Anaya, and
David Weinstein. In Los Angeles, he
feuded with
Mil Mascaras. It culminated in a
Hair vs Mask match, which Ramos lost, causing him to have his head shaved. He later had a short run in the
World Wide Wrestling Federation, managed by Col. Homer O'Dell, as an opponent to the champion
Bruno Sammartino. Sammartino defeated Ramos by submission in defense of the title, in the first show held at the "new" Madison Square Garden in 1968. In the Pacific Northwest, Ramos feuded with
Dutch Savage, a feud that lasted approximately five years. He also feuded with
Ricky Hunter in the Pacific Northwest. Ramos became a popular heel in Oregon after breaking
Lonnie Mayne's arm, causing the bone to stick out of the skin. In the same territory, Ramos won tag team gold with future governor
Jesse Ventura. He wrestled until the 1980s. == Professional wrestling style and persona ==