Ricky Rickard
Encyclopedia
Rick "Ricky" Rickard is a retired New Zealand
professional wrestler who competed in the National Wrestling Alliance
-affiliated All Star-Pro Wrestling, promoted by his father Steve Rickard
, as well as touring Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States during the 1970s and early 80s. He was a mainstay on his father's wrestling programme On the Mat
and briefly held the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship
in 1983. Rickard also had a successful 10-year amateur career representing New Zealand as an amateur wrestler in the United States.
, purchased a rubber round mat for several thousand dollars. Rickard went on to have a long and successful career in the amateur ranks and eventually represented New Zealand in competition in the United States.
Rickard later built a traditional mini-roped ring under his father's gym, where many local professional wrestlers trained, and decided to turn pro in 1978. He started his career wrestling for Steve Rickard's All Star-Pro Wrestling, the country's single major company and overseas territory of the National Wrestling Alliance
. He became very well known throughout his national tours with ASPW, which lasted around two years, as well as visits to Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States. Rickard was also a regular on ASPW's popular wrestling programme On the Mat
where he frequently battled both local and foreign wrestlers such as Ox Baker
, King Curtis Iaukea
, Larry O'Day
and Abdullah the Butcher
. His toughest opponent, according to Rickard, was against Stampede World Mid-Heavyweight Champion
Bruce Hart
. He also occasionally teamed with younger wrestlers such as Kid Hardy and Rick Martel
.
Ricky Rickard's brother Tony was also involved with the promotion as a referee. One On the Mat episode in 1980 featured a tag team match with Ricky as a participant, Tony refereeing the match and their father Steve Rickard commentating. This was one of the few occurrences in pro wrestling history that members of the same family wrestled in, refereed, and commentated on the same match at the same time and being unrelated to an active "storyline". One of the few storylines Rickard was the focus of, however, was when his leg was broken by Larry O'Day during an off-season tour in Southeast Asia
in early-1981. Steve Rickard publicly addressed the incident when On the Mat returned for a new season. In its first return episode, originally airing on March 17, 1981, Rickard read a letter from Larry O'Day who bragged about breaking his son's leg and publicly accepted O'Day's challenge to a match for the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship
. Ricky Rickard did suffer legitimate injuries during his professional career including twice breaking his nose, leg, back sockets and collar bone.
Soon returning to active competition, Rickard captured the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship from Butcher Brannigan in 1983 before losing the title to Larry O'Day that same year. After the cancellation of On the Mat in 1984, Rickard retired and became a hotel manager
. Though no longer active in professional wrestling, Rickard did grant an interview to Kiwi Pro Wrestling
, one of New Zealand's three major companies, which was later published on its website in August 2007. Three years later, one of Rickard's matches, a tag team match between he and Kid Hardy against Merv Fortune and Larry O'Day (July 29, 1980) at the Canterbury Court Stadium, was included in one of two episodes of On the Mat chosen to be shown on NZ On Screen
in early-2010. The match was later used to promote the series in an internet spoof video starring Tammy Davis
of Outrageous Fortune
. On April 9, 2010, Scoop.co.nz reported that On the Mat ranked #3 among the top 10 most watched videos on NZ on Screen.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
professional wrestler who competed in the 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...
-affiliated All Star-Pro Wrestling, promoted by his father Steve Rickard
Steve Rickard
Sydney Mervin "Merv" Batt , best known by his ring name Steve Rickard, is a retired New Zealand professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...
, as well as touring Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States during the 1970s and early 80s. He was a mainstay on his father's wrestling programme On the Mat
On the Mat
On the Mat was a professional wrestling television program for the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated All Star Pro-Wrestling , or simply NWA New Zealand, that aired on Television New Zealand's TV2 from 1975 to 1984...
and briefly held the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship
NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship (New Zealand version)
The New Zealand version of the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship was a professional wrestling heavyweight championship defended in the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated Dominion Wrestling Union from 1929 to 1953 and in All Star Pro Wrestling from 1968 to 1990...
in 1983. Rickard also had a successful 10-year amateur career representing New Zealand as an amateur wrestler in the United States.
Career
Ricky Rickard began his career as an amateur at the age of 10 performing at Raynor Greeks Hall. As a youngster, he trained on a very small canvas mat before his father, Steve RickardSteve Rickard
Sydney Mervin "Merv" Batt , best known by his ring name Steve Rickard, is a retired New Zealand professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...
, purchased a rubber round mat for several thousand dollars. Rickard went on to have a long and successful career in the amateur ranks and eventually represented New Zealand in competition in the United States.
Rickard later built a traditional mini-roped ring under his father's gym, where many local professional wrestlers trained, and decided to turn pro in 1978. He started his career wrestling for Steve Rickard's All Star-Pro Wrestling, the country's single major company and overseas territory of the 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...
. He became very well known throughout his national tours with ASPW, which lasted around two years, as well as visits to Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States. Rickard was also a regular on ASPW's popular wrestling programme On the Mat
On the Mat
On the Mat was a professional wrestling television program for the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated All Star Pro-Wrestling , or simply NWA New Zealand, that aired on Television New Zealand's TV2 from 1975 to 1984...
where he frequently battled both local and foreign wrestlers such as Ox Baker
Ox Baker
Douglas A. Baker better known professionally as Ox Baker, is an American former professional wrestler and actor, and was feared for his dreaded finishing move, the Heart Punch, sometimes called the "Hurt Punch", after Baker's famous catchphrase "I love to hurt people!" He has appeared in several...
, King Curtis Iaukea
King Curtis Iaukea
Curtis Piehau Iaukea, III 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 where he...
, Larry O'Day
Larry O'Dea
Larry Davies was a professional wrestler best known as Larry O'Dea. He was one half of the tag team known as "The Australians"....
and Abdullah the Butcher
Abdullah the Butcher
Lawrence Robert "Larry" Shreve 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...
. His toughest opponent, according to Rickard, was against Stampede World Mid-Heavyweight Champion
Stampede World Mid-Heavyweight Championship
The Stampede World Mid-Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling title, one of the lesser known secondary titles created for Stampede Wrestling in 1979, and was the focal point of the 1982-83 feud between the Dynamite Kid and the Great Gama...
Bruce Hart
Bruce Hart (wrestler)
Bruce Dennis Luis Hart is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. The second son of Stu Hart, Hart is a member of the large Hart wrestling family.Hart substitute teaches for the Calgary Board of Education.-Career:...
. He also occasionally teamed with younger wrestlers such as Kid Hardy and Rick Martel
Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
.
Ricky Rickard's brother Tony was also involved with the promotion as a referee. One On the Mat episode in 1980 featured a tag team match with Ricky as a participant, Tony refereeing the match and their father Steve Rickard commentating. This was one of the few occurrences in pro wrestling history that members of the same family wrestled in, refereed, and commentated on the same match at the same time and being unrelated to an active "storyline". One of the few storylines Rickard was the focus of, however, was when his leg was broken by Larry O'Day during an off-season tour in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
in early-1981. Steve Rickard publicly addressed the incident when On the Mat returned for a new season. In its first return episode, originally airing on March 17, 1981, Rickard read a letter from Larry O'Day who bragged about breaking his son's leg and publicly accepted O'Day's challenge to a match for the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship
NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship (New Zealand version)
The New Zealand version of the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship was a professional wrestling heavyweight championship defended in the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated Dominion Wrestling Union from 1929 to 1953 and in All Star Pro Wrestling from 1968 to 1990...
. Ricky Rickard did suffer legitimate injuries during his professional career including twice breaking his nose, leg, back sockets and collar bone.
Soon returning to active competition, Rickard captured the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship from Butcher Brannigan in 1983 before losing the title to Larry O'Day that same year. After the cancellation of On the Mat in 1984, Rickard retired and became a hotel manager
Hotel manager
A hotel manager or hotelier is a person who holds a management occupation within a hotel, motel, or resort establishment. Management titles and duties vary by company. In some hotels the title hotel manager or hotelier may solely be referred to the General Manager of the hotel...
. Though no longer active in professional wrestling, Rickard did grant an interview to Kiwi Pro Wrestling
Kiwi Pro Wrestling
Kiwi Pro Wrestling is a professional wrestling promotion based in Wellington, New Zealand.-History:Started in May 2006 by veteran New Zealand wrestler Rip Morgan, KPW was formed with the express purpose of taking NZ wrestling from club level to professional level and groom local wrestling talent...
, one of New Zealand's three major companies, which was later published on its website in August 2007. Three years later, one of Rickard's matches, a tag team match between he and Kid Hardy against Merv Fortune and Larry O'Day (July 29, 1980) at the Canterbury Court Stadium, was included in one of two episodes of On the Mat chosen to be shown on NZ On Screen
NZ On Screen
NZ On Screen is an online showcase of archival New Zealand television and film. The website is fully funded by NZ On Air and provides free worldwide access to NZ-produced television, film and music videos. Content is streamed and the webpages provide authoritative background information.The site...
in early-2010. The match was later used to promote the series in an internet spoof video starring Tammy Davis
Tammy Davis
Tammy Davis is a New Zealand actor. He has performed for film and television, including as Munter on the series Outrageous Fortune, and the film Black Sheep as 'Tucker', Davis also starred in Whale Rider and in Taika Cohen's short film Tama Tu. Davis also starred as "Mookie" in the sequel to "Once...
of Outrageous Fortune
Outrageous Fortune (TV series)
Outrageous Fortune was a New Zealand comedy/drama television series, which was created by James Griffin and Rachel Lang and was produced by South Pacific Pictures...
. On April 9, 2010, Scoop.co.nz reported that On the Mat ranked #3 among the top 10 most watched videos on NZ on Screen.
Championships and accomplishments
- All Star Pro-Wrestling
- NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship (New Zealand version)NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship (New Zealand version)The New Zealand version of the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship was a professional wrestling heavyweight championship defended in the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated Dominion Wrestling Union from 1929 to 1953 and in All Star Pro Wrestling from 1968 to 1990...
(1 time)
- NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship (New Zealand version)