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USWA Championship Wrestling

1977

Jerry Jarrett's Continental Wrestling Assocation (CWA) Wrestling show on WMC-TV, later renamed to "Championship Wrestling Association" and keeping the same CWA name around the time Jerry Lawler joined Jerry Jarrett in running the show. After Jarrett and Lawler purchased the rights to World Class Wrestling Association's "World Class Championship Wrestling" shows in the Dallas area, both the Dallas shows and the CWA show were rebranded under the "United States Wrestling Association" name. This show was rebranded to "USWA Championship Wrestling." The show ended in 1997.

Jack Eaton

"Big" Jack Eaton was the popular TV Sports Anchorman for WMC-TV Action News 5 in the Memphis area. Eaton substituted for announcer Lance Russell a few times on WMC-TV's well regarded CWA/USWA Championship Wrestling program.

Frederick Seawright

Frederick Seawright was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Brickhouse Brown. He was a top heel in several Southern promotions in the 1980s and 1990s. Brown's first matches in professional wrestling were for Southwest Championship Wrestling, under Joe Blanchard in San Antonio, Texas. He had no training prior to his first match in 1982 against Bobby Jaggers, but was later trained by Terry Funk. In 1983, he joined the National Wrestling Alliance, and for the next four years, he competed in various territories, especially within the Southeast. In September 1985, he won the NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship with Norvell Austin, defeating The Nightmares. They lost the title back to The Nightmares a week later. In March 1987, Brown went to Memphis to wrestle for Championship Wrestling Association. In July 1987, he won his first singles title, the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship, defeating Jerry Lawler. He lost the title back to him a week later. In May 1988, he defeated Maxx Payne to win the CWA Heavyweight Championship. He held this top title for nearly two months, before losing it to Phil Hickerson. In August 1988, Brown got involved in a racially-charged angle with Robert Fuller and the Stud Stable, wherein Fuller gave Brown a watermelon as a gift, and beat him with a leather strap. Because of the co-promoting with the American Wrestling Association and World Class Championship Wrestling, he also had a chance to wrestle in the AWA and WCCW. After SuperClash III, the AWA pulled out, and the CWA-WCCW cross-promotion continued, as Jerry Jarrett bought Fritz Von Erich's majority stake in WCCW. In February 1989, Brown won the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Championship, defeating Iceman King Parsons. He was champion for over a month, before losing to Gary Young. In late 1989, he briefly returned to Florida for Professional Wrestling Federation and the Gulf Coast for Continental Wrestling Federation. Back in Memphis, in April 1990, he won the USWA World Tag Team Championship with Sweet Daddy Falcone, defeating The Southern Rockers. They kept the belts for nearly a month before losing them back to the Southern Rockers. In November 1991, he went to Portland for Pacific Northwest Wrestling. His run in Portland ended in June 1992. Back in Memphis, in April 1995, Brown won his second USWA World Tag Team Championship with The Gambler, defeating PG-13. They held onto the belts for over two weeks before losing them back to PG-13. In July 1995, Brown competed in the World Wrestling Federation as enhancement talent and worked two TV tapings, one against Hunter Hearst Helmsley and the next night against Henry O. Godwinn. In August 1995, he wrestled in Ozark Mountain Wrestling, which was the USWA's developmental territory. In May 1996, he won the USWA Television Championship, defeating Jesse James Armstrong. A month and a half later, he dropped the belt to Wolfie D. In July 1996, he quickly rebounded and won his third and final USWA World Tag Team Championship with Reggie B. Fine, defeating Bart Sawyer and Flex Kavana. They held onto the title for three weeks before losing it to The Moondogs. Brown left USWA in January 1997.

Jeff Gaylord

Jeff Gaylord was an American professional wrestler active primarily during the 1980s and 1990s. His career spanned promotions such as the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), and the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), where he became a recognizable figure across the southern U.S. independent wrestling circuit. In the ring, he was known for both singles and tag team competition, most notably as a frequent partner of Jeff Jarrett, with whom he held the USWA Tag Team Championship. He was also a member of the original Memphis-based Nation of Domination, under the name Akeem Hassain, and later joined Sid Vicious’ stable The Psychos. Gaylord made a one-time appearance in the WWF at the 1993 Survivor Series pay-per-view as The Black Knight, part of Shawn Michaels’ team in a match against the Hart Family. He was the first man eliminated, pinned by Owen Hart. Before becoming a professional wrestler, Gaylord was a football player. He played defensive line at the University of Missouri and was named an All-American in 1981. Drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1982, he later played briefly in the CFL and the USFL over a three-season span. In wrestling, he debuted in 1985 and competed in multiple promotions over the years. In the UWF, he faced names like Rick Steiner and One Man Gang. In WCCW, he wrestled under a mask as “The Hood” before moving on to Memphis, where he was active in the USWA from 1991 to 1995. He was involved in numerous rivalries and tournaments, facing off against Jerry Lawler, Bill Dundee, C.W. Bergstrom, and The Moondogs, among others. Later in his career, he also wrestled in the Global Wrestling Federation, the American Wrestling Federation, and appeared once on WCW Saturday Night in 1994. He retired from wrestling in the late '90s. Outside the ring, his life took a difficult turn. In the 2000s, Gaylord was convicted of multiple bank robberies in Colorado and served more than a decade in prison. Jeff Gaylord passed away on March 15, 2023, at the age of 64. He was found deceased at a bus stop in Englewood, Colorado. Reports indicated he was likely homeless at the time of his death.

James Cruickshanks

Cast · Known for USWA Championship Wrestling

James Cruickshanks is an Australian-born American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under the ring name J.C. Ice as one-half of the tag team PG-13. He is also known for his appearances on the independent circuit under the ring name Jamie Dundee. Cruikshanks was trained to wrestle by his father Bill Dundee and debuted in 1988 in USA Championship Wrestling in Knoxville, Tennessee, a split off from Continental Wrestling in Alabama. In the promotion, he was a manager for the Rock 'n' Roll RPMs (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane). He also fought with The Riches (Johnny and Davey) and the Armstrongs. He wrestled alongside his father in Memphis under the ring name Jamie Dundee. He also was a heel referee in Memphis for a brief time. United States Wrestling Association In the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) in the early 1990s, Dundee turned on his father and became J.C. Ice, a white rapper, loosely based on Vanilla Ice. He formed a tag team called PG-13 with Kelly Wolfe (known as Wolfie D) and dominated the USWA tag team division throughout the mid-1990s, winning the USWA Tag Team Championship on fifteen occasions. After losing to Bill Dundee, PG-13 were obliged to leave the USWA. They returned shortly thereafter under masks as The Cyberpunks, Ice (Dundee) and Fire (Wolfe). After some time, The Cyberpunks unmasked and reverted to being PG-13. WWE In 1995, PG-13 entered WWE and feuded with The Smokin' Gunns but were gone shortly thereafter. In 1996, they re-appeared with WWE as members of the Nation of Domination. Along with Jim Johnston and Wolfie D, he helped create their theme song. Extreme Championship Wrestling In 1997, PG-13 appeared with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), challenging the Dudley Boyz for the vacant World Tag Team Titles at Hardcore Heaven 1997. In ECW they were known for goading the audience and their opponents. They wrestled The Eliminators, Spike Dudley, and Mikey Whipwreck. World Championship Wrestling PG-13 appeared briefly for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the early 2000s, where at times they teamed with Frog. They frequently had matches with The Jung Dragons and 3 Count. Independent circuit Upon leaving WCW, Cruikshanks returned to wrestling on the independent circuit. He was briefly nicknamed "The Convict" and had a gimmick that saw him handcuffed before and after his matches. Personal life Cruikshanks is the son of Australian professional wrestler William "Bill Dundee" Cruickshanks, and brother-in-law of Beautiful Bobby Eaton. In 2008, Dundee recorded an interview with YouShoot. Dundee showed up intoxicated to a 2013 Mick Foley speaking engagement in Louisville, Kentucky, eventually having to be escorted out by security and allegedly assaulting a woman outside the venue.

Kelly Wolfe

Cast · Known for USWA Championship Wrestling

Kelly Warren Wolfe is an American professional wrestler. Wolfe is perhaps best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and Extreme Championship Wrestling under the ring name Wolfie D (as one-half of the tag team PG-13), as well as for his appearances with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Slash (as a member of the stable the Disciples of The New Church). He is a former NWA World Tag Team Champion and one-half of the reigning Traditional Championship Wrestlin tag team champions. Wolfe got his start in Jerry Lawler's United States Wrestling Alliance (USWA) and soon allied himself with J.C. Ice, forming a tag team with a white rapper gimmick known as PG-13. The team won the USWA Tag Team Championship on fifteen occasions. In 1996, PG-13 lost a Loser Leaves Town match against Ice's father, "Superstar" Bill Dundee. Shortly thereafter, a new masked tag team known as "The Cyberpunks" (Fire and Ice) appeared, which was really PG-13 in disguise. After a number of attempts to unmask them failed, they unmasked themselves upon having PG-13 reinstated into the USWA. In 1995, PG-13 began wrestling occasional matches in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The following year, they joined the Nation of Domination stable. They rapped to introduce the stable before matches, but they did not actually wrestle during this period. They also appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), competing against the team of Mikey Whipwreck and Spike Dudley and unsuccessfully challenging Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley for the ECW Tag Team Championship at Hardcore Heaven in 1997. In 2000, the team appeared for a few months in World Championship Wrestling, competing against the Yung Dragons and 3 Count. After splitting from Ice, Wolfie worked in the Memphis area with his accomplice, the helmeted driver known only as the Getaway Guy. Wolfie performed particularly evil misdeeds in the ring and would immediately head for the back of the arena, where his Wolf Mobile, a bright yellow Mustang drag car racer waited. The Getaway Guy, dressed in black leather and wearing a black helmet that could not be seen into, waited with the motor running. Wolfie would leap into the car and they would drive out of the arena parking lot, well ahead of any wrestler chasing them. It was later revealed that the Getaway Guy was manager Nick Nitros. Slash On March 5, 2013, Slash and Sinn appeared at TNA One Night Only Hardcore Justice 2. The Disciples of the New Church were defeated by Latin American Xchange. He also currently wrestles in Traditional Championship Wrestling as Cerebus teaming with storyline brother, Roosevelt, as the Hounds of Hell.

Doug Gilbert

Cast · Known for USWA Championship Wrestling

Douglas Gilbert is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with regional professional wrestling promotions throughout the Southern United States, as well as for Extreme Championship Wrestling and overseas in Japan. Doug Gilbert debuted for Continental Wrestling Association in 1986 at the age of seventeen. In 1987, he wrestled for Jim Crockett Promotions as the masked Enforcer. In 1988, Gilbert went to Continental Wrestling Federation, under a masked alter-ego Nightmare Freddie, siding with Nightmare Ken Wayne in his rivalry with Nightmare Danny Davis. In March 1989, he wrestled for World Championship Wrestling, where he remained until October. In December 1989, Gilbert won his first championship, the ICW Tag Team Championship with Dennis Condrey. Upon his return to Memphis, Gilbert won two USWA Tag Team Championships with Tony Anthony, before leaving for Dallas in 1992 to join the Global Wrestling Federation. While in the GWF, he donned a mask and went under the name The Dark Patriot, and engaged in a rivalry with The Patriot, as well as winning the GWF North American Heavyweight Championship in January 1992. In September 1992, Gilbert began touring Japan for W*ING, where he went under the Freddy Krueger alter-ego. By 1993, he returned to the USWA, splitting his time between USWA and W*ING. He'd also wrestled matches for Eastern Championship Wrestling as The Dark Patriot, winning the ECW Tag Team Championship with his brother Eddie. After his brother had a falling out with Tod Gordon, Gilbert left ECW. After quitting W*ING after shooting on the promotion, Gilbert returned to the USWA as The Dark Patriot and feuded with Brian Christopher, and after losing a match to Brian Christopher by disqualification, Christopher unmasked him revealing his identity. He then wrestled Christopher for the USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship, which was traded between the two several times between February 1994 and May 1995. In October 1994 he revived the Dark Patriot persona in IWA Japan. In the USWA, he began teaming with Tommy Rich, with whom he held four USWA Tag Team titles with within over a year, feuding with PG-13. In January 1996, Gilbert won a USWA battle royal to earn himself a spot in WWE's 1996 Royal Rumble match later that month. By 1996, Gilbert expanded beyond USWA. The following year, he worked for a Memphis-based promotion, Power Pro Wrestling, now doubling as a WWE developmental territory, where he feuded again with Brian Christopher, but was fired after a televised promo which turned into a shoot on Christopher, Jerry Lawler (Christopher's real-life father), and Power Pro booker Randy Hales. In the shoot that took place in October 1999, Gilbert revealed to the audience that Lawler was Christopher's father (something that was forbidden to mention on TV), accused Hale of smoking crack, and accused Lawler of raping a 13-year-old girl; a reference to claims made against Lawler in 1993 that were dismissed. Gilbert was fired from the promotion immediately. In 2000, Gilbert won the NWA Mississippi Heavyweight Championship; he would not win another title again until he defeated Bam Bam Bundy for the USA Championship Wrestling's USA Heavyweight Championship in Jackson, Tennessee in 2018.

Steven Doll

Steven Lyle Doll was an American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in WWE as Steven Dunn in the tag team Well Dunn. Doll began training in 1984 with retired wrestlers Rick and John Davidson. In May 1985, he wrestled his first match against Dick Slater in Shreveport, Louisiana. He wrestled for Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) from 1987 to 1992, winning a total of four Pacific Northwest Heavyweight titles and eighteen Pacific Northwest Tag Team titles in teams with Scott Peterson, Jimmy Jack Funk, Crush, The Grappler, and Rex King. With Peterson, Doll formed The Southern Rockers in 1987. Rex King joined him in the Southern Rockers when Scott Peterson left wrestling in 1989. As a tag team they wrestled together for over a decade, including when they signed together with the WWE, becoming known as Steven Dunn and Timothy Well, known then as Well Dunn. He was half of a jobber tag team that wrestled the Blade Runners (Sting and Warrior) in their first match in the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1985. Steve Doll joined WWE in 1993 alongside his Southern Rocker teammate Rex King, and they became known as Well Dunn (Steven Dunn and Timothy Well) and were managed by Harvey Wippleman. They were used primarily as an undercard tag team but feuded with The Bushwhackers on several episodes of Monday Night Raw. Steve Doll was wrestling The Mauler on WCW Monday Nitro when Scott Hall debuted in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) to start the nWo angle on May 27, 1996. Doll went to the United States Wrestling Association as Steven Dunn. He defeated Doomsday for the USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship. He was the last wrestler to hold that distinction until the USWA folded in 1997. Post USWA he went on to form a well regarded tag team with Reno Riggins known as The Tennessee Volz. They primarily competed in Music City Wrestling, which was syndicated throughout the United States, but would also appear in various promotions in KY, TN and IN. Their matches and promos on Music City Wrestling television were often the highlight of the program. Doll went to the New Age Wrestling Alliance, in 1999, teaming up with Adam Rose. they defeated the tag team champions, CJ Stardust and Chris Alexander, in Crossville Tennessee. Personal life In May 2006, Doll was hospitalized after having a seizure related to an intestinal blockage. He underwent successful surgery at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. On March 22, 2009, Doll died after a blood clot from his lung reached his heart; he was 48 years old.

Scott Braddock

"Sheik" Scott Braddock was a professional wrestler best known for his time with World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW). After CWA purchased WCCW and renamed both shows to USWA, Braddock mainly stayed in the Dallas area. However, he did occasionally wrestle a few shows in USWA's Memphis branch.

Jacqueline Moore

Cast · Known for USWA Championship Wrestling

Jacqueline DeLois Moore is an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager. She is best known for her time in WWE 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 World Class Championship Wrestling, but was well known in the United States Wrestling Association, where she was a fourteen-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 her first rivalry with Sable, which culminated in the re-establishment of the WWF 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. She was the third woman to accomplish the feat, but the only woman to do so under the WWE banner (following Madusa and Daffney in WCW). In 2004, she joined TNA, where she worked mostly as a manager and occasional wrestler. On April 2, 2016, Moore was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Moore grew up in Dallas, Texas.[5] As a young fan of professional wrestling, Moore stated that the Von Erichs were her favorite wrestlers. She has a third degree black belt in taekwondo and also has experience in kickboxing and boxing. In mid-2001, Moore, along with Tazz, Al Snow, and Tori, became a trainer on the MTV reality TV series Tough Enough.[22] It was her first time training other wrestlers.On the show, she helped train future WWE wrestlers Nidia and Maven. In 2002, Moore competed on a special WWF superstar edition of Fear Factor, coming in second place to Matt Hardy After leaving WWE, Moore began taking acting classes on an action movie set in Los Angeles during the 1970s. Jacqueline made her video game debut in the PlayStation version of WCW Nitro. She would later appear in nine WWE video games, which include WWF Attitude, WWF WrestleMania 2000, WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, WWF No Mercy, WWE WrestleMania X8, WWE Raw 2, WWE 2K17 (DLC), WWE 2K18 and WWE 2K19.

Douglas Embry

Douglas Eric Embry is a retired professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Championship Wrestling from Florida (as "Nitro" Eric Embry), World Class Championship Wrestling and the United States Wrestling Association (as "The Flamboyant" Eric Embry). He is known for his feuds with Gen. Skandor Akbar and his army, eventually winning control of World Class from Akbar and changing the name to USWA.

Owen Hart

Cast · Known for WWE Heat

Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and most notably, WWE. 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 USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, one-time WWE European Champion and four-time WWE World Tag Team Champion. He was also the winner of the 1994 WWE King of the Ring. Although he never captured the WWE Championship, he competed for the title on multiple occasions and has been cited by a number of peers as one of WWE's most talented professional wrestlers. Hart tragically 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 WWE's Over the Edge pay-per-view event.

Bobby Horne

Robert Lawrence Horne was an American professional wrestler who is most famous for his time in the World Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1996 under the ring name Mo (later Sir Mo), where he held the WWF World Tag Team Championship with Mabel as "Men on a Mission". After leaving the WWF Mo returned to Memphis and the USWA where he became a part of the original Nation of Domination, the stable that was a forerunner to the more famous stable in the WWF. Mo became "Sir Mohammad", using a black supremacist gimmick. The USWA version of the N.O.D. was led by PG-13 J.C. Ice & Wolfie D) and also included Kareem Olajuwon (Reggie B. Fine), Akeem Muhamad (Big Black Dog), Elijah (the Spellbinder), Shaquille Ali (Tracy Smothers), Randy X, and Queen Moishe (Jacqueline). When Faarooq started the Nation of Domination in WWE, the USWA version of the group was disbanded. Horne would remain in the Memphis region wrestling mainly as Rob Harlem, competing under that name in the USWA, its successor “Memphis Pro Wrestling”, and Randy Hales’ “Power Pro Wrestling”. While in PPW, Horne teamed up with “Deon Harlem” to form the tag team “The Regulators”. The team beat Derrick King in a Handicap match to win the PPW Tag Team Title, which they held when the promotion closed down in April 2001. In 1997, Horne would start his own promotion “Southern Extreme Wrestling” which he both booked and wrestled for. Horne’s “Southern Extreme Wrestling” is not affiliated with the "Southern Extreme Wrestling Promotions" organization that operates today. In 2003, Bobby Horne added yet another gimmick to his long list of gimmicks. On December 30, Mabel was at ringside commentating when manager Paul Wylde came out and introduced the “Bahamian Heavyweight Champion” "Marly Pride". Wylde started making comments that Mabel was the fattest whale which Mabel took exception to. When the big man entered the ring, Marley Pride was revealed as his former tag-team partner Mo who attacked him and the two brawled until they were separated by officials. Mo and Mabel had a short feud in Memphis Wrestling. In May 2015, he worked four shows as Sir Mo for Ultimate Championship Wrestling in Nova Scotia, Canada. He returned to the Maritimes in July with partner Lord Deon (Johnson) for three more shows. On July 30, the team - known as MOM2K - won the UCW tag team titles by beating Sidewalk Sam and Homeless Bob in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Currently (January 2019) Horne runs SOAR Championship Wrestling with his wife Denise Jones in Dallas Texas.

Abel Reynosa

Abel Reynosa, also known as Taras Bulba or Juan Reynosa, was a professional wrestler active from the late 1970s to the late 1980s. He competed in notable promotions such as Southwest Championship Wrestling (SCW), World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), and the United States Wrestling Association (USWA).

Scott Hall

Scott Oliver Hall was an American professional wrestler. He was known for his work within the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) as Razor Ramon and with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under his real name. Hall began his career in 1984, before rising to prominence after signing with the WWF in May 1992, assuming the name Razor Ramon. While within the company, he won the WWF Intercontinental Championship four times. He departed the company in May 1996, and subsequently defected to WCW, where he became a founding member of the New World Order (nWo) faction, along with Hulk Hogan and Kevin Nash. In the company, he became a two-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, a one-time WCW World Television Champion, and a nine-time WCW World Tag Team Champion. He left WCW in February 2000, and returned to the WWF (later renamed WWE) for a short stint in 2002. He spent the rest of his career wrestling for various promotions, such as Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he held the TNA World Tag Team Championship once, with Kevin Nash and Eric Young. Although he never won a world championship in a major promotion, Hall was nonetheless a two-time world champion, as he held the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship and the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a singles competitor in 2014, and again as a member of the nWo in 2020. Description above from the Wikipedia article Scott Hall, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

James Kimble

James (Jimmy) Kimble is a retired American professional wrestler. He began his career in 1971 and became a prominent figure in the Continental Wrestling Association in Memphis, where he was a key star until 1989. He also wrestled for Mid-South Wrestling, WWF, and various promotions in Florida, Texas, and Japan. He won the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship in 1989 but lost it back to Jerry Lawler. He retired in 2009 but made a return at the age of 76 in 2024 to wrestle at Championship Wrestling From Memphis. In addition to wrestling, he worked as a welder for 55 years and ran a business selling ornamental iron doors and window guards.

Curtis Thompson

Curtis Thompson is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling from 1991 to 1992 under the ring name Firebreaker Chip. Curtis Thompson started wrestling in 1987 in NWA. Subsequently, he wrestled in the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico under a mask as a heel (White Angel) and was betrayed and unmasked by his manager Chicky Starr resulted in a feud including a cage match, in Stampede Wrestling (as the masked Archangel), South Atlantic Pro Wrestling, and in Pacific Northwest Wrestling where he won the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship, defeating Scotty the Body. He formed a tag team with Ricky Santana called the U.S. Males in PNW and won the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship. He also wrestled briefly in 1988 as a jobber in the World Wrestling Federation, losing to the likes of The Ultimate Warrior and Bad News Brown. In 1990/1991 Thompson would use the "U.S. Male" gimmick where he wore a mailman uniform to the ring in the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) and South Atlantic Pro Wrestling (SAPW) in the Carolinas as a member of Robert Fuller's Stud Stable. Thompson would eventually free himself from the Stud Stable, turning face in the process at the end of 1990 while wrestling in SAPW. In 1990 he went to North Georgia Wrestling and won a match against Fabulous Fabian (aka Buff Bagwell). In 1991 he joined World Championship Wrestling. He became Firebreaker Chip and teamed with Todd Champion as The Patriots. He had the gimmick of being a fireman while teaming with Todd Champion who had the gimmick that he'd returned from Desert Storm and were billed as being from "WCW Special Forces". They feuded with the Fabulous Freebirds and won the WCW United States Tag Team Championship. They next feuded with Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers who beat them for the titles. Thompson left WCW in early 1992 and wrestled in the independent promotions and took time to participate in several bodybuilding competitions and came in top three in Mr. North Carolina bodybuilding contest. He also wrestled briefly for Smoky Mountain Wrestling in the mid 1990s. In 1996 he became the first CWA (Texas) Heavyweight Champion defeating Scott Putski. Later in late 1999, he turned up in the NWA's Mid-Atlantic promotion in a tag team with Drake Dawson called "Triple X". Together they won the NWA World Tag Team Championship and the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship in 2000. Following the disbandment of the tag team, he wrestled in various independent circuits and won some indy heavyweight titles. He retired in 2005, married and now works for JetBlue.

Jerry Jarrett

Writer · Known for USWA Championship Wrestling

Jerry Winston Jarrett was an influential American businessman, promoter, and professional wrestler, a key figure in the history of wrestling in the southern United States. He founded the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) in 1977, which became one of the most prominent promotions of its time. In 1989, he merged the CWA with World Class Championship Wrestling to create the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), expanding his reach nationally. Throughout his career, Jarrett also worked with WWF and WCW, and in 2002, alongside his son Jeff, co-founded NWA:TNA, a promotion that later evolved into Impact Wrestling. Recognized as a "wrestling genius," he was inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2009. Jarrett passed away in 2023 at the age of 80 from a heart attack while undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. His legacy endures as one of the cornerstones of modern wrestling, both in the ring and behind the scenes.

Tom Prichard

Thomas Prichard is a retired American professional wrestler and author. He is the brother of Chris and Bruce Prichard. Prichard competed under his own name with his Heavenly Bodies attire at the Survivor Series 1995, wrestling on future tag team partner Skip's team "The Bodydonnas." Prichard was the first man eliminated as the Bodydonnas defeated Barry Horowitz's "Underdogs" team. A month later, Prichard was officially introduced as Zip, Skip's on-screen cousin and tag team partner, interfering in a match allowing Skip to defeat Rad Radford, who had been trying to become a Bodydonna himself.Before this appearance he had cut off his trademark curly long brown locks into a blond crew cut, to more resemble his storyline cousin. On the WrestleMania XII pre-show, on March 31, 1996, the team defeated The Godwinns in the finals of an eight team tournament to win the vacant WWE World Tag Team Championship. They held the titles until May 19, 1996, when they were defeated by The Godwinns in Madison Square Garden in New York City. After Skip left WWE in fall of 1996, Prichard became a masked jobber named Dr. X. Dr. X fought mainly on house shows but made a few TV appearances on Superstars. Dr. X lost to Brakkus at In Your House 12: It's Time By 1997, he became a trainer for the company, responsible for training such future stars as The Rock, Kurt Angle, and Mark Henry, among others. On September 27, 1999, Prichard teamed up with Jeff Jarrett to face against Chyna and Debra on Raw Is War. Prichard hit Chyna with a guitar and Jarrett was knocked out cold as Chyna went for the victory. In addition, Prichard made a few appearances as a singles wrestler for ECW, and also co-hosted Byte This!, WWE's internet talk show. Prichard was released from WWE in 2004. He went on to wrestle in the United Wrestling Association (USWA) and in various other independent promotions in the Southeastern United States. He also holds training seminars in conjunction with certain promotions. During this time Prichard also befriended online professional wrestling journalist James Guttman of World Wrestling Insanity and provided a weekly commentary on the world of pro wrestling entitled Tuesdays with Tom. On August 10, 2006, eight days prior to his 47th birthday, he became the oldest man to win the United Wrestling Association Heavyweight Championship, defeating Dillinger for the title. In January 2007, he was rehired by WWE and replaced Bill DeMott as the head trainer for Deep South Wrestling (DSW). When DSW closed, he was moved to WWE's new developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling. On May 30, 2012, Prichard was released from the WWE, being replaced by Bill DeMott as the head trainer. In 2017, Dr. Tom Prichard had a match in Runcorn Wrestling Academy (RWA) in which he teamed in an 8 man tag team match with the owner of the RWA and former trainee of Dr. Tom Prichard in OVW, Andreas Rossi (Andy Baker), Chris Von Sharpe and Connor “The Bullet” Stafford to take on the team of “Fantastic” Matt Fox, Demoni, Johnathan Alexander and Mr. Williams. At the end of this match both Dr. Tom Prichard and Andreas Rossi both announced that this was their last match.

Richard Morton

Cast · Known for USWA Championship Wrestling

Richard Wendell Morton is an American professional wrestler, currently performing on the independent circuit. He is the current ECW Television Champion, after pinning Matt Cardona at GCW Say You Will. For most of his career, Morton has performed with Robert Gibson as The Rock N' Roll Express, described as "the consummate baby face tag team". Morton has wrestled for multiple promotions in the United States including the Continental Wrestling Association, Mid-South Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and Extreme Championship Wrestling, as well as the Japanese promotions All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and Wrestle Association R. Morton has held dozens of championships throughout his career, including the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship, USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship, USWA World Tag Team Championship, and WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. He has been inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, and WWE Hall of Fame. His skill at driving audiences into a sympathetic frenzy by convincingly selling pain gave rise to the expression "playing Ricky Morton"

Neal Hargrove

Neal Hargrove, better known by his ring name, Reno Riggins, is an American retired professional wrestler. Riggins has competed in Southeastern independent promotions including the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) during the 1990s. Hargrove was the final wrestler to be trained by Tojo Yamamoto before Yamamato's death in 1992. Hargrove made his WWE debut as Reno Riggins in March 1988, spending several years as an enhancement talent, competing against many of the top heels of the time. He also appeared in a dark match losing to "Hustler" Rip Rogers at the NWA's Halloween Havoc in October 1990. Leaving WWE in 1992, he began competing for the USWA and eventually won the USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship from Brian Christopher in August 1992. After a brief stint in Smoky Mountain Wrestling in early 1993, he returned to WWE and frequently appeared as an enhancement talent (now as a heel putting over numerous faces) on Monday Night Raw until deciding to retire in early 1995. Following the close of the USWA in 1997, Hargrove came out of retirement and began teaming with Steven Dunn as "The Tennessee Volunteers" in Music City Wrestling feuding with Flash Flanagan and Wolfie D over the promotion's North American tag team titles (later renamed the NWA North American Tag Team Championship) during the late 1990s. They also made an appearance for WWE on an episode of Shotgun Saturday Night against The Hardy Boyz. Appearing at the first Brian Pillman Memorial Show in 1998, he and Dunn would later compete as "Main Event" in the National Wrestling Alliance eventually winning the NWA World Tag Team titles in Eskan, Saudi Arabia on April 7, 2000. Hargrove now does advertising, commentating and booking for Showtime All-Star Wrestling. He retired from wrestling in 2011.

Terry Funk

Terrence "Terry" Funk was 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 is a former two time world heavyweight champion, having held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship once and the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship once. He also won ECW World Heavyweight Championship twice, the latter of which was also granted to him as an honorary lifetime title by ECW. 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.

Anthony Felker

Anthony Felker is a former American professional wrestler, referee, promoter, and trainer, best known for his work with the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) during the 1990s. He debuted in 1981 and worked for various promotions such as Mid-South Wrestling, WCCW (where he refereed Steve Austin’s first match), and USWA, where he won the Television Championship in 1996. After USWA folded in 1997, he continued wrestling on the independent circuit until his retirement in 2017. Falk also promoted All-Star Wrestling in Paducah, Kentucky, and the United States Wrestling Organization in Nashville, Tennessee. He trained several wrestlers, including his son, LT Falk. Every August 13, the city of Paducah celebrates “Tony Falk Day” in his honor.

Don Bass

Donald Hollis Welch was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the CWA and USWA. He began his career in 1968 and gained fame as part of the team The Bass Family alongside his brother Ron. In the 1980s, he formed The Interns and Fire and Flame in the Continental Wrestling Association, where he won multiple tag team championships and the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship. In the 1990s, he adopted various masked personas in the USWA before retiring in 1996. After his retirement, he opened a wrestling school in Jericho, Arkansas, where he trained several wrestlers. Don Bass passed away on September 16, 2016, at the age of 70, after battling cancer.