Coordinates	38°01′47″N84°29′41″N
Name	Jay Lethal
Names	HydroJamar CunninghamJay LethalJ.R. LethalRPM
Height
Weight
Birth date	April 21, 1985
Birth place	Elizabeth, New Jersey
Resides	Tampa, Florida
Billed	Elizabeth, New Jersey
Trainer	Mikey WhipwreckJAPW schoolDan Maff
Debut	December 7, 2001
Retired	}}

Jamar "Jay" Shipman (born April 21, 1985) better known by his ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is the ROH World Television Champion. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he was a six-time X Division Champion and a one-time World Tag Team Champion with Consequences Creed.

Early life

Jamar Shipman was born to Ronald and Shirley Shipman on April 21, 1985 in Elizabeth, New Jersey and is the middle child of three brothers and two sisters. On July 7, 2001, at age sixteen, Shipman entered a contest held by Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) which entitled the winner to six months free training in the JAPW professional wrestling school. Shipman won, and spent half a year training, at the end of which the JAPW school closed down. Shipman then began training under Extreme Championship Wrestling alum Mikey Whipwreck and Dan Maff.

Professional wrestling career

Jersey All Pro Wrestling (2001–2009)

Debut; feud with Azrieal (2001–2004)

Shipman made his wrestling debut under the ring name Jay Lethal on December 7, 2001, at JAPW's ''Seasons Beatings Tour Night 2'', in a match where he defeated Rainchild. He won his first Championship, the JAPW Television Championship, on September 13, 2002, in Bayonne, New Jersey, at ''Never Forget'', defeating the champion, Ghost Shadow, and Rain in a 3-way match. His reign lasted an unprecedented and unreplicated eleven months, with Lethal finally losing to Crazy Ivan on August 22, 2003 in Rahway, New Jersey at ''Counter-Strike''. Lethal also held the JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship, defeating the champion, Azrieal, Insane Dragon and Jack Evans on February 28, 2004, at ''Revolution'', in a four way match. Azrieal tried to regain the title for eight months, but repeatedly lost to Lethal. On December 10, 2004, at ''Seasons Beatings'', Azrieal gained one more shot at the JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship by challenging Lethal to a "belt versus loser leaves town" match, which would see Azrieal leave JAPW if he lost. Azrieal was able to win the match, thus ending their lengthy feud.

JAPW Heavyweight Champion (2005–2006)

With two lengthy title reigns in the space of two years, Lethal had established himself as a dominant member of the JAPW roster by 2005, and he began challenging for the JAPW Heavyweight Championship, which had been held by Dan Maff since December 2003. On January 29, 2005, at ''Wild Card'', Lethal pinned Maff in a title match, but the decision was overturned by crooked referee Sean Hanson.

In March 2005, Maff left JAPW and retired from wrestling following an argument with Homicide, thus vacating the JAPW Heavyweight Championship. Lethal was awarded the Heavyweight Championship on March 26 at ''Caged Fury 2'' held in the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but he refused to accept it, claiming that he wanted to "earn" the title. JAPW mainstay Homicide then challenged Lethal to an impromptu match for the vacant title, which Homicide won. Lethal finally won the JAPW Heavyweight Championship on May 21 in Braintree, Massachusetts, at ''Braintree Invasion'' defeating Homicide, Kevin Steen and Samoa Joe in a four way match by pinning Homicide following a diving headbutt.

Lethal defeated Steve Corino on June 4 at ''HomeComing'' with his father in his corner, but, after the match, Corino and Ricky Landell handcuffed Lethal to the top rope and attacked his father with Corino placing him in a crossface. This led to a six man tag match on July 16, at ''Gored'' pitting Lethal and his father against Corino, Landell and Landell's manager, Rick Silver. Lethal and his father were outnumbered, but managed to pull off a win at the last minute after Lethal's mother introduced their partner, the returning Charlie Haas. After Haas attacked Lethal during the post-match celebrations, a title match was booked between Haas and Lethal for ''Haas of Pain'' held on September 10, which was won by Lethal. On October 22 at ''8th Year Anniversary Show'' Lethal ended his feud with Corino by defeating him for the title in a Dog Collar match with help from Tommy Dreamer.

Lethal's next feud would be with The D-Factor's Rhino, who, on November 12, 2005 at ''Fall Out'', assaulted him following his successful title defense against B-Boy. On January 7, 2006, at ''Wild Card II'', Lethal lost the JAPW Heavyweight Championship to Rhino, who won the bout after giving Lethal a Rhino Driver through a table from the top rope.

Alliance with Azrieal (2006–2007)

Lethal tried twice to regain his title, first on February 18, 2006, in a 3-way, which also included Teddy Hart, and then on May 20, 2006, but was unsuccessful both times at regaining the title. After unsuccessfully going after the JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship held by Frankie Kazarian, Lethal and former rival Azrieal managed to win the JAPW Tag Team Championship by defeating the champions The Outcast Killaz (Oman Tortuga and Diablo Santiago) and The S.A.T. (Jose and Joel Maximo) in a 3-way dance on October 28, 2006, at ''9th Year Anniversary Show'', held in Rahway, New Jersey. On June 9, 2007, at ''Back to Business'', The Latin American Xchange of Homicide and Hernandez defeated Lethal and Azrieal for the titles.

Departure (2009)

At the beginning of 2009 Lethal proclaimed that it was his destiny to win back the JAPW Heavyweight title, held by Kenny Omega. On February 28, 2009, in Jersey City, at ''Jersey City Rumble'' Lethal won a 21-person Jersey City Rumble to earn the right to challenge for Omega's title that same night. In the end, Lethal pinned Omega with the flipping release dragon suplex after Omega's associate Dan Maff turned on him, to win the JAPW Heavyweight Championship for the second time. During the match Maff had also attacked Lethal and that lead to a Championship match between the two on March 28, at ''Unfinished Business'', in which Lethal managed to retain his title. Lethal defeated Maff again on April 18 at ''International Invasion'', but only after Trent Acid interfered in the match. Their feud ended on June 27 in Jersey City, at ''Caged Destiny'', when Maff defeated Lethal for the title inside a steel cage. Lethal has not made any appearances for JAPW since.

Ring of Honor (2003–2006)

Hydro (2003–2004)

Shipman made his Ring of Honor debut as Hydro, a member of Special K on ''Revenge on the Prophecy'' held in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, on January 11, 2003. On May 22, 2004 at ''Generation Next'' he faced Alex Shelley in a singles match. Though he lost, Shelley recognized his pure wrestling talent and offered him membership in Generation Next, Shelley's stable of future stars. Hydro declined, opting to remain part of Special K. Hydro won a four corner survival match at ''World Title Classic'' on June 12, which entitled him to enter the Pure Wrestling tournament later that year. At ''Survival of the Fittest'' on June 24, he and Dixie took part in a four way tag match for the Tag Team Championship in a losing effort, as CM Punk single-handedly defended the title to allow his tag team partner and co-champion Colt Cabana to prepare for his match later that evening. Hydro then challenged Punk to an impromptu match, which Punk also won. Hydro shook hands before the match, thus following the "Code of Honor" (which Special K normally ignored).

Samoa Joe's protégé (2004–2005)

Hydro took part in the Pure Wrestling tournament on July 17, 2004, at ''Reborn: Completion''. At the outset of the event, World Champion Samoa Joe advised Hydro to change his name and become more serious. Acting on Joe's advice, Hydro left Special K and went back to calling himself Jay Lethal. He was eliminated from the tournament after Doug Williams pinned him in a four way match using the Chaos Theory.

At ''Testing the Limit'' on August 7, Lethal took part in a four way match, pitting him against Alex Shelley, Ace Steel and 2 Cold Scorpio. Despite the moral support of his parents, who were in the audience, Lethal suffered a second loss to Shelley. Having rejected Shelley's offer of a place in Generation Next before the match for a second time, Lethal asked Shelley for a singles match. Lethal and Shelley faced one another for a third time on August 28 at ''Scramble Cage Melee'', with Shelley cheating to gain a third victory. Having lost every match for months, Lethal was obliged to face Matt Stryker at ''Glory by Honor III'' on September 11 with his ROH career on the line. Lethal won, breaking his losing streak. Low Ki, who had been feuding with Samoa Joe for several months, challenged Lethal, as Joe's protégé, at ''The Midnight Express Reunion'' on October 2. In the course of the match, Low Ki's manager Julius Smokes harassed Lethal's parents (once again watching the match from the audience) and Low Ki spat at Lethal's mother. Low Ki easily defeated Lethal, then mocked him after the match.

Lethal lost to Chad Collyer at ''Gold'' on October 15, but recovered with a win over Delirious the next day at ''Joe vs. Punk II''. He teamed with his mentor, Samoa Joe, and lost to John Walters and Nigel McGuinness at ''Weekend Of Thunder: Night One'' on November 5, before suffering another loss to Embassy member Jimmy Rave the subsequent evening. After his match with Rave, Lethal attacked Prince Nana, the leader of The Embassy. This led to Nana recruiting several masked mercenaries (dubbed the "Weapons of Masked Destruction") in an attempt to end Lethal's career. Lethal defeated both WMDs at ''All-Star Extravaganza 2'' on December 4 and ''Final Battle 2004'' on December 26 respectively, in both cases ending the match with his signature flipping release dragon suplex.

Lethal's feud with The Embassy continued into 2005, and on February 19 at the ''Third Anniversary Celebration: Part One'' he pinned Embassy member Jimmy Rave to become number one contender to the Pure Championship. Pure Champion and Embassy member John Walters, who had control over when to wrestle his title matches, chose to have the title defense immediately after Lethal's match, defeating the exhausted Lethal to retain his title following a trifecta of Lung Blowers. Lethal was scheduled to faced Walters for the title in a re-match at ''Trios Tournament 2005'' on March 5 in Philadelphia, but was attacked by an unknown assailant backstage, resulting in Lethal's eye swelling shut. Despite the injury, Lethal went on to defeat Walters later that night to win the Pure Championship, his first and only title in ROH.

On March 12 at ''Back to Basics'', Lethal and Samoa Joe teamed once again to face CM Punk and Spanky, with Lethal pinning Spanky with a bridging dragon suplex. At the ''Best of the American Super Juniors Tournament'' on April 2, Lethal and Joe faced Jimmy Jacobs and B.J. Whitmer for the vacant Tag Team Championship, but were defeated. Lethal retained his Pure Championship in a match with Spanky at ''Stalemate'' on April 16, but on May 7 at ''Manhattan Mayhem'' he lost the title to his mentor Samoa Joe. After the match, both men were ambushed after the match by The Rottweilers, who revealed Low Ki was the one who attacked Lethal at ''Trios Tournament 2005''. This led to a tag match that same night pitting Lethal and Joe against Low Ki and fellow Rottweiler Homicide. The match ended when Homicide gave Lethal Da Cop Killa while Low Ki simultaneously delivered a Ghetto Stomp, driving Lethal's neck into the ground. Lethal was stretched from the arena, wearing a neck brace, ostensibly seriously injured.

After being out "injured" for a month, Lethal returned on June 12 at ''The Future is Now'' to save James Gibson from a beating at the hands of The Rottweilers. He returned to the ring on June 18 at ''Death Before Dishonor III'', where he faced Low Ki in a grudge match which was declared a no contest after both men were disqualified. At ''Sign of Dishonor'' on July 8, Lethal teamed with fellow former Special K member Dixie to defeat The Heartbreak Express. Later that evening, Mick Foley forced World Champion CM Punk, who had signed with World Wrestling Entertainment and was trying to leave ROH with the World Championship, to defend his title against Lethal. Punk retained his title with a Muscle Buster / rear naked choke combination, often used by Samoa Joe, who had come ringside to cheer Lethal on.

Seeking revenge for the neck injury he had in May, Lethal challenged Homicide at ''Escape from New York'' on July 9, but lost due to Homicide using a chain. On July 23 at ''The Homecoming'' he joined forces with Samoa Joe and James Gibson to face The Rottweilers (Homicide, Low Ki and Ricky Reyes) but again suffered a defeat, with Homicide using the chain this time on Gibson. Lethal challenged Low Ki once more on August 12 at ''Redemption'' as part of his ongoing rivalry with The Rottweilers. The match ended in a draw after the enemies fought outside the ring and were counted out. After the match, Homicide came to the ring to attack Lethal, but was stopped by his opponent for the night, Matt Hardy. On August 13 at ''Punk: The Final Chapter'', Lethal and Joe defeated Low Ki and Homicide by disqualification after Homicide hit an elbow drop to the referee. Afterwards the four men brawled all over the arena, with Low Ki Ghetto Stomping Lethal off the bleachers and ending with him giving Lethal the Ki Krusher in the middle of the ring. He went on to defeat Low Ki later that night, however, in a standard singles match to end their feud. He defeated Sal Rinauro to advance to the finals of the ''Survival of the Fittest 2005'' tournament on September 24, but was eliminated by Roderick Strong.

Heel turn and departure (2005–2006)

After unsuccessfully challenging Nigel McGuinness for the Pure Championship on October 1, Lethal went undefeated until November 19, 2005, when he and Samoa Joe lost to Austin Aries and Roderick Strong in a number one contender's match for the Tag Team Championship. On December 3, 2005, at ''Steel Cage Warfare'', Lethal wrestled Joe in an exhibition match. During the bout, Lethal turned heel by attacking Joe's knee with a chair and then pinned him with the flipping release dragon suplex.

On January 27, 2006, Lethal teamed with Bryan Danielson, losing to Austin Aries and Roderick Strong in a match for the Tag Team Championship. At the ''Fourth Anniversary Show'' on February 25, 2006 in Edison, New Jersey, Lethal lost cleanly to Samoa Joe to end their short-lived feud. He departed from the promotion following this, but subsequently returned three times for one-night appearances (working all matches as a face, losing to Pure Champion Nigel McGuinness on May 13, teaming with Colt Cabana on July 15 in a losing effort against Jimmy Rave and Sal Rinauro, and losing a four way survival match against Claudio Castagnoli, Christopher Daniels, and the match winner, Nigel McGuinness on August 5, 2006.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2005–2011)

Debut; X Division (2005–2006)

While wrestling for JAPW, Lethal caught the eye of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) producer and announcer Jeremy Borash, who offered him a spot in the TNA roster. Lethal debuted in TNA on the December 17, 2005 episode of ''TNA Impact!'', losing to X Division Champion and fellow ROH alum Samoa Joe. In January 2006, he was signed to a contract by TNA. He made his pay-per-view debut at Against All Odds in 2006 on February 12, defeating Matt Bentley, Alex Shelley, and Petey Williams in a four way match by pinning Williams.

On the February 18, 2006 episode of ''Impact!'', Lethal defeated Roderick Strong and Shannon Moore to earn a spot in Team USA, the defending champions in the 2006 World X Cup. Other members of the team were Chris Sabin, Sonjay Dutt and Alex Shelley. Team USA wrestled their first match at Lockdown on April 23, 2006, where Lethal, Dutt and Shelley lost to Team Japan (Black Tiger IV, Minoru Tanaka and Hirooki Goto) after Black Tiger pinned Lethal with a Black Tiger Suplex. On the April 27, 2006 episode of ''Impact!'', Lethal unsuccessfully challenged Samoa Joe for the X Division Championship. On May 14 at Sacrifice Lethal participated in the World X Cup Gauntlet match, but ended up being the second to last man eliminated from the match by Team Mexico's Puma. The tournament ended on the following edition of ''Impact!'' with Chris Sabin defeating Team Canada's Petey Williams to win the World X Cup for Team USA.

In the June 1, 2006 episode of ''Impact!'', Lethal scored a win over Alex Shelley, but was after the match attacked by his associate Kevin Nash, who had declared a war on the X Division in the aftermath of Team USA's World X Cup victory. During the July 13, 2006 episode, Lethal won the right to challenge for the title of his choosing by scoring the deciding fall in an eight man "All or Nothing" tag team match, where he teamed with Rhino] and Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon) against Team Canada (Petey Williams, Bobby Roode, Eric Young and A1). The next week, Lethal challenged Jeff Jarrett for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated following interference from Scott Steiner. Two weeks later, Lethal took part in a five way X Division match to determine the number one contender for the title. Although Petey Williams won the match, one week later Lethal was added to the match, making it a three way match for the X Division title at Hard Justice involving Lethal, Williams and defending champion Senshi. Lethal was pinned by Senshi after Williams hit him with his Canadian Destroyer.

In a strong product placement, Lethal alongside Sonjay Dutt, got fellow X Division superstar Chris Sabin ready for his match at No Surrender by watching clips of ''Jackass Number Two'', which was being heavily promoted by TNA at the time. One night on ''Impact!'', during Chris Sabin's match with Alex Shelley, Shelley's partner Johnny Devine was pushed in a shopping cart and rammed into the steel post, allowing Sabin to pin Shelley. The following week, Lethal was able to defeat Petey Williams after Sabin and Dutt distracted the referee, allowing Lethal to roll a bowling ball into Petey's groin. Following in this storyline, Lethal went on to defeat Williams again on September 24, 2006 at the No Surrender pay-per-view, following Williams allegedly being given laxatives by stable mate Dutt, rendering him incapable of doing most of his moves, and giving Lethal the victory when Williams could no longer "hold it". He and Dutt were also involved in Sabin's match later in the night with similar antics involving a blow-up doll, but to no avail as Sabin would lose the match despite the interference. These, too, were designed as advertising for ''Jackass Number Two'', as were other moments for ''Mortal Kombat: Armageddon''.

Black Machismo (2006–2008)

In December 2006, Kevin Nash recruited Lethal, Senshi, Austin Starr, Sonjay Dutt and Alex Shelley to compete in a tournament known as the Paparazzi Championship Series. The series included a push-up contest, musical chairs, Limbo contest, Texas Hold'em and a few others, although Lethal did not win the tournament. After the tournament, which concluded in January 2007, Lethal and Dutt continued appearing in Paparazzi segments with Nash and PCS winner Alex Shelley, with Nash promising to give Lethal and Dutt Extreme Makeovers to help advance their careers. The February 15 edition of ''Impact!'' included a segment named "Paparazzi Idol", a takeoff on American Idol. After Lethal's attempt to sing was disliked by the judges, judge Kevin Nash suggested that Lethal do an impression, to which Lethal responded with a spot-on impression of wrestling legend "Macho Man" Randy Savage. On the April 5, 2007, edition of ''Impact!'' presented Lethal and Dutt with their new gimmicks, which in Lethal's case, had him in impersonating "Macho Man" Randy Savage. The following week Nash introduced Lethal, who was led to the ring by a remixed version of Pomp and Circumstance and dressed in full "Macho Man" attire, as "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal. He imitated Savage's trademark catchprase "Oh Yeah!", and was able to defeat X Division Champion Chris Sabin using many of Savage's signature in-ring maneuvers and mannerisms, most notably his finisher, the diving elbow drop. At the Lockdown pay-per-view on April 15, 2007, Lethal nearly won the X Division title from Sabin in a five-person Xscape match (five start the match in the cage; the first three eliminations are done by pinfall or submission; the final two must then try to escape the cage, with the first one to exit being declared the winner). Lethal and Sabin were both climbing over the same side of the cage, fighting as they went, and Sabin kicked Lethal's leg so that his leg went through the bars of the cage, trapping him there while Sabin jumped down and won the match. On the April 26 episode of ''Impact!'' Lethal and tag team partner, Sonjay Dutt, who had rejected Nash's idea for his new gimmick, won a shot at the TNA X Division Championship held by Chris Sabin at Sacrifice. Dutt, however, was unhappy at Lethal getting the pinfall. After their loss to Sabin at Sacrifice, both Dutt and Lethal started brawling until Kevin Nash came out and separated the two until Dutt kicked Nash and stormed out of the ring visibly upset. On May 8, TNA Mobile announced that Randy Savage himself called Jay Lethal and said that he loved the "Black Machismo" character as the two spoke on the phone for several minutes. However, Lethal subsequently expressed doubt over whether he had really spoken with Savage as the Macho Man's trademark voice is easily imitated. At Slammiversary, Lethal defeated Chris Sabin in a singles match for the X Division Championship, his first title in TNA. Only days later, however, on the following ''Impact!'', he lost the title to Samoa Joe after Chris Sabin was pinned, in a Match of Champions three-way qualifying match.

At Victory Road Lethal competed in an Ultimate X gauntlet match in a losing effort after Christopher Daniels retrieved the X. At Hard Justice Lethal and Sonjay Dutt, who had made peace with Lethal after coming up with the gimmick of a guru, defeated Triple X's Christopher Daniels and Senshi and The Motor City Machineguns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) in a three-way tag match when Lethal pinned Daniels. This led to Jim Cornette booking a match on the August 16 edition of ''Impact!'' pitting Daniels versus Lethal with the winner becoming the number one contender to the X Division title, which Lethal would go on to win. As a result of that Lethal would go on to face Triple Crown champion Kurt Angle for the X Division title at No Surrender, where Lethal would beat Angle cleanly with a roll-up to win the X Division Championship for the second time.

At Genesis Lethal successfully defended his X Division Championship against his best friend, Sonjay Dutt, who during the match once again began showing signs of annoyance towards Lethal and his mannerisms. However, after the match Dutt made peace with Lethal, who then invited SoCal Val, TNA's ring girl, to the ring to celebrate the victory. The celebration was cut short by Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon), who were at the time feuding with the fan favorite-turned Motor City Machineguns, who beat down both Lethal and Dutt and left the arena with Lethal's Championship belt. 3D later declared a war on the entire X Division, claiming that its wrestlers were just "little boys" and that they needed to be toughened up. During the feud Johnny Devine turned on the X Division and joined Team 3D, often carrying Lethal's stolen belt around, before officially winning it in a Street Fight on the January 24, 2008, edition of ''Impact!'', following interference from Team 3D. The feud ended on February 10 at Against All Odds, where Lethal, Shelley and Sabin defeated Team 3D and Devine in a six man street fight, ending with Lethal pinning Devine to also win back the X Division Championship. On April 17, 2008, Lethal lost his X Division title after Petey Williams attacked him from behind after a match and cashed in his "Feast or Fired" briefcase for his X Division title shot.

On the next episode of ''Impact!'', Lethal proposed to his on-screen girlfriend SoCal Val, which she accepted. At Slammiversary Sonjay Dutt, after months of teasing, finally turned heel by interrupting the wedding ceremony and proclaiming his love for Val, before attacking Lethal and his wedding guests. On the next two ''Impact!'' Lethal attacked Dutt out of rage when Dutt claimed that Val loved him. On the next ''Impact!'' So Cal Val said that she wanted to put off the wedding. Dutt and Lethal met at Victory Road in a one on one contest, which Dutt won after Val pleaded with Lethal to stop hurting Dutt, which allowed Dutt to take advantage and roll up Lethal. Lethal proposed to Val again, but found that her ring was missing, as Dutt had stolen it. Lethal and Dutt would meet again in a Black Tie Brawl and Chain match at Hard Justice, which Lethal won, even though Val distracted him by leaving during the match, because he wouldn't stop hurting Dutt. During a segment of ''Karen's Angle'', Dutt confronted Val and attempted to seduce her, until Lethal attacked him and during the fight accidentally elbowed Val in the face. The following week Val announced that she would put the wedding ring up for grabs in a "Ladder of Love match" on September 14 at No Surrender. At No Surrender Val turned on Lethal by giving him a low blow, which allowed Dutt to climb the ladder and get the wedding ring.

Lethal Consequences (2008–2009)

At Bound for Glory IV Lethal won the Steel Asylum match to become the number 1 contender to the X Division title. On the October 23 live edition of ''Impact!'' Sheik Abdul Bashir defeated Lethal to retain the championship. The following week, Lethal along with A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe, Consequences Creed, Petey Williams, Eric Young, O.D.B. and The Motor City Machineguns formed a faction of younger wrestlers known as the TNA Frontline to oppose The Main Event Mafia. On December 6, Lethal won one of the "Feast or Fired" briefcases, which was later revealed to contain a shot at the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the January 8, 2009 edition of ''Impact!'', Lethal cashed in his briefcase, formed a team with Consequences Creed and defeated then-champions Beer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode and James Storm) after Roode's singles match with Matt Morgan to become the new TNA World Tag Team Champions. However, they quickly lost the titles back to Beer Money, Inc. at the Genesis pay-per-view on January 11.

On January 15, Lethal and Creed defeated Abyss and Matt Morgan to earn another shot at the Tag Team Championship. Upon becoming the number one contenders, Lethal and Creed formed a long-term tag team known as Lethal Consequences (a combination of their ring names) and then started a feud with The Motor City Machineguns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) after dissention between the Guns and the Frontline. They were scheduled a match with the Guns on February 5, but Beer Money interfered in Creed's entrance, injuring his left shoulder. Frontline member Eric Young substituted for Creed, winning the match with a Death Valley driver to both Shelley and Sabin. Beer Money then went on to retain the title at Against All Odds due to Creed's shoulder injury. After their title match, Lethal Consequences continued their feud with the Motor City Machineguns, with both teams winning one match a piece over the next two weeks. At Destination X, Lethal competed in an Ultimate X match for the X Division Championship, along with Consequences Creed, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley and Suicide, who ended up winning the match and the Championship.

On April 24, 2009, it was announced on TNAWrestling.com that Lethal had signed a new multi-year deal with the company.

On the November 5, 2009, edition of ''Impact!'' Jay Lethal announced an open invitational challenge. Due to the announcement of Hulk Hogan joining TNA, Lethal challenged wrestling legends to take him on. The following week, Jim Neidhart answered the challenge and defeated Lethal. The series continued on the December 17 edition of ''Impact!'', when Tatanka answered the challenge and defeated Lethal in a singles match. After months of inactivity, Lethal's alliance with Consequences Creed came officially to an end on March 29, 2010, when Creed was released from his contract.

Feud with Ric Flair and Fortune (2010–2011)

After spending most of early 2010 off TV, Lethal returned on the March 29 edition of ''Impact!'' by approaching Hulk Hogan, reminiscing about their days as "The Mega Powers" (Hogan's old team with Randy Savage). Playing along with Lethal's antics, Hogan placed him in charge of the show for his one week absence due to a business trip. After raising the ire of Hogan's business partner Eric Bischoff with his comedic booking ideas, Bischoff placed Lethal in a two-on-one handicap match against Beer Money, Inc. Lethal, however, managed to win the match after surprising Robert Roode with a roll-up. On the May 3 edition of ''Impact!'' Hulk Hogan gave Lethal Ric Flair's Hall of Fame ring that Abyss had won from him the previous week. When Lethal, now imitating Flair, was confronted by Flair himself, he claimed that he meant no disrespect and out of respect towards Flair, returned the ring to him. This however wasn't enough for Flair, who attacked Lethal along with A.J. Styles, Desmond Wolfe and Beer Money, Inc., before he was saved by Abyss, Team 3D and the TNA World Heavyweight Champion Rob Van Dam. At Sacrifice Lethal came out during the TNA World Heavyweight Championship match between champion Rob Van Dam and challenger A.J. Styles and locked Ric Flair in a figure four leglock in order to prevent him from interfering in the match. On the May 20 edition of ''Impact!'' Lethal competed in his first match after dropping the Black Machismo gimmick, and teamed up with World Heavyweight Champion Rob Van Dam to defeat Beer Money, Inc. in a tag team match. After the match Lethal brawled with Flair. At Slammiversary VIII Lethal defeated Flair's protégé A.J. Styles in a singles match. After defeating Desmond Wolfe, another one of Flair's allies, on the June 17 edition of ''Impact!'', Hogan granted him a match with Flair at Victory Road. On July 11 at Victory Road Lethal defeated Flair with his own move, the figure four leglock. On the August 5 edition of ''Impact!'' Lethal faced Flair in a rematch, this time contested under Street Fight rules, with A.J. Styles, Kazarian, Robert Roode and James Storm of Flair's Fortune stable banned from ringside. Flair managed to win the match, after an interference from X Division Champion Douglas Williams, who would officially join Fortune the following week. On September 6, at the tapings of the September 16 edition of ''Impact!'', Lethal defeated Williams to win the X Division Championship for the fourth time. On September 23, at a live event in New York City, Lethal lost the X Division Championship to Amazing Red. Lethal regained the title two days later at a live event in Rahway, New Jersey. At Bound for Glory Lethal successfully defended the X Division Championship against Douglas Williams.

After his title match at Bound for Glory, Lethal was attacked by Robbie E, who claimed he was a disgrace to New Jersey and vowed to bring some class to the X Division Championship himself. On the October 28 edition of ''Impact!'', Robbie E defeated Lethal in a non–title Street Fight, after interference from his manager Cookie, to earn the right to challenge for the X Division Championship. At Turning Point Lethal lost the X Division Championship to Robbie E, after another interference from Cookie. After suffering another loss to Robbie and Cookie on the following edition of ''Impact!'' in a mixed tag team match, where he teamed with Taylor Wilde, Lethal came to the conclusion that he needed to find someone who could negate Cookie the next time he went for the X Division Championship. At Final Resolution Lethal faced Robbie E in a match for the X Division Championship, during which Cookie was suspended above the ring in a shark cage. Robbie retained the title via disqualification, when Lethal was caught using Cookie's hairspray on him. On December 7 at the tapings of the December 16 edition of ''Impact!'', Lethal defeated Robbie E, after Christy Hemme came out to negate Cookie, to win the X Division Championship for the sixth time, and after the match celebrated with Hemme which led to a kiss between the two. Lethal now shares the record for most reigns as the X Division Champion with A.J. Styles. On January 9, 2011, at Genesis, Lethal lost the X Division Championship to Fortune member Kazarian. On April 21, 2011, it was reported that Lethal had parted ways with TNA. His final match for the promotion was an eight man Xscape match, which took place on April 17 at Lockdown. His last televised match was aired on the April 19 edition of ''Xplosion'', in a three way match with Sangriento and Chris Sabin. Lethal's release from TNA was later used to ignite a storyline feud between the X Division and Eric Bischoff, with both Robert Roode and Brian Kendrick naming him on the May 5 edition of ''Impact!''.

Return to Ring of Honor (2011)

On May 2, 2011, ROH announced that Lethal would be making his return to the promotion on June 26 at the Best in the World 2011 internet pay-per-view. In his ROH return match Lethal defeated Mike Bennett. On August 8, ROH announced that Lethal had signed a contract with the promotion. On August 13, at the first ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' tapings under the Sinclair Broadcast Group banner, Lethal defeated El Generico to win the ROH World Television Championship.

Other independent promotions (2011)

Lethal made his first independent appearance since his release from TNA on May 28, working for Lucha Libre USA. As a tribute to Randy Savage, who had died just a week earlier, Lethal worked in his Black Machismo gimmick in a tag team match, where he and Magno were defeated by The Right (Jon Rekon and Petey Williams). In Lethal's second appearance for Lucha Libre USA on June 18, he defeated Medianoche in a singles match. On June 19 it was announced that Lethal would be taking part in the pilot tapings of All Wheels Wrestling on June 29, working under the ring name J.R. Lethal. At the pilot tapings, his ring name was changed to RPM. At the tapings he first defeated Dubai, the former Sheik Abdul Bashir, in a five minute Iron Man match, but was then defeated by Schwagg Dutt, the former Sonjay Dutt, in an Ultimate X match, which also included Dubai and Aaron Aguilera.

Personal life and other media

Shipman was previously in a relationship with WWE wrestler April Mendez, better known by her ring names Miss April and AJ Lee, whom he also trained. Shipman, under his Jay Lethal ring name, had a brief appearance in the critically acclaimed 2008 film ''The Wrestler''. In November 2010 he was a contestant on an all TNA week of ''Family Feud'', teaming with Matt Morgan, Mick Foley, Mr. Anderson and Rob Van Dam against Angelina Love, Christy Hemme, Lacey Von Erich, Tara and Velvet Sky.

In wrestling

As Jay Lethal

*Finishing moves

*''Diving Dynamite'' (Swan dive headbutt)

*Figure four leglock – TNA; 2010

*Flipping release dragon suplex

*''Lethal Combination'' (STO backbreaker followed by a reverse STO) – 2007–present

*''Lethal Injection'' (Pumphandle sitout powerbomb – 2002–2004 or a belly to back suplex lift transitioned into a neckbreaker – 2010–present)

*''Lethal Injection II'' (Springboard DDT) – 2002–2004

*Signature moves

*''EnzuFury'' (Spinning enzuigiri)

*European uppercut

*Hip toss followed into a cartwheel and finished with a dropkick to the opponent's face

*Inverted suplex lifted and flipped into a sitout wheelbarrow facebuster

*Leg lariat, sometimes from the second or top rope

*Running vertical suplex

*Snap suplex

*Spinning spinebuster

*Springboard dropkick

*Superkick

As "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal

*Finishing moves

*Diving elbow drop – adopted from Randy Savage

*''Lethal Combination'' (STO backbreaker followed by a reverse STO)

*Signature moves

*Diving double axe handle – adopted from Randy Savage

**Enzuigiri

*Flipping release dragon suplex

*Hair-pull hangman – adopted from Randy Savage

*Hip toss followed into a cartwheel and finished with a dropkick to the opponent's face

*Inverted suplex lifted and flipped into a sitout wheelbarrow facebuster

*Snap suplex

*Springboard dropkick

*Superkick

As Hydro

*Finishing moves

*''Hydroplane'' (Springboard DDT)

*''That's All She Wrote'' (Inverted over the shoulder back to belly piledriver)

*Signature moves

*European uppercut

**Fireman's carry dropped into a sitout scoop slam piledriver

*Running vertical suplex

*Snap suplex

*Spinebuster

With Consequences Creed

*Finishing moves

*Fireman's carry cutter by Creed followed by a diving elbow drop by Lethal

*Signature moves

*Lethal military presses the opponent in order for Creed to perform a springboard one–handed bulldog

*Vertical suplex (Lethal) / Diving crossbody (Creed) combination

Managers

Jerry Lynn

Kevin Nash

SoCal Val

Sonjay Dutt

Pequeño Halloween

Nicknames

"Black Machismo"

Entrance themes

"Attenzione (Jens O. Remix)" by DJ Flashrider (ROH)

"Time and Time Again" by Papa Roach

"This Is Not" by Static-X

"Push It" by Static-X (JAPW / ROH)

"Pussy Liquor" by Rob Zombie (ROH)

"Static" by Dale Oliver (TNA)

*"Pomp and Circumstance (Black Machismo Remix)" by Dale Oliver (TNA)

"LethalX" by Dale Oliver (TNA)

"Jay Lethal" by Dale Oliver (TNA)

Championships and accomplishments

American Championship Entertainment

ACE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mo Sexton

American Wrestling Alliance

AWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

AWA Lightweight Championship (1 time)

AWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rob Vegas

Big Time Wrestling

BTW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

International High Powered Wrestling

IHPW Diamond Division Championship (1 time)

IHPW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Jersey All Pro Wrestling

JAPW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

JAPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Azrieal

JAPW Television Championship (1 time)

Jersey City Rumble (2009)

Jersey Championship Wrestling

JCW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

JCW Television Championship (1 time)

Jersey J-Cup (2003)

Millennium Wrestling Federation

MWF Television Championship (1 time)

National Wrestling Superstars

NWS/WSU King and Queen of the Ring Tournament (2009) – with Miss April

Politically Incorrect Wrestling

PIW World Championship (1 time)

Pro-Wrestling ELITE

PWE Interstate Championship (1 time)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

PWI ranked him #27 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2008

Ring of Honor

ROH Pure Championship (1 time)

*ROH World Television Championship (1 time, current)

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

TNA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Consequences Creed

TNA X Division Championship (6 times)

World X Cup (2006) – with Chris Sabin, Sonjay Dutt and Alex Shelley

X Division Wrestler of the Year (2007)

United Wrestling Coalition

*UWC United States Championship (1 time)

Unreal Championship Wrestling

UCW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

UCW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

Worst Worked Match of the Year (2006) TNA Reverse Battle Royal at TNA Impact!

References

External links

Category:1985 births Category:African American professional wrestlers Category:American professional wrestlers Category:Living people Category:People from Elizabeth, New Jersey

de:Jay Lethal es:Jamar Shipman fr:Jay Lethal it:Jamar Shipman nl:Jay Lethal pt:Jay Lethal simple:Jay Lethal vi:Jay Lethal

Coordinates	38°01′47″N84°29′41″N
Name	Ric Flair
Names	Ric FlairThe Black ScorpionRick RudeNature Boy
Height
Weight
Birth date	February 25, 1949
Birth place	Memphis, Tennessee
Billed	Charlotte, North Carolina
Trainer	Verne Gagne
Debut	December 10, 1972
Wwe retired	March 31, 2008
Management company	Legacy Talent and Entertainment, LLC 704 . 334 . 7727 }}

Richard Morgan Fliehr (born February 25, 1949) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is considered to be one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world.

He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and is noted for his lengthy and highly decorated tenures with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (now known as simply WWE).

Flair is officially recognized by WWE, TNA and PWI as a 16-time World Heavyweight Champion (seven-time NWA Champion, seven-time WCW Champion and two-time WWF Champion) although his actual tally of World Championship reigns varies by source—Flair considers himself a 21-time world champion.

In World Championship Wrestling (WCW), he also had two stints as a booker—in 1989–1990 and 1994. Flair also became the first and only man to have won the WWF Championship in a Royal Rumble match, when he accomplished this in the 1992 edition of the event. Flair was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008, being the first to be inducted while still a part of the active roster. The same year, he was inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame.

Flair's hair styles and mannerisms are based on those of Buddy Rogers, who previously and famously used the "Nature Boy" gimmick in the 1950s and '60s. Coincidentally, Flair also followed Rogers in becoming only the second man to win both the WWF and the NWA World heavyweight Championships.

Using the officially recognized totals (by WWE, TNA and PWI) of 16 World Championships and a record-tying 5 US Championship reigns, Flair has won a total of 30 different major championships between the NWA, WCW, and WWE, with numerous regional titles also to his credit.

Early life

Flair was born on February 25, 1949. In the opening chapter of his autobiography ''To Be the Man'', titled "Black Market Baby," he notes that his birth name is given on different documents as Fred. At the time of his adoption (arranged by the notorious Tennessee Children's Home Society, later shut down for adoption fraud), his father was completing a residency in Detroit. Shortly afterward, the family settled in Edina, Minnesota, where the young Richard Flair lived throughout his childhood. After grade 9, he attended Wayland Academy, a coeducational boarding school in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, for four years (five years total in high school) during which time he participated in interscholastic wrestling, football and track.

As a teen, Flair took a summer job as a lifeguard at a local pool in Minnesota, where he received his first exposure to the wrestling business when he met the legendary Vachon brothers. In both 1966 and 1968, Flair won the state private school wrestling championship and was recruited to the University of Minnesota on a football scholarship, where he played alongside Greg Gagne, the son of Verne Gagne. Flair dropped out of college before receiving his degree, and he then worked as a bouncer at a nearby club, where he met Olympic weightlifter Ken Patera, who was preparing for a ring career at Verne Gagne's wrestling school. Patera introduced Flair to Verne Gagne, who agreed to take him on as a member of his training class.

Professional wrestling career

American Wrestling Association (1972–1974)

Under the tutelage of Josh Klemme and Billy Robinson, Flair attended Gagne's first Wrestling camp with Greg Gagne, Jim Brunzell, Iron Sheik, and Ken Patera at Gagne's barn outside of Minneapolis in the winter of 1971. Flair met Ken Patera when he was working as a bouncer after dropping out of school at the U of M after completing his freshman year there in 1968-69. They lived together for a while in South Minneapolis. Flair made fast progress, and in December 1972, he made his debut in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, battling George "Scrap Iron" Gadaski to a 10-minute draw while adopting the ring name "Ric Flair." Then weighing nearly 300 pounds with short brown hair, Flair scarcely resembled his future "Nature Boy" image. But he drew attention with his charismatic personality and ring endurance. During his time in the American Wrestling Association, Flair had matches with Dusty Rhodes, André the Giant, Larry Hennig, and Wahoo McDaniel.

National Wrestling Alliance

Becoming the Nature Boy (1974–1981)

In 1974, Flair left the AWA for Jim Crockett's Mid-Atlantic region in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA); and he soon captured his first singles title when, on February 8, 1975, he beat Paul Jones for the Mid-Atlantic TV Championship. On October 4, 1975, however, Flair's career nearly ended when he was in a serious plane crash in Wilmington, North Carolina that took the life of the pilot and paralyzed Johnny Valentine (also on board were "Mr. Wrestling I" Tim Woods, Bob Bruggers, and promoter David Crockett). Flair broke his back in three places and, at age 26, was told by doctors that he would never wrestle again. Flair conducted a rigorous physical therapy schedule, however, and he returned to the ring just six months later, where he resumed his feud with Wahoo McDaniel in February 1976. The crash did force Flair to change his wrestling technique away from the power brawling style he had used early on, which led him to adopt the "Nature Boy" style he would use throughout his career.

Groomed by Jim Crockett Jr. as his future top star, Flair won the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship when he defeated Bobo Brazil on July 29, 1977; and during the next three years, he held five reigns as U.S. Champion while feuding with Ricky Steamboat, Roddy Piper, Mr. Wrestling II, Jimmy Snuka, and Greg Valentine (with whom he also formed a championship tag team). Flair, however, reached elite status when he began referring to himself as "The Nature Boy" in order to incite a 1978 feud with the original "Nature Boy", Buddy Rogers, who put Flair over in one encounter.

NWA World Heavyweight Champion (1981–1986)

On September 17, 1981, Flair reached the top of the mountain when he beat Dusty Rhodes for his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In the following years, Flair eventually established himself as the promotion's main franchise in the midst of emerging competition from Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation. With his outlandish wit and entertaining interview style, Flair embodied the role of the World Champion—sporting bleached blond hair, elegant jewelry, designer suits, and elaborate custom robes while dishing out his trademark chops and figure four leglock. All the while, Flair taunted his opponents with his "Wooo!" shout while boasting that "To be 'The Man,' you gotta beat the man!".

In 1982, Jack Veneno and Flair had a series of matches. Veneno defeated Flair for the World Title, but the NWA did not recognize this change. Flair also wrestled matches with Ricky Steamboat throughout the year. Harley Race won the title from Flair in 1983, but Flair regained the title at Starrcade in Greensboro, North Carolina in a Steel Cage match; afterward, Race and Flair fought in many different matches in early 1984. Flair won the NWA title, officially, eight more times. As the NWA champion, he defended his belt around the world. Flair lost the title to Race and won it back in the span of three days in New Zealand in March 1984. At the first David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions at Texas Stadium, Flair was pinned by Kerry Von Erich. Flair regained the title eighteen days later in Japan.

He then reigned for two years, two months, and two days, losing his title to Dusty Rhodes on July 26, 1986 at The Great American Bash; Rhodes had been an ever-present foe in Flair's career after Flair helped break Rhodes's ankle on September 29, 1985. Flair regained the title two weeks later. Flair defended his titles against opponents like Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat, Roddy Piper, Kerry Von Erich, Jay Youngblood, Sting, Ronnie Garvin, Magnum T.A., and Rhodes throughout his career, as well.

The Four Horsemen

In the spring of 1985, the tag team of Ole Anderson and Arn Anderson began aiding Ric Flair (whom they claimed as a "cousin") in attacks against Dusty Rhodes, Magnum T.A., and Sam Houston. A few weeks later, the Andersons interrupted Houston's match against Tully Blanchard, and the three villains combined to rough up the youngster while sending a message to the rest of the NWA. Shortly thereafter, Flair, Blanchard, and the Andersons formalized their alliance, calling themselves the Four Horsemen, with Blanchard's manager J.J. Dillon also coming on board. Upon the group's inception, it was clear that the Horsemen were unlike any villainous alliance that had ever existed. The four rule breakers immediately used their strength in numbers to decimate the NWA's top fan favorites while controlling the majority of the championship titles. Over the years, there would be various incarnations of the group, with Flair and Arn Anderson as the two permanent members, while a number of different wrestlers, including Lex Luger, Barry Windham, Sting, Sid Vicious, Paul Roma, Brian Pillman, Chris Benoit, Jeff Jarrett, Steve McMichael, Curt Hennig, and Dean Malenko, have held the other two spots in the Horsemen.

World Championship Wrestling (1986–1991)

By 1986, wrestling promoter Jim Crockett had consolidated the various NWA member promotions he owned into a single entity, running under the banner of the National Wrestling Alliance. Controlling much of the traditional NWA territories in the southeast and Midwestern United States, Crockett looked to expand nationally and built his promotion around Flair as champion. During this time, Flair's bookings as champion were tightly controlled by Crockett, and a custom championship belt was created for Flair. In 1987, Flair and Barry Windham had a series of matches for the NWA World Championship. Flair defeated Windham at the Crockett Cup tournament and they fought to a time limit draw in January. Flair lost the NWA World Championship due to his flamboyant ways in Detroit to Ron Garvin on September 25, 1987. Garvin held the title for two months before losing to Flair on November 26, 1987 at WCW's first pay-per-view event, Starrcade, in Chicago.

In early 1988, rising star Sting had challenged Flair to a match at the first ever ''Clash of the Champions''. Flair accepted and fought Sting to a 45 minute time-limit draw. In late 1988, booker Dusty Rhodes proposed that Flair lose the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Rick Steiner in a short match at Starrcade when no agreement could be met regarding the finish to the scheduled main event between him and Lex Luger. Rhodes was fired for various issues within the company, and former JCP booker George Scott was given his role as a booker. Scott immediately negotiated to bring in Ricky Steamboat for a series of matches. On February 20, 1989, at Chi-Town Rumble in Chicago, Steamboat pinned Flair to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. This prompted a series of rematches, where Steamboat was presented as a "family man" (often accompanied by his wife and young son), while Flair opposed him as an immoral, fast-living "ladies man".

Following a best-of-three falls match with Steamboat that lasted just short of the 60-minute time limit (and ended with a disputed finish where Steamboat retained the title) at ''Clash of the Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun'' on April 2, Flair regained the title from Steamboat on May 7, 1989 at WrestleWar. This match was voted 1989's "Match of the Year" by ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'', and is widely considered among the greatest matches of all time. Flair was attacked by Terry Funk (serving as a judge for the match, as per its stipulations) after the match when Flair refused to grant Funk a title match, telling Funk that he had spent too much time in Hollywood and out of wrestling, and was not a listed title contender. The attack reached its conclusion when Funk gave Flair a piledriver onto the judges' table.

Months later, a "recovered" Flair returned to competition in an emotional match against Funk at The Great American Bash. The two continued feuding through the summer and eventually Flair reformed the Four Horsemen, with the surprise addition of longtime rival Sting, to combat Funk's J-Tex Corporation. This led to an "I Quit" match at ''Clash of the Champions IX: New York Knockout''. Before the match, Funk stated that he would shake Flair's hand if he lost, a promise he kept when he shouted, "Yes, I quit!" after being in Flair's figure four leglock. Flair then kicked Sting out of the Horsemen upon his challenge for the NWA Championship, resulting in a revived feud between the two which had to be delayed due to Sting injuring his knee, forcing WCW to slot Lex Luger as Flair's main challenger until Sting returned. On July 7, 1990, Flair dropped the title to Sting at The Great American Bash. After being unmasked as the Black Scorpion at Starrcade in 1990, Flair regained the title from Sting on January 11, 1991, in front of a near empty house due to the blizzard conditions in the New York City area. Prior to this reign, WCW split their recognition of a World Heavyweight Champion from the NWA, and Flair was subsequently recognized as the first WCW World Heavyweight Champion, while still being recognized as NWA World Champion.

At the Clash of the Champions XIV: Dixie Dynamite on January 30, he wrestled Scott Steiner to a draw. On March 21, 1991, Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Flair in a controversial match in Tokyo at the WCW/New Japan Supershow. While the NWA recognized Fujinami as their new champion, WCW did not because Fujinami had backdropped Flair over the top rope in a violation of WCW rules. On May 19, 1991, Flair defeated Fujinami at SuperBrawl in St. Petersburg, Florida to reclaim the NWA title and retain the WCW Title. In doing so, he became a nine time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, breaking Harley Race's record of eight reigns. On June 12, at the Clash of the Champions XV: Knocksville USA, he defeated Bobby Eaton in a two out of three falls match.

In the spring of 1991, Flair had a contract dispute with WCW president Jim Herd, who wanted him to take a substantial pay cut. Herd had removed Flair as head booker in February 1990 and wanted to reduce Flair's role in the promotion even further, despite the fact that Flair was still a top draw. According to Flair, Herd also proposed changes in his appearance (''i.e.'' by shaving his hair, wearing a diamond earring and going by the name "Spartacus") as well as his in-ring name in order to "change with the times". Flair disagreed with the proposals, and two weeks before The Great American Bash, Herd fired him and vacated the WCW Championship. While Flair had left for the WWF he was still recognized as the NWA World Champion until September 8, when the title was officially vacated.

World Wrestling Federation

The Real World Heavyweight Champion (1991)

Flair signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in August 1991 and began appearing on television as one of the most hated heels the next month. Initially, he appeared on WWF shows with the "Big Gold Belt," calling himself "The Real World Heavyweight Champion." Led by his "financial advisor" Bobby Heenan and his "executive consultant" Mr. Perfect, Flair repeatedly issued challenges to WWF wrestlers like Roddy Piper and Hulk Hogan, wrestling a team led by Piper at Survivor Series in 1991 and helping The Undertaker defeat Hogan for the WWF Championship that same night. WCW sued Flair in an attempt to reclaim the belt, but Flair claimed that he owned the belt in lieu of the $25,000 deposit paid by NWA champions upon winning the title, which had not been returned to him when he was fired from WCW. In the 2008 WWF Nature Boy Ric Flair: The Definitive Collection DVD, Flair claimed that to this day he has never been paid $25,000 deposit, plus interest. Later in the DVD Triple H said that Flair gave him the actual WCW title belt as a gift.

WWF Champion and feud with Randy Savage (1991–1992)

At the Royal Rumble in 1992, he won the Rumble match to claim the vacant WWF Championship. Flair drew number three in the Rumble match and lasted a then-record nearly 60 minutes, last eliminating Sid Justice with help from Hulk Hogan, who had been eliminated by Justice seconds earlier. In so doing, Flair joined Buddy Rogers as the only men to win the WWF and NWA World Championships in their careers.

After a planned program with Hogan was scrapped due to Hogan's hiatus following the WWF's steroid scandal, Randy Savage challenged Flair for the WWF title at WrestleMania VIII. In the storyline, Flair taunted Savage by claiming that he had a prior relationship with Savage's wife, Elizabeth, and that he had the pictures to prove it (which were later revealed to be doctored photos). Savage defeated Flair for the title at WrestleMania. In July 1992, as Savage prepared to defend the title against The Ultimate Warrior at SummerSlam, Flair and Mr. Perfect sowed distrust between the two by suggesting that they would back one or the other during their match. They actually attacked both Savage and Warrior and injured Savage's knee, an injury that Flair exploited to regain the title in a match with Savage on September 1. His second reign was short-lived, however, as he lost the title to Bret Hart on October 12, 1992.

Flair teamed with Razor Ramon to take on Savage and Perfect at the Survivor Series 1992. After losing a Loser Leaves the WWF match to Mr. Perfect on an episode of ''Monday Night Raw'', Flair appeared in the Royal Rumble in 1993 (although the match with Perfect had been taped six days prior, it did not air until the following night) and then fulfilled his remaining house show commitments, making his last appearance on February 10, 1993, before returning to WCW. On ''The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection'' DVD, Flair described his first stint with the WWF as "the greatest year and a half of my career, outside the time I spent with Arn Anderson and The Four Horsemen."

Return to World Championship Wrestling

Retirement teases (1993–1996)

Flair returned to WCW as a face in February 1993 and, as a result of a "no-compete" clause, hosted a short-lived talk show in WCW called ''A Flair for the Gold'' as he was unable to appear wrestling. Arn Anderson usually appeared at the bar on the show's set, and Flair's maid, Fifi (portrayed by Wendy Barlow), cleaned or bore gifts. Once he returned to action, Flair briefly held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship for a tenth time after defeating Barry Windham at Beach Blast before WCW finally left the NWA in September 1993. At Starrcade in 1993, Flair was placed in a match, which was billed that if Flair lost, he would retire from wrestling. The match ended with Flair using a chop block and roll-up on the gigantic Vader to win the title for the second time.

In June 1994, Flair defeated Sting in a unification match, merging the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship with the WCW World Championship. This concluded a slow heel turn for Flair that started when he defeated Ricky Steamboat in a controversial manner some months earlier. Flair later feuded with Hulk Hogan upon Hogan's arrival in WCW in June 1994, losing the WCW World Championship to him in July at Bash at the Beach. Flair lost a retirement match to Hogan at Halloween Havoc and took a few months off before returning as a wrestler and part-time manager in 1995 (explained on-air by having Flair nag Hogan for months until Hogan agreed to let Flair come back). He and Randy Savage renewed hostilities when Savage arrived in WCW late in 1994, and their feud continued off and on for almost two years with each wrestler winning the WCW World Championship from each other at different times. Flair defeated Savage in a steel cage at SuperBrawl VI to win the WCW World title, which saw Savage betrayed by Elizabeth in favor of Flair. The Nature Boy also defeated Konnan on July 7 at Bash at the Beach to win the United States Championship. He vacated it in November of that year due to an arm injury he suffered in Japan, during a match with Kensuke Sasaki.

Feud with nWo (1996–1997)

Once again as a top babyface, Flair played a major role in the New World Order storyline in late 1996 and throughout 1997. He and the other Horsemen often took the lead in the war against Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Hulk Hogan. Flair also feuded with Roddy Piper, Syxx, and his old nemesis, Curt Hennig, in 1997 after Hennig was offered a spot in the Four Horsemen only to turn on Flair and the Horsemen at Fall Brawl in 1997. Hennig punctuated the act by slamming the cage door onto Flair's head. After Fall Brawl. Flair would return a month later to feud with Curt Hennig over the US title (which Hennig won from Steve McMichael). Flair would challenge for the title at Halloween Havoc and World War 3, losing both times.

Return from hiatus and various feuds (1998–2001)

In April 1998, Flair disappeared from WCW television, due to a lawsuit filed by Eric Bischoff for no-showing a WCW Thunder TV taping. After the case was settled, Flair made a surprise return on September 14, 1998 to ceremoniously reform the Four Horsemen (along with Steve McMichael, Dean Malenko, and Chris Benoit). Flair feuded with Bischoff for several months afterward. This culminated in a match at Starrcade 1998 between Eric Bischoff and Ric Flair. Bischoff was victorious after interference from Curt Hennig, a former member of the Four Horsemen. The following night in Baltimore on Nitro, Flair returned with a crazy streak angle in what became one his most notable interview promos reviving the "custom made from head to toe" catchphrase. He began by stripping to his boxers and threatening to leave WCW, demanding a match against Bischoff for the presidency of the company, and later handcuffing himself to the ring. The match was made, and despite the nWo interfering on Bischoff's behalf Flair won and was granted the position of president of WCW. This resulted in a match at Superbrawl between Flair and Hollywood Hogan for the WCW Championship, which Flair lost after being betrayed by his own son David Flair. In spite of this betrayal, Flair signed a rematch at Uncensored 1999 which was billed as a First Blood Barbed Wire Steel Cage Match against Hogan where Flair's presidency and Hogan's WCW World Heavyweight Championship were on the line. Despite being the first to bleed, Flair won the match by submission thanks to the bias of the referee Charles Robinson, who counted Hogan out. This match was a double turn for Flair (who turned heel) and Hogan (who turned face). Robinson would be nicknamed "Lil' Naitch", idolizing Flair and officiating all of Flair's matches in his favor .

As on-air President, Flair began abusing his power much like Bischoff had, favoring villains over fan favorites and even awarding the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship to his son David and resorting to whatever means necessary to keep David U.S. Champion. This also led to many more notable promos with Flair proclaiming, "I am the President". Flair eventually formed a stable of followers which included Roddy Piper, Arn Anderson, and the Jersey Triad to keep things in order. Flair's reign as president came to an end on the July 19 episode of ''Nitro'', facing Sting for the WCW presidency. During the course of the match, Sting had Flair in his Scorpion Death Lock, but with the referee knocked unconscious, no decision could be reached. A returning Eric Bischoff came to the ring and began ordering the timekeeper to ring the bell, which he eventually did, awarding the match and the presidency to Sting (who promptly gave it up upon receiving it).

Flair won the WCW World Championship twice during 2000, the company's last full year of operation. When WCW was purchased by the WWF in March 2001, Flair was the leader of the villainous group called the Magnificent Seven. During the final episode of ''Nitro'' on March 26, 2001, he gave an emotional speech regarding the company's greatness and his best matches and opponents in WCW throughout the years, including Sting. Later in the night, Flair lost the final match of ''Nitro'' to Sting, recreating the first main event of ''Nitro'' in 1995. Nevertheless, Flair has repeatedly stated in various interviews how happy he was when WCW finally closed down; although, at the same time, the fact that many people would lose their jobs saddened him.

Return to World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment

WWF co-owner (2001–2002)

After hiatus from wrestling, Flair made a popular return to the WWF in November 2001 as the on-camera co-owner of the company and as a face in Charlotte on RAW in November 2001. Flair reappeared on ''Raw'' following the end of the "WCW/ECW Invasion" that culminated in a "Winner Take All" match at Survivor Series won by the WWF. Flair's new on-screen role was that of the co-owner of the WWF, with the explanation that Shane and Stephanie McMahon had sold their stock in the company to a consortium (namely Flair) prior to purchasing World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling. Flair's feud with Vince McMahon led them to a match at the Royal Rumble in 2002 in a Street Fight, where Flair defeated McMahon. Flair also wrestled The Undertaker at WrestleMania X8 in 2002 where Flair lost after a hard fought battle and interference by Arn Anderson. From then, the "co-owner" angle culminated in early 2002, when Flair controlled Raw, and McMahon controlled Smackdown!. After Steve Austin abruptly left WWE while in a program with Flair, a match was hotshotted between Flair and Vince for sole ownership of WWE, which McMahon won, thanks to interference by Brock Lesnar.

Evolution (2003–2005)

Flair later became a villain by joining Triple H's "Evolution" stable. Flair won the World Tag Team Championship with Batista twice in 2003 and 2004. After HHH took time off following Vengeance and for the rest of the summer, Flair would become a fan favorite again by beginning a short feud with Kurt Angle. Later, at Unforgiven in 2005, Flair defeated Carlito for the Intercontinental Championship.

On the October 3 edition of ''Raw'', Flair was attacked by his Evolution tag team partner Triple H, after Triple H threw him into a limousine and smashing into limousine window for using sledge hammer. On November 1, 2005 at Taboo Tuesday, Flair defeated Triple H in a steel cage match. Flair continued his feud with Triple H until Survivor Series, when Triple H defeated him in a Last Man Standing match to end the feud.

Various rivalries and retirement (2006–2008)

At the end of 2005 Flair had a feud with Edge, culminating in a WWE championship TLC match on the RAW in early 2006. On the February 20 edition of ''Raw'' he lost to Shelton Benjamin. Flair then took some time off in mid-2006 to rest and marry for the third time; he returned in June to work a program with his real life rival Mick Foley that played off their legitimate past animosity. Flair defeated Foley at SummerSlam in an "I Quit" match.

Subsequently, he was involved in a rivalry with the Spirit Squad on ''Raw''. On November 5, 2006 at Cyber Sunday, he captured the World Tag Team Championship from the Squad with Roddy Piper. On the November 13 edition of ''Raw'', Flair and Piper lost the Tag Titles to Rated-RKO, due to a disc problem with Piper and had to be flown immediately back to the USA as soon as ''Raw'' was off the air. On November 26, 2006 at Survivor Series, Flair was the sole survivor of a match that featured himself, Ron Simmons (replacing an injured Piper), Dusty Rhodes and Sgt. Slaughter versus the Spirit Squad. Flair then left television due to his divorce hearings. On the December 11, 2006 edition of ''Raw'', Flair returned to team up with DX again. They defeated Rated-RKO and Kenny Dykstra.

Flair then began teaming with Carlito after Flair said that Carlito had no heart. Flair defeated Carlito in a match after which Carlito realized that Flair was right. Flair and Carlito faced off against Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch in a number one contender's match for the World Tag Team Championship but were defeated. The two teamed up at Wrestlemania 23, and defeated the team of Chavo Guerrero and Gregory Helms. After weeks of conflict between Flair and Carlito, the team split up when Carlito attacked Flair during a match. At Judgment Day, Flair defeated Carlito with the figure four leglock. His career was put at risk following a match with Randy Orton on June 4, 2007.

On the June 11 edition of ''Raw'', Flair was drafted from ''Raw'' to ''SmackDown!'' as part of the 2007 WWE Draft. He briefly feuded against Montel Vontavious Porter and rejoined forces with Batista to feud with The Great Khali; the alliance was short-lived, however, as Flair was "injured" during a match with Khali.

After three month hiatus, Flair returned to WWE programming on the November 26 edition of ''Raw'' to announce "I will never retire". Vince McMahon retaliated by announcing that the next match Flair lost would result in a forced retirement. Later in the night, Flair defeated Orton after a distraction by Chris Jericho. On March 29, 2008, Flair was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a part of the Class of 2008 by Triple H. Flair became the first active wrestler to be inducted into the Hall Of Fame. The day after, Flair wrestled at WrestleMania XXIV in Orlando, Florida, losing to Shawn Michaels. This match was voted the 2008 PWI Match of the Year. Flair's fight to keep his career going garnered him the 2008 PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year award.

Part time appearances (2008–2009)

On the March 31, 2008 edition of ''Raw'', Flair delivered his farewell address. Afterward, Triple H brought out many current and retired superstars to thank Flair for all he has done, including Shawn Michaels, some of the Four Horsemen, Harley Race, and Chris Jericho, followed by The Undertaker and then Vince McMahon. Along with the wrestlers, the fans gave Ric a standing ovation. This event represented a rare moment in WWE as both the heels and the faces broke character and came out to the ring together. The Undertaker's and McMahon's entrances, however, were not shown on the TV taping of ''Raw'' for the week in order to preserve their characters, more in the case of the Undertaker as it involved him hugging Ric Flair and then raising his arm in victory, but were included in ''Nature Boy Ric Flair: The Definitive Collection DVD'' as extras.

Flair made his first post retirement appearance on the June 16, 2008 edition of ''Raw'' to confront Chris Jericho about his actions from the previous week, when Jericho brutalized Shawn Michaels. Flair did not want to come out of retirement and have an official match, but challenged Jericho to a fight in the parking lot, until he was ejected from the building by Vince McMahon.

On the February 9, 2009 episode of ''Monday Night Raw'', Flair made an appearance to once again confront Chris Jericho, telling him to respect the WWE Legends and the fans. The segment ended with Flair punching Jericho. Exactly one month later, on the March 9, 2009 episode of ''Raw'', Flair appeared during a Money in the Bank qualifier match between Jericho and Kofi Kingston, distracting Jericho which cost him the match. Flair distracted Jericho as revenge for Jericho's attacks on Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka and Ricky Steamboat. Jericho subsequently suggested Flair come out of retirement and challenged him to a match on the March 16, 2009 ''Raw''.

That week, Flair declined Jericho's challenge to come out of retirement. Instead he, along with Ricky Steamboat, Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka attacked Jericho. Flair made another appearance the next week, to accept Jericho's challenge on behalf of Steamboat, Piper and Snuka for a 3-on-1 handicap match at WrestleMania XXV. Jericho then proceeded to brutally attack Flair, causing him to bleed and even destroying the watch that was given to Flair from Michaels after Wrestlemania.

At the 2009 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Flair inducted Ricky Steamboat whom Flair called the hardest competition he ever fought. The next day at Wrestlemania XXV, Flair was in the corner of Piper, Snuka, and Steamboat for the match against Jericho. Jericho went on to win the match, and then went after Flair. While Flair was knocked down, Mickey Rourke came into the ring and nailed Jericho with an upper left hook, at which time Flair came in and held up Rourke's hand in victory.

On May 17, 2009, Flair returned to WWE during the Judgment Day pay-per-view, coming to the aid of Batista, who was being attacked by The Legacy faction (Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase). His last appearance in WWE on the June 1 episode of ''Raw'', Flair challenged Randy Orton in a parking lot brawl match, after an interference from the rest of The Legacy, the fight ended with Flair was trapped inside a steel cage and was punted by Orton. After Raw, Flair left WWE, after his contract had expired on June 2, 2009.

Ring of Honor and Hulkamania Tour (2009)

Flair signed with Ring of Honor (ROH) and appeared at the aptly titled ''Stylin' And Profilin''' event in March 2009, clearing the ring after an ROH World Championship match ended with a run-in. He soon served as the company's ambassador, in an on-screen authority role, and appeared on the television show ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' in May to cement his role. After a number one contender's match ended in a time-limit draw, and the following week a double count out, Flair announced ''Ring of Honor Wrestling's'' first ROH World Title match as a four-way contest.

On November 21, 2009, Flair returned to the ring as a heel on the "Hulkamania: Let the Battle Begin" tour of Australia, losing to Hulk Hogan in the main event of the first show by brassknuckles. Flair lost to Hogan again on November 24 in Perth, Australia. Both men bled and Flair was pinned after being hit with a megaphone by Hogan. Flair also lost to Hogan on the two remaining matches on the tour, both times after being struck by a megaphone.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

Fortune (2010–2011)

On the January 4, 2010, live, three-hour edition of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's ''Impact!'' television show, Flair as a face made his debut appearance for the company arriving via limo and later observing the main event between A.J. Styles and longtime rival Kurt Angle. It was later reported that Flair had signed a one-year deal with the company. In the past, Flair has openly stated that he was loyal to the McMahons and wanted to end his career in WWE, however he hadn't had contact from WWE since June 2009 and decided to sign with TNA Wrestling after waiting for the call from WWE for six months.

On January 17 at Genesis, Flair helped A.J. Styles cheat to pin Kurt Angle and retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship thus once again becoming a heel. On the following episode of ''TNA Impact!'', Flair announced that he was going to make A.J. Styles the next Nature Boy. In addition to Styles, Flair began informally managing Beer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode and James Storm) and Desmond Wolfe as a loose heel alliance. Flair has also confirmed that he will return to wrestling in TNA. On the February 25 edition of ''Impact!'', Hulk Hogan announced that both he and Flair will make their in-ring TNA debuts on the March 8 Monday night edition of ''Impact!'', when Hogan and Abyss face Flair and Styles in a tag team match. On the March 8 Monday night edition of ''Impact!'' Hogan and Abyss defeated Flair and Styles, when Abyss pinned Styles. Afterwards, the returning Jeff Hardy saved Abyss and Hogan from a beatdown at the hands of Flair, Styles and Beer Money, Inc. At Lockdown Team Flair (Sting, Desmond Wolfe, Robert Roode and James Storm) was defeated by Team Hogan (Abyss, Jeff Jarrett, Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam) in a Lethal Lockdown match. On the April 26 edition of ''Impact!'' Flair was defeated by Abyss in a match, where Flair's and Hogan's WWE Hall of Fame rings were at stake and as a result Flair lost possession of his ring to Hogan. The following week Hogan gave the ring to Jay Lethal, who returned it to Flair out of respect. This, however, wasn't enough for Flair, who attacked Lethal along with the members of Team Flair. After Styles dropped the World Heavyweight Championship to Rob Van Dam, then failed to regain it in a rematch and later was pinned by Jay Lethal, Flair adopted Kazarian as his newest protégé, seemingly replacing Styles as his number one wrestler.

On the June 17 edition of ''Impact!'' Flair announced that he would reform the Four Horsemen under the new name Fourtune, comparing A.J. Styles to Arn Anderson, Kazarian to Barry Windham, Robert Roode and James Storm to Ole Anderson and Tully Blanchard and Desmond Wolfe to Lex Luger, while also stating that each of them would have to earn their spots in the group. Flair made a return to the ring on July 11 at Victory Road, losing to Jay Lethal. On the July 15 edition of ''Impact!'' Flair announced A.J. Styles and Kazarian as the first two official members of Fourtune and two weeks later added Robert Roode and James Storm as the final two members of the group. On the August 5 edition of ''Impact!'' Flair faced Lethal in a rematch, this time contested under Street Fight rules, with the members of Fourtune banned from ringside. Flair managed to win the match, after an interference from Douglas Williams. The following week Williams and Matt Morgan were added to the renamed Fourtune, as the stable attacked EV 2.0, a stable consisting of former Extreme Championship Wrestling performers. On September 23, Flair headlined a live event in Oklahoma City titled Lord of the Ring in his honor. Competing in his first TNA house show match, Flair lost to Kurt Angle in the main event. In the weeks leading to Bound for Glory, Flair's stable's name was tweaked to Fortune to represent the expansion in the number of members in the group. On the October 7 live edition of ''Impact!'' Flair was defeated by Mick Foley in a Last Man Standing match. At Bound for Glory Flair was in Fortune's corner, when Styles, Kazarian, Morgan, Roode and Storm were defeated in a Lethal Lockdown match by EV 2.0 members Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Rhino, Sabu and Stevie Richards. On the following edition of ''Impact!'' Fortune formed an alliance with Hulk Hogan's and Eric Bischoff's new stable, Immortal. On the November 18 edition of ''Impact!'' Flair returned to the ring, competing in a match, where he faced Matt Morgan, who had been kicked out of Fortune the previous month. Morgan won the match, after Douglas Williams turned on the rest of Fortune, when they interfered in the match. On January 25, 2011, it was reported that Flair had pulled out of TNA's ''Maximum Wooo!'' tour of Europe mid–tour, after monetary disputes. After missing a show in Berlin, Germany, Flair returned to the tour on January 27 in Glasgow, Scotland, reportedly apologizing to the locker room prior to the show. On January 29 Flair wrestled his only match of the tour, defeating Douglas Williams in London, tearing his rotator cuff in the process.

Immortal (2011)

During Flair's time away from TNA, Fortune turned on Immortal, becoming a face group. Flair returned at the February 14 tapings of the February 17 edition of ''Impact!'', turning on Fortune during a match between A.J. Styles and Matt Hardy and jumping to Immortal. On the March 10 edition of ''Impact!'', Flair defeated Styles and Hardy in a three–way street fight, contested as more of a two–on–one handicap match. On April 17 at Lockdown, Immortal, represented by Flair, Abyss, Bully Ray and Matt Hardy, was defeated by Fortune members James Storm, Kazarian and Robert Roode and Christopher Daniels, who replaced an injured A.J. Styles, in a Lethal Lockdown match, when Flair tapped out to Roode. The match was used to write Flair off television, as the following week he was scheduled to undergo surgery for his torn rotator cuff, however, Flair ultimately chose not to have the surgery as it would have required six months of rehab. Flair returned to television in a non–wrestling role on the May 12 edition of ''Impact!''. Flair would not appear again for three months, until making his return on August 9 at the tapings of the August 18 edition of ''Impact Wrestling'', confronting old rival Sting and challenging him to one more match. In exchange for Sting agreeing to put his career on the line, Flair promised to deliver him his match with Hogan if he was victorious.

Legacy

Flair was often popular with the crowd due to his in-ring antics, including rulebreaking (earning him the distinction of being "the dirtiest player in the game"), strutting and his shouting of ''"Woooooo!"'' (Flair got the inspiration from Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire") Flair's moveset became limited in the last ten years of his career due mainly to his age and years of competition taking a toll on his body, but remained a visible character. The ''"Woooooo!"'' yell has since become a tribute to Flair, and is often shouted by the crowd whenever a wrestler performs a knife-edge chop, one of Flair's signature moves. From the late 1970s, Flair wore ornate fur-lined robes of many colors with sequins during in-ring appearances, and since the early 1980s, his approach to the ring was usually heralded by the playing of the "Dawn" section of Richard Strauss' "Also sprach Zarathustra" (famous for being used in the motion picture ''2001: A Space Odyssey'').

On May 19, 2003 in Greenville, South Carolina, Triple H defended the World Heavyweight Championship in a match against Flair. After ''Raw'' went off the air, most of the people who were backstage came out to honor Flair, including Vince McMahon, the Undertaker, Shane, and Stephanie McMahon. Triple H then appeared, and after a stare down, he placed the World Heavyweight Championship belt on Flair's shoulder and embraced him. Flair then gave a speech thanking everyone for the tribute.

Flair released his autobiography, ''To Be the Man'', in July 2004. The title is taken from one of his catchphrases, ''"To be the man, you gotta beat the man!"''

Over the years, Flair has personally trained Stan Lane, Scott McGhee, and, David Flair, his son, to be professional wrestlers.

On the February 18, 2008 edition of ''Raw'', Shawn Michaels announced Flair as the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2008. The induction ceremony took place on March 29, 2008, with Triple H inducting him. This made him the first, and, as of 2009, only, person to be inducted while still an active competitor. On March 24, 2008, Mayor Bob Coble, of Columbia, South Carolina, declared March 24 to be Ric Flair Day in Columbia. Flair also received the key to the city. Flair was later inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia, his second straight Hall of Fame induction in four months, but he did not participate in the event. He received the key to the city of Greensboro, North Carolina on December 5, 2008, to commemorate Flair's victory in a cage match against Harley Race at the inaugural Starrcade event. April 18, 2009 was declared "Ric Flair Day" in Charleston, West Virginia and he was presented with the key to the city by the mayor. Also, on June 12, 2009, Flair was presented with the key to the city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and, in September, he received the key to the city in Marion County, South Carolina. On July 17, 2010, Flair made a special appearance at Scotland Motors in Laurinburg, North Carolina and received the key to that city, as well.

On October 19, 1998, it was declared "Ric Flair Day" in Minneapolis, Minnesota by Mayor Sharon Belton and on November 15, 2008, it was declared "Ric Flair Day" in Norfolk, Virginia.

On April 15, 2008 Flair was honored in Congress by a representative from North Carolina, Republican Sue Myrick, who praised his career and what he means to the state. On September 29, 2008, it was announced that Flair's signature sequin covered robe that he wore at WrestleMania XXIV, in what was to be his last match, would be placed in the pop culture section of the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

Flair also lends his voice and image to the Carolina Hurricanes hockey team. During at home games, he appears on the monitor giving his trademark "Wooooo" whenever the Hurricanes scored a goal.

In 2002, Flair was named the greatest pro wrestler of all time in the book ''The Top 100 Wrestlers of All Time'' by John Molinaro, edited by Dave Meltzer and Jeff Marek.

On April 2, 2011, Flair was present at the WWE Hall of Fame. In a clip during Shawn Michaels's induction, Flair can be seen sitting behind Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Personal life

In September 2007, Flair opened a financial business called Ric Flair Finance. In July 2008, Ric Flair Finance filed for bankruptcy.

Legal issues

In December 2005, a magistrate issued arrest warrants for Flair after a road rage incident that took place in Charlotte, NC in which Flair allegedly got out of his car, grabbed a motorist by the neck, and kicked the door of the motorist's sport utility vehicle. Flair was charged with injury to personal property and simple assault and battery, both misdemeanors. This incident was ridiculed on WWE programming, most notably by the wrestler Edge.

Following Flair's debut in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling his former employer, Ring of Honor, filed a lawsuit alleging that Flair owed them over $40,000 and that he had not appeared at several events that he was contractual obligated to appear at. Due to ROH's purchase by Sinclair Broadcasting Group it is uncertain if they will continue to seek legal action against Flair.

In August 2010, Highspots Inc. filed a lawsuit against Flair alleging that Flair had never repaid $35,000 that they had loaned him. Highspots also claimed that Flair had given them the NWA World Heavyweight Championship belt as collateral. A warrant for Flair's arrest was issued in May 2011 for being held in contempt of court for violating the terms of his settlement with Highspots. If Flair had failed to comply he could have potentially faced 90 days in jail. On June 25 Highspots released a statement over their offical Facebook page stating that somebody had paid Flair's debts.

Family

Flair's son David is a semi-retired professional wrestler. Flair's youngest son Reid, who signed a developmental contract with WWE near the end of 2007, is an accomplished high school wrestler and made several appearances on WCW television along with his sister Ashley and half-sister Megan. In 2004, Flair became a grandfather at the age of 55, when his oldest daughter, Megan Fliehr-Ketzner, gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Morgan Lee Ketzner on May 9.

On May 27, 2006, Ric married his third wife, fitness competitor Tiffany VanDemark. On August 7, 2008, Tiffany announced that she had filed for divorce from Flair. On November 11, 2009, Flair married his fourth wife, Jackie Beems, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Family arrests

Flair's daughter Ashley was arrested on September 5, 2008 for assaulting a police officer. The incident occurred after police were called to a fight involving Flair, Ashley, and her boyfriend. Flair also claimed in his autobiography that, despite Hart's popularity in Canada, he was not a formidable money-making draw elsewhere, a claim which Hart dismissed as "plain ridiculous" in a column written for the ''Calgary Sun''. Hart claimed that he drew greater revenue than Flair, citing his headlining performances on consistently sold out tours throughout his WWF career, while Flair wrestled to allegedly near-empty arenas. He also criticized Flair on what he perceived as insults to fellow wrestlers Mick Foley and Randy Savage, both personal friends of Hart's. Hart did acknowledge a decline in the WWF's popularity during the mid 1990s, but he and others felt that this was largely attributed to the WWF's well publicized sex and steroid scandals, as well as WCW's acquisition of former top WWF stars. In contrast to Flair's claims, WWE owner Vince McMahon has asserted that whichever company hired Hart could "have built the entire franchise around [him]", describing him as an "extraordinary star who you know is going to give you the best match of the night every time he goes out there." McMahon added that it was "fortunate for me, in terms of my company", that his chief competitor, WCW, did not utilize Hart to his full potential. WCW described Hart as "an incredible international draw, attracting standing room only crowds in every corner of the globe."

Shane Douglas

Flair also had a long running feud with Shane Douglas, who would refer to him as "Dick Flair" and accuse him of sabotaging his push in the NWA/WCW after getting a solid push and a rub from his tag partner Ricky Steamboat. Flair, in turn, responded that Douglas was always the guy that would blame his shortcomings on others. He called Douglas out as well as accused him of steroid abuse during a broadcast of the Internet radio show ''WCW Live!'' in which he said that he would meet him anytime and anywhere if he ''"took the needle out of his ass."'' They were able to come to a working relationship during Douglas' last stint with WCW.

Mick Foley

Flair has also had issues with Mick Foley. In his 1999 autobiography ''Have a Nice Day!'', Foley said, ''"Flair was every bit as bad on the booking side of things as he was great on the wrestling side of it."'' This was in reference to how poorly Foley thought he was booked during his WCW career when Flair was on the booking committee. Flair responded in his autobiography, writing, ''"I do not care how many thumbtacks Mick Foley has fallen on, how many ladders he's fallen off, how many continents he's supposedly bled on, he will always be known as a glorified stuntman."'' They have since buried the hatchet and are now friends.

Backstage problems

Altercation with Eric Bischoff

Flair described in his autobiography how he attacked Eric Bischoff backstage at a WWE house show, saying it was due to hating how Bischoff treated him in WCW. Flair stated that Arn Anderson kept watch while he tried to get Bischoff to fight him, but that the confrontation was interrupted by Sgt. Slaughter, who promptly informed Vince McMahon of the incident. McMahon then scolded Flair, telling him that his actions were unprofessional and that it couldn't happen again.

Tension with Hulk Hogan

In his book, Flair also touched on some real life tension between himself and Hulk Hogan which largely stemmed from an incident that followed the conclusion of a tag match between Flair and his son, David, and the team of Curt Hennig and Barry Windham at WCW's Souled Out pay-per-view on January 17, 1999, in Charleston, WV. Flair described Hogan and members of the New World Order coming out to attack them, as well as Hogan whipping an incapacitated David with a leather belt as Flair was forced to look on. ''"What no one had told me was that Hogan would try to be cute and whip David over and over again....there was Hogan—with all his experience, and all his celebrity—trying to be cute. He whipped David like a dog. It was sickening, and I'll never forgive him for it"'', Flair wrote of the incident. Flair also noted that, following a backstage altercation with Eric Bischoff at a WWE house show, he was asked by Vince McMahon if he planned to do the same to anyone else, to which he replied "Yeah, Hogan" in what he claimed to be only a half-joking manner. Despite this, the two have managed to maintain a working relationship, both in Hogan's promotion and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling currently.

Disagreement with Bruno Sammartino

Flair and wrestler Bruno Sammartino have a real life disagreement over what reports call "the infamous backstage 'snub' where Flair claims that Sammartino refused to shake his hand at a live event." While Flair claims Sammartino ignored him due to comments made in his book stating Sammartino was "a Northeast star who couldn’t draw fans outside New York," Sammartino disagrees. Sammartino referred to Flair as a "liar," stating, "No, I don’t respect Ric Flair. I don’t respect him at all." Sammartino contends that Flair violated him, and not vice versa.

Politics

Flair has long supported Republican political candidates in North Carolina politics. In 2000, Flair explored the possibility of running for governor of North Carolina, but he never filed the papers.

In the 2008 presidential race, Ric Flair declared his support for the Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. He said of Huckabee, "[Huckabee] is a quality person, self-made, a great family man and he has a great vision for our country. And I'm here to excite the crowd."

In wrestling

Finishing moves

Diving knee drop – early career

Figure four leglock – adopted from "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers

Signature moves

Chop block, usually as a setup for the figure four leglock

Elbow drop

Knife-edged chop, usually with Flair or the crowd shouting "Wooooooooo!"

Low blow

*Multiple suplex variations

*Belly to back

*Delayed vertical

*Double arm

Poking or raking the opponent eyes

Running jumping knee drop

Shin breaker, usually as a setup for the figure four leglock

Snapmare

Nicknames

"Ramblin'" Ricky Rhodes

*"(The) Nature Boy"

*"Naitch (Short for "Nature Boy")"

*"The Dirtiest Player in the Game"

*"Stylin' and Profilin'"

*"The Man"

*"The Alimony Pony"

*"The Limousine Ridin', Jet Flying, Kiss Stealin', Wheelin' Dealin', Son of a Gun"

*"Space Mountain"

*"The Sixty-Minute Man"

*"Slick Ric"

"The Master of the Figure Four"

"The Golden Stallion"

*"Wrestling God"

*"The 16 Time World Champion"

Managers and valets

Arn Anderson

*Ole Anderson

*Babydoll

*Debra

*James J. Dillon

*Double D

*Miss Elizabeth

Fifi (Wendy Barlow)

Jimmy Hart

*Bobby "The Brain" Heenan

*Curt Hennig

*Sherri Martel

*Hiro Matsuda

*Woman

Wrestlers managed

*Evolution (Triple H, Batista and Randy Orton)

*Stone Cold Steve Austin

*The Big Show

*Carlito

David Flair

Reid Flair

Ricky Morton

Fortune (A.J. Styles, Kazarian, Beer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode and James Storm), Douglas Williams and Matt Morgan)

Desmond Wolfe

Rob Terry

Matt Hardy

Entrance themes

"Dawn" section of the tone poem Also sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss

*"Galaxy Express" (AJPW)

"The Wanderer" by Dion

*"Dawn" section of the tone poem Also sprach Zarathustra (remix) by Dale Oliver (TNA) 2010–present

*"Line in the Sand" (with Evolution) by Motorhead

"Fortune 4" by Dale Oliver

"Immortal Theme" by Dale Oliver

Championships and accomplishments

All Star Pro Wrestling

NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

All Japan Pro Wrestling

NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Central States Wrestling

NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling

NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (3 times)

NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (3 times)—with Rip Hawk (1), Greg Valentine (1) and Big John Studd (1)

NWA (Mid Atlantic)/NWA Television Championship (2 times)

NWA (Mid Atlantic)/WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (6 times)¹

NWA World Heavyweight Championship (7 times)²

NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(Mid-Atlantic version)'' (3 times)—with Greg Valentine (2) and Blackjack Mulligan (1)

WCW International World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)³

WCW World Heavyweight Championship (7 times)

National Wrestling Alliance

*NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2008)

'''Pro Wrestling Illustrated

PWI ranked him #2 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003

PWI ranked him #3 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1991, 1992, and 1994

Feud of the Year (1987) Four Horsemen vs. Super Powers and Road Warriors

Feud of the Year (1988, 1990) vs. Lex Luger

Feud of the Year (1989) vs. Terry Funk

Match of the Year (1983) vs. Harley Race (June 10)

Match of the Year (1984) vs. Kerry Von Erich at Parade of Champions 1

Match of the Year (1986) vs. Dusty Rhodes at The Great American Bash in a steel cage match

Match of the Year (1989) vs. Ricky Steamboat at WrestleWar

*Match of the Year (2008) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV

*Match of the Decade (2000–2009) vs. Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XXIV

Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1978, 1987)

*Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (2008)

Rookie of the Year (1975)

*Stanley Weston Award (2008)

Wrestler of the Year (1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1992)

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum

*Class of 2006

Pro Wrestling Report

Match of the Year (2008)

Most Memorable Moment—

St. Louis Wrestling Club

NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame

*Class of 2007

World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment

WWF Championship (2 times)

World Tag Team Championship (3 times)—with Batista (2) and Roddy Piper (1)

WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time)

Royal Rumble (1992)

*WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2008)

*Thirteenth Triple Crown Champion

Slammy Award for Match of the Year (2008)

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

* Best Heel (1990)

*Best Interviews (1991, 1992, 1994)

*Feud of the Year (1989) vs. Terry Funk

*Match of the Year (1983) vs. Harley Race in a steel cage match at Starrcade

*Match of the Year (1986) vs. Barry Windham at Battle of the Belts II on February 14

*Match of the Year (1988) vs. Sting at Clash of the Champions I

*Match of the Year (1989) vs. Ricky Steamboat at WrestleWar

*Most Charismatic (1980, 1982–1984, 1993)

*Most Outstanding (1986, 1987, 1989)

*Readers' Favorite Wrestler (1984–1993, 1996)

*Worst Feud of the Year (1990) vs. The Junkyard Dog

*Worst Worked Match of the Year (1996) with Arn Anderson, Meng, The Barbarian, Lex Luger, Kevin Sullivan, Z-Gangsta and The Ultimate Solution vs. Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage in a Towers of Doom match at Uncensored

*Wrestler of the Year (1982–1986, 1989, 1990, 1992)

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

¹Flair did win the Mid-Atlantic version of the NWA United States Championships five times and the five reigns were recognized even after World Championship Wrestling took control over the championship and renamed it the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship in 1991. After WCW's purchase by WWE, the lineage of the championships were kept and used to give the WWE United States Championship a prestigious history. However, WWE does not recognize some of the reigns of some wrestlers when the title was still the Mid-Atlantic NWA United States Championship. As of now, only four of Flair's five reigns with the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship ''(Mid-Atlantic version)'' are officially recognized by WWE. ²His last four reigns with the championship were after Jim Crockett, Jr. sold his promotion to Ted Turner in November 1988, which became World Championship Wrestling. The NWA World Heavyweight Championship was defended exclusively in WCW until WCW's withdrawal from the National Wrestling Alliance in 1993. ³Title reigns aren't recognized by World Wrestling Entertainment. ⁴He won the title for the third time in Kallang, Singapore. Records are unclear as to which promotion hosted the event.

Notes

References

Where Flair got the "Nature Boy" name

Ric Flair at TheSmokingGun.com

Ric Flair career bio at Wrestleinfo.com

External links

RicFlair.com (Official Website)

Professional wrestling record for Ric Flair from The Internet Wrestling Database

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Profile

WWE Hall of Fame Profile

TNA Profile

Category:1949 births Category:American adoptees Category:American professional wrestlers Category:American writers Category:Living people Category:North Carolina Republicans Category:People from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Category:People from Charlotte, North Carolina Category:People from Minneapolis, Minnesota Category:Professional wrestling executives Category:Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Category:Professional wrestling managers and valets Category:Professional wrestling trainers Category:Survivors of aviation accidents or incidents Category:WWE Hall of Fame

ar:ريك فلير(مصارع) bar:Ric Flair ca:Ric Flair da:Ric Flair de:Ric Flair es:Ric Flair fa:ریک فلیر fr:Ric Flair ko:릭 플레어 it:Ric Flair he:ריק פלייר nl:Ric Flair ja:リック・フレアー no:Ric Flair pl:Ric Flair pt:Ric Flair ro:Ric Flair ru:Рик Флэр sco:Ric Flair simple:Ric Flair fi:Ric Flair sv:Ric Flair th:ริก แฟลร์ tr:Ric Flair vi:Ric Flair zh:瑞克·福萊爾

:''"The G-Man" redirects here. For other uses of "G-Man", see G-Man.''

Coordinates	38°01′47″N84°29′41″N
Name	Monty Sopp
Names	Billy G.Billy GunnCute KipKip GunnKip JamesKip SoppMr. AssThe G-ManThe New Age OutlawThe OutlawRockabilly"The One" Billy GunnBad Ass Billy Gunn
Height
Weight
Birth date	November 11, 1963
Birth place	Orlando, Florida
Resides	Apopka, Florida
Billed	Austin, Texas
Trainer	Jerry Gray
Debut	1993
Retired	}}

Monty Kip Sopp (born November 11, 1963) is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James. In WWE, Sopp was a one time Intercontinental Champion and a two time Hardcore Champion, but found his greatest success as a tag team wrestler, being a ten time World Tag Team Champion. He was also the 1999 King of the Ring.

Professional wrestling career

World Wrestling Entertainment (1993–2004)

The Smoking Gunns (1993–1996)

When Sopp first arrived in the World Wrestling Federation, he used the name Billy Gunn and teamed with his on-screen brother, Bart Gunn, as The Smoking Gunns. In early 1995, they won their first WWF Tag Team Championship by defeating the makeshift team of Bob Holly and The 1-2-3 Kid. They held the titles until WrestleMania XI when they were defeated by the team of Owen Hart and Yokozuna. They won the titles again in September 1995.

On February 15, 1996, the Gunns vacated the titles because Billy was in need of neck surgery. After Billy returned from hiatus, The Smoking Gunns won the Tag Titles for the third time by defeating The Godwinns in May. After the match, The Godwinns' manager Sunny turned on her team in favor of the Gunns. She and Sopp went on to have an onscreen relationship.On September 22 at WWF In Your House Mind Games, the Gunns lost their titles to the team of Owen Hart and The British Bulldog. After the match, Sunny abandoned The Gunns, saying that she would only manage title holders. Billy, frustrated with both losing the titles and Sunny, walked out on Bart and broke up The Smoking Gunns.

The New Age Outlaws and D-Generation X (1997–1998)

After briefly feuding with his brother, Billy adopted a new gimmick, Rockabilly, and became the protégé of The Honky Tonk Man. During this time, he had a short lived feud with "The Real Double J" Jesse James. On ''Shotgun Saturday Night'', James realized both of their careers were going nowhere and suggested that they became a tag team. Sopp agreed and smashed a guitar over the Honky Tonk Man's head.

James and Rockabilly were quickly rebranded as "Road Dogg" Jesse James and "Badd Ass" Billy Gunn, and the unit they formed was named the New Age Outlaws. This new team was in the spirit of the new Attitude Era: brash, vulgar, egotistical, and loud-mouthed. They quickly rose to the top of the tag team ranks and won the WWF Tag Team Championship from the Legion of Doom on November 24. They also defeated the LOD in a rematch at In Your House: D-Generation X.

The Outlaws slowly began to align themselves with D-Generation X, who were impressed with their new attitude. At the Royal Rumble, the New Age Outlaws interfered in a Casket match to help Shawn Michaels defeat The Undertaker. At No Way Out Of Texas, the Outlaws teamed up with Triple H and Savio Vega (who replaced the injured Shawn Michaels) to face Chainsaw Charlie, Cactus Jack, Owen Hart, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. They were, however, defeated. On February 2, The Outlaws locked Cactus and Chainsaw in a dumpster and pushed it off the stage. This led to a Dumpster match at WrestleMania XIV where Cactus and Chainsaw defeated the Outlaws for the Tag Titles. The next night on ''Raw'', the New Age Outlaws won the Tag Team Championship for a second time by defeating Chainsaw and Cactus in a Steel cage match, but only after interference from Triple H, Chyna, and X-Pac. After the match, the Outlaws officially became members of D-Generation X (DX).

After joining DX, the Outlaws successfully defended their Tag Titles against the Legion of Doom 2000 at Unforgiven. DX began to feud with Owen Hart, and his new stablemates, The Nation. At Over The Edge, the Outlaws and Triple H were defeated by Nation members Owen, Kama Mustafa, and D'Lo Brown in a Six Man Tag Match. The Outlaws would also successfully defend their titles against The New Midnight Express (Bombastic Bob and Bodacious Bart) at King of the Ring.

During this time, the Outlaws began a feud with Kane and Mankind. Although Kane and Mankind won the Tag Team championship, they could not get along. At SummerSlam, Mankind faced the Outlaws in a Handicap match after Kane no-showed the title defense. The Outlaws defeated Mankind to win the titles for the third time. The Outlaws then helped X-Pac in his feud with Jeff Jarrett and Southern Justice. In December, the Outlaws lost their titles to The Big Boss Man and Ken Shamrock from The Corporation.

Singles competition (1999)

The Outlaws then began to focus more on singles competition. The Road Dogg won the Hardcore Championship in December 1998, and Gunn set his sights on the Intercontinental Championship. At the 1999 Royal Rumble, Gunn unsuccessfully challenged Ken Shamrock for the Intercontinental Title. The next month at St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Gunn was the special guest referee for the Intercontinental Championship match between Val Venis and champion Ken Shamrock, where Gunn made a fast count and declared Venis the new champion before attacking both men.

In March, Gunn won the Hardcore Championship from Hardcore Holly. At WrestleMania XV, Gunn lost the title to Holly in a Triple Threat match which also included Al Snow. The New Age Outlaws then reunited to defeat Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart at Backlash. After Backlash, Gunn left D-Generation X, aligned himself with Triple H and Chyna, and became known as Mr. Ass. He defeated his former partner, Road Dogg, in a match at Over the Edge. Gunn then won the King of the Ring Tournament by defeating Ken Shamrock, Kane, and his former ally, X-Pac. After King of the Ring, Gunn, Triple H, and Chyna went on to feud with X-Pac and Road Dogg over the rights to the D-Generation X name. This feud culminated at Fully Loaded when X-Pac and Road Dogg defeated Gunn and Chyna.

Gunn then began a feud with The Rock. At SummerSlam, The Rock defeated Gunn in a Kiss My Ass Match.

The Reformation of The New Age Outlaws and D-X (1999–2000)

Gunn then briefly feuded with Jeff Jarrett for the Intercontinental Title before reuniting with Road Dogg to reform The New Age Outlaws. The Outlaws won their fourth tag team championship by defeating The Rock 'n' Sock Connection in September 1999. After defeating teams such as Edge and Christian, Hardcore Holly and Crash Holly, and The Acolytes, the Outlaws reunited with X-Pac and Triple H to reform D-Generation X. The group then feuded with the likes of Steve Austin, The Rock, Kane, Mankind, Shane McMahon, and Vince McMahon. During this time, The Outlaws won their fifth and final WWF Tag Team Championship after defeating Mankind and Al Snow.

At the 2000 Royal Rumble, The New Age Outlaws retained their titles against The Acolytes after interference from X-Pac. The Outlaws then had a heated feud with The Dudley Boyz, who won the WWF Tag Team Championships from The Outlaws at No Way Out. After suffering a torn rotator cuff in the match with The Dudley Boyz, Gunn was kicked out of D-Generation X for "losing his cool" therefore costing them the tag team titles. He then took time off to tend to his arm injury, before returning later in the year.

"The One" Billy Gunn (2000–2001)

Gunn made his return in October and immediately teamed with Chyna to feud with Right to Censor, who wanted to "censor" his Mr. Ass gimmick. At No Mercy, Right to Censor members Steven Richards and Val Venis defeated Chyna and Sopp. Due to a stipulation, Gunn could no longer use the Mr. Ass gimmick, so he renamed himself Billy G. for a few weeks before settling on "The One" Billy Gunn. Gunn then feuded with Eddie Guerrero and the rest of The Radicalz. At Survivor Series, Gunn teamed with Road Dogg, Chyna, and K-Kwik in a losing effort against The Radicalz. A few weeks later on ''SmackDown!'', Gunn won the Intercontinental Championship from Guerrero. The title reign was short lived, however, as Chris Benoit defeated him two weeks later at Armageddon.

After feuding with Benoit, Gunn interfered in the WWF Hardcore Championship Match at No Way Out, and taking advantage of the 24/7 Rule, pinned Raven for the title. The reign was short lived, as Raven won it back a few minutes later. Gunn competed in the Hardcore Division until June, when he turned heel and had a short feud with the 2001 King of the Ring, Edge. After the feud, Gunn quietly turned face again and formed a short lived tag team with The Big Show. At Show's request, the team was called "The Show Gunns", a pun on the word shogun. At InVasion, The Show Gunns and Albert lost to the team of Shawn Stasiak, Hugh Morrus, and Chris Kanyon. The Show Gunns quietly disbanded and Sopp feuded with The Alliance midcarders.

Billy and Chuck (2001–2002)

In a 2001 match on ''Sunday Night Heat'', Gunn was defeated by Chuck Palumbo, who recently left The Alliance to join the WWF. After the match, Gunn suggested that they form a tag team. Palumbo agreed and Billy and Chuck quickly rose to the top of the tag team division. Initially they were a generic face tandem but soon turned heel when they were given a gimmick where they grew increasingly affectionate toward each other, showing evidence of a storyline homosexual relationship.

In February 2002, Billy and Chuck defeated Spike Dudley and Tazz to win the Tag Titles for the first time as a team. After winning the titles, Billy and Chuck found a "Personal Stylist" in the ambiguously flamboyant Rico. After defeating The APA, The Dudley Boyz, and The Hardy Boyz in a Four Corners Elimination Match at WrestleMania X8, and Al Snow and Maven at Backlash, Billy and Chuck feuded with Rikishi. At Judgment Day, Rikishi and Rico (Rikishi's mystery partner of Mr. McMahon's choosing) defeated Billy and Chuck for the Tag Titles after Rico accidentally hit Chuck with a roundhouse kick. Billy and Chuck quickly won the titles back two weeks later on ''SmackDown!'' with Rico's help. They held the championship for about a month before losing it to the team of Edge and Hulk Hogan.

Later that summer, after Gunn lost a match to Rey Mysterio, Chuck proposed to Billy asking him to be his "partner for life" and gave him a wedding ring. Gunn agreed, and on the September 12 episode of ''SmackDown!'', Billy and Chuck had their wedding ceremony. However, just before they tied the knot, they revealed that entire ordeal was a publicity stunt and disavowed their on-screen homosexuality, admitting that they were just friends. The "preacher" revealed himself to be ''Raw'' General Manager Eric Bischoff (who was wearing a skin mask), who then summoned 3-Minute Warning to beat up Billy and Chuck. Rico, furious that Billy and Chuck gave up their gimmick, became the manager of Three Minute Warning and defected to ''Raw'' which effectively turned Billy and Chuck face in the process. At Unforgiven, Three Minute Warning defeated Billy Gunn and Chuck Palumbo. Their final match together occurred on ''SmackDown!'' in the first round of a tournament for the newly created WWE Tag Team Championship. They lost the match to the team of Ron Simmons and Reverend D-Von. Afterwards, Sopp took a few months off because of a shoulder injury and the team of Billy and Chuck quietly disbanded.

Return to singles competition and departure (2003–2004)

After returning in the summer of 2003, Gunn reprised the "Mr. Ass" gimmick and Torrie Wilson became his new manager. He started a feud with Jamie Noble which led to an "Indecent Proposal" Match at Vengeance, which Noble won and due to a stipulation, won a night with Torrie. On ''SmackDown!'', it looked as if Torrie was going to have a Ménage à trois with Noble and Nidia until Sopp broke into the hotel room ready to brawl with Noble. Sopp then started a short lived tag team with Noble before taking time off again because of a shoulder injury.

Gunn returned to action at the 2004 Royal Rumble but was eliminated by Goldberg. He also got a chance for a WWE Championship match at No Way Out against then Champion Brock Lesnar in a SmackDown style Royal Rumble, but was eliminated by the winner of the match Eddie Guerrero. Afterward, he wrestled mainly on ''WWE Velocity'' before forming a tag team with Hardcore Holly, which quickly rose to the top of ''SmackDown!'s'' tag team division. At Judgment Day, they unsuccessfully challenged Charlie Haas and Rico for the WWE Tag Team Championship. Sopp then had a short feud with Kenzo Suzuki before challenging for the WWE United States Championship.

On November 1, 2004, Sopp was released from his WWE contract. At the time of his release, he was one of the most tenured wrestlers with the company, behind only The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. In June 2005, Sopp gave an interview in which he was heavily critical of WWE and the events that led to his release. Many of the negative comments were directed towards Triple H, who Sopp claimed "runs the show up there".

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2005–2009)

On February 13, 2005, Sopp debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling without a name (as Billy Gunn is a WWE trademark) at Against All Odds, helping Jeff Jarrett retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in a match with Kevin Nash. Sopp, using the name The New Age Outlaw, then formed a stable with Jarrett and Monty Brown known as Planet Jarrett. However, WWE threatened TNA with legal action if Sopp continued the use of the name "The New Age Outlaw", so he shortened his name to The Outlaw. Due to the legal issues with WWE, all TNA DVD releases featuring footage with Sopp as "The Outlaw" (and presumably also as "The New Age Outlaw") have had the name on on-screen graphics blurred, the name silenced out of the audio, and match commentary completely replaced to reflect a retroactive name change to "Kip James". One such DVD is the pay-per-view Lockdown (2005), included in the "TNA Anthology: The Epic Set" box set, in which the silencing of the name during a segment where Dusty Rhodes picks his name from a lottery leaves DVD viewers in the dark as to who just got picked (unless they could read Dusty's lips).

The Outlaw began a campaign to make former ally B.G. James leave the 3Live Kru and defect to Planet Jarrett, reforming the old tag team with Outlaw. At No Surrender, he renamed himself Kip James and was announced as "wrestling out of Marietta, Georgia" (the family seat of the Armstrong family) as a psychological ploy. As a result of his campaign, Kip attracted the ire of 3Live Kru members Ron Killings and Konnan, leading to a series of tag team matches pitting Kip and Monty Brown against Killings and Konnan, with a conflicted James unwilling to take sides. Kip's efforts ultimately proved futile; James, the guest referee in a final match between Brown and Kip versus Konnan and Killings at Sacrifice, attacked Kip enabling a 3Live Kru victory.

In September at Unbreakable, Kip teamed with Brown to defeat the team of Apolo and Lance Hoyt. There was clear tension between the partners because Brown was unhappy at the series of losses at the hands of the 3Live Kru, and Kip was irked by Brown's decision to leave Planet Jarrett. Despite the victory, the partners argued after the match. On the October 8, 2005 episode of ''Impact!'', Kip rekindled his feud with the 3Live Kru, running to the ring after a bout between the 3LK and Team Canada in order to prevent Team Canada captain Petey Williams from beating down B.G. James. He saved James, and then engaged in a staredown with Konnan and Killings. Kip saved James from Team Canada once again at Bound for Glory. Though Killings showed signs of gratitude, Konnan remained skeptical as to his true intentions. Later that night, Kip took part in an over-the-top-rope gauntlet match for the number one contendership to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. After he was eliminated, he tried in vain to prevent Killings from being eliminated as well, before being sent away from ringside by the referees.

The James Gang (2006)

On the November 26 episode of ''Impact!'', B.G. brought Kip and the 3Live Kru to ringside and asked Killings and Konnan whether Kip could join the stable. Following a heated argument between Konnan and B.G., both Killings and Konnan gave their approval, and the 4Live Kru was born. However, at Turning Point, Konnan attacked both B.G. and Kip, costing them their match against Team Canada and initiating a feud between himself and the remainder of the Kru. Shortly thereafter, B.G. James's father, Bob Armstrong, attempted to reconcile the group, but was instead attacked by Konnan and his new stablemates, Apolo and Homicide. Killings later stated that he had severed his ties with the Kru. With Konnan and Killings no longer members of the Kru, Kip and B.G. began referring to themselves as The James Gang and continued to feud with the Konnan-managed Latin American Exchange, whose third man position as Homicide's partner would switch from Apolo to Machete, and then from him to Hernandez, who finally stuck, during the course of this feud.

By November 2006, Kip and B.G. began to show displeasure in TNA and threatened to go find work elsewhere if they did not receive gold soon. They began performing the crotch chop, a reference to the WWE's DX. On the November 2 edition of ''Impact!'', Kip and B.G. threatened to quit. Kip grabbed the mic and tried to say something to the TNA administration and Spike TV, but each time his mic was cut off. Kip then tried to use the announcer's headset, but it was cut off as well. Frustrated, he started yelling loudly to the crowd, but he was cut off again as the show went to a commercial break. When the show returned, the announcers speculated that they may have been frustrated due to the influx of new talent entering TNA. It was reported that the segment was a worked shoot that Vince Russo had written in order to renew interest upon their eventual return. Kip and BG appeared in an internet video on TNA's website where they addressed the owner of WWE Vince McMahon.

The Voodoo Kin Mafia (2006–2008)

A few weeks later on Impact!, The James Gang reemerged under a new name Voodoo Kin Mafia; the group name 'Voodoo Kin Mafia' share the same initials as WWE chairman Vincent Kennedy McMahon. They mentioned their new right of 'creative control', meaning they could do whatever they wanted. They also declared 'war' on Paul Levesque, Michael Hickenbottom, and Vincent K. McMahon (Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Vince McMahon, respectively). Kip then declared that 'Triple Hollywood' and 'Shawn Kiss-my-bottom' were failing as the group they (Kip and BG) used to be a part of: D-Generation X. After the initial shock value of this incident wore off, VKM began a feud with Christy Hemme. Hemme then searched for a tag team to square-off against VKM. The final tag team was Damaja and Basham, who appeared on an episode of Impact! and beat down VKM. They also held up Kip James so Hemme could slap him. However, they beat Hemme's team at Slammiversary. After the match, VKM were betrayed by their associate Lance Hoyt. At Victory Road, they introduced their new manager, the Voodoo Queen, Roxxi Laveaux, to embarrass Christy Hemme. On the October 25 edition of ''Impact!'', VKM teamed with A.J. Styles and Tomko in a losing effort to LAX and the Steiner Brothers. At Genesis, B.G. James was present along with Kip James in the corner of Roxxi Laveaux at ringside for the Fatal Four Way knockout match for the TNA Women's Championship in which Gail Kim retained the title. On February 21, 2008 he turned on B.G. James and B.G's dad "Bullet" Bob Armstrong by hitting them both with a crutch.

The Beautiful People and departure (2008–2009)

On April 13, 2008, he faced former partner B.G. James at Lockdown and lost. After the match, he appeared to want to make amends as he raised B.G.'s hand after the match, only to clothesline him down to the mat and taunt him with a DX crotch chop, going on to declare himself "The Mega-Star", in an arrogant gimmick similar to "The One" gimmick from his WWF tenure. Kip later stopped making appearances on ''Impact!'' until April 24 when he was attacked backstage by Matt Morgan for no reason. The next week on ''Impact!'', Kip got back at Morgan by attacking him backstage in Jim Cornette's office. On May 8, 2008, Jim Cornette made Matt Morgan Kip's tag team partner for the Deuces Wild tournament at Sacrifice, but lost. Kip went on another brief disappearance from TV until the June 5 edition of ''Impact!'', where he partnered with Lance Hoyt and James Storm in a losing effort against LAX and Matt Morgan.

On the August 14 episode of ''Impact!'', Kip was revealed to be the new image consultant and member of The Beautiful People, dubbed "The Fashionist" Cute Kip, after they brought him out during their interview on Karen Angle's show ''Karen's Angle''. At Genesis 2009, Kip became the one-night-only replacement for the injured Kevin Nash in the Main Event Mafia.

As of March 19, 2009, Sopp was taken off of ''TNA Impact!'' along with Jacqueline Moore to become road agents. Sopp returned as Cute Kip and lost to Awesome Kong in an intergender stretcher match on May 14, 2009. On the May 28 edition of ''Impact!'', Sopp was fired by The Beautiful People. On the June 18 edition of ''Impact!'', Mick Foley hired him as his handyman. James had turned face.

Sopp's profile was removed from the TNA website on December 29, 2009, confirming his release from the promotion.

During his TNA run, Sopp was honored in both Middlebourne & Moundsville, WV on August 18'th & 19'th, 2007 as he was inducted into the XWF Hall of Fame by its creator Jack Blaze at their annual "Summer Mania 2007" events. XWF was later renamed LPW (Legends Pro Wrestling) where Sopp is still honored in their Hall of Fame- Class 2007.

Independent circuit (2010–present)

Sopp appeared for Varsity Pro Wrestling in the UK in February 2010, reprising the Billy Gunn character. He was part of a team with Chris Andrews to victory against The UK Kid and Bob Holly on the 12th, and losing the UK Kid in a singles bout on the 13th, before returning later than night for a six man tag team match where his team of himself, Chris Andrews and Jake McCluskey defeated Bob Holly, The UK Kid and Rob Holte. Sopp and his longtime tag team partner Brian James are scheduled to appear in Fall River, Massachusetts at the Top Rope Promotions independent wrestling circuit.

Kip made his return to wrestling on the second episode of ''WFX Wrestling Overdrive'' in a video package.

On July 30, 2011, Sopp, working under the ring name Kip Gunn, made his debut for Lucha Libre USA as a member of the heel stable Right. In his first match for the promotion, Gunn was defeated by Marco Corleone.

Other media

Sopp appeared in an episode of ''Sabrina The Teenage Witch'' as a wrestler who Sabrina Spellman was obliged to wrestle in order to let her cat's daughter marry her fiancé, who was the son of Sopp's character.

Personal life

In November 1990, Sopp was arrested in Florida for disorderly conduct.

Sopp married his first wife Tina Tinnell on March 3, 1990. Together they have two sons: Colten, who was born on May 18, 1991, and Austin, who was born on September 26, 1994. The couple separated in January 2000 and their divorce was finalized on December 11, 2002. Sopp married longtime girlfriend Paula on January 27, 2009. In September 2010 his mistress posted numerous videos on Dailymotion of conversations between the two after Sopp's wife discovered the affair.

In wrestling

Finishing moves

*As Billy Gunn / Kip James

*''Gunnslinger'' (Swinging side slam) – WWF/E

* ''Fame–Ass–er'' (WWF) / ''Famouser'' (WWE) / (Leg drop bulldog, sometimes from the top rope) (TNA)

*''Missouri Boat Ride'' (TNA / Independent circuit) / ''One and Only'' (WWF/E) (Cobra clutch slam)

*As Rockabilly

*Elevated DDT

**Guitar shot – adopted from The Honky Tonk Man

*''Shake, Rattle and Roll'' (Swinging neckbreaker, with theatrics) – adopted from The Honky Tonk Man

Signature moves

Hip toss, sometimes dropped into a modified neckbreaker

Front powerslam

Military press slam

Piledriver

Stinger splash

Suplex powerslam

Tilt-a-whirl slam

With Jesse James

*Double flapjack dropped into a hangman – 1997–1998

*Spike piledriver

Managers

*Sunny

*Chyna

*The Honky Tonk Man

*Ryan Shamrock

*Rico

*Torrie Wilson

*Roxxi Laveaux

*The Beautiful People

Nicknames

*"Badd Ass"

*"Mr. Ass"

*"The One"

*"The Superstar"

*"The Ass Man"

*"The Mega Star"

*"The Fashionist"

*"The Chosen One"

*"Billy Bitchcakes" (By Edge)

*"Willy Will" (By Road Dogg)

*"Bitter Billy" (By Jim Ross)

Entrance themes

*"Smokin'" by Jim Johnston (Used while teaming with Bart Gunn) – 1993–1997 (WWF)

*"Oh, You Didn't Know?" by Jim Johnston (Used while teaming with Road Dogg) – 1997–2000 (WWF)

*"Ass Man" by Jim Johnston – 1999–2000, 2003-2004 (WWF/WWE)

*"Break It Down" by The DX Band (Used while a part of D-Generation X) – 1998-1999,1999-2000 (WWF)

*"I've Got It All" by Jim Johnston – 2000–2002 (WWF)

*"You Look So Good to Me" by Jim Johnston (Used while teaming with Chuck Palumbo) – 2002 (WWE)

"Nobody Moves" by Dale Oliver (Used while teaming with B.G. James) (TNA)

*"In My House" by Dale Oliver (Used while teaming with B.G. James) – 2006–2008 (TNA)

"Tiger Beat" by Dale Oliver – 2008 (TNA)

"Angel on My Shoulder" by Dale Oliver (Used while a part of The Beautiful People) – 2008–2009 (TNA)

Championships and accomplishments

International Wrestling Federation

IWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Brett Colt

KYDA Pro Wrestling

KYDA Pro Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Legends Pro Wrestling

:* XWF/LPW Hall of Fame Inductee- Class 2007 (8/18/07)

'''Maryland Championship Wrestling

MCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with B.G. James

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

PWI ranked him #43 of the best 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 2002

*PWI Tag Team of the Year (1998) with Road Dogg

*PWI Tag Team of the Year (2002) with Chuck

PWI ranked him #43 of the Top 100 Tag Teams of the PWI Years in 2003 with "The Road Dogg" Jesse James

TWA Powerhouse

TWA Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with Jesse James

World Pro Wrestling

WPW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment

WWF Hardcore Championship (2 times)

WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time)

WWF/E World Tag Team Championship (10 times) – with Bart Gunn (3), Road Dogg (5), and Chuck (2)

King of the Ring (1999)

Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

Worst Worked Match of the Year (2006) TNA Reverse Battle Royal on TNA Impact!

References

External links

Official Website

Online World of Wrestling Profile

Category:1963 births Category:American professional wrestlers Category:Living people Category:People from Orlando, Florida Category:Oviedo High School alumni Category:Fictional kings

ar:مونتي سوب de:Monty Sopp es:Monty Sopp fr:Monty Sopp it:Monty Sopp nl:Monty Sopp ja:モンティ・ソップ pt:Monty Sopp ru:Билли Ганн simple:Billy Gunn

:''For other uses, see Honky Tonk Man.''

Coordinates	38°01′47″N84°29′41″N
{{infobox wrestler| name	The Honky Tonk Man
Names	The Honky Tonk ManWayne FarrisDanny CondreyHonky Tonk Wayne
Height
Weight
Birth date	January 25, 1953
Birth place	Bolivar, Tennessee
Resides	Gilbert, Arizona
Billed	Memphis, Tennessee
Trainer	Herb Welch
Debut	1977

Roy Wayne Farris (born January 25, 1953), better known by his ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American professional wrestler. A 1975 graduate from University of Memphis with a B.S. degree in Education. Coached high school football 2 seasons at Munford High School in Munford, Tennessee. Currently working on the independent circuit, he previously worked for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He is best known for his first run with WWF, where he held the WWF Intercontinental Championship for a record 64 weeks, and lost it to Ultimate Warrior in the very first pay-per-view of SummerSlam. He is the cousin of professional wrestler and color commentator Jerry "The King" Lawler.

Professional wrestling career

Early years (1977–1986)

Farris began his career in Memphis Wrestling in 1978. Originally a low-card wrestler, he later achieved greater success when he teamed with Larry Latham to form The Blond Bombers tag team with Sgt. Danny Davis as their manager. The Blond Bombers were involved in heated feuds with several baby faces across the two competing Tennessee promotions, appearing in both Nick Gulas Nashville based territory, and Jerry Jarrett's Memphis area. Their signature moment was the now famous "Tupelo Concession Stand Brawl" against Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee. He then had stints in the American Wrestling Association, NWA Mid-Atlantic, World Wrestling Council, NWA Southeastern, and Stampede Wrestling through the early '80s, winning multiple singles and tag team championships in each.

World Wrestling Federation (1986–1991)

Early run (1986–1987)

Farris entered the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1986 under the ring name Honky Tonk Man. Honky made his televised WWF debut on the September 28, 1986 episode of ''Wrestling Challenge'', defeating Terry Gibbs. Originally pushed as a fan favorite wrestler with an Elvis impersonator gimmick, Honky soon cut a series of promos that aired on the WWF's syndicated programming asking fans for a "vote of confidence." The results came back negative, and it was not long before Honky turned into a cocky villain and took on Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart as his manager. Hart was billed as "Colonel" for Honky's matches, a reference to Col. Tom Parker.

Honky's first major feud came against Jake "the Snake" Roberts, who was in the midst of a fan favorite turn. The feud intensified when Honky attacked Roberts on his talk show set, ''The Snake Pit''. According to Roberts, Farris was supposed to hit him with a gimmicked balsa wood guitar. Roberts believes Farris accidentally grabbed a real, non-gimmicked guitar and smashed it across Roberts' back, injuring him, and starting him on his dependence of prescription pain medication. However in an interview for ''World Wrestling Insanity'', the Honky Tonk Man disputed Roberts' assertion saying "That's not true and, in fact I attribute most of that to Mick Foley, who wrote about it in his book, and Jake, who lied about it." During the feud, at WrestleMania III, Honky grabbed the ring ropes to score a tainted win; afterward, Roberts cleared the ring of Honky before he and Alice Cooper attacked Hart with Roberts' python, Damien.

Intercontinental Champion (1987–1988)

On June 13, 1987 episode of ''Superstars'', Honky defeated Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat for the WWF Intercontinental Championship; Honky reversed Steamboat's inside cradle and grabbed onto the bottom ropes for extra leverage to get the pin. Honky was originally meant to be a transitional champion but as Roberts was still suffering the intermittent effects of the guitar shot several months earlier, Honky was booked to remain champion for what would be a record-setting run.

To preserve his title, Honky often got himself counted out or disqualified on purpose against challengers such as Steamboat, Billy Jack Haynes, Bruno Sammartino, and George "The Animal" Steele. Also during this time, Honky began using a 50s-styled, themed entrance song performed by Farris (included on ''Piledriver - The Wrestling Album 2'', the WWF's second album of wrestling themes).

By September 1987, "Macho Man" Randy Savage was in the midst of a face turn and began challenging Honky for the Intercontinental title (after Honky had made comments about himself being "the greatest Intercontinental champion of all time" and disparaging comments about former champions, particularly Savage). Although they had several matches beforehand — they had also met in 1986, when the then-heel Savage was champion and challenged by the face Honky — the first Savage-Honky match to air on national television was on the October 3, 1987 edition of ''Saturday Night's Main Event'', which was taped on September 23 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. During that match, Savage nearly defeated Honky until Honky's allies, the Hart Foundation (who had interfered throughout the match), ran into the ring and brutally attacked Savage, getting Honky disqualified. Savage's valet, Miss Elizabeth, attempted to stop the carnage but Honky shoved her down and she fled to the locker room; meanwhile, Honky completed his attempt to break his guitar over Savage's head. Shortly thereafter, Elizabeth returned with Savage's former rival, Hulk Hogan, who aided Savage in running off the heels (leading to the formation of The Mega Powers). Honky continued his bitter feud against Savage. Frequently, Honky would make advances toward Elizabeth — including one such incident at the 1987 Slammy Awards — to agitate his challenger. Honky retained the title in matches with Savage and Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, Honky's next major rival.

During the Beefcake-Honky feud - which began at WrestleMania IV and continued during the spring and summer of 1988 - Honky vowed not to let Beefcake cut his ducktail hair, something Beefcake often said he would do in promos. In their matches, Honky was often seconded by a mysterious woman named Peggy Sue; while Sherri Martel sometimes played the role, more often than not, "Peggy Sue" was Hart dressed in drag. Beefcake countered with a "woman" of his own: "Georgina" (George "The Animal" Steele in drag).

Honky and Beefcake were scheduled to square off at the 1988 SummerSlam in what was billed as Beefcake's last shot at the Intercontinental title. However, in a storyline twist, Beefcake was thrust in a feud with "Outlaw" Ron Bass after Bass committed a sneak attack on Beefcake; the incident was aired the weekend before SummerSlam. At the event, it was announced that a "mystery opponent" would face Honky for the title. When it came time for the match, Honky proclaimed he did not care who is opponent was. The Ultimate Warrior ran out and beat his stunned opponent in just 31 seconds for the Intercontinental Championship. Honky had been the champion for one year, two months and 27 days, a record that still stands today. Honky's bids to reclaim the title were unsuccessful and he began moving down the card.

Rhythm and Blues & Departure (1989–1991)

In 1989, Honky began a feud against "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, but came up short. His last major push came in late 1989 and 1990, when he and Greg Valentine wrestled as the tag team Rhythm and Blues, competing against such teams as the Hart Foundation and The Legion of Doom. Rhythm & Blues were part of Ted DiBiase's "Million Dollar Team" along with his "mystery" partner, the debuting Undertaker, to compete against Rhodes' "Dream Team" of the Hart Foundation and Koko B. Ware at the 1990 Survivor Series. Honky wrapped up his WWF career with a stint as a pro-heel color commentator alongside Vince McMahon and Roddy Piper on ''Superstars'' before leaving in January 1991.

World Championship Wrestling (1994)

In 1994, Honky was working for World Championship Wrestling and was challenging Johnny B. Badd for the WCW World Television Championship when he left due to a dispute with management. In his book "Controversy Creates Cash", Eric Bischoff stated that his favorite firing was that of the Honky Tonk Man. Honky has responded by saying that it was an honor as Bischoff had fired a number of people while in WCW.

World Wrestling Federation (1997–1998; 2001)

After a brief stint in the American Wrestling Federation, Honky resurfaced in the WWF in 1997 as a color commentator on ''Raw is War'' and then as the manager of Billy Gunn, who had started a singles run. Under Honky's tutelage, Gunn became known as "Rockabilly", which was a short-lived and unsuccessful gimmick. Honky then made an appearance in the 1998 Royal Rumble event.

The Honky Tonk Man returned to the WWF for a one-time appearance at 2001 Royal Rumble, but was quickly eliminated by Kane after being hit on the head with his guitar.

Independent Circuit (2000-Present)

Since 2000, the Honky Tonk Man has worked independent wrestling shows all over the world.

The Honky Tonk Man, along with Ryan Smith and a host of others, ran a series of controversial wrestling websites from 2000-2006. TheHonkyTonkMan.com featured frequent updates from the Honky Tonk Man himself, a highly interactive message board community, extensive photo gallery, audio updates, and more. Notable online feuds began between the Honky Tonk Man and Jerry "The King" Lawler, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, and others. These often intense online rivalries became a major drawing point for fans. The website unexpectedly closed without much explanation in December 2006. The site now forwards to various new ventures of former website manager Ryan Smith, who remains tight-lipped about the closing.

The Honky Tonk Man has wrestled for Southern Championship Wrestling in Castroville, Texas, and MSW in eastern Canada.

On April 23, 2008, Honky Tonk Man was seen wrestling in Presque Isle, Maine for the North Atlantic American Wrestling Association promotion. He appeared on Heavy on Wrestling on June 14, 2008, in Superior, Wisconsin. He wrestled as a face, defeating Big Brody Hoofer and hitting Cameron Steele with a guitar. He also appeared at PDX Wrestling (the new-age Portland Wrestling, run by Sandy Barr's son Josh) as a face teaming with a local face against two heels. His song signaled his entrance, with the audience singing "Honky Tonk Man" when signaled, as well as after he won the match when his song again sounded.

On April 26, 2008- Honky was inducted into the XWF Hall of Fame by its creator Jack Blaze at their "XWF Superbrawl 2008" event. XWF was later re-named LPW (Legends Pro Wrestling) where Honky is still honored in their Hall of Fame- Class 2008.

On June 28, 2008, in Chicago Ridge, Illinois, he made a special guest appearance for Ring of Honor with the storyline that "Sweet N'Sour" Larry Sweeney had brought him on board with his Sweet N'Sour Inc. faction. He praised the crowd and was about to sing and dance for them until Sweeney stepped in and told him he wouldn't be doing either until their demands were met.

On July 27, 2008, Honky Tonk Man almost had the index finger of his right hand severed during a public appearance before an Ultimate Championship Wrestling show in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. As Honky Tonk Man told the story, he was doing an appearance at Boston Pizza in Charlottetown several hours before the show when someone wanted to take a photo with him with both men clashing guitars. When the guitars collided, the neck of Honky Tonk Man's guitar turned and sliced into Honky Tonk Man's finger, almost severing it. Honky Tonk Man was immediately taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where doctors stitched the finger and bandaged it. Honky Tonk Man made his appearance at the Ultimate Championship Wrestling show several hours later. He was unable to wrestle his scheduled match due to the injury and was replaced by Trash Canyon, whom he managed from ringside. Honky Tonk Man, although injured and in obvious pain, sang his theme song twice in the ring. He is expected to finish the tour with UCW, although the injury may prevent him from wrestling.

In August 2008, Honky Tonk Man appeared at Wrestling Supershows across Canada. Honky Tonk Man also made appearances in SWCW in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On October 24, 2008, he wrestled for Big Time Wrestling (his first match in four months), beating L'Empereur. On January 7, 2009, he appeared in a World Pro Wrestling event in Colusa, California, teaming with Doink The Clown (a new masked version) to face WPW World Tag Team Champions The First Class Express, Jerry Grey and Mighty Henrich. The match ended in a no-contest as Doink turn on Honky and the three triple-teamed him.

On May 7, 2009, Honky Tonk Man and Bushwacker Luke defeated "Kowboy" Mike Hughes and "Wildman" Gary Williams for the UCW Tag Team Championship.

On January 31, 2011, Honky Tonk Man made his Dynamic Wrestling Alliance debut defeating Col. Jonathan James at the "Golden Opportunity II" event in Middletown, Ohio.

World Wrestling Entertainment (2008)

In 2008, Santino Marella announced his intention to break Honky Tonk Man's record for longest Intercontinental Championship reign, usually displaying a special "Honk-a-meter" comparing Honky Tonk Man's 64-week record with the length of his own reign at the time.

On the October 6, 2008 edition of ''Raw'', the Honky Tonk Man, along with Goldust and Roddy Piper, was named as one of the possible opponents for Marella's Intercontinental Championship at Cyber Sunday. He was voted in with 35% of the vote; despite concern that his injured finger might require surgery, he did appear, winning the match by disqualification (thus failing to win the title). This was the first time that he wrestled as a face in the WWE (WWF) since he first joined it in 1986. After the match had ended, Goldust and Piper came down to the ring and, along with Honky, attacked Marella. Afterward, the three legends celebrated in the ring and shared a laugh, brought on by the Honky Tonk Man's celebratory dance, which came to an abrupt halt due to his slipping on Goldust's wig. On the October 27 edition of ''Raw'', The Honky Tonk Man appeared as a special guest commentator. After an impersonation of Marella's on-screen girlfriend, Beth Phoenix, Charlie Haas was knocked into the announcer table, and Santino attacked Honky Tonk Man, prompting Piper and Goldust to block Marella's escape from the ring. Upon Goldust's entry to the ring, Marella turned around to be smashed over the head by Honky Tonk Man's guitar.

The Honky Tonk Man inducted Koko B. Ware into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 4, 2009.

The Honky Tonk Man still works shows including the Del Mar Fair on July 4, 2011.

Personal life

Farris is a first cousin of professional wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler (the two have long had an unsteady relationship due to family issues) and is therefore a first cousin once removed of Brian Christopher. He is an avid golfer.He is a minister with the Universal Life Church.Farris has been married for 22 years and has a daughter named Megan and a son named Roy. Honky Tonk Man has had real-life feuds with members of the professional wrestling business including Hulk Hogan, Dynamite Kid, Roddy Piper, Bret Hart, Ric Flair, Kevin Nash, Ted DiBiase, Eric Bischoff, Bubba the Love Sponge and Ricky Steamboat.

Other media

The Honky Tonk Man appeared in an episode of the court based show ''Judge Jeanine Pirro'' as a witness to the defendant. The episode aired on October 11, 2010. This episode was the highest rated show for Judge Pirro of all time.

The Honky Tonk Man appears in the game ''WWE All Stars'' as a free downloadable Character.

In wrestling

Finishing moves

*''Guitar shot''

*''Shake, Rattle and Roll'' (Swinging neckbreaker, with theatrics)

Signatures move

*Diving fist drop

*Scoop slam

With Greg Valentine

*Double belly to back suplex

Managers

*Sgt. Danny Davis

Jimmy Hart

*Judd the Studd

*Peggy Sue

*Judge Lawless

*Gentleman Jim Holiday

Wrestlers managed

*Rockabilly

Entrance themes

*'''"It's Alright Honky Tonk Mama" by Elvis Presley (WWF/E)

*"Cool Cocky Bad" by The Honky Tonk Man (WWF/E; 1987-1990, 1997–1998, 2001, 2008)

*"Hunka, Hunka Honky Love" by Jimmy Hart and J.J. Maguire (WWF; 1990)

*"Honky Dog Baby" by Jimmy Hart (WCW)

Championships and accomplishments

All Pro Wrestling

APW Universal Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Big Time Wrestling

*BTW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

International Championship Wrestling

*ICW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Legends Pro Wrestling

:* XWF/LPW Hall of Fame- Class 2008 (4/26/08)

Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation

*MEWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

NWA Mid-America / Continental Wrestling Association

*AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Larry Latham (3) and Tojo Yamamoto (1)

*NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Larry Latham

Northern States Wrestling Alliance

*NSWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Greg Valentine

Southeastern Championship Wrestling

*NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship ''(Northern Division)'' (1 time)

*NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ron Starr

*NWA Southeastern United States Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Stampede Wrestling

*Stampede International Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Ron Starr (2) and The Cuban Assassin (1)

*Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Ultimate Championship Wrestling

*UCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Bushwacker Luke

World Wrestling Council

*WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

World Wrestling Federation

*WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time, longest reign)

XJAM Pro Wrestling

*XJAM Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)

Notes

Official Website

Official site of Honky Tonk Man's Radio Show "Shake Rattle & Roll"

Kayfabe Commentaries with the Honky Tonk Man

Interview with the Honky Tonk Man

Shoot Interview with Raven and the Honky Tonk Man

On The Road with the Honky Tonk Man

Shoot Interview with the Honky Tonk Man 2004

Shoot Interview with the Honky Tonk Man 2001

APW title histories

MEWF title histories

NWA Mid-America and Mid-Southern title histories

Stampede title histories

WWC title histories

WWF title histories

Recent match results

Honky Tonk Man's Interview with GENICKBRUCH.com

Honky Tonk Man's 2nd Interview with GENICKBRUCH.com

Whatever happened to … the Honky Tonk Man

Bio file: the Honky Tonk Man

Jun 21 2007 Audio Interview with The Honky Tonk Man

Interview Recap - Honky Tonk Man Jun 22 2007

Honky Tonk Man's Interview with Insane Wrestling

Honky Tonk featured on XJAM Pro Wrestling site

Honky Tonk Man interview on WWE.com

References

External links

Tha O Show Episode 160 Honky Tonk Man Interview

Category:1953 births Category:American professional wrestlers Category:Living people Category:People from Bolivar, Tennessee Category:People from Gilbert, Arizona

de:The Honky Tonk Man es:Roy Farris fr:The Honky Tonk Man (catcheur) it:Wayne Farris nl:Roy Wayne Farris ja:ウェイン・ファリス pt:The Honky Tonk Man fi:The Honky Tonk Man

Coordinates	38°01′47″N84°29′41″N
Name	Velvet Sky
Names	Velvet SkyTalia MadisonMiss TaliaTalia DollTalia
Height
Weight
Birth date	June 02, 1981
Birth place	New Britain, Connecticut
Resides	Waterbury, Connecticut
Billed	The Big Apple
Trainer	Jason KnightKevin Landry
Debut	2003
Retired	}}

Jamie Szantyr (born June 2, 1981) is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Velvet Sky. She is a former TNA Knockout Tag Team Champion with her former Beautiful People partners Madison Rayne and Lacey Von Erich. She also works outside of TNA as Talia Madison.

Professional wrestling career

Early career

Prior to debuting, Szantyr was trained by Jason Knight and Kevin Landry at the ''House of Pain Pro Wrestling Dojo''. After completing her training, she began working as a valet and wrestler on the independent circuit using the ring names Miss Talia, Talia Doll, and Talia Madison. On the independent circuit, she formed a tag team known as T&A; with April Hunter. She was booked to her first wrestling championship during her time in World Xtreme Wrestling, getting the WXW Women's Championship after winning a battle royal on May 29, 2004.

Szantyr made a few appearances in World Wrestling Entertainment in 2005 and 2006. On the February 24, 2005 edition of ''WWE SmackDown!'', she appeared as an extra during the JBL "Celebration of Excellence" party. She was then defeated by Victoria on July 11 in a match taped for ''WWE Heat''. On January 2, 2006, she and Trinity were planted in the front row of the audience to be selected to dance with The Heart Throbs after their match in another ''Heat'' segment. She also auditioned for the 2007 Diva Search, but did not make the final eight.

As Talia Madison, she held Defiant Pro Wrestling Women's title, which she got on April 8, 2006 after defeating Alere Little Feather and Nikki Roxx in a three-way match. Later that year, she debuted in MXW Pro Wrestling and defeated Alere Little Feather at Brass City Battle. She also wrestled in Women's Extreme Wrestling both as Talia Doll and Talia Madison, where she mainly worked in tag team matches. She found championship success here as half of The Simple Girls/The Madison Sisters with her (kayfabe) sister Nikki Madison, and as the "T" half of the T&A; tag team with April Hunter, defeating Team Blondage's Amber O'Neal and Lollipop to get the title on WEW's April 6, 2006 pay-per-view. She also held the WEW World Women's title (as Talia Madison), defeating Angel Orsini on May 5, 2007.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2007–present)

When Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) announced the creation of their women's division in 2007, Szantyr, using her Talia Madison ring name, was announced as one of the ten wrestlers in a 10-woman Gauntlet match to crown the first TNA Women's World Champion at Bound for Glory pay-per-view. Before the show she made non-wrestling appearances on the October 5 episode of ''TNA Today'' and the October 11 ''Impact!'', standing at ringside for the debut match of Amazing Kong along with the other gauntlet match participants. In the weeks following the gauntlet match, her ring name was changed to Velvet Sky.

The Beautiful People (2007–2011)

At the December Turning Point pay-per-view, Sky and Angelina Love were paired together and dubbed "Velvet Love Entertainment", later renamed to "The Beautiful People". After defeating ODB and Roxxi Laveaux early in the show, Love and Sky assisted Gail Kim in her match against Awesome Kong. They assisted Kim again after another match against Kong on the December 6 edition of ''Impact!'' and at Final Resolution pay-per-view, helping to stop a brawl post match.

On the March 13 edition of ''Impact!'', Sky and Love attacked Roxxi Laveaux and later that night Gail Kim, thus becoming heels for the first time in TNA. At Lockdown, Sky and Love participated in the first ever "Queen of the Cage" match, which was won by Laveaux when Laveaux pinned Love inside the cage. Sky and Love participated in the Make Over Battle Royal-Ladder Match at Sacrifice, which was won by Gail Kim. A pre-match stipulation determined that the loser of the ladder match portion of the match would have their head shaved, unless this was Gail Kim, otherwise Love would have her head shave. Sky and Love later added another factor to their gimmicks, placing brown paper bags over opponents heads. Soon after, Moose joined The Beautiful People, but she was quickly removed from the stable and the TNA roster after suffering an injury on the independent circuit. On July 17 episode of ''Impact!'', Sky won a Knockouts Battle Royal for number one contendership to the Women's Knockout Championship, but lost the title match the next week as well as two more title matches immediately following to then champion Taylor Wilde.

The Beautiful People began associating with Cute Kip, who become known as their "fashionist". At Bound for Glory IV, The Beautiful People and Cute Kip were defeated by ODB, Rhaka Khan, and Rhino. In March 2009 the team gained a new member in Madison Rayne, while Kip was "fired" from the stable twice in the following month before finally becoming a road agent for the company. Sky was in Love's corner when she defeated Kong and Wilde to claim the TNA Women's Knockout Championship at Lockdown. Sky was also in Love's corner at Slammiversary where she helped her defeat Tara by spraying hairspray in her eyes. At Hard Justice Sky, along with Angelina Love, competed in a tag match against ODB and Cody Deaner in a losing effort when Deaner pinned Sky causing Love to lose the Championship to ODB.

After this loss, Madison Rayne was kicked out of The Beautiful People, with the pair vowing revenge in the upcoming tournament for the TNA Knockout Tag Team Championship. The last of the four quarter final matches pitted The Beautiful People against Madison Rayne and a mystery partner. This mystery partner was later revealed to be the returning Roxxi. Regardless, The Beautiful People won the match and advanced to the semi-finals.

Since that match was taped, Angelina Love had been released from her TNA Wrestling contract due to work visa issues. On the last episode of ''Impact!'' taped before her release Love and Sky advanced to the finals of the tag team tournament by defeating Tara and Christy Hemme after interference from Madison Rayne. Afterwards Rayne apologized to both Sky and Love, and was then welcomed back into the Beautiful People. At No Surrender Sky and Love's replacement Rayne were defeated in the finals of the tournament by Sarita and Taylor Wilde. On October 1 Love's replacement Lacey Von Erich made her debut and joined the Beautiful People. Love would return to the company on the January 14, 2010, edition of ''Impact!'', but instead of re-joining the Beautiful People, she attacked them, thus turning face. On the March 8 Monday night edition of ''Impact!'' Sky and Rayne defeated the teams of Love and Tara and Sarita and Taylor Wilde in a three-way match to win the vacant TNA Knockout Tag Team Championship, after interference from Daffney. The three members of the Beautiful People will defend the titles under the Freebird rule. On the April 5 edition of ''Impact!'', Sky was one of the four winners of the very first LockBox Showdown Elimination Tag Match. The box she opened contained a contract for Sky to challenge anyone of her choosing at any time, regardless of the stipulation. Sky then announced that she would be using her contract to face the new Knockout Champion Angelina Love in a Leather and Lace match the following week. With Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne scheduled to receive a shot at the Knockout Championship at Lockdown, the Beautiful People turned the Leather and Lace match into a three-on-one beatdown in order to soften Love up for the pay-per-view the following Sunday. At the pay-per-view Rayne and Sky defeated Love and Tara, with Rayne becoming the new Women's Knockout Champion. Sky faced Love once again on the June 24 edition of ''Impact'' and won via disqualification after being dropped with a DDT on a steel chair, just like Von Erich the previous week.

On June 27, 2010, Szantyr announced that she had signed a long–term contract extension with TNA. In the summer of 2010, Sky began showing signs of a face turn, when Rayne began talking down to her and Von Erich, declaring that she did not need either of them and then recruited a mystery woman hiding behind a motorcycle helmet to help her in her feud with Angelina Love. On the July 22 edition of ''Impact!'' Sky refused to go along with Rayne, the mystery woman and Sarita, when they all got done assaulting Love and Taylor Wilde, Von Erich on the other hand chose to leave with the trio. On July 27, at the tapings of the August 5 edition of ''Impact!'', Sky and Von Erich lost the TNA Knockout Tag Team Championship to Hamada and Taylor Wilde, when Rayne's and the mystery woman's interference backfired. The following week Sky turned face by attacking the mystery woman during Rayne's title match with Angelina Love and in doing so caused a distraction, which cost Rayne the Women's Knockout Championship. On the August 19 episode of ''Impact!'', Sky reunited with Angelina Love, accompanying her to the ring and helping her successfully defend the Women's Knockout Championship against Rayne, who was with the mysterious biker woman. After the match Sky and Love were beaten down by Rayne and the mystery woman. Rayne's mysterious ally was finally unmasked as Tara on the September 2 edition of ''Impact!'', when the two of them defeated Sky and Love in their first match together in a year. At No Surrender Sky defeated Rayne in a singles match. Lacey Von Erich would join Sky and Love in the Beautiful People, after being saved by them from Rayne and Tara on the September 16 edition of ''Impact!''. She, however, would leave the promotion two months later on November 11. In October Sky entered a feud with Sarita, who would score back–to–back pinfall victories over her on the October 28 and the November 4 editions of ''Impact!'', first in a six knockout tag team match and then in a singles match. On the December 9 edition of ''Impact!'' Sky and Love defeated Sarita and Daffney in the first round match of a tournament for the vacant Knockout Tag Team Championship, but Sky was still unable to pin Sarita. Two weeks later, Sarita attacked Sky prior to her and Love's tournament final match. As a result, Winter, who had been stalking Love for the past months, stepped up, took Sky's place in the match and teamed with Love to defeat Madison Rayne and Tara for the Knockout Tag Team Championship. The following week Sarita defeated Sky in a Strap match. On the January 27 edition of ''Impact!'', Sky brawled with Winter, claiming she was trying to break up the Beautiful People. Sarita pinned Sky once again on the February 17 edition of ''Impact!'', in a tag team match, where she teamed with Rosita and Sky with Love. After the match Sky challenged Sarita to a one–on–one match, where she agreed to put her career on the line. On the March 3 edition of ''Impact!'' Sky was finally able to defeat Sarita in a singles match, salvaging her career in the process. On March 13 at Victory Road, Sky inadvertently cost Love and Winter the Knockout Tag Team Championship in a match against Sarita and Rosita. On the March 24 edition of ''Impact!'', Winter, seemingly having control over Love's actions, prevented her from saving Sky from a beatdown at the hands of Sarita and Rosita. On the April 7 edition of ''Impact!'', Love, still under Winter's spell, turned on Sky during a Knockout Tag Team Championship match against Sarita and Rosita and left her to be pinned by the champions, effectively ending the Beautiful People.

Singles career (2011–present)

On the April 28 edition of ''Impact!'', Love defeated Sky via submission in a singles match, no-selling all of her opponent's offense during the match. On the May 5 edition of ''Impact!'', Sky pinned Winter in a two–on–three handicap match, where she teamed with Kurt Angle to face Winter, Love and Jeff Jarrett, announcing her intention of becoming the TNA Women's Knockout Champion in the process. On the May 19 edition of ''Impact Wrestling'', Sky defeated Love and Winter in a two–on–one handicap match, but was afterwards attacked by the returning ODB, who claimed that she had gotten fired from TNA the previous June because of her. Sky and ODB faced each other in a singles match on the June 9 edition of ''Impact Wrestling'', with Sky emerging victorious. The following week, Sky and Ms. Tessmacher failed in their attempt to win the Knockout Tag Team Championship from Rosita and Sarita due to outside interference from ODB. Afterwards, Sky was beaten down by ODB and her new tag team partner, Jacqueline. On the June 12 edition of ''Impact Wrestling'', Sky and Tessmacher were defeated by Jacqueline and ODB in a tag team match. The feud was seemingly ended on the July 7 edition of ''Impact Wrestling'', when Sky defeated ODB and Jacqueline in a two–on–one handicap match, forcing both of them out of TNA as per stipulation of the match. On the July 21 edition of ''Impact Wrestling'', TNA Women's Knockout Champion Mickie James awarded Sky a shot at her title, but before the match could take place, James was attacked by Angelina Love and Winter. When Sky tried to make the save, she was attacked by the returning ODB and Jacqueline, who were then in turn attacked by the also returning Traci Brooks.

Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (2011)

On June 18, 2011, Sky made her debut for Mexican promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración at TripleManía XIX, where she teamed with Angelina Love, Mickie James and Sexy Star to defeat Cynthia Moreno, Faby Apache, Lolita and Mari Apache in an eight woman tag team match.

Personal life

In high school, Szantyr competed in cheerleading, softball, cross-country, and track. Szantyr was previously in a relationship with former WWE superstar Gregory Helms, but the two have since broken up. Szantyr is currently dating fellow TNA performer Joshua Harter, better known as Chris Sabin.

Other media

She was featured on MTV's ''Made'' alongside A.J. Styles, Taylor Wilde, and Angelina Love. On January 24, 2009, she appeared as a soccerette on British television program ''Soccer AM'', along with Angelina Love. In November 2010 she was a contestant on an all TNA week of ''Family Feud'', teaming with Angelina Love, Christy Hemme, Lacey Von Erich and Tara against Jay Lethal, Matt Morgan, Mick Foley, Mr. Anderson and Rob Van Dam.

In wrestling

Finishing moves

*As Talia/Talia Madison

*''Blonde Ambition'' / ''Diva Drop'' (Diving neckbreaker)

*''Re-Talia-tion'' (Straight jacket sitout rear mat slam)

*As Velvet Sky

*''Beauty Mark'' (Double knee backbreaker) – 2009

*''Skyliner'' (Straight jacket sitout rear mat slam)

*Snap DDT

Signature moves

Grabs a hold of the wrists of an opponent on their back and then performs multiple stomps on the opponent's chest, driving their back of the head into the mat

Northern Lights suplex

Octopus stretch, while biting the trapped arm, sometimes into a sunset flip

Reverse bulldog

Snapmare followed by a shoot kick to the back of the opponent's head

Tilt-a-whirl headscissors takedown

Triangle choke

With Angelina Love

*Finishing moves

*''Makeover'' (Russian legsweep (Sky) / Running bicycle kick (Love) combination)

*Simultaneous roundhouse kicks to the abdomen (Sky) and the back of the leg (Love)

*Signature moves

*''Hollering Elbow'' (Double elbow drop, with theatrics)

With Madison Rayne

Double Russian legsweep

Double straight jacket sleeper slam

With Lacey Von Erich

Double DDT

Wrestlers managed

The Brain Surgeons

Simon Diamond

Romeo Roselli

Matt Striker

John Walters

Alere Little Feather

*Jason Knight

Angelina Love

Cute Kip

Madison Rayne

Entrance themes

*"Goodies" by Ciara (WXW)

*"Just a Lil Bit" by 50 Cent (Independent circuit)

"I'm About to Freak" by Dale Oliver (TNA)

"Angel On My Shoulder" by Dale Oliver (TNA)

Championships and accomplishments

Defiant Pro Wrestling

DPW Women's Championship (1 time)

Georgia Wrestling Alliance

GWA Ladies Championship (1 time)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

PWI ranked her #21 of the best 50 female singles wrestlers in the PWI Female 50 in 2010

TNT Pro Wrestling

TNT Women's Championship (1 time)

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

TNA Knockout Tag Team Championship (1 time)¹ – with Lacey Von Erich and Madison Rayne

Universal Wrestling Association

UWA Women's Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ariel

Women's Extreme Wrestling

WEW World Championship (1 time)

WEW World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with April Hunter (1) and Tiffany Madison (1)

World Xtreme Wrestling

WXW Women's Championship (1 time)

¹Sky defended the title with either Von Erich or Rayne under the Freebird Rule.

References

External links

TNA Official Website - Velvet Sky Profile

Glory Wrestling profile

Lethal Women of Wrestling profile

Online World of Wrestling profile

Slammin Ladies profile

Slam! Sports profile

Official Website

Spanish Fansite

Category:1981 births Category:American female professional wrestlers Category:American professional wrestlers of Italian descent Category:American people of Polish descent Category:People from New Britain, Connecticut Category:People from Waterbury, Connecticut Category:American people of Italian descent Category:Living people Category:American cheerleaders Category:Professional wrestling managers and valets Category:WWE Diva Search contestants

ca:Jamie Szantyr de:Velvet Sky es:Jamie Szantyr fr:Velvet Sky it:Velvet Sky nl:Velvet Sky pl:Velvet Sky pt:Velvet Sky simple:Velvet Sky tr:Velvet Sky