Ray Stevens

Last updated by M.A LeBlanc on December 14, 2020

[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.