Ron Garvin

Ron Garvin was a professional wrestler and referee.

Career

Ron Garvin (born Roger Barnes) started wrestling in 1962. He formed a team with his "brother" Terry Garvin in the 1960's and early 1970's and they won a few regional tag team titles together. They were managed by their other "brother", Jimmy Garvin.

Garvin made a name for himself as a singles wrestler in the Georgia and Alabama territories in the late 1970's after splitting with Terry and Jimmy.

He then went to the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions where he would achieve his greatest success. He became "The Hands of Stone" Ron Garvin and he feuded with Tully Blanchard and Black Bart before entering in a feud with NWA World Champion Ric Flair in 1987. On September 26, 1987, Garvin was able to defeat Flair for the title. He held it for 3 months before losing it back to Flair.

He briefly feuded with Jim Cornette's "Midnight Express" of Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane after Cornette threw fire in his face. Jimmy Garvin came to his rescue and they teamed for awhile against them before Ron had a singles feud with Cornette's bodyguard, Big Bubba Rogers.

In early 1988, he turned heel by knocking Dusty Rhodes out with a punch to keep him from winning Barry Windham's U.S. Title. He was managed by Gary Hart but left after only a few months as a heel.

He wrestled in the American Wrestling Association in late 1988 and fueded with Greg Gagne over the Television Title. He also feuded with Carlitos Colon over the WWC Universal Title on trips to Puerto Rico during this time.

Garvin next went to the WWF as a referee but soon returned to wrestling as "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin. He did not achieve much success and returned to the independents on a semi-retired basis. He can still be found in 2005 as a special referee in the independents in the Mid-Atlantic area.

Profile

• Height: 6'2"
• Weight: 231 lbs.
• Birthday: March 30, 1944
• Hometown: Montreal, Quebec
• Trainer: Pat Girard
• Debut: 1962
• Managers: Jimmy Garvin, Gary Hart, Magnum T.A.

Championships/Accomplishments

National Wrestling Alliance

• 1-Time NWA World Heavyweight Champion
• 1-Time NWA National Heavyweight Champion
• 1-Time NWA World Television Champion
• 1-Time NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion
• 1-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Terry Garvin)
• 1-Time NWA United States Tag Team Champion (with Barry Windham)
• 1-Time NWA National Tag Team Champion (with Jerry Oates)

American Wrestling Association

• 1-Time AWA World Television Champion

World Wrestling Council

• 2-Time WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion

Other Titles

• 2-Time Mid-Southern Tag Team Champion (with Terry Garvin)
• 1-Time Florida Tag Team Champion (with Ole Anderson)
• 2-Time Georgia Tag Team Champion (with Terry Garvin)
• 3-Time Southeast Heavyweight Champion
• 2-Time ICW Southeast Champion
• 1-Time NCW Heavyweight Champion
• 1-Time Tennessee Mountain Wrestling Champion
• 1-Time Tennessee Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Champion

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 142 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.

Trivia

• Ron is not related to Terry Garvin but he is Jimmy Garvin's stepfather.
• Ron would dress up as "Miss Atlanta Lively" in the NWA to get heels like Jim Cornette and Ric Flair by suprise.