Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat American professional wrestler Date of Birth: 28.02.1953 Country: USA

Ricky Dragon Steamboat: A Biography

Ricky Dragon Steamboat, an American professional wrestler, is one of the most well-known wrestlers of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Currently, he works as an agent and producer in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He gained fame among wrestling fans for being one of the few wrestlers to maintain a "good guy" persona throughout his entire career.

Steamboat is known for his work in various wrestling organizations, including the American Wrestling Association (AWA), National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He was the Intercontinental Champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009. He also held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, won the US Heavyweight Championship four times, the TV Championship four times, and the World Tag Team Championship twelve times. Additionally, he was a two-time Middle Atlantic Heavyweight Champion and a two-time Middle Atlantic Tag Team Champion.

Steamboat made his debut in 1976 as a face, or a "good guy," in AWA competitions. Initially, he used the ring name "Sam Steamboat Jr." as a tribute to the old Hawaiian wrestler Sam Steamboat (although there was no actual relation between them). However, he eventually settled on the name "Ricky Steamboat" (sometimes referred to as Rick Steamboat), which he was known by for the rest of his career.

In 1977, Steamboat joined NWA and remained there for eight years. He initially entered through a talent exchange program recommended by Wahoo McDaniel and was considered his "positive protege," often remaining in the shadows during interviews and conferences. He gained attention after defeating his young competitor, Ric Flair, in a tense battle. Over the next eight years, Steamboat won the US Heavyweight Championship three times and the NWA Tag Team Championship six times. He also won the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship twice in singles matches and wore the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship insignia four times. He was a two-time winner of the NWA TV Championship.

In 1985, Steamboat signed a contract with Vince McMahon and joined WWF. Since then, he has been known by the nickname "The Dragon." He continues to be a respected figure in the wrestling industry and has left a lasting impact on the sport.