Ric Savage
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| Frank Huguelet | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | Ric Savage "Heavy Metal" Ric Savage Ric Rage Frankee Lawless |
| Billed height | 6 ft 5 in (195.6 cm) |
| Billed weight | 290 lb (131.5 kg) |
| Born | June 5, 1969 Sylva, North Carolina |
| Resides | New Jersey |
| Trained by | Ivan Koloff Chuck Justice |
| Debut | January, 1991 |
| Retired | 1997 |
"Heavy Metal" Ric Savage is a former American professional wrestler. Born Frank Huguelet in Sylva, North Carolina in 1969, Savage wrestled all across the eastern Seaboard from 1990 until 1997. While spending much of his career in the independent circuits, he also wrestled for the NWA, USWA, ECW, WCW and NCW. Ric's 6"5 290 pound size made him an imposing force and a favorite of promoters.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Ric Savage broke into the wrestling business in the independent circuit in western North Carolina. He was trained initially in a garage in Waynesville, North Carolina by Chuck Justice, a high school friend. Savage then wrestled every independent show he could before getting his first television break with South Atlantic Pro Wrestling in 1991 in a televised match against his childhood hero, Chief Wahoo McDaniel. Savage then trained under the Russian Bear Ivan Koloff at his school in Indian Trails, North Carolina. This elevated Savage to the next level.
Savage went to work for the Professional Wrestling Federation (PWF) owned by Gary Sabaugh (The Italian Stallion) and George South. Savage would compete against Nelson Knight and Bobby Knight before the pair went to WWF as Men on a Mission. He also wrestled "Mean" Mark Canterbury before his debut in the WWF as Henry O. Godwin. Sabaugh booked Savage with World Championship Wrestling where Savage would perform several television tapings in 1992, but was used as a jobber or fall guy. Savage left WCW at the advice of friend and mentor Jimmy Valiant "the Boogie Woogie man", to wrestle for Jerry Lawler's United States Wrestling Alliance (USWA). While working for Lawler, Savage feuded with Skull Von Krush and the Moondogs. After Savage left the USWA, Valiant toured with Savage on the independent scene for several months. Savage credits Valiant for teaching him the wrestling business. Savage also tried a brief cross-promotion with 1980's hair band Quiet Riot, but the venture was not a success.
Savage wrestled for Jim Crockett's National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) where he was managed by former Four Horseman Tully Blanchard, and former Freebird Michael P.S. Hayes. Savage had formed a tag-team with a biker gimmick called the Hard Riders with Mike Cavnar (Rick Rotten) and the pair became the NWA World Tag Team Champions at the Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas with a victory over Chris Youngblood and his brother Mark Youngblood. The Hard Riders also competed against Ahmed Johnson, Greg Valentine, Chris Adams, C.W. Anderson and the Junkyard Dog. The team drifted apart after Crockett folded in 1995. During this time Savage wrestled as Frankie Lawless.
In 1996, after getting his bachelors degree from Western Carolina University, Savage and travelling partner Kid Kash rode to Philadelphia to get work with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW)at the suggestion of friends New Jack and Rob Van Dam. Savage wrestled several house shows as Shane Douglas' Bounty Hunter in an ongoing feud with The Pitbulls. Paul Heyman had Savage change his name to Ric Rage to avoid any conflicts with WCW over Randy Savage. Savage left ECW after a few months, but Kash stayed on. After ECW Savage went back to the independent circuit. During this time Savage made a regional television commercial with Rickey Medlocke of Blackfoot, now the lead guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The commercial was aimed at curbing domestic violence against women in Western North Carolina. Savage also made some regional talkshow appearances as well.
Savage and Cavnar reunited The Hard Riders when Ric Flair offered the team a shot to work for WCW where they had a dark match (non-televised) the following week at Center Stage in Atlanta. The gimmick did not go over with WCW fans and was dropped. Savage then went back to the independent circuit as a single's wrestler and changed his look to a grunge rocker. Savage then had a chance to work for the WWF. His old friend Ahmed Johnson introduced him to Chief Jay Strongbow. Strongbow scheduled a dark match for Savage in Fayetteville, North Carolina. But Strongbow suffered a massive heart attack and was released from the WWF before he could return. Savage's dark match fell through the cracks. In short order Savage was back on the independent circuits.
Savage teamed for a while with Bull Buchanan in a team called Body Count in National Championship Wrestling which was a promotion owned by Savage's longtime manager and friend Steve Martin. Savage also teamed in Body Count with David Young and Rusty Riddle. Riddle turned on Savage and joined forces with Kid Kash and feuded with Savage and David Young for the NCW world tag titles. It was in 1996 that Savage partnered with Steve Martin in National Championship Wrestling and Savage began to help create the wrestler's gimmicks and do interview coaching. NCW did monthly television tapings from Savage's hometown of Sylva, North Carolina. Notable wrestlers that worked for NCW during that time are Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Brad Cain (Lodi), Shannon Moore, Ricky Morton of the Rock and Roll Express, Bull Buchanan, Kid Kash, Jason Arhndt, Rick Michaels, and Chris Hamrick. NCW later became NWA Wildside and was briefly syndicated after Savage left the promotion.
After suffering from a left knee reconstruction, and three lower back surgeries, Savage retired from the ring in 1997. Initially Savage moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania where he performed a live storytelling presentation called "Haunted Gettysburg" for author Bob Wasal at the now defunct Conflict Theater. Later, he moved to New Jersey where he currently resides. Savage now works in the automotive aftermarket industry as a national accounts representative. Savage's true passion has always been American history with special attention to the American Civil War. Savage is an avid artifacts collector, and maintains a website that assists in identifying fake Civil War relics. He also enjoys metal detecting for Civil War artifacts. Savage also writes a column for American Digger magazine called "The Savage Facts" that provides tips on identifying fraudulent Civil War artifacts in online auctions.
[edit] Finishing moves
- Choke Slam
- Spike Piledriver
- Over the Top Cradle Roll
- Belly-to-Belly suplex
[edit] Championships
- International Wrestling Alliance (IWA) United States Heavyweight Champion (1991)
- Western Carolina Wrestling (WCW) Southeastern Regional 6-Man Tag-Team Champion with Chief Wahoo McDaniels and Tommy Gunn (1991)
- Southeastern Wrestling Alliance (SEWA) World Heavyweight Championship (1992)(1993)
- Great American Wrestling Federation (GAWF) Southern Heavyweight Champion (1993)
- National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Tag Team Champion with Mike Cavnar/The Hard Riders (1994)
- National Championship Wrestling (NCW) World Tag Team Champion with Rusty Riddle (1996)
- National Championship Wrestling (NCW) World Tag Team Champion with David Young/Body Count (1997)
