Herman "Pepe" Cathedrál

Herman Cathedrál was born Herman Iglesias in Miami, Florida to Martha Shakira, an unwed mother. Martha gave Herman the last name Iglesias, after his father, Julio Iglesias.

As a young man growing up in Miami, Herman knew little of the great man Julio, whom he called father. But like many children growing up in a one parent household, Herman took care of himself and his mother, Martha.

At the age of 16, Herman went to spend a weekend with Julio and Enrique. Julio was in the studio recording while Enrique and Herman were giving him suggestions. "I remember the time very fondly. I felt like I was part of a family," says Herman, "But it didn't last very long."

After an argument with Enrique over credit for a melody they were working on, Julio stayed away from Herman fearing the bad publicity of a bastard son. Herman decided he had enough of his father and his last name and became forever known as Herman Cathedrál.

Now vitalized with a new name and the spirit to create his own road, Herman went off to college. There he met his closest friend, Abdelkhader El Mouaziz, the great Moroccan marathon runner. "Abdel and I had the same drive. He ran and I wrestled!" remembers Herman. The two have since then become passionate friends and career rivals.

After college, Herman was recruited by the Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) as a new wrestler. Herman became a successful and very popular ECW wrestler, as "Pepe the Bandito".

After a few years of wrestling in the ECW, Ted Turner representing the nationally popular World Class Wrestling (WCW) association, offered Herman a fantastic deal. "Pepe the Bandito" began to wrestle in the WCW.

Fostered with complete creative control over his character, Herman's career reached newer heights. Herman decided to the create the Latino World Order as a new story line for WCW. His partner wrestlers, Ted and Eric Bischoff recommended that he call the group the New World Order, popularly known as the NWO.

Herman's popularity continued to grow with the NWO but so did his pain. After a severe shoulder injury, Herman decided to retire from wrestling. Recognizing the value in Herman's abilities to develop successful concepts, Ted Turner offered Herman the role of Chief Executive Officer of the yet to be formed Lower East Side Wrestling Federation (LESWF).

Herman's success has not diluted the spirit to succeed he has always had. Herman had moved his mother Martha up to New York with him and always keeps her close. "She's my biggest fan!", says Herman.

About his father, Herman says that the day of the press conference with Ted Turner announcing the LESWF, "My dad Julio called me and told me 'Coñio, me cago en mielda, por que tu no eres como Enrique, o tu hermana Chabellie.' I didn't know what to tell him...I had made it without him."