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Ricky Steamboat

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Ricky Steamboat
Born (1953-02-28) February 28, 1953 (age 71)[1][2]
West Point, New York
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)The Dragon[2]
Richard Blood[1]
Rick Steamboat
Ricky Steamboat[2][1]
Sam Steamboat, Jr.[2][1]
Billed height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Billed weight235 lb (107 kg)*[1]
Billed fromHonolulu, Hawaii[1]
Charlotte, North Carolina[1]
Trained byVerne Gagne[1]
The Iron Sheik[1]
DebutApril 23 1976[1]
RetiredSeptember 18 1994[1]

Richard Blood (born February 28, 1953 in West Point, New York),[2][1] better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a former American professional wrestler who became one of the most well-known professional wrestlers of the late 1980s and early '90s. He's currently working as a wrestling road agent. He was well-known among wrestling fans as being one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout the expanse of a long career. He is best known for his work with American Wrestling Association (AWA), National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Federation (WWF).

In WWF, Steamboat was a 1 time Intercontinental Champion.[3]. In NWA/WCW, he was a 1 time NWA World Heavyweight Champion,[4] 4 time United States Heavyweight Champion,[5] 4 time Television Champion,[6][7] 8 time World Tag Team Champion,[8][9] 2 time Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion,[10] and a 3 time Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champion.[11]

Career

Early Career (1976-1977)

Ricky debuted in 1976 as a babyface in the American Wrestling Association (AWA). He took the name Sam Steamboat, Jr. from older Hawaiian wrestler Sam Steamboat, to whom he is not actually related,[1] and also wrestled for a time under his real given name before settling on the name Ricky Steamboat (or, alternatively, Rick Steamboat), by which he would be known for the remainder of his career. He went from the AWA to Championship Wrestling from Florida, then to Georgia Championship Wrestling.[1]

National Wrestling Alliance (First run, 1977-1985)

In 1977, he entered the National Wrestling Alliance-sanctioned Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) (which ran under the concurrent brand names "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" and "Wide World Wrestling" [later "World Wide Wrestling"], as well as airing syndicated TV programs under those respective names), where he would remain for the next eight years of his career. Steamboat, who had been brought in as part of a talent exchange (a trade that sent Steamboat to Mid-Atlantic and One Man Gang to Georgia) by JCP booker George Scott on the recommendation of Wahoo McDaniel, was initially billed as a babyface protege of Wahoo, and barely spoke above whispers in interviews. In the ring, he was a spectacular performer who showed Bruce Lee-like fire, and quickly became one of the territory's most popular performers. Matching him with his brash young counterpart, Ric Flair, was a natural fit. Steamboat stepped up to the plate during an interview on the syndicated Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling when Flair, the then-Mid-Atlantic television champion, began goading the youngster. Steamboat knocked Flair out with a backhand chop to set up a match between the two.

Steamboat's star making performance came when he pinned Flair after a double thrust off the top rope to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship at WRAL studios in Raleigh, North Carolina.[6] Flair and Steamboat would face each other in many matches in the years 1978, 1984, and 1989.

Over the next eight years in JCP, Steamboat would go on to capture the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship three times[5] and the NWA World Tag Team Championship six times (once with Paul Jones and five times with Jay Youngblood).[8] He also held the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship singles crown twice[10] and wore the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship straps four times (twice with Paul Jones, once with Dino Bravo, and once with Jay Youngblood).[11] He also won the NWA World Television Championship title a second time (which by that point had changed to the NWA World Television title).[6]

Fans in the Mid-Atlantic territory to this day talk about classic Steamboat moments: The day Flair dragged his face around the television studio, causing facial scarring, and Steamboat retaliating the following week by ripping Flair's expensive suit to shreds; when longtime tag team partner Paul Jones turned heel on Steamboat at the end of a two-ring battle royal; Steamboat and Youngblood painting yellow streaks down the backs of Paul Jones and Baron Von Raschke in order to embarrass them into defending the World tag team title against the two; Steamboat and Youngblood's top drawing feud with Sgt. Slaughter and Don Kernodle; Steamboat and Youngblood being turned on by their friends Jack & Jerry Brisco; Steamboat in a shocking (and surprisingly emotional) feud against former mentor Wahoo McDaniel; and his last great series in the territory, feuding with Tully Blanchard over the NWA TV title.

After having creative differences with JCP booker Dusty Rhodes, Steamboat, who had been the top face of the Crockett-owned promotion, along with Flair, for nearly a decade left NWA.

World Wrestling Federation (First run, 1985-1988)

Birth of The Dragon (1985-1986)

In 1985, Steamboat was offered a contract by Vince McMahon and he joined World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Shortly after his debut, the WWF repackaged Steamboat was given the gimmick of a babyface nicknamed "The Dragon," also replacing Steamboat's jacket-and-trunks attire by having him wear a keikogi and long tights. His father was white, and Steamboat's mother is Japanese American, hence his Asian features which were crucial for his "Dragon" gimmick. Steamboat kept the nickname and gimmick for the remainder of his career.

He made his pay-per-view debut at the inaugural WrestleMania where he defeated Matt Borne.[12] On September 14, 1985 edition of Championship Wrestling, Steamboat defeated Mr. Fuji but after his victory, he was attacked by Don "The Magnificient" Muraco pitting Steamboat in a feud against fellow Hawaiians Muraco and Fuji.[13] On November 2 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, he defeated Fuji in a Kung Fu Challenge.[14] On January 4, 1986 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, his intense feud with Muraco ended after he and Junkyard Dog beat Muraco and Fuji in a tag team match.[15]

After a victory over Hercules at WrestleMania II,[16] Steamboat began his next feud with Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Their feud began when Roberts attacked him before their match on May 3 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, which did not occur due to Roberts assaulting Steamboat.[17][18] They battled each other in a Snake Pit match at The Big Event, which Steamboat won.[19] Their feud finally ended on October 4 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, when Steamboat defeated Roberts in their Snake Pit rematch.[20] Following the match, Roberts continued to attack Steamboat and was about to place his snake Damien on him, but Steamboat took his komodo dragon out of his bag and scared Roberts from the ring.[21]

Intercontinental Champion (1987)

On November 22, 1986 edition of Superstars, Steamboat got a shot at the Intercontinental Championship against Randy Savage. Steamboat lost the match by count-out but after the match, Savage continued to assault him and injured Steamboat's larynx, beginning an angle between the two.[22] On January 3, 1987 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, Steamboat returned from his injury and prevented Savage from attacking George Steele like he had done to Steamboat two months prior.[23] At WrestleMania III, Steamboat was booked to defeat Savage for the WWF Intercontinental Championship in a match what many wrestlers and fans consider the best match in WWE history.[24][25][26] The highly influential match was considered an instant classic by both fans and critics and was named 1987's Match of the Year by both Pro Wrestling Illustrated and the Wrestling Observer because of its superb wrestling, excellent in-ring storytelling and non-stop action.

Several weeks after winning the Intercontinental Championship, Steamboat asked WWF owner Vince McMahon for some time off to be with his wife Bonnie, who was expecting the birth of their first son, Richard, Jr. This did not sit well with WWF management as he had been molded to become a long-term Intercontinental Champion. After a successful title defense against Hercules on May 2 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, he dropped the belt to The Honky Tonk Man on June 13 edition of Superstars[27]; his son was born later that month.

Jobbing (1988)

Ricky came back in time for the first-ever Survivor Series in November 1987.[28] However, management was still bitter over his impromptu sabbatical from his first WWF run, and he was not pushed or given any meaningful feuds (Steamboat himself has implied in interviews that he was being punished for 'one-upping' the Hogan-Andre main event at WrestleMania III). After defeating Rick Rude by disqualification at the first-ever Royal Rumble,[29] Steamboat lost to Greg "The Hammer" Valentine in the first round of a tournament for the vacant WWF Championship at WrestleMania IV in March 1988.[30] Shortly thereafter, he announced his retirement.

World Championship Wrestling (1989)

Ricky Steamboat made a triumphant comeback in January 1989 and returned to the NWA (specifically, NWA affiliate World Championship Wrestling) where he had a noted series of matches with "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. He ended up capturing the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Flair in February at Chi-Town Rumble. He was also the last NWA World champion to defend the belt in All Japan Pro Wrestling in a match against Tiger Mask II (Mitsuharu Misawa). After Steamboat won due to a controversial ending at Clash of the Champions VI, Flair and Steamboat would then face each other in their final rematch, until 1994, at the first ever Wrestle War on May 7, 1989. There, Steamboat lost the title back to Flair.

After losing the title and with Flair now turned into a babyface after being attacked by Terry Funk, Steamboat would remain the #1 contender to the NWA World Title, a fact that irked fellow babyface U.S. Champion Lex Luger. This dispute culminated in Luger attacking Steamboat at Clash of the Champions VII, thus turning heel. Luger stood over the fallen Steamboat and arrogantly said, "There's your #1 contender!" Steamboat them demanded a no-DQ match versus Luger at the Great American Bash, but just before the bell Luger demanded the clause be dropped or there wouldn't be a match. Steamboat would lose the match by disqualification after hitting Luger with a chair. However, due to a contract dispute, this would be Steamboat's last match of note in WCW in 1989.

World Wrestling Federation (1991)

After losing the NWA title, Ricky again ventured into semi-retirement in late 1989. Ricky did return briefly to the WWF in the summer of 1991 wearing a dragon man costume and blowing fire before his matches. He was not promoted as a major star, as it seemed that there was still some bitterness from his first run with the company. Theories also suggest that since he had won the NWA title (the WWF's main competitor at the time), he was purposely buried to give the impression that he won the title in a smaller, less competitive league than the WWF. The highlight of that run was at SummerSlam 1991, where he wrestled in a six-man tag team match with the "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith and the "Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich. Shortly thereafter, he again left the WWF.

World Championship Wrestling (1991-1994)

In November 1991, Steamboat made a surprise return to World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as the mystery tag partner of Dustin Rhodes, replacing an injured Barry Windham. He captured the WCW World Tag Team Championship with Rhodes in his first night back and would later capture the unified WCW/NWA World Tag Team Titles with Shane Douglas. He also captured the Television & United States Heavyweight Championships. He would also have one last feud over the world title with longtime rival Ric Flair, which resulted in a match at the 1994 Spring Stampede where the title was briefly held up due to both men's shoulders being pinned at the same time. They had a rematch shortly afterwards on WCW Saturday Night where Flair would defeat Steamboat to reclaim possession of the title. Their final singles match was on WCW Main Event in July 1994 which ended on a disqualification when Steve Austin interfered. Steamboat and Flair's last encounter was in a tag team match on WCW Saturday Night where Steamboat teamed with Sting against Ric Flair and Steve Austin.

While feuding with "Stunning" Steve Austin in 1994, Ricky Steamboat took a bad bump off the top turnbuckle and severely injured his back. He managed to pin Austin to win the United States title at Clash of the Champions on August 28th, but had to give up the belt due to the injury at Fall Brawl.

Steamboat was fired by WCW President Eric Bischoff via Federal Express package (while injured), thus ending a nearly two decade relationship with the Crockett/Turner wrestling organization. He retired for good in September 1994.

After retiring

Ricky Steamboat watching a match at a SmackDown! house show in 2005

Steamboat played an important role in the genesis of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was the referee of the first Gauntlet for the Gold for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He was also the referee for the four-way double-elimination match to crown the first holder of the TNA X Division Championship. He has also made appearances for Ring of Honor where he refereed the first defense of the ROH Pure Wrestling Championship. In 2004 he engaged in a series of confrontations with CM Punk over Punk's arrogance in matches Steamboat refereed and then became CM Punk's inspiration to become the better person Steamboat knew he could be. The latter part of 2004 Steamboat feuded with Mick Foley over which style of wrestling was superior, pure wrestling or hardcore wrestling. The two of them had many confontations and managed teams to face one another, but never had a match against each other. Steamboat's last ROH appearance was at Final Battle 2004 where he and Foley finally made peace.

In early 2005, Steamboat returned to World Wrestling Entertainment as a road agent and was introduced as a WWE Legend at WWE Homecoming in October 2005. In early 2006, Ricky Steamboat told WWE management that he would like to come out of retirement at WrestleMania 22 and work a match with Ric Flair, but the idea was nixed. Ricky Steamboat has been the special referee in main event matches between John Cena, Triple H, and/or Edge in WWE house shows. In 2006 at the RAW SummerSlam Tour in Australia he was a referee for a match between Cena and Edge for the WWE Championship. He also recently referee for another title match in July 2007 between John Cena and Randy Orton in Anaheim, CA.

He also has a son named Richie, who races stock cars.

On April 1, 2007, he made an appearance at WrestleMania 23 with a karate headband and a muscle shirt while various other Superstars (Jimmy Hart, Sgt. Slaughter, Irwin R. Schyster, and Dusty Rhodes) were having a small dance party in the background. He also briefly appeared at the Vengeance 2007 Pay Per View, being recognized as a former Intercontinental Champion. He made an appearance at Ric Flair's Farewell.

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

1During this time, the title was almost exclusively defended in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. However, on occasion, the title was defended in other promotions through arrangements made with Mid-Atlantic.
²Steamboat wins the title after Ted Turner purchases Mid-Atlantic Championship wrestling from Jim Crockett and renames it World Championship Wrestling.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Ricky Steamboat's Profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Ricky Steamboat's Bio". Accelerator's Wrestling Rollercoaster. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  3. ^ "WWE Intercontinental Championship official title history". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  4. ^ "NWA World Heavyweight Title History". CygyWrestling. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  5. ^ a b "WWE United States Championship official title history". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  6. ^ a b c "N.W.A. Mid-Atlantic Television Title". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  7. ^ "WCW World Television Title History". Solie's Title Histories. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  8. ^ a b "N.W.A. World Tag Team Title (Mid-Atlantic/W.C.W.)". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  9. ^ "WCW World Tag Team Title History". Solie's Title Histories. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  10. ^ a b "N.W.A. Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  11. ^ a b "N.W.A. Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Title". The Great Hisa's Puroresu Dojo. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  12. ^ "WrestleMania I official results". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-06. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat def. Matt Borne
  13. ^ "WWF Show Results 1985". Angelfire. August 20, 1985. Retrieved 2008-06-06. Ricky Steamboat pinned Mr. Fuji at 4:06 with a roll up after avoiding a back suplex; after the bout, Don Muraco attacked Steamboat in the aisle from behind and broke a chair over his back before he and Fuji went backstage
  14. ^ "Saturday Night's Main Event results - November 2, 1985". WWE. 1985-11-02. Retrieved 2008-06-06. Ricky Steamboat def. Mr. Fuji {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "Saturday Night's Main Event results - January 4, 1986". WWE. 1986-01-04. Retrieved 2008-06-06. Junkyard Dog & Ricky Steamboat def. Don Muraco & Mr. Fuji {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "WrestleMania II official results". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-07. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat def. Hercules
  17. ^ "Saturday Night's Main Event results - May 3, 1986". WWE. 1986-05-03. Retrieved 2008-06-07. Jake "the Snake" Roberts vs. Ricky Steamboat - no contest {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ "WWF Show Results 1986". Angelfire. May 1, 1986. Retrieved 2008-06-07. Jake Roberts fought Ricky Steamboat to a no contest when Roberts attacked Steamboat before the bell and executed the DDT on the concrete floor before rolling Steamboat back inside the ring and allowing his snake to crawl all over Steamboat until a number of officials swarmed the ring; after the bout, Steamboat was taken from ringside on a stretcher while his wife looked on from ringside
  19. ^ "The Big Event results". Wrestling Supercards and Tournaments. Retrieved Ricky Steamboat pinned Jake Roberts in a "snake pit" match. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  20. ^ "Saturday Night's Main Event results - October 4, 1986". WWE. 1986-10-04. Retrieved 2008-06-07. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat def. Jake "The Snake" Roberts {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "WWF Show Results 1986". Angelfire. September 13, 1986. Retrieved 2008-06-07. Ricky Steamboat pinned Jake Roberts at 6:17 in a Snake Pit match with a reverse cradle; after the bout, Roberts continued to attack Steamboat and was about to place Damien on him but Steamboat took his komodo dragon out of his bag and scared Roberts from the ring
  22. ^ "WWF Show Results 1986". Angelfire. October 28, 1986. Retrieved 2008-06-07. WWF IC Champion Randy Savage (w/ Miss Elizabeth) defeated Ricky Steamboat via count-out after crushing Steamboat's throat against the guardrail, after hitting a double axe handle from the top at 7:03; after the match, Savage attacked Steamboat's larynx with the timekeeper's bell, jumping from the top rope, taking him out of action for several months; moments later, Steamboat was taken from ringside on a stretcher
  23. ^ "WWF Show Results 1986". Angelfire. December 14, 1986. Retrieved 2008-06-07. WWF IC Champion Randy Savage (w/ Miss Elizabeth) pinned George Steele at around 8:30 after hitting him with the timekeeper's bell; during the bout, Ricky Steamboat came ringside as a surprise of Steele's; moments later, Steele carried Elizabeth backstage and Steamboat was then escorted from ringside by referees and security, with Steele returning to the ring shortly thereafter; after the bout, Steamboat returned to the ring to make the save as Savage prepared to come off the top with the ring bell onto Steele's throat
  24. ^ "WrestleMania III official results". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-07. Intercontinental Championship: Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat w/ George "The Animal" Steele def. Randy "Macho Man" Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth to become new champion
  25. ^ "Top 22 Matches In WrestleMania History - "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat for the Intercontinental Championship - WrestleMania III". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-07. Savage hit a bodyslam, but Steamboat turned it into a small package for the win, shocking Savage and sending the fans into a frenzy as they gave him a standing ovation. The action was absolutely seamless, and it's no wonder that this match is still talked about today as perhaps the greatest ever in WWE and WrestleMania history
  26. ^ "Ricky Steamboat's first Intercontinental Championship reign". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
  27. ^ "WWF Show Results 1987". Angelfire. June 2, 1987. Retrieved 2008-06-07. The Honkytonk Man (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned WWF IC Champion Ricky Steamboat to win the title at 3:53 by reversing an inside cradle and grabbing onto the bottom rope for leverage
  28. ^ "Survivor Series 1987 official results". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-07. Hacksaw Jim Duggan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake & Jake "The Snake" Roberts def. "King" Harley Race, Hercules, Honky Tonk Man, "Dangerous" Danny Davis & "Outlaw" Ron Bass. Survivors: "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat & Jake "The Snake" Roberts
  29. ^ "Royal Rumble 1988 official results". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-07. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat def. "Ravishing" Rick Rude via DQ
  30. ^ "WrestleMania IV official results". WWE. Retrieved 2008-06-07. WWE Championship Tournament: Round One Match - Greg "The Hammer" Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart def. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
  31. ^ NWA/WCW United States Hevayweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  32. ^ NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  33. ^ NWA Television Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  34. ^ NWA/WCW United States Hevayweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  35. ^ NWA/WCW United States Hevayweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  36. ^ NWA World Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  37. ^ NWA World Tag Team Title (Mid-Atlantic/WCW) history At wrestling-titles.com
  38. ^ NWA/WCW United States Hevayweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  39. ^ NWA World Tag Team Title (Mid-Atlantic/WCW) history At wrestling-titles.com
  40. ^ NWA/WCW World Television Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  41. ^ WWF/WWE Intercontinental Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
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