Rockin’ Randy

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Randy Ricci Tribute to Percy Pringle (2013)

After a 9 month run in USWA for Jerry Jarrett, I was home for a stint. After being home [ for ] a week, I was going bat sh** because I was really addicted to the wrestling industry. We worked every night of the week and did TV [ tapings ] Saturday mornings in Memphis totaling 8 matches per week and then one Sunday off every 6 weeks.
This was the life I wanted!
I began to literally harass Jerry Jarrett via phone looking for any way possible to go back down to the Mid South and wrestle. I had some "mild" heat as Jerry Lawler used to ride me pretty hard down there, which was very common for a new, young talent that came from somewhere else.
My last night in, I was in a 6 man tag match. Myself, Dirty White Boy, and Ronnie P. Gossett versus Jeff Jarrett, Steve Doll, and Rex King.
During the match, I slammed Steve in the corner and called "Lawler Fist!!" and through his laughter, Steve said "No, man PLEASE!!" I uttered "Dude! Be cool!!" and Steve agreed!!
Rex King was in the corner laughing his ass off as he and everyone knew what was coming as I looked toward the babyface locker room (where Jerry was watching) and signaled the move.
Jeff was on the outside screaming "No! No!! Steve move!!!!" as I executed the move beautifully!!!
Lawler was pissed but, the then-booker Bill Dundee was literally on the floor laughing as it was no secret to him or anyone in the company how Lawler f###ed with me back then! SIDENOTE: Years later I got over with Jerry Lawler in the Memphis territory and we became very good friends. His mother and my grandmother had slipped into dementia at the same time and these women were very important to both of us.

That "mild" heat kept me from going back to work for the company for a while, even though it did garner me some respect with even Jerry Lawler himself.

I was floundering around doing what few independent shots I could get and doing WWF tv shots during this time but, I was literally "jonesing" to get back on the road and the USWA was the last full time company.

Then one day, I got a call from Bill Dundee. I kinda thought it was a "rib" at first because Bill asked me to go to Dallas (which was then a partnership between Jerry Jarrett and Fritz and Kevin Von Erich) and he told me that Jeff would be the top singles babyface and he and I would be the top tag team babyfaces!!

I was so eager at the time, with a day or two notice. I left Chicago for Dallas, Texas and was lucky enough to be able to stay with my good friend Sweet Daddy Falcone.

I had NO idea what to expect and even though it almost sounded like a "push" it was just beyond my thinking at the time that a company would think that much of me.

I picked up where I left off in Memphis as being the first one to the building that Friday. Even though I introduced myself to the people in the locker room that I didn't know (one was a young Steve Austin, by the way), I remained humble and quiet.

All Bill Dundee told me was "here's who we're working tonight" as he introduced me to Mike Davis and Kevin Dillenger, The Rock n Roll RPM'S, and "get ready to sell a lot, mate" which I really had no problem with.

Then it hit me, "HOLY S***! I'm wrestling in the Sportatorium and my referee is Bronco Lubich!!"

Long story short, we worked our match (without talking about anything, even a finish) and Bill and I went over on the RPM's with a finish I can't quite remember that set up an angle between the two teams!

And, the people "bought" me and Bill as a tag team!! Now I had met Percival Pringle that night but, if memory serves, he wasn't working.

I believe that Percy at that point was part of "the office." I couldn't really "sell" the fact that I was ECSTATIC that it looked like I was finally getting a "push" which was a really cool thing as, at the time, the tv from Dallas was on ESPN, which was really good exposure at the time! The next day, the company ran a taping in the Sportatorium again and I was the first to [ arrive at ] the building with Skandor Akbar, Percy Pringle, Bronco, and Tony Falk.

Talent began to file in except for Jerry Jarrett, Bill Dundee, and Jeff Jarrett. I said hello to everyone but there was a real strange vibe when anyone looked at me.

I got dressed and waited to see what was going on. And thats when Percy Pringle gave me the news that Kevin and Fritz had locked Jerry Jarrett out of the building and were taking the company back over.

There goes my push!!!! And I was probably headed back to Chicago already!! F!

Percy told me that the he and the Von Erichs thought [ that ] I would go back to Memphis with the Jarretts and Bill and they were surprised I was there.

He left the room I was in (trying not to have a breakdown, haha) only to return to tell me I was working a tv match with Louie Spicolli and Timmy Tall Tree (Tim Renesto) and my partner would take the finish.

It was a really good match and we worked very well together. After the match, Percy handed me a check for the two nights and a booking sheet with next weeks dates on it!!

This was when he first began to look out for me! Percy told me that I was a good looking kid and my look was perfect for the demographic down there as I was similar looking to the Simpsons who really got over for the company. He also stated that I was a much better worker then they were, so he believed I could really help the company!! What a f###### wonderful thing to hear from someone like him at that point in my career!!

Percy and Mike Davis thought that eventually the Jarretts and Von Erichs would work things out.

And in the meantime, we were going to find a way to have me feud with the RPM's managed by Percy and random partners that they would beat while trying to keep me strong until Bill would return.

LET THE LEARNING BEGIN, MAN!!!!

Mike was an awesome, bitter, vet! I mean, my first night in he was a total ####! But I went with it, as that's how it was when you were green! I knew I could learn from him, so I just shut the f### up!

Kevin Dillenger was a vet but younger and loved to work. I asked Mike the second time we worked if we could do a few things and he told me "f--- you! See this knee motherf#####? I aint doing s### with your green ass! You wanna work with someone? Go to Kevin and don't talk to me!"

"Thank you, sir."

Kevin and I DID SOME S###! And you could see the "angry vet" persona just wash away from Mike on the apron as Kevin and I were having a blast. Mike was on the outside like a little kid telling Kevin to tag him in!

F###### awesome is what it was!! From that moment on, me and Mike Davis had a literal "Bro mance" and he was going to take me under his wing and make me a solid, money drawing, baby face.

Next week, The RPMs were going to be managed by Percy and, at Mike's request, he called a spot where I was going to do a "suicide dive" on them on the outside, then I was to put my "junk" in Percy's face on the outside and do my best "Boogie Woogie Man" impression and "DON'T tell Percy its coming!"

Bronco Lubich was OLD then and these type of moves weren't common back then and, when the heels were outside, his job was to keep me back and he wouldn't get out of my way to do the spot!

I'm in the ring borderline panicking and Mike's out there going "hurry up hurry up!! We can't wait all day out here!!!" So, I hit the ropes and prayed I could clear Bronco and the ropes and hit Kevin and Mike on the outside without killing Mike!

Somehow I did it!!! And then went to Percy and finished the spot!! Percy f###### LOST IT!! He was laughing so hard he had to go to the back to get his composure!!

He came to me after the match and looked pissed! And then he told me in all his years in the business he had NEVER broke character and actually laughed so hard and had to leave ringside! And that he would never forget it!!

I remember we went from running twice a week to once a week and going to see Percy for my payoffs and booking sheet. He, Bronco, and Matt Bourne would be gathered around Percy's desk with a bottle of whiskey trying to figure out what they were going to do now as it was over for WCCW. We were all making the same $75 per week now.

Fast forward to hearing the news that Percy was signed to work for WWF.

I was so happy to hear this as this was a really deserving soul for the job! I knew Percy was a licensed mortician and every year he would renew his license just in case.

I tell you this now and I'm POSITIVE that Mark Callous (Mark Callaway / The Undertaker) will confirm that if it weren't for Percival Pringle III, The Undertaker persona would never have gotten over like it did. Those early promos and vignettes were ALL Percy as Vince wasn't sure himself where to go with the storyline. I mean, he gave Percy free reign and look what he did with those early promos, which was the onset of building one of the hottest characters in the history of the business.

Here's the type of person Percy was: he didn't even know I was there and could hear him, but he had Vince, Patterson, and J.J. Dillon watching my match and telling them the stories from Dallas and that he believed I could be a hot babyface wrestler for the company.

Nobody does this when they are on top like Percy was! NO ONE!!

I remember going to work for WWE and Percy would tease me about sleeping with Joann from Dallas, who made gear for just about everyone in the industry at one point, and the joke even going so far as Undertaker, me, and Percy saying that Joann's panties were in the "URN" and that's what gave the "URN" its power!!

I was on Honky Tonk Man's radio show last year sometime and I was going on after Percy and I called in early to listen to him. To me, he didn't sound good. He sounded sick and his magnificent sense of humor really sounded labored and I was concerned.

I knew how much he loved his wife and had the feeling that her death would hit him hard and had thoughts of him kind of giving up a little bit on life in general.

That really stuck in my head and when I saw that he was coming to Chicago, I knew I had to get there to see my friend for probably the last time. I got to make my friend laugh one last time and embrace him.

I truly, truly loved Percy as I haven't had many people in the business nor in life that believed in me as my friend did.

There's many more times that Percy tried to get me hired by WWE, but I've gone on long enough.

In wrestling, people refer to each other as "brother" and most of the time there's nothing behind it. Percival Pringle III was my brother! And I will always be eternally grateful that I had him in my life.

Love you Percy! Please hug Billy Joe Travis, and Mike Davis, Ronnie Gossett, Chris Adams, Tojo [ Yamamoto ], Louie Spicolli, Timmy Renesto, and all the rest of them for me.

I'll see you again my friend!! And kiss that lovely wife of yours for me!! (on the cheek!)

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My 2006 WrestleMania Story
(For What It's Worth)
--Randy Ricci

At the time, I had formed some what of a “bond” with Tommy Dreamer. Who by the way is a GREAT guy!! Tommy’s got honor, integrity, and an awesome, dry, sense of humor!!
Tommy would call when WWE was in the area and needed “extras”. It just so happened they needed guys for WRESTLEMANIA.

With my “best years” behind me as a performer, I let him know I probably couldn’t actually wrestle for the company anymore. If it’s a house show or dark match no problem but, with my knees as they are, WWE TV was pretty much out of the question. As it turned out, they needed “minions” to walk down with Under Taker and an entrance for John Cena.

I would always call on “The Underpants model” Eric Priest and “The Love Machine” Matt Longtime because they have the look that WWE loves and that put them in the “cat bird” seat so to speak as far as getting hired by the company. Plus, I genuinely like these 2 guys! I NEED to laugh and they “sell” for me!!

I figured this would probably be my last time up there in an “extra” capacity and at the time, my WWE pay-off covered my truck payment. I swear, it being WRESTLEMANIA was my 3rd motivation right behind WWE CATERING!! (Have I mentioned how I love their catering?) You could ALWAYS expect great Sushi when they were at the Horizon too!! My fourth motivation was to see old friends and old timers!!

We got there and you can only imagine the “spread” they put out for eats!!! A big WRESTLEMANIA ice sculpture and about a dozen chef’s doing “maid to order” items!! I was in HEAVEN!!!! Talent morale was pretty high! Production was “nervous and jerky”!! Vince was surprisingly laid back! He had a match with some one I can’t quite remember who but, when I used to work for them “in the day” he always seemed more stressed when he had to “work”.

We had ample time to eat. But, production was so jerky that they cut into valuable eating time with “dry runs”. What was expected of us was NO BIG DEAL but, production didn’t understand that we all got it and that calling spots in the ring was harder than walking with the torches, wheeling a casket back with Mark Henry in it, or walking out with John Cena with Tommy guns but, whatever when in Rome right??

It was cool enough and of course an easy payoff. I only missed out on about 1/3 of what I would normally eat (which was usually about my weight) of WWE catering. In better financial times for me (prior to 2001) I would’ve wrestled for free at WWE just to eat their catering!!

It was nice to see Tommy, Tony Garea, Ken Kennedy, Sarge and others! While I was there, I heard a terrible rumor. The rumor was that Victor Quinonnes had been found dead that morning. I confirmed it by calling down to Puerto Rico. The reason this messed me up so much was that over the course of that year, I had spent a considerable amount of time getting to know Victor as I knew (and know) that there was (IS) a ton of money in the IWA Puerto Rico video library and marketing the product to the rest of the world. I had also spent the better part of that year, procuring business partners that were going to put up a considerable investment to launch the venture. We were supposed to meet with Victor in 9 days!!!

I felt bad that Victor had passed. That was sincere! Now that I’m older, the older gay male promoters in the business don’t intimidate me because I’m not pretty anymore. That’s actually awesome because they all possess a certain business “savvy”. So, when they don’t want your nuts, they are as a rule sharp! Victor was probably the sharpest!!

I was just “floored” though over his death on a business front!! Seriously, I had some real “heavy” folks behind me that looked at the scenario as BUSINESS!! They weren’t fans at all!! In the 90’s, I learned how to put together and run a successful business. I made more money than I ever thought I was capable of!! In 98 I started a wrestling company and planned on shifting all of my energy to training guys properly and my plan was to have a sort of territory that spanned from Madison to Rockford areas, to Green Bay, down into Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha. To do this I needed television and started with a 52 week commitment to the UPN affiliate in Madison.

I worked my ass off to produce that TV, run 44 events, and finally break it even when it came time to re-new my contract. About this time, is where I found out in uterall that my soon to be born child had a severe heart condition and life was put on hold!

I’m not “piss moaning”!! I’ve already done that LOL!! I’m setting the stage so you can feel my frustration at the passing of Victor. You see, this was a chance to get back on my feet working in an industry I am best in! And a chance to make that difference and create the opportunity I’m always pontificating about!!!

When I was 12 years old or so, I took LSD for the first time IN SCHOOL! I don’t remember a lot about that day but, I do remember how freaked out I got trying to eat a Hostess Blueberry pie in the lunch room when I “peaked” on 4 hits of purple dragon blotter! The walls suddenly closed in, all the voices around me seemed much louder than they actually were. And this fucking fruit pie seemed ENORMOUS!!! And I kept missing my mouth and getting it all over myself!! And even though I’m sure no one noticed, it seemed like everyone was focused in on me and this GIGANTIC PIE!! I finally flipped out and left school!

Well I had NO idea that emotion could cause the same effect!!! I started to almost feel this way in catering at WRESTLEMANIA!!! Now, it’s really hard to keep to yourself around Matt Longtime! Priest will chime in and “sell” for you but, you need to set the pace! While trying to eat, Longtime sensed something and began to keep posing stupid scenarios as to entertain me! (God Bless him) So, he doesn’t even know it but, he pulled me out of this one!

God bless her soul but, Sherri Martell was there. She had been inducted into the WWE Hall of fame. Longtime has always had a thing for her and this seemed to be what he was making jokes about at the time. Jokes only he and I could hear, so he thought! I finally just screamed, out loud, “Hey Longtime, there’s Sherri right there!!! Would you!!! I had known Sherri for years and could get away with that. Longtime and many others in our area didn’t know that so, Longtime, Priest, Cabana, and a few others got kind of nervous! Their nervousness combined with my “ball busting” seemed to take the edge off my current emotional status!!! And it was all “down hill” from there!!!

The more “jerky” I got the more I would just say what was on my mind, and the more nervous these guys got, perpetuating my apparent obnoxiousness!!! Christ though!! It was working! We then got called on to do a dry run with the friggin torches etc. for the Undertaker gimmick which, we had already done 3 x’s!! I was getting crazier by the second!! While walking toward the Gorilla Position, I happened upon HHH. I was actually one of the first guys to “put him over” when he came to WWE and was doing that “opera” gimmick. He and I have always been cool enough since but, our relationship has basically just been a pleasant “nod” and half smile. Anyone who thinks he is bonding with a WWE guy that they have put over, is a complete and udder MORAN!! Because IT’S A JOB!! THEY AREN’T YOUR FRIEND FOR LIFE!! STOP TREATING THEM THAT WAY!! IT MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A MARK AND MAKES THEM UNCOMFORTABLE!!!

But, I’ve had a “bone to pick” with him over the year or so prior to seeing him there because of his apparent “shun” of Terry Taylor. I have some “weirdness” with Terry since leaving TNA but, the fact is that Terry literally handed Helmsley his wrestling knowledge on a “silver plate”. HHH has mentioned in his book but, Terry did MUCH, MUCH more than this for him! He took him into his heart, home, and family!! Terry was a very close friend of mine at the time! When you are my friend, I sometimes feel what you feel!! When Terry was wrongfully fired from WWE HHH was very busy! To me, you are never too busy to help a surrogate father or brother!! There is NO WAY that he was not aware of what happened to Terry. I don’t care what level you are at! In the wrestling industry, items like Terry getting fired are known by all!!

Given my current state of mind, I pulled back my flame retardant, “druid” hood with pride and said “Hey man! When are you ever going to call Terry back?? It’s only been a year!!!” He stopped in his tracks (with his stupid Connan crown on), bowed his head and said “I know! I am an ASSHOLE!!” He then waved production and my fellow “druids” off as he and I commiserated about Terry, Trudy, their oldest son, and their youngest son Cody. Cody is the “purest soul on the planet” folks!! When I got to Cody, HHH and I both cried!

It seemed cool though! I felt his sincerity! And he did finally touch base with Terry!
How ever, Priest, Longtime, Cabana, and Brad Bradley had NO idea of all the items behind this so, they became “jerky” again!!! I naturally still needed my mind off Victor so, I soaked it for all it was worth and played the scenario up!! As to bring myself joy at their expense.

Did I mention the wonderful WRESTLEMANIA spread in catering?? I wanted to get the chance to stop by after the dry run I missed but, production got jerky and ran us to wardrobe to get finishing touches put on our “gangsta” “zoot suits”. So, I had to settle for a mere whiff! This sucked!! I really am comforted by food when I’m an emotional wreck as well!

Again, though I’m in Rome so, I go with the flow! I can’t remember too much but, I had loads of fun with CM Punk, who now joined in on this big Cena entrance and my boyz that I mentioned. Just little stuff but, you can imagine when you figure they are dressing us in these awesome “zoot suits” and we’re walking around in our undies! With these old lady seamstress’s! I’m like trying to hook Priest up “and shit”. And making jokes about how “short” Longtime’s in-seam is!!!

The gig was we are to enter from under the ramp in a 1930’s car with 4 of us inside and Punk and another guy on the running boards, point our guns at the crowd, and then “stand guard” while Cena does his thing. WWE rented the car from an old dude that has a collection and rents out to movie companies etc. The guy is like 90 years old and he refuses to let anyone else drive the car even though it’s only 100 yards or less. God Bless the old Bastard though! He wanted his 15 minutes.

It’s getting a bit ridiculous because we had went thru the thing a bunch of times and then production wanted to do it again so, myself, Priest, and Bradley were stuffed in the back seat, while Punk and the other kid were hanging off the sides and Matt Longtime is in the front with our new friend that I named “pappy”. I’m making jokes etc. pretty harmless ones until I start asking “pappy” how much “poon” he gets with a car like this and “IF I CAN SMELL HIS FINGER??” Then all of a sudden the old guy stutters, the back of Longtime’s head turns red, with his horribly undersized gangster hat on it, Priest is uncomfortable, the music that Brad is usually listening to that the rest of us can’t hear dissipates, Punks chortling going “what did he say??” poking his head in from the running board.

These are for some reason, the funniest moments to me!!! Just as Punk pulls his head out of the window, Pat Patterson is coming up on our left side (it’s ALWAYS bothered me that Pat pulled what he pulled in the 80’s with young boys and the fondling of talent for their spots). All of the emotions from Victor’s death, the sophomoric humor that had just made everyone MORE nervous, that CM Punk got, I just couldn’t help it!!! It just flew out…. “WHAT’S UP THERE PAT??? YOU FUCKING SEX OFFENDER YOU???”

O.M.G.!!! Pat, stops in his tracks for a moment, with a slight look of pain in his eye’s, that turned into a hint of anger, that he finally got a look on his face like “I must’ve been hearing things!! No one would say something like that out loud!!!” Punk almost falls off the car!!! Matt is sitting in the front seat straight as an erection with an undersized hat on!!! Priest is going “DUDE NOT COOL! NOT COOL!!!” Brad is trying to act like he didn’t hear it, and “Pappy” is still reeling from the “can I smell your finger!!!! And looking at his fingers trying to figure out which one I meant!!!! There’s more and I’ll do the rest tomorrow!!