Don Bass (wrestler)
| Don Bass | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Donald Hollis Welch |
| Born |
March 14, 1946 Tyronza, Arkansas[1] |
| Died |
September 16, 2016 (aged 70) Memphis, Tennessee |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) |
Don Bass Fire Intern II Rock and Roll Phantom I Scorpion |
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[2] |
| Billed weight | 295 lb (134 kg)[2] |
| Billed from | Greasy Corner, Arkansas[1] |
| Debut | 1973 |
Donald Hollis Welch (March 14, 1946 – September 16, 2016) was an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Don Bass.[3]
Professional wrestling career
Don Welch started wrestling as Don Bass in 1973.
Bass found early success as a tag team wrestler, teaming up with his brother, Ron Bass as a member of the heel stable The Bass Family. The duo was managed by their "mother", Maw Bass. Maw Bass carried a loaded purse, with which she would strike their opponents to steal a victory.[4]
Continental Wrestling Alliance
In the early 1980s, Don Bass joined Continental Wrestling Association as one half of The Interns with Roger Smith. The masked duo would become a staple in Memphis tag team wrestling, capturing the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship on five occasions.[1]
Later, the team would be repackaged as Fire and Flame, once again winning the Southern Tag Titles. During this time, Bass defeated Jerry Lawler in a tag team match, winning the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship, his first and only major singles championship.[1] Bass died of cancer on September 16, 2016.[5]
In wrestling
- Managers
- Nicknames
Championships and accomplishments
- Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling - Southeastern Championship Wrestling
- NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship (1 times) – with Ron Bass (1)
- NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Ron Bass (2)[1]
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Gulf Coast version) (1 time) – with Bobby Bass[6]
- NWA Mid-South
- NWA Mid-America / Continental Wrestling Association
- AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 times)
- AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (5 time) - with Don Greene (1), Roger Smith (4)[1]
- CWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Gary Young (1)[1]
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time) – with Ron Bass[8][9]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Don Bass". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Don Bass". Cagematch.
- ↑ http://www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/services.asp?locid=&page=odetail&id=42754
- ↑ "Bass Brothers". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
- ↑ Don Bass Loses Battle with Cancer
- ↑ NWA United States Tag Team Title (Gulf Coast) history At wrestling-titles.com
- ↑ "NWA Mid-South Unified Heavyweight Championship History".
- ↑ Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Tennessee: U.S. Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 194. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ↑ "NWA United States Tag Team Title (Mid-America)". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved April 23, 2015.