Ron Garvin
From Freepedia
Roger Barnes (better known as Ron Garvin) was a professional wrestler and referee.
Contents |
Career
Ron Garvin (born Roger Barnes) started wrestling in 1962. He formed a team with his "brother" Terry Garvin in the 1960's and early 1970's and they won a few regional tag team titles together. They were managed by their other "brother", Jimmy Garvin.
Garvin made a name for himself as a singles wrestler in the Georgia and Alabama territories in the late 1970's after splitting with Terry and Jimmy.
He then went to the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions where he would achieve his greatest success. He became "The Hands of Stone" Ron Garvin and he feuded with Tully Blanchard and Black Bart before entering in a feud with NWA World Champion Ric Flair in 1987. On September 26, 1987, Garvin was able to defeat Flair for the title. He held it for 3 months before losing it back to Flair.
He briefly feuded with Jim Cornette's "Midnight Express" of Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane after Cornette threw fire in his face. Jimmy Garvin came to his rescue and they teamed for awhile against them before Ron had a singles feud with Cornette's bodyguard, Big Bubba Rogers.
In early 1988, he turned heel by knocking Dusty Rhodes out with a punch to keep him from winning Barry Windham's U.S. Title. He was managed by Gary Hart but left after only a few months as a heel.
He wrestled in the American Wrestling Association in late 1988 and feuded with Greg Gagne over the Television Title. He also feuded with Carlitos Colon over the WWC Universal Title on trips to Puerto Rico during this time.
Garvin next went to the WWF wrestling as "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin. He feuded with Greg Valentine. Valentine defeated him in a 'loser must retire' match. Garvin then became a referee and didn't take any nonsense from anyone. If a wrestler did complain to him after losing their match, he would knock them out. After he cost Valentine a match against "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, his referee license was revoked. He went back to wrestling months later, but only ended up jobbing to up and coming wrestlers such as Earthquake. He then returned to the independents on a semi-retired basis and can still be found in 2005 as a special referee in the independents in the Mid-Atlantic area.
Profile
- Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
- Weight: 231 lbs.
- Birthday: March 30, 1944
- Hometown: Montreal, Quebec
- Trainer: Pat Girard
- Debut: 1962
- Managers: Jimmy Garvin, Gary Hart, Magnum T.A.
- Other Gimmicks: Miss Atlanta Lively, "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin, "Hands of Stone" Ron Garvin, Mr. Knoxville
Finishing / Signature Moves
Championships/Accomplishments
- 1-Time NWA World Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time NWA National Heavyweight Champion
- 4-Time NWA National Television Champion
- 1-Time NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Florida version) (with Terry Garvin)
- 1-Time NWA United States Tag Team Champion (with Barry Windham)
- 1-Time NWA National Tag Team Champion (with Jerry Oates)
- 1-Time NWA Florida Tag Team Champion (with Ole Anderson)
- 2-Time NWA Georgia Tag Team Champion (with Terry Garvin)
- 5-Time NWA Southeast Heavyweight Champion
- 3-Time NWA Southeast Tag Team Champion (with Tony Charles once and Bob Orton, Jr. twice)
American Wrestling Association
- 2-Time WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion
Other Titles
- 2-Time Mid-Southern Tag Team Champion (with Terry Garvin)
- 2-Time ICW Southeast Champion
- 1-Time NCW Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time Tennessee Mountain Wrestling Champion
- 1-Time Tennessee Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Champion (with Tim Horner)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 142 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
Trivia
- Ron is not related to Terry Garvin but he is Jimmy Garvin's stepfather.
- Ron would dress up as "Miss Atlanta Lively" in the NWA to get heels like Jim Cornette and Ric Flair by surprise.
Categories: 1944 births | Canadian professional wrestlers | Quebec sportspeople | Professional wrestling referees | Montrealers
