Douglas Eric Embry (born July 10, 1959) 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 appearances with

Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as ...

World Class Championship Wrestling World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), later known as the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA) (1986–1991) was an American professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed ...

, and 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 ...

. He also booked many places and is credited to having one of the best minds in the game.

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1977–1987)

Embry wrestled in

Southwest Championship Wrestling Southwest Championship Wrestling (SCW) was a professional wrestling promotion that was owned by Joe Blanchard and based in San Antonio, Texas, from 1978 to 1985, when it was purchased by Texas All-Star Wrestling and absorbed into that company. H ...

(later Texas, then USA All Star Wrestling) as one of the Fabulous Blondes, along with Ken Timbs and later Dan Greer. Later, he wrestled for 5 Star Wrestling in Baton Rouge. He would also wrestle in Canada, for

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 ...

in Calgary, Alberta,

All Star Wrestling All Star Wrestling (ASW) is a British professional wrestling promotion operated by Brian Dixon and based in Birkenhead, England. Founded as Wrestling Enterprises of Birkenhead in October 1970, it has also been known over the years as All Star P ...

in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1980 Embry wrestled in Pacific Northwest Wrestling (Portland), as Eric Emery. In 1985, Embry first joined

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 ...

in Puerto Rico. On August 17, 1985, he defeated Super Medico II to win the

WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship The WWC Puerto Rico Championship is the secondary professional wrestling championship that is defended in the World Wrestling Council based in Puerto Rico. The title was created in January 1974 and, as its name suggests, is defended exclusively wi ...

. On November 25, 1985, he became a double champion, by defeating

Invader III ''InVader'' is the fourth album by Finnish glam metal band Reckless Love, released on 4 March 2016 through Spinefarm Records. Track listing All songs written by Olli Herman, Pepe Reckless, and Ikka Wirtanen, unless otherwise noted. Reception Wr ...

to win the

WWC World Junior Heavyweight Championship The WWC Junior Heavyweight Championship is a championship contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council. While weight classes are generally not strictly adhered to in professional wrestling tod ...

. On January 18, 1986, Embry lost the Junior Heavyweight title back to Invader III, after nearly two months as champion. On May 17, 1986, after exactly nine months as champion, he lost the Puerto Rico Heavyweight title back to Super Medico III. Embry left WWC in 1987. During Embry's times as 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 ...

, fans (particularly in Puerto Rico) would often chant ''Erica! Erica!'' to draw

heat In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is al ...

, because Eric Embry called the Puerto Rican fans "greasy, slimy Puerto Ricans". He also insulted commentator and former referee from the heel's side,

Hugo Savinovich Hugo Savinovich (born February 15, 1959) is an Ecuadorian sports commentator and retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and manager (professional wrestling), professional wrestling manager. He is currently signed to Lucha Libre AA ...

, by calling him "son of a bitch", instead of the correct last name, that led to a heated feud.

World Class Championship Wrestling / United States Wrestling Association (1987–1990)

Embry joined

in 1987. Embry was a booker for the Dallas Sportatorium promotion from 1988 until 1991. During his time as booker, Embry lived at the Sportatorium because he had no other place to live. In early 1988, he had a feud with Jason Sterling, where Sterling was offered $100 for every minute he spent in the ring with Embry.

Jeff Jarrett Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett (born July 14, 1967) is an American professional wrestler and promoter. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he also serves as Director of Business Development. Beginning his career in his father J ...

won the

WCWA World Light Heavyweight Championship The WCWA Light Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship (professional wrestling), championship promoted by the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area-based World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA) promotion from September 13, ...

from Embry on October 15 of that year, but Embry regained the title in November. After trading the title with Jarrett once more, Embry regained it at SuperClash III on December 13. Two weeks later, he lost the title to Cactus Jack. In 1989, he became 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 ...

during his feud with

Skandor Akbar Jimmy Saied Wehba (September 29, 1934 – August 19, 2010) was an American professional wrestler and manager better known by his ring name Skandor Akbar, which translates as "Alexander the Great". Akbar led the villainous stable Devastation, Inc. ...

and his army before the promotion went out of business.

All Japan Pro Wrestling (1990)

In the summer of 1990, Embry wrestled a tour for

All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba, ...

World Wrestling Council (1990–1991)

In late-1990, Embry made his return to WWC and won the

WWC Caribbean Tag Team Championship The WWC Caribbean Tag Team Championship was a third-string tag team championship that was defended in the World Wrestling Council The World Wrestling Council (WWC) (Spanish: "Consejo Mundial de Lucha"), is a Puerto-Rican professional wrestling ...

with Rick Valentine twice.

United States Wrestling Association (1991–1992)

In February 1991, Embry went to Memphis in the

, teaming up with

Tom Prichard Thomas Prichard (born August 18, 1959) is a retired American professional wrestler and author. He is the older brother of Bruce Prichard. Professional wrestling career Early career (1979–1986) Tom Prichard began his career in Los Angeles ...

and

Miss Texas The Miss Texas competition was founded in 1937 as a scholarship contest for young women. The winner represents Texas in the Miss America pageant; three winners have gone on to be crowned Miss America (but none since 1975). To become Miss Texas ...

, sparking a Texas vs. Tennessee feud. On May 3, 1991, Embry defeated Jeff Jarrett to win the

USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship The AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship was a major professional wrestling title in the Continental Wrestling Association during the 1970s and 1980s. The title is part of a long lineage that was started when the NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight ...

. His reign didn't last, as he lost the title to

Bill Dundee William Cruickshanks (born 24 October 1943) is a Scottish-born Australian professional wrestler and author better known by his stage name Bill Dundee. Cruickshanks is the father of J. C. Ice, Jamie Dundee and the father-in-law of wrestler Bobby E ...

ten days later on May 13. A week later on May 20, Embry regained the title from Dundee. On July 15, Embry defeated booker

Eddie Marlin Edward Marlin (August 13, 1930 – August 15, 2019) was an American promoter and professional wrestler. He was the father-in-law of promoter and professional wrestler Jerry Jarrett and the grandfather of professional wrestler and promoter Jeff J ...

and referee Paul Neighbors in a hair vs. hair handicap match, shaving both men bald. On August 12, Embry and Miss Texas lost a hair vs. hair tag team match to

(subbing for an injured Dirty White Boy) and the

Dirty White Girl Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debris: scattered pieces of waste or remains * Dust: a genera ...

, losing Miss Texas' hair as she was the loser of the fall. On November 4, Embry finally lost the Southern title to Tom Prichard, after reigning as champion for nearly six months. Embry and Prichard would switch the title back and forth multiple times until February 1992. In July 1992, Embry wrestled a tour for

Wrestling International New Generations Wrestling International New Generations (W*ING) was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion specialized in deathmatches. History After leaving Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling in the summer of 1991, Kazuyoshi Osako and Kiyoshi "Mickey" Ibar ...

, due to the talent exchange between USWA and W*ING.

Retirement

On October 30, 1992, Embry's career came to an end due to a road accident in Hawesville, Kentucky, when a big rig jack-knifed while coming down a hill hit his vehicle. "I saw it coming, pulled over as close to guardrail as possible, and prayed, please God don't let it be that bad", stated Eric. He was thrown to the back seat. He suffered a badly bruised liver and severe ligament and cartilage damage to his left knee. He said that he took it as a sign from God that it was time to get out of the wrestling business. Fully recovered from his injuries, he attempted a comeback in March 1993, but after one match on March 28, Embry decided to retire after fifteen years.

Championships and accomplishments

NWA Florida Television Championship The NWA Florida Television Championship was a secondary title in Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when ...

( 1 time) *

NWA Tri-State The Universal Wrestling Federation was a 1986 re-branding of wrestler-turned-owner Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling promotion. Watts' goal was to elevate his promotion from a relatively smaller, regional-level business, to a national-level rival ...

NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship The NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship was a tag team title created in 1962, and contested in the National Wrestling Alliance's Tri-State territory, which was promoted by Leroy McGuirk (Arkansas and Oklahoma) and Jack Curtis and Aurelian "Gri ...

( 1 time) – with Chief Frank Hill *''

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 #37 of the top 500 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 1992 **PWI ranked him #32 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the

in 1991 **

PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year This is a list of both active and inactive ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' awards which are voted on by ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') readers every year from 1972 onwards, expanding to more categories in later years. Unlike other wrestling ...

(1989) *

SCW Southwest Junior Heavyweight Championship The SWCW Southwest Junior Heavyweight Championship was a secondary title in Southwest Championship Wrestling, challenged for by lighter weight wrestlers. It lasted from 1981 until 1985, when it was abandoned after SWCW was sold to Texas All-Star ...

( 3 times) ** SCW Southwest Tag Team Championship ( 5 times) – with Ken Timbs (3) and Dan Greer (2) *Texas Wrestling Federation **TWF Light-Heavyweight Championship (1 time) *

( 4 times) ** USWA Texas Heavyweight Championship ( 3 times) *

Universal Wrestling Association The Universal Wrestling Association (UWA) was a Mexican ''Lucha Libre'' or professional wrestling promotion based in Naucalpan, Mexico State that operated from 1975 until 1995. The name of the actual promotion was Lucha Libre Internacional (LLI) ...

UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship The UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship (''Campeonato Mundia de Peso Semicompleto Junior UWA'' in Spanish) is a professional wrestling championship that was originally promoted by the Mexican lucha libre professional wrestling) promot ...

( 1 time) *

World Class Wrestling Association World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), later known as the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA) (1986–1991) was an American professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed ...

WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship The NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today. The title has us ...

( 3 times) **

( 5 times) **

WCWA World Tag Team Championship The WCWA World Tag Team Championship was the primary professional wrestling tag team championship promoted by the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex area–based World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA). The championship was originally introduced as ...

( 1 time) – with Frank Lancaster *

(

2 times "2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...

) – with Rick Valentine **

(

) **

( 1 time)

Lucha de Apuesta record

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Embry, Eric 1959 births American male professional wrestlers Living people People from Lexington, Kentucky Professional wrestling executives Professional wrestlers from Kentucky Stampede Wrestling alumni 20th-century professional wrestlers UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Champions WWC Puerto Rico Champions NWA Florida Television Champions