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Ray Candy

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Ray Candy
Candy, circa 1988
Birth nameRay Canty
Born(1951-12-03)December 3, 1951[1]
Decatur, Georgia,U.S.[1]
DiedMay 23, 1994(1994-05-23)(aged 42)
Decatur, Georgia
Cause of deathMyocardial infarction
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Blackstud Williams
Commando Ray
Kareem Muhammad
Masked Superfly
Ray Candy
Super Mario Man
Billed height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)[2]
Billed weight341 lb (155 kg)[2]
Billed fromDecatur, Georgia, US[1]
Trained byDory Funk Jr.[3]
Debut1973
Retired1990[3]

Ray Canty(December 3, 1951 – May 23, 1994), better known by thering nameRay Candy,was an Americanprofessional wrestlerwho worked for a variety of different wrestling promotions in the United States, Japan and Puerto Rico such asJim Crockett Promotions,All Japan Pro Wrestling,World Wrestling Counciland others. He also competed asBlackstud Williams,Super Mario Man,Commando Ray,Masked SuperflyandKareem Muhammad.

As Kareem Muhammad he formed a tag team withElijah Akeemas thetag team"The Zambuie Express". He also spent time as part ofSkandor Akbar's Devastation Inc. group as well as a team known as "The Shock Troops" withEd Gantnerand "The Commandos" with Commando Boone. Canty was responsible for trainingNew Jackfor his professional wrestling career.

Professional wrestling career[edit]

Ray Canty was trained for his professional wrestling career by formerNWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipholderDory Funk Jr.before making his in-ring debut in 1973.[3]Starting out he adopted thering name"Ray Candy", a modified version of his birth name. To start with Candy worked for the local All-South Wrestling Alliance (ASWA) based out ofAtlanta, Georgia.In the ASWA he won the ASWA United States Championship early in his career.[4]He later worked forDory Funk Sr.'sNational Wrestling AllianceWestern States Sports(WWS) promotion. In WWS he won both theNWA Western States Heavyweight Championshipand theNWA Western States Tag Team Championship,teaming with his mentor Dory Funk Jr.[5][6]By 1976 he was a regular worker forChampionship Wrestling from Florida(CWF), but also worked for the nearbyNWA Mid-Americapromotion where he held theNWA Mid-America Tag Team Championshiptwice while teaming withPez Whatley.[7]In 1979 Candy was invited to work forAll Japan Pro Wrestling(AJPW), touring Japan several times. On October 12, 1979, Candy andAbdullah the Butcherwon theNWA International Tag Team Championship,defeatingGiant BabaandJumbo Tsuruta.The duo only held the championship for a week before Baba and Tsuruta regained them.[8]Candy competed in the 1980Champion Carnival,where he defeated Motoshi Okumura, Carl Fergie,the Mysterious Assassinand Rocky Hata to earn a total of eight points, enough for eight place.[9]

Zambuie Express/Muslim Connection[edit]

In 1983 the Florida bookers came up with the idea to team up Candy with the 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), 310 lb (140 kg; 22 st),Leroy Brown.Candy took theMuslimname "Kareem Muhammad" while Brown was billed as "Elijah Akeem". Together they formed "the Zambuie Express", which was at times billed as "The Muslim Connection" in some promotions. The duo began to wear camouflage pants and shirts to the ring, adopting militaristic Muslim in ring characters, based to some extent on theBlack Panther Party.The two toured mainly in the southern parts of the United States where their racially charged characters made them very hated.[3]The team was often managed bySir Oliver Humperdinkand was part of the "House of Humperdink".[10][11]In Florida the duo defeated Mike Graham and Scott McGhee to win theNWA Florida Global Tag Team Championshipon July 31, 1983.[12]The duo held the championship until September of that year, when it was replaced by the Florida version of theNWA United States Tag Team Championship.The Zambuie Express were declared the United States Champions, with the storyline being that they won a tournament.[13]Two months later the Zambuie Express lost the championship to the team ofDusty RhodesandBlackjack Mulliganon November 5, 1983[13]

From Florida the team traveled to Memphis to compete for theContinental Wrestling Association(CWA) where they were immediately pitted against the top face team of the territoryThe Fabulous Ones(Stan LaneandSteve Keirn). On January 24, 1984, the Zambuie Express were awarded theAWA Southern Tag Team Championshipwhen the Fabulous Ones failed to show up for a match, but the titles were declared vacant instead of giving them to Akeem and Muhammad.[14]The CWA held a tournament for the vacant championship, a tournament won by the Zambuie Express as they defeated the Pretty Young Things (Koko B. WareandNorvell Austin) in the final match.[14]The Pretty Young Things won the championship only a week later, defeating the Zambuie Express on CWA's weekly show at the Mid-South Coliseum. Eight days later the Zambuie Express regained the championship. The duo held on to the belts until March 12, 1984, when they lost toJerry LawlerandJos LeDuc.[14]The team toured with New Japan Pro-Wrestling in the spring of 1984 and then ended up working forJim Crockett Promotionsbased in the Carolinas by the summer of 1984. The team sided withPaul Jonesand became part ofPaul Jones' Armyas they fought againstJimmy Valiantand Valiant's friends.[15]The Express competed on the 1984 version ofStarrcade,where they lost to the team ofBuzz TylerandThe Masked Assassin #1.[15][16]The loss to Tyler and the Assassin was one of the last matches the Zambuie Express worked together, splitting up a short time later.[15]

He later formed a duo withEd Gantner,known as the Shock Troops, working for the CWF.[3]On November 25, 1986, Canty, while still working as Kareem Muhammad, defeatedBarry Windhamto win theNWA Florida Heavyweight Championship,holding it until December 2 where he lost it toRon Simmons.[17]He later teamed up with Hacksaw Higgins to win the NWA United States Tag Team Championship, although the duo only held it for a day.[13]In late 1986 Candy worked a tour withNew Japan Pro-Wrestlingunder the ring name "Super Mario Man", a moniker that seemed more appropriate for anItalian plumberthan a 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), 410 lb (190 kg) African American wrestler.[1][18]In 1987 he travelled toPuerto Rico,working for theWorld Wrestling Council(WWC) where he won theWWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championshipon June 6fromMighty Igor,holding it for about six months before losing it toMiguel Perez, Jr.[19]In 1988 he took the ring name "Commando Ray", teaming with "Commando Boone" (AKA Grizzly Boone) to for a team known as "The Commandos.[3]Candy's last major match was at the 1988Starrcade,where he was a part of a BunkhouseBattle royal,a match that was only seen by the audience in theNorfolk Scope.[20]

Personal life[edit]

After his retirement from professional wrestling in 1990, Canty returned to Decatur to work as a dispatcher and supervisor for a local transport firm.[3]He was also responsible for trainingGlenn Jacobs(Kane inWWE) andNew Jack.

Death[edit]

On May 23, 1994, he died at his home in Decatur, after suffering aheart attack.[3]

Championships and accomplishments[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcde"Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500 – 1991: 334 Ray Candy".Pro Wrestling Illustrated.Blue Bell,Pennsylvania,United States:Sports and Entertainment publications LLC. September 23, 1991. p. 61. October 1991.
  2. ^ab"Kareem Muhammad « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  3. ^abcdefghijLewis III, Harris M. (2003).Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling(2nd ed.). McFarlane. pp. 59–60.ISBN9781476605050.
  4. ^ab"Event: ASWA".Cagematch. July 9, 1974.RetrievedFebruary 20,2016.
  5. ^abRoyal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "(Texas) NWA Western States Title [Dory Funl]".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 154–175.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  6. ^abRoyal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "(Texas) NWA Western States Tag Team Title [Dory Funl]".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 154–175.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  7. ^abRoyal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "(Alabama) NWA Mid-America Tag Team Title [Nick Gulas]".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 99–106.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  8. ^abRoyal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "(Japan): NWA International Tag Team Title".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 236–256.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  9. ^"Champion Carnival 1980".Pro Wrestling History.RetrievedMarch 7,2016.
  10. ^Matt Mackinder (January 17, 2008)."Sir Oliver Humperdink recalls career of yesteryear".SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012.RetrievedApril 4,2008.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^"House of Humperdink".Online World of Wrestling.RetrievedAugust 3,2009.
  12. ^abGary Will and Royal Duncan (2006). "(Florida) Tampa: NWA Florida Global Tag Team Title [Graham]".Wrestling Title Histories.Archeus Communications. p. 117.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  13. ^abcdGary Will and Royal Duncan (2006). "(Florida) Tampa: NWA United States Tag Team Title [Graham]".Wrestling Title Histories.Archeus Communications. p. 116.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  14. ^abcdRoyal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: Southern Tag Team Title [Roy Welsch & Nick Gulas, Jerry Jarrett from 1977]".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 185–189.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  15. ^abcCawthon, Graham (2013).the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 3:Jim Crockett and the NWA World Title 1983–1989.CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.ISBN978-1494803476.
  16. ^"Starrcade 1984".Pro Wrestling History. November 22, 1984.RetrievedAugust 29,2015.
  17. ^abGary Will and Royal Duncan (2006). "(Florida) Tampa: NWA Florida Heavyweight Title [Graham]".Wrestling Title Histories.Archeus Communications. p. 116.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  18. ^RD Reynoldsand Randy Baer (2003).Wrestlecrap – the very worst of pro wrestling.ECW Press.ISBN1-55022-584-7.
  19. ^abRoyal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Puerto Rico: WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title [Colon]".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 209–215.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  20. ^"Starrcade 1988".Starrcade.Pro Wrestling History. December 26, 1988.RetrievedFebruary 20,2016.
  21. ^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Georgia: NWA National Television Title".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 71–81.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  22. ^"Southern Tag Team Title".Wrestling-Titles.RetrievedJanuary 19,2020.
  23. ^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "(Arkansas_ NWA Arkansas Title [Bill Watts]".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 134–139.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  24. ^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "(Oklahoma) Mid-South North American Title [Bill Watts]".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 134–139.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  25. ^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "(Oklahoma) NWA United States Tag Team Title [Bill Watts]".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 134–139.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  26. ^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "(Alabama) NWA Alabama Heavyweight Title".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 99–106.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  27. ^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "(Alabama_ NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Title (Northern division)".Wrestling Title Histories.Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 99–106.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  28. ^Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "United States: Louisiana".Wrestling Title Histories.Archeus Communications. p. 233.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.

External links[edit]

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