Ron Simmons

Wednesday, 16 January 2013

Harley Race Offends Ron Simmons like no Other!

RON SIMMONS and the SMOKING GUNNS get COMPLETELY DAMAGED!

Doom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons) vs William Bell and Bob Cook

Rick Rude,Steve Austin & Ron Simmons vs Ric Flair,Sting & The Boss

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United States
The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km²) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.

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2 Cold Scorpio
Charles Bernard Scaggs (born October 25, 1965) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name 2 Cold Scorpio (or Too Cold Scorpio). Scaggs has competed in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment (as Flash Funk) and Pro Wrestling Noah. He currently is one of the name stars in Dragon Gate USA, the American offshoot of popular Japanese promotion Dragon Gate.
Charles Scaggs made his pro wrestling debut in 1985. He wrestled in various independent promotions in the United States, until, on the recommendation of Big Van Vader, he decided to go to New Japan Pro Wrestling. He also wrestled in Europe and Mexico.
He debuted in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Ron Simmons' mystery partner at Clash of the Champions XXI, on November 18, 1992. He had a brief reign as World Tag Team Champion with Marcus Bagwell in October 1993. Although he was released in 1994, Scorpio competed on the WCW-promoted pay-per-view AAA When Worlds Collide later that year, and the WCW/New Japan produced pay-per-view Collision in Korea in 1995.

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Abdullah the Butcher
Lawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve (born on January 11, 1941) best known as Abdullah the Butcher, and also at times The Madman from the Sudan, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler known as one of the most brutal or "hardcore" professional wrestlers of all-time.
The scars on his forehead are the result of frequent blading. According to Mick Foley, Shreve used to put gambling chips into the deep divots in his head to entertain (or scare) people at casinos. However, New Jack claimed in his RF Video shoot interview that the grooves in Shreve's head were surgically implemented.
An amateur martial artist, Shreve also has knowledge of judo and karate, often including this knowledge in his professional wrestling matches. This knowledge was mainly displayed by him using judo style throws, and karate chops.
Shreve grew up in Windsor, Ontario, Canada as part of a family of ten people in a deeply impoverished household. He learned karate and judo as a youth and, teaching fellow children in the backyard, claims to have eventually earned the title of seventh-degree grandmaster.

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Adrian Adonis
Keith A. Franke (September 12, 1954–July 4, 1988) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Adorable" Adrian Adonis.
Franke trained under Fred Atkins and debuted in 1974, wrestling under his own name. In the late 1970s, Franke adopted the ring name Adrian Adonis and the character of a brawling, leather jacket-clad biker.
In the late 1970s, Adonis joined the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based American Wrestling Association. In 1979, he formed a tag team with Jesse Ventura. The team was known as the East-West Connection on the basis that Adonis was from New York (in the East), while Ventura was billed as being from California (in the West). Adonis and Ventura were awarded the AWA World Tag Team Championship on July 20, 1980, when Verne Gagne, one half of the tag champions with Mad Dog Vachon, was unable to defend the title because he was vacationing in Europe. Adonis and Ventura held the belts until June 14, 1981, when they were defeated by Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell.

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African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans or Afro-Americans, and formerly as American Negroes) are citizens or residents of the United States that have ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa.
African Americans make up the single largest racial minority in the United States. Most African Americans are of West and Central African descent and are descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States. However, some immigrants from African, Caribbean, Central American or South American nations, or their descendants, may be identified or self-identify with the term.
African-American history starts in the 16th century with African slaves who quickly rose up against the Spanish explorer Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón and progresses to the present day, with Barack Obama as the 44th and current President of the United States. Between those landmarks there have been events and issues, both resolved and ongoing, including slavery, racism, Reconstruction, development of the African-American community, participation in the great military conflicts of the United States, racial segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement.

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Al Poling
Al Poling is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, 911.
He achieved his greatest national exposure in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in the mid-1990s. He debuted in ECW as a "handler" to Sabu. Later his gimmick was as an enforcer of the "extreme" attitude, and he was named 911 and joined Paul Heyman's Dangerous Alliance stable with Sabu and Tazmaniac. Whenever something happened at an ECW event that the fans found to be not extreme (examples include the appearance of Santa Claus and the bWo doing a lengthy impression of the rock group KISS), 911 would run out and chokeslam the offenders.
Poling briefly wrestled in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Tombstone and Big Al.
In 1994, Poling won the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rookie of the Year award.
In 1998, Poling returned to ECW at UltraClash in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as 911, chokeslamming Bill Wiles. Poling was then accompanied by manager Judge Jeff Jones, who proclaimed Poling to be the true giant of professional wrestling. They were then interrupted by Spike Dudley and had an impromptu match, which Poling lost in under a minute.

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Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven (born July 18, 1963) is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. Since 2010, Snow has worked as a road agent for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and with its developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling, as a trainer and show producer.
Sarven attended a professional wrestling tryout camp held by Ole and Gene Anderson. There he met Jim Lancaster, promoter of Ohio's Midwest Championship Wrestling, who agreed to train him. Lancaster later described Sarven as "a leader in the ring" who "had drive and natural ability". He made his debut on May 22, 1982. Sarven defeated Lancaster on May 5, 1985 for the Midwest Championship Wrestling title.
Sarven wrestled in various independent promotions throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, capturing both tag team and singles titles, but failed to make any big breaks. He gained a reputation as "the best-kept secret in wrestling". Sarven helped train future Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Hall of Fame member and NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dan Severn. During this time he would sometimes wrestle as Shinobi, a ninja-style masked gimmick. He wrestled in the November 19, 1994 tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but he lost to Chris Candido, the eventual winner of the tournament.

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André the Giant
André René Roussimoff (19 May 1946 – 27 January 1993), best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride. His size was a result of acromegaly, and led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World".
In the World Wrestling Federation (now known as WWE), Roussimoff was a one-time WWF Champion and a one-time WWF World Tag Team Champion. In 1993, he was the first inductee into the WWF Hall of Fame.
André Roussimoff was born in Grenoble, France to parents of Bulgarian and Polish ancestry. As a child, he very early displayed symptoms of his gigantism, reaching a height of 6'3" (190.5 cm) and weight of 240 pounds (110 kg) by age 12. Unable to fit on the school bus, he was driven to school by playwright Samuel Beckett, a friend of his father. Roussimoff was a good student, but he dropped out after the 8th grade since he did not think having a high school education was necessary for a farm laborer. He then worked on a farm, completed an apprenticeship in woodworking, and next worked in a factory that manufactured engines for hay balers. None of these brought him any satisfaction.

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Antonino Rocca
Antonino Rocca (born Antonino Biasetton, April 13, 1927 – March 15, 1977) was an Italian professional wrestler. Rocca was a popular face and in some cities with both Italian-American and especially Hispanic audiences, his following was exceptionally large and loyal. He also possessed Argentinian citizenship.
He had a love for opera and was apparently described as having an excellent - if untrained - singing voice. Maestro Arturo Toscanini, a wrestling fan, was good friends with Rocca.
As a soccer and rugby-player when he moved to Argentina, before World War II, and an overall athlete, Rocca was known for his unique, acrobatic, off-the-ground, flying wrestling style, which he probably invented, wowing audiences with his dazzling aerial maneuvers. He was responsible for the revival of the New York City Metropolitan-Area territory in the late 1940s, which would eventually become part of the modern day World Wrestling Entertainment. Rocca became one of the most well-known wrestlers in America during the golden age of television. He also had a successful tag team career, forming a popular tandem with Miguel Pérez. The two, along with their heel (villain) opponents, drew large crowds to Madison Square Garden on a regular basis. Rocca had an uninterrupted seven-year run of headlining or co-headlining every main-event at the Garden.

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Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki (アントニオ猪木^?) (born Kanji Inoki (猪木寛至, Inoki Kanji^?) on February 20, 1943) is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes. He fashioned his name after the wrestler Antonino Rocca as an homage to him.
Inoki was born in an affluent family in Yokohama in 1943. He was the sixth son and the second youngest of the seven boys and four girls. His father, Sajiro Inoki, a businessman and politician, died when Kanji was five years old. Inoki entered the Higashidai Grade School. Inoki was taught karate by an older brother while in 6th grade. By the time he was in 7th grade at Terao Junior High School, he was 180 centimeters tall and joined the basketball team. He later quit and joined a track and field club as a shot putter. He eventually won the championship at the Yokohama Junior High School track and field competition.

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Antonio Pugliese
Antonio Pugliese (1941–August 19, 2000), born in Cosenza, Italy, was a professional wrestler. He is better known by his ring name Tony Parisi. Pugliese was primarily a tag team wrestler, and he won tag team titles in several organizations, including the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), and World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). He held the WWWF World Tag Team Championship from 1975 to 1976. As a singles wrestler, he also won the WWF International Heavyweight Championship. After retiring from wrestling, Pugliese continued to work in the industry and also operated a hotel and restaurant. He died in 2000 after suffering a heart attack.
Pugliese made his professional wrestling debut in Detroit, Michigan in 1961. He soon began competing in Canada, where he was a popular babyface (fan favorite) wrestler. In one of his first matches, he faced Gino Brito, who later became his long-time tag team partner. Pugliese and Brito moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1962 to wrestle in a promotion operated by Nick Gulas; they won the promotion's tag team title within two weeks of their arrival. Throughout his career, Pugliese formed many tag teams in various promotions with other wrestlers of Italian descent, including Dominic DeNucci, Tony Marino, and David Sammartino (who competed as Bruno Sammartino, Jr.).

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Arn Anderson
Martin Anthony Lunde (born September 20, 1958) better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is a former American professional wrestler and author. His career has been highlighted by his alliances with Ric Flair and various members of the wrestling stable, The Four Horsemen, in the NWA/WCW. He currently serves as the senior producer for WWE's Raw brand. On March 31, 2012, Anderson was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Four Horsemen.
Lunde began his career in early 1982, spending much of the year wrestling in various independent wrestling companies across the United States. By the middle of 1983, he made his way to Southeastern Championship Wrestling, an NWA affiliated promotion operating out of Tennessee and Alabama. Taking the name of "Super Olympia", Lunde soon became a member of Ron Fuller's Stud Stable before the year was out. Lunde saw success in the tag team ranks by winning the NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship three times with Mr. Olympia and once with Buddy Rose throughout 1984. By the end of the year, however, Lunde left the company and joined Mid South Wrestling based out of Shreveport. Lunde's time in Mid South was coming to an end and during a TV taping the Junk Yard Dog mentioned to Bill Watts, the owner of Mid South Wrestling, that Lunde looked like an Anderson. Watts called Jim Crockett and convinced him to book Lunde.

wn.com/Arn_Anderson
Arnold Skaaland
Arnold Skaaland (January 21, 1925 – March 13, 2007) was an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager.
Skaaland served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. After a short-lived attempt to make a living through boxing, he became a professional wrestler and debuted in 1946 as "Arnold Skaaland". Though competing under his real name, he was billed early in his career as hailing from Norway. Skaaland gained the nickname "The Golden Boy" and was known as a small, agile wrestler who relied on speed, wits, and toughness in the ring rather than size and strength.
In the late 1950s, he wrestled in Georgia under the ring name Bobby Weaver. In the early 1960s, Skaaland unsuccessfully challenged both Pat O'Connor and "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In 1962, he refereed a match between Freddie Blassie and Rikidōzan in Japan.
In 1963, Skaaland was a part of the newly created, New York City-based World Wide Wrestling Federation. On June 1, 1967 he collected his only title as one half of the WWWF United States Tag Team Champions, when Tony Parisi gave his half of the title to Skaaland. Skaaland and his partner, Spiros Arion, soon lost the titles to The Sicilians (Lou Albano and Tony Altimore) on July 10, 1967 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Arion and Bruno Sammartino rewon the belts two weeks later, and retired them.

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Barry Darsow
Barry Darsow (born October 6, 1959) is a former American professional wrestler who is known as Smash, one half of the tag team Demolition, and as Krusher Kruschev, Repo Man, and The Blacktop Bully. Throughout his career he worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and several regional promotions in the 1980s and 1990s. He is a four-time former world tag team champion, winning three WWF World tag team titles as part of Demolition and one NWA World tag team title as part of a three-man team with Ivan and Nikita Koloff (although the NWA no longer recognizes any former tag team champions prior to 1992; Darsow's championship is considered part of the WCW World tag team championship lineage), and a one-time NWA United States tag team champion.
Darsow attended high school in Robbinsdale, Minnesota with six other future wrestlers: Curt Hennig, Richard Rood (Rick Rude), Brady Boone, Tom Zenk, John Nord (The Berzerker), and Scott Simpson (Nikita Koloff). He also worked as a bouncer with the Road Warriors, Hawk and Animal.

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Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham (born July 4, 1960) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
In NWA/WCW, he was a one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, a one-time United States Heavyweight Champion, a one-time Television Champion, a one-time Western States Heritage Champion, a four-time NWA (Mid Atlantic)/WCW World Tag Team Champion and a one-time NWA United States Tag Team Champion with Ron Garvin. In WWF, he was a two-time World Tag Team Champion with his brother-in-law, Mike Rotunda. On March 31, 2012, Windham was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Four Horsemen.
Windham was trained by his father Blackjack Mulligan and popular world champion Harley Race. He debuted on November 27, 1979 against J.J. Dillion in Odessa, Texas when he was 19 years old. Much of his early career was in the NWA's Championship Wrestling from Florida territory where Gordon Solie was the head announcer. He was a fan favorite for most of the early and middle periods of his career, having great success in singles and tag action. Windham had notable feuds with Kevin Sullivan and his army. With his brother-in-law Mike Rotunda, Windham formed a tag team in 1984. The duo captured the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship three times between March and May 1984.

wn.com/Barry_Windham
Big John Studd
John William Minton (February 19, 1948 – March 20, 1995) was an American professional wrestler and actor who was born and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd.
Big John Studd stood 6'6" and weighed around 295 - 300 pounds. He was trained by wrestling legend Killer Kowalski. Together, Studd and Kowalski won the WWF Tag Team Championship in 1976 as the Masked Executioners.
After leaving the WWF, Studd became known as Chuck O'Connor, Captain USA, and The Masked Superstar II at certain points in the Mid-Atlantic territory. In 1978, Studd teamed with Ken Patera to win the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team titles. Studd was actually in the WWWF before his stint as Executioner #2 in 1976. He was then known as Chuck O'Connor and he feuded with El Olympico.
Studd also made occasional trips to Canada to wrestle in Emile Duprée's Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling.
On May 25, 1980, Masked Superstar II was unmasked after a match with Blackjack Mulligan in Toronto. After this, Studd was brought into Florida by J.J. Dillon and feuded with Dusty Rhodes, Barry Windham (the son of Blackjack Mulligan), and Sweet Brown Sugar.

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Big Show
{{Infobox professional wrestler | name = Captain Insano | names = Captain Insano
The Giant
Paul Wight | image = Big-Show-T4.jpg | caption = | height = 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | weight = 441 lb (200 kg) | birth_date = (1972-02-08) February 8, 1972 (age 40) | birth_place = Aiken, South Carolina | resides = Tampa, Florida | trainer = Larry Sharpe
Jim Duggan
Glenn RuthCite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag; see the help page
Wight made his first appearance at Slamboree in 1995 as an unknown giant at three foot seven man during the main event of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage versus Ric Flair and Vader. Wight debuted in WCW at The Great American Bash on June 18, 1995 as a plant during the match between Arn Anderson and The Renegade, who was accompanied by manager Jimmy Hart. Nearly a month later at a Main Event show, prior to Bash at the Beach, Wight interfered in an interview between Hulk Hogan and "Mean" Gene Okerlund. Wight introduced himself as The Giant, and claimed in the storyline to be the son of André the Giant and blaming Hulk Hogan for the death of his "father". The Giant joined the Dungeon of Doom, who were at war with Hogan and his allies, and immediately began a heated feud with Hogan. At Fall Brawl, after his team won a WarGames match, Hogan earned five minutes fighting the leader of the Dungeon of Doom, "The Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan, in the cage alone – at this point, Giant attacked Hogan, saving Sullivan.

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Big Van Vader
Leon Allen White (born May 14, 1955) better known by his ring names Big Van Vader or Vader, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. White is perhaps best known for his time with New Japan Pro Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation and All Japan Pro Wrestling in the 1990s. A super-heavyweight wrestler capable of significant aerial maneuvers as well as power moves, he was both a face and a heel in several professional wrestling promotions. During his career, he became an eight time world champion (three times in World Championship Wrestling, three times in New Japan Pro Wrestling and two times in All Japan Pro Wrestling).
While working out at a gym, White was spotted by a man who remembered him from his college football days who suggested he look into professional wrestling. Trained by Brad Rheingans, White got his first national exposure in the American Wrestling Association. He went by the moniker "Baby Bull", which was later changed to "Bull Power". White honed his skills during this time, and his ring work improved significantly, so much so that he was given a match with Stan Hansen for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship.

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Bill Eadie
Bill Eadie (born December 27, 1947) is a professional wrestler who has competed under the names of Ax as part of Demolition and The Masked Superstar. He was a high school teacher and coach at Cambridge High School in Cambridge, Ohio, and at East Liverpool, Ohio.
Eadie started wrestling in 1973, making his debut in the Detroit territory of the Sheik (Ed Farhat). He wrestled under a mask as the tag team " Para-Medics". He then wrestled in Pittsburgh, Detroit, WWWF, and the IWA as Bolo Mongol, the new partner of his trainer, Geeto Mongol. He soon entered the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling territory and donned a mask as The Masked Superstar. Given the character at the advice of matchmaker George Scott. It was stated that he was an Olympic champion by various wrestling promoters.He challenged opponents with a $10,000 reward to whoever could break his Cobra clutch, as well as utilizing the deadly "Swinging Clothesline." The Masked Superstar was 6' 3" and weighed 300 lbs and created many mismatches due to his size, strength and catlike quickness. He had many bouts with the Mighty Igor, Paul Jones, Blackjack Mulligan, Mr. Wrestling II and "Wildfire" Tommy Rich, Dick Murdoch, etc. He was the first wrestler (Along with Blackjack Mulligan) to have 1 hour cagematches back in 1977.Then have a series of "12" ninety minute cage matches against Mulligan. It is believed that neither feat of hour or hour and half cage matches has since been performed by wrestlers. He is one of the first wrestlers to body slam André the Giant. Among other accomplishments, he won four Georgia Heavyweight titles and unified that title with the NWA National Heavyweight Championship. He also competed in the World Wrestling Federation against many top wrestlers in 1983-84. He fought against many top level opponents, including then WWF Champion Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan and the Iron Sheik, Jimmy Snuka and others.

wn.com/Bill_Eadie
Bill Goldberg
William Scott "Bill" Goldberg (born December 27, 1966) is a former professional wrestler best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He is famous for his lengthy undefeated streak in singles competition) The official count is listed as 173-0, although some have disputed the legitimacy of that total.
Goldberg is recognized by WWE as a two-time world champion: a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion and one-time World Heavyweight Champion, with both reigns represented by the Big Gold Belt. He was the first of four men to hold a version of the Big Gold Belt in both WCW and WWE, later followed by Chris Benoit, Booker T and Big Show. He is also recognized by WWE as a two-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion and one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion (with Bret Hart).
Before he was a professional wrestler, Goldberg was a football player. After retiring from wrestling, he began working as a commentator for the mixed martial arts promotion EliteXC until its closure. He is currently hosting the television show Garage Mahal on the DIY Network.

wn.com/Bill_Goldberg
Bill Watts
William F. "Bill" Watts (born May 5, 1939) is a former American professional wrestler and promoter. Watts was famous under his "Cowboy" gimmick in his wrestling career, and then as a tough, no-nonsense promoter in the Mid-South area of the United States, which grew to become the UWF.
In 1992, he was the Executive Vice President of World Championship Wrestling but after clashes with management over a number of issues as well as feeling pressure from Hank Aaron over a racially sensitive piece of correspondence, he resigned. He was subsequently replaced by Ole Anderson who was then succeeded by Eric Bischoff.
As a professional wrestler, he famously feuded with WWWF Champion Bruno Sammartino, but was unable to win away the belt. In the 1960s, he wrestled in many areas, such as San Francisco, Chicago, St. Louis, and even Japan, for All Japan Pro Wrestling. During these periods, Watts challenged for both the National Wrestling Alliance and American Wrestling Association versions of the World Title.

wn.com/Bill_Watts
Billy Sims
Billy Ray Sims (born September 18, 1955) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the 1980s. Sims played college football for the University of Oklahoma, where he was a two-time consensus All-American, and won the Heisman Trophy in 1978. He was the first overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the NFL's Detroit Lions.
Sims was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but in the eighth grade he moved to Hooks, Texas, to live with his grandmother. In three years of varsity football at Hooks High School, he rushed 1,128 times (a state record at the time, currently second behind Robert Strait) for 7,738 yards, including 441 carries in 1973 (another state record at the time, currently tied for second behind Ketric Sanford). He continues to hold the state record for most consecutive games with 100 yards or more, 38 (1972–1974).
Sims attended the University of Oklahoma, where he played for coach Barry Switzer's Oklahoma Sooners football team from 1976 to 1979. After injuries kept him out of the line-up for most of his freshman and half of his sophomore seasons (rushing for only 545 yards in two seasons plus one game of 1976), in his junior season he cut loose, picking up 1,762 yards on 231 carries for an amazing average of 7.6 yards per carry (160.1 yards and 10.9 points per-game) for the regular season. Including the post-season Sims had 1,896 yards, a total yardage school record that stood until 2004 when freshman Adrian Peterson tallied up 1,925. In 1978 Sims was awarded the Heisman Trophy, becoming only the sixth junior to do so. He was runner up the following season in 1979.

wn.com/Billy_Sims
Black people
The term black people is used in some socially-based systems of racial classification for humans of a dark-skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups represented in a particular social context. Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class and socio-economic status also play a role, so that relatively dark-skinned people can be classified as white if they fulfill other social criteria of "whiteness" and relatively light-skinned people can be classified as black if they fulfill the social criteria for "blackness" in a particular setting.
As a biological phenotype being "black" is often associated with the very dark skin colors of some people who are classified as "black". But, particularly in the United States, the racial or ethnic classification also refers to people with all possible kinds of skin pigmentation from the darkest through to the very lightest skin colors, including albinos, if they are believed by others to have African ancestry, or to exhibit cultural traits associated with being "African-American". As a result, in the United States the term "black people" is not an indicator of skin color but of socially based racial classification.

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Blackjack Mulligan
Robert Jack Windham (born November 26, 1942), better known by his ring name Blackjack Mulligan is a former professional wrestler and a former American football player. He is the father of wrestlers Barry and Kendall Windham, father-in-law of Mike Rotundo, and the grandfather of Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas.
As a young man, Windham played football at the Texas Western University. He then went on to play for the New York Jets during the 1966 pre-season and received tryouts with the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos. After football, at the urging of Wahoo McDaniel, Windham trained with Joe Blanchard in Corpus Christi, Texas and later with Verne Gagne and became a professional wrestler in the American Wrestling Association. He then moved to the World Wide Wrestling Federation and became the villain Blackjack Mulligan. At first Mulligan, donning black trunks, black hat, black glove, and using the iron claw submission hold, seemed to be an imitation of AWA wrestler Blackjack Lanza, managed by The Grand Wizard. Mulligan went on to greater success in the Northeast. He received a push and went on to wrestle Pedro Morales and Bruno Sammartino.

wn.com/Blackjack_Mulligan
Bob Armstrong
Joseph Melton James (born October 3, 1939) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. In the course of his career, which spanned five decades, Armstrong held numerous championships throughout the Southeastern United States. Armstrong is also the patriarch of the Armstrong wrestling family; he has four sons (Scott, Brad, Steve and Brian), all of whom became wrestlers.
When he was a child, Joseph James's father took him to see Gorgeous George wrestle. The young James was impressed and intrigued by the flamboyant performer. As a young man, James served in the Marine Corps of the United States armed forces and was stationed in Korea. During his recruit training in Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island on Parris Island, South Carolina, James was named Honor Man. After leaving the military, he began working for the Marietta Fire Department as a firefighter in 1962.
He debuted as a wrestler in the same year, adopting the ring name "Bob Armstrong". By 1966, Armstrong had become a popular face in the Savannah, Georgia area, and in 1969 he ceased working as a firefighter and began focusing on his wrestling career.

wn.com/Bob_Armstrong
Bob Backlund
Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund (born August 14, 1949) is an American professional wrestler with an in-ring career that spanned over 30 years. Over that time, he was a two-time WWWF/WWF Champion. Backlund holds the records for the second longest reign as WWE Champion in history, behind Bruno Sammartino.
Backlund was also an accomplished amateur wrestler wrestling for the North Dakota State University Bison in the late 1960s to early 1970s. Backlund continues to work in the pro wrestling business in various capacities. In 2000, Backlund unsuccessfully ran for a Connecticut seat in Congress on a Republican ticket.
In 1969 during his freshman year, Backlund was an All American in both football and wrestling (191 lbs finishing 3rd) while at Waldorf Junior College in Forest City, IA. During his sophomore campaign, Backlund focused on wrestling and once again earned All American Honors (190 lbs and National Runner Up). Backlund was an amateur wrestler at North Dakota State University, winning the Division II NCAA Championship at 190 pounds in 1971. In 1972 Backlund moved up to the Heavyweight class and finished 5th at the NCAA DII Nationals. Graduate of Princeton, MN High School where he was a state finalist in wrestling. He graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in physical education.

wn.com/Bob_Backlund
Bob Crable
Robert Edward Crable (born September 22, 1959) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Notre Dame, and twice earned consensus All-American honors. A first-round pick in the 1982 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the NFL's New York Jets.
Crable was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and grew up in Deer Park, a suburb of Cincinnati. He attended Archbishop Moeller High School, and compiled an accomplished high school football career. His Moeller high school teams won three consecutive football state championships and compiled a three-season record of 36–0.
He attended the University of Notre Dame and pursued a degree in business administration and marketing. He played football for coach Dan Devine and coach Gerry Faust's Notre Dame Fighting Irish football teams from from 1978 to 1982, and his play earned him recognition from his teammates, and was selected as team captain his junior and senior seasons. He was nearly a unanimous All-America pick in both 1980 and 1981 compiling the following statistical records: 521 career tackles—still a Notre Dame record; most tackles in a season (187 in 1979) and a game (26 vs. Clemson in 1979) and his 26 tackles also ties an NCAA record.

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Bob Holly
Robert "Bob" Howard (born January 29, 1963) better known by his ring name Bob "Hardcore" Holly, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his 15-year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
After debuting in 1990, Holly worked for Smoky Mountain Wrestling and other independent promotions, before joining WWE full-time in 1994. Initially portraying the character of a NASCAR driver, Thurman "Sparky" Plugg, his name was soon changed to Bob "Spark Plug" Holly, before forming a team with "Bodacious Bart", known as The New Midnight Express in 1998. After becoming known simply as "Hardcore Holly" in 1999, he was joined by on-screen cousins, Crash and Molly. In 2002, he suffered a broken neck, which sidelined him for over a year. Upon his return, he engaged in minor feuds with wrestlers such as Mr. Kennedy and Rob Van Dam, before forming a tag team with Cody Rhodes in 2007. Holly was released from WWE in 2009.
During his career, Holly has held the WWF/E Hardcore Championship seven times, the WWF/E Tag Team Championship three times (with 1-2-3 Kid, Crash Holly and Cody Rhodes), and the NWA World Tag Team Championship once with Bart Gunn.

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Bob Uecker
Robert George "Bob" Uecker ( /ˈjuːkər/ EWK-ər; born January 26, 1935) is a retired American Major League Baseball player, later a sportscaster, comedian and actor. Uecker was given the title of "Mr. Baseball" by TV chat show host Johnny Carson. Since 1971 Uecker has served as a play-by-play announcer for Milwaukee Brewers radio broadcasts.
Though he sometimes joked he was born on an oleo run to Illinois, Uecker was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He grew up watching the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers at Borchert Field. He signed a professional contract with his hometown Milwaukee Braves in 1956 and made his major league debut as a catcher with the club in 1962. A mediocre hitter, he finished with a career batting average of .200. He was generally a sound defensive player and committed very few errors in his Major League career as a catcher, completing his career with a fielding percentage of .981. However, in 1967, despite playing only 59 games, he led the league with passed balls and is still on the top ten list for most passed balls in a season. At least a partial explanation is that he spent a good deal of the season catching Knuckleballer Phil Niekro. Uecker also played for the St. Louis Cardinals (and was a member of the 1964 World Champion club) and Philadelphia Phillies before returning to the Braves, who had by then moved to Atlanta. His six-year major league career concluded in 1967.

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Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden (born November 8, 1929) is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons. During his time at Florida State, Bowden led FSU to an Associated Press and Coaches Poll National Title in 1993 and a BCS National Championship in 1999, as well as twelve Atlantic Coast Conference championships since FSU joined the conference in 1991. After a difficult 2009 season and amid questioning fans, Bowden announced his retirement from FSU on December 1, 2009, just weeks after his 80th birthday. His final coaching appearance was the 2010 Gator Bowl game on January 1, 2010, with a 33–21 victory over his former program, West Virginia.
Bowden finished his career second in all-time wins by a Division I-FBS coach with 389 wins. A March 6, 2009 NCAA ruling requiring Florida State to "vacate wins for any games in which an ineligible player participated," threatening to remove as many as 14 of Bowden's wins from the 2006 and 2007 seasons in relation to an academic scandal; Florida State appealed the ruling. The NCAA upheld the ruling on January 5, 2010. Upon final investigation by Florida State University it was determined that Bowden was to vacate 12 wins, bringing his final career record to 377–129–4.

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Bobby Heenan
Raymond Louis "Ray" Heenan (born November 1, 1944), better known as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, is a former American professional wrestling manager and color commentator, best known for his time with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He was known for his skill in drawing heel heat for himself and his wrestlers, and for his on-screen repartee with Gorilla Monsoon as a color commentator. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE, formerly WWF) has described Heenan as "one of sports-entertainment's best loved legends".
Heenan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004 by Blackjack Lanza.
Always a fan of wrestling growing up in Chicago and Indianapolis, Heenan started in the wrestling profession early on, carrying bags and jackets for the wrestlers, and selling refreshments at the events. Dropping out of school in the eighth grade to support his mother and grandmother, Heenan's first break in the wrestling business was as a heel manager and wrestler in 1965 when he was known as "Pretty Boy" Bobby Heenan. His gimmick over the years has more or less remained the same, a tough talking big mouth who cowered in fear when being physically confronted. At the time, heels were often given managers to speak for them in interviews, rile up the crowd during matches, and cheat on their behalf. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan went on to manage some of the most successful wrestlers in the world, creating "The Heenan Family", a stable that existed in several different incarnations and wrestling promotions for over 20 years. Heenan did not like the term "stable", stating that it should only refer to a place to keep horses.^{[citation needed]}

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Bobo Brazil
Houston Harris (July 10, 1923 — January 20, 1998) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. Even though he is "Bobo", a promoter mispronounced it and it stuck .He is credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling. Harris is considered one of the first successful African American professional wrestlers, and is often referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of professional wrestling".
Houston Harris was born in Little Rock, Arkansas but later lived in East St. Louis, Illinois, and Benton Harbor, Michigan. He played baseball and worked in a steel mill.
Harris was trained by Joe Savoldi after meeting him at matches at the Naval Armory. Originally, Harris was to be known as "Boo-Boo Brazil", but a promoter misprinted his first name as "Bobo" in an advertisement and it stuck.

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Brad Budde
Brad Edward Budde (born May 9, 1958) is a former American college and professional football player who was a offensive guard in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1980s. Budde played college football for the University of Southern California (USC), and was an All-American and the winner of the Lombardi Award. He was a first-round pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.
Budde was born in Detroit, Michigan. He attended Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri.
Budde attended the University of Southern California, and played for the USC Trojans football team from 1976 to 1979. He was the first player since World War II to start as a freshman. Budde is one of USC’s most highly decorated offensive lineman. As a senior in 1979, he was a unanimous first-team All-American, runner-up in the Outland Trophy voting, USC Offensive Player of the Year, USC Most Inspirational Player, and an Academic All-American. He was also selected as the first and only Lombardi Award winner in USC's history. In 1980, Budde also earned the NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship. During his career at USC, Budde started in three Rose Bowls; each time the USC Trojans were Rose Bowl winners. In 1978, led by Coach John Robinson, their Rose Bowl victory earned USC a National Championship.

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Bret Hart
Bret Hart (born July 2, 1957) is a Canadian American writer, actor and retired professional wrestler currently signed with WWE under a Legends contract. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College. Along with his famed "Hit Man" nickname, Hart was known by the monikers "The Excellence of Execution", "The Best There Is, The Best There Was, and The Best There Ever Will Be" and "The Pink and Black Attack"—the latter being in reference to his ring attire, as well as his signature mirrored sunglasses, which he routinely gave away to a young audience member before matches.

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Butch Reed
Butch Reed (born Bruce Reed on July 11, 1954) is an American professional wrestler best known for his stints in the World Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance/World Championship Wrestling.
Butch Reed started wrestling in 1978 in the Kansas City territory after attending the University of Central Missouri and briefly playing professional football for the Kansas City Chiefs. Early on he wrestled as Bruce Reed adopting the “Hacksaw" nickname over time. Reed and Jerry Roberts beat Mike George and Bob Sweetan for the NWA Central States Tag Team titles in late 1980 and lost them to The Kelly Twins in January 1981; this is believed to be Butch Reed’s first major title in wrestling. His next title also came as one half of a tag team when he and Sweet Brown Sugar (Skip Young, not Koko B. Ware) won the Florida version of the NWA North American Tag Team Championship when they beat Dory Funk, Jr. and David Von Erich in 1982. Reed wrestled mainly for the NWA in the early 1980s and made a name for himself in their St. Louis, Florida Championship Wrestling and Georgia Championship Wrestling territories.

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Camille Tourville
Camille Tourville (1927-December 24, 1985) was a professional wrestler and manager better known as Tarzan Tyler. He was one-half of the first WWF Tag Team Champions, along with Luke Graham. He died December 24, 1985 at the age of 58.
Tarzan Tyler began competing in the United States during the 1960s after having spent nearly 10 years wrestling in Canada. Tyler competed for World Championships against such stars as Verne Gagne, Lou Thesz, and Dory Funk, Jr. His greatest success came as a tag team competitor, as he and Crazy Luke Graham defeated the team of Dick the Bruiser and The Shiek in 1971 to become the first WWF World Tag Team Champions.
Tarzan Tyler died, along with fellow wrestler Pierre 'Mad Dog' Lefebvre and referee Adrien Desbois, in Laurentides Provincial Park upon returning from a wrestling event in Chicoutimi, Quebec on December 24, 1985, in a car crash.
He was a 3-time heavyweight champion for Grand Prix Wrestling in Montreal in the 1970s.

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Carly Colón
Carlos Edwin "Carly" Colón, Jr. (born on February 21, 1979) is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler better known internationally by his ring name Carlito. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), but was released from his contract on May 21, 2010. In his native Puerto Rico, he is known as both Carly Colón and Carlito. Colón occasionally still performs in the World Wrestling Council (WWC). He is a 13-time WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion.
In 2003, Colón signed a developmental contract with WWE. He worked in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) for sixteen months, mostly wrestling in tag team matches while making appearances in WWC. On October 7, 2004, Colón made his debut performing on the main event of SmackDown! as Carlito Caribbean Cool. Colón is a former United States Champion and Intercontinental Champion and has been part of both the Raw and SmackDown brands. He is the only wrestler to win a championship on two separate debuts in WWE and the second Puerto Rican to become Intercontinental Champion after Pedro Morales. At WrestleMania XXV, Colón and his brother, Eddie Colón, became the only tag team to unify the WWE Tag Team Championship and World Tag Team Championship.

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Charlie Ward
Charlie Ward, Jr. (born October 12, 1970) is a retired American professional NBA basketball player, college football Heisman Trophy winner, Davey O'Brien Award winner and a Major League Baseball draftee. Ward is considered one of the best all-around athletes in the last quarter century. He was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame with Emmitt Smith and Bobby Bowden in 2006.
Ward won the 1993 Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and Davey O'Brien Award as a quarterback for Florida State University, and subsequently led the Seminoles to their first-ever National Championship when FSU defeated Nebraska 18–16 in the 1993 Orange Bowl. The Seminoles had suffered their only defeat of the season to a second-ranked Notre Dame team, but their path to the National Championship was cleared a week later when the Irish were upset at home by Boston College. Ward holds the second-largest margin of victory in the history of Heisman trophy balloting, with a 1,622 point difference, second only to O.J. Simpson's 1,750 point win in 1968. He was also the only Heisman winner to play in the NBA. In 1993, Charlie Ward won the James E. Sullivan Award from the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) as the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

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Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit (French pronunciation: [bəˈnwɑ]) (May 21, 1967 – June 24, 2007) was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide. During his professional wrestling career, Benoit worked for such major promotions as Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/WWE).
Among other accolades, Benoit is a two-time world champion: a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, one-time World Heavyweight Champion (tied for third longest reign in history). Both of his world title reigns were represented by the Big Gold Belt: Benoit is one of four men to have held the Big Gold Belt in both WCW and WWE, alongside Bill Goldberg, Booker T and Big Show. He is also a record-tying five-time WCW/WWE United States Champion, having held the championship twice in WCW, and three times in WWE. The twelfth WWE Triple Crown Champion and seventh WCW Triple Crown Champion, he is the second of four men in history to achieve both the WWF and WCW Triple Crown Championships.

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Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), known professionally as Chris Jericho, is an American-born Canadian professional wrestler, musician, media personality, actor, author and businessman. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its Raw brand in addition to being the lead singer of heavy metal band Fozzy. He is also well known for his time in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), and internationally in Canadian, Mexican and Japanese promotions.
Jericho has won 30 championships between WWF/E, WCW, and ECW - the three most prominent American promotions in the 1990s and early 2000s. He is credited as being the first Undisputed WWF Champion, having unified the WWE Championship and World Championship (formerly the WCW Championship) in 2001.
In WWE Jericho is a six-time world champion, having won the Undisputed WWF Championship once, the WCW/World Championship twice and the World Heavyweight Championship thrice. He is also a record nine-time Intercontinental Champion, and the fourth WWE Grand Slam Champion.

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Chris Kanyon
Christopher Klucsarits (January 4, 1970 – April 2, 2010) was an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, under the ring names Chris Kanyon (or simply Kanyon) and Mortis.
After college, he began training under Pete McKay Gonzalez, Ismael Gerena and Bobby Bold Eagle at the Lower East Side Wrestling Gym in Manhattan at some point between December 1991 and January 1992. He wrestled his first match on April 5, 1992 in Levittown, New York at the Island Trees Junior High School, and wrestled one match as Chris Morgan before adopting the ring name Chris Canyon and later changed it to Chris Kanyon. Kanyon worked as a physical therapist for the next three years, wrestling on weekends and in the evenings, before finally deciding to become a full-time professional wrestler in 1995. Early in his career, Kanyon formed a tag team with Billy Kidman which saw both men wrestle in the uniform of hockey players.
In late 1994, he made several appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as a jobber, facing wrestlers such as Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Tatanka and Bob Holly. His friend and future manager James Mitchell saw potential in him and sent him for training with The Fabulous Moolah in South Carolina and with Afa at the Wild Samoan wrestling School.

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Chris Masters
Christopher Mordetzky (born January 8, 1983) is an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Chris Masters. He is best known for his tenure with WWE.
Mordetzky began training for a wrestling career at the age of 16 in Ultimate Pro Wrestling. He trained there for one year and suffered an injury, leaving him out of action for three months. During this time, Mordetzky learned that WWE was recruiting talent from UPW, and he took time off from wrestling for nearly three years to pursue a powerful physique that would interest World Wrestling Entertainment. His work paid off, as WWE offered him a developmental contract in 2003, training him at its developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). At OVW, he developed his wrestling skills and refined his character, achieving success in both the singles and tag team divisions. When Mordetzky was called up to the main roster, WWE showed vignettes outlining him as The Masterpiece, touting him as having a body so perfect, it would appear he was sculpted out of stone. Mordetzky credits Matt Morgan for creating the "Masterpiece" gimmick, and said Vince McMahon encouraged him to emulate former wrestler Paul Orndorff.

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Chris Von Erich
Chris Barton Adkisson (September 30, 1969 – September 12, 1991) was an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Chris Von Erich of the Von Erich family.
The smallest and youngest of the Von Erich family, all Chris wanted to be was a wrestler. He was the youngest son of wrestler Fritz Von Erich. His brothers, Mike, David, Kerry and Kevin all had success as wrestlers. He grew up working cameras and doing other odd jobs backstage for WCCW.
He became a wrestler in 1990, but faced numerous issues. Aside from drug problems similar to his much older brothers, his asthma held him back and his bones were so brittle that he would often break them while performing simple wrestling maneuvers. He stayed with it as much as he could, and even had a small feud with Percy Pringle in the USWA. Chris tagged with both his brother Kevin and longtime ally Chris Adams in several tag team matches against Pringle and "Stunning" Steve Austin (later "Stone Cold" Steve Austin); however, he would face only Pringle whenever he was in the ring, and allow his more-experienced partner (Kevin or Adams) to battle Austin.

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Chris Weinke
Christopher Jon Weinke (born July 31, 1972 in Saint Paul, Minnesota) is a former professional American football and baseball player. After spending six years in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league baseball system, he enrolled at Florida State University at the age of 26, and played quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles. He thereafter played professionally in the National Football League, where he spent most of his career with the Carolina Panthers.
Weinke played minor league baseball in the Toronto Blue Jays farm system from 1990–1996, advancing to class Triple-A, before deciding to attend Florida State University. He quickly distinguished himself as starting quarterback, leading the team to victory in the 1999 National Championship. In 2000, at 28, he became the oldest person to receive the Heisman Trophy. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the 2001 NFL Draft, where he served mostly as backup quarterback until being released in 2006. He then spent one season with the San Francisco 49ers before leaving the NFL after the 2007 season.

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Clarence Mason
Herman Stevens, Jr. (born June 17, 1965) is an American attorney and former professional wrestling manager, best known for his attorney gimmicks as Clarence Mason in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and as J. Biggs in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1998–1999.
As a child, Stevens had always wanted to be a WWF Superstar. With no prior experience in the business, getting a foot in the door was difficult for the aspiring law school student. While in college, Stevens unsuccessfully attempted to obtain an internship with WCW. When Stevens was in law school, he befriended Ernie Ladd. Ladd managed to get Stevens a meeting with WWF. He went to New York to meet with Vince McMahon and was signed to a contract.
Stevens entered the WWF in 1995 as Clarence Mason, a lawyer primarily introduced to play off the publicity lawyers had gotten during the ongoing O. J. Simpson trial. The name Clarence Mason may have come from the Disbarred New York Civil Rights Attorney C. Vernon Mason (or possibly the fictional attorney Perry Mason) or Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, whilst his character and speaking style were based on Johnnie Cochran.

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CM Punk
Phillip Jack Brooks (born October 26, 1978), better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler signed to WWE and appearing on its Raw brand as the reigning WWE Champion.
In professional wrestling, Brooks is a seven time World Champion, having held the ROH World Championship and ECW Championship once, the World Heavyweight Championship three times and the WWE Championship twice.
In addition to these championships Punk has also won the World Tag Team Championship (with Kofi Kingston), and the WWE Intercontinental Championship making him the nineteenth WWE Triple Crown Champion and the man to achieve this honor fastest at 203 days. Between WWE and Ring of Honor (where he is also a two-time World Tag Team Champion), Punk has won a total of eleven championships. He was also the winner of the 2008 and 2009 Money in the Bank ladder matches (the only wrestler to win the match twice in a row), and was the 2011 Superstar of the Year Slammy Award winner.
Punk initially came to prominence through his career on the professional wrestling independent circuit, primarily as a member of the ROH roster, where he was the first head trainer of the ROH wrestling school as well as winning both of their championships. In 2005, Punk signed a contract with WWE and was sent to its developmental promotion, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), where he won every championship available in the promotion. Throughout his career, Punk has consistently used the gimmick of being straight edge, a lifestyle he follows in his actual day-to-day life. Depending on Punk's alignment as a crowd favorite or villain, he emphasizes different aspects of the culture to encourage the desired audience reaction.

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Cody Rhodes
Cody Runnels (born June 30, 1985) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Cody Rhodes. Runnels is signed to WWE where he wrestles on its SmackDown brand.
Runnels is the half-brother of Goldust as well as the son of Dusty Rhodes, and worked as a referee in his father's promotion during high school. Runnels started wrestling professionally in 2006, using his real name, wrestling for Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). While situated at OVW, he won various championships, both in tag team and singles competition, including the OVW Heavyweight Championship. He made his WWE television debut on July 16, 2007, under the ring name Cody Rhodes. In December 2007, Rhodes captured his first title with the company, the World Tag Team Championship with Hardcore Holly, and the two held it for six months.
Rhodes formed a secret alliance with Ted DiBiase during 2008. In the course of a match held on June 29 he turned on Holly by switching sides to join DiBiase, with whom he became World Tag Team champion. The new champions dropped their titles in August, only to win them back a week later. Rhodes and DiBiase were joined by Manu shortly afterwards, forming a faction of multi-generation wrestlers, although this alliance was to be short-lived. In January 2009, Rhodes and DiBiase formed a new alliance, The Legacy, with Randy Orton. Rhodes was moved to the SmackDown brand in April 2010, as part of the Supplemental Draft, and won the WWE Tag Team Championship with Drew McIntyre in September of the same year. In August 2011, Rhodes won the WWE Intercontinental Championship, his first singles championship in WWE, holding it for over seven months until he lost it at WrestleMania 28. He won the title back one month later at Extreme Rules (2012).

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Curt Hennig
Curtis Michael "Curt" Hennig (March 28, 1958 – February 10, 2003) was an American professional wrestler, manager and color commentator who performed under his real name for the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). In the WWF, he found his greatest success as Mr. Perfect, a nickname introduced in his second run with the company which gradually became his official ring name as use of his real name was phased out; Hennig used the same ring name in his third and final run, however his real name was widely acknowledged. He was the son of wrestler Larry "The Axe" Hennig, and father to current WWE (formerly the WWF) superstar Michael McGillicutty.

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Dale Castro
Dale Castro (born November 26, 1959) is a former American college and professional football player and coach. He played college football for the University of Maryland as a record-setting placekicker and All-American. Castro had a brief professional career in the Arena Football League, and then spent two decades coaching high school football.
Castro was born in 1959 and grew up in Shady Side, Maryland. He attended the University of Maryland with the intention of earning a scholarship as a baseball pitcher, but contracted mononucleosis during his first semester which caused him to miss the try-outs. After he recuperated, Castro decided to try out for the football team as a walk-on placekicker, a position he had played in high school. During his sophomore year, he was offered a scholarship. He joined another Maryland walk-on that season who gained national recognition, Charlie Wysocki, who was the nation's rushing leader in 1979.
In 1979, Castro tied the NCAA record for most field goals in a half, with four against Mississippi State. In the fourth quarter of that game, he made a fifth field goal. He set a then-NCAA record when he made his first 16 field goal attempts. In total, he made 17 field goals during the season. Castro was named a consensus first-team All-American by the NCAA selectors: the Walter Camp Football Foundation, United Press International, Football Writers Association of America, and The Sporting News. He concluded his collegiate career in 1980, and as the end of 2008 season, he remains the school's fourth-ranked player in career punting yards (8,584), seventh-ranked in field goal percentage (69.2%), and tenth-ranked in career field goals (27).

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Dave Batista
David Michael Bautista, Jr. (born 18 January 1969), is a former American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and actor best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment. In WWE, he became a six-time world champion, winning the World Heavyweight Championship four times, and the WWE Championship two times. He is the longest-reigning World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history. In addition to these championships, Batista has won the World Tag Team Championship three times (twice with Ric Flair and once with John Cena) and the WWE Tag Team Championship once (with Rey Mysterio). Batista was also the winner of the 2005 Royal Rumble match.
After trying out at World Championship Wrestling's Power Plant, Batista signed a contract with the WWF in 2000 and was sent to its developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), where he won the OVW Heavyweight Championship.
Batista was born to David Michael Bautista, the son of Filipino immigrants to America and Donna Raye Bautista, who is Greek. His parents separated (and eventually divorced). His paternal grandparents were from the Philippines as his grandfather served in the military, worked as a taxicab driver, barber, and other jobs to feed the family. Batista says he is not ashamed to admit he lived in poverty.

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David Arquette
David Arquette (born September 8, 1971) is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, fashion designer, and occasional professional wrestler. A member of the Arquette acting family, he first became known during the mid 1990s after starring in several Hollywood films, such as the Scream series, Wild Bill and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. He has since had several television roles, including playing "Jason Ventress" on ABC's In Case of Emergency. In addition to his acting career Arquette took a brief foray into professional wrestling in early 2000, competing for World Championship Wrestling (WCW). During his tenure, Arquette became a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, an angle that has been cited by prominent professional wrestling commentators as being pivotal to the degradation of the title and the demise of WCW.
Arquette was born in a Subud commune, which had no electricity, no bathrooms, and no running water, in Winchester, Virginia. He is the son of Brenda Olivia "Mardi" (née Nowak), an actress, poet, theater operator, activist, acting teacher and therapist, and Lewis Arquette, an actor. Arquette's paternal grandfather was comedian Cliff Arquette. David Arquette's mother was Jewish, the daughter of a Holocaust refugee from Nazi-occupied Poland, and Arquette's father was a convert to Islam. Arquette's siblings are actors Rosanna, Alexis (born Robert), Richmond, and Patricia Arquette. The Arquettes had a dysfunctional upbringing, with a mother who was physically abusive and a father who abused substances, mainly marijuana.

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David Von Erich
David Alan Adkisson (July 22, 1958 – February 10, 1984) was an American professional wrestler who competed as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" David Von Erich (of the Von Erich Family). He was the son of Fritz Von Erich and the brother of Jack Jr., Kerry, Kevin, Mike and Chris.
David was named after his mother Doris' brother David, who had died only months before David Von Erich was born in 1958. Doris' brother David had died of a brain tumor.
David, along with brothers Kevin and Kerry, loved to hunt and fish with their father; Fritz. Hunting on the Von Erich ranch was quite an event. Many of their relatives and friends would join in and sometimes the hunting group would be 20 or more. WCCW Referee David Manning and WCCW Announcer Bill Mercer were quite often among the group. David's first love in life was raising horses, which turned out to be very profitable for him. He raised and sold quarter horses and horses for show and made his own fortune that way, apart from the family business of wrestling.

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Dean Higuchi
Dean Higuchi is a retired American professional wrestler, known by his ring name Dean Ho, who competed in North American regional promotions including Pacific Northwest Wrestling, the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance, specifically the Hawaii-based Big Time Wrestling during the 1960s and 1970s. A longtime veteran of the Vancouver's NWA All-Star Wrestling, he feuded with Terry Adonis, The Brute and former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Gene Kiniski.
After graduating from President Theodore Roosevelt High School, Higuchi was one of Hawaii's prominent bodybuilders during the 1950s winning the title "Mr. Hawaiian Islands" competition in 1956 and finishing sixth place in the "Mr. America" competition in Philadelphia.
He opened his gym on Kalakaua Avenue in 1957, and it was a popular training center for both bodybuilders and professional wrestlers. Many of the areas top bodybuilders such as Mike Brown and professional wrestlers trained for decades including Don Muraco, Beauregarde,Rene Goulet and Karl Gotch.

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Deion Sanders
Deion Luwynn Sanders (pronounced /ˈdiːɒn/; born August 9, 1967), nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 6, 2011.
Sanders is considered one of the most versatile athletes in sporting history because he played two sports at multiple positions. In the NFL, he played primarily at cornerback, but also occasionally as a running back, wide receiver, kick returner, and punt returner. He played for the Atlanta Falcons, the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, and the Baltimore Ravens, winning the Super Bowl with both the 49ers and the Cowboys. In baseball, he played for the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants. He attended Florida State University, where he excelled at both football and baseball.
Sanders was born in Fort Myers, Florida. He attended North Fort Myers High School in North Fort Myers, Florida, and was a letterman and credited All-State in football, basketball, and baseball. He was an All-State honoree in all three sports. In 1985, Sanders was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida.

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Dennis Knight
Dennis Knight (born December 26, 1968) is a retired American professional wrestler best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment as Phineas I. Godwinn and Mideon.
While working as a bouncer in Clearwater, Florida, in 1989, Dennis Knight was introduced to Steve Keirn, who trained him as a professional wrestler. He debuted in the same year using the name Tex Slazenger, facing his stepfather in his first match. When Slazenger signed with the United States Wrestling Association, he was given a Leatherface gimmick based on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre character complete with "bloodstained" apron, leather mask and chainsaw (without the chain). He was pushed as a "Monster" into a program with Jerry Lawler. During one infamous match between the two, Slazenger was set on fire. After dropping the Leatherface gimmick, Tex teamed up with Mark Canterbury who wrestled as the masked "Master Blaster".
Slazenger was later hired by World Championship Wrestling alongside the Master Blaster who was renamed "Shanghai Pierce" The team was dubbed "The Texicans" by color commentator Jesse Ventura. They remained with the promotion until 1994 without achieving much success.

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Derrick Brooks
Derrick Dewan Brooks (born April 18, 1973) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for Florida State University, and was twice recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft, and he played his entire professional career for the Buccaneers. An eleven-time Pro Bowl selection and nine-time All-Pro, Brooks was named AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2002, and earned a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Brooks attended Washington High School in Pensacola. In his senior season in 1991, Brooks carried Pensacola to the state playoff semifinals, where they lost to the eventual champion Bradenton Manatees. In 2007, he was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team, which selected the Top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida's history.

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Devon Hughes
Devon Edger Hughes (born August 1, 1972) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as D-Von Dudley. He currently wrestles for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) under the ring name Devon. He is the current TNA Television Champion.
Along with his tag team partner Mark LoMonaco (Bubba Ray Dudley, Brother Ray [later Bully Ray] in TNA), Hughes was one-half of Team 3D, a tag team formerly known as the Dudley Boyz. Characterized by their unorthodox ring apparel and usage of tables in their matches, Team 3D is one of the most successful tag teams in the history of professional wrestling, recognized by TNA as 23-time world tag team champions. With his TV Title win, Hughes has held 24 major championships between TNA, WWE, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW).
Hughes was trained by Johnny Rodz and began wrestling in 1992, competing in independent promotions in the Northeast as "A-Train". He engaged in a rivalry with Latin Lover that was continued in many different promotions.

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Diamond Dallas Page
Dallas Page (born Page Joseph Falkinburg, Jr.; April 5, 1956), better known by his ring name "Diamond" Dallas Page (DDP), is an American retired professional wrestler, fitness instructor and actor, signed to WWE in a Legends contract^{[citation needed]}. In the course of his wrestling career, which spanned two decades, Page has wrestled for mainstream wrestling promotions World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
Page first broke into the wrestling business in 1988, as a manager in the American Wrestling Association, where he worked for nine months before signing with WCW in 1991. There, he continued as a manager until late 1991, when he became a wrestler. Over a decade in WCW, Page became a three-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, four-time WCW World Tag Team Champion and one-time WCW World Television Champion. He is the fourth WCW Triple Crown Champion.
After WCW was sold in 2001, Page signed with the WWF, where he became a one-time WWF European Champion and one-time WWF World Tag Team Champion. Due to a series of injuries, he allowed his contract with the company to expire in 2002. He worked for TNA from 2004 to 2005. Page is now an actor in small-budget films, as well as a fitness guru and motivational speaker.

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Dick Murdoch
Hoyt Richard "Dick" Murdoch (August 16, 1946 – June 15, 1996) was an American professional wrestler.
A second-generation wrestler, the son of 1950s Texas wrestler Frankie Hill Murdoch, Dick Murdoch grew up with fellow second-generation wrestlers Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, watching their fathers fight all around Texas. Frank Murdoch held the NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight Championship three times in his career.
Dick Murdoch started wrestling in 1965 as Ron Carson in a tag team with Don Carson. He soon started wrestling under his real name. In 1968, he formed a tag team that would continue throughout the early 1970s with Dusty Rhodes called "The Texas Outlaws". After splitting with Rhodes, he wrestled for Florida Championship Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance, and Mid-South Wrestling.
His most noted work as a wrestler came in Mid-South Wrestling in the early 1980s, where he teamed with Junkyard Dog. The pair was the most popular champions in the region, attracting the hardcore, working class white fans with his "Captain Redneck" persona and JYD drawing the support of the black fan base. Their feud with the Fabulous Freebirds was perhaps Mid-South's most compelling storyline.

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Dino Bravo
Adolfo Bresciano (August 6, 1948 – March 10, 1993) was an Italian-born Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his work as Dino Bravo, self-proclaimed as "Canada's Strongest Man".
Bresciano began wrestling in 1970, taking the "Dino Bravo" moniker from a wrestler from the early 1960s who had teamed with Dominic DeNucci as the Bravo brothers, Dino and Dominic. He was trained by Gino Brito and often worked in a tag team with his mentor, billed as Brito's cousin. Bravo worked in a number of other tag teams, partnering with, among others, "Mr. Wrestling" Tim Woods and DeNucci.
Bravo held the Jim Crockett Promotions version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Woods, winning the title from Gene and Ole Anderson and eventually losing the title to the Andersons. Bravo also had a major program with Blackjack Mulligan, pinning Mulligan twice in a televised non-title match to set up a series of matches for Mulligan's United States title. Bravo did not win the U.S. title from Mulligan, but did receive several shots at NWA World Champion Harley Race during his tenure with Crockett.

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Dominic DeNucci
Dominic DeNucci is an Italian-American professional wrestler. He is also an accomplished trainer, counting former World Heavyweight champions Mick Foley and Shane Douglas, as well as referee Brian Hildebrand, among his students.
Teamed with the original Dino Bravo as Dominic Bravo forming a kayfabe brother tag team with him.
On June 18, 1971, DeNucci won his first WWWF title, the WWWF International Tag Team Championship, with Bruno Sammartino by defeating The Mongols. They lost the title back to The Mongols three days later.
On May 13, 1975, DeNucci and Victor Rivera won the WWWF World Tag Team Championship from Jimmy and Johnny Valiant. In June, however, Rivera left the WWF, and Pat Barrett became DeNucci's replacement partner. They lost the title approximately three months later to The Blackjacks on August 26.
DeNucci became a second time WWWF World Tag Team Champion when he and his partner Dino Bravo defeated Professor Tanaka and Mr. Fuji on March 14, 1978. They held the title until June 26 when they dropped it to The Yukon Lumberjacks.

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Don Callis
Don Callis is a Canadian former professional wrestler and manager, known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as The Jackyl, and Extreme Championship Wrestling as color commentator Cyrus.
Callis became a wrestler after looking for a sport to play while attending the University of Manitoba, where he earned a Degree in Political Studies.
He was trained by local wrestling promoter Tony Condello and debuted in 1989. Wrestling under the name Don Casablancas, Callis formed a tag team with The Psycho as "The Mercenaries of Mayhem" under the tutelage of their manager The Golden Sheik.
In 1990, Callis debuted with the West Four Wrestling Alliance, where he became a five time Heavyweight Champion. He also toured in Japan, South Africa and Lebanon.
He received a tryout match with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1996 and was eventually hired as a manager.

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Don Muraco
Donald Muraco (born September 10, 1949), better known by his ring names "The Magnificent Muraco" and "The Rock" Don Muraco, is a retired American professional wrestler. Wrestling from the 1970s to the 1990s, Muraco is a former two time WWF Intercontinental Champion, a former two time ECW Heavyweight Champion, one Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship, and was the 1985 King of the Ring, the first-ever in WWF/WWE history.
A former state champion in amateur wrestling in Hawaii in 1967, Muraco chose professional wrestling over football and spent the first year of his career learning the ropes in Vancouver, Portland, Florida and Los Angeles before he got his first break, accepting an offer from Verne Gagne to work in the American Wrestling Association (AWA). A fan favorite at this early stage of his career, Muraco formed a tag team with Jimmy Snuka and squared off many times with the likes of Larry Hennig, Ivan Koloff and Dusty Rhodes. In 1973 Muraco left the AWA for the San Francisco territory, having become tired of life in Minneapolis.

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Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey (born May 23, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as host of the U.S. version of the improv comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, both of which aired on ABC.
Carey has appeared in several films, television series, music videos, a made-for-television film, and a computer game. As of 2012, he hosts the television game show The Price Is Right. He is interested in a variety of sports, has worked as a photographer at U.S. National Team soccer games, is a minority owner of the Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC and a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. Carey has written an autobiography, Dirty Jokes And Beer: Stories Of The Unrefined, detailing his early life and television career.
Carey was the youngest of Lewis and Beulah Carey's three sons and raised in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. When he was eight years old, his father died from a brain tumor. According to his autobiography, he was born with six toes on his right foot and he played the cornet and trumpet in the marching band of James Ford Rhodes High School, from which he graduated in 1975. Drew is of Scottish heritage from both parents.^{[citation needed]}

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Dustin Rhodes
Dustin Patrick Runnels (born April 11, 1969) is an American professional wrestler. Runnels is best known for performing as Goldust in WWE and is also known for performing in various companies such as World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Dustin Rhodes. Among the other names Runnels has performed under are Black Reign and Seven.
Runnels is the son of "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes and the half brother of Cody Rhodes.
Between WWF/E and WCW, Rhodes won 17 total championships. In World Championship Wrestling, he was a two-time United States Champion, a one-time Six-Man Tag Team Champion, a two-time World Tag Team Champion, and a one-time NWA World Tag Team Champion. In World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment, he is a three-time Intercontinental Champion, a seven-time Hardcore Champion, and a one-time World Tag Team Champion.
Rhodes debuted as a fan favorite in the World Wrestling Federation in late 1990, wrestling as Dustin Rhodes. In December 1990, Rhodes defeated Ted DiBiase in a televised ten-minute challenge match. On January 19, 1991 at the Royal Rumble, Rhodes and his father Dusty lost to Ted DiBiase and Virgil in a tag team bout, and left immediately after.

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Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and professional wrestler who is signed to WWE, appearing on the Raw brand. He is often credited as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
Johnson was a college football player. In 1991, he was part of the University of Miami's national championship team. He later played for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League, and was cut two months into the 1995 season. This led to his decision to become a professional wrestler like his grandfather, Peter Maivia, and his father, Rocky Johnson. He gained mainstream fame as a wrestler in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1996 to 2004, and was the first third-generation superstar in the company's history. Johnson was quickly given a push as a heroic character in the WWF, originally billed as "Rocky Maivia", and then as "The Rock". He would subsequently turn into a villain as a member of the Nation of Domination in 1997. Two years after he joined the WWF, Johnson won the WWF Championship, and became one of the most popular wrestlers within the company's history for his engaging interviews and promos. Johnson is regarded by many as one of the greatest talkers in professional wrestling history, Rock was voted third by the fans for his microphone ability behind Roddy Piper and Stone Cold Steve Austin who were second and first respectively.

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Ed Farhat
Edward George Farhat (June 9, 1924 - January 18, 2003) was an American professional wrestler best known as by his ring name The Sheik (or The Original Sheik to distinguish him from The Iron Sheik, a wrestler from the 1980s). He is also one of the originators of what became the hardcore wrestling style, and the uncle of ECW legend Sabu.
He started out wrestling in the Midwest and later in Texas but his biggest match was one he didn't wrestle in. He was set to face NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz in Chicago for his title but Thesz had a reputation for embarrassing "gimmick" wrestlers so The Sheik bailed from the ring and hid under a bus. The publicity from the event helped push the Sheik character to a more prominent level. He went to New York for Vincent J. McMahon where he teamed with Johnny Valentine and Bull Curry in feuds against Mark Lewin and Don Curtis as well as the team of Antonino Rocca and Miguel Pérez in Madison Square Garden. He returned when McMahon formed the World Wide Wrestling Federation to feud with Bruno Sammartino in the WWF's major markets in the late 1960s.

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Eddie Graham
Edward F. Gossett (January 15, 1930 – January 21, 1985), better known as Eddie Graham, was an American professional wrestler. He was also the promoter and booker for Championship Wrestling from Florida and President of the NWA in the 1970s. His son, Mike Graham, was also a professional wrestler. Eddie Graham was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Gossett started wrestling in 1947 in Texas at the age of 17 after being trained by Cowboy Luttrell. He was sometimes billed as the brother of "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers under the name of Roy Rogers. He lost a loser-leaves-town match to Pepper Gomez in May 1958.
In June 1958, he changed his ring name to Eddie Graham and was billed as the brother of Dr. Jerry Graham and "Crazy" Luke Graham. Jerry and Eddie were a very successful heel tag team on the east coast of the United States. They had popular feuds with teams such as the Fabulous Kangaroos, the Bastien Brothers, Mark Lewin and Don Curtis, and Antonino Rocca and Miguel Pérez. They held the NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Northeast version) together in Capitol Wrestling (the forerunner of World Wrestling Entertainment) four times, winning the belts three times in victories over Miguel Perez and Don Curtis, and once against Red and Lou Bastien.

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Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero Llanes (October 9, 1967 – November 13, 2005) was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions. In the United States, Guerrero wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Guerrero's gimmick was that of "Latino Heat", a crafty, resourceful wrestler who would do anything to win a match. His catchphrase became "I Lie! I Cheat! I Steal!," which was used in one of his entrance themes. Guerrero partly used this phrase in his autobiography Cheating Death, Stealing Life.
Despite being a villain for most of his career, he got over in and outside the ring being the youngest, yet most popular and successful of the Guerrero brothers. Guerrero was widely regarded as one of the most respected and gifted technical wrestlers in history. Throughout his career, Guerrero encountered various substance abuse problems outside of wrestling, including alcoholism and an addiction to painkillers. His real-life problems were sometimes integrated into his storylines. Notwithstanding these issues, Guerrero won 23 titles during his career, including the WWE Grand Slam Championship.

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Ernie Ladd
Ernest "Ernie" Ladd (November 28, 1938 – March 10, 2007), nicknamed "The Big Cat" was an American collegiate and professional football player and a professional wrestler.
The American Football League's San Diego Chargers selected the Grambling State University standout with their 15th pick in the 1961 draft. At 6'9" and 315 pounds, Ladd was arguably the biggest and strongest man in professional football during his era: 52-inch chest, 39-inch waist, 20-inch biceps, 19-inch neck, 20-inch calf, and size 18D shoes. (According to different sources, the tallest player in NFL history was Morris Stroud (1970 Chiefs) at 6'10", or Richard Sligh (1967 Raiders) at 7'0". The heaviest player in history was Aaron Gibson, at 410 pounds.) Ladd played in three AFL championship games, helping the Chargers win the American Football League title in 1963 with teammate Earl Faison, both members of the original Fearsome Foursome.
Ladd spent the 1966 season playing for the Houston Oilers before moving in 1967 to the Kansas City Chiefs. There, with former Grambling teammate Buck Buchanan, he filled out what was probably the biggest defensive tackle tandem in history. Both Ladd and Buchanan are members of the Grambling State University Athletic Hall of Fame.

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Ernie Roth
Ernie Roth (June 7, 1929 – October 12, 1983), best known as The Grand Wizard of Wrestling, also well known as Abdullah Farouk, was a professional wrestling manager of many infamous heels. Not a wrestler himself due to his small stature, he was noted for his flamboyant outfit of sequined jackets, wraparound sunglasses, and a brightly-colored turban decorated with jewels and feathers.
Ernie Roth got his start in the entertainment business as a disc jockey, and became involved in professional wrestling as a manager in the 1960s in Detroit-based territories. Roth first worked under the names "Mr. Clean" and "J. Wellington Radcliffe", but more famously, he also portrayed "Abdullah Farouk", a man from the Middle East who was sent by The Sheik's wealthy "family" to handle their son's affairs in the US.
Roth on many occasions (when out of character and greasepaint mustache) co-hosted the sydnicated "Big Time Wrestling" with fellow announcer Bob Finnegan until 1969 when the hosting chores went to Lord Athol Layton. For some of the Ohio Markets, Les Edwards would do the ring announcing for non TV shows.

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Fred Biletnikoff
Frederick S. "Fred" Biletnikoff (born February 23, 1943) is a former American football wide receiver and coach. He spent the majority of his professional playing and coaching days with the Oakland Raiders. Biletnikoff retired as an NFL player after the 1978 season, and played one additional season in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes.
Biletnikoff was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania, by Russian parents who emigrated to the US during the Russian Civil War. In Erie, he attended what was then Technical Memorial High School and is now Central Tech. The Central Tech field is now named Fred Biletnikoff athletic field.
Turning down other notable offers Biletnikoff chose Florida State University, where he was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.
Biletnikoff was the first consensus All-American to play for Florida State University. After graduating from Florida State he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the American Football League draft and Detroit Lions in the third round. Biletnikoff signed with the Raiders where he played until retiring at the end of the 1978 season. He also played one season (1980) with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

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Freddie Blassie
Frederick Kenneth Blassie (February 8, 1918 – June 2, 2003), better known as "Classy" Freddie Blassie, was an American professional wrestling villain and manager born in St. Louis, Missouri. Renowned as "The Fashion Plate of Professional Wrestling", He was also a one-time NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion (later known as the NWA Wildside Heavyweight Championship), and a one-time NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion.
Blassie's parents, Jacob and Anna (née Sind), immigrated to the United States from Germany prior to the start of World War I, settling in St. Louis. Fred was an only child, which he claimed was because he weighed 15 pounds when he was born and his mother didn't want to go through childbirth again. His father was abusive and an alcoholic, and Fred often had to take refuge with his grandparents whenever Jacob would beat his mother. His parents continually separated, then reunited. At the age of 13, after his father hit his mother again, Fred threatened to attack his father with a baseball bat, but didn't do it and stayed with his aunt for six months until his mother asked him to return home. Throughout his life, Fred didn't touch alcohol after seeing what kind of person it turned his father into.

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Fritz Von Erich
Jack Barton Adkisson (August 16, 1929–September 10, 1997) was an American professional wrestler under the ring name Fritz Von Erich, better known today as a wrestling promoter and the patriarch of the Von Erich family. He was also the owner of the World Class Championship Wrestling territory.
Adkisson attended Southern Methodist University, where he threw discus and played football. He played one season for the now defunct Dallas Texans of the NFL (not the AFL team which became the Kansas City Chiefs) and then tried the Canadian Football League (CFL).
While in Edmonton, he met legendary wrestler and trainer Stu Hart, and Hart decided to train and book him in his Klondike Wrestling promotion, naming him Fritz Von Erich and teaming him with "brother" Waldo Von Erich as a pair of pseudo-nazi brothers (nazis still being popular villains in 50s and 60s wrestling). Adkisson's oldest son Jack Barton Adkisson, Jr. was born September 21, 1952. He, however, died in 1959 after an accidental electrocution, and Jack Sr. stopped traveling to the east coast, allowing former partner Waldo to use the Von Erich name in the World Wide Wrestling Federation.

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Gene Okerlund
Eugene "Mean Gene" Okerlund (born November 29, 1942) is a semi-retired American professional wrestling interviewer and announcer. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by Hulk Hogan. He is currently signed to lifetime employment with WWE and works for promotional programs mostly for television shows on WWE Classics On Demand and occasionally makes special appearances and also the host of WWE Vintage Collection.
He left the radio industry for a position at the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in the early 1970s, where he occasionally filled in for ailing ring announcer and interviewer Marty O'Neill, eventually becoming O'Neill's permanent replacement by the end of the decade.
He would stay with the AWA until the end of 1983, when he was one of many AWA personnel to join the expanding World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He would stay with the WWF for nine years as their top interviewer, and was host of such WWF shows as All-American Wrestling and Tuesday Night Titans.

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George Cumby
George Edward Cumby (born July 5, 1956) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons during the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Oklahoma, and was a three-time All-American. A first-round pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, Cumby played professionally for the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL.
Cumby was born in Gorman, Texas. He graduated from Bishop T.K. Gorman High School in Tyler, Texas in 1975.
He attended the University of Oklahoma, where he played for the Oklahoma Sooners football team from 1976 to 1979. He was a three-time first-team All-American (1977, 1978, 1979), being a consensus first-team selection in 1979. With a combination of speed and strength he is considered one of the top defensive players of all time at Oklahoma. He was also named Defensive Newcomer of the Year and Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year twice—in 1978 and 1979. Cumby was described by then-head coach Barry Switzer as "the only person I know who could go one-on-one with Earl Campbell and knock him backwards." He finished his career at Oklahoma with 405 career tackles, fifth on the all-time list.

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George Steele
William James Myers (born April 16, 1937), better known by his ring name George "The Animal" Steele is a former American professional wrestler and actor. Steele's career lasted from 1967 until 1989, though he made occasional wrestling appearances into the 1990s and 2000s.
He also portrayed Swedish wrestler/actor Tor Johnson in Ed Wood, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp.
Myers was raised in Madison Heights, Michigan. During high school, he found success in track running, baseball, basketball and football. In 1956, Myers entered Michigan State University as a football player for the Michigan State Spartans, but his career as a football player was immediately cut short as a result of knee problems.
After gaining a bachelor of science degree from Michigan State University and a master's degree from Central Michigan University, Myers became a teacher, amateur wrestling coach, and football coach at Madison High School in Madison Heights, Michigan. There he would eventually become a member of the Michigan Coaches Hall of Fame.

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George Wagner
George Raymond Wagner (March 24, 1915 – December 26, 1963) was an American professional wrestler best known by his ring name Gorgeous George. In the United States, during the First Golden Age of Professional Wrestling in the 1940s-1950s, Gorgeous George gained mainstream popularity and became one of the biggest stars of this period, gaining media attention for his outrageous character, which was described as flamboyant and charismatic. He was inducted into Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002 and the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2010.
George Raymond Wagner was born March 24, 1915 in Butte, Nebraska. For a time, he and his parents lived on a farm near the village of Phoenix in Holt County and probably in Seward County before they moved to Waterloo, Iowa and later Sioux City. When George was age seven, his family moved to Houston, Texas, where he associated with kids from a tough neighborhood. As a child, he trained at the local YMCA and often staged matches against his friends. In 1929, Wagner dropped out of Milby High School at age 14, and worked odd jobs to help support his family. At this time, he competed at carnivals, where he could earn 35 cents for a win. By age 17, he was getting booked by the region’s top promoter, Morris Siegel, and in 1938, he won his first title by defeating Buck Lipscomb for Northwest Middleweight crown. Moreover, on May 19, 1939, he captured the Pacific Coast Light Heavyweight Championship.

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Gerald Brisco
Floyd Gerald "Jerry" Brisco (September 19, 1946) is a former American professional wrestler, and prior to June, 2009, worked as a road agent for WWE on its Raw brand.
In the course of his career, Brisco wrestled for several National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) member promotions and won dozens of championships. In the course of his career, Brisco, along with his partner Pat Patterson, achieved more fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s as the onscreen "stooge" of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. He is the younger brother of former professional wrestler Jack Brisco who died in early 2010. In March 2010, Brisco returned to the WWE as a talent scout.
Gerald Brisco grew up with five siblings and an absent father in Oklahoma. He followed his brother, Jack Brisco, into amateur wrestling, and was eventually awarded an athletic scholarship to Oklahoma State after winning two AAU tournaments.
During the spring break of 1968, Brisco was in Missouri with Jack, and was asked to substitute for his brother's injured tag team partner despite his lack of professional training. After Brisco contracted hepatitis and injured his knee, he decided to drop out of college and become a full-time professional wrestler.

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Gino Brito
Louis Gino Acocella (born May 18, 1941), better known by his ring name Gino Brito is a Canadian professional wrestler. He was a popular wrestler in Montreal, and was one of the promoters in the city in the 1980s. As Louis Cerdan, he was a WWWF Tag Team Champion, teaming with fellow Canadian-Italian wrestler Tony Parisi.
Brito was the son of wrestler Jack Britton, who was organized a central booking office for midget wrestlers in the 1950s. Brito had a job for the promotion shuttling the wrestlers from city to city. Before becoming a professional wrestler at the age of seventeen, Brito was an amateur wrestler. At age seventeen, he was trained by George Cannon. He began working with Detroit promoters Bert Ruby and Harry Light over a year later.
He first teamed with Tony Parisi in Tennessee, where the duo won the tag titles in Nick Gulas's promotion within two weeks. The two also won the WWWF Tag Team Championship in 1975 from Blackjack Mulligan and Blackjack Lanza. They later lost the title to The Executioners. Brito continued to wrestle through the mid-80s.

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Gordon Solie
Jonard Frank Labiak (January 26, 1929 – July 27, 2000), better known as Gordon Solie, was a Florida-based professional wrestling play-by-play announcer working for World Championship Wrestling. Solie was also the regular announcer for Georgia Championship Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida and Continental Championship Wrestling, among others.
Gordon Solie is possibly the most recognized voice from the days of "classic wrestling" (used here synonymous with the territorial system) and was nicknamed the "Dean" of wrestling announcers, the "Walter Cronkite of wrestling" and the "Howard Cosell of wrestling".
He is best known for his laconic, intelligent commentary, and he tried to impart a seriousness to ring action that many of his coworkers eschewed for the loud, bombastic style more common today. One of his trademarks was his pronunciation of "suplex" as "su-play," a term later used by the AWA's Rod Trongard and wrestler/announcer Terry Taylor and, more recently by Mauro Ranallo, during Pride FC broadcasts. Other famous Solieisms include: "he's not fast, he's sudden", "He'd fight a buzzsaw and give it the first two rounds", "five letters, two words, I Quit", "his face is becoming a Crimson mask", "They're going at it hammer and tongs", and "Pier 6 brawl".

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Gorilla Monsoon
Robert James "Gino" Marella (June 4, 1937 – October 6, 1999), better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play announcer, and booker. He is famous for his run as one of the great super-heavyweights, and later as the voice of the World Wrestling Federation as announcer and as backstage manager during the 1980s and 1990s, and added on-screen President to his duties in the latter decade. In professional wrestling, the staging area just behind the entrance curtain at an event, a position which Marella established and where he could often be found during WWF shows late in his career, is named the Gorilla Position in his honor.
Marella attended Jefferson High School in Rochester, New York, becoming a standout athlete in football, amateur wrestling, and track and field. At the time, he weighed over 300 pounds (136 kg), and was affectionately called "Tiny" by his teammates.
Marella was also a standout athlete after high school at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. He continued to wrestle, now weighing over 350 pounds, and took second in the 1959 NCAA Wrestling Championships. He also held several school athletic records, including an 18-second wrestling pin, and several track-and-field distinctions. He was inducted into the Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1973. During the summers he was at Ithaca College, he was a construction worker in Rochester. One of the buildings he helped construct was the Rochester War Memorial. He was inducted into the Section V Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2010 along with longtime childhood friend Frank Marotta who gave a speech on his behalf.

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Grady Johnson
James Grady Johnson (February 5, 1940 – June 23, 2006) better known as professional wrestler Crazy Luke Graham, was a member of the Graham family, a storyline family of wrestlers.
He began his career as the storyline brother of Dr. Jerry Graham after fellow wrestler Freddie Cain (The Great Mephisto)suggested they resembled each other. They began wrestling together in 1963 in Stampede Wrestling. Later that summer, Johnson wrestled a series of matches against Chief Big Heart.
He wrestled in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) with Jerry Graham beginning in 1964. They won the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship from Don McClarity and Argentina Apollo, holding it for eight months, before losing the belts to another heel tagteam, Gene Kiniski & Waldo Von Erich. It was during this time that he became known as "Crazy" Luke Graham.
Graham enjoyed most of his success for the Los Angeles territory in the mid to late 1960s. He held the WWA World Title for that office in 1965. He dropped the belt to Pedro Morales. In the late 60s, he was a mid card performer for Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association (AWA) out of Minneapolis.

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Greg Valentine
John Wisniski, Jr. (born September 20, 1951) is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.
Born in Seattle, Washington, Valentine traveled around Texas in his teens with his father. During a summer vacation, he decided to drop out of college and become a wrestler. His father initially tried to deter him, but eventually ceded to his wishes and sent him to Canada in 1970 to train under Stu Hart in Calgary. Wisniski remained in Canada for a year, wrestling his debut match in July 1970 against Angelo "King Kong" Mosca (he lost in around five minutes). Six months later, Wisniski relocated to Detroit to complete his training under The Sheik.
Initially reluctant to take his father's ring name, Wisniski wrestled as Baby Face Nelson before becoming Johnny Fargo, one half of The Fargo Brothers with Don Fargo between 1971 and 1974. The Fargo Brothers initially competed in the Buffalo and Cleveland based National Wrestling Federation before moving on to Texas. They split in 1974 and Wisniski went to Florida, where he began performing as Johnny Valentine, Jr., hopeful that he could live up to his father's legacy. He later changed his ring name to Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, and was billed as Johnny Valentine's brother, not his son, because of fears that the elder Valentine would be thought of as too old to be a legitimate threat. Valentine remained in Florida for a year while also working in Los Angeles and in Japan under Antonio Inoki in 1975 and early 1976.

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Gregory Helms
Gregory Shane Helms (born July 12, 1974) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms.
Helms first began wrestling in 1991 at the age of 16, and wrestled in numerous independent promotions, including the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts, winning numerous light heavyweight and tag team championships. In 1999, he signed with WCW, and gained fame as "Sugar" Shane Helms, a member of 3 Count. During his time there he won both the WCW Hardcore Championship and the WCW Cruiserweight title. When WCW was bought by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) (now WWE), Helms' contract was kept by WWF. Helms renamed himself "The Hurricane" and won the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. He later picked up a sidekick, Rosey, and they won the World Tag Team Championship together.

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Harley Race
Harley Leland Race (born April 11, 1943) is a retired American professional wrestler and is a current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 8 times. He worked for all of the major wrestling promotions, including the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He was the first NWA United States Heavyweight Champion. Race is one of six men inducted into each of the WWE Hall of Fame, the WCW Hall of Fame, the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
Race was an early fan of professional wrestling, watching programming from the nearby Chicago territory on the DuMont Network. After overcoming polio as a child, he began training as a professional wrestler as a teen under former world champions Stanislaus and Wladek Zbyszko, who operated a farm in his native Missouri. While in high school, an altercation with another classmate led to the principal kneeing Race in the back of the head as he tried to break up the fight. Enraged, Race attacked him, resulting in his expulsion. Already 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) and 225 lb (102 kg), Race decided to get his start in professional wrestling.

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Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker (born March 3, 1962) is a former American college and professional football player and a mixed martial artist. He played college football for the University of Georgia, was a three-time All-American, and won the 1982 Heisman Trophy. Walker began his professional football career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL), before joining the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). In the NFL, he also played for the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
Walker was born in Wrightsville, Georgia to Willis and Christine Walker. He was raised as one of the 7 children in a blue collar family. Walker said that as a child he was overweight and had a speech impediment. Walker's mother taught him not to use these problems as excuses in life.
Walker played for the Johnson County High School Trojans in Wrightsville, Georgia from 1975–1979. In 1979, he rushed for 3,167 yards, helping the Trojans to their first state championship. He was awarded the first Dial Award for the national high school scholar-athlete of the year in 1979.

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Hornswoggle
Dylan Postl (born May 29, 1986) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Hornswoggle. He is employed by WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand. In WWE, he was the last Cruiserweight Champion before the belt was retired.
Prior to joining World Wrestling Entertainment, Dylan appeared with NWA Wisconsin in 2005 as "The World's Sexiest Midget" $hortstack, where he won the NWA Wisconsin X Division Championship.
He also would go on to capture the SSW Tag Team Championship with Devin Diamond from "The Pretty Hott Thangs" Ryan Kross and Josh Maxim on May 19, 2006 in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, but relinquished the belt due to having signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment.

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Howard Finkel
Howard Finkel (born June 7, 1950) is a professional wrestling ring announcer working with WWE in a variety of roles. Hired in 1975 by Vincent J. McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation, "The Fink" was the first person brought in to Vincent K. McMahon's nascent World Wrestling Federation and is widely credited as WWE's first and longest lasting employee.
Finkel, a native of Newark, New Jersey, began announcing wrestling shows at Madison Square Garden in 1977. By 1979, he was hired as the first employee of WWE (formerly WWF), and he was made lead ring announcer for the WWF's biggest events. Across three decades, Finkel's distinctive voice was one of the trademarks of WWF programming, and was sometimes used in the packaged intros for the company's weekly programming. Finkel's signature call was his announcement of a new champion following a change in titles, in which he would place increased emphasis while stretching out the word "New" in order to draw the greatest reaction from the crowd. Finkel also suggested the well-known pay-per-view name "WrestleMania," (he got it from The Beatles' theme in the 1960s BeatleMania) which owner Vince McMahon immediately accepted. Finkel also came up with Ricky Steamboat's "Dragon" nickname.

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Hulk Hogan
Terry Gene Bollea (born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
Hogan enjoyed mainstream popularity in the mid 1980s through the early 1990s as the all-American character Hulk Hogan in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF—now WWE), and was notable in the mid-to-late 1990s as Hollywood Hogan, the villainous nWo leader, in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Following the closure of WCW, he made a brief return to WWE in the early 2000s before revising his heroic character by combining elements of his two most famous personas.
Hogan was later inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He is a 12-time world champion being a six-time WWF/WWE Champion, six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, as well as a former WWE World Tag Team Champion with Edge. He won the Royal Rumble in 1990 and 1991, making him the first to win two consecutive Royal Rumbles. He was also the first WWE wrestler to win the WWE Championship three times. In his first reign as WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Hogan held the title for 469 days from July 17, 1994 to October 29, 1995—the longest ever reign for this championship.

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Iron Sheik
Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri (Persian:حسین خسرو علی وزیری) (born March 15, 1943) is a semi-retired Iranian professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name The Iron Sheik. He is known for ending the near six-year World Wrestling Federation Championship reign of Bob Backlund, and for being the man Hulk Hogan defeated for his first WWF Championship.
A heel throughout the 1980s, he later gained popularity on Opie and Anthony, Kidd Chris, The Howard Stern Show, and on the internet due to his shoot interviews and outbursts on the wrestling industry and the hatred he expressed for various wrestlers.
Khosrow was born in Tehran, Iran. He made a name for himself as an amateur wrestler, and also worked as a bodyguard for Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his family for several years.
Khosrow competed to become part of the Iranian Olympic Greco Roman team for the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Mexico.
After this, he moved to the United States and became the assistant coach of two US Olympic squads in the 1970s. In 1971, he was the Amateur Athletic Union Greco-Roman wrestling champion at 183.5 pounds. He was assistant coach to the USA team for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

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Ivan Putski
Józef Bednarski (born January 21, 1941), is a Polish former professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is known by the ring name Ivan Putski and was given the nicknames "The Polish Hammer" and "Polish Power".
Putski is a former WWF World Tag Team Champion with Tito Santana. Ivan was known to have an ongoing feud with another professional at the time, "Superstar" Billy Graham over the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, who also had an incredible physique and strength, which led to many pose-downs, arm wrestling bouts, and long, physical matches between the two. Other rivals included Iron Sheik, Ivan Koloff, and Jesse "The Body" Ventura, who when commentating for the WWF would refer to Putski as "Puduski" in much the same way he would later refer to Tito Santana as "Chico".
Putski was born in Poland and migrated to the United States at a young age. He and his family arrived in Texas, where Putski began his professional wrestling career. Ivan stood 5'6" and weighed around 225 pounds. In his earlier days he was weighed in at the 250 pound mark.

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Jack Brisco
Freddie Joe "Jack" Brisco (September 21, 1941 – February 1, 2010) was an American professional wrestler. He performed for various territories of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), becoming a two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and multi-time NWA Tag Team Champion with his brother Gerald Brisco. Brisco was considered one of the top wrestlers of his era; in 2005, Don Leo Jonathan called him "probably the greatest champion of the 20th century."
In the late 1970s, the Brisco brothers also discovered Terry Bollea, the future wrestling legend best known as Hulk Hogan, who they introduced to Hiro Matsuda for training.
Brisco grew up in Blackwell, Oklahoma with five siblings. He grew up as a fan of professional wrestling, and particularly a fan of NWA World Champion Lou Thesz He was followed by his younger brother, Gerald Brisco, into sport wrestling and turned down a football scholarship at University of Oklahoma to go to Oklahoma State. He was the first Native American to win an NCAA Wrestling National Championship in 1965. His winning the NCAA title was even more profound in that Brisco won it during his junior year, and didn't get taken down once during the entire season.

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Jack Lanza
John "Jack" Lanza (born October 14, 1935) is a retired professional wrestler. He was one half of The Blackjacks with Blackjack Mulligan in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) and World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). He is currently a producer in WWE. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006.
Lanza started his career in 1962. In the American Wrestling Association (AWA), he teamed with Bobby Duncum and was managed by Bobby Heenan. During his time in the company, his gimmick was that of a Western cowboy. The duo won the AWA World Tag Team Championship on July 23, 1976.
In the 1970s, Lanza and Mulligan teamed up to form The Blackjacks. Lanza was a main-eventer when the duo began teaming together. They were managed by Bobby Heenan.
In 1975, they joined the WWWF. On August 26, 1975, The Blackjacks defeated Dominic DeNucci and Pat Barrett for the WWWF World Tag Team Championship. The match was a two-out-of-three falls match, and the Blackjacks won the match by winning the first and third falls. As part of his tenure in WWWF, Vince McMahon promised Lanza that he would receive one World singles title shot a month.

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Jacqueline Moore
Jacqueline DeLois Moore (born January 6, 1964) is an American professional wrestler. She is best known for her stint in World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment from 1998 to 2004 as well as working for World Championship Wrestling in 1997/98 and later Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a wrestler, manager and road agent.
She began her career in the United States Wrestling Association, where she was an eight-time USWA Women's Champion. She later moved to World Championship Wrestling, where she briefly managed the team Harlem Heat. In 1998, she joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later World Wrestling Entertainment). She began managing Marc Mero and had first rivalry with Sable, which culminated in the re-establishment of the WWE Women's Championship, which Moore held twice during her time with the WWF. In 1999, she formed an all-female alliance with Terri Runnels and Ryan Shamrock called the Pretty Mean Sisters. In the early 2000s, Moore worked as both a referee and trainer for the WWF, and she also held the WWE Cruiserweight Championship, which was a title predominantly held by men. In 2004, she joined TNA, where she worked mostly as a manager and occasional wrestler.

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Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. (born May 30, 1955) is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith. He is best known by his ring name of Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and often brought snakes into the ring, including a python named Damien and even a de-venomed cobra.
Roberts is best known for his two stints in the World Wrestling Federation—the first between 1986-92, and the second between 1996-97. He wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance in 1983, World Championship Wrestling in 1992, and the Mexico-based Asistencia Asesoría y Administración between 1993 and 1994 and again in 1997. He appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling during the summer of 1997, and made appearances for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2006 through 2008.
Throughout his career he was known for his intense and cerebral promos, his dark charisma, his extensive use of psychology in his matches, and has been credited as inventor of the DDT maneuver. Roberts was also one of the subjects of the 1999 documentary film Beyond the Mat.

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James Dudley
James Dudley (May 12, 1910 – June 1, 2004) was an American baseball player, professional wrestling manager, and professional wrestling executive. He played Negro league baseball for nine years but is best known for his time with World Wide Wrestling Federation. Dudley was the first African-American to run a major United States arena (Turner's Arena in Washington, D.C.). He worked with four generations of wrestling's McMahon family and was particularly close with Vincent J. McMahon. At age 74, he was put back on the company's payroll to show appreciation for his work for the McMahons. He also managed several wrestlers in the WWWF and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1994.
Dudley was considered an "excellent athlete" and ran the 100 yard dash in under ten seconds on multiple occasions. Although he showed up for the trials for the 1924 United States Olympic team, he was not allowed to participate because African Americans were not permitted on the team. After playing semi-professional baseball in Baltimore, Maryland, Dudley signed with the Baltimore Elite Giants at age 27. Nicknamed "Big Train", he played catcher but started out helping pitchers warm up in the bullpen. Playing alongside two other talented catchers, Roy Campanella and Eggie Clarke, Dudley's playing time was limited. He remained with the Elite Giants until leaving professional baseball in 1945. In total, he played about 60 games in the Negro leagues.

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Jarvis Redwine
Jarvis John Redwine (born May 16, 1957) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons during the 1980s. Redwine played college football for the University of Nebraska, and earned All-American honors. He was selected in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings.
Redwine was born in Los Angeles, California.
Jarvis attended the University of Nebraska, where he played for coach Tom Osborne's Nebraska Cornhuskers football team. His first Cornhusker season's performance as a junior in 1979 earned him Osborne's endorsement as Nebraska's best chance at a Heisman Trophy winner since Johnny Rodgers in 1972. Redwine suffered a broken rib midway through his senior season in 1980, however, and dropped out of the Heisman race. Even so, he was the first Cornhusker to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, gaining 1,119.
The Minnesota Vikings picked Redwine in the second round (fifty-second choice overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft, and he played for the Vikings from 1981 to 1983.

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Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett (born April 14, 1967) is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), an organization he co-founded along with his father, Jerry. He is currently heading TNA's off-shoot promotion Ring Ka King in India. He is well-known from his multiple runs in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the 1990s.
A third-generation wrestler, Jarrett has held seventy championships in various promotions throughout his career. Within TNA, he is currently recognized as an eleven-time world champion, having been a six-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, four-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and one-time AAA World Heavyweight Champion. He has also accumulated five additional world title reigns, being a three-time USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion and two-time WWA World Heavyweight Champion. He achieved notable championship success in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), becoming a six-time Intercontinental Champion (a record from 1999–2004), and one of three men to hold both the Intercontinental and European Championships simultaneously. While he never captured the WWF Championship, Jarrett challenged for the title and is recognized by the promotion as a four-time world champion, given his four reigns with the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, which is now a WWE (formerly WWF) trademark. He is the first wrestler to be a two-time King of the Mountain, and also won Mexican promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración's (AAA) Rey de Reyes tournament in 2004. Between the WWF, WCW, and TNA, Jarrett has held twenty-two total championships as well as other numerous regional titles.

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Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler (born November 29, 1949) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional wrestler. He also wrestles and occasionally commentates for the Memphis Wrestling promotion.
Lawler has held 168 championships throughout his career. Overall, Lawler has held more championships than any other current WWE performer, though he has never won any WWE championships since joining the company.
While working in Memphis, Tennessee as a disc jockey, Lawler's artistic ability attracted the attention of local wrestling promoter Aubrey Griffith. The two made an agreement in which Lawler would give Griffith free publicity in exchange for free wrestling training. Lawler debuted as a wrestler in 1970 and won his first championship in September 1971 by winning a battle royal. He soon won the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship under the managerial service of Sam Bass with partner Jim White. In 1974, Lawler began feuding with Jackie Fargo, who had been his trainer and mentor. This led to a match for the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship. On July 24, 1974, Lawler was booked to win the belt and the title of "King of Wrestling." While Lawler began his career as a heel, he became a face after splitting from Bass at the end of 1974. On November 12, 1979, while working in the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA), Lawler defeated Billy Graham to become the CWA World Champion. In 1980, his career was put on hold due to a broken leg, but he returned to the ring after several months.

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Jesse Ventura
James George Janos (born July 15, 1951), better known as Jesse Ventura, is an American statesman, actor, author, and former professional wrestler who served as the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003.
Ventura served as a Navy UDT during the Vietnam War. He later embarked on an 11-year professional wrestling career from 1975 to 1986, taking up the stage name Jesse "The Body" Ventura. He had a long tenure in the World Wrestling Federation as a performer and color commentator, and was inducted into the company's Hall of Fame in 2004. After leaving wrestling, Ventura began a successful film career, appearing in films such as 1987's Predator.
Ventura first entered politics as Mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota from 1991 to 1995. He ran as the Reform Party candidate in the Minnesota gubernatorial election of 1998, running a campaign centered on grassroots events and unusual ads that implored citizens not to "vote for politics as usual". The campaign was successful, and Ventura served from January 4, 1999, to January 6, 2003, without running for a second term.

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Jim Duggan
James Edward Duggan (born January 14, 1954), better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). His best known character is that of an American patriot, which sees him use a 2x4 length of wood as a weapon, the battle cry "Hooo!" and the U-S-A! cheer.
Duggan is a survivor of kidney cancer, an illness he was diagnosed with during his time with WCW. Duggan has claimed to have wrestled in all 50 States in America as well as in the countries/territories of Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guam, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Scotland, England and Wales (In The United Kingdom.)
In the WWF, Duggan was the winner of the first-ever Royal Rumble match in 1988 and in WCW, he was a one time United States Heavyweight Champion and a one time (and the final) World Television Champion.

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Jim Ritcher
James Alexander Ritcher (born May 21, 1958) is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for sixteen seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Ritcher played college football for North Carolina State University, and received All-American honors. He was picked in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Buffalo Bills and Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.
Ritcher was born in Berea, Ohio. He attended Highland High School in Medina, Ohio, where he played high school football.
He attended North Carolina State University, and played for the NC State Wolfpack football team from 1976 to 1979. As a senior in 1979, he was a consensus first-team was an All-American and won the Outland Trophy as the nation's best college offensive lineman.
In the National Football League, Richer was moved to guard from center by the Buffalo Bills, for whom he played fourteen seasons. He started in all four Super Bowl appearances of the Bills (Super Bowl XXV, Super Bowl XXVI, Super Bowl XXVII, and Super Bowl XXVIII) and was selected to two Pro Bowls. He finished his career with the Atlanta Falcons.

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Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross (born January 3, 1952) is a professional wrestling commentator, referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a talent relations consultant and on WWE NXT as a Play-by-Play announcer. Ross was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest commentators in wrestling history. He is known affectionately by wrestling fans as Good Ol' JR. In recent years, he has developed his own brand of barbecue sauces and cookbooks.
While attending Westville High School, Ross was the first baseman on the Westville baseball team. Ross was a two-time all-conference football player for the Westville Yellowjackets in 1968–69. His maternal grandparents owned a general store in Westville, Oklahoma and his paternal grandfather Dee Ross owned an off-sale beer store and was a carpenter. Ross was also President of the Student Body, a 4 year letterman in basketball, and State Vice President of the Future Farmers of America where he was State Speech Champion in 1968. Ross was also named Honorable Mention on the 1969 High School All State Football team by the Tulsa World as a center.

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Jim Stuckey
James Davis Stuckey (born June 21, 1958) is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1980s. Stuckey played college football for Clemson University, and was recognized as an All-American. A first-round pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets of the NFL.
Stuckey was born in Cayce, South Carolina.
Stuckey attended Clemson University, and played for the Clemson Tigers football team from 1976 to 1979. As a senior in 1979, he earned consensus first-team All-American honors.
He was drafted in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft by the 49ers. He was a member of the San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XIX winning teams. One of his more notable accomplishments was sealing a victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the 1981 NFC title game by recovering a fumble from quarterback Danny White with less than thirty seconds left in the game. However, this is not well known to most NFL fans, as it was proceeded by The Catch(which caught by his college teammate Dwight Clark, one of the most famous plays in NFL Lore.

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Jimmy Hart
James "Jimmy" Ray Hart (born January 1, 1944) is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, Jerry "The King" Lawler, Ted DiBiase, and The Honky Tonk Man. He is a one-time AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion.
Before becoming involved with professional wrestling, Hart was a member of rock band The Gentrys, best known for their 1965 top five Billboard Hot 100 hit, "Keep on Dancing".
Jimmy Hart was brought into wrestling by Jerry "The King" Lawler, with whom he had attended Memphis Treadwell High School. Having been asked to sing back-up with Lawler, Hart later became Lawler's manager.
After splitting from Lawler, Hart created a stable known as Hart's First Family of Wrestling to attack Lawler, which among others included King Kong Bundy, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, Lanny Poffo, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Ox Baker, Kamala, Randy Savage, "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert, The Iron Sheik and Kevin Sullivan.

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Jimmy Snuka
James William "Jimmy" Reiher (born May 18, 1943) is a semi-retired Fijian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Originally from the Fiji Islands, Snuka wrestled for several promotions in the 1970s and 1980s. Snuka was the first ECW Heavyweight Champion and held the title on two occasions. He is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the early to mid-1980s and is credited with introducing the high-flyer style of wrestling to the WWF. His children Jimmy Reiher, Jr. and Sarona Reiher are also wrestlers.
Reiher was active in amateur bodybuilding in Hawaii in the 1960s. He also enjoyed some success as a professional bodybuilder, earning the titles of Mr. Hawaii, Mr. Waikiki and Mr. North Shore. Reiher opted to go into the more lucrative career of professional wrestling due to his uncertainty of making a living in bodybuilding. While working at Dean Ho's gym in Hawaii, Snuka met many of the wrestlers who worked in the South Pacific region and decided to try the sport. Snuka made his debut as Jimmy Kealoha fighting Maxwell "Bunny" Butler in Hawaii in 1970. He later moved to the mainland and wrestled for Don Owen’s NWA Pacific Northwest territory where he held the belt as Heavyweight Champion six times. He first won the title by pinning Bull Ramos on November 16, 1973. It was in this territory, that Reiher transformed himself into Jimmy Snuka. Snuka also held the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship six times with partner Dutch Savage. Snuka also had a two year feud with another rookie, Jesse "The Body" Ventura.

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Jimmy Valiant
James Harold Fanning (born August 6, 1942) is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.
Jimmy Valiant was born in Franklin County, Tennessee, near Tullahoma as the youngest of five children of James and Effie Fanning. He later incorporated the names of his four sisters - Louise, Christine, Charlena and Patrica - into the spider web tattoo on his upper arm.
He later moved to Willingboro, New Jersey. He married Clara, with whom he fathered three children: Robin, Rhonda, and Dana. With Felicia, he has his youngest son Handsome. He is now married to Angel. He has 6 grandchildren: Lonna, Jenae, Beau, Chassie, Clarissa, and Delilah.
He started wrestling in 1964 as Big Jim Vallen. He went to the World Wide Wrestling Federation in the 1970s as Handsome Jimmy Valiant and formed a team with Johnny Valiant that would dominate the tag team scene for a while as WWWF Tag Team champions.
During the late 1970s - early 1980s, Valiant was a central player in the Memphis, Tennessee wrestling scene. He feuded regularly with Jerry Lawler and teamed with Bill Dundee to dominate the tag team matches of that time. He even recorded a song, "The Ballad of Handsome Jimmy" that began, "I've been rolling into Mempho ... TWA ... [T]ell all the women Handsome Jimmy's on the way..." The song was used in wrestling arenas as his entry music, and it became a mainstay on some Memphis radio stations for a few years. Despite the Memphis promotion desperately wanting to keep him in Memphis full-time, even offering to buy him a house in Memphis according to Jerry Lawler's biography, Valiant decided to move on after holding the AWA Southern Heavyweight title for roughly a year. Valiant also spent a brief amount of time in Jim Crockett Promotions in the late 1970s as the heel King James Valiant managed by Lord Alfred Hayes.

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John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena (/ˈsiːnə/; born April 23, 1977) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its Raw brand.
In WWE, Cena has won 19 championships in total, including 12 world titles (having won the WWE Championship a record 10 times and the World Heavyweight Championship twice). In addition, Cena has also won the WWE United States Championship three times, and is a four-time Tag Team Champion, having held the World Tag Team Championship twice (once each with Shawn Michaels and Batista), and the WWE Tag Team Championship twice (once each with David Otunga and The Miz). Cena also won the 2008 Royal Rumble match, and is a two-time Superstar of the Year Slammy Award winner (2009 and 2010). He also has the fourth highest number of combined days as WWE Champion behind Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan and Bruno Sammartino.
Cena started his professional wrestling career in 2000, wrestling for Ultimate Pro Wrestling, where he held the UPW Heavyweight Championship. In 2001, Cena signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) where he held the OVW Heavyweight Championship and the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship (with Rico Constantino).

wn.com/John_Cena
John Layfield
John Charles Layfield (born November 29, 1966) is an American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News. Layfield is best known by his ring names, Bradshaw, John "Bradshaw" Layfield or JBL while working for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he was the longest reigning WWE Champion in SmackDown history with a reign lasting 280 days.
Layfield's main gimmick as John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) – a wealthy, gladhanding, big-mouthed, fiery-tempered businessman – was based on Layfield's real-life accomplishments as a stock market investor. Layfield is a regular panelist on Fox News Channel's The Cost of Freedom, has appeared on CNBC, and has written a best-selling book on financial planning called Have More Money Now. (ISBN 0-7434-6633-0). Layfield also hosts a weekend talk radio program, syndicated nationally by Talk Radio Network, in which he discusses his conservative political views. Layfield is also employed by Northeast Securities as its Senior Vice President.

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Johnny Rodz
Johnny Rodriguez (born May 16, 1938) is a retired American professional wrestler. He has previously worked as a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Rodz.
He was part of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) from its early years, appearing on WWWF cards as far back as 1965. He wrestled Bob Backlund in Madison Square Garden while working for the WWWF at the time. He was dubbed "the fire brand from the Bronx" by TV announcer Ray Morgan. For much of the next two decades through mid-1985, Rodz was a mainstay of the federation, though largely used as a jobber. In 1980's Showdown at Shea, he was defeated by Ivan Putski.
For a time, he also worked with Mike and Gene LeBell's NWA Hollywood Wrestling in the '70s. He won a greater share of matches wrestling as 'Arabian Wildman' Java Ruuk and even won the promotion's battle royal in 1976.
In 1996, Rodz was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame by Arnold Skaaland.
On the March 1, 2007 episode of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's Impact showed The Latin American Xchange (LAX) attacking Rodz as part of their feud with Team 3D. Ten days later at Destination X, he accompanied Team 3D to the ring for their Ghettobrawl match with LAX at a Destination X pay-per-view.

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Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan William Coachman (born August 12, 1972), also known as "The Coach", is a former professional wrestling color commentator and authority figure. He is also a former college basketball player, and football play-by-play announcer. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment, where he spent nine years as a commentator, interviewer, and occasional wrestler.
He is currently an anchor on ESPN First Take and SportsCenter on both ESPN and occasionally on ESPN America. He also introduces updates on Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN2.
Before embarking on an announcing career in professional wrestling, Coachman was a highly scouted basketball prospect. After two state basketball championships at McPherson High School in McPherson, Kansas, Coachman moved across town to continue playing for McPherson College. While at McPherson, Coachman's interests included participating in theatre, serving as the sports editor for the school newspaper, and doing play-by-play and color commentary for the local football and basketball radio broadcasts.

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Jules Strongbow
Frank Hill is a former professional wrestler, who is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where he used to wrestle as Chief Jules Strongbow or simply Jules Strongbow, the brother of Chief Jay Strongbow.
Jules made his wrestling debut in the 1970s using his real name. In 1982, he entered the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and teamed with Chief Jay Strongbow, assuming his most famous ring name and billing himself as Chief Jay's brother. They formed a noted tag team, known as The Strongbows. On June 28, 1982, Strongbows defeated the team of Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito for their first WWF Tag Team Championship. On July 13 edition of Championship Wrestling, Strongbows lost the belts back to Fuji and Saito. On October 26 edition of Championship Wrestling, Strongbows defeated Fuji and Saito for their second tag title reign. They were defeated for the belts in Allentown, Pennsylvania on March 8, 1983 edition of Championship Wrestling by The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika). Shortly after losing the titles, Jules left the WWF.

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Junior Miller
Selvia Miller, Jr. (born November 26, 1957) is a former American college and professional football player who was a tight end in the national Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the 1980s. Miller played college football for the University of Nebraska, and earned All-American honors. He was selected in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft, played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints of the NFL, and was twice selected to the Pro Bowl.
Miller was born in Midland, Texas. He attended Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, and was a standout high school football player for the Lee Rebels.
He attended the University of Nebraska, where he played for coach Tom Osborne's Nebraska Cornhuskers football team from 1976 to 1979. As a senior in 1979, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American.
The Atlanta Falcons chose Miller in the first round (seventh pick overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft, and he played for the Falcons from 1980 to 1983. He was selected for the Pro Bowl in 1980 and 1981. He played his fifth and final NFL season for the New Orleans Saints in 1984.

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Junkyard Dog
Sylvester Ritter (December 13, 1952 – June 2, 1998) was an American professional wrestler and professional football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as The Junkyard Dog (or JYD for short). Entering the ring with his trademark chain attached to a dog collar, to the music of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust," JYD regularly headlined cards that sold out the Louisiana Superdome and other major venues. JYD was one of the most electrifying and charismatic wrestlers in the country, particularly during his peak in the early 1980s. JYD was most known for his head butt and upper-body strength, the latter of which saw him regularly body slam such large wrestlers as the One Man Gang, Kamala, and King Kong Bundy. The word "thump," which referred to JYD's power slam, was prominently displayed on his wrestling trunks.
Ritter played football at Fayetteville State University, twice earning honorable mention All-American status, and is a member of The Sports Hall Of Fame. He graduated with a political science degree and was selected by the Green Bay Packers organization, but knee and back surgery ended his football career. Also a member of Groove Phi Groove and All CIAA member Chet Grimsley who authored a book on their travels The White Golden Bull.

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Karl Istaz
Karl Istaz (August 3, 1924 - July 28, 2007) was a professional wrestler and trainer born in Antwerp, Belgium, best known by his ring name Karl Gotch. The German suplex is named after Gotch.^{[citation needed]}
In Japan, Gotch was known as "God of Pro Wrestling" due to his influence in shaping the Japanese professional wrestling style.
Gotch was born in Antwerp.He grew up with his family, who were the well known "Istaz family". He learned Greco-Roman wrestling in his early years and from the beginning he was a very well known sportsman. He wrestled in "The Hippodroom", a notable sports center in Antwerp, where amateur fights like boxing matches and wrestling matches were fought.
Karl Gotch excelled in amateur wrestling and experienced a major breakthrough in his career by competing as Charles Istaz for Belgium in the 1948 Olympics in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. Gotch also trained in the Indian martial art of Pehlwani. This training led to Gotch's regime of calisthenic bodyweight exercise, which were used by Indian wrestlers and other athletes to build leg endurance and strength. He also adopted other Indian exercises, such as the bridge, Hindu squats, and Hindu press ups in his wrestling. Gotch's philosophy was later passed on to several of his students.

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Keith Van Horne
Keith Van Horne (born November 6, 1957) is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for the University of Southern California, and received All-American honors. Van Horne was selected in the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the NFL's Chicago Bears.
Van Horne was born in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He attended Fullerton High School in Fullerton, California. His Fullerton football varsity team mates included future NFL New Orleans Saints tight end Hoby Brenner.
He attended the University of Southern California, where he played for the USC Trojans football team from 1977 to 1980. As a senior in 1980, was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American.
The Chicago Bears selected Van Horne in the first round (eleventh pick overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft, and he played for the Bears from 1981 though 1993. He was a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears team, winners of Super Bowl XX. In his thirteen NFL seasons, he played in 186 games for the Bears, and started 169 of them.

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Ken Margerum
Kenneth Margerum (born October 5, 1958) is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1980s. Margerum played college football for Stanford University, and earned All-American honors. He played professionally for the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers of the NFL. He has also coached in several capacities at the college level, as head football coach at Menlo College, wide receivers coach at Stanford and the University of Hawaii, and through the 2009 season as an assistant coach for San Jose State University. Margerum also served as offensive coordinator for the Scottish Claymores in NFL Europe.
Margerum was born in Fountain Valley, California. He went to Fountain Valley High School, where one of his schoolmates was Michelle Pfeiffer.
Margerum attended Stanford University, where he played for the Stanford Cardinal football team from 1977 to 1980. A consensus first-team All-American wide receiver in 1979 and 1980, Margerum was known for his acrobatic catches and sure hands. Margerum was a favorite target of Stanford quarterback John Elway. He held the Pac-10 record for career touchdowns with 32 until 2006 when Dwayne Jarrett broke it and held the Stanford record for receiving yards (2,430) until that mark was broken in 1999 by Troy Walters.

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Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock (born Kenneth Wayne Kilpatrick; February 11, 1964) is an American mixed martial artist, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler. Shamrock emerged as one of the biggest stars in the history of mixed martial arts, headlining over 15 main events and co-main events in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships during the course of his career and set numerous pay per view records with his drawing power. Shamrock is widely considered to be a legendary figure and icon in the sport of mixed martial arts. Shamrock was named The World's Most Dangerous Man by ABC News in a special entitled "The World's Most Dangerous Things" in the early part of his UFC career, a moniker which has become synonymous as his nickname.
Shamrock became known early on in the UFC for his rivalry with Royce Gracie. After fighting to a draw with Gracie in the inaugural Superfight, he became the first UFC Superfight Champion after defeating Dan Severn at UFC 6; the title was eventually renamed the UFC Heavyweight Championship when weight categories were introduced to the UFC. He was also the first foreign MMA Champion in Japan, winning the title of King of Pancrase. During his reign as the UFC Superfight Champion, he was widely considered the #1 mixed martial artist in the world. Shamrock was also ranked by Inside MMA as one of the top 10 greatest mixed martial arts fighters of all time.

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Kenneth Sims
Kenneth Wayne Sims (born October 31, 1959) is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League for eight seasons during the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a two-time consensus All-American. Sims was the first overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the New England Patriots of the NFL.
Sims was born in Kosse, Texas. He almost quit football before his college football career even began. In his junior year at Groesbeck High School, Sims quit football. That summer, he realized that football was indeed for him, spent his senior year playing linebacker, fullback and tight end, rather than a tackle.
At the University of Texas, Sims spent his freshmen year learning the basics of the tackle position. He spent his sophomore year behind Steve McMichael and Bill Acker, then became a force his junior year. He made 131 tackles, and was named an All-American. As a senior, in 1981, he was awarded the Lombardi Trophy, becoming the first Longhorn to win it. He was also the 1981 UPI Lineman of the Year and was All-American once again.

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Kenny Easley
Kenneth Mason Easley, Jr. (born January 15, 1959) is a former American college and professional football player who was a strong safety in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1980s. Easley played college football for the University of California, Los Angeles, and was a three-time consensus All-American. A first-round pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks from 1981 to 1987. He is considered as one of the greatest Seahawks players of all-time and one of the greatest safeties in NFL history.
In 1984, Easley was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He was a four-time All-Pro selection and was elected to the Pro Bowl five times in his career. Easley's career ended after the 1987 season after being diagnosed with severe kidney disease.
In 1998, was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
Easley was born in Chesapeake, Virginia. He attended Oscar F. Smith High School in Chesapeake, and was an All-State selection and high school football All-American.

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Kerry Von Erich
Kerry Gene Adkisson (February 3, 1960 – February 18, 1993) was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich, The Modern Day Warrior, and The Texas Tornado and was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers. He is best known for his time with his father's promotion World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), where he spent eleven years of his career, and his time in World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Adkisson held forty championships in various promotions during his career. Among other accolades, he was a five-time world champion: a four-time WCWA World Heavyweight Champion and one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and a one-time WWF Intercontinental Champion.
Kerry was the son of wrestler Fritz Von Erich. His brothers, David, Kevin, Mike, and Chris, were also wrestlers. Kerry was also a standout in high school track and field and possessed a record-breaking discus throw. He debuted in his father's promotion, NWA Texas/Big Time Wrestling on June 17, 1979 against Gary Hart. In Big Time Wrestling, he held many Texas Tag Team and American Tag Team titles.

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Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash (born July 9, 1959) is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program. Nash has wrestled under several ring names, but is most notably known by his real name in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF)/World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE, where he has also been billed as Diesel.
Between WWE, WCW, and TNA, Nash has won a total of 21 championships. He is a six-time world champion: a five-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and one-time WWF Champion. He was the longest-reigning WWF Champion of the 1990s, having held the title for 358 days. He has achieved notable success in the tag team division as well, being a twelve-time world tag team champion: a nine-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, two-time WWF World Tag Team Champion and one-time TNA World Tag Team Champion. He is also a one-time WWF Intercontinental Champion and a two-time TNA Legends Champion. In addition to championships, he won the 1998 WCW World War 3. Nash was a member of The Kliq, a group which included Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman. He is also one of the three founding members of the New World Order (nWo), along with Hulk Hogan and Scott Hall.

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Kevin Von Erich
Kevin Ross Adkisson (born May 15, 1957) is a retired professional wrestler under the ring name Kevin Von Erich of the Von Erich Family. He is the last surviving son of wrestler Fritz Von Erich and had four brothers that wrestled, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris, as well as an older brother, Jack, Jr., who died in 1959.
Kevin Adkisson played football at North Texas State University as a fullback, second string to Garry Smith, until an injury ended his football career and dream of playing in the National Football League.
Kevin started wrestling as Kevin Von Erich in 1976. He spent most of his career wrestling for his father's promotion, World Class Championship Wrestling. Kevin's natural athletic ability and good looks made him one of the promotion's biggest stars. He achieved great success in the company both as a singles and tag team wrestler, often participating in many of the company's high profile feuds. Kevin was also known for wrestling barefoot, highly unusual in a sport where almost all wrestlers wear high-topped boots. World Class announcers often jokingly referred to him as "The Barefoot Boy" on WCCW broadcasts. Kevin later admitted in an interview that he never set out to wrestle barefoot, but that before one of his matches someone hid his boots as a rib, and he wasn't able to find them before his match, so just went out barefoot to wrestle, and it later became his trademark. Contrary to popular belief, He wore boots in matches in his early career, including his debut match against Paul Perschmann aka Playboy Buddy Rose and in a match against Superfly Jimmy Snuka. Kevin was a big fan of Snuka's, who also wrestled barefoot, and Kevin often performed a moved similar to Snuka's flying body splash from the top rope, which Snuka calls The Superfly.

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Killer Kowalski
Władek (later Walter) "Killer" Kowalski (October 13, 1926 – August 30, 2008), born Edward Władysław Spulnik, was a Polish Canadian professional wrestler. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career, including the NWA and WWF, and was a known heel wrestler. He held numerous championships including the WWWF World Tag Team Championship with Big John Studd billed as The Executioners and managed by Lou Albano. After retiring in 1977, Kowalski started a professional wrestling school in Malden, Massachusetts and trained many professional wrestlers, including Triple H, Ron Zombie, Chyna, Former Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Champion Eddie Edwards and Kofi Kingston. He was also a vegetarian.
The man later known as "Killer Kowalski" (he legally changed his name in 1963) was the son of Polish immigrants Antoni Spulnik and Maria Borowska, he and his brother Stanley were raised in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Years later, he would tell interviewers that he never expected to be a wrestler. By the age of fourteen, he was already 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm), and because he was thin for his height, he began working out at the local YMCA, but he had no plan to go into athletics at that time. When he entered college, his major was electrical engineering. He worked part-time at the Ford plant in Detroit to help pay his way.

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King Curtis Iaukea
Curtis Piehau Iaukea, III (September 15, 1937 – December 4, 2010) was a professional wrestler better known as King Curtis Iaukea. Iaukea won championships in several of the major regional US promotions, both as a single and in various tag team combinations, during the 1960s. He then competed in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) where he won the WWF Tag Team Championship. He was also later The Master of the Dungeon of Doom in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Under the name "Iau Kea" he appeared in the film The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze with Moe Howard declaring "That's not a man! That's a committee!".
He was the great grandson of Colonel Curtis Iaukea, a vice chamberlain and diplomat to the court of King Kalākaua and Queen Liliuokalani and later Sheriff of Honolulu and son of a Honolulu Police Department Inspector also named Curtis Iaukea. He attended Punahou School and the University of California Berkeley as an economics major where he lettered as a lineman until he dropped out. He played as a tackle for the BC Lions from 1958-1959.

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Kofi Kingston
Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981), is a Ghanaian American professional wrestler signed to WWE and appearing on its Raw brand under the ring name, Kofi Kingston. He and R-Truth are the current WWE Tag Team Champions. Since debuting with WWE, he has won the Intercontinental Championship three times, the United States Championship twice, the World Tag Team Championship once with CM Punk and the WWE Tag Team Championship twice, once with Evan Bourne and once with R-Truth.
He made his official wrestling debut in 2006, when he faced Tony Omega at Chaotic Wrestling on February 24th. He faced Evan Siks on June 4 for the PWF Mayhem Heavyweight Championship. He competed primarily in the New England area, including stints in National Wrestling Alliance – New England, Millennium Wrestling Federation, New England Championship Wrestling, the Eastern Wrestling Alliance, and Chaotic Wrestling.
In September 2006, he signed a developmental contract with WWE and was assigned to Deep South Wrestling (DSW), a Georgia based developmental federation. He debuted in the new company, as Kofi Nahaje Kingston, in a dark match loss to Montel Vontavious Porter on September 21. For the rest of 2006 and the beginning of 2007, he appeared in DSW, as well as its Kentucky based sister promotion Ohio Valley Wrestling, where he was in a tag team dubbed the "Commonwealth Connection" with Harry Smith. In 2007, under the ring name "Kofi Nahaje Kingson", he had his first exposure to the main WWE roster, when he worked dark matches on March 5 and 26 before episodes of Raw against Charlie Haas and Trevor Murdoch, respectively. When he returned to the developmental federations, he shortened his original ring name to "Kofi Kingston" and continued to use both ring names throughout his duration there. He also worked live events, defeating Shelton Benjamin on May 5, and Val Venis on May 6.

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Kristal Marshall
Kristal Marshall (born November 11, 1983) is an American model, beauty queen, and former professional wrestler best known for her work in World Wrestling Entertainment on its SmackDown! brand and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion working as Kristal Lashley the kayfabe wife of Bobby Lashley and his real life girlfriend.
Prior to working for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Marshall appeared as a competitor in the 2004 Miss California pageant, as a model for Deal or No Deal, in music videos for 50 Cent and Ma$e, and in commercials for The Best Damn Sports Show Period.^{[citation needed]} She was at one time a Barker Beauty on The Price Is Right.
Marshall first entered WWE as a contestant in the 2005 Raw Diva Search, in which she eventually finished fourth. Despite not winning the Diva Search contract, Marshall was signed to a development deal soon after the contest finished and sent to Deep South Wrestling, WWE newest "farm territory" at that time. In December 2005, she joined the SmackDown! roster as a backstage correspondent, interviewing the brand's superstars during the shows.

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Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968 in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania) is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and actor. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a former five-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion. He is also known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (WWF/E), and for being the only Olympic gold medalist in the history of professional wrestling.
Angle was involved in amateur wrestling during both high school and college. In college at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, he won numerous accolades, including being a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I champion. After graduating, he won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1995 World Wrestling Championships. Angle then competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where he won a gold medal in heavyweight freestyle wrestling. Kurt Angle is also one of only four people to complete a Grand Slam in amateur wrestling which is the junior nationals, the NCAAs, the World Championships and the Olympics. He was named the greatest shoot wrestler and one of the top 15 college wrestlers of all time by USA Wrestling.

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Lance Storm
Lance Evers (born April 3, 1969) known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler, currently appearing in the Ring of Honor promotion. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling. He runs a pro wrestling school the, Storm Wrestling Academy, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Lance Storm was trained by Ed Langley and Brad Young of the Hart Brothers Wrestling Camp at the Silver Dollar Action Centre in Calgary where he became friends with fellow student Chris Jericho. Jericho has stated that despite the name of the school, the only involvement any of the Hart brothers had in their training was a "thirty-minute cameo" by Keith Hart to collect the student's fees. Lance would later debut against Jericho in 1990 as Lance T. Storm. Early on, he mainly wrestled in Calgary but also spent time in Japan in Wrestling Association "R". Along with Jericho, Storm debuted in Smoky Mountain Wrestling in 1994, forming a tag team known as the Thrillseekers. After Jericho was injured, Storm continued to compete in singles competition for a few months, even winning the "Beat the Champ" TV Title. He then left SMW and moved on to a Winnipeg-based West Four Wrestling Alliance, where he teamed once again with Jericho.

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Larry Zbyszko
Lawrence "Larry" Whistler (born December 5, 1951) is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino during the early 1980s.
Zbyszko's ring name has in the past been misspelled Zbysko or Zybysko. The correct spelling of the name, Zbyszko, is derived from the name of Polish wrestler Stanislaus Zbyszko.
Whistler trained under Bruno Sammartino and debuted in 1973 as the babyface "Larry Zbyszko", with his name a tribute to 1920s Polish American wrestler Stanislaus Zbyszko. He initially wrestled in the Pittsburgh area, appearing on the local wrestling program Studio Wrestling, before receiving bookings in Vancouver. He spent three years in the World Wide Wrestling Federation before traveling to California in 1975.
Zbyszko was one of the attractions in the 1976 Latin America Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight championship, held in Guatemala City, under Jose Azzari promotions. Three days after the end of the tournament (Mil Máscaras won the title, defeating Jose Azzari in the final), an earthquake destroyed much of that Central American nation.

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Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League (NFL). He is considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of football, and has been ranked as the top defensive player in league history by former players, coaches, media members, and news outlets such as the NFL Network, and Sporting News.
After an All-American career at the University of North Carolina (UNC) (1978–1981), Taylor was drafted by the Giants as the second overall selection in the 1981 NFL Draft. Although controversy surrounded the selection due to Taylor's contract demands, the two sides quickly resolved the issue. Taylor won several defensive awards after his rookie season. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Taylor was a disruptive force at outside linebacker, and is credited with changing the pass rushing schemes, offensive line play, and offensive formations used in the NFL. Taylor produced double-digit sacks each season from 1984 through 1990, including a career high of 20.5 in 1986. He also won a record three Defensive Player of the Year awards and was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his performance during the 1986 season. He was named First-team All-Pro in each of his first nine seasons and was a key member of the Giants' defense, nicknamed "The Big Blue Wrecking Crew", that led New York to victories in Super Bowls XXI and XXV. During the 1980s Taylor, fellow linebackers Carl Banks, Gary Reasons, and Hall of Famer Harry Carson gave the Giants linebacking corps a reputation as one of the best in the NFL.

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Leonard Mitchell
Leonard Boyd Mitchell (born October 12, 1958) is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Houston, and earned All-Americanhonors. Mitchell was selected in the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.
Mitchell was born in Houston, Texas.

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Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell "Larry" Pfohl (born June 2, 1958), better known by his ring name Lex Luger, is an American former professional wrestler and football player currently working with WWE on their wellness policy. He is best known for his work with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
Among other accolades in professional wrestling, Luger is a three-time world champion, having held the WCW World Heavyweight Championship twice and the WWA World Heavyweight Championship once; a record-tying five-time NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Champion who owns the record for consecutive days and most total days spent as champion; and the 1994 WWF Royal Rumble winner (with Bret Hart). Readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated voted Luger the Most Popular Wrestler of the Year 1993.

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Lou Albano
Louis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano (July 29, 1933 – October 14, 2009) was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995.
Throughout his 42-year career, Albano guided 15 different tag teams and four singles competitors to championship gold. Albano was part of the "Triumvirate of Terror," a threesome of nefarious WWF managers that also included The Grand Wizard of Wrestling and Fred Blassie. The trio would be fixtures in the company for a decade, until the Grand Wizard's death in 1983.
A unique showman, with an elongated beard, rubber band facial piercings, and loud outfits, Albano was the forefather of the 1980s Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection. Collaborating with Cyndi Lauper, Albano helped usher in wrestling's crossover success with a mainstream audience. Capitalizing on his success, he later ventured into Hollywood with various television, film, and music projects.

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Louis Oubre
Louis Byron Oubre, III (born May 15, 1958) is a former American college and professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the 1980s. He played college football for the University of Oklahoma, and earned All-American honors. He played professionally for the NFL's New Orleans Saints, and later the Miami Dolphins.
He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he played at St. Augustine High School. He was a member of the Purple Knights' 1975 Class AAAA state championship team.
Oubre attended the University of Oklahoma, where he played for the Oklahoma Sooners football team from 1977 to 1980. As a senior in 1980, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American.
The New Orleans Saints chose Oubre in the fifth round (112th pick overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft, and he played for the Saints from 1981 to 1984. He later played for the Miami Dolphins during his final NFL season in 1987.

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Mae Young
Johnnie Mae Young (born March 12, 1923) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and currently WWE Ambassador.
Young was an influential pioneer in women's wrestling, helping to increase its popularity during World War II and training many generations of wrestlers. She wrestled throughout the United States and Canada, and won multiple titles in the National Wrestling Alliance.
Beginning in 1999, Young had a high-profile "second career" in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Young was part of a recurring comedic duo with best friend The Fabulous Moolah in appearances on WWE televised events. She is a member of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and the WWE Hall of Fame. Young holds the distinction of being the only professional wrestler to wrestle documented matches in nine different decades, having her first in 1939 and her latest match in 2010.
Johnnie Mae Young was an amateur wrestler on her high school's boys' wrestling team at the age of fifteen. Her brothers Fred, Eugen, Lawarence, and Everett taught her to wrestle and helped her join the team. She was the youngest of eight children (one died at birth). Her mother Lilly Mae Young was a single mother (her partner left to find work and never returned) living during the Great Depression. Young's oldest sister Inie was severely disabled by whooping cough at a very young age. Young also played softball with Tulsa's national championship team. While still in high school, Young went to a professional wrestling show and challenged then-champion Mildred Burke when she visited Tulsa to wrestle Gladys Gillem. Because the promoters told her she could not wrestle the champion, she wrestled Gillem in a shoot fight, beating her within seconds. After the fight, promoter Billy Wolfe wanted Young to become a professional wrestler. She left home two years later to wrestle professionally.

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Mark Herrmann
Mark Donald Herrmann (born January 8, 1959) is a former American college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Herrmann played college football for Purdue University, and was recognized as an All-American. He subsequently played professionally for five different NFL teams. After retiring as a player, he became the Associate Director of Educational Programs for the NCAA, and currently works as a broadcaster for local football after serving on the Indianapolis Colts broadcast crew for nearly a decade.
Herrmann was born and raised in Carmel, Indiana, where he played high school football for Carmel High School. He also played on Carmel's state championship basketball team in 1977.
Herrmann attended Purdue University, where he played for coach Jim Young's Purdue Boilermakers football team from 1977 to 1980. Herrmann had an impressive college career; in 1980 he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, he was selected as the Big Ten Conference's Most Valuable Player, and he finished fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. His 9,946 career passing yards set an NCAA record (which has since been broken). He is one of only three Purdue quarterbacks to start in three consecutive bowl games (Drew Brees did the same, and Kyle Orton started four straight). Herrmann won all three of his bowl games, and was selected Most Valuable Player in each of them: the 1978 Peach Bowl, the 1979 Bluebonnet Bowl, and the 1980 Liberty Bowl. He also holds the Liberty Bowl record for passing touchdowns.

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Mark May
Mark Eric May (born November 2, 1959) is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League for thirteen seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. May played college football for the University of Pittsburgh, and earned All-American honors. He was selected in the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, and Arizona Cardinals of the NFL. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN.
May attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he played for the Pittsburgh Panthers football team from 1977 to 1980. As a senior in 1980, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American and received the Outland Trophy as the nation's top collegiate interior lineman. The university retired May's jersey number (73) in 2001, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
The Washington Redskins drafted May with the 20th pick of the first round of the 1981 NFL Draft, and he played guard for the Redskins from 1981 to 1990. He was a member of the famed "Hogs" offensive line, which was instrumental in the Redskins' victories in Super Bowl XVII and XXII (though May was injured for Super Bowl XVII). He was named one of the 70 greatest Redskins of all time.

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Marty Jannetty
Frederick Marty Jannetty is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels, and later as a singles competitor. While in the WWF, he became a one time Intercontinental Champion and a one time Tag Team Champion with the 1-2-3 Kid. With Michaels, The Rockers became two time World Tag Team Champions in the American Wrestling Association.
Jannetty began his wrestling career in April 1984, wrestling in the National Wrestling Alliance's Central States division. He wrestled in singles and tag team competition with various partners, including "Bulldog" Bob Brown and Dave Peterson and with Tommy Rogers as the Uptown Boys, until joining forces with fellow rookie Shawn Michaels in late 1985. The two teamed as The Midnight Rockers and quickly won the Central States Tag Team Championship from The Batten Twins.
In 1986, the duo left the NWA for the American Wrestling Association. In the AWA, Jannetty and Michaels quickly built a reputation as a talented tag team, performing many acrobatic moves in tandem and electrifying crowds with their athleticism. The two won the World Tag Team Championship twice, first defeating Buddy Rose and Doug Somers and then Original Midnight Express for their second and final reign. They also won the Southern Tag Team Championship twice after defeating the Rock 'n' Roll RPMs on two separate occasions before jumping to the World Wrestling Federation in 1988.

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Masa Saito
Masanori Saito (斎藤昌典, Saitō Masanori^?) (born February 1, 1942) is a former Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or Masa Saito (マサ斉藤^?). He wrestled for several years in various promotions operated by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). He later joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where he teamed with Mr. Fuji to hold the World Tag Team Championship twice. He also won the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1990. In Japan, Saito wrestled for both All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Saito gained notoriety for his arrest after throwing a boulder through the window of a McDonald's restaurant in Waukesha Wisconsin and for a match wrestled against Antonio Inoki on a deserted island in Japan.
Saito competed in freestyle wrestling for Japan in the 1964 Olympic Games, placing seventh, making him one of the Top 10 Olympic wrestlers that year.
He began his pro wrestling career in 1965 and quickly established himself in both Japan and the United States. Nicknamed "Mr. Torture" for his punishing and sadistic style, Saito held numerous titles while wrestling in North America and Japan.

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Matt Hyson
Matthew "Matt" Hyson (born August 13, 1970) is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his performances in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Spike Dudley and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brother Runt.
In ECW, he was a two-time Tag Team Champion. In WWE, he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion, a one-time Tag Team Champion with Tazz, a one-time European Champion and a seven-time Hardcore Champion.
Prior to his wrestling career, Hyson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, and was a third grade English teacher. During the documentary Beyond the Mat, a heavily bleeding Hyson delivers the line "I shall, I do" (Henry IV of England's response to a request by Sir John Falstaff in the Shakespearean play Henry IV, Part 1).
In May 1993, Hyson entered All Pro Wrestling's "Boot Camp" in Hayward, California to train as a referee and manager. He quickly began training to be a wrestler as well, and spent the next three years wrestling on the California independent promotions.

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Matt Osborne
Matthew "Matt" Wade Osborne (born July 27, 1957) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Osborne is a second generation wrestler, being son of "Tough" Tony Borne, and is best known as being the first and longest-running wrestler to portray the character of Doink the Clown.
Under the ring name Matt Bourne, Osborne debuted on December 6, 1978 and began wrestling for many independent promotions, most prominently for Portland Wrestling, Mid-South Wrestling, where he was allied with Ted DiBiase and Jim Duggan as a member of the "Rat Pack" faction. While performing on the indies, Osborne competed against Ricky Steamboat at the first WrestleMania in Madison Square Garden.
In early 1986, Borne joined World Class Championship Wrestling. Upon debuting for WCCW, Borne teamed with Buzz Sawyer to win a one-day tournament to crown new World Tag Team Champions. He would also win the Texas Heavyweight Championship and defended the title at the Christmas Star Wars event against The Iron Sheik.
In 1991, Osborne signed with World Championship Wrestling and debuted as Big Josh, an outdoorsman who danced with bears and was friends with Tommy Rich. During his stint with WCW, Osborne won the United States Tag Team Championship with Ron Simmons and the World Six-Man Tag Team Championship with Dustin Rhodes and Tom Zenk. Bourne made his final pay-per-view appearance for the company on May 17, 1992 at the pay-per-view WrestleWar, where he defeated Richard Morton. On the May 23 episode of WorldWide, he made his final appearance with the company as he defeated Tracy Smothers.

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Maurice Vachon
Maurice Vachon (born September 14, 1929) is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known by his ring name "Mad Dog" Vachon. He is the brother of wrestlers Paul and Vivian Vachon, and the uncle of wrestler Luna Vachon. He was among the AWA's all-time great heels with a career spanning four decades, while also serving as the leader of one of the sport’s most accomplished families.
Born on September 14, 1929, Maurice Vachon was one of 13 children of Montreal policeman Ferdinand Vachon. He grew up in the district of Ville-Émard, a working-class borough southwest of Montreal. As a child, he regularly attended wrestling shows at the nearby Montreal Forum, where he grew up idolizing local ring legend Yvon Robert; and at just 12 years old, he had already begun grappling at the area's YMCA. He entered a wrestling course advertised at the back of a comic book, and he began training under Chief Jim Crowley. He trained hard and even worked in the docks and on the canal to build up his muscle. By age 14, Vachon eventually established himself among Canada’s premier amateur grapplers.

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Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. (born June 7, 1965) is a American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he shares with Terry Funk. He is currently signed to a Legends contract with WWE, where he makes special guest appearances and serves as an ambassador.
Throughout his wrestling career, Foley has wrestled both under his real name and under various personas (most notably Dude Love, Cactus Jack and Mankind). He is a four-time World Champion (three WWF Championships, and one TNA World Heavyweight Championship). He is an 11-time Tag Team Champion (eight WWF Tag Team Titles, two ECW World Tag Team Titles, and one WCW World Tag Team Championship). He was also the first WWF Hardcore Champion, and held the TNA Legends Championship (now known as the Television Championship) once. Following his retirement from wrestling full-time, Foley appeared occasionally with WWE as a special guest referee and later as a color commentator for the SmackDown brand. Upon his departure from WWE in 2008, he signed with TNA, where he was a storyline stock holder of the company. All totaled, Foley has won 17 championships between WCW, ECW, WWF/E, and TNA.

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Mickie James
Mickie Laree James (born August 31, 1979), is an American professional wrestler and singer of mixed Native American-Caucasian descent, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where she is a former two-time TNA Women's Knockout Champion.
James began her professional wrestling career in 1999 as a valet on the independent circuit, where she was known under the name Alexis Laree. She trained in several camps to improve her wrestling abilities before working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in June 2002, where she gained national attention. After only a few appearances, she joined a stable called The Gathering and was written into storylines with the group. She is also the only woman to be involved in Clockwork Orange House of Fun matches.
James appeared in WWE in October 2005 and was placed in a storyline with Trish Stratus, in which James' gimmick was that of Stratus' biggest fan turned obsessed stalker, an angle which lasted almost a year. She received a push, and she won her first WWE Women's Championship at WrestleMania 22, a title she has held a total of five times. James also won her first Divas Championship at Night of Champions in 2009 to become the second Diva to hold both the Women's and Divas titles. She, however, was released from the company on April 22, 2010, after which she returned to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Between WWE and TNA, James is an eight-time champion, and is also the only female to hold the WWE Women's, WWE Divas and TNA Knockout Championships in wrestling history.

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Mike Singletary
Michael "Mike" Singletary (born October 9, 1958) is an American football coach and former professional football player. He is currently the linebacker coach and assistant head coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL.
After playing college football for the Baylor Bears, Singletary was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 2nd round of the 1981 NFL Draft and was known as "The Heart of the Defense" for the Chicago Bears' Monsters of the Midway in the mid-1980s. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Singletary later pursued a career as a coach, first as a linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens, then as the linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers. He was the team's interim head coach in 2008, and coached the 49ers until he was fired in 2010.
Singletary was born in Houston, Texas. He attended high school at Evan E. Worthing High School in Houston, and he was a star football player there.
Singletary attended college at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. At Baylor, Singletary earned All-America honors in both junior (1979) and senior (1980) years, where he averaged 15 tackles per game and established a team record with 232 tackles in 1978, including 35 in a game against the University of Houston. During Singletary's senior season of 1980, Baylor won 10 games, marking the first time in school history that had been accomplished.

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Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is a retired American professional boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles at 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old. Tyson won his first 19 professional bouts by knockout, with 12 of them occurring in the first round. He won the WBC title in 1986 after defeating Trevor Berbick by a TKO in the second round. In 1987, Tyson added the WBA and IBF titles after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, and the only heavyweight to individually unify them.
In 1988, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in the first 91 seconds of the fight. Tyson successfully defended the world heavyweight championship nine times, including victories over Larry Holmes and Frank Bruno. Tyson lost his titles to 42-to-1 underdog James "Buster" Douglas on February 11, 1990, in Tokyo, Japan, by a knockout in round 10. Tyson continued in his quest to regain the titles, defeating Donovan Ruddock twice in 1991. Tyson was then scheduled to take on the undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield but pulled out due to injury.

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Mike Von Erich
Michael Brett Adkisson (March 2, 1964 – April 12, 1987) was an American professional wrestler under the ring name Mike Von Erich. His four brothers, David, Kerry, Kevin and Chris, also wrestled. He was the son of longtime Texas wrestler and wrestling promoter Fritz Von Erich and a member of the famous Von Erich family.
Several wrestlers associated with Mike, such as his brother Kevin, King Kong Bundy, "Gentleman" Chris Adams, Gary Hart and Jake Roberts, have all stated that he never wanted to be a wrestler. He was not a natural athlete like his older brothers and wanted to work for his father's company, World Class Championship Wrestling, as a cameraman. He also played guitar and wanted to be a musician away from the industry.
Mike made his debut on November 24, 1983 at "WCCW Wrestling Star Wars" at the Reunion Arena in a match against Skandar Akbar and won that match. Mike was then involved in several encounters with The Freebirds. Mike and Michael Hayes brawled on October 17, 1983 in Ft. Worth, when Hayes ripped a jacket Kerry gave Mike. Then Mike and Kevin teamed up against Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts on December 25. The only time Mike and David ever teamed up was in January 1984 when, along with Kerry, they battled the Freebirds.

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Mikel Scicluna
"Baron" Mikel Scicluna (July 29, 1929 – March 20, 2010) was a Maltese-born professional wrestler who gained his fame during the 1960s and 1970s.
Scicluna started wrestling during the 1950s, and used the name Mike Valentino early in his career. Scicluna worked primarily in Canada until 1965, when he ventured to the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), now known as WWE, using his most famous moniker "Baron" Mikel Scicluna.
Scicluna was famous for entering the ring with a royal blue cape over his shoulders, indicating that he was of Maltese royal descent. Scicluna was also known for being a master of the "foreign object", mainly utilizing a roll of coins to bash opponents out of sight of the referee. He enjoyed success as a tag team wrestler, winning the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship with Smasher Sloan on September 22, 1966 in Washington, D.C. (though they eventually lost the belts in the same city to Spiros Arion and Antonio Pugliese), then the WWWF World Tag Team Championship with King Curtis Iaukea on February 1, 1972 in Philadelphia.

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Mikey Whipwreck
John Watson (born June 4, 1973), better known by his ring name Mikey Whipwreck, is a American professional wrestler best known for his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling where he became the third ECW Triple Crown Champion.
Whipwreck was part of the ECW ring crew. Whipwreck joined Extreme Championship Wrestling. Booker Paul Heyman hired him after he watched Whipwreck practice a variety of aerial maneuvers before the show began (Joey Styles states on an episode of The History of ECW it was he who suggested that Heyman check Whipwreck out). The short, lightly built Whipwreck made a natural underdog who would absorb a great deal of damage in the course of his matches. Despite this, his great technical in-ring skills led him to success. While in ECW, he received further training from fellow ECW wrestlers Taz, Perry Saturn, Tommy Dreamer and Mick Foley among others. On May 15, 1994, Whipwreck defeated Pitbull #1 for the World Television Championship, his first title in ECW. He would hold the title until August 13 of that year.

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Mil Máscaras
Aaron Rodríguez (born July 15, 1942), best known as Mil Máscaras (A Thousand Masks), is a semi-retired Mexican professional wrestler and actor, who has starred in several films with fellow luchadores. He is a member of one of Mexico's most prominent wrestling families—his brothers José and Pablo respectively wrestle as Dos Caras and Sicodélico, José's son Alberto wrestles as Alberto Del Rio, and Pablo's son Aaron is better known as Sicodélico, Jr.
Mil Máscaras made his professional wrestling debut in April 1965 in Guadalajara. Máscaras became popular in Mexico for being one of the best conditioned luchadores in the heavyweight division, which was dominated by foreigners at the time. It was also his size which permitted him to wrestle in the US and Japan under the heavyweight division. Máscaras was one of the first masked luchadores outside of Mexico to play a non-heel role. He rarely resorted to rule breaking, instead relying on his repertoire of moves and counter-moves. Máscaras was also one of the first wrestlers to introduce the high-flying moves of lucha libre, such as the plancha and tope suicida, to Japanese fans. This brought him international fame as one of the first high-flyers, something he was not considered in Mexico where he fell under the mat-power category.

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Nancy Benoit
Nancy Elizabeth Benoit (née Toffoloni, formerly Daus and Sullivan; May 21, 1964 – June 22, 2007), more commonly known by her in-ring names Woman and Fallen Angel, was a professional wrestling valet and manager. She worked in several promotions, including Jim Crockett Promotions, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling.
Over a three day period ending on June 24, 2007, Nancy Benoit and her son were victims of a double murder-suicide perpetrated by her husband, wrestler Chris Benoit.
After graduating DeLand High School, Nancy got a job answering phones at an insurance agency. When George Napolitano needed a beautiful young girl for the cover of the June 1984 edition of the pro-wrestling magazine Wrestling All Stars, fellow photographer Bill Otten suggested the 20-year-old Nancy Toffoloni Daus for the role. Nancy, who had worked as a model, often sat alongside her then-husband Jim. She had also been selling programs at the Orlando shows and appeared as Para in the old "Apartment Wrestling" features. It was on this shoot where she met Kevin Sullivan, who eventually wanted her to be a part of his wrestling entourage. After months of convincing, Nancy finally became an on-air valet, taking the name Fallen Angel. She made her in-ring debut on July 7, 1984 at the Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida for Florida Championship Wrestling.

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Nick Bockwinkel
Nicholas Warren Francis "Nick" Bockwinkel (born December 6, 1934) is a retired American professional wrestler. He mainly competed in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in the United States. He is a former multi-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion and co-holder of the AWA World Tag Team Championship.
Bockwinkel was considered by his peers and many industry experts to be an excellent wrestler, known for his exceptional technical ability and ring psychology. He was also known for his calm, charismatic, articulate promos, which distinguished him from many of his contemporaries.
Bockwinkel began his career in 1955, after a knee injury forced the University of Oklahoma to withdraw his football scholarship. After training to become a wrestler by his father Warren, a regional star in the 1940s, and Lou Thesz, he spent the early years of his career teaming with his father. At the age of 16, he had his debut match against Thesz. He won his first major singles title in 1963, defeating Tony Borne for the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship.

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Nick Dinsmore
Nicholas "Nick" Dinsmore (born December 17, 1975), better known by his ring names Eugene and U-Gene, is an American professional wrestler. Best known for his work for World Wrestling Entertainment, Dinsmore is currently working on the independent circuit for promotions such as Juggalo Championship Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling.
Dinsmore debuted in 1997, and soon began wrestling in the United States Wrestling Association.
In Ohio Valley Wrestling, he formed a successful tag team with Rob Conway, called The Lords of The Ring. The team had a record ten reigns as Southern Tag Team Champions. Dinsmore also held the OVW Heavyweight Championship a record ten times. While still in OVW, Dinsmore also made some appearances as a jobber in the World Wrestling Federation, first on an episode of Shotgun Saturday Night in 1999. He wrestled in the WWF as Doink the Clown on two later occasions, and as one half of Los Conquistadores (with Rob Conway). Dinsmore also appeared in World Championship Wrestling, wrestling on two episodes of Thunder (losing to Ernest Miller and Kanyon), and on two episodes of Nitro (first teaming with Lenny Lane to lose a handicap match to Scott Steiner, then losing a singles match to Wrath).

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Nick Eyre
Nicholas G. Eyre (born June 16, 1959) is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). Eyre played college football for Brigham Young University, and earned All-American honors. He played professionally for the NFL's Houston Oilers for a single season in 1981.
Eyre was born in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Eyre attended Brigham Young University, where he played for the BYU Cougars football team from 1977 to 1980. As a senior in 1980, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American.
The Houston Oilers chose Eyre in the fourth round (106th pick overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft, and he played for the Oilers in 1981.

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Nikolai Volkoff
Josip Nikolai Peruzović (born October 14, 1947), better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation. Although the Volkoff character is portrayed as Russian, Peruzović actually originated from Croatia and had a mixed background that was not entirely Russian.
Peruzović grew up in the Socialist Republic of Croatia, which was then part of the Yugoslavia, a Communist country. His mother is Italian and his father was Croatian. He was on the Yugoslavian weightlifting team until 1967, when he defected to Canada while at a weightlifting tournament in Vienna, Austria. He received training in Calgary from the legendary Stu Hart, followed by his arrival in the United States in 1970.
As soon as he arrived, he began wrestling in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) (currently known as WWE). Wrestling as Bepo Mongol, managed by "Captain" Lou Albano and partnered with Geto Mongol, he captured the WWF International Tag Team Titles from Tony Marino and Victor Rivera on June 15, 1970. After losing the titles to Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler in a match that unified the WWF International and WWF World Tag Team Titles, Peruzovic went on to singles competition under the name Nikolai Volkoff.

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Owen Hart
Owen James Hart (May 7, 1965 – May 23, 1999) was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The Blue Blazer. A member of the Hart wrestling family, Hart was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada the youngest of 12 children to Stampede Wrestling promoter and WWE Hall of Famer Stu Hart and Helen Hart.
Among other accolades, Hart was a one-time world champion: a one-time USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion; a two-time WWF Intercontinental Champion; one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion; one-time WWF European Champion and four-time WWF World Tag Team Champion. He was also the winner of the 1994 WWF King of the Ring. Hart has been cited by a number of peers as one of the WWF's greatest professional wrestlers.
Hart died on May 23, 1999 when an equipment malfunction occurred during his entrance from the rafters of Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., at the WWF's Over the Edge pay-per-view event.

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Pat Barrett
Patrick "Pat" Barrett (born: 4 September 1941) is a former Irish professional wrestler who is best known for his time with NWA and WWWF. He has wrestled in many areas which include Ireland, Pacific Islands, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and United States of America.
The Irish wrestler Pat Barrett started wrestling in 1960 as Paddy Barrett. He was a successful Irish wrestler. He started his early years wrestling in Ireland and in 1963, he joined National Wrestling Alliance where he had a successful career. During this time he also appeared as the voice of doctor octopus in the animated series spider man returns again.
In 1963, he sailed from Ireland to the United States where he joined the sanctioned body of promotions in the U.S., National Wrestling Alliance. He was an international wrestler. He first toured Canada where he created a successful tag team with Tim Geoghegan.
Barrett and Geoghegan defeated Art Nelson and Ivan Kameroff on 8 November 1965 to win the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship. They lost their titles to John Tolos and Black Terror on 4 January 1966 but defeated them back for the titles on 28 February 1966.

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Paul Ellering
Paul Ellering (born August 22, 1953) is a retired professional wrestling manager.
Before entering the wrestling business, Ellering was an accomplished weightlifter. He could dead lift 745 lbs.
Ellering was trained in Minneapolis, Minnesota at a camp run by American Wrestling Alliance (AWA) owner and promoter Verne Gagne and wrestler/trainer Eddie Sharkey in the mid 1970s. According to Ellering's RF Video shoot interview, of the thirty-plus trainees in the camp, only himself and later AWA mid-card wrestler Steve Olsonoski (a.k.a. Steve O) made it through the camp. Ellering would later go on to wrestle in singles and tag teams for Gagne in the AWA, Bill Watts's Mid-South promotion, and for Jerry Jarrett's Memphis promotion, where he was paired with manager Jimmy Hart. His notable feuds were with Jesse Ventura as a face, and as a heel with Jerry Lawler and Jimmy Valiant, from whom he won the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship.
While wrestling for Georgia Championship Wrestling, Ellering severely injured his knee in a match with Robert Gibson, reinjuring it after returning to the ring, which ended his full-time wrestling career. Georgia booker Ole Anderson recognized his speaking ability, however, and gave him a job as a manager.

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Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman (born September 11, 1965) is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film. He is currently signed to WWE appearing on its WWE Raw brand under his ring name Paul Heyman.
Heyman was the creative force behind Extreme Championship Wrestling in the 1990s. He has also briefly worked in World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Entertainment, including WWE's ECW brand where he was recognized as the ECW Representative.
Paul Heyman was born in Scarsdale, New York. By age 11, he was running a mail order business selling celebrity and sports memorabilia from his home.
While still a teenager, Heyman fast-talked his way backstage at a World Wide Wrestling Federation event at Madison Square Garden as a photojournalist. He was paid by the company for several of his photographs.
Heyman attended Westchester Community College, where he worked at the radio station, and later became a promoter for the New York City nightclub Studio 54 in the mid 1980s.

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Paul Orndorff
Paul Parlette Orndorff, Jr. (born October 29, 1949) is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling as "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff. After retiring, Orndorff worked as a wrestling trainer.
After earning notoriety as a running back at the University of Tampa where he scored 21 career touchdowns and gained over 2000 all-purpose yards in his playing career, Orndorff was a 12th round selection (289th overall pick) in the 1973 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints but failed to pass the physical for the NFL with both the Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs. He was a teammate of the #1 pick notorious bad boy John Matuszak. However, he did play for the Jacksonville Sharks of the World Football League in 1975. After one season in the WFL, he began training as a professional wrestler.
Paul Orndorff started wrestling in 1976 in Mid-Southern Wrestling where he feuded with a young Jerry Lawler. Orndorff won his first wrestling title when he pinned Lawler for the Mid-Southern Heavyweight Title on June 7, 1977. Orndorff lost the title back to Lawler before he left the Memphis territory. Orndorff began working for the NWA Tri-State promotion where he got involved in a feud with Ernie Ladd. The feud with Ladd saw Orndorff win the NWA Tri-State North American Heavyweight Title from Ernie Ladd on two occasions (on May 29, 1978 and again in June). Both times, Orndorff’s reigns were short and were ended by Ladd.

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Pedro Morales
Pedro Morales (born October 22, 1942) is a retired Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He began his wrestling career as a teenager in 1959 and continued through to the late 1980s. Morales was the first man in wrestling history to win all three major men's titles in the World Wrestling Federation: the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, the Intercontinental Championship and the WWF World Tag Team Championship. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1995. Morales was also the first Latin American and Hispanic wrestler to win the WWWF Championship and the WWF Intercontinental Championship and to enter the WWF Hall of Fame.
Morales debuted in 1959 at the Sunnyside Gardens, beating Buddy Gilbert. He wrestled on the West Coast during the 1960s, taking on regional stars of the day such as Fred Blassie and The Destroyer, the latter from whom he took the World Wrestling Association's World Heavyweight Championship on March 12, 1965. Morales lost the title on July 23 to "Crazy" Luke Graham, but took it back from him on October 17. He held the title for nine months before being defeated by Buddy Austin on August 5, 1966. Morales then concentrated on tag team wrestling, co-holding the WWA tag belts four times during 1966-68, with four different partners: Luis Hernandez, Mark Lewin, Victor Rivera, and Ricky Romero. During a stint in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), Morales held the Hawaiian U.S. title for two months in 1969.

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Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose (born April 14, 1941), nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989.
Rose, a switch hitter, is the all-time Major League leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053) and outs (10,328). He won three World Series rings, three batting titles, one Most Valuable Player Award, two Gold Gloves, the Rookie of the Year Award, and made 17 All-Star appearances at an unequaled five different positions (2B, LF, RF, 3B & 1B).
In August 1989, three years after he retired as an active player, Rose agreed to permanent ineligibility from baseball amidst accusations that he gambled on baseball games while playing for and managing the Reds, including claims that he bet on his own team. In 1991, the Baseball Hall of Fame formally voted to ban those on the "permanently ineligible" list from induction, after previously excluding such players by informal agreement among voters. In 2004, after years of public denial, Rose admitted to betting on baseball and on, but not against, the Reds. The issue of Rose's possible re-instatement, and election, to the Hall of Fame remains a contentious one throughout baseball.

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Peter Maivia
Fanene Leifi Pita Maivia (April 6, 1937–June 12, 1982) was an American Samoan professional wrestler better known as "High Chief" Peter Maivia. He was head of the famous Samoan wrestling family. He is the grandfather of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and was also the promoter for the National Wrestling Alliance in Hawaii.
Maivia, also known as the Flying Hawaiian, was of the Alii lineage of Malietoa. Maivia's tribal tattoos, which covered his abdomen and legs, were a symbol of his High Chief status. According to Superstar Billy Graham, they were completed in three days. Maivia's grandson Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson revealed that they were done with traditional Samoan instrumentation: a small hammer, a needle, and ink.^{[citation needed]}
Maivia disapproved of his daughter's relationship with Rocky Johnson because he was a professional wrestler. The duo married despite Maivia's objections. His son, Peter Jr, also wrestled in Hawaii and the west coast after the passing of Peter Sr. sometimes under the name "Prince Peter Maivia".

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Randy Savage
Randy Mario Poffo (November 15, 1952 – May 20, 2011), better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career. He held six world heavyweight championships between the WWF and WCW, having won the WWF Championship twice and the WCW World Heavyweight Championship four times. In addition, he won the ICW World Heavyweight Championship three times and the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship once. Also a one-time WWF Intercontinental Champion, WWE has mentioned Savage as the greatest Intercontinental champion and credited him for bringing "a higher level of credibility to the title through his amazing in-ring performances." Aside from championships, Savage was the 1987 WWF King of the Ring and the 1995 WCW World War 3 winner. For much of his tenures in the WWF and WCW, he was managed by his real life wife, "Miss Elizabeth" Hulette.

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Ray Traylor
Raymond Walter Traylor, Jr. (May 2, 1963 – September 22, 2004) was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man (sometimes spelled Big Bossman) and World Championship Wrestling under various ring names, most notably Big Bubba Rogers.
Traylor, a prison guard in Cobb County, Georgia, made his debut in 1985, initially working in Jim Crockett's World Championship Wrestling promotion as an enhancement talent under his full name, Raymond Traylor. Seeing potential in Traylor, head booker Dusty Rhodes pulled him off TV for 12 weeks in order to repackage him as Big Bubba Rogers, a silent bodyguard for Jim Cornette, who along with the Midnight Express, was feuding with the James Boys (Dusty Rhodes and Magnum T.A. under masks). He got a solid push as a seemingly unstoppable villain and feuding with Rhodes, who was the top babyface at that time in a series of no holds barred battle royals called The Bunkhouse Stampede, in 1986. After the series, both he and Rhodes were tied in wins, which led to a tiebreaking cage match in which Rhodes came out victorious. In 1987, he won the Universal Wrestling Federation title from One Man Gang, who was dropping his belt after signing with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation.

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René Goguen
René Goguen (born December 15, 1983) is a French Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name René Duprée. Goguen is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he is a one-time World Tag Team Champion with Sylvain Grenier as the tag team La Résistance and a one time WWE Tag Team Champion with Kenzo Suzuki. Upon winning both titles, Goguen became the youngest wrestler in WWE history to win the World Tag Team Championship (at age 19) and the WWE Tag Team Championship (at age 20). His World Tag Team Championship win also made him the youngest man in WWE history to win any title. He is also the son of celebrated Canadian Maritimes wrestling promoter Emile Duprée.
As his father Emile was a wrestling promoter, Goguen was exposed and encouraged into wrestling at a young age. Goguen became a professional wrestler in 1997 at age 14, and began working for his father's Grand Prix Wrestling promotion. A few years later, he signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment, and was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling to further develop his skills.

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Ric Flair
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 greatest professional wrestlers of all time with a professional career that spans 40 years. 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 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. In 2012, Flair became the first ever double inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame, first inducted in 2008 for his individual career, and for a second time in 2012 as a member of the Four Horsemen. He is also an NWA Hall of Famer (class of 2008). 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 the second man to win both the WWF and the NWA World Heavyweight Championships.

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Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault (born March 18, 1956) is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel. He is also known for his two-year long reign as AWA World Heavyweight Champion.
Martel is from a family of wrestlers, and made his professional debut at age sixteen when his brother Michel, a wrestler, asked him to replace an injured wrestler. Martel was already a skilled amateur wrestler, and quickly adapted to professional wrestling.
Martel wrestled throughout the world, winning titles in Canada (in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling and Vancouver-based NWA All Star Wrestling), New Zealand and Puerto Rico. His first real success in America came in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)'s Portland affiliate, Pacific Northwest Wrestling, where he became a top talent, holding the Canadian and PNW tag team titles simultaneously. He left PNW on August 16, 1980, when he lost a Loser Leaves Town match to Buddy Rose. Martel also served a stint as a booker for a wrestling territory in Hawaii.^{[clarification needed]}

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Rick Rude
Richard Erwin Rood (December 7, 1958 – April 20, 1999), better known by his ring name "Ravishing" Rick Rude, was an American professional wrestler who performed for many promotions, including World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), in the 1980s and 1990s.
Among other accolades, Rude was a four-time world champion (three-time WCW International World Heavyweight Champion, and one-time WCWA World Heavyweight Champion), one-time WWF Intercontinental Champion, and one-time WCW United States Champion.
The self-proclaimed "Sexiest Man Alive", Rude was noted for his chiseled physique as well as being one of the greatest talkers in the history of professional wrestling. He is also notable for being a member of the original incarnation of D-Generation X, alongside Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Chyna.
Born in St. Peter, Minnesota, Rood attended Robbinsdale High School in Robbinsdale, Minnesota with Tom Zenk, Brady Boone, Nikita Koloff, Curt Hennig, John Nord, Joseph Laurinaitis and Barry Darsow, all of whom later became professional wrestlers.

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Ricky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood (born February 28, 1953), better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career.^{[citation needed]} He is best known for his work with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
In the NWA and WCW, he was a one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, a four-time United States Heavyweight Champion, a four-time World Television Champion, a twelve-time World Tag Team Champion (eight-time under the WCW banner,one-time (though unofficial) under the NWA banner, and three-time under the Mid-Atlantic banner), and a two-time Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion. In the WWF/E, Steamboat was a one-time Intercontinental Champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.
While little is known about Steamboat's personal life, it is a known fact that he went to high school in New York. He was a two time New York State Wrestling qualifier.

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Rico Constantino
Americo Sebastiano Costantino (born October 1, 1961) is a retired Italian American professional wrestler and wrestling manager. He is best known by his ring names Rico Costantino and Rico in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) from 2001 to 2004. He is currently an Officer for the Nevada Taxi Cab Authority.
Prior to embarking on his wrestling career, Costantino entered Northwestern Military & Naval Academy. He graduated near the top of his class and at one point considered enrollment at West Point. Instead, Costantino returned to Las Vegas and settled into a career as a paramedic. This led to enrollment in the police academy, from which he graduated first in the entire state of Nevada. Costantino was also on the SWAT team at one point, paving the way for his next career as a bodyguard.
Costantino was a contestant on American Gladiators. He was challenged by Gemini (Michael Horton) to find out if "he had what it took" to be a contestant for the show. He would end up defeating Gemini in his best event, the Joust, one of the few contenders to do so (Horton lost only 8 of his 50 Jousts on his three seasons of AG).

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Road Warrior Animal
Joseph Aaron "Joe" Laurinaitis (born January 26, 1960) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names, Road Warrior Animal and Road Warrior. He is the brother to John Laurinaitis, who is the WWE's Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and the current general manager of both Raw and Smackdown brands of the WWE. Along with Road Warrior Hawk, Laurinaitis was one-half of the tag team known as the Road Warriors or also dubbed as Legion Of Doom.
While living in Chicago, Laurinatis met Michael Hegstrand, later known as Road Warrior Hawk, and the two became close friends. When Laurinaitis was around eight years old, he and Hegstrand both moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota Joe Laurinaitis grew up in Minnesota, having to work for a living from a very early age. He attended Irondale High School. Because of his size and love of power lifting, Joe was an imposing figure and thus a very effective bouncer. He worked as a bouncer at Grandma B's in the Twin Cities where he caught the eye of Eddie Sharkey, a well known wrestling trainer. Sharkey thought that Joe along with Mike Hegstrand, Richard Rood, and Barry Darsow could make it big in professional wrestling. He believed in them so much that he trained all four of them personally.

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Road Warrior Hawk
Michael James Hegstrand (January 26, 1957 – October 19, 2003) was an American professional wrestler. He is best remembered as Road Warrior Hawk, one half of the tag team known as the Road Warriors (WCW) or The Legion of Doom (WWF), with Road Warrior Animal.
While living in Chicago, Hegstrand met Joe Lauranaitis, who would be later known as Road Warrior Animal, and the two became close friends. When Lauranaitis was about eight years old, he and Hegstrand both moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. While living in Minneapolis, Hegstrand attended Patrick Henry High School where he graduated in 1976. After high school, he had various odd jobs to make ends meet. Due to his size and love of power lifting, he was an imposing figure and thus a very effective bouncer. He would work as a bouncer at Grandma B's in the Twin Cities where he caught the eye of Eddie Sharkey, a well known wrestling trainer. Sharkey thought that Hegstrand, along with Joe Laurinaitis, and Barry Darsow could make it big in professional wrestling.

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Rob Conway
Robert Thomas Conway (November 28, 1972), better known as Rob Conway, is an American professional wrestler best known for his seven year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently employed by Juggalo Championship Wrestling.
Rob Conway began his career in Memphis Championship Wrestling (MCW) and Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), teaming with Nick Dinsmore under the names Limited Edition (MCW), the Borkcin Brothers, and the Lords of the Ring (OVW). While in OVW, he and Dinsmore were also members of Kenny Bolin's Bolin Services along with The Prototype, Bull Buchanan, and Mark Henry. As the Lords of the Ring, Conway and Dinsmore won the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship on 10 occasions and captured the MCW North American Tag Team Championship once. On April 28, 1999 Rob Conway defeated his partner Nick Dinsmore to win the OVW Heavyweight Championship, but lost it back to him the next week. Conway won the OVW Heavyweight Championship a second time on August 17, 1999, pinning Damaja. He lost the title to Rico Constantino on November 10, regaining it on September 6, 2000, with another victory over Dinsmore.

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Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander Szatowski (born December 18, 1970), better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam (RVD), is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment, and Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Szatkowski has held 22 championships between ECW, WWE and TNA, as well as several regional titles in various promotions during his career. He is a former WWE champion, ECW champion and the TNA World Heavyweight champion once each. On the independent scene he has also won the World Heavyweight Championships for both American Wrestling Rampage and World Stars of Wrestling once each. He is the only man to achieve both WWE and ECW's version of the Triple Crown. Part of ECW's Triple Crown included the ECW World Television Championship, of which RVD's 700 day reign was the longest.
Szatkowski grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan and graduated from Pennfield High School. Rob made his first appearance on WWF television in 1987 in a skit with "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. At the time, DiBiase was selecting plants from the audience and offering to pay them to perform degrading acts and offered the 16 year old Szatkowski $100 to enter the ring and kiss his foot, which he did. This early appearance was later included as a bonus feature on WWE's Before They Were Superstars DVD and on WWE's Rob Van Dam: One of a Kind DVD.

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Rocky Johnson
Rocky Johnson (born Wayde Douglas Bowles; August 24, 1944) is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. Quite popular in his own right in the 1970s and 1980s, he is also known for being the father of actor and professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. During his wrestling career he became a 1-time National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Georgia Champion and also became a 1-time NWA Southern Heavyweight Memphis Champion as well as winning many other championships. Along with his partner Tony Atlas, Johnson was a part of the first black tag team to win the World Tag Team championship in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
Rocky Johnson was born Wayde Douglas Bowles in Amherst, Nova Scotia, where he was raised, the fourth of five sons of Lillian and James Henry Bowles. A Black Nova Scotian, he is descended from slaves who escaped from the American South. At the age of 16, Johnson moved to Toronto, Ontario, where he began wrestling and worked as a truck driver. Initially, he trained to be a boxer and eventually sparred with greats such as Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, but he was always fascinated by wrestling.

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Roddy Piper
Roderick "Roddy" George Toombs (born April 17, 1954), better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE. Although he is Canadian, due to his Scottish heritage, he was billed as coming from Glasgow in Scotland and was known for his signature kilt and bagpipe entrance music. He earned the nickname "Rowdy" by displaying his trademark "Scottish" rage, spontaneity and quick wit. Despite being a crowd favorite for his rockstar-like persona, he often played the villain. He was also nicknamed "Hot Rod". Never a world champion, he accumulated 34 championships in various promotions during his career. Piper was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
Toombs was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He attended Windsor Park Collegiate. His father was an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police while they lived in The Pas, Manitoba. After being expelled from junior high^{[citation needed]} and having a falling out with his father, Piper hit the road and stayed in youth hostels wherever he could find them.

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Roland James
Roland Orlando James (born February 18, 1958) is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons during the 1980s and early 1990s. James played college football for the University of Tennessee, and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft, and played for the NFL's New England Patriots for his entire professional career.
James attended the University of Tennessee, and played for the Tennessee Volunteers football team from 1976 to 1979. As of 2011, James has the fourth longest punt return in the history of the University of Tennessee, an 89-yard return against Vanderbilt in 1979. While at Tennessee, Roland played in three bowl games: the Hula, Senior and Bluebonnet bowls.
James had the longest punt return in the NFL during the 1980 season. He returned a punt 75 yards for a TD in the Patriots 34-21 win over the New York Jets at Schaefer Stadium on November 2. James recorded five sacks in 1981.

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Ron Sellers
Ron "Jingle Joints" Sellers (born February 5, 1947 in Jacksonville, Florida) was an American college and professional football player. He played college football for Florida State University, where he was a two-time All-American (1967, 1968). Despite being limited to a total of 30 games of regular season eligibility, Sellers still holds Florida State career records for receptions, receiving yards, and most 200-yard receiving games.. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988. A wide receiver, he played for the American Football League's Boston Patriots in 1969, when he was an AFL All-Star, then for the NFL's Patriots, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. He wore the number 34 which he gave linebacker Ernie Sims permission to use while playing at Florida State University.

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Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons (born May 15, 1958) is an American former professional wrestler and American Football player. He performed for World Championship Wrestling under his real name and in the World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/E) under both his real name and the ring names Faarooq Asaad (sometimes spelled Asad) and Faarooq (sometimes spelled Farooq).
In WCW, he was a one time World Heavyweight Champion; as the first of two African Americans to win the title, he is recognized by WWE as the first Black world champion in professional wrestling history, followed by Booker T. He was also a one time World Tag Team Champion with Butch Reed and a one time United States Tag Team Champion with Big Josh. In the WWF, he was a three time Tag Team Champion with Bradshaw as one half of the Acolytes Protection Agency. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012.
Prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Simmons was an American college and professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL) and United States Football League (USFL) for four seasons during the 1980s. He played college football for Florida State University, and was recognized as an All-American. He played professionally for the NFL's Cleveland Browns, the CFL's Ottawa Rough Riders and the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits.

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Ron Simpkins
Ronald Bernard Simpkins (born April 2, 1958) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons during the 1980s. Simpkins played college football at the University of Michigan, and was recognized as an All-American. He played professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers of the NFL.
Simpkins was born in Detroit, Michigan.
He is currently the head coach of varsity football at Western International High School, his alma mater.

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Ronnie Lott
Ronald Mandel "Ronnie" Lott (born May 8, 1959) is a former American college and professional football player who was a cornerback, free safety, and strong safety in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Lott played college football for the University of Southern California, and was honored as a consensus All-American. A first-round pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets, and Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. Lott was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, and is widely considered one of the best defensive backs in NFL history.
Lott attended Frisbie Junior High and Eisenhower High School in Rialto, California, where he played football under Coach Bill Christopher and graduated in 1977. He considered his time at Eisenhower High School the best years of his life. It is commonly thought that he was the best player on his team, he started as a wide receiver in 1975 as a sophomore, started at wide receiver and safety in 1976 as a junior, and in 1977 he started at quarterback and safety. The football stadium was recently named after Lott, even though he never played in the stadium. Lott was also the winner of the Ken Hubbs Award, given to the greater San Bernardino, California area's top male high school athlete.

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Santino Marella
Anthony Carelli (born March 14, 1979) is an Italian-Canadian professional wrestler,mixed martial artist and judoka, better known by his ring name Santino Marella. He is currently signed to WWE, competing on its Raw Brand, where he is the reigning United States Champion. He is a two-time Intercontinental Champion and former Tag Team Champion with Vladimir Kozlov.
In the United States, Carelli took wrestling classes at and worked for the Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) a developmental territory for the national World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Upon joining OVW, Carelli was given the ring name Johnny Geo Basco. While there, he was involved in an infamous incident with Jim Cornette, the company's head booker and part-owner. After a storyline where he was supposed to act afraid of the Boogeyman but instead laughed, Cornette yelled at and slapped Carelli, leading to Cornette being removed from his position as booker of OVW by WWE.
Paul Heyman was appointed OVW booker to replace Cornette and changed Carelli's ring name from Johnny Geo Basco to Boris Alexiev, giving him a Russian shoot fighter gimmick. As Alexiev he made his debut on April 12, 2006 along with his manager and "comrade", Mr. Strongko. With his new gimmick he was booked to dominate opponents with stiff strikes and submission style wrestling, including a 10-second win over a wrestler named Dewey. He signed a developmental deal with WWE on August 11, 2006, and continued working in OVW.

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Savio Vega
Juan Rivera (born August 10, 1964) is a professional wrestler. He began his career in the World Wrestling Council, where he won the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship. During the mid-to-late 1990s, Rivera was an active wrestler in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), initially performing under the ring name "Kwang". He was subsequently rebranded as "Savio Vega", eventually becoming the leader of Puerto Rican stable, Los Boricuas. Rivera is credited with giving Stone Cold Steve Austin and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson their first singles losses in the WWF, shattering both of their undefeated records. As part of his feud with Austin, he became the first recipient of the Stone Cold Stunner maneuver. During his WWF run, he also scored victories over several high-profile wrestlers, including Triple H, Jeff Jarrett, John Layfield and Yokozuna.
Upon concluding his participation in the United States, Rivera returned to Puerto Rico and joined Victor Quiñones' project, the International Wrestling Association, serving as long-time General Manager and occasionally holding some championships, including the IWA Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship. In 2011, he became the forerunner of an interpromotional angle between IWA and WWC, the first of its kind since both had co-existed. Outside of Puerto Rico, he has won major titles in Latin America including Panama's Revolution X-Treme Wrestling, Ecuador's Wrestling Alliance Revolution and the Dominican Republic's Dominican Wrestling Entertainment. Besides being a wrestler, Rivera has worked as a trainer and agent for Total Nonstop Action and Ring Ka King.

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Scott Hall
Scott Oliver Hall (born October 20, 1958) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF ̶ now WWE) in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under his real name. Since the late 2000s, Hall has become known for his much publicized battles with alcoholism and drug addiction, which he initially struggled with in the late 1990s during his time in WCW.
Hall began his career in 1984 in Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF), before working in territories across Jim Crockett Promotions as part of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). In 1985, Hall moved to the American Wrestling Association (AWA), winning the AWA World Tag Team Championship once with Curt Hennig in January 1986. Following further stints in the NWA and the World Wrestling Council - where he would briefly hold the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship - Hall signed with the World Wrestling Federation in 1992. Hall would wrestle as Razor Ramon, a Latino-heel persona modeled after the characters of Tony Montana and Manny Ribera from the movie Scarface. While in the WWF, Hall would win the WWF Intercontinental Championship four times, before leaving for WCW in 1996.

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Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner (born July 29, 1962) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order. He is also known for his appearances with Jim Crockett Promotions, the World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
While in WCW, Steiner became a one time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, a two time WCW United States Champion, a two time WCW World Television Champion, and won the WCW Triple Crown Championship. He won a second world championship, the WWA World Heavyweight Championship, in 2002.
Steiner's greatest success has come as a tag team wrestler, as he is a twelve time World Tag Team Champion (seven times in World Championship Wrestling, two times in the World Wrestling Federation and two times in New Japan Pro Wrestling with Rick and one time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling with Booker T), a one time U.S. Tag Team Champion with Rick in WCW, and a one time Ring Ka King Tag Team Champion with Abyss. All totaled, between WCW, WWF/E, NJPW, and TNA/Ring Ka King, Steiner has won 19 championships.

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Sean Morley
Sean Allen Morley (born March 6, 1971) is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment. He has also worked for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
During his career in WWF/E, Morley held the Intercontinental Championship twice, the European Championship once, and the World Tag Team Championship once with Lance Storm. In Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, he is a one time World Heavyweight Champion.
He began his wrestling training in the early 1990s under the tutelage of Jason and Dewey "The Missing Link" Robertson and debuted on the Canadian independent circuit before making his way to the international circuit, finding work with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) in Japan, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) in Mexico, and World Wrestling Council (WWC) in Puerto Rico where he was one half of a tag team known as the Canadian Glamour Boys with Shane Sewell. In Japan, he was known as Sean Morgan as the name Morley was difficult to pronounce due to the lack of phonetic differences between the L and R in Japanese. In Mexico, he adopted a robot-like mask and gimmick, changed his name to Steele, and won the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship.

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Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman (born July 13, 1972) is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) under the ring name Syxx-Pac and also under his real name. Waltman is the only wrestler in history to have held the TNA X Division Championship, the WCW Cruiserweight Championship, and the WWE Light Heavyweight Championship. Waltman is a member of the group known in wrestling as The Kliq, which also consists of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall.
After being trained by former professional wrestling brothers Boris and Joe Malenko, Waltman began his career as The Lightning Kid, working his way through various independent organizations such as Pro Wrestling America (PWA) and the Global Wrestling Federation (GWF), winning the PWA Light Heavyweight title, the PWA Iron Horse TV Title and the GWF Light Heavyweight Championship. Throughout the early part of his career, Waltman worked extensively with wrestler Jerry Lynn in both North America and Japan. The duo even teamed up to win the PWA Tag Team titles twice in 1993.

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Shane Douglas
Troy Shane Martin (born November 21, 1964) is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly in the World Wrestling Federation. Martin later worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Martin is former four time ECW World Heavyweight champion and one-time NWA World Heavyweight champion.
Martin was born one of six children, the son of a veteran of World War II, who died in 1991. He graduated cum laude from Bethany College in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in history and political science. He is an alumnus of the Psi Chapter of Beta Theta Pi. After earning his degrees, he was offered to join the Saba University School of Medicine but declined in order to continue wrestling.
Martin was trained by Dominic DeNucci in the Pittsburgh suburb of Freedom, Pennsylvania, alongside Mick Foley in the mid-1980s. He had been wrestling professionally to earn money since 1982. When he started, he used the character of Troy Orndorff, the fictional nephew of Paul Orndorff. In 1986, he wrestled Randy Savage at a WWF Superstars of Wrestling taping using his real name. He would also wrestle "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff in the debut episode of WWF Wrestling Challenge, once again using his real name. Later that year, he began wrestling as a fan favorite for the Universal Wrestling Federation using the name Shane Douglas, which was given to him by "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert and Missy Hyatt ("Shane" coming from Martin's middle name, and "Douglas" from Michael Douglas, who at the time had just appeared in Wall Street). Douglas defeated Gilbert for the World Television Championship on August 3, 1987, but did not rise above mid-card status. Douglas soon lost the title on September 2 to Terry Taylor.

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Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom (born July 22, 1965), better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is a retired professional wrestler, and an American television host. He is currently signed to WWE, where he has served as an ambassador for the company since December 2010. Hickenbottom consistently wrestled for WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), from 1988 until his first retirement in 1998, due to injury. He appeared in non-wrestling roles from 1998 to 2000, and resumed his in-ring career in 2002, retiring in 2010. He also hosts the show MacMillan River Adventures, airing on the Outdoor Channel.
Hickenbottom began his wrestling career with Mid-South Wrestling, now known as Universal Wrestling Federation, and American Wrestling Association (AWA). During his time with AWA, he performed in partnership with Marty Jannetty, as The Midnight Rockers; winning the AWA World Tag Team Championship twice. Hickenbottom and Jannetty briefly signed with World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1987, while in contract with AWA. They returned to AWA, only to go back to the WWF in 1988.

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Sherri Martel
Sherri Schrull (born Sherri Russell, February 8, 1958 – June 15, 2007) was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri.
Martel began her professional wrestling career as a manager. She joined the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in the mid-1980s and held its AWA World Women's Championship three times. In the late 1980s, she joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where she held the WWF Women's Championship. Also in the WWF, Martel continued to act as a manager to wrestlers such as Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase, and Shawn Michaels. She appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the 1990s. In the latter, Martel acted as the manager for the tag team Harlem Heat. After leaving WCW, she made a few wrestling related appearances until her death in 2007.
Martel was first introduced to professional wrestling as a child, when her mother took her and her sister to shows in Mississippi. In 1974, Martel approached Grizzly Smith for advice on becoming a wrestler, but he questioned her conviction and told her to come back to him in five years when she was an adult. She eventually married her second husband and gave birth to a son named Jared, but she soon divorced her husband. During this time, she again became interested in becoming a professional wrestler and sought training from "Mr. Personality" Butch Moore in Memphis, Tennessee. She started wrestling as Sherri Martine, but decided she needed more training. She continued to train at The Fabulous Moolah's school, where Moolah changed her name to Sherri Martel and sent her to wrestle in Japan in 1981. Moolah claims that Martel frequented night clubs and liked to party, which resulted in Moolah kicking her out of the school.

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Sione Vailahi
Sione Havea Vailahi (born September 8, 1958) is a professional wrestler best known in wrestling as The Barbarian.
Born and raised in Tonga, Sione was one of five teenagers sent by the King of Tonga to Japan to study Sumo wrestling in the mid 1970s. Tonga Fifita was one of the other teenagers. Sione was known in sumo circles as Sachinoshima.
After migrating to the United States, he trained in professional wrestling under the tutelage of Rolland 'Red' Bastien. In 1980, he made his debut, wrestling Killer Karl Krupp in Modesto, California. He wrestled as King Konga in several NWA regional territories in 1981. He soon went to the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions, where he teamed up with Ron Garvin as a face.
Seeing the "heel" potential in a huge, intimidating man with surprising agility, Jim Crockett, Jr. changed him into Konga the Barbarian. He joined the stable of Paul Jones. From 1985 to 1987, he wrestled as part of "Paul Jones' Army" and teamed with Pez Whatley, Teijho Khan, as well as Baron Von Raschke. It was during this time that "Konga" was dropped from his name and he became simply The Barbarian.

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Steve McMichael
Stephen Douglas McMichael (born October 17, 1957) is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) and is currently the head coach of the Chicago Slaughter of the Indoor Football League. McMichael played college football for the University of Texas and was an All-American. He played for the New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers, winning Super Bowl XX with the Bears. McMichael later became a professional wrestler, wrestling for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and becoming a member of the legendary Four Horsemen
Born in Houston, Texas, McMichael attended the University of Texas, where he played for the Texas Longhorns football team from 1976 to 1979. As a senior in 1979, he was a consensus first-team All-American.
McMichael was drafted out of Texas in 1980 by the New England Patriots. He was acquired by the Chicago Bears as a free agent in 1981. He would become one of their starting defensive tackles and help lead them to a Super Bowl win in 1985. He had a streak of 101 games started until 1990, when his playing time was reduced. He led the Bears with 11¹⁄₂ sacks in 1988. He had 108 tackles in 1989. McMichael was named to the NFC's Pro Bowl teams for the 1986 and 1987 seasons.

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Stu Hart
Stewart Edward "Stu" Hart, CM (May 3, 1915 – October 16, 2003) was a Canadian amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. Hart founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and associated wrestling school "The Dungeon." The patriarch of the Hart wrestling family, Stu was the father of many wrestlers, most notably Bret and Owen Hart. Along with Bret and Owen, Hart's trainees included future world champions Chris Jericho, Edge, Christian, Mark Henry, and Chris Benoit.
Hart played football for the Edmonton Eskimos in the 1938 and 1939 seasons. Stu Hart began amateur wrestling when he joined the YMCA in Edmonton in 1929. By 1937 he won a gold medal in the welterweight class from the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada. His amateur career peaked in May 1940 when Hart won the Dominion Amateur Wrestling Championship in the light heavyweight category. It must have been a bittersweet win for Hart as by that time the Phoney War had ended in Europe, and World War II had erupted. This led to the cancellation of the Olympics ending one of Hart's greatest dreams. Hart did enlist in the Canadian Navy and served as the Director of Athletics.

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Super Crazy
Francisco Islas Rueda (born December 3, 1973) is a Mexican professional wrestler, or Luchador, best known by his ring name Super Crazy. Islas is most known for his three year run in the original ECW. In Mexico Islas has worked for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) and made appearances for various independent promotions but is not currently associated with one specific Mexican promotion. As Super Crazy, Islas first got American exposure by working for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) between 1998 and 2000. He has also toured Japan on several occasions working for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE (Zero-1) and most recently for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) where he participated in the 2009 Junior League.

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Sylvain Grenier
Sylvain Grenier (born March 26, 1977) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a four time World Tag Team Champion while a part of La Résistance.
Early in his life, Grenier played baseball, tennis and hockey at an amateur level, in addition to working as a model. He eventually decided to become a professional wrestler, and made his wrestling debut on November 9, 2002 for the Montreal-based Northern Championship Wrestling promotion.
Grenier auditioned for series one and two of Tough Enough, the reality television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment in 2001 and 2002, but was unable to attend the selection process due to visa problems. While he was in Florida training and taking part in a modeling shoot, Grenier met WWE producer Pat Patterson, with whom he became good friends. Patterson invited Grenier to attend WWE events for a few tryout matches under the ring name "Sly Grenier". Following a match, Grenier was offered a contract by WWE, and assigned to WWE developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling. During this period, Grenier made three appearances for WWE. The first was on the March 18, 2002 edition of Raw as a backstage security guard that was assaulted by Chris Jericho, the second as a referee that helped The Rock to defeat Hulk Hogan at No Way Out in 2003 and third at WrestleMania XIX.

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Tammy Lynn Sytch
Tamara "Tammy" Lynn Sytch (born December 7, 1972) is an American professional wrestling manager, personality,and occasional wrestler. She achieved her greatest success under the ring name Sunny within the World Wrestling Federation during the 1990s, and is widely considered as one of the first Divas. She also performed under her own name in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and Ring of Honor.
Sytch grew up in a strict family with a father who was retired from the United States Navy. She attended the same high school as her long-time boyfriend Chris Candido.Upon entering Smoky Mountain wrestling in 1993, a kayfabe claim was made that she had come from studying pre-law at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. She then switched to pre-med at the University of Tennessee, with the ambition to be a pediatrician. During college, she worked as a freelance photographer.
Sytch started out traveling with her boyfriend Chris Candido to make some extra money. In late-1992, she signed a six month deal with Smoky Mountain Wrestling. She first appeared onscreen as Tammy Fytch in 1993. She played a villain, who idolized Hillary Clinton. In her first storyline with the company, she threatened to file a sexual discrimination lawsuit due to the lack of prominent positions offered to females. She managed Brian Lee to the Heavyweight Championship and also began accompanying Candido in his matches, as well. By May 1994, she was managing the two men as a tag team, which won the Tag Team Championship from The Rock 'n' Roll Express. Both Sytch and Candido, however, left the promotion in early 1995 for jobs with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).

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Tazz
Peter Senerchia (born October 11, 1967) is a retired American professional wrestler and color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz. Tazz is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he works as a color commentator.
He is best known from his tenure in Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he was a two time World Heavyweight Champion, a two time World Television Champion, a three time World Tag Team Champion, a two time (and the first ever) FTW Heavyweight Champion, and the fourth ECW Triple Crown winner (the final in the original ECW).
His World Wrestling Entertainment career as an in-ring performer came to an early halt in 2002 when mounting injuries forced him to retire and become a color commentator, which he continued to do until his contract with WWE expired in April 2009. Two months later, Senerchia debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling at their Victory Road pay-per-view under the ring name Taz and eventually reprised his role as a color commentator for TNA's broadcasts, replacing Don West.

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Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. (born January 18, 1954) is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career. He is best recalled by mainstream audiences for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where he wrestled as "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase.
Among other accolades in the WWF, DiBiase was the first WWF North American Heavyweight Champion, a three-time WWF Tag Team Champion (with Irwin R. Schyster) and the 1988 King of the Ring. DiBiase also created his own championship, the Million Dollar Championship. He was well known for his cutting-edge heel promos, which were often concluded with his trademark evil laugh; DiBiase has been described by WWE as the organization's "most despised villain" during the late 1980s. He held the WWF Championship belt in 1988 after purchasing it from André the Giant, but this period is not recognized by WWE as an official title reign. Nonetheless, DiBiase frequently performed in main event matches and has been cited as one of the finest in-ring technicians in history.

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Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk (born June 30, 1944) is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley. Funk has appeared in the NWA, AWA, WWF/E, WCW, ECW, USWA, ROH, and TNA.
Funk held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship once and ECW World Heavyweight Championship once (ECW awarded him the honorary lifetime title of ECW Champion due to his contributions to the promotion). In addition, he won the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship once, the IWA World Heavyweight Championship twice, the ECW World Heavyweight Championship once (the reign was under Eastern Championship Wrestling name), the 3PW World Heavyweight Championship once. He is the only man to have been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, the WCW Hall of Fame, the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, the NWA Hall of Fame, the Hardcore Hall of Fame, and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. Funk was a primary subject of the documentary film Beyond the Mat. Funk is often noted for the longevity of his career, which has included multiple "retirement" matches.

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The Fabulous Moolah
Mary Lillian Ellison (July 22, 1923 – November 2, 2007) better known by her ring name The Fabulous Moolah, was an American female professional wrestler. She began her career working with promoter Billy Wolfe and his wife, wrestler and trainer Mildred Burke, as well as working alongside professional wrestler "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. She won the NWA World Women's Championship in 1956 and was the most prominent holder of the title for approximately the next thirty years.
In the 1980s, she joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as part of the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection storyline, feuding with Cyndi Lauper and Wendi Richter, the latter of whom defeated her for the WWF Women's Championship in 1984. Ellison was marketed by the WWF (later World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE) as holding the record for the longest title reign by any athlete in any professional sport. According to WWE, she was also the first WWF Women's Champion and held the title a total of four times.
In addition, Ellison was a prominent trainer and promoter in woman's professional wrestling. In the 1990s, she returned to the WWF in a comedic role with longtime friend Mae Young. Ellison became the oldest champion in the history of professional wrestling when she won the WWF Women's Championship at age 76, in 1999. In 2010, WWE recognized her as the 27th best wrestler ever.

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The Great Khali
Dalip Singh Rana (born 27 August 1972), better known by his ring name The Great Khali, is an Indian professional wrestler, actor, and powerlifter. He is currently working for WWE as a member of the SmackDown roster.
He debuted alongside Daivari and had alliances with Ranjin Singh and Jinder Mahal. However he spent most of his career as a singles superstar and in 2007 he became the World Heavyweight Champion.
Before embarking on his professional wrestling career, he was a police officer in the Punjab state police. He has appeared in four Hollywood films as well as two Bollywood films.
Singh was born in Himachal Pradesh, India to Jwala Ram (father) and Tandi Devi (mother); he is one of seven siblings. He is a Hindu Rajput. Although his parents are of normal stature, his grandfather was well over 6 ft 6 inches.
Under the ring name Giant Singh, Dalip Singh first became a professional wrestler for All Pro Wrestling (APW) in the United States, making his first appearance in October 2000, when teaming with Tony Jones against the West Side Playaz.

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The undertaker
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name The Undertaker. He is signed to WWE and is the company's most tenured competitor. Calaway began his wrestling career with World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) in 1984. He joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as "Mean" Mark Callous in 1989. When WCW did not renew Calaway's contract in 1990, he signed with the World Wrestling Federation in October and, after shortening his name from Kane the Undertaker to simply The Undertaker, has remained with the company since.
The Undertaker has two contrasting personas. The first is the role of The Deadman, an undead, occult-like figure, which has consisted of many different styles. He debuted his original Deadman persona during his own on-camera debut at Survivor Series (1990). At this event, the Undertaker was clad as a Western mortician. Next, in October of 1998, the Undertaker appeared as the leader of the Ministry of Darkness (with similar apparel). Since WrestleMania XX, the Undertaker has appeared as a hybrid version of the Deadman character, using elements of the previous Deadman incarnations.

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The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name The Undertaker. He is signed to WWE and is the company's most tenured competitor. Calaway began his wrestling career with World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) in 1984. He joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as "Mean" Mark Callous in 1989. When WCW did not renew Calaway's contract in 1990, he signed with the World Wrestling Federation in October and, after shortening his name from Kane the Undertaker to simply The Undertaker, has remained with the company since.
The Undertaker has two contrasting personas. The first is the role of The Deadman, an undead, occult-like figure, which has consisted of many different styles. He debuted his original Deadman persona during his own on-camera debut at Survivor Series (1990). At this event, the Undertaker was clad as a Western mortician. Next, in October of 1998, the Undertaker appeared as the leader of the Ministry of Darkness (with similar apparel). Since WrestleMania XX, the Undertaker has appeared as a hybrid version of the Deadman character, using elements of the previous Deadman incarnations.

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Theodore Long
Theodore Rufus "Teddy" Long (born September 15, 1947) is an American professional wrestling manager and former referee who is currently signed to WWE, performing as a servant for John Laurinaitis. He is best known for being a two-time general manager of WWE SmackDown.
Long started out as an errand boy for wrestlers Tommy Rich and Abdullah the Butcher. He eventually became a member of the ringcrew and was promoted to referee in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions in 1985 as Teddy Long. In 1989, at the Chi-Town Rumble event, Long ran in and counted three, making Ricky Steamboat the NWA World Champion. Shortly thereafter, Long began to turn into a villainous character when he started to bend the rules for the villains. On April 2, 1989 at the Clash of Champions in New Orleans, Long blatantly made a fast count allowing Mike Rotunda and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams to defeat the Road Warriors for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. After this match, the National Wrestling Alliance relieved Long of his refereeing duties. This was actually a story lifted from Championship Wrestling from Florida, where Long had been a referee and did several heel-decisions in the ring, including one for Ron Simmons over Skip Young. While riding with Kevin Sullivan and Eddie Gilbert, Long would DJ for them. After hearing Long talk, the two convinced Jim Ross to give Long a managerial role, managing "Norman The Lunatic". Long became the manager of Doom (Ron Simmons and Butch Reed) and led them to the World Tag Team Titles. He also managed Johnny B. Badd, One Man Gang, Norman the Lunatic, The Skyscrapers (Sid Vicious, Dan Spivey and Mark Calaway), Marcus Bagwell, 2 Cold Scorpio, Joey Maggs, Craig Pittman, Jim Powers, Bobby Walker, Ice Train and Bobby Eaton while in Jim Crockett Promotions and WCW.

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Tito Santana
Merced Solis (born May 10, 1953) better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation. Competing almost exclusively in the WWF from 1979 to 1993, Solis helped bridge the gap between the 1980s "Rock 'n Wrestling Connection" era to the 1990s "New Generation" era. He also won the first match in WrestleMania history.
Solis played tight end for West Texas A&M University, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. The team was quarterbacked by future professional wrestler Tully Blanchard, who would introduce him into the world of professional wrestling. After graduation, Solis was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs during training camp. He played one season for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, appearing in 13 regular-season games.
He pro debuted in Championship Wrestling From Florida in 1977, also worked in Georgia Championship Wrestling in 1977-78, until he joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1979. After a near 3 year run in the American Wrestling Association form 1980-1982 he returned to World Wrestling Federation in 1983.

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Tony Atlas
Anthony White (born April 23, 1954) better known by his ring name "Tony Atlas" is an American bodybuilder, powerlifter, and professional wrestler who has held multiple titles and championships in each sport. He is also known by his bodybuilding title, "Mr. USA" (a distinction he earned three times), the nom de guerre the "Black Superman", as well as an alter ego named Saba Simba. He returned as an on screen manager for WWE, appearing on its now-defunct ECW brand.
Atlas started wrestling in 1975 for the National Wrestling Alliance World Wide/Mid Atlantic area. His debut, on July 10, was a tag team match with Bob Bruggers against Art Neilson and The Blue Scorpion. The match finished with Atlas winning the fall for his team with a sleeper hold on the Blue Scorpion.
Throughout his career he worked for World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions, the World Wrestling Council (WWC), World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Among his regular partners were Tommy Rich (as "TNT"), Dick Murdoch, and Rocky Johnson. He was also the very first man to press slam and pin Hulk Hogan though Hogan's foot was on the rope and the referee didn't see it.^{[citation needed]}

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Tully Blanchard
Tully Arthur Blanchard (born January 22, 1954) is a semi-retired second generation American professional wrestler. He is best known as an original member of the Four Horsemen.
He worked for most of the major professional wrestling organizations in the United States: the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Association, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation (now known as WWE). As of March 31st, 2012, Tully Blanchard was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Four Horsemen.
As the son of wrestling promoter and former American Wrestling Association star Joe Blanchard, Tully Blanchard was involved in professional wrestling at a very young age. He began selling programs and refreshments at the arenas at the age of ten, and worked as a referee when he was older. Blanchard attended West Texas State University, where he played American football, first as a quarterback and then as a defensive end, alongside fellow future wrestlers Tito Santana and Ted DiBiase.

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Vagas Ferguson
Vasquero Diaz "Vagas" Ferguson (born March 6, 1957) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the 1980s. Ferguson played college football for the University of Notre Dame, and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, and Houston Oilers of the NFL.
Ferguson was born in Richmond, Indiana.
In 1979, his senior season at Notre Dame, Ferguson was voted to the All-America Team of the American Football Coaches Association. That year he was the fifth ranked player in the nation in yards per rush and finished fifth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. He ranks third all-time for total yards gained (3,472) among Notre Dame running backs, having averaged 5.2 yards per carry.
Ferguson currently resides in Richmond, Indiana. He is employed in the athletic department at Richmond High School, and is president of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

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Verne Gagne
Laverne Clarence "Verne" Gagne (born February 26, 1926), is a retired American professional wrestler, football player, and professional wrestling trainer and promoter. He was the former owner/promoter of the American Wrestling Association (AWA), based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was the predominant promotion throughout the Midwest and Manitoba for many years. He remained in this position until 1991, when the company folded.
Gagne is a 16-time world heavyweight champion, having held the AWA World Heavyweight Championship 10-times, the World Heavyweight Championship (Omaha version) 5-times, and the IWA World Heavyweight Championship once. Gagne holds the record for the most combined days as a world champion and is third behind Bruno Sammartino and Lou Thesz for the longest single world title reign. He is one of six men inducted into each of the WWE Hall of Fame, the WCW Hall of Fame, the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
Verne Clarence Gagne grew up on a farm in Corcoran, Minnesota. He left home at the age of 14 after his mother died. Verne went to Robbinsdale High School and excelled in football, baseball and wrestling, winning district, regional and state championships in high school wrestling, as well as being named to the All-State Football Team. In 1943, Gagne was recruited to play football at the University of Minnesota, where he was named to the All-Conference Team. After one year of college, he enlisted with the United States Marine Corps. Gagne chose to return to the University of Minnesota, where, as an amateur wrestler, he captured two NCAA titles. He was also an alternate for the U.S freestyle wrestling team at the 1948 Olympic Games; he later said that he might have wrestled in the Olympics, but his coaches had discovered that he had earned money winning a wrestling match at a carnival, thus putting his amateur standing in question.^{[citation needed]}

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Victor Rivera
Victor Rivera was a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. Between 1967 and 1981, he held the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship 12 times, the NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship five times, the WWF International Tag Team Championship, and numerous other titles.
In the late 1960s, Rivera wrestling in Los Angeles' World Wrestling Association, where he won the WWA World Tag Team Championship with Pedro Morales.
In December 1969, Rivera teamed with Tony Marino at Madison Square Garden to win the WWWF International Tag Team Championship in 2 straight falls from Professor Toru Tanaka and Mitsu Arakawa. Rivera and Marino defended the belts successfully against teams like Killer Kowalski & Waldo Von Erich, as well as Kowalski & Krippler Karl Kovacs. They lost the championship against another undefeated team, The Mongols (Bepo and Geto Mongol) on June 15, 1970, 2 falls to 1 at Madison Square Garden. On May 13, 1975, Rivera and Dominic DeNucci won the WWWF World Tag Team Championship from The Valiant Brothers. That same year, he also teamed with a rookie Dino Bravo to challenge The Mongols (Geto & Bolo Mongol) for the IWA World Tag Team Championship.

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Vince Russo
Vincent James "Vince" Russo (born January 24, 1961) is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He is also a former WCW World Heavyweight Champion, a title that he relinquished.
Russo grew up in Farmingville, New York and graduated from the University of Southern Indiana (then known as Indiana State University Evansville) in 1983 with a degree in journalism. He worked for the school newspaper The Shield as an assistant sports editor and later as editor-in-chief.
Russo got his start in the wrestling business when he began training under the tutelage of Johnny Rodz at Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn. He owned two video stores on Long Island, New York,. Russo also hosted his own local radio show from 1992 to 1993 called Vicious Vincent's World of Wrestling which aired on Sunday nights on WGBB in Freeport, New York. The program ran for exactly one year, the final show being the one year anniversary.

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Warrick Dunn
Warrick De'Mon Dunn (born January 5, 1975 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State. Dunn was named AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1997 and earned three Pro Bowl selections in his career. He played for the Atlanta Falcons from 2002 to 2007 between stints in Tampa Bay. After his career, Dunn took a stake in the Falcons' ownership group led by Arthur Blank.
At Catholic High in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dunn played quarterback, cornerback, and running back. During his sophomore year he helped lead Catholic High to the state 4A championship game for the first time in its history. He was an All-America honorable mention selection by USA Today as a senior.
On January 7, 1993, Dunn's mother Betty Smothers, an off-duty police officer escorting a businesswoman to a bank to make a night deposit, was ambushed and killed by armed robbers. Three men were sent to prison for the murder, and 2 remain on death row. Dunn, two days after his 18th birthday, became the head of his family and raised his siblings. In 2007, Dunn met with one of the convicted men at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

wn.com/Warrick_Dunn
Wendi Richter
Wendi Richter (born September 6, 1961) is a retired American professional wrestler. She began her professional wrestling career in companies such as the National Wrestling Alliance, where she teamed with Joyce Grable, with whom she held the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship twice. In the 1980s, she joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). She held the WWF Women's Championship twice and feuded with The Fabulous Moolah over the title. She was also involved in a storyline with singer Cyndi Lauper called the "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection." Richter, however, left the WWF after losing the championship in controversial fashion. She then worked in the World Wrestling Council and American Wrestling Association, where she held both companies' women's titles.
Wendi Richter was trained at The Fabulous Moolah's Lillian Ellison School of Professional Wrestling and made her professional debut in 1979. In early 1982, Richter tag teamed with Moolah against Velvet McIntyre and Princess Victoria for three matches for the World Wide Wrestling Federation. Richter was later paired with Joyce Grable, with whom she also trained for six weeks, to form a tag team called The Texas Cowgirls. In late 1982, they wrestled in a series of matches in Canada's Stampede Wrestling against Velvet McIntyre and Judy Martin. She continued her feud with McIntyre in Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling Association, where she was defeated twice. Richter and Grable continued their rivalry with McIntyre and Martin into April 1983 in Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association. In May, the team reformed in Stampede Wrestling in matches against McIntyre and Penny Mitchell. The team also won the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship twice.

wn.com/Wendi_Richter
Wikipedia Persondata
wn.com/Wikipedia_Persondata
William Calhoun
William Dee Calhoun (August 3, 1934 – December 7, 1989) was an American professional wrestler, who used the professional name "Haystack" or "Haystacks" Calhoun.
The gargantuan wrestler was one of the foremost drawing cards during the industry’s “Golden Age” of the 1950s and 1960s, sporting his trademark white T-shirt, blue overalls, and horseshoe necklace. He is recognized as a chief pioneer of the sport’s super-heavyweight attractions.
Born on August 3, 1934, William Dee Calhoun grew up on a farm in McKinney, Texas; a rural suburb located in Collin County about 30 mi (48 km) north of Dallas. William was an unusually large child with an extraordinary appetite, it was said that he regularly ate a dozen eggs for breakfast; and by age 14, he already weighed 300 lb (140 kg). His weight continued to climb; and by the time he was in his early 20s, Calhoun tipped the scales at over 600 lb (270 kg), prompting his personal physician to suggest he did not have long to live, unless he reformed his diet.

wn.com/William_Calhoun
William Regal
Darren Kenneth Matthews (born 10 May 1968) is an English professional wrestler, author and color commentator currently signed to WWE and competing on the SmackDown brand under the ring name William Regal. He is also known for his time in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Steven Regal. Having started his career wrestling on the carnival circuit in England, Matthews moved on to wrestle around the world in countries such as Germany and South Africa, before being called up to World Championship Wrestling in 1993. In 2000, after leaving WCW, Matthews joined the World Wrestling Federation (later World Wrestling Entertainment and now just WWE), where he became commissioner. More recently he has been General Manager of Raw, the 2008 King of the Ring and is currently the Official Match Coordinator for NXT Redemption.
Never a world champion, Matthews has, nonetheless, achieved considerable championship success in professional wrestling. Throughout his career, he has won more than 60 titles worldwide, including four in WCW and 13 in WWE. He has overcome multiple drug problems as well as a major heart defect during his career, and he has written an autobiography, Walking a Golden Mile.

wn.com/William_Regal
Yasuhiro Kojima
Yasuhiro Kojima (小島泰弘, Kojima Yasuhiro^?) (July 22, 1937 – November 27, 1999) was a professional wrestler and the trainer of Hulk Hogan, "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, Lex Luger, Ron Simmons, Keiji Mutoh, and many other professional wrestlers. He was better known as Hiro Matsuda, an identity he adopted while competing in the southern U.S., inspired by earlier wrestlers Sorakichi Matsuda and Matty Matsuda. As a trainer, Matsuda was famous for being very stiff with his trainees to toughen them up and teach them to respect the business. His most famous story involved him being very tough on a young Hulk Hogan in his first day of training and breaking his leg. After Hogan healed, he came right back to Matsuda's school, looking to continue his training. Matsuda was so impressed by his display of "guts" that he trained him properly from that day on.
He initially debuted under his real name at Rikidōzan's Japanese Wrestling Association, but then left Japan to pursue wrestling in the Americas. Once in a while he would return to Japan, where he formed a tag team with Antonio Inoki that was only the outward reflection of the long-time friendship between the two men.

wn.com/Yasuhiro_Kojima
Yoshihiro Tajiri
Yoshihiro Tajiri (田尻義博, Tajiri Yoshihiro^?, born September 29, 1970), is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently working in Japan as TAJIRI.
Tajiri had originally wanted to become a kickboxer and trained in kickboxing, but after watching countless wrestling matches from Mexico, he entered the Animal Hamaguchi Wrestling gym and soon won its test match tournament. He debuted professionally in 1994 for Michinoku Pro Wrestling beating Akihiro Yonekawa and also wrestled for Wrestle Association-R. On 16 October 1994 Tajiri made his debut for IWA Japan under his real name. In 1996 he joined Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre.
In 1996 he left CMLL and joined the hardcore wrestling promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling in Tokyo. He debuted for BJW under the name Aquarius and beat Unicorn in his first match. On 19 July 1996 he beat Dr. Wagner Jr for the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship and lost it to him on 27 July. On July 23, 1997 Tajiri would team up with Ryuji Yamakawa to win the vacant BJW Tag Team Championship and lost it to Gedo and Jado on December 22. The team would regain the titles eleven days later and lose it to Shadow Winger and Shadow WX. He beat Gedo to become the first BJW Junior Heavyweight Champion he would later be stripped of the title when he left the company.

wn.com/Yoshihiro_Tajiri

ron simmons best of "DAMN" show vol 1

dsh productions presents ron simmons best of damn vol 1...

published: 04 Nov 2007

author: david662

Harley Race Offends Ron Simmons like no Other!

Harley race trying to step through ron Simmons ..the place gets electric...

published: 24 Mar 2009

author: erickrassle

Ron Simmons "DAMN"

Ron Simmons "DAMN" @ RAW 23.10.2006...

published: 26 Oct 2006

author: Zerppi

RON SIMMONS and the SMOKING GUNNS get COMPLETELY DAMAGED!

EPISODE TWO - RC gets in the ring with RON "FAAROOQ" SIMMONS and mixes it up with THE SMOK...

published: 09 May 2011

author: COMPLETELYDAMAGED

Doom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons) vs William Bell and Bob Cook

From May, 1990. Good rain delay entertainment....

published: 06 Aug 2010

author: avk62

Ron Simmons DAMN!!!!!!

DAMN!!!!!!!...

published: 10 Apr 2009

author: Felix Martin

Rick Rude,Steve Austin & Ron Simmons vs Ric Flair,Sting & The Boss

WCW heavyweight champion Ravishing Rick Rude teams up with WCW US champion Stunning Steve ...

published: 01 Oct 2010

author: owaisinus

Ron Simmons Training Video 1991 FSU

In preparation for his upcoing championship match against Lex Luger, Ron Simmons is shown ...

published: 19 Apr 2010

author: sgzartan

Action Bronson - Ron Simmons

thebestkept.se Action Bronson and producer Party Supplies team up for a collaborative proj...

published: 12 Mar 2012

author: The Best Kept

Ron Simmons - DAMN vol.1

DAMN!!!!!...

published: 10 Apr 2007

author: parrex2

Ron Simmons - Florida State

Two-time All-American. Retired Florida State jersey #50. College Football Hall of Fame! En...

published: 28 Jun 2012

author: jddrewinduval

Ron Simmons vs Tony Atlas 1/17/93

Ron Simmons and Tony Atlas go toe to toe - WCW Main Event 1/17/93...

published: 31 Jan 2012

author: WWEFanNation

Ron Simmons' DAMN! on Kenny

DAMN!...

published: 16 Jan 2007

author: IronWrathchild

Ron Simmons DAMN compilation #1

...

published: 19 Apr 2009

author: zumox00

Forget Me Not

published: 08 Apr 2009

author: Mew Lab

Ron Simmons Interview on HIV

As part of the National Newspaper Publishers Associations commitment to the CDCs Act Again...

published: 22 Oct 2009

author: Greater Than

4 trinity video test

shoot with Canon xh-a1 24p...

published: 01 Aug 2008

author: ron simmons

alleyway composite scene

Just something I did in After Effects, also used Magic bullets Looks! CC...

published: 28 Nov 2008

author: ron simmons

ron simmons best of "DAMN" show vol 1

dsh productions presents ron simmons best of damn vol 1...

published: 04 Nov 2007

author: david662

Ron Simmons In Your Head Wrestling Interview Part 1 of 2

Interview Ron Simmons from www.inyourheadonline.com For many more interviews, in higher qu...

published: 18 Jun 2011

author: Neal Jones

Ron Simmons "DAMN"

Ron Simmons "DAMN" @ RAW 23.10.2006...

published: 26 Oct 2006

author: Zerppi

Harley Race Offends Ron Simmons like no Other!

Harley race trying to step through ron Simmons ..the place gets electric...

published: 24 Mar 2009

author: erickrassle

Doom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons) vs William Bell and Bob Cook

From May, 1990. Good rain delay entertainment....

published: 06 Aug 2010

author: avk62

Rick Rude,Steve Austin & Ron Simmons vs Ric Flair,Sting & The Boss

WCW heavyweight champion Ravishing Rick Rude teams up with WCW US champion Stunning Steve ...

published: 01 Oct 2010

author: owaisinus

Ron Simmons DAMN!!!!!!

DAMN!!!!!!!...

published: 10 Apr 2009

author: Felix Martin

RON SIMMONS and the SMOKING GUNNS get COMPLETELY DAMAGED!

EPISODE TWO - RC gets in the ring with RON "FAAROOQ" SIMMONS and mixes it up with THE SMOK...

published: 09 May 2011

author: COMPLETELYDAMAGED

Ron Simmons Training Video 1991 FSU

In preparation for his upcoing championship match against Lex Luger, Ron Simmons is shown ...

published: 19 Apr 2010

author: sgzartan

Ron Simmons - Florida State

Two-time All-American. Retired Florida State jersey #50. College Football Hall of Fame! En...

published: 28 Jun 2012

author: jddrewinduval

Ron Simmons vs Tony Atlas 1/17/93

Ron Simmons and Tony Atlas go toe to toe - WCW Main Event 1/17/93...

published: 31 Jan 2012

author: WWEFanNation

Bobby Lashley Shoot Interview on Paul Heyman, ECW, Michael Hayes, The Dominator & Ron Simmons

Bobby Lashley shoot interview from www.inyourheadonline.com part 4 of 4 Topics Covered Pau...

published: 07 May 2009

author: Neal Jones

Ron Simmons' DAMN! on Kenny

DAMN!...

published: 16 Jan 2007

author: IronWrathchild

Ron Simons (CEO RSRNurburg) driving his Alfa Romeo GTV6 racecar at Spa Francorchamps 90's

Before Ron Simons started RSRNurburg and RSRParts he was a professional race driver for ov...

published: 18 Aug 2010

author: RSRNurburg

Forget Me Not

published: 08 Apr 2009

author: Mew Lab

Ron Simmons Interview on HIV

As part of the National Newspaper Publishers Associations commitment to the CDCs Act Again...

published: 22 Oct 2009

author: Greater Than

4 trinity video test

shoot with Canon xh-a1 24p...

published: 01 Aug 2008

author: ron simmons

alleyway composite scene

Just something I did in After Effects, also used Magic bullets Looks! CC...

published: 28 Nov 2008

author: ron simmons

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photo: AP / Adj Nicolas-Nelson Richard, ECPAD

This Sunday Jan.13, 2013 photo provided by the French Army Monday Jan.14, 2013 shows a French Rafale jetfighter landing after a mission to Mali in N'Djamena, Chad.

France strikes Mali rebels

Independent online (SA)

14 Jan 2013

Bamako/Paris - French fighter jets pounded Islamist rebel strongholds deep in northern Mali on Sunday as Paris poured more troops into the capital, Bamako, awaiting a West African force to dislodge al-Qaeda-linked insurgents from the country’s north ... Defence Minister Jean-Yves le Drian said France’s intervention on Friday prevented the advancing rebels from seizing Bamako and vowed air strikes would continue ... – ... Doubt....(size: 6.6Kb)

photo: AP / Kevin Frayer

Indian Hindu holy men, or Naga Sadhus, run naked into the water at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the royal bath on Makar Sankranti at the start of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India, Monday, Jan. 14, 2013.

Pilgrims Flock to India's Ganges for World's Biggest Festival

Jakarta Globe

14 Jan 2013

Allahabad. Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims led by naked, ash-covered holy men streamed into the sacred river Ganges on Monday at the start of the world's biggest religious festival. The Kumbh Mela in the Indian town of Allahabad will see up to 100 million worshippers gather over the next 55 days to take a ritual bath in the holy waters, believed to cleanse sins and bestow blessings ... "I am ecstatic ... Agence France-Presse ....(size: 4.2Kb)

photo: WN / Jamal Penjweny

US military in side hummer on the Ramadia road and an the duty in Ramadia present

2012 military suicides hit a record high of 349

Ohio

15 Jan 2013

WASHINGTON. Suicides in the U.S. military surged to a record 349 last year, far exceeding American combat deaths in Afghanistan, and some private experts are predicting the dark trend will grow worse this year. The Pentagon has struggled to deal with the suicides, which Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and others have called an epidemic ... Last year’s total is the highest since the Pentagon began closely tracking suicides in 2001 ... ....(size: 5.0Kb)

photo: AP / Arshad Butt

Pakistani Shiite Muslims sit next to the bodies of their relatives awaiting burial, who were killed in Thursday's deadly bombings, during a protest in Quetta, Pakistan, Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013.

Pakistan's Deathly Nonviolent Protest

WorldNews.com

15 Jan 2013

Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling. Desperate times call for desperate measures. In the case regarding Pakistani Shias, a minority population in Pakistan, some are refusing to bury their dead until the government deepens its commitment to protect them and the army provides better security. This comes on the heels of another suicide terrorist attack that killed 92 people and wounded more than 100 ... (1) Crilly, Rob ... ....(size: 4.0Kb)

photo: White House / Pete Souza

File - President Barack Obama talks with Chief of Staff Jack Lew and Rob Nabors, Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, in the Oval Office, Nov. 28, 2012.

Obama On Debt Ceiling: 'We Are Not A Deadbeat Nation'

Huffington Post

14 Jan 2013

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama issued a strong warning to Republicans on Monday that he will not negotiate over the debt ceiling or allow Republicans to use it as a bargaining chip. "To even entertain the idea of the United States of America not paying our bills is irresponsible. It's absurd," Obama said in a press conference ... "They will not collect a ransom in exchange for not crashing the economy," Obama said ... Also on HuffPost ... ....(size: 10.3Kb)

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14 readers offer ideas, thoughts and encouragement after the Sandy Hook shooting

The Dallas Morning News

22 Dec 2012

Help is available. As the events at Sandy Hook Elementary School continue to haunt us, the entire country unites in our sorrow for those whose lives ended so tragically. At Salesmanship Club, our commitment to mental health and education — and the fact that we have our own elementary school — has this hitting very close to home ... They love their child fiercely but sometimes can’t recognize him or her ... Re ... Ron Simmons, Carrollton ... Re ... Re ... 1 ... 2....(size: 14.0Kb)

Defending the Heisman

my SA

07 Dec 2012

The Heisman Trophy goes to the most outstanding player in college football. Only once has that outstanding player played primarily on defense — Charles Woodson, a defensive back who won the trophy in 1997. And only five times has a defensive player finished in the top three. Notre Dame's standout linebacker Monti Te'o is a finalist this year ... TOP THREE FINISHERS. Charles Woodson, 1997 ... Heisman finish ... Ron Simmons, Florida State DL, ninth....(size: 3.6Kb)

FSU, Northern Illinois coaches getting used to Orange Bowl

The Miami Herald

06 Dec 2012

As long as he’s been around, Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher has never had the opportunity to be a participant in the Orange Bowl ... “When I was a young man, when I became a Florida State fan in 1979, they played Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl in back-to-back to years. I remember watching [FSU’s] Ron Simmons, how they couldn’t block him. To me, this game has such great tradition ... It’s a thrill for us ... ....(size: 5.1Kb)

FSU defensive end Bjoern Werner named ACC Defensive Player of Year

Palm Beach Post

28 Nov 2012

Bjoern Werner has 13 sacks this season, one of the best years a pass rusher has ever had at Florida State ... Werner received 27 votes, while injured teammate Tank Carradine finished in second place with nine votes ... Werner is the ACC’s active sacks leader with 23.5, which places him in a tie for fourth on FSU’s all-time list along with Jamal Reynolds and behind just Reinard Wilson (35.5), Boulware (34) and Ron Simmons (25)....(size: 3.0Kb)

FSU fans riled up over Fisher’s conservative play calling

Palm Beach Post

25 Nov 2012

Fans of No. 10 Florida State got restless at the end of the half of Saturday’s 37-26 loss to No. 6 Florida after coach Jimbo Fisher called for consecutive running plays in the final two minutes with Florida leading 13-0. The majority of the FSU fans let Fisher know of their displeasure, booing after Devonta Freeman was stopped for 2 yards on second down form the Seminoles 12 ... He is 1 1/2 sacks from catching Ron Simmons at No. 3 ... ....(size: 4.3Kb)

Mixtape Of The Week: Action Bronson Rare Chandeliers

Stereogum

21 Nov 2012

Some weeks, I have to dig deep into the internet’s weirder recesses to find anything remotely worth writing about in this column. And some weeks, the deluge comes ... This is one of those weeks ... The Illuminati Prince/Ss ... Bronson names a song after WCW legend Ron Simmons, so Party Supplies turns Simmons’s trademark interjection (“Damn!”) into part of the beat ... Both guys here have great taste in collaborators ... TweetTags....(size: 10.2Kb)

Survivor Series PPV countdown: #18 - 2006

The Examiner

16 Nov 2012

Related topics. top 25 survivor series ppvs countdownWWEwrestlingsurvivor seriesecwDegeneration X. Advertisement. WWF Survivor Series 2006. November 26, 2006. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This was sort of an oddly booked and oddly paced show ... Instead it was announced that for seven days straight on wwe.com a new match for the pay per view would be announced ... Match results. ... Ric Flair (captain), Ron Simmons (replacing Rowdy Roddy Piper), Sgt ... ....(size: 8.0Kb)

TX-Winners

my SA

08 Nov 2012

Here is a list of winners of races in Texas.President. Mitt Romney, GOPU.S. Senate. Ted Cruz, GOPU.S. House - District 1. Louie Gohmert (i), GOPU.S. House - District 2. Ted Poe (i), GOPU.S. House - District 4. Ralph Hall (i), GOPU.S. House - District 5. Jeb Hensarling (i), GOPU.S. House - District 6. Joe Barton (i), GOPU.S. House - District 7 ... Ron Reynolds (i), DemState House - District 29 ... J. M ... J. D ... Ron Simmons, GOPState House - District 69....(size: 10.3Kb)

A spotlight on Texas districts seeing heated battles

The Dallas Morning News

07 Nov 2012

TEXAS HOUSE RACES. A spotlight on local districts that saw heated battles for seats in the Texas House of Representatives .. District 65. Republican Ron Simmons defeated Democrat Gary Brown by a wide margin. The two political newcomers battled to succeed Burt Solomons, who is retiring from the Denton County district. District 102 ... District 105 ... Democrat Rosemary Robbins ... District 107 ... District 114 ... Ray Leszcynski. TOP PICKS. Texas Faith ... Homes ... ....(size: 2.5Kb)

WWE Hell in a Cell '12 results

The Examiner

29 Oct 2012

Related topics. WWEwrestlingRybackCM PunkThe Big Show. Advertisement. Tonight, Sunday, October 28, WWE presented the fourth annual Hell in a Cell pay per view. Tonight’s show was live from the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Here are the results ... Show pinned him after hitting a knockout punch ... Santino Marella then showed up as Lady Gaga and started singing “Born This Way.” Ron Simmons then showed up with the “Damn” punchline ... Tweet ... Pics....(size: 7.5Kb)

Editorial: Dallas Morning News election recommendations

The Dallas Morning News

21 Oct 2012

President. Mitt Romney (R) ... We respectfully disagree ... U.S ... U.S ... Ron Simmons (R). The contest to succeed the retiring Burt Solomons in this Denton County district pits political newcomers, and Republican Ron Simmons comes out on top on for preparation. Simmons has met with local school officials and top TxDOT brass to get briefed on core budget areas ... Simmons, despite better backgrounding, is disturbingly vague when pressed for his positions....(size: 26.0Kb)

TexansChick

Houston Chronicle

01 Oct 2012

Texans 38, Titans 14; Home blowout? Please don’t start the wave. Monday, October 1, 2012. Comments. .. E-mail ... Welcome Back Ron Simmons. If you are a long time reader here, you’ve seen the pictures of commenter Army Sgt Ron Simmons who was looking for a Texans flag to use in Iraq because he was surrounded by Cowboy fans ... Ron wants to let Connor know that he was the crazy Texans fan shouting thank yous at him. Nah, thank you, Ron....(size: 9.8Kb)

WWE rumors: JBL returning as announcer for Monday Night Raw (Video)

The Examiner

17 Sep 2012

Related topics. WWEJBLWWE Night of ChampionsJerry Lawler. Advertisement. One of the big surprises at the WWE Night of Champions PPV on Sept. 16 was the return of JBL to the broadcast booth ... Kilimanjaro this month. WWE rumors ... In 1998, he slightly changed gimmicks and joined forces with Ron Simmons, first as the Acolytes under the rule of The Undertaker, and then as the APA, a beer-drinking tag team serving as a protection agency ... 17 ... Shawn S....(size: 8.0Kb)

timeline:
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2010
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Ron Simmons

Ring name(s)	Ron Simmons^[1]^[2] Faarooq Asad^[1]^[2] Faarooq^[1]^[2]
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)^[3]^[4]^[5]
Billed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)^[6]
Billed weight	270 lb (120 kg)^[6]
Born	(1958-05-15) May 15, 1958 (age 54)^[1] Perry, Georgia^[2]
Resides	Marietta, Georgia^[6]
Billed from	Warner Robins, Georgia^[6]
Trained by	Hiro Matsuda^[1]^[2]^[6]
Debut	October 1986^[1]^[2]
Retired	February 6, 2010^[2]

**Ron Simmons**
Career information
Date of birth:	(1958-05-15) May 15, 1958 (age 54)
Place of birth:	Perry, Georgia, USA
Position(s):	Defensive tackle
College:	Florida State
NFL Draft:	1981 / Round: 6 / Pick: 160 (By the Cleveland Browns)
Organizations
As player:
1981 1981 1984-1985	Cleveland Browns Ottawa Rough Riders Tampa Bay Bandits
Career highlights and awards
Awards:	College Football Hall of Fame (2008)
Honors:	Consensus All-American (1979, 1980)
College Football Hall of Fame

Ronald "Ron" Simmons (born May 15, 1958) is an American former professional wrestler and American Football player. He performed for World Championship Wrestling under his real name and in the World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/E) under both his real name and the ring names Faarooq Asaad^[1] (sometimes spelled Asad) and Faarooq (sometimes spelled Farooq^[1]).

In WCW, he was a one time World Heavyweight Champion;^[1]^[7] as the first of two African Americans to win the title, he is recognized by WWE as the first Black world champion in professional wrestling history, followed by Booker T.^[8] He was also a one time World Tag Team Champion with Butch Reed and a one time United States Tag Team Champion with Big Josh.^[9]^[10] In the WWF, he was a three time Tag Team Champion with Bradshaw as one half of the Acolytes Protection Agency.^[11] He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012.^[12]

Prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Simmons was an American college and professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL) and United States Football League (USFL) for four seasons during the 1980s. He played college football for Florida State University, and was recognized as an All-American. He played professionally for the NFL's Cleveland Browns, the CFL's Ottawa Rough Riders and the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits.

1 Early years
2 Football career
3 Professional wrestling career
4 In wrestling
5 Championships and accomplishments
6 Footnotes
7 References

Early years [link]

Born in Perry, Georgia, Simmons attended Warner Robins High School, where he played football as a tight end and linebacker. In 1976, he was named lineman of the year, and first team All-State by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Football career [link]

Simmons was an All-American football player at Florida State University (FSU) from 1977 to 1980 under coach Bobby Bowden (whom Simmons described as "a second father"), spending four years as a defensive nose guard. The Seminoles were 39-8 during Simmons's years at the school, finishing in the Associated Press Top 20 three times ('77,'79 and '80), earning back-to-back Orange Bowl trips after Simmons's junior and senior seasons.^[13] In 1979 Simmons finished ninth in the Heisman voting.^[14] In 1988, Simmons's jersey (number 50) was retired by FSU,^[15] the third time a number has been retired in school history. In addition, Simmons was inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame for his accomplishments while playing at Florida State. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.^[16]^[17]

He later had a brief career in the National Football League (NFL), selected as pick #160 in the 1981 NFL Draft. He played for the Cleveland Browns in 1981, and the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits in 1984 and 1985, and it was in Tampa where he was a teammate of future professional wrestler Lex Luger.

Professional wrestling career [link]

National Wrestling Alliance / World Championship Wrestling (1989–1994)[link]

Simmons teamed up with Butch Reed to form Doom. In the beginning, the members of Doom were masked and only known as Doom #1 and Doom #2, managed by Woman. In their pay-per-view debut at Halloween Havoc 1989, Doom defeated The Steiner Brothers. In the "Iron Team Tournament" at Starrcade 1989, Doom finished fourth, losing all three of their matches. With new manager Teddy Long, they rebounded and defeated The Steiner Brothers for the NWA World Tag Team Championship at Capital Combat in 1990.

They held the title for nine months, defeating teams like The Rock 'n' Roll Express and feuding with The Four Horsemen. Among their most memorable encounters during their title reign was a street fight against Horsemen Arn Anderson and Barry Windham at Starrcade 1990 which ended in a no-contest when Windham pinned Simmons while Reed simultaneously pinned Anderson. Doom were recognized as the first holders of the WCW World Tag Team Championship in January 1991, finally losing the titles to The Freebirds at WrestleWar in February 1991. Subsequently, Doom broke up, with Simmons turning face and feuding with Reed, defeating him in a cage match at the very first SuperBrawl. Simmons defeated midcarders including Oz and The Diamond Studd, then unsuccessfully challenged Lex Luger for the World Heavyweight Championship at Halloween Havoc, losing the best-of-three-falls match one fall to two. Simmons spent the first half of 1992 feuding with Cactus Jack, whom he defeated via pinfall at SuperBrawl II.

On August 2, 1992, a scheduled title match between Sting and WCW World Heavyweight Champion Big Van Vader was canceled after Jake Roberts (kayfabe) injured Sting.^[18] WCW President Bill Watts responded by holding a raffle to determine the number one contender.^[18] Simmons won the raffle and defeated Vader with a snap scoop powerslam to win the championship.^[18] By defeating Vader, Simmons became the first recognized African American WCW World Heavyweight Champion.^[18]

Simmons held the title for five months. He continued to feud with Cactus Jack, with Jack bringing in The Barbarian to challenge Simmons at Halloween Havoc. At Starrcade, Simmons was scheduled to wrestle Rick Rude, but due to Rude being injured he faced "Dr. Death" Steve Williams instead, wrestling to a double countout that was changed to a disqualification win for Simmons when Williams attacked him after the match. His title reign ended two days later on December 30, 1992, when Vader defeated him to regain the title. Afterwards, Simmons was relegated to mid-card status, eventually becoming a bitter heel who felt like the fans abandoned him after he lost the championship. Simmons unsuccessfully challenged Dustin Rhodes for the United States Heavyweight Championship and Paul Orndorff for the World Television Championship during his last months with WCW.

Extreme Championship Wrestling (1994–1995)[link]

Simmons appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from late 1994 to early 1995. During that time he unsuccessfully challenged World Heavyweight Champion Shane Douglas at November to Remember and had matches with Mikey Whipwreck and 911.

World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (1996–2004)[link]

After ECW, Simmons joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and made his debut on the July 22, 1996, episode of Raw. His first gimmick was that of Faarooq Asad, a gladiator who wore a black and blue gladiator outfit with a misshaped helmet and was managed by Sunny. Simmons started his first feud with Ahmed Johnson before shortening his ring name to Faarooq.

Nation of Domination (1996–1998)[link]

Main article: Nation of Domination

As Faarooq, Simmons dropped his gladiator gimmick and with his new manager, Clarence Mason, formed a stable known as the Nation of Domination. The Nation of Domination was loosely based on the Nation of Islam and the Black Panther Party, although the members of the stable were not exclusively African American. They mostly feuded with Ahmed Johnson, who Faarooq was combating before. Faarooq's ongoing "war" with Johnson included matches at the Royal Rumble in 1997, where Ahmed won by disqualification, and another at Wrestlemania 13 where Ahmed recruited the Legion of Doom to take on the entire Nation in a Chicago Street Fight, which was won by Johnson and the Road Warriors. The group stayed together until Faarooq became angry with them for costing him the WWF Championship. After Simmons threw Crush and Savio Vega out of the Nation, Crush and Vega formed their own rival factions, known respectively as the Disciples of Apocalypse and Los Boricuas, and Faarooq recruited more African American members for the Nation. The three stables feuded with one another throughout 1997. In early 1998, Simmons's leadership of the Nation of Domination was usurped by The Rock, and he spent several months feuding with his former stablemates.

The Acolytes / The APA (1998–2004)[link]

Main article: Acolytes Protection Agency

After being dumped from the Nation, Simmons teamed briefly with 2 Cold Scorpio. In late 1998, Simmons began teaming with Bradshaw as Hell's Henchmen. They were managed by The Jackyl until he left the WWF, at which point they were repackaged as members of The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness and were renamed the "Acolytes", as they acted like acolytes to The Undertaker. The Acolytes recruited Phineas I. Godwinn and Mabel to the Ministry by kidnapping and brainwashing them (renaming them Mideon and Viscera, respectively), and feuded with The Undertaker's rivals, such as D-Generation X and The Brood, the latter of which later joined the Ministry of Darkness as well.

After The Undertaker suffered an injury in late 1999, the Ministry of Darkness disbanded. Simmons and Bradshaw continued to team with one another, and eventually adopted the gimmick of two brawlers who enjoyed drinking beer and smoking cigars, becoming faces in the process. After Bradshaw began hiring out the services of the Acolytes as mercenaries and bodyguards, the tag team was renamed the Acolytes Protection Agency (APA). Around this time, Simmons would start saying his trademark "DAMN!" catchphrase, though it wouldn't be emphasized as much as it would be later on.

The APA teamed together until 2002, when Simmons was drafted to the SmackDown! brand. Around this time, Simmons changed his ring name to his real name by choice, due to the terrorist group Al-Qaeda having a training camp called All-Faarooq.^[19] Simmons had a brief heel run when he teamed with Reverend D-Von until he left television in December 2002, but in June 2003 he returned to WWE with Bradshaw and the APA reunited.

In his last WWE storyline, he was fired by former SmackDown! General Manager Paul Heyman . It was assumed the APA would be fired, but it turned out to only be Faarooq. Simmons retired from his in-ring career, kayfabe accusing Bradshaw of not being a faithful friend. In reality, Simmons, who had been planning to retire due to his health and age and become a backstage agent for the company, was let go the day this angle aired on Smackdown; reports at the time indicated there was "inappropriate conduct"" at WrestleMania XX festivities the weekend prior.^[20]

Sporadic appearances and Hall of Famer (2006–present)[link]

Simmons making a promotional appearance for WWE in 2005

In 2006, during a rebroadcast of the 1981 Orange Bowl on Sun Sports, Simmons stated that since that time he has retired from wrestling action, but would like to continue or even improve his role with WWE. Starting on October 23, 2006, he began making short cameos on Raw under his given name to say his catchphrase of "Damn", often in awe of or shock at odd happenings. On the November 20, 2006, edition of Raw, Simmons was chosen by Ric Flair to replace the injured Roddy Piper at the Survivor Series to take on the Spirit Squad. He was the first to be eliminated, via countout. He was seen in the ring with Chris Masters in the "Master Lock Challenge" on the January 15, 2007 edition of Raw, a confrontation which ended prematurely after interference from Super Crazy. Although Simmons technically broke the Master Lock, it was not officially recognized because of Crazy's interference. On the July 27, 2007, edition of SmackDown!, Simmons was named the best man for Theodore Long and Kristal's kayfabe wedding.

Simmons also engaged in a feud against Santino Marella. On September 10, 2007, on Raw, Simmons was attacked by Marella. On the September 24, 2007, edition of Raw, Simmons made a return to the ring and defeated Santino Marella by countout after Marella left the ring and walked out. A week later, Simmons said "Damn" one more time after throwing Steve-O out of a nearby door.

Simmons occasionally competed on WWE Heat, taking on jobbers from the town in which the show is being taped. At the end of each match, Simmons held a microphone, pulling it toward and away from his mouth while the crowd cheered him until he eventually said "Damn". On December 3, 2007, Simmons and Bradshaw were hired by Hornswoggle to help him in a no disqualification handicap match against Jonathan Coachman and Carlito in which they helped him win.^[21]^[22] Simmons appeared on Raw's 800th episode on November 3, 2008, appearing on the entrance ramp and saying his signature phrase "Damn" while many superstars were dancing in the ring. He also returned during the 2008 Slammy Awards with Mickie James to give The Great Khali the DAMN Moment of that year's Slammy Awards.

Simmons was released from WWE on January 13, 2009, due to budget cuts. Simmons showed up backstage on the November 15, 2010 episode of WWE Old School Raw, using his catchphrase "Damn". Simmons appeared once again on the May 2, 2011, episode of Raw in a backstage segment for The Rock's birthday celebration, saying his famous catchphrase "Damn" again.

In 2012, it was announced that Simmons would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.^[23] In Feb. 2012 WWE.com released a video segment highlighting Ron Simmon's WWE and WCW achievements, as well as his football career.^[23] Simmons was also credited in the tribute as being WCW's first African American heavyweight champion.^[23] Simmons was acknowledged as a memorable character in WWE's "Attitude Era".^[23] He was formally inducted on March 31 by John "Bradshaw" Layfield.

In wrestling [link]

Finishing moves
- Dominator^[1] (Standing or a kneeling inverted front powerslam)^[24] – WWF/E
- Snap scoop powerslam pin^[24]^[25]
- Standing thrust spinebuster^[1]^[24]^[25]

Signature moves

With Bradshaw
- Finishing moves
  - Aided powerbomb^[27]
- Signature moves
  - Double spinebuster^[27]

Managers
- Woman^[28]
- Theodore Long^[28]
- Sunny^[28]
- Clarence Mason^[28]
- The Jackyl^[28]
- Jacqueline^[28]

Nicknames
- "The All-American"^[1]

Entrance themes
- "Don't Step to Ron" by S. Tatum, J. Papa, M. Williams, and M. Seitz^[29] (WCW)

Championships and accomplishments [link]

Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[30]

Memphis Championship Wrestling
- MCW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bradshaw^[31]

Ohio Valley Wrestling
- OVW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bradshaw^[32]

Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1992)^[33]
- PWI ranked him #20 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1992^[34]
- PWI ranked him #91 of the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years with Butch Reed in 2003^[35]
- PWI ranked him #108 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003^[36]

World Championship Wrestling
- WCW United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Big Josh^[10]
- WCW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[37]
- WCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Butch Reed^[9]

World Wrestling Federation / WWE
- WWF Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Bradshaw^[38]^[39]^[40]
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)^[12]

Footnotes [link]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m "OWW Profile". Online World Of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/ron-simmons.html. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Cagematch profile". http://cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=715&gimmick=Ron+Simmons.
^ Top Noseguard: Ron Simmons
^ Nole Fan profile
^ College Football Hall of Fame profile
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Ron Simmons's WWE Alumni Bio". World Wrestling Entertainment. http://www.wwe.com/superstars/wwealumni/ronsimmons/. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
^ http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wcwchampionship/
^ http://www.wwe.com/superstars/wwealumni/ronsimmons/
^ ^a ^b "WCW World Tag Team Championship history". WrestlingTitles.com. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-t.html. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
^ ^a ^b Will, Gary. "WCW United States Tag Team Championship history". Solie. http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/usttwcw.html. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
^ "World Tag Team Championship official history". WWE. http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
^ ^a ^b "WWE Hall of Fame profile". WWE. http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/inductees/ronsimmons. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
^ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/fsu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/FSUYear-By-Year.pdf
^ Heisman.com - Heisman Trophy
^ "Florida State University Official Athletic Site". seminoles.com. http://seminoles.cstv.com/trads/fsu-trads-retired.html. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
^ Simmons inducted into College Football Hall of Fame | ajc.com
^ "Consensus NCAA All-Americans". Seminoles Football. http://seminoles.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/fsu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/ConsensusNCAAAll-Americans. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (p.3)
^ http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/ron-simmons.html
^ http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/21727
^ Adkins, Greg. "Leprechaun-job". World Wrestling Entertainment. http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/12032007/. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
^ Robinson, Bryan. "Back in Business". World Wrestling Entertainment. http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/12032007/articles/aparetrospective. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d http://vids.wwe.com/16128/raw-ron-simmons-announced-as-a-m
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Genickbruch profile". http://www.genickbruch.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=86.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "WrestleWar report on February 24, 1991". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/1991024p.htm.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d World Championship Wrestling (1994-10-09). "Ron Simmons Vs Scott Armstrong". WCW WorldWide.
^ ^a ^b "APA Bio". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/a/apa.html. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Managers". http://cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=715&page=14.
^ "Themes". http://cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=715&page=15.
^ Royal, Duncan. "Championship Wrestling From Florida (NWA) NWA Florida/North Florida Heavyweight Title History". Solie. http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/flhtnwa.html. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
^ Westcott, Brian. "MCW - Memphis Championship Wrestling MCW Southern Tag Team Title History". Solie. http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/sttmcw3.html.
^ Dupree, Jim. "NWA - National Wrestling Alliance NWA Ohio Valley Wrestling Southern Tag Team Title History". Solie. http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ovsttnwa.html. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Inspirational Wrestler of the Year". Wrestling Information Archive. http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwiinsp.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
^ "ProWrestling Illustrated Top 500 - 1992". Wrestling Information Archive. http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi50092.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 100 Tag Teams of the PWI Years". Wrestling Information Archive. http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi100tg.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years". Wrestling Information Archive. http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
^ "Ron Simmons's first WCW Championship reign". WWE. http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wcwchampionship/30445411011. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
^ "The Acolytes's first WWF Tag Team Championship reign". http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/304454132111123.
^ "The Acolytes' second WWF Tag Team Championship reign". http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/30445413213113.
^ "The APA's third WWF Tag Team Championship reign". http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/3044541321143.

References [link]

Professional wrestling portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ron Simmons

Mick Foley (2000). Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks. HarperCollins. p. 511. ISBN 978-0-06-103101-4.
An interview with Ron Simmons, conducted by Thomas Chamberlin
In-Depth In-Person Sit Down Interview with Ron Simmons circa 2005
WWE Alumni Profile
Ron Simmons at Accelerator3359.com
Ron Simmons at Canoe.ca
Ron Simmons at Online World of Wrestling
Solie's title histories
Ron Simmons at the Internet Movie Database
Florida State University Year-By-Year Photos
Florida State University Official Athletic Site
Heisman Trophy

Links to related articles

v t e 1979 College Football All-America Team consensus selections

Offense	QB Marc Wilson RB Vagas Ferguson RB Billy Sims RB Charles White WR Ken Margerum TE Junior Miller OT Greg Kolenda G Brad Budde G Jim Bunch G Ken Fritz C Jim Ritcher

Defense	DL Bruce Clark DL Hugh Green DL Steve McMichael DL Ron Simmons DL Jim Stuckey LB George Cumby LB Ron Simpkins LB Mike Singletary DB Kenny Easley DB Roland James DB Johnnie Johnson

Special teams	K Dale Castro P Jim Miller

v t e 1980 College Football All-America Team consensus selections

Offense	QB Mark Herrmann RB George Rogers RB Herschel Walker RB Jarvis Redwine WR Ken Margerum TE Dave Young OL Mark May OL Keith Van Horne OL Nick Eyre OL Louis Oubre OL Randy Schleusener C John Scully

Defense	DL Hugh Green DL E. J. Junior DL Kenneth Sims DL Leonard Mitchell DL Ron Simmons LB Mike Singletary LB Lawrence Taylor LB David Little LB Bob Crable DB Kenny Easley DB Ronnie Lott DB John Simmons

v t e WCW World Heavyweight Champions

Ric Flair · Lex Luger · Sting · Big Van Vader · Ron Simmons · Hulk Hogan · The Giant · Randy Savage · Goldberg · Kevin Nash · Diamond Dallas Page · Bret Hart · Chris Benoit · Sid Vicious · Jeff Jarrett · David Arquette · Booker T · Vince Russo · Scott Steiner · Kurt Angle · The Rock · Chris Jericho

v t e WWE World Tag Team Champions

1970s	Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler Karl Gotch and Rene Goulet Mikel Scicluna and King Curtis Iaukea Chief Jay Strongbow and Sonny King Mr. Fuji and Professor Tanaka Haystacks Calhoun and Tony Garea Dean Ho and Tony Garea Jimmy Valiant and Johnny Valiant Dominic DeNucci and Victor Rivera/Pat Barrett The Blackjacks Louis Cerdan and Tony Parisi The Executioners Chief Jay Strongbow and Billy White Wolf Dino Bravo and Dominic DeNucci The Yukon Lumberjacks Tony Garea and Larry Zbyszko Jerry and Johnny Valiant Ivan Putski and Tito Santana

1980s	The Wild Samoans Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales Tony Garea and Rick Martel The Moondogs Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito Chief Jay Strongbow and Jules Strongbow Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch U.S. Express The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff The Dream Team British Bulldogs The Hart Foundation Strike Force Demolition (Ax and Smash) Brain Busters Colossal Connection

1990s	Demolition (Ax, Smash and Crush) The Nasty Boys The Legion of Doom Money Inc. The Natural Disasters The Steiner Brothers The Quebecers The 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Jannetty Men on a Mission The Headshrinkers Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash The 1-2-3 Kid and Bob Holly The Smoking Gunns Owen Hart and Yokozuna The Bodydonnas The Godwinns Owen Hart and The British Bulldog Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels Steve Austin and Dude Love The Headbangers The New Age Outlaws Cactus Jack and Terry Funk Kane and Mankind Steve Austin and The Undertaker The Big Boss Man and Ken Shamrock Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart Kane and X-Pac The Acolytes The Hardy Boyz The Unholy Alliance The Rock 'n' Sock Connection The Holly Cousins Mankind and Al Snow

2000s	The Dudleys Edge and Christian Too Cool Right to Censor The Rock and The Undertaker Undertaker and Kane The Two-Man Power Trip Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Kanyon Chris Jericho and The Rock Booker T and Test Spike Dudley and Tazz Billy and Chuck Rico and Rikishi Edge and Hulk Hogan The Un-Americans The Hurricane and Kane Christian and Chris Jericho Booker T and Goldust William Regal and Lance Storm Chief Morley and Lance Storm Kane and Rob Van Dam La Résistance (Sylvain Grenier and René Dupree) Evolution (Batista and Ric Flair) Booker T and Rob Van Dam Chris Benoit and Edge La Résistance (Sylvain Grenier and Rob Conway) Eugene and William Regal William Regal and Tajiri Rosey and The Hurricane Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch Big Show and Kane The Spirit Squad Ric Flair and Roddy Piper Rated-RKO John Cena and Shawn Michaels Paul London and Brian Kendrick Hardcore Holly and Cody Rhodes Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes Batista and John Cena CM Punk and Kofi Kingston John Morrison and The Miz The Colóns Chris Jericho and Big Show/Edge D-Generation X

2010s	ShoMiz The Hart Dynasty

WWE Hall of Fame

1990s

Class of 1993	André the Giant

Class of 1994	Arnold Skaaland · Bobo Brazil · Buddy Rogers · Chief Jay Strongbow · Freddie Blassie · Gorilla Monsoon · James Dudley

Class of 1995	Antonino Rocca · Ernie Ladd · The Fabulous Moolah · George "The Animal" Steele · The Grand Wizard · Ivan Putski · Pedro Morales

Class of 1996	Jimmy Snuka · Johnny Rodz · Killer Kowalski · Lou Albano · "Baron" Mikel Scicluna · Pat Patterson · The Valiant Brothers (Jimmy and Johnny) · Vince McMahon, Sr.

2000s

Class of 2004	Big John Studd · "Superstar" Billy Graham · Bobby Heenan · Don Muraco · Greg Valentine · Harley Race · Jesse Ventura · Junkyard Dog · Pete Rose · Sgt. Slaughter · Tito Santana

Class of 2005	"Cowboy" Bob Orton · Hulk Hogan · The Iron Sheik · Jimmy Hart · Nikolai Volkoff · Paul Orndorff · "Rowdy" Roddy Piper

Class of 2006	The Blackjacks (Mulligan and Lanza) · Bret Hart · Eddie Guerrero · Gene Okerlund · "Sensational" Sherri · Tony Atlas · Verne Gagne · William "The Refrigerator" Perry

Class of 2007	Curt "Mr. Perfect" Hennig · Dusty Rhodes · Jerry "The King" Lawler · Jim Ross · Mr. Fuji · Nick Bockwinkel · The Sheik · The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika)

Class of 2008	The Brisco Brothers (Gerald and Jack) · Eddie Graham · Gordon Solie · Mae Young · Peter Maivia · Ric Flair · Rocky Johnson

Class of 2009	Bill Watts · The Funk Brothers (Terry and Dory Jr.) · Howard Finkel · Koko B. Ware · Ricky Steamboat · Stone Cold Steve Austin · The Von Erich Family (Chris, David, Fritz, Kerry, Kevin and Mike)

2010s

Class of 2010	Antonio Inoki · Bob Uecker · Gorgeous George · Mad Dog Vachon · Stu Hart · Ted DiBiase · Wendi Richter

Class of 2011	Abdullah the Butcher · Bob Armstrong · Drew Carey · Jim Duggan · Ellering, "Precious" Paul"Precious" Paul Ellering · The Road Warriors/Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal) · Shawn Michaels · Sunny

Class of 2012	Edge · The Four Horsemen (Arn Anderson, Barry Windham, James J. Dillon, Ric Flair, and Tully Blanchard) · Mil Máscaras · Mike Tyson · Ron Simmons · Yokozuna

v t e Florida State Seminoles football

Venues	Centennial Field (1947–1949) Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium (1950–present)

Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Florida (Battle for the Governor's Cup) Miami (Battle of the Sunshine State) Clemson (Bowden Bowl) Florida Cup (Florida, Miami) Jefferson–Eppes Trophy (Virginia)

Culture & lore	Chief Osceola and Renegade War Chant Tomahawk Chop "FSU Fight Song" Marching Chiefs Wide Right I Wide Right II The Choke at Doak Game of the Century

People	Head coaches

Seasons	1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

National championship seasons in bold

v t e Florida State Seminoles football retired numbers

#2 Deion Sanders #10 Derrick Brooks #16 Chris Weinke #17 Charlie Ward #25 Fred Biletnikoff #28 Warrick Dunn #34 Ron Sellers #50 Ron Simmons

Persondata
Name	Simmons, Ron
Alternative names	Simmons, Ronald; Faarooq
Short description	All-American college football player, professional football player, defensive lineman, professional wrestler
Date of birth	May 15, 1958
Place of birth	Perry, Georgia, United States
Date of death
Place of death

http://wn.com/Ron_Simmons

http://fr.wn.com/Ron Simmons

http://nl.wn.com/Ron Simmons

http://pt.wn.com/Ron Simmons

http://ru.wn.com/Симмонс, Рон

http://de.wn.com/Ron Simmons

http://it.wn.com/Ron Simmons

http://es.wn.com/Ron Simmons

This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Simmons

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Harley Race

Ring name(s)	Jack Long^[1] The Great Mortimer^[1] Harley Race^[1] "King" Harley Race^[1] "Handsome" Harley Race^[1]
Billed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)^[1]
Billed weight	245 lb (111 kg)^[1]
Born	(1943-04-11) April 11, 1943 (age 69)^[1] Quitman, Missouri, United States^[1]
Resides	Eldon, Missouri
Billed from	Kansas City, Missouri
Trained by	Stanislaus Zbyszko Wladek Zbyszko Buddy Austin^[1] Ray Gordon^[1] Gus Karras^[1]
Debut	1960^[1]
Retired	1991

Harley Leland Race (born April 11, 1943)^[2] is a retired American professional wrestler and is a current promoter and trainer.^[1] During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 8 times. He worked for all of the major wrestling promotions, including the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He was the first NWA United States Heavyweight Champion. Race is one of six men inducted into each of the WWE Hall of Fame, the WCW Hall of Fame, the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.

1 Early life
2 Professional wrestling career
3 Other media
4 In wrestling
5 Championships and accomplishments
6 Notes
7 References
8 External links

Early life [link]

Race was an early fan of professional wrestling, watching programming from the nearby Chicago territory on the DuMont Network. After overcoming polio as a child,^[3] he began training as a professional wrestler as a teen under former world champions Stanislaus and Wladek Zbyszko, who operated a farm in his native Missouri. While in high school, an altercation with another classmate led to the principal kneeing Race in the back of the head as he tried to break up the fight. Enraged, Race attacked him, resulting in his expulsion. Already 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) and 225 lb (102 kg), Race decided to get his start in professional wrestling.

Professional wrestling career [link]

Early career [link]

Race was recruited by St. Joseph wrestling promoter Gust Karras, who hired Race to do odd jobs for his promotion, including chauffeuring the 800 lb (360 kg) wrestler Happy Humphrey. Eventually, Race started wrestling on some of his shows, and some of Karras' veteran wrestlers helped further Race's training. At the age of 18, he moved to Nashville and began wrestling under the ring name of Jack Long, forming a tag team with storyline brother John Long. The duo quickly captured the Southern Tag Team Championship. Race was seen as a rising star in the business with a bright future, until a car accident put him out of action, with his leg coming close to being amputated. His pregnant first wife, Vivian Louise Jones, died instantly; they had been married for little over a month. Karras heard about his employee's condition, went rushing into the hospital, and blocked the planned amputation, declaring it "over my dead body". In doing so, he saved Race's leg. Although he recovered, doctors told Race that he might never walk again, and his wrestling career was over. Undaunted, Race endured grueling physical therapy for several months and made a full recovery.

He returned to the ring in 1964, wrestling for the Funks' Amarillo, Texas, territory. This time, he wrestled under his own name, after his father told him that he should not work to make anyone else's name famous. Race never again used a different ring name. In Amarillo, Race met fellow up-and-coming wrestler Larry Hennig (later Larry "The Axe" Hennig and father of "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig). The two formed a tag team and moved to the American Wrestling Association.

American Wrestling Association [link]

In the AWA, Race and Hennig branded themselves as "Handsome" Harley Race (which was actually a moniker given to him by fans in Japan) and "Pretty Boy" Larry Hennig, a cocky heel tag team with a penchant for breaking the rules to win matches. They quickly became top contenders, and in January 1965, they defeated Dick the Bruiser and The Crusher to capture the AWA World Tag Team Titles. Race and Hennig continued to feud with the Bruiser and Crusher and other top teams for the next several years, amassing three title reigns. Verne Gagne, in particular, was a hated rival of the team, and recruited many different partners to try to defeat Race and Hennig during their AWA run. In October 1967, Gagne was credited with "breaking" one of Hennig's legs, thus giving him some much needed time off from the ring. Race (as the storyline went), was allowed to choose a new partner and retain the AWA tag belts. Harley's choice was Chris Markoff. The duo lost the title in their first defense of the belts to the babyface team of Wilbur Snyder and Pat O'Connor in November 1967. For the next several months, Race teamed with Hard Boiled Haggerty (Don Stansauk) who over the years presented Verne Gagne with some of his greatest matches. Together, Race and Haggerty often battled Gagne and "Cowboy" Bill Watts. In March 1968, after Hennig's return to the ring, he and Harley were back together, though the two never recaptured the AWA World Tag Team Title. Despite his tag team success, Race left the AWA after several years at the top of the division to pursue a singles career in the NWA.

Race returned to the AWA in 1984 to wrestle Curt Hennig. The confrontation was fueled by Larry Hennig confronting his former tag team partner at the end of the match. Race would also wrestle former AWA World Champion Rick Martel at part of WrestleRock '86. Toward the end of his in-ring career, he would challenge Larry Zbyszko for the AWA World title in October 1990, in the main event of an AWA broadcast on ESPN. However, all of these matches were basically just special appearances.

National Wrestling Alliance [link]

Race jumped from territory to territory in the early 1970s, renewing his rivalry with Terry Funk in Amarillo and winning a regional title. He was seen as a gifted territorial wrestler, not quite ready for the worldwide spotlight, until 1973. In 1973, Race faced NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dory Funk, Jr. in Kansas City, Kansas. Race emerged from the battle as the new World Champion in what was perceived by fans as a stunning upset. Though Race held the title for only a few months, losing it to Jack Brisco in Houston, Texas in July, he became a worldwide superstar and perennial championship contender. Race was determined to eventually regain the NWA World Championship, often moving between territories and collecting several regional titles, including eight Central States Titles, seven Missouri Titles, the Georgia Heavyweight Championship, the Stampede North American Title in Canada, the Japan-based NWA United National and PWF Titles, and becoming the first-ever holder of the Mid-Atlantic U.S. Title, still defended today as the WWE United States Championship. This kept Race in contention for the World Championship, and Race vowed that he would only need one chance against the champion to regain it.

Race finally got his wish in 1977, facing familiar rival Terry Funk, who had become the champion since their previous encounters, in Toronto. Race won the title by submission with the Indian Deathlock, a rarely used submission move but one that put great pressure on Funk's injured leg. The NWA World Champion once again, Race this time established his dominance, defending the title up to six times a week and holding it for four years (excluding extremely short reigns by Tommy Rich, Dusty Rhodes, and Giant Baba). At the time, the NWA, AWA and WWF were on good terms, and Race engaged in title versus title matches with WWF Champions "Superstar" Billy Graham and Bob Backlund, as well as AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel. Race toured extensively all over the country and the world, including many stints in Japan, where he was already well-known from his visits with Larry Hennig. On October 13th 1978, Harley Race body slammed Andre The Giant

Race lost the title to Dusty Rhodes in 1981, and despite many matches, never regained it from the popular fan favorite. Rhodes lost the title to up-and-coming star Ric Flair, though Race was able to defeat Flair in St. Louis in 1983 for his seventh reign as champion, breaking the record previously held by Lou Thesz. What followed was one of the classic angles of the 1980s, which led to the first-ever NWA Starrcade event. Determined not to lose the title again, Race offered a $25,000 bounty to anyone who could eliminate Flair from the NWA. Bob Orton, Jr. and Dick Slater attacked Flair, inflicting what appeared to be a career-ending neck injury, and collecting the bounty from Race after Flair announced his retirement. Flair's retirement was a ruse, however, and he eventually returned to action, much to Race's surprise. NWA officials set up a championship rematch, to be titled "NWA Starrcade: A Flare for the Gold". The match was to be held in Flair's backyard, Greensboro, North Carolina, which enraged Race. Race lost the title to Flair in the bloody and memorable Starrcade cage match (with Gene Kiniski as the special referee) in November, 1983. He would regain the NWA title for a short two-day reign in New Zealand in 1984 (a change not recognized by the NWA in the U.S. until 1996, making Race an eight-time champion), but his loss to Flair at Starrcade was largely seen as the torch-passing from Race to Flair. Flair would go on to an unparalleled 22 reigns as World Heavyweight Champion (10 of those reigns as NWA World champion) and largely credits Race for igniting his career.

Earlier in his career, Race became involved in the ownership side of wrestling, buying a portion of the Kansas City and later St. Louis territories. St. Louis was a stronghold of the NWA, and around this time in 1984, WWF owner Vincent K. McMahon began his invasion of NWA territories, including St. Louis, in his ambition to build a truly national wrestling promotion. Race was enraged, famously confronting Hulk Hogan at a WWF event in Kansas City. (In his autobiography, Hogan claims Race tried burning down the ring; Race denies it in his). Race lost over $500,000 as an owner of the Kansas City territory, and despite his championship years being at an end and wishing to retire from active competition, was forced to rely on continuing to wrestle to make a living. He continued to travel in the US and abroad, and signed with McMahon's WWF in 1986.

World Wrestling Federation [link]

In May 1986, Race entered the WWF managed by longtime friend Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, bleaching his hair blond and billing himself again as "Handsome" Harley Race. During a time when the WWF did not recognize the existence of other promotions and the accomplishments a wrestler made there, WWF officials came up with a solution to recognize his wrestling pedigree by having him win the King of the Ring tournament. After this, he referred to himself as "King" Harley Race, coming to the ring in a royal crown and cape, to the ceremonial accompaniment of the tenth movement (known as "The Great Gates of Kiev") of Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky. After winning a match, Harley would make his defeated opponent "bow and kneel" before him. Usually Bobby Heenan would assist the defeated opponent to "bow and kneel" by grabbing their hair and forcing them to bow before King Harley Race.

He participated in a notable feud with the Junkyard Dog, culminating in a match at WrestleMania III at the Pontiac Silverdome, in which Race cleanly pinned The Junkyard Dog. Race would spend 1987 feuding with Hulk Hogan and Jim Duggan, the latter of which was highlighted by an extended brawl at the 1987 Slammy Awards. In early 1988, he suffered an abdominal injury in a match against Hogan in which he tried to hit Hogan, prone on a table at ringside, with a swandive headbutt. Hogan moved out of the way and Race impacted the table inwards. The metal edge forced its way up into Race's abdomen giving him a hernia. Following this incident and during his recovery, the WWF ran an angle where they acknowledged his injury, and his manager Bobby Heenan vowed to crown a new king. He left the WWF in early 1989, following a brief comeback from hernia surgery and a failed attempt to regain his crown from the new King, Haku, at the Royal Rumble). He had many backstage roles during the 90's, including at Over the Edge 1999 the night of Owen Hart's death. This is stated in the documentary "The Life and Death of Owen Hart" in which Race states that he bumped into Owen, and that Owen told him he was uncomfortable with his new equipment for the stunt. While Race never won the WWF Championship, his career was notable enough to earn him an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.

Post-WWF wrestling career [link]

After leaving the WWF, Harley continued to wrestle until the spring of 1991, most notably with World Wrestling Council (WWC) in Puerto Rico, the NWA, and the AWA. Race defeated former NWA World Champion Tommy Rich at the Great American Bash in July 1990. He also received several US Title shots against then champion Lex Luger during his brief stint. Race then received one last shot at a recognized World Title when he faced Larry Zbyszko at the final AWA television taping in August 1990. The match ended in a double countout. After retiring from active competition, Race joined the NWA (WCW) in July 1991 as an adviser/manager to Lex Luger.

World Championship Wrestling [link]

Race excelled as a manager as he had as a wrestler, immediately leading Lex Luger to the WCW World Championship.^[4] Later, he led Vader to win the title, as well.^[4] During his management of Vader, Race met with racial controversy when Vader was feuding with WCW wrestler Ron Simmons when saying during a promo, "When I was World Champion, I had a boy like you to carry my bags!" This was actually part of the booking strategy of then-WCW head Bill Watts to build support for Simmons, whom he would eventually make champion. The wily veteran was popular among the young WCW talent, and developed close friendships with Mick Foley and Steve Austin, among others. As his early wrestling career had been nearly derailed due to a car accident, another car accident in January 1995 forced Race out of the wrestling business altogether. Race required hip replacement surgery, which, along with injuries accumulated after years in the ring, prevented him from even being a manager. He would make one last return to WCW television in October 1999 as the ring announcer for the Bret Hart VS. Chris Benoit tribute to Owen Hart match in his hometown of Kansas City.

World League Wrestling [link]

Race spent several years away from the business, working briefly as a process server before retiring with his wife in small-town Missouri. In 1999, he started World League Wrestling (originally called World Legion Wrestling, but the name was changed a year later), an independent promotion which runs shows near Race's hometown of Eldon, Missouri and other cities in Missouri including Kansas City. A year later, he started Harley Race's Wrestling Academy, which seeks to train up-and-coming wrestlers who could benefit from Race's unique experience and perspective on the wrestling business. Race's events are family-oriented, and usually raise funds for local charities. As well as featuring his students, legends like Mick Foley, Terry Funk, Bret Hart, and even Mitsuharu Misawa make guest appearances. WLW has a working agreement with Misawa's Japanese promotion, Pro Wrestling Noah and have Noah star Takeshi Morishima as a former heavyweight champion.^[5] He is credited with training WWE world tag team champion Trevor Murdoch who was then known as Trevor Rhodes and Pro-Wrestling Noah veterans Superstar Steve, Wild Wade Chism, Matt Murphy and Daniel Cross.

Special appearances [link]

Race returned to WWE television as a fan favorite in 2004 shortly after being inducted into their Hall of Fame. On an episode of Raw, Randy Orton confronted Race and spat in his face, to go with Orton's "Legend Killer" persona . Race returned again for Raw's WWE Homecoming episode in October 2005, marking the show's return to the USA Network. Race, along with the other legends who were in the ring, gave Rob Conway a lesson in respect.

In 2004, Harley Race was recruited to be a part of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a member of their NWA Championship Committee. Despite reportedly being an authority figure as a member of the committee, he never made any official decisions and only made the occasional on-screen appearance for the company.

At the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony on March 31, 2007, Race and Dusty Rhodes were "inducted" into the Four Horsemen by Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. On the August 8, 2008 episode of Monday Night Raw, Race sat in the front row and was acknowledged by commentators Michael Cole and Jerry "The King" Lawler. Before the show, Race accompanied then GHC Heavyweight Champion Takeshi Morishima to the ring for a dark match against Charlie Haas.

Race also made an appearance at Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's Lockdown pay-per-view in 2007 as the special guest gatekeeper for the main event. Race made a special guest appearance at the second night of Glory by Honor VI: Night Two at the Manhattan Center on November 3, 2007 in New York City.

Race made a special appearance on the March 31, 2008 episode of Raw as part of Ric Flair's retirement ceremony. He was the fourth person introduced to congratulate Flair after the Four Horsemen (Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham and James J. Dillon), Batista and Ricky Steamboat.

Race appeared at August, 27th edition of SmackDown live event in Cape Girandeau, Missouri and introduced Ted DiBiase, Jr., who trained nearby at his school. The SmackDown Superstar said that thanks to Harley, he is living his dream before lost to Sin Cara

Other media [link]

Harley participated in the 1999 NBC special, Exposed! Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets. His face was covered to conceal his identity as he broke kayfabe and discussed the inner workings of the business. Harley's autobiography, King of the Ring: the Harley Race Story (ISBN 1-58261-818-6), became available in 2004. Along with Ricky Steamboat and Les Thatcher, Race is author of The Professional Wrestler's Workout and Instructional Guide.

Harley Race played himself as the distinguished ring announcer for a tag-team match involving Mil Mascaras and El Hijo del Santo in the 2007 film Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy.^[6]^[7] Pro Wrestling Talk Show "The Main Event with Harley Race" on Fox Sports 1340 KCKN Kansas City, Missouri Co-Host and Executive Producer Richard "Big Rich" Herring and Co Host Christian Vedder (2004) Carter Broadcast Group

In wrestling [link]

Finishing moves
- Bridging cradle suplex^[8]
- Diving headbutt^[8] – innovated
- Piledriver^[1]^[9]

Signature moves

Managers
- Bobby Heenan

Wrestlers managed

Nicknames
- "Handsome"^[1]
- "Mad Dog"^[1]
- "The King of Wrestling"^[1]

Entrance themes
- "The Great Gate's of Kiev (WWF)
- "Galaxy Express" (AJPW)

Championships and accomplishments [link]

All Japan Pro Wrestling

All Star Pro-Wrestling (New Zealand)

NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[12]

American Wrestling Association

AWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Larry Hennig (replaced by Chris Markoff in their final reign)^[14]

Cauliflower Alley Club

Iron Mike Mazurki Award (2006)

Central States Wrestling

NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (9 times)^[15]
NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version) (1 time) – with Roger Kirby^[16]
NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[12]

Championship Wrestling from Florida

NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Roger Kirby (2), Bob Roop (1)^[17]
NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (1 time)^[18]
NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time)¹^[19]
NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[12]

Continental Wrestling Association

NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship (2 times)^[20]

Eastern Sports Association

IW North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[21]

Georgia Championship Wrestling

NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[22]
NWA Macon Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Buddy Colt^[23]
NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[12]

Maple Leaf Wrestling

NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[12]

National Wrestling Alliance

NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2005)^[24]

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

PWI Match of the Year (1973) vs. Dory Funk, Jr. on May 24
PWI Match of the Year (1979) vs. Dusty Rhodes on August 21
PWI Match of the Year (1983) vs. Ric Flair on June 10
PWI Stanley Weston Award (2006)
PWI Wrestler of the Year (1979)
PWI Wrestler of the Year (1983)
PWI ranked him # 8 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum

Class of 2004^[25]

St. Louis Wrestling Club

Stampede Wrestling

St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame
- (Class of 2007)

World Championship Wrestling (Australia)

IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Larry Hennig (First)^[29]

World Championship Wrestling

WCW Hall of Fame (Class of 1994)^[30]

World Wrestling Association

WWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[31]

World Wrestling Council

WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[32]

World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment

King of the Ring (1986)
Sam Muchnick Memorial Tournament (1986) in St. Louis, MO on August 29
Slammy Award for Best Ring Apparel (1987)
Slammy Award for Bobby "The Brain" Heenan Scholarship Award (1987) with Haku, Tama, André The Giant, Hercules, and King Kong Bundy
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2004)^[33]

Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

Wrestler of the Year (1980, 1981)
Match of the Year (1983) vs. Ric Flair at Starrcade
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

¹Though this championship was almost always used and defended in the Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling promotion, there were times when it was won and defended through arrangements with other promotions. Race was awarded the title with the explanation that he defeated Johnny Weaver in a tournament final while wrestling on a card for Championship Wrestling from Florida.

Notes [link]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u "Harley Race profile". OWOW. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/h/harley-race.html. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
^ Race, Harley. "King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story". Sports Publishing. p. 2.
^ Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (p.234)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Stone Cold Truth (p.102)
^ http://www.harleyrace.com/morishima.htm
^ "MMvsAM". http://www.mmvsam.com.
^ "PopMatters". http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/mil-mascaras-resurrection.
^ ^a ^b "Finishing Moves List". Other Arena. http://www.otherarena.com/nCo/finish/finish.html. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g All Japan Pro Wrestling (1983). "The FUNKS VS Harley Race & Dick Slater".
^ All Japan Pro Wrestling (1977-02-06). "Harley Race vs Terry Funk (c)". AJPW.
^ NWA United National Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g NWA World Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ PWF World Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ AWA World Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ NWA Central States Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ NWA North American Tag Team Title (Central States) history At wrestling-titles.com
^ Florida Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) history At wrestling-titles.com
^ NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ Maritimes North American Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ NWA Macon Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ NWA Hall of Fame Inductees At wrestling-titles.com
^ Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Inductees At wrestling-titles.com
^ NWA Missouri Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ Stampede Wrestling North American Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ "Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948-1990)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/hof.html.
^ IWA World Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ WCW Hall of Fame Inductees At wrestling-titles.com
^ WWA World Heavyweight Title (Indianapolis) history At wrestling-titles.com
^ WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
^ WWF/WWE Hall of Fame Inductees At wrestling-titles.com

References [link]

Foley, Mick (2000). Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-103101-1.
Stone Cold Steve Austin and Jim Ross (2003). The Stone Cold Truth. Pocket Books. ISBN 0-7434-7720-0.

External links [link]

Professional wrestling portal

Links to related articles

WWE Hall of Fame

1990s

Class of 1993	André the Giant

Class of 1994	Arnold Skaaland · Bobo Brazil · Buddy Rogers · Chief Jay Strongbow · Freddie Blassie · Gorilla Monsoon · James Dudley

Class of 1995	Antonino Rocca · Ernie Ladd · The Fabulous Moolah · George "The Animal" Steele · The Grand Wizard · Ivan Putski · Pedro Morales

Class of 1996	Jimmy Snuka · Johnny Rodz · Killer Kowalski · Lou Albano · "Baron" Mikel Scicluna · Pat Patterson · The Valiant Brothers (Jimmy and Johnny) · Vince McMahon, Sr.

2000s

Class of 2004	Big John Studd · "Superstar" Billy Graham · Bobby Heenan · Don Muraco · Greg Valentine · Harley Race · Jesse Ventura · Junkyard Dog · Pete Rose · Sgt. Slaughter · Tito Santana

Class of 2005	"Cowboy" Bob Orton · Hulk Hogan · The Iron Sheik · Jimmy Hart · Nikolai Volkoff · Paul Orndorff · "Rowdy" Roddy Piper

Class of 2006	The Blackjacks (Mulligan and Lanza) · Bret Hart · Eddie Guerrero · Gene Okerlund · "Sensational" Sherri · Tony Atlas · Verne Gagne · William "The Refrigerator" Perry

Class of 2007	Curt "Mr. Perfect" Hennig · Dusty Rhodes · Jerry "The King" Lawler · Jim Ross · Mr. Fuji · Nick Bockwinkel · The Sheik · The Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika)

Class of 2008	The Brisco Brothers (Gerald and Jack) · Eddie Graham · Gordon Solie · Mae Young · Peter Maivia · Ric Flair · Rocky Johnson

Class of 2009	Bill Watts · The Funk Brothers (Terry and Dory Jr.) · Howard Finkel · Koko B. Ware · Ricky Steamboat · Stone Cold Steve Austin · The Von Erich Family (Chris, David, Fritz, Kerry, Kevin and Mike)

2010s

Class of 2010	Antonio Inoki · Bob Uecker · Gorgeous George · Mad Dog Vachon · Stu Hart · Ted DiBiase · Wendi Richter

Class of 2011	Abdullah the Butcher · Bob Armstrong · Drew Carey · Jim Duggan · Ellering, "Precious" Paul"Precious" Paul Ellering · The Road Warriors/Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal) · Shawn Michaels · Sunny

Class of 2012	Edge · The Four Horsemen (Arn Anderson, Barry Windham, James J. Dillon, Ric Flair, and Tully Blanchard) · Mil Máscaras · Mike Tyson · Ron Simmons · Yokozuna

v t e WWE United States Champions

MACW/JCP/WCW	Harley Race Johnny Valentine Terry Funk Paul Jones Blackjack Mulligan Bobo Brazil Ric Flair Ricky Steamboat Mr Wrestling Jimmy Snuka Roddy Piper Wahoo McDaniel Sgt. Slaughter Greg Valentine Dick Slater Magnum T.A. Tully Blanchard Nikita Koloff Lex Luger Dusty Rhodes Barry Windham Michael Hayes Stan Hansen Sting Rick Rude Dustin Rhodes Steve Austin Jim Duggan Big Van Vader Kensuke Sasaki One Man Gang Konnan Eddy Guerrero Dean Malenko Jeff Jarrett Steve McMichael Curt Hennig Diamond Dallas Page Raven Goldberg Bret Hart Scott Hall Scott Steiner David Flair Chris Benoit Sid Vicious Lance Storm Gen. Rection Shane Douglas Rick Steiner Booker T Chris Kanyon Tajiri Rhyno Kurt Angle Edge

WWE	Eddie Guerrero Big Show John Cena Booker T Carlito Orlando Jordan Chris Benoit John "Bradshaw" Layfield Bobby Lashley Finlay Mr. Kennedy Montel Vontavious Porter Matt Hardy Shelton Benjamin Kofi Kingston The Miz Bret Hart R-Truth Daniel Bryan Sheamus Dolph Ziggler Zack Ryder Jack Swagger Santino Marella (current)

v t e King of the Ring winners

Don Muraco (1985) Harley Race (1986) Randy Savage (1987) Ted DiBiase (1988) Tito Santana (1989) Bret Hart (1991 and 1993) Owen Hart (1994) Mabel (1995) Stone Cold Steve Austin (1996) Hunter Hearst Helmsley (1997) Ken Shamrock (1998) Billy Gunn (1999) Kurt Angle (2000) Edge (2001) Brock Lesnar (2002) Booker T (2006) William Regal (2008) Sheamus (2010)

NWA World Heavyweight Champions

Orville Brown · Lou Thesz · Leo Nomellini · Whipper Billy Watson · Édouard Carpentier · Dick Hutton · Pat O'Connor · Buddy Rogers · Bobo Brazil · Gene Kiniski · Dory Funk, Jr. · Harley Race · Jack Brisco · Giant Baba · Terry Funk · Dusty Rhodes · Tommy Rich · Ric Flair · Kerry Von Erich · Ron Garvin · Ricky Steamboat · Sting · Tatsumi Fujinami · Masahiro Chono · The Great Muta · Barry Windham · Shane Douglas · Chris Candido · Dan Severn · Naoya Ogawa · Gary Steele · Mike Rapada · Sabu · Steve Corino · Shinya Hashimoto · Ken Shamrock · Ron Killings · Jeff Jarrett · A.J. Styles · Raven · Rhino · Christian Cage · Abyss · Adam Pearce · Brent Albright · Blue Demon, Jr. · Colt Cabana (current) · The Sheik

http://wn.com/Harley_Race

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http://pt.wn.com/Harley Race

http://de.wn.com/Harley Race

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http://pl.wn.com/Harley Race

http://es.wn.com/Harley Race

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Butch Reed
Ring name(s)	Bruce Reed Butch Reed
Billed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)^[1]
Billed weight	262 lb (119 kg)^[1]
Born	(1954-07-11) July 11, 1954 (age 57) Warrensburg, Missouri, U.S.
Billed from	Kansas City, Missouri^[1]
Debut	1978

Butch Reed (born Bruce Reed on July 11, 1954) is an American professional wrestler best known for his stints in the World Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance/World Championship Wrestling.

1 Career
2 In wrestling
3 Championships and accomplishments
4 References
5 External links

Career [link]

Butch Reed started wrestling in 1978 in the Kansas City territory after attending the University of Central Missouri and briefly playing professional football for the Kansas City Chiefs. Early on he wrestled as Bruce Reed adopting the “Hacksaw" nickname over time. Reed and Jerry Roberts beat Mike George and Bob Sweetan for the NWA Central States Tag Team titles in late 1980^[2] and lost them to The Kelly Twins in January 1981; this is believed to be Butch Reed’s first major title in wrestling. His next title also came as one half of a tag team when he and Sweet Brown Sugar (Skip Young, not Koko B. Ware) won the Florida version of the NWA North American Tag Team Championship when they beat Dory Funk, Jr. and David Von Erich in 1982.^[2] Reed wrestled mainly for the NWA in the early 1980s and made a name for himself in their St. Louis, Florida Championship Wrestling and Georgia Championship Wrestling territories.

Mid-South [link]

Reed established himself as a force to be reckoned with while competing in Bill Watts’ Mid-South Wrestling from 1983 through early 1986. In Mid-South, he was known as “Hacksaw" Butch Reed and came into the territory as a tag team partner for the main face in the territory the Junkyard Dog. Reed immediately came face to face with "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan over the “Hacksaw" nickname. Back in 1983, Duggan was part of the heel group the "Rat Pack" along with Ted DiBiase and Matt Borne and used every dirty move he could think of to beat Butch Reed. Reed and Duggan would feud over the “Hacksaw" name until Jim Duggan turned face. Duggan’s face turn resulted in Butch Reed’s heel turn when Duggan was picked to be the Junkyard Dog’s tag team partner over Reed.

Reed appeared on TV stating that "Butch Reed is going to start looking out for Butch Reed", which prompted the Junkyard Dog (JYD) to join him in the ring. After arguing back and forth, Reed attacked JYD and was soon joined in the attack by Ted Dibiase. On July 16, 1983, Butch Reed won the Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship and proceeded to turn back JYD’s challenges in subsequent months.^[2] In October 1983, Reed’s arrogance made him agree to let the Mid-South fans pick a challenger for the North American title; he let them pick from the JYD, “Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, newcomer Krusher Khruschev, and Magnum T.A.. The fans picked JYD but Reed dismissed the choice; he also said Duggan and Khruschev did not deserve a shot and instead gave the title shot to a very young and inexperienced T.A. As fate would have it, T.A. beat Reed to win the title, then lost it 12 days later to Nikolai Volkoff.^[2]

On the same night that Reed lost the North American title, he and partner Jim Neidhart beat Magnum T.A. and “Hacksaw" Jim Duggan to win the Mid-South Tag Team Championship.^[2] After a few weeks the North American title was returned to Reed, claiming that the title match with T.A. was not legal since the fans chose JYD. Reed’s run as a double champion did not last long as JYD got his title shot with Dusty Rhodes as the special guest referee.^[2] After losing the North American title, Reed and Neidhart focused on the tag team titles and defended them against all comers. When Magnum and Mr. Wrestling II challenged for the titles, they felt that the challengers had to put up something of their own: Mr. Wrestling II’s mask. Mr. Wrestling did not unmask that night as they took the gold from Reed and Neidhart in a Steel cage match on Christmas of 1983.^[2] Neidhart and Reed started to blame each other and had a short, brutal feud.

The Neidhart feud was soon replaced with one with Terry Taylor who came out to save Neidhart from being beaten down with a football helmet after a match. The Reed/Taylor feud raged all through the spring of 1984 and was instrumental in establishing Terry Taylor as a star in Mid-South. The feud soon expanded to include "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel as Reed’s tag team partner and saw Reed attack Taylor with a “Coalminer’s Glove" on several occasions. After fighting with Terry Taylor for months on end, Reed’s attention turned from Taylor back to his old enemy the Junkyard Dog. During a match, Reed and Landel attacked JYD as he performed under a mask as “Stagger Lee" and painted him yellow. The war between the two brought in Sonny King and later Ernie Ladd to team with Junkyard Dog. After the tag matches, came brutal singles matches such as Dog Collar Matches

Just as the feud was about to reach its heated highlight, the Junkyard Dog left Mid-South and signed with the World Wrestling Federation without informing booker Bill Watts of his decision. This meant that the federation was without their biggest face and the shows had to be hastily rebooked. Watts brought in "Master G" to take JYD’s place but the feud between Reed and “Master G" never took off forcing Watts to rethink his options. When "General" Skandor Akbar entered the Mid-South and started to build a stable of heels, he presented Buddy Landel with a golden Rolex watch with the understanding that it wasn’t actually for Landel but for someone else Akbar was trying to recruit. When Landel tried to give the watch to Reed, he became incensed, in the storyline, stomped on the watch, and started to brawl with his former partner. Akbar and his cronies came to ringside, which prompted Reed to rant on them getting the crowd behind him as he told them he didn’t need back-up. When “Hacksaw" Jim Duggan came to his rescue from a 3 on 1 attack, Reed’s face status was cemented. The two Hacksaws feuded with Akbar’s army of Landel, Ted Dibiase, Steve Williams, and Hercules. The two Hacksaws were successful at first, until Reed came up against Kamala. He proved to be too much for Reed, beating him all over the Mid-South territory before Reed quietly left.

Reed would go to the American Wrestling Association for a short stint as Jimmy Garvin’s bodyguard, but would return to Mid-South in the middle of 1985 only a few short months after leaving it. In October 1985, Butch Reed beat Dick Murdoch for the North American title.^[2] Around this time, he had a famous one-hour time-limit draw with NWA Champion "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and feuded with Dick Slater when Slater helped Ric Flair keep the world title. In January 1986, Slater won the North American title from Butch Reed through underhanded means^[2]

After leaving the Mid-South, Reed returned to Kansas City and the "NWA Central States" territory run by Bob Geigel. In Kansas, Reed initially teamed with Rufus R. Jones as the Soul Patrol. Reed later turned on Rufus and joined manager Slick’s group in 1986. After a brief feud with Jones, Reed got involved in a feud with Bruiser Brody. That summer, he lost a Loser Leaves Town match to Bruiser Brody and left the territory along with Slick.

WWF [link]

Reed and Slick signed with the WWF and were brought in as a package. Reed dyed his hair blond and became "The Natural" Butch Reed, an updated version of Sweet Daddy Siki.^[3] He feuded initially with Tito Santana, a target of Slick's verbal jabs, and made his pay-per-view debut at WrestleMania III, where he defeated Koko B. Ware.^[4]

In the weeks after WrestleMania, Reed targeted new Intercontinental champion Ricky Steamboat and faced him at house shows and on an episode of Wrestling Challenge. According to a persistent myth, Reed no-showed a set of TV tapings where he was booked to win the title, resulting in the championship instead being put on The Honky Tonk Man. However, in a shoot interview, Reed has said this is untrue. In fact, when the Honky Tonk Man won the title from Steamboat in June 1987, Reed was shown celebrating with Honky and other heel wrestlers in the locker room although,in fairness, that was a taped segment.

In the fall, the WWF was heavily hyping a feud between Reed and "Superstar" Billy Graham, a former WWF champion who was staging a comeback after hip-replacement surgery. However, Graham's condition was such that he could no longer handle the physical demands of being a wrestler, so Reed and Slick's newest acquisition, the One Man Gang, "injured" Graham in a sneak attack that was used to explain his permanent retirement. Graham began managing the man who came to his aid, Don Muraco, with Muraco immediately entering into a rivalry with Reed. The enemies were on opposing teams in the main event of the first Survivor Series (Muraco took Graham's place on Hulk Hogan's team); Reed (a member of André the Giant's team), was the first elimination of the match, by Hogan.^[5]

Reed competed in (and was the first wrestler eliminated from) the first Royal Rumble match in January 1988. Two months later, he was eliminated in the first round of the WrestleMania IV championship tournament by eventual tournament winner "Macho Man" Randy Savage.^[6]

NWA and WCW [link]

Shortly after WrestleMania IV, Butch Reed and the WWF parted ways,^[3] Reed’s manager stayed with the federation while Reed struck out on his own once more. Butch Reed resurfaced in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions as "Hacksaw" Butch Reed. He more or less immediately resumed his Mid-South feud with The Junkyard Dog.^[7] He was briefly managed by James J. Dillon before his contract was "sold" to Hiro Matsuda's "Yamasaki Corporation". Reed did not see much success in the early parts of his run with JCP; his biggest match was a loss to Sting at the Chi-Town Rumble on February 20, 1989.^[8] During the summer of 1989, Reed would flounder in the mid card as Jim Crockett Promotions grew to become a national wrestling organization.

The Steiner Brothers were involved in an angle with Woman whom promised "Doom" for the two brothers but never specified exactly what this meant. Woman unveiled her threat at Halloween Havoc 1989, a couple of brawny, hard hitting masked African-Americans.^[9] It was obvious to most wrestling fans that Ron Simmons and Butch Reed were under the masks — they had both been on W.C.W. television shortly before Doom debuted, and they were the only two African-American wrestlers in the federation with the same massive physical appearance — but the announcers were made to keep up the storyline (although Jim Ross accidentally exposed Reed's identity on commentary during Starrcade 89: Future Shock). Doom won their debut match against the Steiners when one of the members of Doom pinned Rick Steiner after a headbutt with an illegal object in his mask. Doom followed up on this success by defeating Eddie Gilbert and Tommy Rich at Clash of the Champions IX, looking very strong in the process.^[10]

Unfortunately, Doom’s next PPV outing did not come with the same success. Along with the Steiner Brothers, the Road Warriors, and the Samoan Swat Team they were entered in a one night, tag team round robin tournament. They did not score a single point, ending dead last in the tournament.^[11] Doom’s misfortune continued as Woman soon dropped the team and left the federation. Then on February 6, 1990, Doom were defeated by the Steiner Brothers and as a result of the stipulation were forced to unmask.^[12] When Doom unmasked, it was hardly surprising to see Ron Simmons and Butch Reed underneath the black hoods. Freed of the masks and now under management of former referee Teddy Long, Doom began to prosper. Free to use their full movesets and not trying to hide who they were, Doom earned another shot at the Steiner Brothers.

Doom beat the Steiner Brothers^[2] at Capital Combat;^[13] at that point in time, the Steiners didn't lose very often. Doom won the tag team titles and quickly set about defending them against the former champions the Steiners as well the rest of WCW’s very talented tag team division. In the fall of 1990, Doom soon feuded with The Four Horsemen and defended against them in two inconclusive tag team title matches at Halloween Havoc 1990^[14] and Starrcade 1990.^[15] At Clash of the Champions XIV, Doom lost a non-title match to Sting and Lex Luger^[16] in a match that foreshadowed the trouble that lay ahead.

On February 24, 1991 at WCW’s WrestleWar PPV, Doom took on former tag team champions The Fabulous Freebirds^[17] and lost due to miscommunication between Reed and Simmons.^[2] After the Freebirds left the ring, Reed turned on Simmons and beat him up; this turned Simmons face and ended the team of Doom forever. Teddy Long sided with Butch Reed as the former Doom partners engaged in a short but intense feud. The feud culminated at SuperBrawl I where Ron Simmons pinned Butch Reed in a Steel cage match (referred to as a "Thunder-Doom" cage match).^[18] After the PPV, Reed left the company for a short while only to return in 1992 siding with The Barbarian and Cactus Jack. Reed and the Barbarian teamed up to defeat Dustin Rhodes and Barry Windham at Clash of the Champions XX^[19] but left WCW for good shortly afterwards.

Independent scene [link]

After leaving WCW, Reed went to the United States Wrestling Association where he once again started feuding with long time opponent the Junkyard Dog. Reed even managed to beat JYD for the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship on October 12,^[2] 1992. Reed only held the title for a week before he lost it to Todd Champion.^[2] Reed left the promotion before 1992 ended.

The next time Butch Reed appeared for a notable promotion was in 1994 when he started to wrestle for the Global Wrestling Federation during its last days of existence. Reed became the second to last GWF North American champion on June 4, 1994 when he beat Rod Price for the held up title. The title had been held up the previous day after a match between Reed and Price got out of hand and ended inconclusively.^[2] Reed held the title for almost a month before losing it to "Gentleman" Chris Adams, who would be the last GWF North American champion.^[2]

Reed continued to work on the independent scene on a part time basis so that he could participate in the rodeo circuit in Kansas City. In 2000-2001, Butch Reed started working for Harley Race's WLW promotion. Reed beat “Luminous Warrior" for the WLW Heavyweight Title on March 31, 2001^[20] and held the title until Dennis McHawes beat him for it on January 25, 2002.^[20] After losing the title, Butch Reed retired from wrestling.

After being retired for about three years, Butch Reed decided to return to the squared circle in 2005, appearing several times for “Mid States Wrestling" and eventually defeating Heavyweight Champion "Mr. Saturday Night" Michael Barry on November 11, 2005 for the Mid States Wrestling Heavyweight title. He also participated in the “Legends of Wrestling" tour in 2006.

On September 9, 2007, he made a cameo appearance backstage at the September 14 WWE SmackDown! taping during a segment involving his former manager and SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long.

In wrestling [link]

Finishing moves
- Gorilla press slam^[21]

Signature moves

Managers
- Theodore Long^[22]
- Hiro Matsuda^[22]
- Slick^[22]
- Woman^[22]

Championships and accomplishments [link]

Central States Wrestling
- NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jerry Roberts

Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA International Heavyweight Championship (1 time) (Reign not recognized in Japan)
- NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time) - with Sweet Brown Sugar

Global Wrestling Federation
- GWF North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Mid-South Wrestling Association

Mid-States Wrestling
- MSW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Missouri Wrestling Federation / Midwest Wrestling Federation
- MWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[2]

United States Wrestling Association
- USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

World Championship Wrestling
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time) - with Ron Simmons
- WCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ron Simmons

World League Wrestling

WLW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him # 174 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003.
- PWI ranked him # 91 of the 100 best tag teams during the PWI Years with Ron Simmons in 2003.

References [link]

^ ^a ^b ^c "Butch Reed's WWE Alumni Bio". World Wrestling Entertainment. http://www.wwe.com/superstars/wwealumni/butchreed. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p Greg Oliver and Steve Johnson (2005). The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-55022-683-6.
^ ^a ^b Brian Shields (4th Edition 2006). Main event – WWE in the raging 80s. Pocket Books. ISBN 978-1-4165-3257-6.
^ "WWE WrestleMania History (III)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/mania.html#III. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "WWE Survivor Series History (1987)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/survivor.html#87. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ prowrestlinghistory.com. "WWE WrestleMania History (IV)". http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/mania.html#IV. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "NWA Clash of the Champions Results (VI)". prowrestlinghistory.com. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/clash.html#VI. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "NWA Chi-Town Rumble Results". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/miscppv.html#chi. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "NWA Halloween Havoc Results (1989)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/havoc.html#89. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "NWA Clash of the Champions Results (IX)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/clash.html#IX. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "NWA Starrcade Results (1989)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/starrcad.html#89. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "NWA Clash of the Champions Results (X)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/clash.html#X. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "NWA Capitol Combat Results". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/miscppv.html#capitol. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "WCW Halloween Havoc Results (1990)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/havoc.html#90. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "WCW Starrcade Results (1990)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/starrcad.html#90. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "WCW Clash of the Champions Results (XIV)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/clash.html#XIV. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "WCW WrestleWar Results (1991)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/w-war.html#91. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "WCW SuperBrawl Results (I)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/s-brawl.html#I. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ "WCW Clash of the Champions Results (XX)". ProWrestlingHistory. http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/clash.html#XX. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ ^a ^b "WLW Heavyweight Title history". wrestling-titles.com. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/centralstates/wlw/wlw-h.html. Retrieved 9 April 2007.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "WCW Wrestle War report on February 24, 1991". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/1991024p.htm.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Managers". http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=785&view=manager#manager.

External links [link]

Professional wrestling portal

http://wn.com/Butch_Reed

http://nl.wn.com/Butch Reed

http://it.wn.com/Butch Reed

This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Reed

This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.

Bob Cook
Born	(1948-01-06) January 6, 1948 (age 64) Sudbury, ON, CAN
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Vancouver Canucks Detroit Red Wings New York Islanders Minnesota North Stars
Playing career	1966–1975

Robert Arthur "Cookie" Cook (born January 6, 1948 in Sudbury, Ontario) is a retired ice hockey right winger. He played 72 games in the National Hockey League with four different teams. Cook last played for the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League during the 1974–75 season.

1 Professional career
- 1.1 Minor league hockey
- 1.2 Playing in the NHL
2 External links

Professional career [link]

Minor league hockey [link]

Cook began play with the London Nationals of the Ontario Hockey League in 1963. He was looked at as a role player that could finish chances when they were given. He continued to develop with the Nationals until midway through his 1965–66 season, when he was traded to the Kitchener Rangers. In only 31 games, Cook put up 72 penalty minutes to go with his 17 points. He also threw in 14 points and 51 penalty minutes in the Rangers 19 game playoff run in which they lost to the Oshawa Generals, featuring a young Bobby Orr. In 1966, Cook's rights were bought by the Vancouver Canucks, then of the Western Hockey League. Cook appeared in 55 games for the Canucks, registering 7 goals and 14 points, but was ultimately moved to the Rochester Americans for the 1967–68 season. Playing for the Americans, Cook put up the highest point totals of his career. Excluding a brief stint with the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League, Cook played almost four full seasons with Rochester. He netted 133 points during that span including 44 during the 1969–70 season. However the 1970–71 season would finally see Cook reaching his goal.

Playing in the NHL [link]

Cook finally got to play in the National Hockey League under rather unusual circumstances. The owners of the Rochester Americans were granted an NHL franchise in 1970 and Cook's rights were given to Vancouver. Cook played two games for the Vancouver Canucks, now of the NHL, before the end of the season. After allowing Cook a short reconditioning stint with the Seattle Totems of the WHL, his rights were traded to the Detroit Red Wings for cash on November 21, 1971.

Cook again found himself in a teams' farm system and he tried to prove himself playing for the Fort Worth Wings of the CHL and the Tidewater Wings of the AHL. After a season in the minors, Cook again got to play in the NHL, when he joined the Red Wings during the 1972–73 season. He played 13 games and put up four points before being traded along with Ralph Stewart for Ken Murray and Brian Lavender to the New York Islanders on January 17, 1973.

Cook had his longest stay in the NHL with New York, playing in 55 games throughout the 1972–73 and 1973–74 seasons. Netting only 17 points in that span, Cook was sent down to Baltimore Clippers of the AHL for the remainder of the season. He again found his form scoring 19 goals and 19 assists and helping the Clippers into the playoffs. He scored 10 points in the playoffs but the Clippers lost to the eventual champions, the Hershey Bears. For the 1974–75 season, Cook began play with the Fort Worth Texans of the CHL but ended the season with the New Haven Nighthawks of the AHL. The Nighthawks were a minor league team for the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL and Cook was called up to play his last two NHL games with them midway through the season. Those games would be his last and Cook retired at the end of 1975 after helping yet another team reach the finals, but the Nighthawks would fall to the Springfield Indians in five games.

External links [link]

Bob Cook's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

http://wn.com/Bob_Cook

This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Cook

This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.

This article is about the wrestler. For the article about the violinist see Richard Rood (violinist).

Rick Rude
Rude at an ECW television taping in 1997
Ring name(s)	The Halloween Phantom^[1] The Ravishing One Rick Rude^[1] Ricky Rood Smooth Operator^[1]
Billed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)^[1]
Billed weight	251 lb (114 kg)^[1]
Born	(1958-12-07)December 7, 1958^[1] Robbinsdale, Minnesota
Died	April 20, 1999(1999-04-20) (aged 40)^[1] Alpharetta, Georgia
Billed from	Robbinsdale, Minnesota^[1]
Trained by	Eddie Sharkey^[1]^[2]^[3]
Debut	1982^[2]
Retired	May 1, 1994

Richard Erwin Rood^[1] (December 7, 1958 – April 20, 1999), better known by his ring name "Ravishing" Rick Rude, was an American professional wrestler who performed for many promotions, including World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), in the 1980s and 1990s.^[4]

Among other accolades, Rude was a four-time world champion (three-time WCW International World Heavyweight Champion, and one-time WCWA World Heavyweight Champion), one-time WWF Intercontinental Champion, and one-time WCW United States Champion.

The self-proclaimed "Sexiest Man Alive", Rude was noted for his chiseled physique as well as being one of the greatest talkers in the history of professional wrestling.^[5] He is also notable for being a member of the original incarnation of D-Generation X, alongside Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Chyna.

1 Career
2 Death
3 In wrestling
4 Championships and accomplishments
5 Notes
6 Further reading
7 External links

Career [link]

Early years (1982–1987)[link]

Born in St. Peter, Minnesota, Rood attended Robbinsdale High School in Robbinsdale, Minnesota with Tom Zenk, Brady Boone, Nikita Koloff, Curt Hennig, John Nord, Joseph Laurinaitis and Barry Darsow, all of whom later became professional wrestlers.^[6]

After graduating from Anoka Ramsey Junior College with a degree in physical education,^[6] Rood began wrestling in 1982 as Ricky Rood, a babyface jobber. Rude lost his TV debut against Mid-Atlantic Champion Paul Jones on the 11/20/1982 episode of NWA World Wide Wrestling. He started with Vancouver's NWA: All-Star Wrestling before moving on to compete for Georgia Championship Wrestling and later the Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association. Rude debuted on the 5/28/1983 episode of World Championship Wrestling, defeating Pat Rose with a dropkick. Gordon Solie interviewed Rude the following week, with Rude discussing transitioning from arm wrestling to pro wrestling and dropping weight to increase speed. He later left and joined the National Wrestling Alliance affiliate Jim Crockett Promotions where he and a variety of tag team partners feuded with The Road Warriors. He returned to Memphis in 1984, this time as "Ravishing" Rick Rude, an overconfident, arrogant heel managed by Jimmy Hart.^[7] Rude feuded with Jerry Lawler and later his former partner, King Kong Bundy.^[8]^[9]

Rude was hired by Championship Wrestling from Florida in December 1984, where he was managed by Percy Pringle. He defeated Pez Whatley for the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Championship on January 16, 1985 and lost it to Brian Blair on April 10, 1985. He captured the championship again on July 20, 1985, when he defeated Mike Graham in the finals of a Southern title tournament. He held the belt until October 2 of that year when he dropped it to Wahoo McDaniel, who was booking Florida during this time. While teaming with Jesse Barr, he won the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship on April 16, 1985, and feuded with Billy Jack Haynes and Wahoo McDaniel over the belts, losing the straps to McDaniel and Haynes on July 9, 1985. In late 1985, he jumped to World Class Championship Wrestling along with Pringle, where he feuded with Kevin Von Erich and Chris Adams. During his time in WCCW, Rude captured the NWA American Heavyweight Championship on November 4, 1985. However, WCCW withdrew from the NWA on February 20, 1986, and changed its name to the World Class Wrestling Association. The NWA American Championship was renamed the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship while Rude was still holding the title. As a result, Rude became the promotion's first World Champion. After losing the title to Chris Adams in July 1986, he fired Pringle and briefly replaced him with his sister, Raven. He formed a short-lived tag team with The Dingo Warrior, but the Warrior turned on him and became a face.

In September 1986, Rude returned to Jim Crockett Promotions and joined Manny Fernandez and his manager Paul Jones in their rivalry with Wahoo McDaniel.^[10] Rude and Fernandez, known collectively as the "Awesome Twosome",^[11] won the NWA World Tag Team Championship on December 6, 1986 from The Rock 'n' Roll Express,^[12] and they began a feud that ended only when Rude left the promotion for the World Wrestling Federation in April 1987. To explain the sudden departure, Jim Crockett, Jr. aired a pre-taped non-title match where the Express defeated Rude and Fernandez and claimed that Rude had been injured as a result.

World Wrestling Federation (1987–1990)[link]

Rude made his WWF debut in July 1987. Rude was managed by Jimmy Hart and later Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. He feuded with "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, before starting one of his most famous feuds with Jake "The Snake" Roberts.^[13] Rude had a routine where, before the match, he would make a show of removing his robe while insulting the males in the crowd and, after his victories, he would kiss a woman that Heenan picked from the fans.^[8] One of Rude's trademarks was his specially airbrushed tights that he wore during matches. In one storyline, he tried to get Roberts' real-life wife, Cheryl, to comply, aggravating Roberts.^[8] On another occasion during the Roberts/Rude feud, Rude came to the ring with a picture of Cheryl stenciled on the front of his tights. A furious Roberts charged the ring and stripped Rude, appearing to television viewers to leave him naked,^[14] although the live audience saw him stripped to a g-string instead.

Rude's next big feud was with The Ultimate Warrior and began in January at the 1989 Royal Rumble pay-per-view in a "Super Posedown" that ended with Rude attacking Warrior with a metal pose bar.^[15] With help from Heenan, Rude won the Intercontinental Championship from the Warrior at WrestleMania V, before dropping it back to the Warrior at SummerSlam 1989, due in large part to interference from "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.^[15]^[16] Rude then feuded with Piper, before resuming his conflict with the Warrior in the summer of 1990 after the Warrior had won the WWF Championship. The two battled in a cage at SummerSlam 1990, however Rude failed to win the title and departed from WWF in October 1990.^[17]^[18] This departure came right before he was scheduled to feud with the Big Boss Man, which had its potential start when Rude started to make degrading comments about The Boss Man's mother.^[19]

World Championship Wrestling and retirement (1991–1994)[link]

Main article: Dangerous Alliance

After spending a year wrestling in select shows in the independent circuit, Rude returned to World Championship Wrestling, which had originally been Jim Crockett Promotions prior to being sold to Ted Turner in late 1988; he returned under a mask as The Halloween Phantom at Halloween Havoc on October 27, 1991, unmasking himself later that night.^[17] He led The Dangerous Alliance, consisting of himself, Paul E. Dangerously, Madusa, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko, and "Stunning" Steve Austin. On November 19, 1991, Rude defeated Sting for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship and engaged in a number of high profile feudes, including one with Ricky Steamboat. At one point during their feud, Steamboat suffered a kayfabe broken nose in a gang attack.^[20]

In 1992, Rude and Madusa left The Dangerous Alliance and feuded with Nikita Koloff. Rude challenged reigning WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ron Simmons on several occasions but did not defeat him. In December 1992, Rude suffered a legitimate injury and was forced to forfeit the United States Championship, thus ending his reign of nearly 14 months, a reign that still stands today as the second longest reign in the 33 year history of the title.^[8] Rude returned alone in April 1993 and tried to reclaim the title from Dustin Rhodes, who had won it while he was injured. The title was eventually held up after several controversial finishes to matches between the two; although, Rhodes regained the title in a rematch.^[21]

Rude switched his sights to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, making his intentions clear on August 28, 1993, when he was the guest on then-champion Ric Flair's "A Flair For the Gold" talk segment.^[9] Rude defeated Flair for the title in September 1993 at Fall Brawl.^[22] As WCW had recently withdrawn from the NWA, WCW lost the rights to continue using the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. WCW created their own championship, dubbing it the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship, which Rude lost to Hiroshi Hase on March 16, 1994 in Tokyo, Japan.^[22] Rude regained the title just eight days later in Kyoto, Japan.^[22] After dropping the title to Sting on April 17, Rude pinned Sting on May 1 in Fukuoka to become a three time champion.^[22] Rude, however, injured his back during the match when, upon receiving a suicide dive at ringside, he landed on the corner of the raised platform surrounding the ring; unable to wrestle, he was stripped of the title (with the storyline excuse that he was found to have used the title belt as a weapon in the course of the match).^[8]^[22] Rude retired shortly thereafter.^[8]

Extreme Championship Wrestling and return to the WWF (1996–1997)[link]

Rude collected on a Lloyd's of London insurance policy and did not appear in wrestling again until 1996, when he joined Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) as a masked man who harassed Shane Douglas, at one point spanking Francine. He eventually unmasked and became a color commentator before later aligning himself, for a short time, with Douglas and his Triple Threat stable. During the ECW versus USWA / WWF inter-company competition, Rude helped Jerry "The King" Lawler defeat ECW mainstays Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman.

Rude later returned to WWF as the "insurance policy" of the D-Generation X (DX) stable (Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Chyna).^[23] As a member of DX, Rude never wrestled, but would stay ringside during the group's matches. He once again left WWF after the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series. According to Bret Hart, Rude stayed in the locker room during Bret's confrontation with Vince McMahon, later calling Eric Bischoff and informing him what had happened was in fact real. As Rude was not signed to a full-time contract with WWF, and was instead performing on a "pay-per-appearance" basis, Rude was able to negotiate a deal with Bischoff and WCW, in part due to his anger over the Montreal Screwjob.^[11]^[24]

Return to WCW (1997–1998)[link]

Rude appeared on both WWF Raw is War and WCW Monday Nitro on November 17, 1997. A mustached Rude appeared on Nitro, which was live, and proceeded to criticize Shawn Michaels, DX, and the WWF, calling the company the "Titanic" (a reference to Titan Enterprises, as WWF's parent company was then known, as the "sinking ship").^[1] An hour later on Raw (which had been taped six days earlier), Rude then appeared with the full beard he had been sporting during his return to the WWF.^[1]^[25] Rude also appeared on ECW's Hardcore TV during that weekend (November 14–16 as the show was syndicated differently depending on the market). Rude was still making ECW appearances while in D-Generation X.

In WCW, Rude became a member of the nWo, managing his friend Curt Hennig.^[8] When the nWo split, Hennig and Rude joined the NWO Wolfpac,^[26] and they tried to motivate Konnan to defeat Goldberg, who was undefeated at the time. When Konnan was defeated by Goldberg, Rude and Hennig attacked him, later joining nWo Hollywood, the rivals of the Wolfpac. By late 1998, both Rude and Hennig were off WCW TV due to injuries. Hennig had an ongoing leg injury that year, and Rude was thought to have had testicular cancer which later turned out to be a spermatocele. Curt Hennig returned to the NWO from his injury at Starrcade 1998 without Rude, who was still unable to appear on WCW. Rude was rumored to be training for a full time comeback to active wrestling in early 1999.^{[citation needed]}

Death [link]

Rude died at the age of 40 on April 20, 1999 after suffering heart failure. He is survived by his wife Michelle and their three children. An autopsy report showed he died from an overdose of "mixed medications".^[27] Rude testified in 1994 that he had used anabolic steroids to alleviate pain in his joints and increase muscle mass.^[28]^[29]

In wrestling [link]

Finishing moves
- Back to belly piledriver^[1]
- DDT^[30] – 1984–1987
- Overhead gutwrench backbreaker rack^[31] – 1987–1988
- Rude Awakening^[1] (Delayed hangman's neckbreaker with theatrics)^[30]

Signature moves

Managers
- Jimmy Hart^[7]^[33]
- Bobby Heenan^[2]
- Paul E. Dangerously
- Madusa Miceli
- Paul Jones^[10]
- Percy Pringle III^[2]
- Raven (Rude's sister Nancy)^[2]

Wrestlers managed
- Curt Hennig^[1]
- Shawn Michaels
- D-Generation X (Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Chyna)^[1]

Nicknames
- "Ravishing"^[1]
- "Mr. #1derful"

Entrance themes
- "Smooth Operator" by Sade (WCCW)
- The Stripper (WWF)
- "Toccata and Fugue in D minor" by Bach (as the Halloween Phantom) (WCW)
- "Big Brother" (WCW; production theme)
- "Simply Ravishing" from the WCW Slam Jam Vol. 1 album (WCW)
- "The Stripper" by David Rose (ECW)
- "Simply Ravishing" by Harry Slash (ECW)
- "Rockhouse" from the Focus Music library (WCW; as a member of the nWo)

Championships and accomplishments [link]

Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (2 times)^[1]^[34]
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time)^[35] – with Jesse Barr^[1]

Continental Wrestling Association
- AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[1]^[36]
- AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time)^[37] – with King Kong Bundy^[1]

Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling

Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1992)^[38]
- PWI ranked him #57 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003^[39]

World Class Championship Wrestling / World Class Wrestling Association

World Wrestling Federation
- WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time)^[1]^[15]
- Jesse "The Body" Award (1987)

Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- 5 Star Match (1992) with "Stunning" Steve Austin, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko, and Arn Anderson vs. Sting, Ricky Steamboat, Dustin Rhodes, Barry Windham, and Nikita Koloff (February 24, WarGames match, WrestleWar)
- Best Heel (1992)^[38]
- Worst Worked Match of the Year (1992) vs. Masahiro Chono at Halloween Havoc

Notes [link]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac "Wrestler Profiles: Rick Rude". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/rick-rude.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Oliver, Greg; Steven Johnson (2007). The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels. ECW Press. p. 208. ISBN 1-55022-759-9.
^ Fahey, Vince. "Rick Rude:Page One". Kayfabe Memories. http://www.kayfabememories.com/Wrestlers/WLrude.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ Batista, Dave; Roberts, Jeremy (2007). Batista Unleashed. WWE Books. p. 21. ISBN [[Special:BookSources/1-4165-4410-4|1-4165-4410-4]].
^ "The top 25 Superstars who talked the talk". #24. WWE. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
^ ^a ^b Oliver, Greg; Steven Johnson (2007). The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels. ECW Press. p. 207. ISBN 1-55022-759-9.
^ ^a ^b Lawler, Jerry; Doug Asheville (2002). It's Good to Be the King...Sometimes. Simon & Schuster. p. 168. ISBN 0-7434-7557-7.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Powell, John. "Rick Rude dies". SLAM! Wrestling. http://slam.canoe.ca/WrestlingStarBios/rude.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ ^a ^b Slagle, Steve. ""Ravishing" Rick Rude". The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com/pages/bios/rickrude2.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ ^a ^b Shields, Brian (2006). Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s. Simon & Schuster. p. 109. ISBN 1-4165-3257-9.
^ ^a ^b "Rick Rude: Fakten" (in German). Genickbruch: Die Wrestlingseite des alten Europa. http://www.genickbruch.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=287. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ ^a ^b "NWA World Tag Team Title (Mid-Atlantic/WCW) history". Wrestling Titles. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midatlantic/nwa/ma-nwa-t.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "Wrestler Profiles: Paul Orndorff". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/p/paul-orndorff.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "Wrestler Profiles: Jake Roberts". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/j/jake-roberts.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ ^a ^b ^c "History of the Intercontinental Championship: Rick Rude's first reign". WWE. http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322420. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "History of the Intercontinental Championship: Ultimate Warrior's second reign". WWE. http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322424. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ ^a ^b Shields, Brian (2006). Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s. Simon & Schuster. p. 110. ISBN 1-4165-3257-9.
^ "SummerSlam 1990". WWE. http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/history/1990/results/. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "Bobby Heenan". SLAM! Wrestling. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/heenan.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ Lyon, Stephen (2004-07-18). "WCW Wrestling Classics TV report featuring Steamboat-Rude-Madusa angle". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. http://www.f4wonline.com/?aID=10875. Retrieved 2008-05-26. ^{[dead link]}
^ ^a ^b "NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Title history". Wrestling Titles. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-us-h.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "WCW International World Heavyweight Title history". Wrestling Titles. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-in-h.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ Fahey, Vince. "Rick Rude: Page 2". Kayfabe Memories. http://www.kayfabememories.com/Wrestlers/WLrude-2.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ Hart, Bret (1999-04-24). "Heaven gains a champ". SLAM! Wrestling. http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBretHart9799/hart_99apr24.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ Shields, Brian (2006). Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s. Simon & Schuster. p. 111. ISBN 1-4165-3257-9.
^ "The History of the New World Order". Wrestling Information Archive. http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wcw/nwohist.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ http://www.allwwewrestlers.com/ravishing_rick_rude.htm
^ "Wrestling deaths and steroids". USA Today. 2004-03-12. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2004-03-12-wrestling-list_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ Muchnick, Irvin (2007). Wrestling Babylon: Piledriving Tales of Drugs, Sex, Death, and Scandal. ECW Press. p. 146. ISBN 1-55022-761-0.
^ ^a ^b "Other arena's finishing movelist". http://www.otherarena.com/nCo/finish/finish.html.
^ "Dark Pegasus Video Review: PrimeTime Wrestling (08.03.87)". http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/news/64326.
^ "Dunn's Countdown To Summerslam: Summerslam '89". http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/33628.
^ "Jimmy Hart profile". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/j/jimmy-hart.html. Retrieved 2009-09-04.
^ "NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) history". Wrestling Titles. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-south-h.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "NWA United States Tag Team Title (Florida version) history". Wrestling Titles. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-us-t.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "NWA/AWA Southern Heavyweight Title history". Wrestling Titles. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/cwa/awa-s-h.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "NWA Mid-America/AWA Southern Tag Team Title history". Wrestling Titles. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/cwa/awa-s-t.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ ^a ^b "Rick Rude: Awards" (in German). Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Genickbruch: Die Wrestlingseite des alten Europa. http://www.genickbruch.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=287&bild=1&details=5. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Wrestling Information Archive. http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "NWA American Heavyweight Title history". Wrestling Titles. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tx/wccw/am-h.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "World Class Television Title history". Wrestling Titles. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tx/wccw/am-tv.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
^ "WCWA World Heavyweight Title history". Wrestling Titles. http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tx/wcwa/wcwa-h.html. Retrieved 2008-05-25.

External links [link]

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Playlist

Film Summary

Persondata
Name	Reed, Butch
Alternative names
Short description	Professional wrestler
Date of birth	1954-07-11
Place of birth	Warrensburg, Missouri, U.S.
Date of death
Place of death

Persondata
Name	Cook, Bob
Alternative names
Short description	Canadian ice hockey player
Date of birth	January 6, 1948
Place of birth	Sudbury, ON, CAN
Date of death
Place of death

Persondata
Name	Rude, Rick
Alternative names	Rood, Richard (real name)
Short description	Professional wrestler
Date of birth	1957-12-07
Place of birth	Robbinsdale, Minnesota
Date of death	1999-04-20
Place of death	Alpharetta, Georgia

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