Top 5 childhood favorite wrestlers.

5.Mike The California Hippie Boyette

I first saw Mike Boyette in the Mid  South/UWF territory. When he came out my parents told me about how they use to watch him wrestle in Gulfport against the Fields brothers. In all my years watching Mid South/UWF I never saw Mike win a match. But I never cared. He entertained me. It wasn't until I got online in the mid 90s that I learned that Mike Boyette was considered one of the best bumpers of his era. Sadly Mike passed away in December 2012.

4.Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert

Eddie is another I discovered thanks to UWF. While most of the time he was the manager of the Sting and Rick Steiner tag team. Eddie did wrestle. Plus he always had the gorgeous Missy Hyatt at his side. In my eyes Eddie had it all. He was good in the ring. Amazing on the mic. And from what I have heard he had a good mind for the backstage stuff. It seems his height and his issues with drugs are what really held him back from being an even bigger name in the wrestling business. Eddie Gilbert died in February 1995 from a heart attack.

3.Jerry the King Lawler

I didn't just watch Mid South/UWF as a kid. I watched lots of Memphis or as I think it was known back then CWA. And of course if you think about Memphis wrestling in the late 70s till the mid 80s you have to mention the King. It didn't matter to me if Lawler was a heel or face I would cheer him. I know when he dropped the strap shit was about to go down. Jerry could work with anyone. He got good matches out of people that no one else could.Plus the angle with Andy Kaufman. I remember getting my parents to record their appearance on the David Letterman talk show. So I could watch it the next day.I just wish I could have gotten to see Lawler live back in that era.

2.Terry Bam Bam Gordy

I love the Freebirds. And out of the three Terry Gordy was the best. I was so happy when Terry won the UWF heavyweight title. Then he held it for 6 months. To then lose it to One Man Gang, because Terry got injured. I also got to see some of Gordy's stuff when the Freebirds were in WCCW. One of the best matches I have seen live was Terry Gordy and Steve Dr Death Williams vs The Steiner Brothers. This match was the main event of Beach Blast 92. And is the best tag match I have seen live. Terry Gordy died of a heart attack, caused by a blood clot on July 16, 2001. He was 40 years old.

1.Steve Dr Death Williams

And my favorite childhood wrestler. Who is in my top 5 of all time. Steve Williams was the man in UWF. I remember watching a hour long match between Dr Death and Dick Murdoch from the UWF tv show. I think the match was to determine who got a shot at the UWF Heavyweight title. When UWF folded and was absorbed by JCP I figured Steve Williams would quickly get a NWA world title shot against Ric Flair. But JCP didn't do this. Steve ended up teaming up with Terry Gordy and spending most of the rest of his wrestling career in Japan. Where he became a legend. I am very happy that I got to see Dr Death 4 times live. Steve Williams passed away in December of 2009. He had been fighting cancer for years. But it was a battle that Steve lost. RIP Mr Williams.