Rick Fuller

Infobox Wrestler
name=Richard Fuller


img_capt=
names=Rick Fuller
height=height|ft=6|in=5
weight=convert|325|lb|kg|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date=c. 1969
death_date=
birth_place=Middleboro, Massachusetts, United States
death_place=
resides=
billed=Middleboro, Massachusetts
trainer=Jimmy Snuka
Tony Atlas
debut=1990
retired=
website=|

Richard Fuller is an American professional wrestler, known by his ringname "Big" Rick Fuller, who competed in North American independent promotions as well as a brief stint in World Championship Wrestling during the late 1990s. He would later be featured in several video games including WCW Nitro and WCW/NWO Thunder.

Rick Fuller is not related to Robert Fuller or any of the wrestling Fullers of Tennessee, whose surname is actually Welch. Also, he is not to be confused with the Rick Fuller who co-owns the film and video production house Harder/Fuller Films; they are two different people.

Career

Early life and career

Born in Middleboro, Massachusetts, Fuller graduated from Middleborough High School in 1987 and soon began training under "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka and "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas at their wrestling school in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Touring the Northeast during the 1990s, Fuller won championship titles in several promotions and, most notably, feuded with Scott Garland while in the New England Wrestling Association later fighting over the NEWA Heavyweight title during 1992 and 1993.

World Championship Wrestling

In early 1997, Fuller made debut in World Championship Wrestling losing to Lex Luger at the The Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 13, 1997. Regularly appearing on Monday Night Nitro, WCW Saturday Night during the year, he also lost to Chris Benoit on February 22 [ cite web |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/ResultsArchive/Wrestlers/benoit.html |title=Wrestling Results Archive: Chris Benoit |accessdate= |author=Nevada, Vance |authorlink= |coauthors=Brent Baker |date=2007-06-26 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=SLAM! Wrestling |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] and Diamond Dallas Page on March 3. [ cite web |url=http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/19970303.htm |title=This Week In The WCW: WCW Monday Night Nitro - Monday, 03/03/97 |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=1998 |month=December |format= |work= |publisher=DDTdigest.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] Later that month, he would also face Roadblock and Johnny Swinger on WCW Saturday Night before teaming with Roadblock against Lex Luger & The Giant at Monday Night Nitro on March 31, 1997.

Suffering losses to Booker T and Jeff Jarrett during the next two months, he lost to Meng in a dark match on Monday Night Nitro on May 12. After another loss to Jeff Jarrett on WCW Saturday Night on May 24, he also lost to The Giant in a handicap match with Johnny Swinger and Jerry Flynn at Monday Night Nitro on May 26. [ cite web |url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/wcw97.htm |title=WCW: 1997 |accessdate= |author=Cawthon, Graham |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=The History of the WWE |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] In early June, he would also suffer additional looses to Ice Train and Buff Bagwell [ cite web |url=http://www.thehistoryofwcw.com/1997.html |title=World Championship Wrestling: Show Results - 1997 |accessdate= |author=Miguez, Edward C. |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2004 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=TheHistoryofWCW.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] and later to "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan on Monday Night Nitro in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 13.

One of the first victims of Bill Goldberg's winning streak during early 1998, Fuller was pinned by Goldberg at WCW Thunder on February 2. He later appeared on WCW Worldwide losing to Konnan on February 21. [ cite web |url=http://www.thecubsfan.com/worldwide/1998023w.htm |title=WCW Worldwide - Saturday |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=1998-02-21 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=DDTdigest.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] as well as appearing on WCW Saturday Night facing Hugh Morris, Jim Duggan and Prince Iaukea as well as to Booker T and Steve McMichael on WCW Thunder before defeating Doc Dean on July 25, 1998.

During the next few months however, while scoring victories over preliminary wrestlers, he would loose matches to Scott Norton, Bryan Clark, Marty Jannetty and Jerry Flynn before losing to WCW World Heavyweight Champion Bill Goldberg at WCW Thunder in Lexington, Kentucky on September 10. He would also lose to Ernest "The Cat" Miller and Rick Steiner [ cite web |url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/wcw98.htm |title=WCW: 1998 |accessdate= |author=Cawthon, Graham |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=The History of the WWE |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] before defeating El Dandy on WCW Worldwide on October 17, 1998. [ cite web |url=http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/1998103w.htm |title=WCW Monday Night Nitro |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=DDTdigest.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Defeating Lash LeRoux at WCW Worldwide on January 26, Fuller later teamed with Knuckles Nelson at the NWA Parade of Champions, substituting for the injured Erich Sbraccia, winning the then vacant NWA World Tag Team Championship against Team Extreme (Kit Carson and Khris Germany) winning by reverse decision at the Bronco Bowl in Dallas, Texas on June 10, 1999. [ cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/smokyrobmoore/photo1.htm |title=NWA Southwest Bronco Bowl, Dallas, Texas - June 10, 1999 |accessdate= |author=Moore, Rob |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=1999 |month=June |format= |work= |publisher=Rob Moore, Texas Wrestling Announcer |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] However, the two would hold them for less then a week before losing the titles to The Public Enemy in Bolton, Massachusetts on June 17.

Fuller would make only occasional appearances with WCW for most of the year, defeating Sick Boy at WCW Thunder in Birmingham, Alabama on July 14 [ cite web |url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/wcw99.htm |title=WCW: 1999 |accessdate= |author=Cawthon, Graham |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work=The History of the WWE |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] instead wrestling for independent promotions including an appearance at Ultimate Professional Wrestling's Slam & Jam '99 defeating former trainer "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta, Maine on December 30, 1999. [ cite web |url=http://www.wen-tv.com/upw/press_releases/pr_Augusta99.htm |title=Slam & Jam '99 Rocks Augusta |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=1999 |month=December |format= |work= |publisher=Wen-TV.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] [ cite web |url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999/thunder071499 |title=tOa: The Other Arena - Thunder (July 14, 1999) |accessdate= |author=Jacobson, Jeff |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2002 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=OtherArena.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

Returning to WCW in early 2000, Fuller faced Tank Abbot on Monday Night Nitro on February 14 [ cite web |url=http://rspw.org/petrie/000214.txt |title=Slobberknocker Central Monday Night Recap #222 |accessdate= |author=Petrie, John |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2000-02-14 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Rspw.org |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] and later appeared on WCW Saturday Night during its last months on the air facing The Wall, The Demon and, in the last episode, participated in a 6-man Hardcore Battle Royal won by Brian Knobbs and included Norman Smiley, Adrian Byrd, Dave Burkehead and The Dog on April 1, 2000.

Return to the independent circuit

After the close of WCW, Fuller returned to the independent circuit and, while in East Coast Championship Wrestling joined the stable Alliance of Defiance with Kevin Kelly and Billy Fives in early 2001. [ cite web |url=http://www.gerweck.net/jimkettnerinterview.htm |title=Interview: Jim Kettner |accessdate= |author=Gerwick, Steve |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2001-05-30 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Gerwick.net |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] He would also make an appearance in the World Wrestling Federation facing Devon Storm at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut on May 21. [ cite web |url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/01.htm |title=WWF: 2001 |accessdate= |author=Cawthon, Graham |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=The History of the WWE |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

In December 2001, he assaulted then-referee Barry Ace during a match for NWA New England after he had unintentionally caused Fuller to mistime a wrestling move. NWA New England Vice President Vinnie Capelli later made a public statement accepting full responsibility for the incident as Barry Ace was not a fully trained referee at the time. Despite this incident, Fuller remained with the promotion and, the following year, he won the NWA New England Heavyweight Championship. [ cite web |url=http://www.1wrestling.com/news/newsline.asp?news=23245 |title=Today In Wrestling History for ... July 13, 2005 |accessdate= |author=Bryan, Jim |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2005-07-05 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=1wrestling.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] . Several years later, Fuller and Ace both potrayed prison inmates in the film What Doesn't Kill You.

Recent years

During 2006, Fuller would continue his feud with Brian Milonas in East Coast Championship Wrestling defeating him on May 6 although he was later eliminated by Milonas in the ECCW "Road to the Championship" Tournament on May 20. The following month he debuted New England Championship Wrestling defeating Nat Turner on July 15 although he would later loose to NECW U.S. Champion Eric Shred by disqualification on October 7 and, with Evan Siks, defeated Eddie Edwards & DC Dillinger by disqualification on October 28, 2006. Defeating Triplelicious and Chris Green during the next several weeks, he joined Team Nightmare (Evan Siks, Jason Blade and Brian Fury) defeating Team Sabotage (Kristian Frost, John Walters, Eddie Edwards & DC Dillinger) in an 8-man elimination match on December 16, 2006. In early 2007, he lost to Abyss in a stretcher match during a Powerhouse Wrestling of New England event on January 27 and, the following month in Big Time Wrestling, defeated Eddie Edwards on February 25 before losing to Mister TA in a dog collar match on March 2, 2007. On May 18, Fuller faced Chaotic Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Brian Milonas in the main event of the Homecoming benefit show in Byfield, Massachusetts, a fundraising event held by Chaotic Wrestling and Fabulous Productions to raise money for charities in the New England area including the Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Newbury Police Association and the Trista Zinck Scholarship Fund. [ cite web |url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/cenahomecoming |title=The Champ to make a Homecoming in Massachusetts |accessdate= |author=Medalis, Kara A. |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2007-05-25 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=WWE.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] The match, which featured WWE World Heavyweight Champion John Cena as special referee, also saw Vince McMahon in a rare appearance on the independent circuit who attempted to interfere in the match to be stopped by John Cena. [ cite web |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/cena.html |title=Bios: John Cena |accessdate= |author=Milner, John |authorlink= |coauthors=Mark Xamin |date=2005-02-25 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=SLAM! Wrestling |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

On December 28, Fuller defeated Brian Fury to win the New England Championship Wrestling Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship in Quincy, Massachusetts.

On June 27, 2008, Fuller and tag team partner Fred Sampson defeated The Blowout Boys to become new Chaotic Wrestling Tag Team Champions.

Fuller also competes for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he and Giant Bernard will get a shot at the IWGP Tag Team Championship on July 21, 2008.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**Chokeslam
**"Fuller Effect" (Reverse piledriver)
**Knife-edged chop
**Open-handed chop

*Managers
**Tony Rumble
**Johnny Fabulous (CW)
**Brian Cairo (NECW)

*Nicknames
**"The Chop Doctor"

Championships and accomplishments

*Chaotic Wrestling:*CW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/newengland/chaotic/chaotic-h.html |title=Chaotic Wrestling Heavyweight Title |accessdate=|date= |year=2003 |month= |publisher=Puroreso Dojo ] :*CW Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) - with Fred Sampson

*Eastern Wrestling Alliance:*EWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time, first) cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=4th Edition 2000 | id=ISBN 0-9698161-5-4 ]
*NWA New England:*NWA New England Heavyweight Championship (1 time) [ cite web |url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/nehtnwa.html |title=N.W.A. New England Heavyweight Title History |accessdate= |author=Westcott, Brian|coauthors=Eric Roelfsema and Jim Dupree |date= |year=2007 |month=|publisher=Solie's Title Histories ] :*NWA New England Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time) [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/newengland/nwa-newengland/nwa-ne-bk.html |title=N.W.A. New England Brass Knuckles Title |accessdate=|date= |year=2003 |month=|publisher=Puroreso Dojo ]

*NWA Southwest:*NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Knuckles Nelson [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/world/nwa-t.html |title=N.W.A. World Tag Team Title |accessdate=|date= |year=2003 |month=|publisher=Puroreso Dojo ]

*New England Championship Wrestling:*NECW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (1 time) [cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/newengland/necw/necw-tc-h.html |title=N.E.C.W. Triple Crown Heavyweight Title |accessdate=2008-01-03 |year=2003 |month=|publisher=Puroreso Dojo ]

*New England Wrestling Alliance :*NEWA Heavyweight Championship (3 times) :*NEWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)

*Powerhouse Wrestling:*PW Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Jimmy "Jact" Crash [ cite web |url=http://powerhousene.tripod.com/id35.html |title=Powerhouse Wrestling of New England: "Big" Rick Fuller |accessdate=|date= |year=2004 |month= |publisher=Powerhousene.com ]

*Pro Wrestling Illustrated:*PWI ranked him # 344 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 2001

*Top Rope Promotions :*TRP Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Yankee Pro Wrestling:*YPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

References

External links

* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/rick-fuller.html Profile at Online World of Wrestling]
* [http://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=1106&worker=Rick+Fuller CageMatch.de - Rick Fuller] ger
* [http://wrestling.xwiki.com/xwiki/bin/view/Main/RickFuller Rick Fuller] at the [http://wrestling.xwiki.com/ WrestleWiki]
*imdb|id=0298331 |name=Rick Fuller