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Ray Stevens

ray stevens

[Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame]

Title History

  • (Maryland) American Tag Team titles w/ Don Stevens defeating Donn and Mark Lewin (March 13, 1956);
  • MWA Ohio Tag Team titles w/ Don Stevens defeating Bobo Brazil and Frankie Talaber (May 2, 1956);
  • MWA (Ohio) World Junior Heavyweight title defeating Joe Scarpello (June 14, 1956);
  • NWA Florida Televison title defeating Harry Smith (November 21, 1956);
  • MWA Ohio Tag Team titles w/ Ed Francis defeating Leon Graham and Frankie Talaber (August 30, 1957);
  • NWA (Tennessee) Southern Junior Heavyweight title defeating Tor Yamata (November 11, 1957);
  • NWA (Tennessee) Southern Junior Heavyweight title (June 1958);
  • NWA (Tennessee) Southern Junior Heavyweight title defeating Corsica Jean (October 1958);
  • AWA (Indiana) World Tag Team titles w/ Roy Shires defeating Dick Afflis and Gene Kiniski (April 9, 1960);
  • AWA (San Francisco) United States Heavyweight title defeating Bobo Brazil (November 1960);
  • AWA (San Francisco) United States Heavyweight title defeating Bob Ellis (May 1961);
  • AWA (Indiana) World Tag Team titles w/ Art Neilson defeating Red and Lou Bastien (May 12, 1961);
  • AWA (San Francisco) United States Heavyweight title defeating Pepper Gomez (Febuary 23, 1963);
  • AWA (San Francisco) United States Heavyweight title defeating Wilbur Snyder (June 29, 1964);
  • AWA (San Francisco) United States Heavyweight title defeating Dominic DeNucci (Febuary 29, 1964);
  • AWA (San Francisco) World Tag Team titles w/ Dan Manoukian defeating Jose Lothario and Pepper Gomez (November 1964);
  • IWA (Australia) World Heavyweight title defeating Dominic DeNucci (January 1965);
  • AWA (San Francisco) World Tag Team titles w/ Pat Patterson defeating Billy Red Lyons and The Destroyer (April 17, 1965);
  • IWA (Australia) World Tag Team titles w/ Art Nelson defeating George and Sandy Scott (November 19, 1966);
  • IWA (Australia) World Heavyweight title defeating Sprios Arion (December 2, 1966);
  • AWA (San Francisco) World Tag Team titles w/ Pat Patterson defeating Mongolian Stomper and Cyclone Negro (January 21, 1967);
  • AWA (San Francisco) United States Heavyweight title defeating Bill Watts (March 11, 1967);
  • NWA (Hawaii) United States Heavyweight title defeating Jim Hady (May 15, 1968);
  • AWA (San Francisco) United States Heavyweight title defeating Curtis Iaukea (September 14, 1968);
  • NWA (San Francisco) United States Heavyweight title defeating Cutis Iaukea (June 7, 1969);
  • NWA (San Francisco) World Tag Team titles w/ Pepper Gomez defeating Masa Saito and Kinji Shibuya (October ??, 1969);
  • NWA (San Francisco) United States Heavyweight title defeating Pat Patterson (July 11, 1970);
  • AWA World Tag Team titles w/ Nick Bockwinkel defeating Crusher Lisowski and Red Bastien (January 20, 1972);
  • NWA Florida Tag Team titles w/ Nick Bockwinkel defeating Tim Woods and Hiro Matsuda (July 20, 1972);
  • AWA World Tag Team titles w/ Nick Bockwinkel defeating Billy Robinson and Vern Gagne (January 6, 1973);
  • AWA World Tag Team titles w/ Nick Bockwinkel defeating Billy Robinson and Crusher Lisowski (October 24, 1974);
  • NWA (Amarillo) Brass Knuckles title (July 1975);
  • NWA (Amarillo) Brass Knuckles title defeating Johnny Starr (July 31, 1975);
  • NWA (San Francisco) World Tag Team titles w/ Moondog Mayne defeating Kurt and Karl Von Steiger (November 12, 1977);
  • AWA World Tag Team titles w/ Pat Patterson Awarded (September 23, 1978);
  • NWA Florida Tag Team titles w/ Mike Graham defeating Mr. Sakurada and Mr. Hito (October 9, 1979);
  • NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight title defeating Jim Brunzell (November 25, 1979);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Greg Valentine defeating Jay Youngblood and Ricky Steamboat (March 29, 1980):
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Jimmy Snuka defeating Jay Youngblood and Ricky Steamboat (June 22, 1980);
  • PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated) Magazine Tag Team of the Year w/ Jimmy Snuka (1980);
  • NWA (Mid Atlantic) World Tag Team titles w/ Ivan Koloff defeating Masked Superstar and Paul Jones (Febuary 22, 1981);
  • NWA Florida Televison title defeating Eric Embry (January 16, 1982);

Career Highlights

In The Beginning:

  • Ray Stevens formed a tag team with Don Fargo, and they were known as Ray and Don Stevens.
  • Late 50s: Ray Stevens formed a team with Roy Shire, and they were known as Ray and Roy Shire in the Indianapolis promotion.
  • Ray Stevens later formed a long-time partnership with Pat Patterson in California, before moving to the AWAtogether.

Roy Shire’s San Francisco Territory:

  • April 4, 1967: Pepper Gomez and Pedro Morales defeated Pat Patterson and Ray Stevens to win the World Tag Team titles.

American Wrestling Association:

  • Ray Stevens joined Bobby Heenan’s The Heenan Family and formed a tag team with Nick Bockwinkel.
  • Sept 1, 1972 – Soldiers Field: Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens beat Billy Robinson and Wilbur Snyder to retain the AWA Tag titles.
  • Sept 7, 1974 – Comiskey Park: The Crusher and Larry Hennig and Ivan Putski b Nick Bockwinkel and Billy Graham and Ray Stevens.

American Wrestling Association:

  • Ray Stevens’ finisher (the Bombs Away) was barred after he came off the top rope and broke the leg of Doctor X (Dick Beyer).
  • ~~~This incident, a TV Angle/Storyline, also earned Ray Stevens his “Crippler” moniker.
  • June 6, 1979: Verne Gagne and Mad Dog Vachon defeated Pat Patterson and Ray Stevens for the AWA Tag Team titles.

World Wrestling Federation:

  • July 16, 1978 – Toronto: Verne Gagne and Jim Brunzell defeated Pat Patterson and Ray Stevens to retain AWA Tag Team titles.
  • November 19, 1978 – Toronto: Bob Backlund and Dino Bravo defeated Ray Stevens and Pat Patterson by disqualification.
  • November 18, 1979 – Toronto: Ray Stevens defeated Ronnie Sexton.
  • December 9, 1979 – Toronto: Ric Flair defeated Ray Stevens.
  • December 30, 1979 – Toronto: Jimmy Snuka and Ray Stevens defeated Dewey Robertson and Ric Flair.
  • January 13, 1980 – Toronto: Dewey Robertson and Ric Flair defeated Jimmy Snuka and Ray Stevens.
  • November 6, 1982 – Allentown: Ray Stevens defeated Curt Hennig.

American Wrestling Association:

  • October 19, 1983 – AWA: Mad Dog Vachon defeated Ray Stevens.
  • October 22, 1983 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Bill White.
  • November 9, 1983 – AWA: Baron von Raschke defeated Ray Stevens.
  • November 10, 1983 – AWA: Rick Martel defeated Ray Stevens.
  • January 20, 1985 – AWA: Jesse Ventura defeated Ray Stevens.
  • April 25, 1985 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Ron Ritchie.
  • June 12, 1985 – AWA TV Taping: Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens defeated Bob Adams & Chris Pepper.
  • June 16, 1985 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Ted Jones.
  • June 21, 1985 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Steve O.
  • June 22, 29-30, 1985 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Buck Zumhofe.
  • July 17-18, 1985 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Brian Jewel.
  • September 21, 1985 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Tom Zenk.
  • September 28, 1985 – AWA SuperClash: Curt Hennig, Greg Gagne & Scott Hall defeated Larry Zbyszko, Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens.
  • November 12, 1985 – AWA TV Taping: Larry Zbyszko & Ray Stevens defeated Bob Adams & Brian Jewel.
  • November 14, 1985 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Buddy Lane.
  • April 15, 1987 – AWA: Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens defeated Boris Zhukov & The Super Ninja.
  • May 2, 1987 – AWA SuperClash II: Ray Stevens and Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty defeated Buddy Wolfe and Doug Sommers and Kevin Kelly.
  • October 15, 1987 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Larry Zbyszko.
  • February 4, 1988 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Soldat Ustinov.
  • February 20, 1988 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Jerry Saggs.
  • February 21, 1988 – AWA: Ray Stevens & Ricky Rice defeated The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags).
  • April 8, 1988 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Paul Diamond.
  • April 10, 1988 – AWA: Ray Stevens defeated Jerry Saggs.
  • April 16, 1988 – AWA Rage in a Cage II: Soldat Ustinov and Teijo Khan defeated Ray Stevens and Baron Von Raschke.
  • May 3, 1996: Ray Stevens passed away after suffering a heart attack at his home in Fremont, California.

Retirement:

  • 1991: Ray Stevens worked in the office of the Global Wrestling Federation promotion.
  • May 3, 1996: Ray “The Crippler” Stevens passes away of a Heart Attack at the age of 60.
Updated: December 14, 2020 @ 5:27 pm

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Trained By

Theresa Theis

Debut

Early 1950s

Birthday

September 5, 1935

Hometown

Born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia
Raised in Columbus, Ohio
Billed from San Francisco, California

Gender

Male

Height

6' 2"

Weight

250 lbs

Finishing Move(s)

The Bombs Away (NWA)
The Piledriver (AWA/WWF)

Favorite Move(s)

The Atomic Drop

Notable Feuds

Mike Paidousis
Lou Plummer
Pedro Morales
Pepper Gomez
Chris Taylor
Big Bill Miller
Dory Funk Jr.
Pepper Gomez
The Crusher
Kinji Shibuya
Ole Anderson
Jimmy Snuka

Status

Deceased