The Heavenly Bodies (1990s) (professional wrestling)

For the physical entities that exist in the universe, see Astronomical object.
The Heavenly Bodies
Tag team
Members Vito DeNucci
Chris Nelson
Former
member(s)		 Tom Prichard
Stan Lane
Jimmy Del Ray
Bobby Eaton
Eddie Golden
Debut 1992
Disbanded 1996
Years active 1992-1996
Promotions ECW
NWA
SMW
WWF
USWA
WCW

The Heavenly Bodies was a professional wrestling tag team famous for having worked in Smoky Mountain Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and various independent promotions. Over the years there have been different variations of the team, which has at different times consisted of "Doctor" Tom Prichard, "Sweet" Stan Lane, "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton, and "Gigolo" Jimmy Del Ray and was led by former Midnight Express manager Jim Cornette.

History

Prichard and Lane

In 1992, veteran wrestlers Tom Prichard and Stan Lane first formed The Heavenly Bodies in Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW). Managed by Jim Cornette, Prichard and Lane became the first ever SMW Tag Team Champions.

During their tenure in SMW, The Heavenly Bodies had long running feuds with the likes of the new The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Jackie Fulton) and The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson). Their feuds were often highlighted with hardcore matches and numerous title changes. A cross-promotional deal with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) allowed The Heavenly Bodies to appear at WCW's SuperBrawl III pay-per-view event on February 21, 1993. They lost their match to The Rock 'n' Roll Express.

Prichard and Del Ray

Later that year, Lane left the team and was replaced by "Gigolo" Jimmy Del Ray. Over the next few years, the new duo competed not only in SMW but also in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), and United States Wrestling Association (USWA). They continued their feud with The Rock 'n' Roll Express in these promotions and began new rivalries with The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott Steiner), and The Smoking Gunns (Bart & Billy Gunn).[1]

In 1993, SMW's unique cross-promotional deal with the WWF allowed The Heavenly Bodies and The Rock 'n' Roll Express to wrestle on the two competitor's pay-per-view shows.[2][3] SMW formed a working agreement with the WWF that allowed The Heavenly Bodies to appear on WWF programming. Prichard and Del Ray unsuccessfully challenged for the WWF Tag Team Championship at SummerSlam 1993[1] but captured the SMW Tag Team Championship against The Rock 'n' Roll Express three months later at Survivor Series 1993.[4]

In 1995, The Bodies defeated PG-13 (JC-Ice & Wolfie D) to capture the USWA Tag Team Championship. Later in the year, Prichard and Del Ray also competed in ECW,[1] aligning themselves with Raven (see Raven's Nest) to face off against The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge). Following the November 1995 closure of SMW, The Heavenly Bodies disbanded. Prichard joined the WWF as Zip of The Bodydonnas while Del Ray competed on the independent circuit.

DeNucci and Nelson

A new Heavenly Bodies team began to compete on the independent circuit around 2000. The New Heavenly Bodies, comprising "Vivacious" Vito DeNucci and "Casanova" Chris Nelson captured the NWA World Tag Team Championship three times, and on occasion, "Gigolo" Jimmy Del Ray serve as their manager.[5] DeNucci and Nelson once were the longest reigning NWA World Tag Team champions, but have since been surpassed by America's Most Wanted. The duo occasionally appear on various independent wrestling shows. The team also wrestled in IPW as Drunk and Disorderly; as well as holding the NWA World Tag Team Championships three times, they have also held the IPW Tag Team Championships among others.

On April 3, 2010 the New Heavenly Bodies defeated the Dark City Fight Club (Jon Davis and Kory Chavis) to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship.[6] On April 16 DeNucci and Nelson lost the titles back to the Dark City Fight Club.

Golden and Thunder

Eddie Golden and K.C. Thunder, former rivals in Southern States Wrestling, teamed together as The Heavenly Bodies throughout the Southeastern United States during 2008. They were occasionally accompanied by their valet Dawn Renea. Although short-lived compared to the prior incarnations, they won the tag team titles in the New Frontier Wrestling Association[7] and challenged the tag champions in NWA All-Star Wrestling. In one of their last matches together, they wrestled Iron Cross and Stan Lee in a Texas Tornado death match at middle school fundraiser in Lebanon, Virginia. According to the pre-match stipulation, The Heavenly Bodies' valet Dawn Renae would have her head shaved if the team failed to win the belts.[8]

In wrestling

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Shields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009). WWE Encyclopedia. DK. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
  2. ↑ PWI Staff (2007). "Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts". "Wrestling’s historical cards" (Kappa Publishing). p. 138.
  3. ↑ PWI Staff (2007). "Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts". "Wrestling’s historical cards" (Kappa Publishing). pp. 91–92.
  4. ↑ "WWE Official Survivor Series 1993 Results". Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  5. ↑ "RFVideo-AJ Styles Wrestling War, with Del Ray as manager". Archived from the original on 2007-01-31. Retrieved 2006-12-27.
  6. ↑ http://www.prowrestlingfusion.com/2010/04/06/040310-call-to-arms/
  7. ↑ "Independent Wrestling Results - May 2008". OnlineWorldofWrestling.com. May 2008.
  8. ↑ "Wrestling returning to Lebanon". Clinch Valley Times (St. Paul, Virginia). December 4, 2008.
  9. ↑ "Jim Cornette profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-11-20.

External links