Rick Michaels
Encyclopedia
Raymond Rawls is an American professional wrestler
, best known under his ring name
Rick Michaels.
career on November 10, 1991 and adopted the ring name Rick Michaels. After wrestling on the independent circuit
, he co-founded National Championship Wrestling in 1997 and won the promotion's Television Championship in January 1997. After losing the title on June 5, Michaels reclaimed the title on July 24. He soon lost the title to Cham Pain
and the title would ultimately be vacated until 1999, until Michaels defeated Scotty Wrenn to win the title in July 1999 before losing it for the final time to his student A.J. Styles
the following month. Soon afterwards, NCW was turned into a National Wrestling Alliance
territory and was renamed to NWA Wildside
. Upon the renaming, Michaels went on to win the promotion's Heavyweight Championship
in 1999 and 2001 and its United States Heavyweight Championship
twice in 2004 before the territory folded in 2005.
competitor upon forming a successful tag team with David Young
called Bad Attitude. Together, they won the Tag Team Championship
twice and would later win the NWA World Tag Team Championship
three times before splitting in 2001 following a title loss. After splitting, Michaels feuded with Young and briefly formed a new team with Scottie Wrenn called the Union of Lost Souls to feud with Young. In response, Young allied himself with Terry Knight to form a "new" Bad Attitude. On July 7, Michaels and Young ended their feud when the Union of Lost Souls defeated the new Bad Attitude in an "Infernal Damnation" match.
, but was released from his contract on September 29, 2005 due to Michaels having legal matters in his home state of Georgia
.
's event Hardcore Hell, Michaels took a hiatus from wrestling. On July 5, Michaels made his return to wrestling as he debuted in Deep South Wrestling in a tag team match, which he and his partner Tommy Too Much lost to Harley Crew (Brian Alexander and Pretty Boy Floyd). One week later, Michaels defeated DOG to enter a tournament to determine the promotion's new Heavyweight Champion. He then defeated Pretty Boy Floyd in the first round before losing to Murder-1 in the semi-finals. After defeating Scotty Blaze on July 19, Michaels wrestled his final match for the promotion on October 11 as he lost to Adrian Hawkins.
After leaving DSW, Michaels made sporadic appearances on the independent circuit
. On March 27, 2008, Michaels debuted in NAWA Ring Champions one half of The Exotic Ones with Simon Sermon, where they were awarded the promotion's Tag Team Championship after defeating Kyle Matthews and Kid Ego. On January 9, 2009, The Exotic Ones lost to Micah Taylor and Tracy Taylor in the first round of a tournament to determine the new NWA Prime Time Tag Team Champions. After a hiatus, The Exotic Ones reunited on February 12, 2011 as they, Chip Day and Josh Storm defeated Thunder and Lightning (Chris Ganzer and Chris Lightning), Frankie Valentine and Stupid.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, best known under his ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Rick Michaels.
National Championship Wrestling / NWA Wildside (1997–2005)
After training, Rawls began his professional wrestlingProfessional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
career on November 10, 1991 and adopted the ring name Rick Michaels. After wrestling on the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
, he co-founded National Championship Wrestling in 1997 and won the promotion's Television Championship in January 1997. After losing the title on June 5, Michaels reclaimed the title on July 24. He soon lost the title to Cham Pain
Marty Garner
Marty Garner is an American professional wrestler most noted for his appearances for World Wrestling Entertainment and his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling...
and the title would ultimately be vacated until 1999, until Michaels defeated Scotty Wrenn to win the title in July 1999 before losing it for the final time to his student A.J. Styles
A.J. Styles
Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
the following month. Soon afterwards, NCW was turned into a National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
territory and was renamed to NWA Wildside
NWA Wildside
NWA Wildside was an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Cornelia, Georgia, with an office in Atlanta, Georgia, operating between September 1999 and April 2005....
. Upon the renaming, Michaels went on to win the promotion's Heavyweight Championship
NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship was the major title in the Georgia Championship Wrestling professional wrestling promotion. It started in 1964 and was unified in 1981 with the NWA National Heavyweight Championship....
in 1999 and 2001 and its United States Heavyweight Championship
NWA Wildside United States Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Wildside United States Heavyweight Championship was a title contested for in the National Wrestling Alliance-member promotion NWA Wildside....
twice in 2004 before the territory folded in 2005.
Bad Attitude (1999–2001)
In addition to singles success, Michaels also found success as a tag teamTag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
competitor upon forming a successful tag team with David Young
David Young (wrestler)
David Williams , better known by his ring name, David Young, is an American professional wrestler. Though he has mainly appeared with NWA Wildside and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Young has also competed for Ring of Honor, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and ZERO-ONE...
called Bad Attitude. Together, they won the Tag Team Championship
NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship
The NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship was the top tag team championship in Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1968 to 1980, when it was replaced with the NWA National Tag Team Championship....
twice and would later win the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
three times before splitting in 2001 following a title loss. After splitting, Michaels feuded with Young and briefly formed a new team with Scottie Wrenn called the Union of Lost Souls to feud with Young. In response, Young allied himself with Terry Knight to form a "new" Bad Attitude. On July 7, Michaels and Young ended their feud when the Union of Lost Souls defeated the new Bad Attitude in an "Infernal Damnation" match.
World Wrestling Entertainment (2004–2005)
In late 2004, Michaels was hired by World Wrestling Entertainment as a tailorTailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
, but was released from his contract on September 29, 2005 due to Michaels having legal matters in his home state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Hiatus and return (2007–present)
After winning a Reunion Rumble on March 25, 2005 at NWA WildsideNWA Wildside
NWA Wildside was an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Cornelia, Georgia, with an office in Atlanta, Georgia, operating between September 1999 and April 2005....
's event Hardcore Hell, Michaels took a hiatus from wrestling. On July 5, Michaels made his return to wrestling as he debuted in Deep South Wrestling in a tag team match, which he and his partner Tommy Too Much lost to Harley Crew (Brian Alexander and Pretty Boy Floyd). One week later, Michaels defeated DOG to enter a tournament to determine the promotion's new Heavyweight Champion. He then defeated Pretty Boy Floyd in the first round before losing to Murder-1 in the semi-finals. After defeating Scotty Blaze on July 19, Michaels wrestled his final match for the promotion on October 11 as he lost to Adrian Hawkins.
After leaving DSW, Michaels made sporadic appearances on the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
. On March 27, 2008, Michaels debuted in NAWA Ring Champions one half of The Exotic Ones with Simon Sermon, where they were awarded the promotion's Tag Team Championship after defeating Kyle Matthews and Kid Ego. On January 9, 2009, The Exotic Ones lost to Micah Taylor and Tracy Taylor in the first round of a tournament to determine the new NWA Prime Time Tag Team Champions. After a hiatus, The Exotic Ones reunited on February 12, 2011 as they, Chip Day and Josh Storm defeated Thunder and Lightning (Chris Ganzer and Chris Lightning), Frankie Valentine and Stupid.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Double Shot (Facebreaker followed by a cutterCutter (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a cutter is a common term that refers to the three-quarter facelock bulldog maneuver. The move is also described as an inverted neckbreaker, though it is not one, it only bears an inverted style to it...
)
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s - "The Chosen One"
Wrestlers trained by Michaels
|
Championships and accomplishments
- National Championship Wrestling / NWA WildsideNWA WildsideNWA Wildside was an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Cornelia, Georgia, with an office in Atlanta, Georgia, operating between September 1999 and April 2005....
- NCW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- NCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – David YoungDavid Young (wrestler)David Williams , better known by his ring name, David Young, is an American professional wrestler. Though he has mainly appeared with NWA Wildside and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Young has also competed for Ring of Honor, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and ZERO-ONE...
- NCW Television Championship (3 times)
- NWA Wildside Beat the Champ Championship (1 time)
- NWA Wildside Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Georgia Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship was the major title in the Georgia Championship Wrestling professional wrestling promotion. It started in 1964 and was unified in 1981 with the NWA National Heavyweight Championship....
(2 times) - NWA Wildside Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Georgia Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship was the top tag team championship in Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1968 to 1980, when it was replaced with the NWA National Tag Team Championship....
(2 times) – with David Young - NWA Wildside United States Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Wildside United States Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Wildside United States Heavyweight Championship was a title contested for in the National Wrestling Alliance-member promotion NWA Wildside....
(2 times)
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
(3 times) – with David Young
- NAWA Ring Champions
- NAWA Ring Champions Tag Team Championship (1 time) – Simon Sermon
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #379 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2002