Austin Idol

Mike McCord^[2] (born on October 26, 1949)^[1] is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name the "Universal Heartthrob" Austin Idol.

Professional wrestling career

McCord graduated from Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida. He started wrestling as Iron Mike McCord, a superheavyweight powerlifter in 1972, and became a star in a number of southeast promotions, holding many titles in the Memphis, Georgia, Birmingham, Texas All Star & Mid Atlantic territories. McCord also had a stint in the WWWF with Lou Albano as his manager. He also worked main event matches against then world champion Pedro Morales. McCord was the passenger on a small airplane, along with Gary Hart, and flown by Buddy Colt, which crashed in 1975 into Tampa Bay, Florida, killing fellow wrestler Bobby Shane.

After a period of inactivity healing from two broken ankles, he emerged with bleach-blonde hair, over 100 lbs lighter, and the new ring name "Universal Heartthrob" Austin Idol.

Idol is well known for a feud during The 80s with the popular Jerry "The King" Lawler in the CWA and AWA territories. In a 1981 angle, Idol dressed up as a masked Mexican wrestler, presenting the "Top Rated Wrestler in Mexico" award to Lawler on TV before sucker-punching him.^[3] Afterward, he delivered an interview where he promised to clean up Memphis and rid it of Lawler.^[3]Early in the year, Lawler burned Idol's neck in a match. On April 27, 1987, Idol defeated Lawler in a steel cage match with the assistance of "Wildfire" Tommy Rich, who hid underneath the ring for the entirety of the event, winning the AWA Southern Heavyweight championship and causing Lawler to lose his hair.^[3]

Idol semi-retired in 1990, wrestling only every few years until the mid-1990s.^[2] In addition, he promoted his own promotion in Alabama in 1993.^[2] After appearing on Memphis Power Pro Wrestling's first television show in 1998, he officially retired.^[2] Idol has since become a popular motivational speaker.

November 2012, Idol launched his new radio program "Austin Idol Rock & Roll Wrestling Show" broadcasting on American Hearts Network.

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Las Vegas Leglock (Figure four leglock)^[1]

• Signature moves
  • Elbow smash^[1]
  • Knee drop^[1]
  • Sleeper hold^[1]
  • Piledriver^[1]

• Managers
  • Jimmy Hart^[4]
  • Paul Heyman

Entrance Music

• "Do You Wanna Touch Me?" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

Championships and accomplishments

• All Japan Pro Wrestling
  • PWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Stan Hansen^[1]

• Continental Wrestling Association
  • AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (3 times)^[1]
  • AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jerry Lawler^[1]
  • CWA International Heavyweight Championship (4 times)^[1]
  • CWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[1]
  • CWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Dutch Mantel (2)^[1] and Jerry Lawler (1)^[1]

• Georgia Championship Wrestling
  • NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[1]
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Masked Superstar^[1]
  • NWA Georgia Television Championship (2 times)^[1]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1975)^[5]
  • PWI ranked him # 193 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003.

• Southeastern Championship Wrestling
  • NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (2 times)^[1]
  • NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) (3 times)^[1]
  • NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Southern Division) (1 time)^[1]

• Texas All-Star Wrestling
  • TAS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[1]

• World Championship Wrestling (Australia)
  • NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jimmy Golden^[1]

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Feud of the Year (1987) with Tommy Rich vs. Jerry Lawler

References