Eddie Gilbert
Eddie Gilbert (born Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr. on August 14, 1961 & died on February 18, 1995) was a professional wrestler and was usually a booker.
Table of contents |
Career
"Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert started wrestling in 1979 as Tommy Gilbert Jr. in honor of his father, Tommy Gilbert. Eddie absolutely loved pro wrestling and his idol was Jerry Lawler because he wrestled and booked at the same time. His mother said he used to make up matches and booking sheets while he was still in school.
He spent a little bit of time wrestling in the WWF as a jobber in 1982.
He made a name for himself as Eddie Gilbert in Mid-Southern Wrestling territory in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1980's. He teamed with his father and Ricky Morton in those years.
In 1986, when Mid-South Wrestling became the Universal Wrestling Federation, Eddie added the "Hot Stuff" to his name. He started a heel stable of wrestlers called "Hot Stuff, Inc." and he managed it and wrestled. His stable included Sting and Rick Steiner before they were stars. He was always a ladies' man and he stole Missy Hyatt from John Tatum in 1987. He married her in 1988.
They went to the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions when the UWF was purchased by Crockett and Eddie teamed with Rick Steiner to feud with Kevin Sullivan and his "Varsity Club".
He also became involved in a feud with Ric Flair and Barry Windham in which he teamed with Ricky Steamboat and Lex Luger.
Eddie left the NWA in late 1989 and also divorced Hyatt. He went back to the independents where so could book again. He worked for the United States Wrestling Alliance where he feuded with Jerry Lawler and the Global Wrestling Federation and was also briefly married to Madusa at this time. He then went to ECW in 1993 where he teamed with his brother Doug Gilbert who was wrestling as the "Dark Patriot".
Gilbert left ECW at the end of 1993 and wrestled in the USWA until early 1995 when he worked one night for Smoky Mountain Wrestling before travelling to Puerto Rico's WWC to wrestle & book. On his last night, he wrestled a bear.
On February 18, 1995, Gilbert died from a heart attack. He had used steroids and cocaine in his life so either of these things could have contributed to the weakened state of his heart. His use of painkillers since a serious auto accident in 1983 could have been a factor too.
Profile
- Height: 5'10"
- Weight: 222 lbs.
- Birthday: August 14, 1961
- Hometown: Lexington, Tennessee
- Trainer: Tommy Gilbert
- Debut 1979
- Previous Identities: Tommy Gilbert Jr., "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert
- Managers: Sam Lowe, Missy Hyatt, Bert Prentice, Lauren Davenport, Tommy Gilbert, Paul E. Dangerously, Veronica Lane, Jimmy Hart, Downtown Business Brown, Downtown Bruno
Championships/Accomplishments
- 1-Time NWA United States Tag Team Champion (with Rick Steiner)
- 1-Time NWA Central States Tag Team Champion (with Ricky Romero)
Eastern Championship Wrestling
- 1-Time ECW Tag Team Champion (with Dark Patriot)
United States Wrestling Alliance
- 4-Time USWA Heavyweight Champion
- 2-Time USWA Southern Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time USWA Tag Team Champion (with Brian Christopher)
Global Wrestling Federation
- 1-Time GWF North American Heavyweight Champion
- 2-Time GWF Television Champion
Universal Wrestling Federation
- 1-Time UWF Television Champion
- 1-Time UWF Tag Team Champion (with Sting
Mid-Southern Wrestling
- 1-Time Mid-Southern Heavyweight Champion
- 2-Time Mid-Southern International Champion
- 3-Time Mid-Southern Tag Team Champion (with Tommy Gilbert, Tommy Rich and Ricky Morton)
Other Titles
- 1-Time Mid-South Tag Team Champion (with The Nightmare)
- 1-Time WWC North American Tag Team Champion (with Tommy Gilbert)
- 3-Time Tri-State Tag Team Champion (with Ricky Morton once & Tommy Gilbert twice)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 83 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
External Links
- Tribute Site: http://www.eddiegilbert.com/home/
Categories: Professional wrestlers | 1961 births | 1995 deaths