Ron Fuller (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Welch is a retired professional wrestler and manager
better known by his ring name
s Ron Fuller and Tennessee Stud. He is the elder brother of Robert Fuller
(Col. Robert Parker). Ron and his brother co-owned Continental Championship Wrestling
for a time.
. Upon graduation, he followed in his family's footsteps and became a professional wrestler. He started out with his grandfather and father's promotion in Tennessee and eventually bought it out. In the 1970s and early-1980s, Fuller expanded his territory from Tennessee to the Florida panhandle, naming it Southeastern Championship Wrestling
and making it a "hot spot" for Southern wrestling.
In the early 1980s, Fuller wore a mask and called himself the "Tennessee Stud". He teamed with his brother Robert and cousin Jimmy Golden
several times, challenging for the NWA Southeast Tag Team Championship
held by the heel team of Arn Anderson
and Jerry Stubbs
. The Fullers came up on the short end in their title chase, with the storyline being that Robert was injured by Anderson and Stubbs. Ron went through a variety of tag team partners, including André the Giant
, to try and beat the Anderson/Stubbs tandem. Fuller finally found a partner in Bob Armstrong
and seemed to beat Anderson and Stubbs, but the title was held up by NWA President Bob Geigel
, who ordered a rematch. Fuller turned heel on Armstrong, allowing Stubbs and Anderson to keep the belts.
As the territory's owner, he created a new singles belt called the NWA Southeast Continental Heavyweight Championship
. In the storyline, he named Freebird
Michael Hayes
the champion. The following week, Hayes arrived in Dothan, AL, to defend the belt against Fuller. Fuller won and planned to leave the area to defend it. However, Fuller was "contractually obligated" to stay in the territory. Fuller tore up the contract, but TV announcer Charlie Platt revealed it was a photocopy. Bob Armstrong sneaked up behind Fuller, holding a piece of paper. When Fuller asked where the original copy was, Platt replied, "Right behind you." When Fuller turned, Armstrong punched him and he fell over the announcers table. Armstrong then gained his revenge on Fuller by winning the Continental title.
In 1985, Fuller changed the name of the territory to Continental Championship Wrestling
, to compete with Vince McMahon
's World Wrestling Federation
(WWF; Now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE). At that time, he created the Stud Stable
and renewed his feud with Armstrong. In a steel cage tag team match, Fuller teamed with cousin Jimmy Golden against Armstrong and Robert Fuller. Robert turned heel and all three beat up Armstrong. Armstrong's sons Brad, Steve, and Scott came to their father's rescue, but he was already injured. The next week, Fuller revealed a clause in the contract claiming, "Because Armstrong lost (though a pin never occurred), he must leave the territory." In the weeks that followed, The Stud Stable eliminated all of the Armstrongs except for Brad. Brad teamed with 7'7" wrestler Big John Harris. While Fuller fought Harris outside the ring, Golden and Robert were about to "squash" Brad. Suddenly, a masked man ran to the ring and saved him. The man put Robert in the figure-four leglock and Robert screamed in pain. The masked man spoke and said, "You can call me The Bullet!" Hearing him sound like Bob Armstrong, Fuller cried out in anger. In the following weeks, Fuller talked with Bob Geigel, who declared on television, "If The Bullet is unmasked as Bob Armstrong, he is banned for life."
Over the next two years, Fuller and his stable tried unmasking Armstrong, but never succeeded. In a steel cage match, Armstrong locked Fuller in the figure-four and kept it clamped on. The storyline was that the move broke Fuller's leg, giving him a storyline to retired as a wrestler. Still working as a manager, he brought in different wrestlers to the Stud Stable. In 1987, he hired Kevin Sullivan
to unmask Armstrong, but Sullivan revealed he had used Fuller as a pawn to start his own faction. He brought in the New Guinea Headhunters, Sheik Abdul (Saudi Arabia), and Kris Von Kolt (Germany). Fuller and the Stud Stable turned face and put their differences with The Bullet aside. The Bullet, the Armstrongs and the Stud Stable then formed an alliance to battle Sullivan and his clique. Since Sullivan's faction were foreigners (kayfabe) who hated America, the alliance became American patriots. However, Sullivan brought up that Fuller could not wrestle, because he was medically forced to retire, so Fuller set out to fluster Sullivan by donning his Tennessee Stud mask once again. In a throwback to Bob Armstong's Bullet storyline, The Tennessee Stud arrived to wrestle on behalf of Ron Fuller.
After the feud ended, Golden and Robert turned heel again, but Ron "retired" as a face. He made on and off again appearances on TV and at arena shows. However, he really worked behind the scenes. In 1988, he sold Continental Championship Wrestling (which became the Continental Wrestling Federation
) and retired from the business.
Throughout the 1990s, he helped bring World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) shows to the old territory, but never worked full time for the promotion. Following that he ran a series of shows in Knoxville at the Homer Hamilton Theater that ended up being a short lived developmental area for WWE. Since this Fuller has retired to Loudon, TN where he has washed his hands of the business.
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
better known by his ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
s Ron Fuller and Tennessee Stud. He is the elder brother of Robert Fuller
Robert Fuller
Robert Welch is a professional wrestler and manager better known by his ring names Robert Fuller and Col. Robert Parker. Robert and his brother Ron co-owned Continental Championship Wrestling for a time.-Career:...
(Col. Robert Parker). Ron and his brother co-owned Continental Championship Wrestling
Continental Championship Wrestling
Continental Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion based out of Knoxville, Tennessee from 1974 until 1988 and Dothan, Alabama from 1978 to 1990, managed by Ron Fuller. When Fuller sold the promotion to David Woods, it changed name to the Continental Wrestling Federation...
for a time.
Career history
At 6'9", Fuller was a basketball stand-out in high school and won a scholarship to the University of MiamiUniversity of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. Upon graduation, he followed in his family's footsteps and became a professional wrestler. He started out with his grandfather and father's promotion in Tennessee and eventually bought it out. In the 1970s and early-1980s, Fuller expanded his territory from Tennessee to the Florida panhandle, naming it Southeastern Championship Wrestling
Continental Championship Wrestling
Continental Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion based out of Knoxville, Tennessee from 1974 until 1988 and Dothan, Alabama from 1978 to 1990, managed by Ron Fuller. When Fuller sold the promotion to David Woods, it changed name to the Continental Wrestling Federation...
and making it a "hot spot" for Southern wrestling.
In the early 1980s, Fuller wore a mask and called himself the "Tennessee Stud". He teamed with his brother Robert and cousin Jimmy Golden
Jimmy Golden
James "Jimmy" Golden is an American professional wrestler, who is better known as Bunkhouse Buck.Golden has many relatives in wrestling: his cousins are Robert & Ron Fuller, his father is Billy Golden and his uncle is Buddy Fuller and his nephew is Eddie Golden. His grandfather is Roy Welch...
several times, challenging for the NWA Southeast Tag Team Championship
NWA Southeast Tag Team Championship
The NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship was the major tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliance's Alabama territory known as Southeast Championship Wrestling. It existed from 1974 until 1986, when it became the NWA Southeast Continental Tag Team Championship...
held by the heel team of Arn Anderson
Arn Anderson
Martin Anthony Lunde better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is a former American professional wrestler and author. His career has been highlighted by his alliances with Ric Flair and various members of the wrestling stable, The Four Horsemen, in the NWA/WCW...
and Jerry Stubbs
Jerry Stubbs
Jerry Stubbs is a retired professional wrestler. Stubbs wrestled as Mr. Olympia in Bill Watts's Mid-South wrestling area and as the villainous Jerry “Mr. Perfect” Stubbs in Southeast/Continental wrestling promotions...
. The Fullers came up on the short end in their title chase, with the storyline being that Robert was injured by Anderson and Stubbs. Ron went through a variety of tag team partners, including André the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
, to try and beat the Anderson/Stubbs tandem. Fuller finally found a partner in Bob Armstrong
Bob Armstrong
Joseph Melton James is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. In the course of his career, which spanned five decades, Armstrong held numerous championships throughout the Southeastern United States...
and seemed to beat Anderson and Stubbs, but the title was held up by NWA President Bob Geigel
Bob Geigel
Robert "Bob" Geigel is a former American professional wrestling promoter and also a former professional wrestler. Geigel ran the NWA Central States promotion between 1963 and 1986, until it was bought out by Jim Crockett Promotions...
, who ordered a rematch. Fuller turned heel on Armstrong, allowing Stubbs and Anderson to keep the belts.
As the territory's owner, he created a new singles belt called the NWA Southeast Continental Heavyweight Championship
NWA Southeast Continental Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Continental Heavyweight Championship was a major title in the National Wrestling Alliance's Alabama territory called Southeastern Championship Wrestling. It existed from 1984 until 1988 when CCW became the Continental Wrestling Federation. The title continued on as the CWF Heavyweight...
. In the storyline, he named Freebird
Fabulous Freebirds
The Fabulous Freebirds were a professional wrestling tag team that attained fame in the 1980s, performing into the 1990s. The team usually consisted of three wrestlers, although in different situations and points in its history, just two performed under the Freebirds name.-History:The Fabulous...
Michael Hayes
Michael Hayes (wrestler)
Michael Seitz is a retired American professional wrestler and former musician. Seitz is best known for leading The Fabulous Freebirds under the ring name Michael "P.S." Hayes and for his role as the announcer Dok Hendrix in the World Wrestling Federation...
the champion. The following week, Hayes arrived in Dothan, AL, to defend the belt against Fuller. Fuller won and planned to leave the area to defend it. However, Fuller was "contractually obligated" to stay in the territory. Fuller tore up the contract, but TV announcer Charlie Platt revealed it was a photocopy. Bob Armstrong sneaked up behind Fuller, holding a piece of paper. When Fuller asked where the original copy was, Platt replied, "Right behind you." When Fuller turned, Armstrong punched him and he fell over the announcers table. Armstrong then gained his revenge on Fuller by winning the Continental title.
In 1985, Fuller changed the name of the territory to Continental Championship Wrestling
Continental Championship Wrestling
Continental Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion based out of Knoxville, Tennessee from 1974 until 1988 and Dothan, Alabama from 1978 to 1990, managed by Ron Fuller. When Fuller sold the promotion to David Woods, it changed name to the Continental Wrestling Federation...
, to compete with Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
's World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF; Now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE). At that time, he created the Stud Stable
Stud Stable
The Stud Stable was a professional wrestling heel stable in World Championship Wrestling, Southeast Championship Wrestling and the Continental Wrestling Association.-History:...
and renewed his feud with Armstrong. In a steel cage tag team match, Fuller teamed with cousin Jimmy Golden against Armstrong and Robert Fuller. Robert turned heel and all three beat up Armstrong. Armstrong's sons Brad, Steve, and Scott came to their father's rescue, but he was already injured. The next week, Fuller revealed a clause in the contract claiming, "Because Armstrong lost (though a pin never occurred), he must leave the territory." In the weeks that followed, The Stud Stable eliminated all of the Armstrongs except for Brad. Brad teamed with 7'7" wrestler Big John Harris. While Fuller fought Harris outside the ring, Golden and Robert were about to "squash" Brad. Suddenly, a masked man ran to the ring and saved him. The man put Robert in the figure-four leglock and Robert screamed in pain. The masked man spoke and said, "You can call me The Bullet!" Hearing him sound like Bob Armstrong, Fuller cried out in anger. In the following weeks, Fuller talked with Bob Geigel, who declared on television, "If The Bullet is unmasked as Bob Armstrong, he is banned for life."
Over the next two years, Fuller and his stable tried unmasking Armstrong, but never succeeded. In a steel cage match, Armstrong locked Fuller in the figure-four and kept it clamped on. The storyline was that the move broke Fuller's leg, giving him a storyline to retired as a wrestler. Still working as a manager, he brought in different wrestlers to the Stud Stable. In 1987, he hired Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)
Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...
to unmask Armstrong, but Sullivan revealed he had used Fuller as a pawn to start his own faction. He brought in the New Guinea Headhunters, Sheik Abdul (Saudi Arabia), and Kris Von Kolt (Germany). Fuller and the Stud Stable turned face and put their differences with The Bullet aside. The Bullet, the Armstrongs and the Stud Stable then formed an alliance to battle Sullivan and his clique. Since Sullivan's faction were foreigners (kayfabe) who hated America, the alliance became American patriots. However, Sullivan brought up that Fuller could not wrestle, because he was medically forced to retire, so Fuller set out to fluster Sullivan by donning his Tennessee Stud mask once again. In a throwback to Bob Armstong's Bullet storyline, The Tennessee Stud arrived to wrestle on behalf of Ron Fuller.
After the feud ended, Golden and Robert turned heel again, but Ron "retired" as a face. He made on and off again appearances on TV and at arena shows. However, he really worked behind the scenes. In 1988, he sold Continental Championship Wrestling (which became the Continental Wrestling Federation
Continental Championship Wrestling
Continental Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion based out of Knoxville, Tennessee from 1974 until 1988 and Dothan, Alabama from 1978 to 1990, managed by Ron Fuller. When Fuller sold the promotion to David Woods, it changed name to the Continental Wrestling Federation...
) and retired from the business.
Throughout the 1990s, he helped bring World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) shows to the old territory, but never worked full time for the promotion. Following that he ran a series of shows in Knoxville at the Homer Hamilton Theater that ended up being a short lived developmental area for WWE. Since this Fuller has retired to Loudon, TN where he has washed his hands of the business.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Fuller Leglock (Inside toehold leglock)
- Wrestlers managedManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Stud StableStud StableThe Stud Stable was a professional wrestling heel stable in World Championship Wrestling, Southeast Championship Wrestling and the Continental Wrestling Association.-History:...
(Robert FullerRobert FullerRobert Welch is a professional wrestler and manager better known by his ring names Robert Fuller and Col. Robert Parker. Robert and his brother Ron co-owned Continental Championship Wrestling for a time.-Career:...
, Jimmy GoldenJimmy GoldenJames "Jimmy" Golden is an American professional wrestler, who is better known as Bunkhouse Buck.Golden has many relatives in wrestling: his cousins are Robert & Ron Fuller, his father is Billy Golden and his uncle is Buddy Fuller and his nephew is Eddie Golden. His grandfather is Roy Welch...
, Cactus JackMick FoleyMichael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
and Brian LeeBrian LeeBrian Lee Harris is a retired American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Prime Time" Brian Lee...
)
Championships and accomplishments
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Florida Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Florida Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship was a major title in Championship Wrestling from Florida, USA and is now the major title in NWA Florida. It started in 1937 and was abandoned in 1949. It was picked back up in 1966 by CWF and lasted until 1987 when the company was purchased by Jim Crockett...
(1 time) - NWA Florida Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Florida Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Florida Tag Team Championship is the primary tag team title in Pro Wrestling Fusion. It started out in 1968 as the main tag team title in Championship Wrestling from Florida and lasted until 1990 when it was abandoned. It was picked back up in 1997 by NWA Florida, where it was the primary...
(1 time) - with Jimmy GoldenJimmy GoldenJames "Jimmy" Golden is an American professional wrestler, who is better known as Bunkhouse Buck.Golden has many relatives in wrestling: his cousins are Robert & Ron Fuller, his father is Billy Golden and his uncle is Buddy Fuller and his nephew is Eddie Golden. His grandfather is Roy Welch... - NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (1 time)
- Mid-South SportsGeorgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
- NWA Georgia Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Georgia Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship was the major title in the Georgia Championship Wrestling professional wrestling promotion. It started in 1964 and was unified in 1981 with the NWA National Heavyweight Championship....
(1 time)
- NWA Mid-America - Continental Wrestling AssociationContinental Wrestling AssociationThe Continental Wrestling Association was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually referred to as Mid-Southern Wrestling...
- AWA Southern Heavyweight ChampionshipAWA Southern Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Memphis Wrestling Southern Heavyweight Championship is a major professional wrestling title in the Memphis Wrestling promotion. The title is part of a long lineage that is best known while the title was named the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship for Continental Wrestling Association during...
(1 time) - NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Memphis version)AWA Southern Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Memphis Wrestling Southern Heavyweight Championship is a major professional wrestling title in the Memphis Wrestling promotion. The title is part of a long lineage that is best known while the title was named the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship for Continental Wrestling Association during...
(1 time) - NWA Tennessee Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Tennessee Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship was a secondary tag team title promoted as the name indeicates mainly in the Tennessee region from 1967 until 1977, first by Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling from 1967 to 1974 then by its successor Southeast Championship Wrestling from 1974 to 1977 when it...
(1 time) - with The Assassin
- Southeastern Championship WrestlingContinental Championship WrestlingContinental Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion based out of Knoxville, Tennessee from 1974 until 1988 and Dothan, Alabama from 1978 to 1990, managed by Ron Fuller. When Fuller sold the promotion to David Woods, it changed name to the Continental Wrestling Federation...
- NWA Alabama Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Alabama Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship was created in October, 1962. Since its creation, the championship has been defended in a number of NWA territories throughout the decades....
(2 times) - NWA Southeast Continental Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Southeast Continental Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Continental Heavyweight Championship was a major title in the National Wrestling Alliance's Alabama territory called Southeastern Championship Wrestling. It existed from 1984 until 1988 when CCW became the Continental Wrestling Federation. The title continued on as the CWF Heavyweight...
(1 time) - NWA Southeast Heavyweight Championship (5 times)