Ricky Blues
Encyclopedia
"Hard Rock" Ricky Blues is a semi-retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 professional wrestler and trainer
Personal trainer
A personal trainer is a fitness professional involved in exercise prescription and instruction. They motivate clients by setting goals and providing feedback and accountability to clients. Trainers also measure their client's strengths and weaknesses with fitness assessments...

 who competed in the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...

 and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...

 during the 1990s and 2000s. He is regarded as a pioneering cruiserweight wrestler
Cruiserweight (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing 220 lb and less, sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles...

 and dominated the Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...

-area, especially in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...

 and Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.Rivaling other east coast independent...

, in the early-to-mid 1990s. He also wrestled for Universal Independent Wrestling, the Wrestling Independent Network, Larry Sharpe
Larry Sharpe
Larry Weil is an American retired professional wrestler, manager and trainer better known under his ring name, "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe. He currently runs the Monster Factory professional wrestling school...

's World Wrestling Association, and for Doug Flex and Brick Bronsky
Brick Bronsky
Jeffrey "Jeff" Beltzner , also known by his ring name Brick Bronsky, is an American actor, film producer, professional wrestler and sports promoter. He gained particular notoriety for starring in a string of films for Troma Studios during the early-1990s, most notably, in Sgt...

 in International Pro Wrestling.

He was the first MEWF Heavyweight
MEWF Heavyweight Championship
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship is the highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....

 and Light Heavyweight Champion. In 1995 he defeated Mark Shrader
Mark Shrader
Mark "The Shark" Shrader is a retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed in numerous independent promotions throughout the United States during the 1990s and early 2000s...

 for his second reign as the MEWF Light Heavyweight Champion. He was also a 3-time MEWF Tag Team Champion
MEWF Tag Team Championship
This is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...

 with Nick Tarentino, Flexx Wheeler (1997) and The New Patriot
Tom Brandi
Tom Brandi is a professional wrestler known for his work in World Wrestling Federation as Salvatore Sincere. He is also known for his current work as The Patriot, working for such companies as Pro-Wrestling WORLD-1, National Wrestling Superstars, and other independent promotions on the East...

 (1999). He and Nick Tarentino, as Sonic Express, were a successful tag team during his early career and together won both the MEWF and WWA Tag Team titles in 1993.

Blues influenced a number of future high-flying cruiserweights and, as an instructor at the Brainbusters Wrestling School, helped train future Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...

 star Ruckus. In 2009, he was inducted into the Maryland Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (1991-1999)

Trained at the Baltimore Monster Factory beginning in February 1990 by Barry Hardy
Barry Hardy
Barry Hardy is an American professional wrestler and trainer who has competed in North American independent promotions since 1987, including East Coast Wrestling, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance, New Millennium Wrestling and Larry Sharpe's World Wrestling...

, Duane Gill
Duane Gill
Duane Gill is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion World Championship Wrestling's top star Goldberg. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion...

, Axl Rotten
Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Axl Rotten.-Early years:After watching a professional wrestling match on television, Knighton decided to become a wrestler...

, Rip Sawyer
Rip Sawyer
Rip Sawyer is a retired American professional wrestler who competed in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit during the late 1980s and early 1990s. As one-half of The Cream Team with longtime tag team partner Dino Casanova, they won the MEWF Tag Team Championship in the Mid-Eastern...

 and Dave Casanova, Ricky Blues made his professional debut on August 3, 1990 in promoter Jim Kettner's Delaware based East Coast Wrestling Association
East Coast Wrestling Association
East Coast Wrestling Association is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded by promoter Jim Kettner in 1967. It is home to the annual Super 8 Tournament, one of the longest-running independent wrestling tournaments in the country...

 as part of the tag team The Chicago Hitmen with Steve Valentino. He spent his first year in various East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...

 and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions. The following year, he began wrestling for the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...

 and, on October 11, 1991, appeared on its debut show in Pasadena, Maryland
Pasadena, Maryland
Pasadena is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,093 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pasadena is located at ....

 where he defeated Adrian Hall to become the first Light Heavyweight Champion. Though he was stripped of the title within a few months, he beat Agent Orange in Odenton
Odenton, Maryland
Odenton is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 20,534 at the 2000 census. The town is named after former Governor of Maryland, Oden Bowie. It is bordered by Gambrills to the east, Severn to the north, Fort Meade to the west, and Crofton to...

 on January 18, 1992, to be crowned the first MEWF Heavyweight Champion
MEWF Heavyweight Championship
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship is the highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....

.

Later that year, Blues began teaming with Nick Tarentino as Sonic Express. On October 23, they unsuccessfully challenged Leather & Lace (Rich Carlisle and Adrian Hall) in Essex, Maryland
Essex, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 39,078 people, 15,952 households, and 10,336 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,104.1 people per square mile . There were 16,997 housing units at an average density of 1,785.1 per square mile...

 for the then vacant MEWF Tag Team Championship
MEWF Tag Team Championship
This is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...

, however, they won the titles a month later in Gaithersburg
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...

. They had faced Rich Carlisle and Ricki Lane who substituted for an injured Adrian Hall. After a near 4-month reign, they lost the titles to The Outrageous Ones (Ricki Lane and Quinn Nash) in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...

 on March 6, 1993. Two months later in Larry Sharpe
Larry Sharpe
Larry Weil is an American retired professional wrestler, manager and trainer better known under his ring name, "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe. He currently runs the Monster Factory professional wrestling school...

's World Wrestling Association, they defeated Chris Evans & Chris Candido
Chris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...

 in Williamstown, New Jersey
Williamstown, New Jersey
Williamstown, home of brandon ciarlante, is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Monroe Township, in Gloucester County, New Jersey...

 for the promotion's tag team titles. They dropped the titles to The Super Jocks (Ed Atlas & Chris Weider) in Clementon
Clementon, New Jersey
Clementon is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,000.Around 1800, Jonathon Haines built a glass factory in what is now present day Clementon, situated on a large hill across the street from the modern day Clementon...

 on June 4, 1993.

Over the next few years, Blues would have memorable bouts against some of the region's top stars including "Stone Cold" Chad Austin, Corporal Punishment
Corporal Punishment (wrestler)
Daniel "Dan" McDevitt , best known by his ring name Corporal Punishment, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter...

 and Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...

. In the early 1990s he had career defining matches with the [(Lightning Kid / Sean Waltman)] for WIN and WWA, where they battled over Blues' WIN Atlantic State Light Heavyweight Championship. Later, on November 14, 1998, Blues lost to Adam Flash
Adam Flash
Douglas Adam Becker in York, Pennsylvania is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adam Flash. Over his career, he has worked for various independent promotions, including Maryland Championship Wrestling, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, and Combat Zone...

 in Hampstead, Maryland
Hampstead, Maryland
Hampstead is a town in Carroll County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The population was 5,060 at the 2000 census. Hampstead School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.-Geography:Hampstead is located at ....

 in a match for the vacant MEWF Mid-Atlantic Championship
MEWF Mid-Atlantic Championship
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship was the second highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....

. A year later, he and The New Patriot
Tom Brandi
Tom Brandi is a professional wrestler known for his work in World Wrestling Federation as Salvatore Sincere. He is also known for his current work as The Patriot, working for such companies as Pro-Wrestling WORLD-1, National Wrestling Superstars, and other independent promotions on the East...

 defeated Max Thrasher & Dino Casanova for the MEWF Tag Team titles on November 13, 1999.

Maryland Championship Wrestling and semi-retirement (2000-2009)

Around this time, creative differences and salary disputes with the MEWF caused Corporal Punishment and Mark Shrader to leave the promotion and took half its roster with them to form Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.Rivaling other east coast independent...

. By early-2000, Blues began wrestling for MCW facing Christian York
Christian York
Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...

 and Joey Matthews in singles matches in April. In both these matches, Blues was noticeably distracted by fans and, in his April 15 match against Matthews, he left the ring in mid-match to argue with hecklers at ringside.

Blues took on MCW Heavyweight Champion
MCW Heavyweight Championship
The MCW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Maryland Championship Wrestling promotion. The title was created and debuted on October 11, 1998 at a MCW live event...

 The Bruiser two months later at a special MCW show near Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City, sometimes known as OC, or OCMD, is an Atlantic Ocean resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Ocean City is widely known in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is a frequent destination for vacationers in that area...

 on June 10, 2000. Though Blues and The Bruiser headlined the show, WWF legends George "the Animal" Steele
George Steele
William James Myers , better known by his ring name George "The Animal" Steele is a former American professional wrestler and actor...

, Mae Young
Mae Young
Johnnie Mae Young is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler and currently a WWE Ambassador.Young was an influential pioneer in women's wrestling, helping to increase its popularity during World War II and training many generations of wrestlers...

 and The Fabulous Moolah
The Fabulous Moolah
Mary Lillian Ellison , better known by her ring name The Fabulous Moolah, was an American female professional wrestler. She began her career working with promoter Billy Wolfe and his wife, wrestler and trainer Mildred Burke, as well as working alongside professional wrestler "Nature Boy" Buddy...

 made an appearance as did Xtreme Pro Wrestling
Xtreme Pro Wrestling
Xtreme Pro Wrestling is an independent professional wrestling promotion formerly owned by Extreme Associates CEO and director Rob Zicari, who appeared on shows under the name Rob Black. Zicari appeared on-camera as owner alongside his wife Lizzy Borden. The promotion focuses on hardcore wrestling,...

 valet Chastity
Denise Riffle
Denise Riffle is an American former professional wrestling valet, better known as Chastity.-Early career:...

. On July 19, Blues wrestled Balls Mahoney
Balls Mahoney
Jonathan Rechner better known by his ring name Balls Mahoney , is an American professional wrestler...

 at the 2000 Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup in Glen Burnie
Glen Burnie, Maryland
Glen Burnie is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, and is a suburb of Baltimore. The population was 67,639 at the 2010 census...

. Over the summer, Blues also had a series of matches against Adam Flash
Adam Flash
Douglas Adam Becker in York, Pennsylvania is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adam Flash. Over his career, he has worked for various independent promotions, including Maryland Championship Wrestling, Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, and Combat Zone...

. One of these, a No-DQ match in Ocean City, was later featured on The Indies: The Best Of 1997 - 2000 video series.

On August 25, a rematch against The Bruiser in Odenton saw Blues pin the Bruiser, but he did not win the MCW title because of interference by Cpl. Punishment. The next month in Glen Burnie, he wrestled Gill
Duane Gill
Duane Gill is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion World Championship Wrestling's top star Goldberg. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion...

berg at Micheal’s Eighth Avenue on September 27, 2000. After the match, Blues was approached by manager Platinum Nat offered his services to "guide [him] to the next level". Blues accepted and was welcomed into the manager's "heel" stable
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...

, The Congregation, with The Holy Rollers (Earl the Pearl & Rich Myers). However, Blues did not remain with The Congregation for very long as he soon went into retirement by the end of the year

After nearly a decade, Blues was formally inducted into the Maryland Wrestling Hall of Fame at a special ceremony held at the New Green Room in Dundalk. Later that night, he defeated his old rival Agent Orange at "Legends of Maryland" on November 7, 2009. Blues made a second appearance at MCW's MCW "Xtreme Rules" supercard where he was defeated by Ricky Blues Jr. on April 4, 2010.

In 2010 Ricky Blues, under his given name, became a published author with the novel To Kill The Town. It is the story of independent professional wrestling in Baltimore, Maryland from the mid 1980s through 2000. The story gives the insider's view of all the triumphs and tragedies of those that blazed the trail of the Mid Atlantic hotbed.

Championships and accomplishments

  • Atlantic States Wrestling Alliance
    • ASWA Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

  • Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
    Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
    The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...

    • MEWF Heavyweight Championship
      MEWF Heavyweight Championship
      The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship is the highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....

       (1 time)
    • MEWF Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
    • MEWF Tag Team Championship
      MEWF Tag Team Championship
      This is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...

       (3 times) - with Nick Tarentino, Flexx Wheeler and The New Patriot
      Tom Brandi
      Tom Brandi is a professional wrestler known for his work in World Wrestling Federation as Salvatore Sincere. He is also known for his current work as The Patriot, working for such companies as Pro-Wrestling WORLD-1, National Wrestling Superstars, and other independent promotions on the East...


  • Universal Independent Wrestling
    • UIW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

  • Wrestling Independent Network
    • WIN Atlantic States Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

  • World Wrestling Association
    • WWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Nick Tarentino

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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