| Ricky Steamboat, Jr. | |
|---|---|
Steamboat in April 2010 |
|
| Ring name(s) | Richie Steamboat[1] Ricky Steamboat, Jr.[1] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2] |
| Billed weight | 220 lb (100 kg)[2] |
| Born | July 7, 1987 [1][3] Charlotte, North Carolina[1] |
| Billed from | Charlotte, North Carolina[2] |
| Trained by | George South[1] Harley Race[1] Pro Wrestling Noah[1] Ricky Steamboat[1] |
| Debut | July 25, 2008[1] |
Richard Blood, Jr.[1] (born July 7, 1987)[1] is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names Ricky Steamboat, Jr. and Richie Steamboat. He is signed to WWE, and wrestles in Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), WWE's developmental territory as Richie Steamboat.[2] He is a former FCW Florida Tag Team Champion, alongside Seth Rollins.[4]
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Blood trained with George South in Charlotte, North Carolina for several months.[5] He later trained with Harley Race for approximately four months.[5][6]
Blood made his professional wrestling debut on July 25, 2008, using the ring name 'Ricky Steamboat, Jr.', when he defeated George South, Jr. at a Premiere Wrestling Showcase. The following month, Steamboat debuted for the Exodus Wrestling Alliance, when he defeated Mr. Florida to win the EWA Florida Heavyweight Championship on August 9. Just under a month later, on September 4, Steamboat vacated the championship. That same month, Steamboat debuted for Harley Race's World League Wrestling (WLW) promotion, teaming with Naomichi Marufuji to defeat Bao Nguyen and Takeshi Morishima on September 19. He went on a winning streak in WLW, defeating Darin Waid and Tommaso Ciampa, before defeating Terry Murdoch to win the EWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship at a WLW show on October 31. On November 15, Steamboat appeared at an Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South show, where he lost to Prince Mustafa Ali. Steamboat defeated Bobby Eaton to retain the EWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship on November 25, and defeated Eaton in a rematch later that night to win Eaton's EWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship, making him a double champion.[1] On December 5, Stemboat defeated South with a roll-up in Greensboro, North Carolina.[7] The following night, he defeated Jake Manning at Vance High School in Charlotte, North Carolina.[8] In January 2009, Steamboat vacated both the EWA Missouri Heavyweight and the EWA Georgia Heavyweight Championships in order to wrestle in Japan.[1]
In April 2009, Steamboat began wrestling for NWA Charlotte. After suffering an injury the previous night that required fourteen stitches, he was unable to wrestle at Final Destination in April, but was challenged by Vordell Walker.[9] He lost the match to Walker on May 23 and teamed with Zack Salvation in a loss to The American Gangsters (Frank and Nicky) the following week.[1] On July 9, 2009, Steamboat was part of the WLW show held in conjunction with the Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame induction ceremony.[10] The following day, Steamboat wrestled in a three-way match for the WLW Heavyweight Championship, but the match was won by Superstar Steve. On July 11, Steamboat wrestled on an NWA Mid Atlantic card, unsuccessfully challening Ricky Nelson for the NWA Mid-Atlantic Junior Heavyweight Championship.[1] His made his final independent circuit appearance on Noevmber 13, defeating Jake Manning at a Northeast Wrestling show.[11]
Blood lived and trained at the Pro Wrestling Noah Dojo in Japan for three months, beginning in January 2009.[12][13] He made his Pro Wrestling Noah debut under the name 'Ricky Steamboat, Jr.' on January 23, 2009, in a loss to Makoto Hashi.[1] On February 15, Steamboat teamed with Buchanan in a loss to Akira Taue and Taiji Ishimori.[14] Three days later, Steamboat, Buchanan, and Roderick Strong were defeated by Kotaro Suzuki, Mohammed Yone, and Takeshi Rikio.[1] On February 21, Naomichi Marufuji and Atsushi Aoki defeated Steamboat and Doug Williams, and the following night, Steamboat and Ippei Ota lost to Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Kotaro Suzuki.[15] His final appearance for Pro Wrestling Noah was on March 1, when he teamed with Tamon Honda and Jun Izumida in a loss to Takuma Sano, Kentaro Shiga, and Kishin Kawabata at Budokan Hall.[16] On March 8, Steamboat wrestled at a Kensuke Office show, where he teamed with Ippei Ota in a loss to Katsuhiko Nakajima and Takashi Okita.[1]
In mid-2009, Steamboat wrestled for the World Wrestling Council (WWC) in Puerto Rico.[12] He made his WWC debut on July 24, by defeating Ricky Reyes. He went on to defeat Tommy Diablo, before losing to Orlando Colón on July 31. He then began to feud with Hiram Tua.[1] The pair exchanged victories in singles matches, before Steamboat teamed with his father Ricky Steamboat to defeat Tua and Colón on August 15.[1][17]
He also trained in Europe for a few months, and toured England with All Star Wrestling (ASW) in October 2009.[12] He debuted in ASW on October 2, and defeated Mark Haskins. Victories over Karl Kramer and Mikey Whiplash followed, and on October 18, Steamboat teamed with Gladiator Goliath to defeat the team of Jamie Gardner and Steve Allison. Two wins over Jimmy Jacobs were followed by further victories over Mikey Whiplash, and tag team victories over Doug Williams and Nick Aldis, and Gardner and Allison.[1]
Blood signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in December 2009, and was assigned to Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), WWE's developmental territory.[18]
Blood debuted in FCW on February 18, 2010, under the ring name 'Richie Steamboat' and lost to Heath Slater in his first match for the promotion.[19] His first victory in FCW came at the television tapings on February 25, when he defeated Donny Marlow.[19] He went on to wrestle against Derrick Bateman, Wade Barrett, Curt Hawkins, Alex Riley, and Johnny Curtis, before suffering a torn Posterior cruciate ligament in March, which sidelined him for several months.[1][19] Following his return, he teamed with his father to defeat The Dudebusters of Trent Baretta and Caylen Croft on June 20.[19] In August, he unsuccessfully challenged Mason Ryan for the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship.[19] Throughout late 2010, he competed against wrestlers including Jinder Mahal, Roman Leakee, Michael McGillicutty, Lucky Cannon, and Byron Saxton.[19]
In December 2010, Steamboat formed a tag team with Seth Rollins, with the pair defeating Jacob Novak and Mahal in their first match as a team.[19] On January 6, 2011, Steamboat and Rollins challenged Titus O'Neill and Damien Sandow for the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship, but were unsuccessful.[20] At the Miami-Dade County Fair on March 25, Steamboat and Rollins defeated O'Neill and Sandow to win the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship.[4] They held the championship until May 12, when they dropped it to the team of Calvin Raines and Big E. Langston.[4]
In late 2011, Steamboat interfered in a fatal four-way match for the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship, and accidentally superkicked by Husky Harris.[21] On the following episode of FCW television, Steamboat attacked Harris again, after finding him standing over Aksana, and believing Harris had attacked her.[22] As a result, Steamboat and Harris began feuding, with their first match ending in a no contest.[23] Leo Kruger later defeated the pair in a triple threat match to retain the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship, and the following week, Steamboat lost to Harris in a No Hold Barred match.[24][25] After the pair continued to attack each other backstage and during matches, FCW General Manager Maxine announced on the December 19 episode of FCW television that she had suspended both men for 30 days.[26][27][28]
Blood's father, Richard Blood, Sr., is also a professional wrestler, known as Ricky Steamboat.[2] Blood began participating in amateur wrestling at the age of five.[29] Blood often competed against Reid Fliehr in wrestling competitions during his high school years.[30] Blood won four state titles and two national titles in amateur wrestling, and was a member of the Ohio All-Star team.[29] He was offered a place on the Junior Olympic wrestling team, but turned it down.[29] Blood also played football in high school as a linebacker and tight end, and played four years of varsity football at Lake Norman High School.[29] Blood has completed two years of a college course in International Business, and plans to return to finish his degree.[12]