Mike Davis (wrestler)
Mike Davis | |
---|---|
Birth name | Michael Davis |
Born |
[1] Greenville, South Carolina, United States | November 2, 1956
Died |
December 26, 2001 45) Granbury, Texas | (aged
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) |
Mike Davis[1] Michael Worhington III[1] The Viper (GWF)[1] Aries[1] The Dream |
Billed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[1] |
Billed weight | 235 lb (107 kg; 16.8 st)[1] |
Billed from | Tampa, Florida[1] |
Trained by |
Lars Anderson[1] Vince Castelli[1] |
Debut | 1977[1] |
Michael Davis (November 2, 1956 – December 25, 2001) was an American professional wrestler best known as one half of the tag team Rock 'n' Roll RPMs with Tommy Lane which lasted several years.[1] The RPM's were one of the most well-known heel tag teams throughout the southern United States in promotions such as World Class Championship Wrestling and the Continental Wrestling Association based out of Memphis. Mike Davis was also a member of Kevin Sullivan's faction known as the Army of Darkness.[1]
Career
Mike Davis got his start in Eddie Graham's Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) promotion.[1] He was a member of Kevin Sullivan's faction known as the Army of Darkness.[1] In 1984 he lost the NWA Junior Heavyweight Title to Denny Brown.
Davis started the Rock 'n' Roll RPMs tag team with Tommy Lane in Memphis where they wrestled in the mid 80's before moving to the World Class promotion, which at the time was still affiliated with the NWA.[1] They were known for their bright colored tights and hanging bandanas. The Rock 'n' Roll RPMs were glorified for their finishing move "The Spandex Splits". The move was later outlawed due to extensive neck injuries. They had feuds with several teams, including another "Rock 'n' Roll" tag team known as the Rock 'n' Roll Express. The RPMs feuded with The Fantastics over the WCWA Tag Team Championship, however they were unable to win the championship. The RPMs also competed in the CWA in Memphis, where they won two AWA Southern Tag Team titles. Teaming with Cactus Jack, the Rock-n-Roll RPMs lost a match against Hector, Chavo, and Mando Guerrero at the only AWA pay-per-view SuperClash III.[1]
After the demise of World Class, Davis and Lane moved on to World Championship Wrestling, where they were used as jobbers. Davis later entered the Global Wrestling Federation, where in 1992, he claimed to have returned to Earth with a "Moon Rock" after he made a bungee jump following a "Bungee" match between Chaz Taylor and Steven Dane outside the Dallas Sportatorium.
Mike Davis formed another tag team with his brother Tom Davis known as the Dirty Davis Brothers.[1]
In 1995, Davis returned to WCW to work once again as a 'jobber to the stars', featuring on the WCW Saturday Night program.
Davis died on December 25, 2001 from a massive heart attack in Granbury, Texas, at the age of 45.[1] He was the third World Class wrestler to die in six months (following the deaths of Terry Gordy and Chris Adams in July and October respectively).
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Signature moves
- With Tommy Lane
- The Spandex Splits (Back body drop (Davis) transitioned into a powerbomb (Lane) / neckbreaker (Davis) combination)[2][3]
- Managers
- Nicknames
- "Maniac" Mike Davis[1]
Championships and accomplishments
- Big D Wrestling
- Big D Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Terry Simms[5]
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- Continental Wrestling Association / Championship Wrestling Association
- AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Tommy Lane[1]
- CWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tommy Lane[1]
- Continental Wrestling Federation
- Georgia Championship Wrestling
- Global Wrestling Federation
- USA Wrestling
- USA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tommy Lane[5]
- World Wrestling Council
- WWC World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Tommy Lane[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 "Mike Davis profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
- 1 2 3 4 American Wrestling Association (1988). "Badd Company /w DDP vs Rock 'n' Roll RPMs". AWA.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "AWA report". 411mania. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
- ↑ "Bruno Lauer's profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
- 1 2 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.