Editing Pedro Morales (section)

== Legacy ==
Morales was inducted into the [[WWE Hall of Fame|WWF Hall of Fame]] as part of the [[WWE Hall of Fame (1995)|class of 1995]].<ref name="WWEHOF"/> Professional wrestling critics and purists have discussed his contributions to the discipline in widespread publications. Tomás Marín Rodríguez "El Martillo", part of a group led by José Antonio Geigel and one of the founding members of the first promotion in Puerto Rico, expressed in an interview that he considers Morales the best Puerto Rican wrestler in history. Marín considered that both his in-ring style and chivalry made him "unique" among performers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prwrestling.com/entrevistas/martillo.html|title=PR: Entrevista a Tomás Marín "El Martillo"|author=Manuel González|publisher=Puerto Rico Wrestling|language=es|date=October 28, 2002|access-date=July 3, 2013}}</ref> Terry Funk, Stan Hansen, Greg Valentine and Magnificent Muraco have expressed having enjoyed working matches with Morales. Fernwood Gold III and Thor Jensen of [[UGO Networks]] listed him as the 36th best face wrestler in history, noting how he appealed to the fanbase in New York.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ugo.com/sports/best-wrestling-faces-pedro-morales|title=Best Wrestling Faces: Pedro Morales|author=Fernwood Gold the Third and K. Thor Jensen|publisher=[[UGO Networks]]|date=November 5, 2008|access-date=January 20, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223115920/http://www.ugo.com/sports/best-wrestling-faces-pedro-morales|archive-date=February 23, 2011}}</ref> His run as the first Latin American Intercontinental Champion is often lauded. Bill Barnwell of [[IGN|IGN Sports]] also included Morales in the site's list of Top Intercontinental Champions, placing him in the sixth slot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.ign.com/articles/871/871347p2.html|title=Top Ten Intercontinental Champions of All Time|author=Bill Barnswell|website=[[IGN]]|date=May 2, 2008|access-date=January 19, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615011109/http://sports.ign.com/articles/871/871347p2.html|archive-date=June 15, 2009}}</ref> Jeremy Thomas of 411.com ranked him fifth as part of a debate among the website's staff.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/197339|title=The 411 Wrestling Top 5 08.24.11: Week 138 – Top Intercontinental Champions|author=Larry Caonka|publisher=411.com|date=August 24, 2011|access-date=January 19, 2012}}</ref> In a similar discussion held at [[Canoe.ca|Slam! Sports]], writer [[Greg Oliver]] considered him the best wrestler to hold the belt, stating that when "he held the title, there was a sense of honour and pride with it".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2008/12/16/pf-7765676.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311224226/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2008/12/16/pf-7765676.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 11, 2016|title=SLAM! Speaks: The greatest IC champ|author=SLAM! Wrestling Staff|date=December 16, 2008|access-date=November 12, 2012}}</ref> WWE itself ranked Morales in the ninth spot in the "Intercontinental Champions" entry of their Top 25 series. As merits for this recognition, the promotion mentioned him being the first wrestler to win the title twice and holding it for a combined total of over 600 days.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/wwefeaturepage/features/top25intercontinentalchamps|title=WWE "Top 25 Intercontinental Champions"|publisher=[[WWE|World Wrestling Entertainment]]|access-date=January 19, 2012}}</ref> His combined total stood as the record until he was surpassed by [[Gunther (wrestler)|Gunther]] in February 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/gunther-surpasses-pedro-morales-longest-reigning-wwe-intercontinental-champion-combined-days|title=Gunther Surpasses Pedro Morales As Longest Reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion For Combined Days|date=February 19, 2024|last=Lambert|first=Jeremy|work=Fightful|access-date=February 20, 2024}}</ref> WWE also included him in a compendium titled "Top 50 Good Guys in Wrestling  History", which featured wrestlers that performed as fan favorites during their careers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/classic-lists/top-50-good-guys/page-8|title=Top 50 Good Guys in Wrestling History|publisher=[[WWE]]|date=September 28, 2012|access-date=October 19, 2012}}</ref> In September 2016, the promotion joined [[NBC Universo]] to commemorate [[National Hispanic Heritage Month]], creating a series highlighting the career of several wrestlers including Morales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/videos/wwe-and-nbc-universo-honor-pedro-morales-during-hispanic-heritage-month|title=WWE and NBC Universo honor Pedro Morales during Hispanic Heritage Month|publisher=[[WWE]]|date=September 27, 2016|access-date=October 4, 2016}}</ref>

Outside of the WWE, he has received recognition as a Latin American and Hispanic pioneer in other promotions. In mid-1996, Morales appeared at an event of the short lived [[American Wrestling Federation]], in the championship match between [[Bob Orton, Jr.]] and [[Tito Santana]], along with other superstars and legends like [[Sgt. Slaughter]], [[Chris Adams (wrestler)|Chris Adams]], and special guest referee [[Jim Brunzell]]. On August 31, 2006, as part of a [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]] taping, Morales was mentioned by [[Konnan]] along fellow Hall of Famers Carlos Colón, Santana, [[Mil Máscaras]] and [[Los Guerreros|the Guerrero family]], being acknowledged as Latinos that paved the way within the wrestling industry.<ref name="LAX"/> This was part of an in-character celebratory speech following [[The Latin American Xchange]]'s coronation as [[NWA World Tag Team Championship|NWA World Tag Team Champions]].<ref name="LAX">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=20042&p=1|title=TNA Impact Report: Thumbstacks Match on TV|author=Richard Trionfo|magazine=[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]|date=September 1, 2006|access-date=January 19, 2012}}</ref> In reality, Konnan credits him with "[teaching] a lot" about the politics of wrestling and "the things you need to do in the ring to be a success in this business" during his time in WCW.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2006/09/21/1872095.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611070137/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2006/09/21/1872095.html|title=Konnan raps on race, TNA and LAX|author=Jason Clevett|work=canoe.com |publisher=[[Canoe.ca|Slam! Sports]]|date=September 21, 2006|access-date=November 12, 2012|archivedate=June 11, 2015}}</ref> From 2003 onwards, the World Wrestling Council approached Morales and offered holding an Aniversario event in his honor, but he declined the invitations for ten years. In 2013, Morales accepted being the honoree of Aniversario 40.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://superluchas.net/2013/09/09/wwc-aniversario-40-dedicado-a-pedro-morales/|title=WWC: ANIVERSARIO 40 DEDICADO A PEDRO MORALES|author=Anthony Piñero|magazine=Súper Luchas|language=es|date=September 9, 2013|access-date=September 9, 2013}}</ref> He was the centerpiece of the International Pedro Morales Fan Club, an independent organization that ran during the 1970s and that recruited members through wrestling magazines. In 2000, ''The Ring Chronicle'' inducted Morales into its own version of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com/pages/wrestlers/pedromorales4.html|title=Hall of Fame Inductee: Pedro Morales|author=Steve Slage|publisher=The Ring Chronicle's Online Museum|year=2000|access-date=August 4, 2013|archive-date=February 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202094049/http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com/pages/wrestlers/pedromorales4.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Modern fan reaction has also been positive in regards to the historical significance of his accomplishments. Nate Scaccia, a contributor to the website [[Bleacher Report]], considers Morales the best Intercontinental champion of all time, ranking first in the title's entry at the website's WWE Champion Series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/646000-wwe-top-10-champion-series-top-10-intercontinental-champions-of-all-time/page/12|title=WWE Champion Series Top 10 Intercontinental Champions of All Time|author=Nate Scaccia|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|date=March 26, 2011|access-date=January 19, 2012}}</ref> Michael Robinson and Will Baker, amateur writers for the same site, also consider him the 31st best WWE wrestler in history and 11th greatest WWE Champion respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/581682-top-100-wwe-wrestlers-of-all-time-40-31#/articles/581682-top-100-wwe-wrestlers-of-all-time-40-31/page/11 |title=Top 100 Wrestlers Of All-Time:40–31|author=Michael Robinson|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|date=January 22, 2011|access-date=January 19, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/784208-ranking-the-greatest-wwe-champions-of-all-time|title=Ranking the Greatest WWE Champions of All Time|author=Will J. Baker|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|date=August 3, 2011|access-date=January 19, 2012}}</ref> He repeated at the ninth place in a subsequent interpretation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/1331746-power-ranking-the-25-greatest-champions-in-wwe-history/page/9|title=Power Ranking the 25 Greatest Champions in WWE History|author=Erik Beaston|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|date=September 15, 2012|access-date=November 17, 2012}}</ref> Besides the wrestling and sports media, the [[mun2]] network also featured Morales in an article that listed their selection for the "20 of the most memorable Latino wrestlers in WWE history" which was published in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mun2.tv/news/entertainment/slideshow-20-of-the-most-memorable-latino-wrestlers-in-WWE-history#|title=Slideshow: 20 of the most memorable Latino wrestlers in WWE history|publisher=[[mun2]]| access-date=October 20, 2012}}</ref> When compiling a list based on the "[wrestler's] impact on the [Puerto Rican] fanbase", Raúl Álzaga of ''[[Primera Hora (Puerto Rico)|Primera Hora]]'' listed him third overall.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.primerahora.com/deportes/otros/nota/losmejores10luchadoresboricuasdelahistoria-955808/|title=Los mejores 10 luchadores boricuas de la historia|author=Raúl Álzaga|newspaper=[[Primera Hora (Puerto Rico)|Primera Hora]]|language=es|date=September 21, 2013|access-date=March 29, 2014}}</ref>

As a trainer, Morales was involved in the instruction of [[Dory Funk Jr.]], a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion who in 2009 was inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of The Funks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2013/1107/567118/dory-funk-jr-talks-his-wrestling-school/|title=Dory Funk Jr. Talks His Wrestling School, Why He Left WWF, Training Kurt Angle, Wrestling Terry|author=Raj Giri|publisher=Wrestling, Inc.|date=November 7, 2013|access-date=October 6, 2016}}</ref> In 2022, his estate signed a deal to appear in [[Greg Gagne (wrestler)|Greg Gagne]]’s AWA-inspired PowerTown action figure line.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.si.com/wrestling/2022/05/17/awa-minneapolis-wrestling-action-figures|title= How the Long-Defunct AWA Is Stoking Wrestling Fans' Nostalgia|author=Justin Barrasso|publisher=Sports Illustrated|date=2022-05-17|accessdate=2022-07-17}}</ref>