Rick Bognar
Rick Bognar | |
---|---|
Birth name | Richard Bognar |
Born | [1] Surrey, British Columbia, Canada[2] | January 16, 1970
Died | September 20, 2019 Calgary, Alberta, Canada | (aged 49)
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Big Titan[2] Mega Mask Razor Ramon[2] Razor Rick Rick Titan[2] Ti Do[2] |
Billed height | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)[2] |
Billed weight | 272 lb (123 kg)[2] |
Trained by | Mr. Hito[2] Tokyo Joe Daigo[2] |
Debut | 1988 |
Retired | September 29, 2012 |
Richard Bognar (January 16, 1970 – September 20, 2019)[1] was a Canadian professional wrestler, actor, and motivational speaker, best known as the "fake" Razor Ramon[3][2] who debuted in the World Wrestling Federation alongside the "fake" Diesel in a storyline following the departures of Scott Hall (Razor Ramon) and Kevin Nash (Diesel) from the WWF to WCW. He also wrestled as Big Titan in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling.
Professional wrestling career
Canada (1988–1991)
Titan debuted in 1988 in Canadian indies, including the WFWA in Winnipeg, CIWF and the CNWA; both in Calgary. He also wrestled for Stampede Wrestling.
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (1991–1994)
In 1991 as Big Titan through Ricky Fuji's connections in Canada and he joined the Japanese Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling. He made his debut on November 20, 1991 while entering into the FMW World Strongest Tag Team Tournament with The Gladiator. He won the World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship on January 15, 1992, defeating Atsushi Onita. Titan's reign lasted just fifteen days before he lost to Tarzan Goto in Osaka on January 30. He was also part of the original Team Canada stable with Ricky Fuji, Dr. Luther, and The Gladiator. He formed a tag team with The Gladiator, and on January 18, 1994, they defeated Atsushi Onita and Katsutoshi Niyama in a tournament final to become the first ever Brass Knuckles Tag Team Champions. Their reign lasted until April 21, 1994, when they lost to Mr. Pogo and Hisakatsu Oya. His last match for the company would be on December 9, 1994 at Korakuen Hall in a loss to The Gladiator.
Catch Wrestling Association (1994-1995)
After Japan, Bognar made his debut for Catch Wrestling Association in Germany on December 17, 1994 as he lost to Rambo. He would feud with Rambo, August Smisl, Cannonball Grizzly and Tony St. Clair. He left the company in December 1995.
Wrestle and Romance / Wrestle Association R (1995–1996)
He would join
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1996)
Bognar briefly appeared in ECW, wrestling as Big Titan. He appeared at Big Ass Extreme Bash in March 1996, defeating Judge Dredd. The next day he lost to Sabu.
World Wrestling Federation (1996–1997)
In September 1996,
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (1997)
In March 1997 both Diesel and Ramon wrestled in Mexico for
United States Wrestling Association (1997)
Immediately after the 1997 Royal Rumble both Jacobs and Bognar were sent to the United States Wrestling Association as part of a talent exchange program. Initially the two continued their partnership, but would later come to blows. Jacobs lost a "loser leaves town" match to Bognar on June 24 in Louisville, KY, but would return a short time later under a mask as Doomsday. Jacobs was further repackaged later that year as The Undertaker's brother Kane and went on to experience considerable success.[12] Bogner himself publicly discarded his Razor Ramon attire on USWA television and stated that he would now go by the name "Rick Titan" that July.[13] After defeating Bulldog Raines in Lebanon, TN on August 30, Bognar left the company, as his one-year contract had expired. The promotion would ultimately become defunct in November of that year.[14]
World Wrestling Council (1997)
After USWA, he went to Puerto Rico to work for
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1998–1999)
Titan returned to Japan, where he joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling and became a member of the villainous nWo Japan stable. He ended up injuring his neck in a match against Shinya Hashimoto on February 15, 1998 at the Nippon Budokan Hall. Although he wrestled a couple of more tours after his neck injury, he never felt the same afterwards and wrestled his last match on April 23, 1999 at the Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan when he teamed with Keiji Muto and Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeating Tatsumi Fujinami, Manabu Nakanishi and Osamu Nishimura.
Return to Canada (1997–2000)
He returned to Canada for the first time since 1991. Working for Can-Am Wrestling Federation based in Alberta and Saskatchewan. He feuded with Biff Wellington. In 1999, he returned to Stampede Wrestling after the company folded in 1990 and revamped in early 1999 by Ross and Bruce Hart. He would retire from wrestling in 2000.
Return to wrestling (2012)
Bognar returned to wrestling after being inactive for 12 years on September 29, 2012. He wrestled in Calgary for CNWA Mega Expo which he teamed with Raam Dante to defeat KC Andrews and Kenny Doll. This was his last match.
Acting and motivational speaking career
Titan appeared in the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show episode "Honey, Meet the Barbarians" as the "Meanest Barbarian" on February 6, 1998.[15]
After his wrestling career was over, Bognar found a new career as a motivational speaker (calling it transformational speaker) after reading a book about the
Death
On September 20, 2019, Bognar died of an "unexpected and sudden" heart attack.[17] He was 49 years old.[18] Other wrestlers such as Chris Jericho and Glenn Jacobs paid tributes to him on Instagram and Twitter.[19][20]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show | Meanest Barbarian | Episode: "Honey, Meet the Barbarians" |
2015 | Painkillers | Sasquatch |
Championships and accomplishments
- Canadian Rocky Mountain Wrestling
- CRMW International Championship (2 times)[2]
- Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
- FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[21]
- FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with The Gladiator[2][22]
- FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship Tournament (1994) – with The Gladiator[23]
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Razor Ramon
- Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic (1996) Fake Razor Ramon gimmick
See also
References
- ^ a b "Rick Titan, second Razor Ramon, dead at 49". canoe.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Richard Bognar - OWW". December 21, 2023.
- ^ "Whatever happened to the 'fake' Razor Ramon?". ESPN.com. January 26, 2017.
- ISBN 978-1-5460-8582-9.
- ISBN 978-1-77305-302-8.
- ISBN 978-1-68358-114-7.
- ISBN 978-1-326-35581-4.
- ISBN 978-1-326-98172-3.
- ^ "Full Event Results". WWE. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
- ^ Andy. "WWF In Your House 12: It's Time | Results | WWE PPV Event History | Pay Per View". The SmackDown Hotel. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
- ^ "Royal Rumble Entrance & Elimination Information". www.prowrestlinghistory.com. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
- ^ "The Many Gimmicks of Glen Jacobs". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
- ISBN 978-1-4766-4059-4.
- ^ "Matches " Big Titan " Wrestlers Database " CAGEMATCH - the Internet Wrestling Database". Retrieved November 27, 2019.
- Buena Vista Television. Syndication.
- ^ "Whatever happened to the 'fake' Razor Ramon?". ESPN.com. January 26, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- ^ Fedor, Tyson (October 23, 2019). "Calgary wrestler Rick Bognar remembered for his 'huge heart'". Calgary. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-77305-766-8.
- ^ "Chris Jericho on Instagram: "Sorry to hear about the passing of my old friend @titan.rick today. Rick was a constant opponent and friend from the first month I moved to…"". Instagram. September 29, 2019. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- ^ @KaneWWE (September 29, 2019). "Sorry to hear about the passing of Rick "Titan" Bognar. After his wrestling career, best known for his runs in Japan, Rick became a very successful life coach and speaker, helping people work through life's difficulties and find inner peace. #RIP" (Tweet). Retrieved April 4, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ Hoops, Brian (January 15, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/15): Big John Studd wins 1989 Royal Rumble". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
- ^ Hoops, Brian (January 18, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/18): Ivan Koloff defeats Bruno Sammartino for WWWF title". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
- ^ "Pro Wrestling History". prowrestlinghistory.com.
- ^ "Big Titan " Wrestlers Database " CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net.
External links
- Rick Bognar at IMDb
- Rick Bognar's profile at Cagematch.net , Wrestlingdata.com , Internet Wrestling Database