Neal Hargrove
Encyclopedia
Neal Hargrove, known by his ring name Reno Riggins, is an American professional wrestler who has competed in Southeastern independent promotions including the United States Wrestling Association
and the National Wrestling Alliance
during the 1990s. He was also the last wrestler to be trained by Jimmy Mitchell and Tojo Yamamoto
before Yamamato's death in 1992.
debut as Reno Riggins in March 1988, spending several years as an enhancement talent
. He also appeared in a dark match losing to Rip Rogers
at the NWA's Halloween Havoc in October 1990. Leaving the WWF in 1992, he began competing for the USWA and eventually won the USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship from Brian Christopher
in August 1992. After a brief stint in Smoky Mountain Wrestling
in early 1993, he returned to the WWF and frequently appeared as an enhancement talent on Monday Night Raw
until deciding to retire in early 1995.
Following the close of the USWA in 1997, Hargrove came out of retirement and began teaming with Steven Dunn
as the Tennessee Volunteers in Music City Wrestling feuding with Flash Flanagan and Wolfie D over the promotion's North American tag team titles (later reamed the NWA North American Tag Team Championship) during the late 1990s. Appearing of the first Brian Pillman Memorial Show
in 1998, he and Dunn would later compete as Main Event in the National Wrestling Alliance eventually winning the NWA World Tag Team titles in Eskan, Saudi Arabia
on April 7, 2000. Hargrove now does advertising, commentating and booking for Showtime All-Star Wrestling
. On October 8, 2011, Riggins defeated Kid Kash to win the SAW International Heavyweight Championship.
United States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
and 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...
during the 1990s. He was also the last wrestler to be trained by Jimmy Mitchell and Tojo Yamamoto
Tojo Yamamoto
Harold Watanabe was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Tojo Yamamoto. He was born in Hawaii.-In-ring career:...
before Yamamato's death in 1992.
Career
Hargrove made his World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
debut as Reno Riggins in March 1988, spending several years as an enhancement talent
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
. He also appeared in a dark match losing to Rip Rogers
Rip Rogers
Mark Sciarra whose professional name is Rip Rogers is a former professional wrestler and trainer for Ohio Valley Wrestling. He is currently a trainer for Derby City Wrestling in Louisville, Kentucky.-Career:...
at the NWA's Halloween Havoc in October 1990. Leaving the WWF in 1992, he began competing for the USWA and eventually won the USWA Southern Heavyweight Championship from Brian Christopher
Brian Lawler
Brian Christopher Lawler is a professional wrestler. He is the son of color commentator and professional wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler and brother of wrestling referee Kevin Christian...
in August 1992. After a brief 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...
in early 1993, he returned to the WWF and frequently appeared as an enhancement talent on Monday Night Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
until deciding to retire in early 1995.
Following the close of the USWA in 1997, Hargrove came out of retirement and began teaming with Steven Dunn
Steve Doll
Steve Doll was an American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in the World Wrestling Federation as Steven Dunn in the tag team Well Dunn.-Professional wrestling career:...
as the Tennessee Volunteers in Music City Wrestling feuding with Flash Flanagan and Wolfie D over the promotion's North American tag team titles (later reamed the NWA North American Tag Team Championship) during the late 1990s. Appearing of the first Brian Pillman Memorial Show
Brian Pillman Memorial Show
The Brian Pillman Memorial Show was an annual professional wrestling event held between 1998 and 2001 benefiting the children of Brian Pillman and featuring talent from World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and Extreme Championship Wrestling, as well as local and indy...
in 1998, he and Dunn would later compete as Main Event in the National Wrestling Alliance eventually winning the NWA World Tag Team titles in Eskan, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
on April 7, 2000. Hargrove now does advertising, commentating and booking for Showtime All-Star Wrestling
Showtime All-Star Wrestling
Showtime All-Star Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. SAW has local broadcasts every Saturday night on Nashville’s WNAB, and throughout the country on syndicate...
. On October 8, 2011, Riggins defeated Kid Kash to win the SAW International Heavyweight Championship.
Championships and accomplishments
- Central Wrestling Federation
- CWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Krull the Deathstalker
- Music City Wrestling
- MCW North American Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Steven DunnSteve DollSteve Doll was an American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in the World Wrestling Federation as Steven Dunn in the tag team Well Dunn.-Professional wrestling career:...
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe 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...
1 - NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
(1 time) - with Steven Dunn - NWA North American Tag Team ChampionshipNWA North American Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA North American Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship that is currently used and defended in various territories throughout the National Wrestling Alliance. This is the fifth NWA sanctioned championship to bear this name...
(1 time) - with Steven Dunn
- NWA NashvilleNational Wrestling AllianceThe 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...
- NWA North American Tag Team ChampionshipNWA North American Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA North American Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship that is currently used and defended in various territories throughout the National Wrestling Alliance. This is the fifth NWA sanctioned championship to bear this name...
(2 times) - with Steven Dunn
- 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 # 189 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1998.
- Showtime All-Star WrestlingShowtime All-Star WrestlingShowtime All-Star Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. SAW has local broadcasts every Saturday night on Nashville’s WNAB, and throughout the country on syndicate...
- SAW International Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)
- Spectrum Sports
- Spectrum Sports Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- United States Wrestling AssociationUnited States Wrestling AssociationThe United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
- USWA Southern Heavyweight ChampionshipAWA Southern Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Memphis Wrestling Southern Heavyweight Championship is a major professional wrestling title in the Memphis Wrestling promotion. The title is part of a long lineage that is best known while the title was named the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship for Continental Wrestling Association during...
(1 time)