Curtis Hughes (born December 7, 1964) is an American
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
, also known by the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
Mr. Hughes. He is best known for his stints in
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...
and the
World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
. He also worked for the
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The territory was originally part o ...
, the
American Wrestling Federation and
Extreme Championship Wrestling
HHG Corporation, doing business as Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), was a professional wrestling promotion and media company that was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The promotion was founded in 1992 by Tod Gordon as National Wrest ...
. He trained wrestlers at WWA4 wrestling school for more than ten years and wrestles on the
independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indie circuit is the collective noun, collective name of independent professional wrestling promotions which are smaller than major televised promotions. It is roughly analogous to a minor lea ...
.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1988–1990)
While briefly attending
Kansas State University
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
, Hughes played on their
football team
A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-st ...
.
[ After leaving university, he trained for professional wrestling under ]Sonny Myers
Harold "Sonny" Myers (January 22, 1924 – May 7, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, involved in the business for sixty years.
Professional wrestling career
Myers held prominent heavyweight championships in several territories, most ...
and Bob Geigel. He debuted in 1988 for Central States Wrestling, before moving to the American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The territory was originally part o ...
as a face
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
under the ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
Curtis "The Cat" Hughes.
World Championship Wrestling (1990–1992)
He moved to World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nation ...
in November 1990, where he was called Big Cat. At Starrcade 1991 in Tokyo Dome, he was billed as Big Cat Hughes, and subsequently became known as Mr. Hughes, a heel
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human leg, leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive for ...
enforcer
Enforcer or enforcers may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Comics
* Enforcer (comics), a Marvel Comics character
* Enforcers (comics), a Marvel Comics team
* New Enforcers, another Marvel Comics team
Film and television
* ''The Enforcer ...
gimmick with a suit and constant frown. He was a member of The York Foundation
The York Foundation was a professional wrestling heel (professional wrestling), heel stable in World Championship Wrestling between 1990 and 1992. It was led by tech-savvy businesswoman Terri Runnels, Alexandra York, and comprised former Face (wr ...
faction
Faction or factionalism may refer to:
Politics
* Political faction, a group of people with a common political purpose
* Free and Independent Faction, a Romanian political party
* Faction (''Planescape''), a political faction in the game ''Planes ...
.[ He later became bodyguard for ]Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell Pfohl (born June 2, 1958), better known by the ring name Lex Luger, is an American retired professional wrestler, bodybuilder, and football player. In 2011 he began working with WWE on its wellness policy. He is best known for ...
and his manager Harley Race
Harley Leland Race (April 11, 1943 – August 1, 2019) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and trainer.
Race wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the World Wrestling Federatio ...
, coming down to ringside with Race in the closing moments of Luger's win of the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The WCW World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship originally used in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and later, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the original world title of ...
, distracting opponent Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham (born July 4, 1960) is an American retired professional wrestler. The son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan, he is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). ...
so that Luger, under orders from Race, could administer a piledriver to win the match and the championship. Champion Luger, manager Race and bodyguard Hughes formed a heel faction, inflicting beatdowns to Luger's challengers and with Hughes and Race interfering in Luger's title matches. This ultimately resulted in Hughes being banned from ringside for Luger's high profile title defences against Ron Simmons
Ronald Nasir Simmons (born May 15, 1958) is an American retired professional wrestler and football player. He performed for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) under his real name, and in the World Wres ...
at Halloween Havoc 1991
The 1991 Halloween Havoc was the third annual Halloween Havoc professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The event took place on October 27, 1991, from the UTC Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee. ...
and Rick Steiner
Robert Rechsteiner (born March 9, 1961) is an American real estate broker and retired professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Rick Steiner.
Steiner is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW), where he was ...
at Clash of the Champions XVII
''Clash of the Champions'' is an American series of professional wrestling television specials that were produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). ...
. Still managed by Race, in early 1992 he also teamed frequently with Big Van Vader
Leon Allen White (May 14, 1955 – June 18, 2018), better known by his ring names Big Van Vader or simply Vader, was an American professional wrestler and professional football player. Throughout his career, he performed for New Japan Pro-Wrestli ...
, Cactus Jack and Vinnie Vegas
Kevin Scott Nash (born July 9, 1959) is an American actor and retired professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE under a legends contract. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) where he performed under his ...
.
In summer 1992, near the end of his WCW run, he turned face and became Big Cat again, teaming with Junkyard Dog
Sylvester Ritter (December 13, 1952 – June 1, 1998) was an American professional wrestler and college football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as the Junkyard Dog (or JYD), a nickname h ...
to feud with The Vegas Connection.
World Wrestling Federation (1993)
After a short stint in the 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 Wrestling ...
, Hughes briefly joined the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
, as part of the feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one part ...
between The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by the ring name The Undertaker, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Calaway spent the vast majority ...
and Harvey Wippleman
Bruno Lauer (born October 27, 1965) is an American professional wrestling manager, referee, and occasional wrestler, better known by his ring names, Harvey Wippleman and Downtown Bruno.
Wippleman began his career working in professional wrestli ...
. Hughes stole The Undertaker's urn, but then lost every match between them and relinquished it. He left WWF soon after. During his stay, he also lost to Mr. Perfect by disqualification in the 1993 King of the Ring
King of the Ring was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and WWE Network event produced by WWE, a Connecticut-based professional wrestling promotion. The PPV event was held annually in June and was established in 1993 when the promotio ...
. Hughes' last televised match was against Tatanka, which he lost via countout when his sunglasses cracked into his eyes. Hughes was released the next day.
Eastern/Extreme Championship Wrestling (1993–1994, 1996, 1998)
In October 1993, Hughes debuted for Eastern Championship Wrestling
HHG Corporation, doing business as Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), was a professional wrestling promotion and media company that was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The promotion was founded in 1992 by Tod Gordon as National Wrest ...
. After the promotion was renamed Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1994, he became bodyguard
A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects a person or a group of people — usually witnesses, high-ranking public officials or officers, w ...
for Shane Douglas
Troy Allan Martin (born November 21, 1964) is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Shane Douglas. He is best known for his tenures in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Championship Wrestling (W ...
during Douglas' first and second ECW World Heavyweight Championship
The ECW World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship originally used in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and later, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was the original world title of the ECW ...
reigns. He frequently teamed with Douglas, as well as wrestling in singles matches, nicknamed "The Ruffneck".
During this period, he also made appearances in the American Wrestling Federation, where he was a part of Shiek Adnan Al-Kaissey's heel stable. Did also many appearances in Puerto Rico for the World Wrestling Council
The World Wrestling Council (WWC) (Spanish: "Consejo Mundial de Lucha"), is a Puerto-Rican professional wrestling promotion based in Puerto Rico. It was originally established as Capitol Sports Promotions in 1973 by Carlos Colón Sr., Victor J ...
where he battled against Carlos Colón
Carlos Edwin Colón González Sr. (born July 18, 1948) is a Puerto Rican wrestling promoter and former professional wrestler, better known as Carlitos Colón or simply Carlos Colón. He is, along with Victor Jovica, an owner of the Puerto Rican ...
, Invader 1 and Abdullah The Butcher
Lawrence Robert Shreve (born January 11, 1941), better known by the ring name Abdullah the Butcher, is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. He has a reputation for being involved in some of the most violent and bloody hardcore wrestling matc ...
.
Return to the WWF (1997, 1999)
Hughes made two more brief appearances for the WWF. First, in 1997 as Hunter Hearst Helmsley
Paul Michael Levesque (born July 27, 1969), better known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive, actor, and retired professional wrestler currently serving as the chief content officer for WWE. He is widely regarded as ...
's bodyguard before being replaced by Chyna
Chyna (born Joan Marie Laurer; December 27, 1969 – April 17, 2016) was an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and television personality.
She first rose to prominence in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 1997, where sh ...
.
Then in 1999 he returned again as a masked opponent for Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler and singer. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the leader of the Jeri ...
called "Gotch Gracie". This was later revealed to be a set up when both attacked Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock (''né'' Kilpatrick; born February 11, 1964) is an American bare-knuckle boxing promoter and semi-retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and kickboxer. He is best known for his time in Ultimate Fighting Champ ...
and "Gracie" revealed himself to be Jericho's new bodyguard (as Curtis Hughes). Hughes was notably smaller in this run having lost a significant amount of weight. He aligned himself with Jericho and Howard Finkel (who was Jericho's lackey at the time) however Jericho turned on him during a tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
match and Hughes lost Finkel in a poker game to the APA. He then left the WWF again.
World Wrestling Alliance and the independent circuit (1999–present)
In 1999, Hughes lost a lot of weight and began working on the independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indie circuit is the collective noun, collective name of independent professional wrestling promotions which are smaller than major televised promotions. It is roughly analogous to a minor lea ...
and later became head trainer at the Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
-based World Wrestling Alliance's WWA4 Wrestling School. In late 2003, Hughes worked for the newly formed All World Wrestling League/Big Time Wrestling. In 2006, WWA4 launched a locally-aired professional wrestling program, which Hughes co-hosted with announcer and the executive producer, Taylor McKnight. When Mcknight left WWA4 for Great Championship Wrestling, Dave Wills co-hosted with Hughes. After beginning classes at the WWA4 school, Hughes' weight dropped from 310 pounds to 250 pounds.
In 2007, Hughes began a high-profile Memphis Wrestling
Memphis Wrestling was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee.
History
Memphis Wrestling evolved from an earlier short-lived promotion called Memphis Championship Wrestling.
In 2019, Dustin & Maria Starr with ...
feud when he called Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler (born November 29, 1949), better known as Jerry "The King" Lawler, is an American color commentator and professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, although he has not performed as a full-time commentator since Apr ...
a "sell out
Sell Out may refer to:
* Selling out, the compromising of principles in exchange for success
* ''Sell Out'' (Halfcocked album), 1998
*'' $ell Out'', a 1999 album by Pist.On
*'' The Who Sell Out'', a 1967 album by the Who
* "Sell Out" (Reel Big Fish ...
" for not showing up for a scheduled match against Hulk Hogan
Terry Eugene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 19 ...
(Lawler worked for World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
, who objected to the match). Hughes shoved Lawler's real life
Real life is a phrase used originally in literature to distinguish between the real world and fictional, virtual or idealized worlds, and in acting to distinguish between actors and the characters they portray. It has become a popular term on th ...
girlfriend, Renee, on an episode of ''Memphis Primetime'', and the two battled three weeks later at Sam's Town River Palace Arena in Tunica, Mississippi
Tunica is a town in and the county seat of Tunica County, Mississippi, United States, near the Mississippi River. Until the early 1990s when casino gambling was introduced in the area, Tunica had been one of the most impoverished places in the Uni ...
. The match ended when Hughes kneeled and apologized to Lawler, before hitting him with a low blow and punching Renee in the face, thus losing by disqualification.
In March 2011, Hughes headlined the inaugural Redneck Wrasslin Organization card in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat and largest city of Sangamon County. The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census, which makes it the state's seventh most-populous city, the second largest o ...
, teaming with Pretty Boy Floyd and Beast to defeat Team Dragonfire.
On February 18, 2012, Hughes won a 34-man battle royal
Battle royal (; also royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants that is fought until only one fighter remains standing, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules. In recent times, the term has been used in a ...
for the vacant Peachstate Wrestling Alliance Heritage Championship.
On April 11, 2016, he stepped down as head trainer of WWA4 with his trainee A. R. Fox
Thomas James "T. J." Ballester (born September 5, 1987), better known by his ring name A. R. Fox, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling. He is also known for his work in promotions like Combat Zone Wrestlin ...
taking over the role.
Hughes was spotted in Atlanta GA, USA at TERMINUS #1 on January 16, 2022.
Championship and accomplishments
*Galaxy Wrestling Federation
**GWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Independent Wrestling Network
**IWN Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[
*International Wrestling Union
**IWU Heavyweight Championship (1 time)][
*Peachstate Wrestling Alliance
**PWA Heritage Championship (1 time)][
*]Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
**PWI ranked him #62 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishi ...
in 1993[
**PWI ranked him #412 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003]
*Southern States Championship Wrestling
**SSCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[
*Other titles
**ASW Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time)][
]
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, Curtis
1964 births
African-American male professional wrestlers
American male professional wrestlers
Kansas State Wildcats football players
Living people
Sportspeople from Kansas City, Missouri
Professional wrestlers from Missouri
Professional wrestling trainers
21st-century African-American people
20th-century African-American sportspeople
20th-century professional wrestlers
21st-century professional wrestlers