Ray Traylor

Infobox Wrestler
name=Ray Traylor

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image_size=250
names= (The) Big Boss Man
Big Bubba Rogers
War Machine
The Boss
Guardian Angel
Big Bubba
Ray Traylor
The Boss Man
height= 6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
weight= 305 lb (142 kg) - 357 pounds (162 kg)
birth_date =birth date|1963|5|2|mf=y
death_date =death date and age|2004|9|22|1963|5|2|mf=y
birth_place =Marietta, Georgia
death_place =Paulding County, Georgia
billed=The Department of Corrections in Cobb County, Georgia
trainer=Mickey Henry
debut=1985|

Raymond W. Traylor, Jr. (May 2, 1963 – September 22, 2004) [ [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pif&GRid=9507643&PIgrid=9507643&PIcrid=33532&ShowCemPhotos=Y& Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials ] ] was an American professional wrestler. Best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man (sometimes spelled Big Bossman).

Wrestling career

Early years

Traylor, a former prison guard in Cobb County, Georgia, made his debut in 1985. He was brought into Jim Crockett's World Championship Wrestling as a bodyguard for Jim Cornette, who along with the Midnight Express was feuding with the James Boys (Dusty Rhodes and Magnum T.A. under masks). In 1987, under the ring name Big Bubba Rogers, he won the Universal Wrestling Federation title from One Man Gang, who was dropping his belt after signing with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation.

World Wrestling Federation (1988-1993)

In 1988, Traylor himself joined the WWF under the name The Big Bossman, based on his previous profession. (The WWF would later exploit that background by bringing in Nailz, a former convict who believed Traylor had wronged him). Traylor enjoyed a good deal of success in the company. Bossman made his pay per view debut at Summerslam 1988 defeating KoKo B. Ware. Bossman made a huge impact when he attacked Hulk Hogan on Brother Love's Interview segment, giving Hogan quite a beating with his Nightstick in October '88 on WWF Superstars. As a heel, he challenged for Hulk Hogan's WWF World Championship and also teamed with Akeem, the former One Man Gang to form the Twin Towers. The Twin Towers beat The Rockers at Wrestlemania V and feuded with Demolition for the WWF Tag Team titles. On an edition of Saturday Night's Main Event in 1989, he and Hogan faced each other in a memorable steel cage match for the WWF Title in which Hogan superplexed the 350 pound Traylor off the top of the cage. He later became a face in early 1990 on The Brother Love Interview segment after refusing to give Ted DiBiase his Million Dollar Belt back after DiBiase had paid Slick off for Bossman to retrieve the belt from Jake The Snake Roberts' bag that held his python and Bossman refused to take a payoff., he returned the bag with the belt and snake to Jake Roberts and proceeded to shove his manager Slick down, telling DiBiase that he couldn't be bought. He would also join forces with Hogan at Survivor Series in 1990 along with "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and Tugboat, defeating The Earthquake's team. He also opposed Bobby Heenan's stable of wrestlers, The Heenan Family after Heenan made remarks about Boss Man's Mother. Boss Man defeated Heenan's wrestlers such as The Barbarian at the 1991 Royal Rumble. This included a memorable encounter with Mr. Perfect at WrestleMania VII for the Intercontinental title in 1991 with Boss Man winning by DQ. Boss Man would go on to beat wrestlers such as Ted DiBiase, Dino Bravo, Rick Rude, and The Mountie. He also feuded with former tag team partner Akeem, defeating him in less than two minutes at WrestleMania VI. Boss Man beat The Mountie in an infamous Jailhouse Match at Summerslam 1991 with The Mountie having to spend a night in jail. Another memorable Bossman feud was with Nailz in 1992 with Nailz attacking him with a Nightstick which kept him out of action for several months, when Bossman returned he went after his enemy and defeated Nailz in a Nightstick (On a Pole) Match at Survivor Series 1992. Bossman left the WWF in March 1993.

World Championship Wrestling (1993-1998)

After leaving the WWF in 1993, Traylor had a brief stint in All Japan Pro Wrestling before returning to the United States to work for World Championship Wrestling. Traylor was originally known as The Boss, but the WWF legal department determined the character to be too similar to the one that Traylor had portrayed in the WWF and forced WCW to change it. As a result, Traylor became the Guardian Angel. He feuded with Big Van Vader for most of 1994. Soon, Traylor returned to his original Big Bubba character. Big Bubba defeated Sting at Uncensored in March 1995.

Big Bubba joined the Dungeon of Doom faction before eventually defecting to the nWo. Eventually, a loophole in Bubba's contract forced him out of the nWo. As a result of this, Bubba became a face once again and began competing under his real name - Ray Traylor. He frequently worked with the Steiner Brothers during this time period. He began feuding with the nWo, defeating several nWo members such as Scott Hall, Curt Hennig, and Vincent.

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (1998-2003-Second Run)

Eventually, Traylor would return to the WWF on the October 12, 1998 episode of RAW is War, once again under his Big Bossman persona, but wearing a SWAT-style uniform instead of his old police one. His gimmick was changed from a "cop" into a bully-type personal security officer, or bodyguard-type character, willing to do anything for a price. He was immediately established as a top of the mid-card character, quite a departure from the lower mid-card status he had in WCW just weeks previously. He was introduced as a member of The Corporation, a group of wrestlers controlled by WWF owner Vince McMahon to combat Stone Cold Steve Austin as well as D-Generation X, as The Corporation's "personal security". The Boss Man would have several matches with Austin. He won the WWF Tag Team Titles with Ken Shamrock and beat Al Snow for the WWF Hardcore Title, a feud which included the infamous storyline involving Al's dog Pepper, leading eventually to the much-maligned "Kennel From Hell" match at Unforgiven 1999. While still a member of the Corporation, Bossman competed at WrestleMania XV. In fact, he was feuding with The Undertaker (as the Corporation at the time feuded with the Undertaker and his newly formed "Ministry of Darkness", despite both being heel factions). This led to what seemed like the nadir of the Hell in a Cell tradition, as 'Taker beat Bossman inside the Cell at WrestleMania XV, including a kayfabe "hanging" of Bossman by the Undertaker himself, which left him suspended about 15 feet in the air, motionless.

After his return, he would eventually go on to feud with The Big Show over the WWF Championship. This feud is infamous for a skit where Boss Man showed up at Big Show's father's funeral and proceeded to steal Show's father's casket by rigging it to the back of his car (the Bluesmobile from the Blues Brothers, complete with the large public announcement horn) and driving off. In a desperate attempt to stop the theft, The Big Show jumped onto the coffin as it was being towed away, riding atop the coffin for a few yards until he lost his grip and tumbled off. Also during the angle, the Bossman uttered the popular, yet often misquoted line, "Ya hear that Paul Wight, you're a nasty bastard and your momma said so!" Months after this feud ended, Big Show would in fact wear a t-shirt with the phrase "Big Nasty Bastard" on it. Bossman beat The Rock to become the #1 contender for the WWF Championship on the November 15, 1999 Raw. This feud ended with Boss Man being crushed by Big Show at the Armageddon pay-per-view.

Boss Man participated in the 2000 Royal Rumble match. Boss Man eliminated Rikishi (with 5 other Superstars), Chyna, and Faarooq before being eliminated by The Rock. He had the third longest overall time in the Rumble. On the March 19 edition of Sunday Night Heat, Boss Man introduced protégé Bull Buchanan, a wrestler who dressed similar to The Boss Man. They formed a tag team which lasted until the end of the year when Bull joined the Right to Censor. Big Bossman and Bull Buchanan defeated The Godfather and D'Lo Brown at WrestleMania 2000, and beat the APA the following month at Backlash. The team split on the June 5 edition of Raw is War. After they lost to the Hardy Boyz, Buchanan and Boss Man began to argue which led to shoving and eventually Boss Man knocking out Buchanan with his Nightstick when Buchanan's back was turned.

In the Summer of 2000, Bossman disappeared from mainstream WWE TV and wrestled mainly on Jakked and WWE Sunday Night Heat, primarily feuding with Crash Holly

When Traylor returned from an injury in late 2001, he was given a role as the tag team partner of Booker T, as simply The Boss Man. Boss Man served as an enforcer again, only this time for Booker T as well as helping Vince McMahon. The team quietly split in late January 2002, and from there on Boss Man wrestled mostly on Jakked. In April, he formed a short lived tag team with Mr. Perfect after being to the RAW brand. In June 2002, Traylor was then assigned to train new wrestlers in Ohio Valley Wrestling before ultimately being released from WWE in 2003. His last high-profile series of matches was in a tournament for the vacant International Wrestling Association of Japan heavyweight title. He made it all the way to the finals before being defeated by old rival Jim Duggan.

Death

Traylor died in his home from a heart attack in Paulding County, Georgia on September 22, 2004.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:*"Boss Man Slam" (WWF) / "Big Bubba Slam" (WCW) / "Traylor Trash" [ [http://ddtdigest.com/updates/1997124w.htm DDT Digest article] ] (WCW) (One-armed or spinning side slam to an oncoming opponent):*Backbreaker:*Bear hug:*Bolo punch:*Corner body splash:*Enzuigiri:*Eye rake:*Leapfrog body guillotine to an opponent draped over the second rope:*Powerbomb:*Spinebuster:*Uppercut/Throat thrust

*Signature illegal weapons:*Nightstick (tonfa):*Handcuffs:*Ball and Chain:*Flak jacket

*Managers:*Skandor Akbar:*Baby Doll:*Jim Cornette:*Slick:*Jimmy Hart:*Ted DiBiase

*Wrestlers managed:*Booker T

*Theme music
**"Jive Soul Bro" (from Piledriver - The Wrestling Album 2) (1988-1990)
**"Servin' Hard Time" by Jimmy Hart and J.J. Maguire (1990-1993)

Championships and accomplishments

*Universal Wrestling Federation:*UWF World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*World Wrestling Federation:*WWF Hardcore Championship (4 times):*WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ken Shamrock

*Pro Wrestling Illustrated:*PWI ranked him #138 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards:*Worst Worked Match of the Year (1999) vs. Al Snow in a Kennel from Hell match at Unforgiven:*Most Improved Wrestler (1987):*Worst Feud of the Year (1999) vs. The Big Show:*Worst Feud of the Year (1996) vs. John Tenta

References