Terry Taylor

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the professional wrestler. For other people, see Terry Taylor (disambiguation).
"The Red Rooster" redirects here. For the blues song, see Little Red Rooster. For other uses, see Red Rooster (disambiguation).
Terry Taylor
Taylor, c. 1987
Birth namePaul Worden Taylor III
Born (1955-08-12) August 12, 1955 (age 68)[1]
Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.
Alma materGuilford College
Spouse(s)
Trudy Taylor
​
​
(m. 1988; died 2011)​
Children2
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)
Dr. Feelgood[1]
The Red Rooster[1]
Scary Terry Taylor[1]
Terry Taylor[1]
Terrance Taylor[1]
Taylor Made Man[1]
Billed height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)[2]
Billed weight225 lb (102 kg)[2]
Billed fromVero Beach, Florida
Debut1979[1]
Retired2006

Paul Worden Taylor III (born August 12, 1955)[1] is an American retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name Terry Taylor and for his time as an in-ring performer in National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment. From 2003 until 2011, he worked as a road agent, trainer, interviewer and the director of talent relations in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Since 2012, Taylor has worked as a trainer in WWE's developmental territory, NXT.

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1979–1985)

Terry Taylor was a popular

The Fantastics
.

On June 7, 1981, Taylor won the

Roanoke Civic Center
, dropping it back to him in the return match thirteen days later. Also wrestled for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, and Georgia Championship Wrestling in 1981 and 1982.

Mid-South Wrestling/Universal Wrestling Federation (1985–1987)

Taylor made his way to Mid-South in January 1984 and feuded with the team of

Krusher Darsow. Darsow changed his name to Krusher Khruschev, and he and Taylor met in the finals of a May tournament to crown the first ever Mid-South TV champion, which Khruschev won. 45 days later, Taylor defeated Khruschev in New Orleans to begin his first of four TV title reigns. Taylor feuded with "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel over the NWA National Heavyweight Championship in 1985.[4] On March 13 of that year, he defeated Ted DiBiase for the North American Heavyweight Championship, the Mid South region's top title at the time.[5]

Moving back to the Mid-South region in 1986, which been renamed the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), Taylor became one of the promotion's biggest stars and defeated Buzz Sawyer for the UWF Television Championship in May. He won the UWF Tag Team Championship with "Gentleman" Chris Adams in early 1987, before breaking up their "Dream Team" to begin a heated rivalry.

Jim Crockett Promotions (1987–1988)

After

Starrcade 1987, which Taylor would lose before abruptly leaving the promotion.[6]

World Class Championship Wrestling (1988)

In early 1988, Taylor returned in World Class Championship Wrestling, where he and Adams continued their feud until early June. Taylor won the Texas Heavyweight Championship from Matt Borne and defended it against Adams, Kevin Von Erich, and others. Terry also held the tag team title with Iceman King Parsons for a short time. Taylor eventually departed WCCW.

World Wrestling Federation (1988–1990)

Terry Taylor, c. 1988

In 1988, Taylor signed with the

rooster's comb and strut like a rooster.[8] Early in his Red Rooster stint, the heel Taylor was described by Heenan as a novice wrestler who could not navigate his way through matches without constant instructions from his manager, despite objections from announcers such as Gorilla Monsoon who would recall him showing considerable promise in matches prior to Heenan's involvement. The Rooster made his pay-per-view debut in the main event of Survivor Series '88, where he was the first wrestler eliminated from the match.[9]

On the January 7, 1989 episode of

Saturday Night's Main Event XXIV.[12][13] At Survivor Series '89, he was part of Dusty Rhodes's "Dream Team". Though Taylor was eliminated from the match, the Dream Team was victorious.[14] The Rooster's last pay-per-view appearance was as a participant in the 1990 Royal Rumble match (replacing The Widow Maker), where he lasted only two minutes before being eliminated by André the Giant.[15] Taylor left the federation in June 1990,[8] and "The Red Rooster" gimmick that he had used has left a long lasting very negative effect on Taylor's career as well.[16]

Return to WCW (1990–1992)

In 1990, Taylor returned to Jim Crockett Promotions, now renamed

WCW United States Tag Team Championship for three months.[18]

Eastern Championship Wrestling (1992)

Taylor would make three appearances for Eastern Championship Wrestling during September and October 1992. He would defeat Larry Winters and lost twice to Tony Stetson.[19]

Return to WWF (1992–1993)

On September 21, 1992 Taylor returned to the WWF as "Terrific Terry Taylor", defeating

Lance Cassidy.[17] Taylor was primarily used to put over other talent.[20] His most high profile match during this time was a loss to Randy Savage on the December 14, 1992 airing of Prime Time Wrestling.[17] He appeared in the 1993 Royal Rumble match, but was eliminated in 24 seconds by Ted DiBiase.[21] He worked house shows in the spring against Typhoon, then became a broadcaster and backstage interviewer, wrestling his last on screen match on the May 22, 1993 edition of WWF Mania against Tatanka. Taylor would leave the company in August 1993 after his final match, which was a house show match where he lost to Brutus Beefcake
in Sheffield, England.

Second return to WCW (1993–1994)

Taylor returned to WCW again in September 1993, doing both commentary and in ring business. In January 1994 he teamed with

Tex Slazenger during the spring and summer, he ended his run with three straight victories over Jean Paul Levesque
on an August house show tour of Texas.

American Wrestling Federation (1994–1995)

Taylor became an announcer for the

Blacktop Bully
by disqualification on April 29, 1995 at an AWF event.

Third return to WCW (1996–1998)

Taylor spent several years in WCW working backstage, as a road agent and a writer. Along with Annette Yother, Craig Leathers, Eric Bischoff and Kevin Sullivan, he wrote content for Nitro and WCW pay-per-views. He made his return to the ring on April 20, 1996 in Little Rock, AR when he defeated Steve Regal[17] and would occasionally wrestle on house shows over the next two and a half years. His last match came on September 23, 1998, when he faced Steve McMichael in Utica, NY at a house show.[17]

Second return to WWF (1998–1999)

Taylor returned to the WWF in 1998, doing interviews backstage and sometimes commentary on WWF television. As with WCW, he would occasionally wrestle on live events. His first match would be against Kurt Angle on May 15, 1999 in Baltimore, MD. His final match was against Joey Abs on September 23, 1999.[17]

Fourth return to WCW (1999–2001)

After conducting backstage interviews for a year in the WWF, Taylor returned to WCW yet again. He appeared in a backstage segment with Kimberly on Monday Nitro on November 15, 1999. During this run in WCW, Taylor co-hosted and provided commentary for WCW Saturday Night with Larry Zbyszko. While in WCW, Taylor would also wrestle for the independent promotions. He defeated Tom Prichard at the 2nd Annual Brian Pillman Memorial Show on May 19, 1999, and on July 30, he lost to Chris Jericho at the Mark Curtis Comes Home Memorial Show. He remained with the company until WWF bought it out in March 2001. On August 9, 2001, he defeated Bobby Eaton at 4th Annual Brian Pillman Memorial Show in a match refereed by Ricky Steamboat.

Third return to WWE (2002–2003)

In September 2002, Taylor returned to the now-renamed WWE as a road agent. Taylor lasted in this capacity until July 14, 2003, when he was released from his contract.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2003–2011)

Taylor began working for

Guangzhou, China. On May 20, 2011, Taylor was fired from the promotion.[23]

Fourth return to WWE (2012–present)

In 2012, Taylor was re-signed by WWE to work as a trainer in its developmental territory NXT.

According to Pro Wrestling Torch in 2017, Taylor along with Shawn Michaels taught the finishing class at the WWE Performance Center, the last of four levels of classes.[24]

Personal life

On April 12, 2004, Taylor had three vertebrae in his neck fused together. On April 3, 2006, he underwent a three-hour cervical fusion surgery in which his sixth and seventh vertebrae were joined. Following the second operation, he announced his retirement from the ring.[25]

Taylor is a born-again Christian[26] and has appeared on some of the wrestling and religion shows that Ted DiBiase produces.[25]

Taylor has two sons. His wife and their mother Trudy (née Davidson) died of cancer on July 14, 2011.[27]

Championships and accomplishments

1The Mid-Atlantic promotion in which Taylor and Steiner won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship is not the same promotion that was once owned by Jim Crockett Jr. and sold to Ted Turner in 1988. That promotion went on to be renamed

World Wrestling Entertainment in 2001. This current promotion, however, operates within the same region as the original and uses some of the same regional championships, primarily the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight and Tag Team Championships.[52]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Terry Taylor Profile". Online World Of Wrestling. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0
    .
  3. ISBN 978-1-5502-2683-6
    .
  4. ^ Saalbach, Axel. "Wrestlingdata.com - The World's Largest Wrestling Database".
  5. ^ Saalbach, Axel. "Wrestlingdata.com - The World's Largest Wrestling Database".
  6. ^ "Starrcade 1987 results/info". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  7. ^ "WWF 1988 results". The History of WWE. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-1492825975
    .
  9. ^ "WWF Survivor Series 1988 results/info". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  10. ^ "WWF Saturday Night's Main Event #20 results/info". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  11. ^ "WWF WrestleMania V results/info". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  12. ^ "WWF SummerSlam 1989 results/info". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  13. ^ "WWF Saturday Night's Main Event #24 results/info". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  14. ^ "WWF Survivor Series 1989 results/info". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  15. ^ "WWF Royal Rumble 1990 Entrance & Elimination Information". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  16. ^ Scala, Benny J. (January 13, 2022). "Terry Taylor and the Failed Red Rooster Gimmick". ProWrestlingStories.com. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Home". thehistoryofwwe.com.
  18. ^
    ISBN 978-1499656343
    .
  19. ^ Cawthon, Graham (January 16, 2023). "ECW: 1992-93". TheHistoryOfWWE.com.
  20. ^
    ASIN B00RWUNSRS
    .
  21. ^ "WWF Royal Rumble 1993 Entrance & Elimination Information". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  22. ^ Ward, Marshall (May 28, 2014). "Terry Taylor's lifetime in wrestling celebrated with industry's top award". SlamWrestling.net. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  23. ^ Caldwell, James (May 20, 2011). "TNA News: Sources say VP of talent relations fired Friday, replaced by new team including former WWE executive". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  24. ^ Radican, Sean (September 6, 2017). "Update on newly signed former ROH talent at WWE's Performance Center". pwtorch.com. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  25. ^ a b Terry Taylor bio, www.wwfchamps.com
  26. ISBN 978-1416558903
    .
  27. ^ Gerweck, Steve (July 15, 2011). "Wife of Terry Taylor passes away". WrestleView. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  28. ^ BCW Can-Am Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  29. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on August 9, 2009. Retrieved January 25, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link
    )
  30. ^ NWA Central States Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  31. ^ NWA Central States Television Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  32. ^ NWA/AWA Southern Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  33. ^ NWA Mid-America/AWA Southern Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  34. ^ CWA International Heavyweight Title (Memphis) history At wrestling-titles.com
  35. ^ NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  36. ^ NWA National Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  37. ^ NWA National Television Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  38. ^ NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  39. ^ NWA/WCW United States Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  40. ^ WCW World 6-Man Tag Team Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  41. ^ North American Heavyweight Title (Mid-South) history At wrestling-titles.com
  42. ^ Mid-South Television Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  43. ^ UWF World Tag Team Title (Mid-South) history At wrestling-titles.com
  44. ^ UWF World Television Title (Mid-South) history At wrestling-titles.com
  45. ^ NWA North American Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  46. ^ NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  47. ^ NWA Southeastern Television Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  48. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4
    .
  49. ^ "NWA Texas Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  50. ISBN 978-0-9698161-5-7
    .
  51. ^ "World Class Wrestling Association Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  52. ^ "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (Carolinas / Georgia)".

External links

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