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Power Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship
Memphis Power Pro Wrestling (Power Pro Wrestling) was a Memphis, Tennessee based professional wrestling promotion that was founded by Randy Hales. It was affiliated with Memphis Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation. It was the first developmental territory for the World Wrestling Federation. The roster featured WWF-contracted wrestlers sent for training and experience like Kurt Angle and Matt Bloom (Tensai/Albert), Daniel Bryan and Memphis wrestling legends Bill Dundee and Jerry Lawler, Brian Christopher and many others. It operated from April 1998 to April 2001. The promotion was booked by Randy Hales and Brandon Baxter. Alumni Male wrestlers Female wrestlers Stables and tag teams Managers and valets Commentators and interviewers Other personnel Championships Power Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship The PPW Heavyweight Championship was the top title contested for in the Power Pro Wrestling (later Memphis Power Pro Wrestling). Power Pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association (USWA) was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. The company was founded when the Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association merged with the Dallas-based World Class Championship Wrestling. History Foundation The USWA was founded as an attempt to create a fourth national promotion, alongside Jim Crockett Promotions/ WCW, AWA and the WWF (now known as WWE). The USWA was created through a merger of the WCCW (from Texas) and the CWA (based in Memphis, Tennessee). It originally promoted shows, usually headlined by Jerry Lawler, in both Tennessee and Texas. WCCW withdraws The Dallas promotion (formerly WCCW), which was 40 percent owned by the Von Erich family, withdrew from the USWA in September 1990 due to a revenue dispute. According to Skandor Akbar, there were lawsuits involved, most notably when Jerry Jarrett was sued by Kevin Von Erich. That promotion reverted to the World Class name, but ceased operat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Diamond
Thomas Boric (born May 11, 1961) is a Croatian-Canadian retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name Paul Diamond. He is best known for being one half of the tag team Badd Company with Pat Tanaka and for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as Kato, one half of The Orient Express, also with Tanaka. Before he was a professional wrestler, Boric was a professional soccer player. Early life Boric was born in Zagreb, Croatia in 1961 and grew up wanting to follow in his father's footsteps and become a soccer player. When Boric was 13 years old the family emigrated from Croatia to Canada, settling down in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Tom got a full soccer scholarship to Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Professional soccer career After only three semesters at college, Boric was selected as the 6th overall pick of the 1981 NASL draft to play goalkeeper for the recently formed Calgary Boomers of the North American Soccer League. After the Boomers folded ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Falk
Anthony Felker (born August 13, 1961) is an American retired professional wrestler, referee, promoter and trainer. He is best known for his appearances in the Memphis-based promotion United States Wrestling Association in the 1990s under the ring name Tony Falk. Professional wrestling career Falk his debut in 1981 for International Championship Wrestling until the promotions folded in 1984. He worked for Mid-South Wrestling, Continental Wrestling Association, Southwest Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Council and World Class Championship Wrestling. Also was a referee in WCCW where he reffed Steve Austin's first match. When World Class closed its doors it merged into United States Wrestling Association in Tennessee in 1989. Falk became a household name for the promotion until USWA folded in 1997. He also continued refereeing. He won the USWA Television Championship in May 1996 defeating Jesse James Armstrong. He dropped the title back to Armstrong two weeks later. Afte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rikishi (wrestler)
Solofa Fatu Jr. (born October 11, 1965) is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring names Rikishi and Fatu with the WWE and under a variety of names in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Born in San Francisco, Fatu debuted in the professional wrestling business in 1985 as Prince Alofa and later competed with the Samoan SWAT Team in Japan and multiple wrestling promotions across the United States. In 1992, Fatu made his debut for the World Wrestling Federation, he had employed multiple gimmicks during his early run. He returned to the WWF in 1998 where he was repackaged as a sumo wrestler character named Rikishi Phatu, in which he dropped his last name when he began teaming with the popular Too Cool tag team. During his tenure with the company, Fatu has held the WWF Intercontinental Championship 1 time, the World Tag Team Championship 2 times, and the WWE Tag Team Championship ( 1 time). After leavi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Umaga (wrestler)
Edward Smith Fatu (March 28, 1973 – December 4, 2009) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, best known for his time with WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) under the ring name Umaga. Fatu was also known for his time with All Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid-2000s, where he was a main eventer under the ring name Jamal. He was a member of the Anoaʻi family, a renowned Samoans, Samoan wrestling family. During his first stint with WWE billed as Jamal, he was part of tag team 3-Minute Warning, with his cousin Rosey (wrestler), Matt Anoaʻi, billed as Rosey. He was released from the company in June 2003, later going to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and becoming a mainstay for the company from late 2003 to 2005. In April 2006, Fatu returned to WWE under the ring name Umaga. Fatu went undefeated on the Raw (WWE brand), Raw brand throughout the year before finally suffering his first defeat in January 2007 at the hands of then WWE Championship, WWE Champio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jimmy Valiant
James Harold Fanning (born August 6, 1942) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Handsome" Jimmy Valiant. Early life Fanning was born in Tullahoma, Tennessee as the youngest of five children of James and Effie Fanning. Professional wrestling career Fanning 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 World Tag Team Championship (WWE, 1971–2010), WWWF Tag Team champions. In the later 1960s in the World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis), World Wrestling Association, they were managed by Bobby Heenan. Valiant had entered the WWWF in 1971 as a babyface, originally known as "Gentleman Jim Valiant," but quickly switched to heel. He had title matches against champion Pedro Morales in secondary arenas, such as Philadelphia, and feuded with short-term tag partner Chief Jay ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sid Eudy
Sidney Raymond Eudy (December 16, 1960 – August 26, 2024) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, best known for his tenures in the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW), wrestling under the ring names Sid Justice, Sid Vicious, and Sycho Sid. Eudy was a six-time Professional wrestling#Championships, world champion, having won the WWF Championship List of WWE Champions, twice, the WCW World Heavyweight Championship List of WCW World Heavyweight Champions, twice, and the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship#Title history, twice. He held the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship List of WWE United States Champions, once and headlined pay-per-views for both promotions, including the main events of WrestleMania VIII and WrestleMania 13, WrestleMania 13 in 1992 and 1997, and Starrcade (2000), Starrcade in 2000. Professional wrestling career Early career (1987–1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nick Dinsmore
Nicholas David Dinsmore (born December 17, 1975), better known by his ring name Eugene, is an American professional wrestler. Dinsmore's career began in 1996 in Ohio Valley Wrestling, where he became the OVW Heavyweight Champion a record eight times as well as the OVW Southern Tag Team Champion eleven times. He is best known for his time in WWE from 2004 to 2007 under the ring name Eugene, where he portrayed an intellectually disabled wrestling savant. During his time in the company, he was involved in various storylines and competed against such wrestlers like Triple H and Kurt Angle. He also won the World Tag Team Championship with William Regal. Upon Dinsmore's release from his WWE contract in 2007, he returned to OVW, where he won the Heavyweight Championships twice more. He made a brief return to WWE in 2013, but he was released the next year. In 2015, he opened his own promotion, Midwest All Pro Wrestling. Professional wrestling career Early years (1996–2003) Dins ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grantland
''Grantland'' was a sports and pop-culture blog owned and operated by ESPN. The blog was started in 2011 by veteran writer and sports journalist Bill Simmons, who remained as editor-in-chief until May 2015. ''Grantland'' was named after famed early-20th-century sportswriter Grantland Rice (1880–1954). On October 30, 2015, ESPN announced that it was ending the publication of ''Grantland''. History Origins and concept In early 2011, ESPN announced the creation of Grantland. The site was intended to focus on long-form content and feature contributions from both established writers and new voices in the fields of sports and entertainment. Simmons envisioned a platform that allowed for in-depth analysis and storytelling, akin to traditional magazine journalism but adapted for the digital age. Launch and initial reception Grantland officially launched on June 8, 2011. The site quickly gained attention for its ambitious and high-quality content. Articles ranged from deep d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harry Del Rios
Harry Del Rios (born September 17, 1972) is an American professional wrestling, professional wrestler. Rios is best known as the Spellbinder and Phantasio from WWE, but he has competed under many other ring names during his career. Professional wrestling career United States Wrestling Association (1993-1997) Del Rios' first prominent wrestling role was in the United States Wrestling Association. He debuted there on September 13, 1993. He wrestled as the Spellbinder for the first 4 matches of his career, then switched to wrestling under his real name, then switched back to the Spellbinder gimmick in March 1994. He would use the Spellbinder gimmick for the remainder of his time in USWA. He feuded with Brian Christopher in 1997. He appeared on USWA TV in January & February. He stayed until USWA folded in 1997. World Wrestling Federation (1993, 1995, 1997) Del Rios made his first appearance in WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) when he wrestled a dark match against Bobby Who on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tommy Rogers (wrestler)
Thomas R. Couch (May 14, 1961 – June 1, 2015) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Fantastic" Tommy Rogers. He was one-half of the tag team the Fantastics with Bobby Fulton. Professional wrestling career Couch started wrestling in 1980 as "Tommy Rogers" in North Carolina. He made his debut (as a replacement for Charlie Cook) in a match with Eddy Mansfield with no formal training. Tommy then headed to Florida for a brief stay before heading to Portland, then Memphis where he met his future tag team partner Bobby Fulton. In a talent trade agreement between Memphis (Jarrett) and Mid South (Watts) the newly formed Fantastics (Rogers and Fulton) headed to Mid South. There they had their first major program with the Midnight Express (Condrey and Eaton). In late 1984, Rogers went to World Class Championship Wrestling where he and Bobby Fulton continued their legendary feud with the Midnight Express. In 1986, Rogers and Fulton went to the Universal W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rico Constantino
Americo Sebastiano Costantino (born October 1, 1961) is an American professional wrestler. He performed under the ring names Rico Costantino and Rico in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) from 1998 to 2004. Early life Costantino was a contestant on the American television series '' American Gladiators''. When challenging one of the show's gladiators, Gemini, Constantino won once and fought to a draw twice in their three Joust bouts. Costantino was the champion for the first half of the 1990–1991 season. In the Grand Championship, Rico came up just short, losing to Craig Branham by 7 points (3 1/2 seconds) in the Eliminator portion of the show. Costantino next appeared on the European game show Fort Boyard, with a win over his former Gladiator nemesis Craig Branham. On the show, he was the only competitor to capture the highest tiered “red ball” in the bungee jump challenge on an upswing. Professional wrestling career Ohio Valley Wrestling and early career (1998–20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
