Sam Houston (wrestler)
Sam Houston | |
---|---|
Birth name | Michael Maurice Smith[1] |
Born | [2] Waco, Texas, U.S.[1] | October 11, 1963
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 2 |
Parent(s) | Grizzly Smith (father) |
Relatives | Jake Roberts (half-brother) Rockin' Robin (sister) |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Midnight Rider[2] Sam Houston[2] |
Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)[3] |
Billed weight | 227 lb (103 kg)[3] |
Billed from | Waco, Texas |
Trained by | Grizzly Smith[2] Dusty Rhodes[2] Magnum T. A.[2] |
Debut | 1981[2] |
Michael Maurice[4] Smith (born October 11, 1963) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Sam Houston. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation from 1987 to 1991. Houston's father Grizzly Smith was also a professional wrestler, as was his half-brother Jake Roberts and his sister Rockin' Robin.[1][2]
Professional wrestling career
Championship Wrestling from Florida (1983–1985)
Houston started wrestling in 1983, initially competing in Championship Wrestling from Florida.[2]
After claiming victories over a few opponents with his finisher bulldog in early 1984, Houston's first big challenge was when he had to team up with Bubba Douglas on Feb.4 against The Assassins. After losing that match, he faced other opponents including Buddy Landel, Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Dick Slater, Wahoo McDaniel and Billy Graham.
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (1985–1986)
In 1985, he began working for
In late 1985, he feuded with
Houston formed a cowboy-themed tag team with Nelson Royal during the summer of 1986.
Central States Wrestling (1986)
Houston moved on to the Central States Territory later that year, where he won the title while feuding with Bulldog Bob Brown and Bill Dundee.[2]
Universal Wrestling Federation (1987)
His first few months of 1987 were spent in the Universal Wrestling Federation where he teamed up with Terry Taylor for a short period of time.
World Wrestling Federation (1987–1991)
Houston moved on to the
Houston's first loss came a few weeks later when he was defeated by another new arrival,
He wrestled in the first ever
Houston defeated Steve Lombardi in the dark match at the 1989 Royal Rumble but was unable to move past lower-level competition. On the February 11th edition of WWF Superstars he lost to The Honky Tonk Man in less than two minutes.[7] After this Houston wrestled primarily on house shows, facing Barry Windham and The Genius. In 1990 he appeared sporadically, although he wrestled Jerry Sags in the dark match of the 1991 Royal Rumble.[8] His final match was against The Barbarian on February 7, 1991, in Salt Lake City, UT.[8]
World Championship Wrestling (1991)
After continuing to flounder in the WWF's mid-card as a jobber to the stars, Houston left WWF in February 1991 and joined World Championship Wrestling. His first appearance came on April 17 in Gadsden, Alabama when he defeated
Global Wrestling Federation (1991–1993)
Houston next went to the United States Wrestling Association promotion, which had bought up the World Class Championship Wrestling promotion in Dallas, where he feuded once again with Black Bart.[2] After leaving there he then wrestled on the independent wrestling scene before showing up in January 1992 at the Global Wrestling Federation. His first appearance came on January 3 when he faced Bull Pain.[10] Wrestling as The Midnight Rider[2] he enjoyed greater success, even winning their Television Championship, and teaming with Rockin' Robin and Baby Doll in mixed tag matches against Bull Pain and Samantha Pain.
World Championship Wrestling (1993–1994)
Houston returned to WCW in the summer of 1993, appearing first at a house show in Burlington, NC in a match against Frankie Lancaster. On September 7 he wrestled in a dark match WCW Saturday Night, teaming with Mark Starr to defeat JD Wolfe and Chick Donovan. In a match taped that night and aired on October 9, 1993, Houston and Starr were defeated by Harlem Heat. A follow-up appearance on October 16, teaming with Pez Whatley against The Nasty Boys.[11] His final appearance would come on September 26, 1994, when he was defeated by The Honky Tonk Man at a WCW Pro taping in Knoxville, TN.[12]
Independent circuit (1994–1998, 2007-present)
After WCW, Houston worked in the independent circuit until semi-retiring in 1998.
He returned to wrestling on the independent wrestling circuit for GWE, OWE, and others in 2007.
Personal life
Michael Smith is a second generation professional wrestler, his father being former wrestler Grizzly Smith.[14] His siblings were also wrestlers; his half-brother is Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and his younger sister is Rockin' Robin.[2][14]
Before his departure from the NWA, Smith had begun dating
In August 2005, Smith was sentenced to 10 years in prison for repeated DUI arrests.[2][14] He had been arrested numerous times before, with his ex-wife Roberts claiming in 2005 that he had an average of two DUI arrests per year for the past ten years before he was sent to prison.[14]
Smith's home near New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.[15] He worked part-time at a construction company, and also helped his father at a cemetery, which is operated by the Firemen's Charitable and Benevolent Association, near the French Quarter in New Orleans.[15]
In 2009 Smith resurfaced on the Louisiana indy scene wrestling for Old School Wrestling Entertainment based in New Orleans and Mid South Wrestling Entertainment in Houma, Louisiana. Smith also opened his own wrestling company called Mid South Entertainment. He ran only one show booking the likes of Rod Price, One Man Gang, and many local wrestlers.
In 2021 he moved back to North Carolina where he has family roots on his mother's side. He is married to Kimberly Austin and has one step-daughter, Makayla.
Championships and accomplishments
- Central States Wrestling
- Global Wrestling Federation
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
- NWA Ark-La-Tx
- NWA Ark-La-Tex Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling America
- PWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Charlie Norris[2]
- Virginia Wrestling Association
- VWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[16]
- World Class Wrestling Federation
- WCWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[16]
References
- ^ a b c "Sam Houston". Wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Sam Houston". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
- ^ Sam Houston (himself)
- ^ "1987". thehistoryofwwe.com. January 16, 2023.
- ^ "1988". thehistoryofwwe.com. January 16, 2023.
- ^ "1989". thehistoryofwwe.com. January 16, 2023.
- ^ a b "1990". thehistoryofwwe.com. January 16, 2023.
- ^ "WCW 1991". thehistoryofwwe.com. January 16, 2023.
- ^ "Results « Global Wrestling Federation (GWF) « Promotions Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". Archived from the original on August 14, 2016.
- ^ "WCW 1993". thehistoryofwwe.com. January 16, 2023.
- ^ "WCW 1994". thehistoryofwwe.com. January 16, 2023.
- ^ "Sam Houston – Online World of Wrestling".
- ^ a b c d Mooneyham, Mike (December 18, 2005). "Wrestlers In Jail For The Holidays". The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham. Archived from the original on November 14, 2008. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
- ^ a b Johnson, Steven (March 1, 2006). "Sam Houston and Grizzly Smith rebuild their lives; Hurricane Katrina plus six months". SLAM! Sports. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
External links
- Michael Smith at IMDb
- Sam Houston's profile at Cagematch.net , Internet Wrestling Database