Wrestling's Stevie Richards wants to share story, help others
This is part eight of the story of three talented athletes — Austin Idol, Bobby Fulton and Stevie Richards — who enjoyed successful careers in professional wrestling, survived near-death experiences, and overcame the odds through sheer will and determination. The three have joined forces to spread a special message through their “Triumph over Tragedy” program.
While his in-ring career might be over, Stevie Richards’ connection to the wrestling business is far from finished.
His three decades around the profession has taught him many valuable lessons, not the least of which was never giving up or giving in despite the odds.
It was only eight months ago that Richards was staring down death.
“Thankful, grateful, blessed. God is good. It was an absolute miracle,” Richards says of his health ordeal. “This will never leave me. But there’s a purpose behind why this happened.”
He’s now excited to share his inspiring story of faith and family to a new generation of fans. Along with former wrestling stars Austin Idol and Bobby Fulton, Richards wants to spread a message of survival and hope through their “Triumph over Tragedy” motivational speaking program.
“If our talks can possibly save people’s lives or get some people out of the abyss to know that there is hope, to know that you can, that’s our goal. Just look at our three stories. If we can do it, anybody can do it.”
And Richards knows exactly what he will tell anyone who shows up to listen to his incredible story.
“I’m no more special than anybody in this audience and anybody I’m speaking to," he said "I’m no tougher, I’m no more superhuman, I have no traits or abilities that are any different than each and every person out there. So if I can recover from this and multiple other things throughout my life, then each and every one of you can do the same. And even better than me.”
Serving others
Even during his wrestling career, Richards never wavered from a belief that he has always held dear:
“You’re here to serve others. You’re not here to serve yourself. Serving others and being able to help make stars is a very proud part of why I got into wrestling and why I continued and stayed in it for so long.”
“Faith, in my mind, was always a necessity going through three decades in the wrestling business,” says the 51-year-old Richards. “You need to have faith and a will to serve others because it’s such a selfish business. I managed to stand out because I had the exact opposite attitude. That might not have gotten me to main-event status and world championships or any mainstream notoriety, but I can look myself in the mirror every day and know I did everything I could to help everybody on that roster be the best that they could be.”
Richards says he feels blessed to have been able to work for all the major U.S. promotions during his in-ring career that started more than 30 years ago.
Respected by his colleagues, the resourceful wrestler did whatever bookers asked of him, and he did it well.
“I started in 1991 in the original ECW (then called Eastern Championship Wrestling). Then I was with ECW from ’94 to ’97, WCW for a very short time, and with WWE for almost 10 years. After that there was TNA, Ring of Honor and the indies. I’ve been pretty blessed to get the opportunities," he said.
"But it’s really a crap shoot. There are guys out there who are immensely talented and never got one opportunity. I’ve had a dozen opportunities and six characters or more where I could reinvent myself, so I feel very fortunate.
During his career, Richards took on many different gimmicks and personas. And despite the numerous parodies and comedy routines, he was a good-looking, skilled ring technician with main-event ability.
“And also at the same time, not really selling my soul, not compromising my values outside of any other embarrassing moments that we’re forced to do as wrestlers rolling around in our underwear. As time went on in my career, Stevie Richards actually kind of became Michael Manna (his real name) on screen," he said.
"I was able to put my real personality and who I am in the ring, and that was a beautiful thing. Also I’m so proud that I was able to kind of be Stevie Richards and not have a complete name change throughout my entire career. That was a really cool kind of thing.”
From his days as Raven’s lackey in ECW to his time as leader of the controversial Right to Censor stable in WWE, Richards never failed to deliver.
“We all have egos. We all want to be world champions. That’s why you get into the business. But Raven (Scott Levy) taught me a long time ago, if people are going right and you’re going left, if people all want to be tough guys and you’re wearing Daisy Dukes and a half shirt, if people are all tough guys and you’re a clueless putz, who stands out?" he said.
"So I stand out by being that person, and on a political level, every talent wants to work with you because you’re going to do the best to get them over. Who wouldn’t want to work with you? The office wants to keep you because you’re a great hand, you don’t complain and all you want to do is do the best job that you can. That’s why I was in WWE for 10 years and that’s why I was in the business for 30.”
Richards said he's proud of characters he played.
“I made an effort early on and continue to make that effort to serve others," he said." That’s why I was in the position I was in for most of my career. I could work any style, I could make anybody look good, I could work my abilities and styles into whoever I was wrestling.
"But serving others and being able to help make stars is a very proud part of why I got into wrestling and why I continued and stayed in it for so long.”
Richards joined WWE in 1999 and spent nine years with the company, including a memorable run in Right to Censor and later getting the nickname Stevie Night Heat, where he enjoyed a partnership with two-time women’s champion Victoria.
Being able to adapt also kept him employed in WWE for a decade.
“If it was just characters, Creative would have nothing for me at least six times during my run there,” says Richards, who held the company’s hardcore title a record 21 times. “I had to make myself indispensable in any way I could. Like Raven taught me: ‘Do what everyone else doesn’t want to do, and you’ll always get work.’”
“Now he didn’t necessarily follow it all the time, but I did,” chuckles Richards.
Success has meaning
What does success now mean to Stevie Richards?
“My No. 1 priority, as far as looking successful, is making my family and the people who love me proud of me. Putting something out there," he said.
It’s a far different philosophy than he had while he was working in the wrestling business.
“There was a time when I was very obsessed and frustrated and worked to a point of absolute exhaustion to try to get into shape and get the office to notice me. It wasn’t from a perspective of my ego," he said. "My No. 1 thing was to have a finite amount of time until my body gives out.
"I needed to make as much money as I could to have that money for whenever I got married, had a family, and be able to be comfortable. I knew, just like everybody else, you’re never the same coming out of wrestling as going in.”
A fitness fanatic, Richards realizes that his road to recovery will most likely be a long one.
Time is now more important to him than ever before.
“I feel recovered when I’m active, but my energy levels are nowhere like they were. I have a limited amount of energy, but the blessing in that is that we all have limited energy each and every day," he said. "I now don’t have a choice on what I choose to spend it on. I have to spend it on quality things.
"I can’t get caught up with gossip or scrolling through Instagram reels for 30 minutes. Each and every thing that I watch, listen to or spend my energy on has to count.”
Did you know …
“Freebird” Michael Hayes once shared the Georgia National tag-team title with former NFL star Otis Sistrunk. They won the belts in 1981 from Terry “Bam” Bigelow and “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka. Sistrunk retired soon after and the title was vacated.
On this date
One year ago today on this date (Oct. 1, 2022): Antonio Inoki, one of the greatest figures in the history of Japanese wrestling, died at age 79.
Inoki, who faced a world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, brought Japanese pro wrestling to fame and pioneered mixed martial arts matches between top wrestlers and champions from other combat sports like judo, karate and boxing.
He also was the first in his sport to enter politics. He promoted peace through sports and made more than 30 trips to North Korea during his time as a lawmaker in hopes of forging peace and friendship.
