George Hines
Encyclopedia
George Hines is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, best known by his ringname Jackie Fulton, who competed in regional and independent promotions including the American Wrestling Association
, East Coast Championship Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance
, World Championship Wrestling
and, most notably, his brief but memorable stint in Smoky Mountain Wrestling
where he teamed with his real life brother Bobby Fulton
as The Fantastics.
Throughout the 1990s, he also carved out a successful career overseas competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling
and IWA Japan both under his real name as well as the masked wrestler The Eagle. In recent years, he has also competed in American independent promotions as the masked wrestler American Eagle.
, Hines eventually entered professional wrestling in 1987, joining his older brother Bobby Fulton a decade after his own debut in 1977. In early 1989, he began wrestling in televised matches for Championship Wrestling from Florida. During his time in the area, he formed a short-lived tag team with "Nightmare" Danny Davis
and gained a title shot at the then CWF Tag Team Champions The Japanese Connection (Mr. Chono and RPM
) in May 1989.
After Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers left the NWA and split up, he joined his brother later that year in the American Wrestling Association
where they briefly feuded with then AWA Tag Team champions
The Destruction Crew
(Mike Enos
and Wayne Bloom
). He and Bobby Fulton also had a short run in the NWA
and wrestled as both The Fantastics and The Fantastic Ones
on the independent circuit.
During this time, Hines also competed in Jim Crockett Promotions
and, teaming with Terry Taylor
against The Nasty Boys
(Brian Knobbs
and Jerry Saggs) at Clash of the Champions XII, he was pinned by Saggs.
Staying with the organization during the next year or two, his exposure increased during the promotion's eventual transition to World Championship Wrestling
although he was often used as a preliminary wrestler against veterans such as Nikita Koloff
to whom he lost to on WCW Worldwide
in Tallahassee, Florida
on August 3, 1991.
. Appearing on the earliest episodes of SMW's weekly television show, he and Bobby Fulton fought Ivan and Vladimir Koloff in a brief feud during early March.
Entering a championship tournament to crown the first SMW Tag Team Champions, they would advance to the finals before being eliminated by the Heavenly Bodies
(Stan Lane
& Tom Prichard
) in Harrogate, Tennessee
on April 23, 1992. On July 2, he would also win a 12-man battle royal in Paintsville, Kentucky
. The participants included Bobby Fulton, Robert Gibson, Joe Cazana, "Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony
, Dixie Dynamite, Jimmy Golden
, Tim Horner
, Buddy Landel
, Brian Lee
and the Heavenly Bodies. He and Bobby Fulton would also tour Japan losing to André the Giant
, Mighty Inoue & Yoshinari Ogawa
in a 6-man tag team match with The Patriot
in Hamamatsu, Japan on May 30 and, with Johnny Ace
, lost in a rematch three days later in Fukushima, Japan.
Feuding with the Heavenly Bodies and their manager James E. Cornette throughout the summer, they briefly captured the SMW Tag Team Championship from the Heavenly Bodies defeating them in Johnson City, Tennessee
on August 8 before dropping the belts back to the them in Benton, Tennessee
two days later. Splitting up soon after, Hines eventually left the promotion and traveled the independent circuit for a short time before moving on to Japan later that year.
. They competed in the 1992 and 1993 World's Strongest Tag Team League as well as winning the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
from Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
& Kenta Kobashi
in Koyama, Japan
on June 2, 1993. After losing the titles to Doug Furnas
& Dan Kroffat on September 9, The Patriot left AJPW for World Championship Wrestling
while Hines began teaming with The Falcon
together competing in the 1994 World's Strongest Tag Team League.
By 1999, he had become a regular in All Japan Pro Wrestling competing under his real name. Appearing on televised matches aired on Nippon TV, Hines teamed with Wolf Hawkfield against Giant Kimala & Tamon Honda
at the Super Power Series supercard at the Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center on June 9. During the Summer Action Series, he faced Akira Taue
& Toshiaki Kawada
& Hiroshi Hase in a 6-man tag team match with Johnny Ace and Mike Burton at Korakuen Hall
on August 22. Several days later, he and Johnny Ace teamed against Takao Ōmori
& Yoshihiro Takayama
at the Wakayama Kenritsu Taiikukan on August 28 as well as facing Yoshinari Ogawa
in a singles match at the Osaka Chou Taiikukan the following night. In April 2000, substituting for an injured Reno Riggins, he and Steven Dunn defended the NWA World Tag Team Championship
losing the title to the The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton
& Robert Gibson) in Waegwan
, South Korea
.
The following year, he appeared on the undercard of the Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular
teaming with Johnny Smith
and Jim Steele
in a 6-man tag team match defeating Mike Rotunda
, Curt Hennig
and Barry Windham
(substituting for Kendall Windham
) at the Tokyo Dome
on January 28, 2001.
He participated in All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion's Carnival
tournament facing Mike Barton, Toshiaki Kawada, Taiyō Kea
, Johnny Smith, Jim Steele, Steve Williams, Gen'ichiro Tenryu and Yoshiaki Fujiwara between March 23 and April 8.
During the next several months, he appeared in high profile matches at Budokan Hall
and was pinned by Satoshi Kojima
during a tag team match Steve Williams against Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
on April 14. He later teamed with Mike Barton to defeat Nobutaka Araya & Shigeo Okumura
on June 8 as well defeating Yoshiaki Fujiwara
, Yuto Aijima & Ryuji Hijikata
in a 6-man tag team match with Kasey Geyer and Shawn Hernandez
after pinning Aijima on July 14. Later that year, he teamed with Jim Steele & Vampiro
losing to Hiroshi Hase, Steve Williams & Mike Rotunda on September 8.
At AJPW's "29th Anniversary Show" at Budokan Hall on October 27, George Hines, Johnny Smith and Kazushi Miyamoto
defeated Masato Tanaka
, Ryuji Hijikata
and Nobukazu Hirai
when Hines pinned Hirai. With Johnny Smith and Vampiro, Hines also beat Arashi, Nobukazu Hirai and Koki Kitahara on December 7, 2001.
On February 24, 2002 he defeated Yoji Anjoh, Arashi, & Nobutaka Araya in a 6-man match with Mike Barton and Jim Steele. The following month, during a Japanese PPV event, he and Tomoaki Honma
lost to Hiroshi Hase & Hideki Hosaka on April 13. A few weeks later, he teamed with Kaz Hayashi
and Keiji Mutoh
to win the Giant Baba Memorial Six Man Tag Team Tournament. He and Johnny Smith also participated tag team match on July 20 against Mike Barton and Jim Steele
, Steve Williams & Mike Rotunda and Brian Adams
& Bryan Clark
. After nearly half an hour, the match was eventually won by Mike Barton & Jim Steele after Barton pinned Rotunda.
On August 30, in a 2-day PPV event at Budokan Hall, Hines teamed with Johnny Smith and Gran Hamada
to defeat Steve Williams, Mike Rotunda & Gran Naniwa
when Hines pinned Naniwa. The following night, Hines was featured in the main event facing Genichiro Tenryu
, Steve Williams, Arashi, Koki Kitahara, & Masao Orihara in a 10-man tag team "elimination" match with Keiji Mutoh
, Hiroshi Hase, Jinsei Shinzaki
and Kaz Hayashi
. Pinned by Arashi, he was the second man to be eliminated and his team eventually lost the match with Genichiro Tenryu and Steve Williams as the survivors. Hines would again appear on a live PPV broadcast during AJPW's "30th Anniversary Show" at Budokan Hall teaming with Mike Barton and Jim Steele to defeat Arashi, Nobutaka Araya and Nobukazu Hirai on October 27, 2002.
On April 3, he was pinned by Satoshi Kojima during a tag team match with Keiji Mutoh
against Kojima & Jimmy Yang at the Tomioka-cho Gym in Fukushima, Japan. The following night at Fukushima's "Big Palette" in Kooriyama City
, he teamed with Satoshi Kojima and Kaz Hayashi losing to Genichiro Tenryu, Arashi, & Nobutaka Araya in a 6-man tag team match after being pinned by Arashi. On April 5, he and Gigantes teamed to defeat Tomoaki Honma & Kazushi Miyamoto at the Nagaoka City Welfare Hall in Niigata, Japan.
Continuing to team with Gigantes
, the two also defeated Hiroshi Hase & Masayuki Kono
at Budokan Hall on April 12. Two months later, he teamed with "Big" John Tenta
& Robbie Brookside
to defeat Hiroshi Hase, Masayuki Kono & Shigeo Okumura in a PPV event at Budokan Hall on July 19, 2003.
Hines would also have a brief stint in IWA Japan and, in August 2004, entered a championship tournament for the IWA Japan Heavyweight Championship advancing to the quarterfinals before being eliminated by The Barbarian.
Returning to AJPW in early 2005, he teamed with Mike Barton and Jim Steele to defeat Jamal
, Chuck Palumbo
& Rodney Mack (14:02) at the "Giant Baba Farewell" supercard on February 5, 2005.
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
, East Coast Championship Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
, World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
and, most notably, his brief but memorable stint in Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...
where he teamed with his real life brother Bobby Fulton
James Hines
James Hines is a professional wrestler better known as Bobby Fulton of The Fantastics.-Career:James Hines started wrestling as a 16 year old in 1977 as Jimmy Hines....
as The Fantastics.
Throughout the 1990s, he also carved out a successful career overseas competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
and IWA Japan both under his real name as well as the masked wrestler The Eagle. In recent years, he has also competed in American independent promotions as the masked wrestler American Eagle.
Early career
Born in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Hines eventually entered professional wrestling in 1987, joining his older brother Bobby Fulton a decade after his own debut in 1977. In early 1989, he began wrestling in televised matches for Championship Wrestling from Florida. During his time in the area, he formed a short-lived tag team with "Nightmare" Danny Davis
Dan Marsh
Dan Marsh is a former professional wrestling referee and wrestler most famous as Danny Davis of the World Wrestling Federation. He also competed in the WWF for several years as Mr. X, a masked wrestler....
and gained a title shot at the then CWF Tag Team Champions The Japanese Connection (Mr. Chono and RPM
Mike Davis (wrestler)
Michael Davis was an American professional wrestler best known as one half of the tag team Rock 'n' Roll RPMs with Tommy Lane which lasted several years. The RPM's were one of the most well-known heel tag teams throughout the southern United States in promotions such as World Class Championship...
) in May 1989.
After Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers left the NWA and split up, he joined his brother later that year in the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
where they briefly feuded with then AWA Tag Team champions
AWA World Tag Team Championship
The American Wrestling Association World Tag Team Championship was professional wrestling world tag team championship in the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991.-History :...
The Destruction Crew
Beverly Brothers
The Beverly Brothers were a professional wrestling tag team comprising Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom in the World Wrestling Federation. They were also known as The Destruction Crew in the American Wrestling Association and the Minnesota Wrecking Crew 2 in the National Wrestling Alliance...
(Mike Enos
Mike Enos
Mike Enos is a retired professional wrestler who wrestled mainly as a tag-team wrestler in World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation between 1989 and 2000....
and Wayne Bloom
Wayne Bloom
Wayne Bloom is a former professional wrestler who wrestled in World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, and the World Wrestling Federation between 1988 and 1999....
). He and Bobby Fulton also had a short run in the NWA
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
and wrestled as both The Fantastics and The Fantastic Ones
The Fabulous Ones
The Fabulous Ones was a professional wrestling Tag team consisting of Stan Lane and Steve Keirn that was active between 1982 and 1987 with brief reunions during the 1990s...
on the independent circuit.
During this time, Hines also competed in Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
and, teaming with Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor , is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
against The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags, active from the mid to late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Their gimmick was that of anti-social punks who specialized in hardcore wrestling and brawling...
(Brian Knobbs
Brian Knobbs
Brian Yandrisovitz , better known as Brian Knobbs, is an American professional wrestler, best known as one half of the tag team The Nasty Boys along with Jerry Sags.-The Nasty Boys:...
and Jerry Saggs) at Clash of the Champions XII, he was pinned by Saggs.
Staying with the organization during the next year or two, his exposure increased during the promotion's eventual transition to World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
although he was often used as a preliminary wrestler against veterans such as Nikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff is a retired American professional wrestler,. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he wrestled as "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, which was a play on the nickname of fan favorite "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes .Nikita was brought into the National...
to whom he lost to on WCW Worldwide
WCW WorldWide
WCW WorldWide was a syndicated TV show produced by World Championship Wrestling.-Wide World Wrestling:The show began in 1975 , a syndicated one-hour program produced by Charlotte, North Carolina-based Jim Crockett Promotions...
in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
on August 3, 1991.
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
In early 1992, he and Bobby Fulton began teaming together as the second incarnation of The Fantastics, formerly composed of Bobby Fulton and Tommy RogersTommy Rogers
Tommy Rogers may refer to:* Tommy Rogers , American professional wrestler Thomas Crouch* Tommy Giles Rogers Jr., American musician...
. Appearing on the earliest episodes of SMW's weekly television show, he and Bobby Fulton fought Ivan and Vladimir Koloff in a brief feud during early March.
Entering a championship tournament to crown the first SMW Tag Team Champions, they would advance to the finals before being eliminated by the Heavenly Bodies
Heavenly Bodies
"Heavenly Bodies" is the title of a song recorded by American country music artist Earl Thomas Conley. It was released in May 1982 as the first single from the album Somewhere Between Right and Wrong. The song reached #8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart...
(Stan Lane
Stan Lane
Wallace Stanfield "Stan" Lane is an American professional wrestler, trained by Ric Flair, who started wrestling in 1974 in Championship Wrestling from Florida. For a brief time in Florida, he was nicknamed Nature Boy...
& Tom Prichard
Tom Prichard
Thomas Prichard is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, working in their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling as a trainer using his ring name Tom Prichard...
) in Harrogate, Tennessee
Harrogate, Tennessee
Harrogate is a city in Claiborne County, Tennessee, United States. The community has been known as "Harrogate" since the 19th century, but did not incorporate as a city by that name until 1993....
on April 23, 1992. On July 2, he would also win a 12-man battle royal in Paintsville, Kentucky
Paintsville, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 4,132 people, 1,681 households, and 1,079 families residing in the city. The population density was 786.1 people per square mile . There were 1,901 housing units at an average density of 361.7 per square mile...
. The participants included Bobby Fulton, Robert Gibson, Joe Cazana, "Dirty White Boy" Tony Anthony
Tony Anthony
Darrell W. "Tony" Anthony is a semi-retired American professional wrestler best known as Dirty White Boy, who wrestled primarily for independent promotions in the Southeastern United States...
, Dixie Dynamite, Jimmy Golden
Jimmy Golden
James "Jimmy" Golden is an American professional wrestler, who is better known as Bunkhouse Buck.Golden has many relatives in wrestling: his cousins are Robert & Ron Fuller, his father is Billy Golden and his uncle is Buddy Fuller and his nephew is Eddie Golden. His grandfather is Roy Welch...
, Tim Horner
Tim Horner
Tim Horner is a professional wrestler best known for his "Lightning Express" tag team with Brad Armstrong.-Career:Tim Horner started wrestling in 1982 in the Alabama territory. He formed a tag team called the "Lightning Express" with Brad Armstrong and they had a lot of success. They won the...
, Buddy Landel
Buddy Landel
William Ansor is a professional wrestler better knownas "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel.-Career:Buddy Landel started his career in 1979 as a young talented athlete in ICW. He left high school even though he had received letters of intent to play baseball and football at the University of Tennessee...
, Brian Lee
Brian Lee
Brian Lee Harris is a retired American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Prime Time" Brian Lee...
and the Heavenly Bodies. He and Bobby Fulton would also tour Japan losing to André the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
, Mighty Inoue & Yoshinari Ogawa
Yoshinari Ogawa
Yoshinari Ogawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his opponents into quick pins.- Career :...
in a 6-man tag team match with The Patriot
Del Wilkes
Del Wilkes is a former American professional wrestler. Over the span of 14 years, he performed in various promotions such as American Wrestling Association, All Japan Pro Wrestling...
in Hamamatsu, Japan on May 30 and, with Johnny Ace
Johnny Ace
Johnny Ace , born John Marshall Alexander, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee, was an American rhythm and blues singer. He scored a string of hit singles in the mid-1950s before dying of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound....
, lost in a rematch three days later in Fukushima, Japan.
Feuding with the Heavenly Bodies and their manager James E. Cornette throughout the summer, they briefly captured the SMW Tag Team Championship from the Heavenly Bodies defeating them in Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
on August 8 before dropping the belts back to the them in Benton, Tennessee
Benton, Tennessee
Benton is a town in Polk County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,138 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Polk County.Benton is included in the Cleveland, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
two days later. Splitting up soon after, Hines eventually left the promotion and traveled the independent circuit for a short time before moving on to Japan later that year.
All Japan Pro Wrestling
In 1992, he began competing in Japan as The Eagle, forming a successful tag team with The PatriotDel Wilkes
Del Wilkes is a former American professional wrestler. Over the span of 14 years, he performed in various promotions such as American Wrestling Association, All Japan Pro Wrestling...
. They competed in the 1992 and 1993 World's Strongest Tag Team League as well as winning the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
from Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
is a professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. He has previously worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH. Kikuchi idolized and patterned his style after the Dynamite Kid....
& Kenta Kobashi
Kenta Kobashi
Not to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars....
in Koyama, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on June 2, 1993. After losing the titles to Doug Furnas
Doug Furnas
Doug Furnas is a former American professional wrestler and powerlifter. Furnas briefly worked for World Championship Wrestling in the early 1990s...
& Dan Kroffat on September 9, The Patriot left AJPW for World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
while Hines began teaming with The Falcon
Steve Armstrong
Steve Armstrong is a professional wrestler and is the son of the legendary "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. He has three brothers that also wrestle: Scott, Brad and Brian.-Professional wrestling career:...
together competing in the 1994 World's Strongest Tag Team League.
By 1999, he had become a regular in All Japan Pro Wrestling competing under his real name. Appearing on televised matches aired on Nippon TV, Hines teamed with Wolf Hawkfield against Giant Kimala & Tamon Honda
Tamon Honda
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is currently a freelancer, he most recently worked for Pro Wrestling Noah.-1984, 1988, and 1992 Summer Olympics:Honda represented Japan in three Olympic Games in freestyle wrestling in 1984, 1988, and 1992...
at the Super Power Series supercard at the Sendai Miyagi-ken Sports Center on June 9. During the Summer Action Series, he faced Akira Taue
Akira Taue
is a Japanese professional wrestler, and the current President of Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former AJPW Triple Crown champion, a former GHC Heavyweight Champion and has had 14 5 Star Matches as awarded by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter....
& Toshiaki Kawada
Toshiaki Kawada
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....
& Hiroshi Hase in a 6-man tag team match with Johnny Ace and Mike Burton at Korakuen Hall
Korakuen Hall
is an arena in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan, which has hosted many boxing, professional wrestling and mixed martial arts matches. Part of Tokyo Dome City, it is one of Tokyo's biggest attractions. It opened on April 16, 1962 and has a capacity of approximately 1,800 people. The venue hosted the boxing...
on August 22. Several days later, he and Johnny Ace teamed against Takao Ōmori
Takao Omori
is a Japanese semi-retired professional wrestler, currently competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He has formerly competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
& Yoshihiro Takayama
Yoshihiro Takayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Takayama is well known for his ability to endure massive amounts of punishment, especially after his fight at PRIDE 21 against Don Frye...
at the Wakayama Kenritsu Taiikukan on August 28 as well as facing Yoshinari Ogawa
Yoshinari Ogawa
Yoshinari Ogawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his opponents into quick pins.- Career :...
in a singles match at the Osaka Chou Taiikukan the following night. In April 2000, substituting for an injured Reno Riggins, he and Steven Dunn defended the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
losing the title to the The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton
Ricky Morton
Richard Wendell "Ricky" Morton is an American professional wrestler who has worked for such wrestling organizations as Jim Crockett Promotions, the American Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and Total Nonstop Action...
& Robert Gibson) in Waegwan
Waegwan
Waegwan is the seat of government for Chilgok County, North Gyeongsang province, South Korea. It consists primarily of the administrative district of Waegwan-eup. It is situated on both sides of the Nakdong River, which is traversed by railroad, automobile and pedestrian bridges.Waegwan is home...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
The following year, he appeared on the undercard of the Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular
Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular
The Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular was a professional wrestling memorial event produced by the All-Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, which took place on January 28, 2001 at the Tokyo Egg Dome in Tokyo, Japan...
teaming with Johnny Smith
Johnny Smith
Johnny Smith is an American cool jazz and mainstream jazz guitarist.-Early years:...
and Jim Steele
Jim Steele (wrestler)
James Rocha is an American Professional Wrestler who competed in World Championship Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling. He's perhaps best known for using the gimmick: Wolf Hawkfield, based on the video game character from the Virtua Fighter video game series.-World Championship Wrestling :Rocha...
in a 6-man tag team match defeating Mike Rotunda
Mike Rotunda
Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda is a former American professional wrestler, perhaps best known under the name Irwin R. Schyster or I.R.S. for short. He is currently signed with WWE working as a road agent and making occasional appearances on WWE shows as Irwin R...
, Curt Hennig
Curt Hennig
Curtis Michael "Curt" Hennig , also known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler, manager and color commentator who worked for, among other promotions, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World...
and Barry Windham
Barry Windham
Barry Clinton Windham is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and the son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan. He is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling ....
(substituting for Kendall Windham
Kendall Windham
Kendall Windham is a former professional wrestler. He is the son of Blackjack Mulligan and the brother of Barry Windham.-Florida Championship Wrestling:...
) at the Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
on January 28, 2001.
He participated in All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion's Carnival
Champion's Carnival
The Champion's Carnival is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling, established in 1973. Originally a single-elimination tournament, the Champion's Carnival is currently held as a round-robin, with a victory worth 2 points, a time limit draw worth 1 and a loss,...
tournament facing Mike Barton, Toshiaki Kawada, Taiyō Kea
Taiyo Kea
Maunakea Mossman is an American professional wrestler, better known under his stage name Taiyō Kea . Although he was born in Hawaii, he has spent nearly his entire career as a member of the Japan-based All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion...
, Johnny Smith, Jim Steele, Steve Williams, Gen'ichiro Tenryu and Yoshiaki Fujiwara between March 23 and April 8.
During the next several months, he appeared in high profile matches at Budokan Hall
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
and was pinned by Satoshi Kojima
Satoshi Kojima
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling. As a singles wrestler, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously...
during a tag team match Steve Williams against Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Hiroyoshi Tenzan
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the Real World Tag League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Climax Tag League in NJPW becoming in the only tag team which has done...
on April 14. He later teamed with Mike Barton to defeat Nobutaka Araya & Shigeo Okumura
Shigeo Okumura
Shigeo Okumura is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and is currently billed simply as Okumura. Okumura originally worked for Tokyo Pro Wrestling and later on All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan but...
on June 8 as well defeating Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Yoshiaki Fujiwara
is a Japanese actor, and professional wrestler who has worked for New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, and UWF.-New Japan Pro Wrestling and Universal Wrestling Federation :...
, Yuto Aijima & Ryuji Hijikata
Ryuji Hijikata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. Born May 17, 1978. Started wrestling in 1998 for Yuki Isikawa's BattlARTS promotion and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he was a former AJPW World Jr...
in a 6-man tag team match with Kasey Geyer and Shawn Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez"....
after pinning Aijima on July 14. Later that year, he teamed with Jim Steele & Vampiro
Vampiro
Ian Richard Hodgkinson , better known by his ring name Vampiro, is a Canadian professional wrestler currently working as a wrestler and a consultant for Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Hodgkinson is semi-retired and is a member of the citizen crime patrol organization Guardian Angels, acting as...
losing to Hiroshi Hase, Steve Williams & Mike Rotunda on September 8.
At AJPW's "29th Anniversary Show" at Budokan Hall on October 27, George Hines, Johnny Smith and Kazushi Miyamoto
Kazushi Miyamoto
is a Japanese professional wrestler.-Career:Kazushi Miyamoto will forever have the distinction of being the first post-split graduate of the All Japan Pro Wrestling dojo. While in the Dojo Miyamoto was trained by Hiroshi Hase, Johnny Smith, and his mentor Toshiaki Kawada...
defeated Masato Tanaka
Masato Tanaka
Masato Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in Japan and in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the United States where he was a one-time world champion, having won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship once...
, Ryuji Hijikata
Ryuji Hijikata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. Born May 17, 1978. Started wrestling in 1998 for Yuki Isikawa's BattlARTS promotion and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he was a former AJPW World Jr...
and Nobukazu Hirai
Nobukazu Hirai
Nobukazu Hirai is a Japanese professional wrestler currently competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling as Super Hate. He is the son of Japanese wrestler: Mitsu Hirai-Super World Sports :...
when Hines pinned Hirai. With Johnny Smith and Vampiro, Hines also beat Arashi, Nobukazu Hirai and Koki Kitahara on December 7, 2001.
On February 24, 2002 he defeated Yoji Anjoh, Arashi, & Nobutaka Araya in a 6-man match with Mike Barton and Jim Steele. The following month, during a Japanese PPV event, he and Tomoaki Honma
Tomoaki Honma
Tomoaki Honma is a freelance Japanese professional wrestler, currently touring with New Japan Pro Wrestling.-Career:Honma trained in the Big Japan dojo before debuting for the promotion in May, 1997...
lost to Hiroshi Hase & Hideki Hosaka on April 13. A few weeks later, he teamed with Kaz Hayashi
Kaz Hayashi
Kazuhiro "Kaz" Hayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is working for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is also the head booker for the company's junior division.-Career:...
and Keiji Mutoh
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
to win the Giant Baba Memorial Six Man Tag Team Tournament. He and Johnny Smith also participated tag team match on July 20 against Mike Barton and Jim Steele
Mike Barton and Jim Steele
The tag team of Mike Barton and Jim Steele was a professional wrestling tag team that competed in several puroresu promotions including All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
, Steve Williams & Mike Rotunda and Brian Adams
Brian Adams (wrestler)
Brian Keith Adams was an American professional wrestler. Adams gained fame in the 1990s while performing for the World Wrestling Federation , under the name Crush, and for World Championship Wrestling under his given name.Trained in Japan by Antonio Inoki, Adams was a two time WCW World Tag Team...
& Bryan Clark
Bryan Clark
Bryan Emmeth Clark, Jr. is a American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.-Early career:...
. After nearly half an hour, the match was eventually won by Mike Barton & Jim Steele after Barton pinned Rotunda.
On August 30, in a 2-day PPV event at Budokan Hall, Hines teamed with Johnny Smith and Gran Hamada
Gran Hamada
, better known by his ring name , is Japanese professional wrestler, the first to adopt the high-flying Mexican lucha libre style. He has wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling, the Universal Wrestling Federation, Michinoku Pro, and All Japan Pro Wrestling, and was the founder of Universal Lucha Libre...
to defeat Steve Williams, Mike Rotunda & Gran Naniwa
Gran Naniwa
was a Japanese professional wrestler. Naniwa was known for his comedic gimmick, in which he performed mannerisms of crabs. This was also reflected upon in the design of his wrestling mask.-Career:...
when Hines pinned Naniwa. The following night, Hines was featured in the main event facing Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...
, Steve Williams, Arashi, Koki Kitahara, & Masao Orihara in a 10-man tag team "elimination" match with Keiji Mutoh
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
, Hiroshi Hase, Jinsei Shinzaki
Jinsei Shinzaki
Kensuke Shinzaki is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his stage names Jinsei Shinzaki and Hakushi...
and Kaz Hayashi
Kaz Hayashi
Kazuhiro "Kaz" Hayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is working for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is also the head booker for the company's junior division.-Career:...
. Pinned by Arashi, he was the second man to be eliminated and his team eventually lost the match with Genichiro Tenryu and Steve Williams as the survivors. Hines would again appear on a live PPV broadcast during AJPW's "30th Anniversary Show" at Budokan Hall teaming with Mike Barton and Jim Steele to defeat Arashi, Nobutaka Araya and Nobukazu Hirai on October 27, 2002.
On April 3, he was pinned by Satoshi Kojima during a tag team match with Keiji Mutoh
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
against Kojima & Jimmy Yang at the Tomioka-cho Gym in Fukushima, Japan. The following night at Fukushima's "Big Palette" in Kooriyama City
Koriyama, Fukushima
is a city in the center of the Nakadōri region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of May 2011, the city had an estimated population of 336,328. The total area is 757 km²....
, he teamed with Satoshi Kojima and Kaz Hayashi losing to Genichiro Tenryu, Arashi, & Nobutaka Araya in a 6-man tag team match after being pinned by Arashi. On April 5, he and Gigantes teamed to defeat Tomoaki Honma & Kazushi Miyamoto at the Nagaoka City Welfare Hall in Niigata, Japan.
Continuing to team with Gigantes
Gigantes
In Greek mythology, the Giants were the children of Gaia, who was fertilized by the blood of Uranus, after Uranus was castrated by his son Cronus...
, the two also defeated Hiroshi Hase & Masayuki Kono
Masayuki Kono
is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently working in All Japan Pro Wrestling.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :Kono trained in the All Japan Dojo and made his debut on March 28, 2003 in a losing effort to Nobutaka Araya...
at Budokan Hall on April 12. Two months later, he teamed with "Big" John Tenta
John Tenta
John Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
& Robbie Brookside
Robbie Brookside
Robert Edward Brooks , better known by his ring name Robbie Brookside, is a British professional wrestler. He has toured all over the world during his career including such countries as the United States, Japan, Germany, and Mexico...
to defeat Hiroshi Hase, Masayuki Kono & Shigeo Okumura in a PPV event at Budokan Hall on July 19, 2003.
Hines would also have a brief stint in IWA Japan and, in August 2004, entered a championship tournament for the IWA Japan Heavyweight Championship advancing to the quarterfinals before being eliminated by The Barbarian.
Returning to AJPW in early 2005, he teamed with Mike Barton and Jim Steele to defeat Jamal
Eddie Fatu
Edward Smith "Eki" Fatu was a Samoan-American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Umaga...
, Chuck Palumbo
Chuck Palumbo
Charles "Chuck" Palumbo is an American professional wrestler, currently working for Nu-Wrestling Evolution . Palumbo is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment...
& Rodney Mack (14:02) at the "Giant Baba Farewell" supercard on February 5, 2005.
Recent years
Returning to the United States, he and his brother Bobby Fulton came out of retirement for a one time appearance against The Assassins at an event for Big Time Wrestling on September 2, 2006.Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro WrestlingAll Japan Pro Wrestlingis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
(1 time) – with The Patriot - Giant Baba Six Man Cup (2002) - with Keiji MutohKeiji Mutohis a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
& Kaz HayashiKaz HayashiKazuhiro "Kaz" Hayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is working for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is also the head booker for the company's junior division.-Career:... - Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (January 2, 2002)
- Big Time Wrestling
- BTW Ohio Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Bobby Fulton
- Smoky Mountain WrestlingSmoky Mountain WrestlingSmoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...
- SMW Tag Team ChampionshipSMW Tag Team ChampionshipThe SMW Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in Smoky Mountain Wrestling . It existed from 1992 until 1995 when the promotion closed .-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Bobby Fulton
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him # 272 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1991.
In popular culture
- Hines is a playable character in the 2004 video game King of Colosseum IIKing of Colosseum IIKing of Colosseum II is a professional wrestling video game featuring wrestlers from New Japan Pro Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, Zero One, Pro Wrestling Noah, World Japan and freelance wrestlers...
.