Ricky Rice is an American retired
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 ...
. He is best known for his appearance with the Minneapolis-based
promotions Pro Wrestling America
Pro Wrestling America is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota during the 1980s and early 1990s. Founded and promoted by retired wrestler Eddie Sharkey, a longtime veteran of the American Wrestling Association ...
and 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 ...
.
Professional wrestling career
Early career
Trained by Eddie Sharkey, Rice spent much of his early career in Sharkey's
Pro Wrestling America
Pro Wrestling America is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota during the 1980s and early 1990s. Founded and promoted by retired wrestler Eddie Sharkey, a longtime veteran of the American Wrestling Association ...
promotion defeating
Mad Dog Vachon
Joseph Maurice Régis Vachon (September 14, 1929 − November 21, 2013) was a Canadian professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Mad Dog Vachon. He was the older brother of wrestlers Paul and Vivian Vachon, and the uncle of wrestle ...
for the
heavyweight title in March 1986 and, with
Derrick Dukes
Derrick Dukes (born January 4, 1965) is an American retired professional wrestler and boxer. He best known for his appearances in the American Wrestling Association in the late-1980s as one-half of the tag team "The Top Guns" with Ricky Rice.
Pr ...
, defeating The Terminators for the
tag team title in June 1987 before jumping to the American Wrestling Association in early 1988.
American Wrestling Association
Although having a somewhat successful singles career feuding with
The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags. The team were active from the mid-1980s through the 1990s. Their gimmick was that of anti-social punks who specialized in hardcore wrestling and brawl ...
, he would have more success in tag team competition teaming with Dukes,
Mando Guerrero
Armando Guerrero Llanes (born June 9, 1950), better known as Mando Guerrero, is a retired Mexican American professional wrestler. He also was the trainer for the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, an all-female professional wrestling promotion. He ...
and
Baron von Raschke
James Donald Raschke (born July 30, 1940) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Baron von Raschke.
Early life
Raschke was a three-year letterman with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Cornhuskers wrest ...
. He would also team with Jon Paul as the Top Guns during his feud with
Teijho Khan and
Soldat Ustinov
Jim Lanning (born October 10, 1960) is a retired American professional wrestler, best known by the ring name Soldat Ustinov, who competed in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and the American Wres ...
and later
Badd Company
Badd Company was a professional wrestling tag team in the American Wrestling Association in the late 1980s, which later went by the name the Orient Express. They used the song "Bad Company", by the band of the same name as their theme song.
His ...
, defeating the then AWA tag team champions by disqualification in
Columbus, Nevada on July 9, 1988.
After losing to Badd Company in a rematch in
Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Two Rivers is a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 11,712 at the 2010 census. It is the birthplace of the ice cream sundae (though other cities, such as Ithaca, New York, make the same claim). The city's advert ...
on July 29, they became involved in a short-lived feud with Beauty & The Beast although John Paul would eventually leave the team by late 1988.
Reuniting with Dukes, they later won a mixed tag team match while teaming with
Wendi Richter
Victoria "Wendi" Richter (born September 8, 1961) is an American retired professional wrestler. She began her professional wrestling career in companies such as the National Wrestling Alliance, where she teamed with Joyce Grable, with whom she ...
against AWA tag team champions Badd Company and AWA Woman's champion
Madusa Miceli at
AWA SuperClash III on December 13, 1988.
Making regular appearances on the promotion's syndicated television program on
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
during early 1989, the two eventually worked their way back up the tag team ranks although failed to unseat the AWA tag team champions
The Destruction Crew
The Beverly Brothers were a professional wrestling tag team comprising Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom in the World Wrestling Federation. They were also known as The Destruction Crew in the American Wrestling Association and the Minnesota Wrecking Cre ...
in
St. Paul, Minnesota on February 7, 1989.
Before leaving the AWA, Rice wrestled as the Unknown Soldier, a masked wrestler in military fatigues. He participated in the very first
Team Challenge Series match, defeating
Mike Enos
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and document ...
(he would later lose to Enos in a NWA Central States championship tournament in March 1989).
Later career
Wrestling for
Stu Hart
Stewart Edward Hart (May 3, 1915 – October 16, 2003) was a Canadian amateur and professional wrestler, wrestling booker, promoter, coach, trainer, football player and sailor. He is best known for founding and handling Stampede Wrestling, a ...
's
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling was a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta. For nearly 50 years, it was one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies. Originally established by Stu Hart in 1948, the prom ...
promotion during early 1989, Rice returned to PWA within several months defeating Larry Cameron to regain the heavyweight championship on July 8, 1989. Although trading the belt with
Charlie Norris
Charles Norris (born October 21, 1965) is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1993. He spent the majority of his career in Minnesota-based Pro Wrestling America (PWA), w ...
and
Jerry Lynn
Jeremy Lynn (born June 12, 1963), better known by the ring name Jerry Lynn, is an American retired professional wrestler currently signed with All Elite Wrestling as a producer and coach. He has worked for promotions such as World Championship ...
, he finally lost the heavyweight title for a fourth and final time to his old tag team rival Terminator Riggs on September 22, 1990.
After a short stint in
Windy City Pro Wrestling
Windy City Pro Wrestling is an American regional professional wrestling promotion originally based in Chicago, Illinois. Established as Windy City Wrestling by retired wrestler Sam DeCero in 1988, the promotion was one of several major regiona ...
in which he defeated Jerry Lynn in
Sullivan, Illinois
Sullivan is a city in Moultrie County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,413 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat and largest city of Moultrie County. Sullivan is named after Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, where ...
on October 6, he returned to the AWA for a one-time appearance losing to Steve O on May 3, 1991.
Rice enjoyed a brief seven-day reign as the PWA Light Heavyweight champion before losing the title to Jerry Lynn on December 29. Rice remained with the promotion until its close in 1990.
In 1990 and 1991, Rice made several appearances for 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 an
enhancement talent
In professional wrestling slang, a job is a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect information related to kayfabe from being revealed. The term can be used a numbe ...
on their weekly syndicated programs, working with such stars as
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin DiBiase Sr. (born January 18, 1954) is an American retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. He is currently signed to WWE working in their Legends program. DiBiase achieved championship ...
,
Ricky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood Sr. (born February 28, 1953), better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his work with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), Jim Crockett Promot ...
,
The Big Boss Man
Ray Washington Traylor Jr. (May 2, 1963 – September 22, 2004) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known for his appearances with the WWE, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name Big Boss Man, as wel ...
,
Kerry Von Erich
Kerry Gene Adkisson (February 3, 1960 – February 18, 1993), better known by his ring name Kerry Von Erich, was an American professional wrestler. He was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers. He is best known for his time with ...
,
The Mountie and
Bret Hart
Bret Hart (born July 2, 1957) is a Canadian-American retired professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE under a legend's contract. A member of the Hart wrestling family and a second-generation wrestler, he has an amateur wrestling backgr ...
.
Inactive for much of the mid-90s, he returned to professional wrestling competing for St. Paul Championship Wrestling in 1998.
Championships and accomplishments
*
Pro Wrestling America
Pro Wrestling America is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota during the 1980s and early 1990s. Founded and promoted by retired wrestler Eddie Sharkey, a longtime veteran of the American Wrestling Association ...
**
PWA Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
**
PWA Light Heavyweight Championship
The PWA Light Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling light heavyweight championship in Pro Wrestling America (PWA). It remained active until 1992 when the title was abandoned.
The inaugural champion was "Mr. Electricity" Steve Re ...
(1 time)
**
PWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Derrick Dukes
*''
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 # 150 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1991
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rice, Ricky
American male professional wrestlers
Living people
People from Edina, Minnesota
Professional wrestlers from Minnesota
Year of birth missing (living people)
Stampede Wrestling alumni