Tony Atlas encyclopedia topics

Career

1970s–1990s

Atlas started wrestling in 1974, in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). Throughout his career he worked for World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions, the World Wrestling Council (WWC), World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Among his regular partners were Tommy Rich (as "TNT"), Dick Murdoch, and Rocky Johnson. He was also the very first man to press slam and pin Hulk Hogan though Hogan's foot was on the rope and the referee didn't see it.

During his time with the NWA, Atlas captured the NWA Georgia Tag Team Title with Tommy Rich. He later teamed with Mr. Wrestling II, Thunderbolt Patterson, Kevin Sullivan, and Rocky Johnson. In the WWF, Tony teamed with Rocky Johnson to defeat the Wild Samoans to win the WWF World tag team title, becoming the first Black team to hold the belts. After losing the titles to Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch, Johnson soon departed and Atlas was used as a jobber to the stars in the WWF. In 1987, Tony teamed with Skip Young to win the World Class Texas Tag Team Title. In late 1990, Atlas was reinvented as Saba Simba and was a competitor in the 1991 Royal Rumble. He played a warrior of an Ugandan tribe, but the gimmick was unpopular, and he left for WCW shortly thereafter. In 1992, he wrestled in WCW, and in 1994 for the American Wrestling Federation (AWF).

While working for the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico, Atlas witnessed the murder of Bruiser Brody by another wrestler, Jose Gonzalez (Invader #1). Atlas was never called back to testify.

2006–present

On April 1 2006, Tony Atlas was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by S.D. Jones.

Now in his sixties, Tony Atlas continues to wrestle in many independent promotions on the east coast and currently runs his own promotion throughout the New England area called Atlas Pro Wrestling. He is a Certified Personal Trainer and trains at Fitness World in Lewiston, Maine and is also an accomplished artist.

WWE Return, ECW brand (2008-present)

Atlas appeared on the July 8 2008 airing of ECW where Theodore Long appointed him the special guest ring announcer for the main event featuring Tommy Dreamer with then-babyface, Colin Delaney in his corner against Mark Henry. Atlas attacked Delaney, which in turn distracted Dreamer, allowing Henry to gain the victory. Atlas then announced Henry the winner of the bout, although the official result was a double countout. This is also the first time since his brief stint in WCW in 1992 that Atlas has worked as a heel. Atlas also accompanied Henry to the ring at the WWE Great American Bash. Atlas helped Mark Henry retain his title at Summerslam, attacking Matt Hardy once a win by Hardy appeared to be imminent. Henry was also able to retain his ECW Championship on the August 19, 2008 episode of ECW due to an outside interference from Atlas. At Unforgiven, Tony Atlas was there to support Mark Henry in retaining his Championship in the ECW Championship Scramble, although Henry lost the ECW Champioship title to Matt Hardy after getting the last fall in the 20 minute time limit.

In wrestling

Finishing and signature moves

*Military press slam

*Standing fireman's carry drop

Managers

*The Duke

*Cactus Jack

*Tony Rumble

*Dawn Marie Psaltis

Wrestlers managed

*Mark Henry

Nicknames

*Black Superman

*Mr. USA

Entrance themes

American Holiday
Butterfingers A

Championships and accomplishments

Americas Wrestling Federation

*AWF North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Century Wrestling Alliance

*CWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Georgia Championship Wrestling

*NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Mr. Wrestling II (1) and Tommy Rich (1)

*NWA Georgia Television Championship (1 time)

'''International World Class Championship Wrestling

*IWCCW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

International Wrestling (Quebec)

*NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time)

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling

*NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

NWA Tri-State¹

*NWA West Virginia/Ohio Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Southwest Championship Wrestling

*SCW Southwest Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time) (Last)

World Class Wrestling Association

*WCWA Television Championship (1 time) (Last)

*WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Skip Young

World Wrestling Council

*WWC North American Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Miguel Pérez, Jr.

World Wrestling Entertainment | World Wrestling Federation

*WWE Hall Of Fame (Class of 2006)

*WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Rocky Johnson

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

*PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1980)

*PWI ranked him # 64 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year on the PWI 500 list in 1996.

*PWI ranked him # 171 of the top 500 wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003.

¹This promotion is not to be confused with the NWA Tri-State promotion founded by Leroy McGuirk in the 1950s. This promotion would eventually be taken over by Bill Watts in 1979 and renamed Mid-South Wrestling Association. The promotion would eventually be renamed Universal Wrestling Federation.