Jim Powers
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| Jim Powers | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | James Manley Jim Powers |
| Billed height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Billed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Born | January 4, 1958 |
| Resides | East Rutherford, New Jersey |
| Billed from | New York City, New York |
| Trained by | Big John Studd |
| Debut | 1984 |
James Manley (born January 4, 1958), better known by his ring name Jim Powers is an American professional wrestler. He most notably wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-to-late 1980's and early 1990's. The high point of his career was teaming with Paul Roma as The Young Stallions.
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[edit] Career
Powers was discovered and brought into the WWF in late 1984 by Big John Studd who also had a hand in training him. In 1985 Powers ventured outside the WWF to gain more experience most notably by working for two Texas based promotions Texas All-Star Wrestling and World Class Championship Wrestling where he appared at a couple of the federation’s featured ”Star Wars” events. After gaining more experience Powers returned to the WWF and resumed the role he had for most of his career, making the opponents look good.
[edit] Young Stallions
He arguably reached the peak of his career in the WWF when, in March 1987, along with fellow preliminary wrestler Paul Roma, formed a handsome tag team called The Young Stallions. The team seemingly received their name by accident when play-by-play commentator Vince McMahon referred to them once as "a couple of young stallions" thus naming the team. The statement was fitting as Powers possessed huge biceps and a chiseled torso, while Roma's physique resembled that of a Greek God. Powers and Roma were still viewed as enhancement talent when, during the August 8, 1987 episode of WWF Superstars, they scored an upset disqualification victory over WWF Tag Team Champions the Hart Foundation. The victory launched the team into a run as run as featured performers in the WWF. They were even one of only two surviving teams alongside The Killer Bees in the elimination tag team match at the first annual Survivor Series pay-per-view on November 26, 1987.
It wasn't too long before WWF owner Vince McMahon seemed to lose interest in the idea of pushing the Young Stallions. This may have been due, in part, to the fact that Powers and Roma did not get along with each other. The team was placed in featured matches on television and at house shows, but most times ended up on the losing end. Following yet another loss, this time to Demolition on the March 19, 1989 episode of WWF Wrestling Challenge, the team began arguing after matches. Soon, they were split up off camera without an official announcement. Roma and Powers went their separate ways and both floundered on the undercard afterwards, but while Roma would later team up with Hercules to form the team of Power and Glory Powers would continue to work as an “Enhancement talent”. During this time, he most notably became the first WWF wrestler to lose to Ric Flair when the "Nature Boy" made his Federation debut on the September 30, 1991 episode of Prime Time Wrestling. He also had a brief early-1994 house show feud with a then-unknown Tasmaniac, known today as Tazz before leaving the WWF a full decade after first signing with the company.
Having failed to achieve real success in the WWF Powers resurfaced in World Championship Wrestling in the spring of 1995 hoping to shed his “Jobber” imaged. He was scouted and then managed for a brief time by Teddy Long as well as being scheduled to form a mid card stable with “Desperado” Joe Gomez and The Renegade but nothing ever came of it. The “highlight” of his WCW run so to speak was when he was attacked and spray-painted during a mid-1996 match by the emerging New World Order. The reason for the attack was simply that the NWO wanted to address the crowd, It didn't really have anything to do with Jim Powers he was just an expendable body. Just like in the WWF, WCW saw nothing but “Enhancement Talent” work for Jim Powers who finally left the company in early 1999 without doing anything more significant than being 1 in 60 at the annual WCW World War 3 Pay Per View in 1996.
After spending several years in semi-retirement and rehabbing a neck injury that forced him out of the squared circle in the first place, Jim Powers returned to wrestling for an independent promoter on March 9, 2007.
[edit] In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Signature moves
