He started wrestling in 1972 and wrestled in the southeast promotions holding many titles in the USWA, Georgia, Memphis, Birmingham & Mid Atlantic territories. He is best known for a long running feud with the popular Jerry Lawler.
He was the passenger on a small airplane, along with Gary Hart, and flown by Buddy Colt, which crashed in 1974 into Tampa Bay, Florida, killing fellow wrestler and good friend Bobby Shane. After a period of inactivity he emerged with bleach-blonde hair and the new moniker of "Austin Idol" in 1978. His flamboyant personality and muscular physique led him to a successful career in the era preceding the World Wrestling Federation's WWF emergence in the mid 1980s.
Austin Idol challenged for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Championship several times versus Harley Race (1980) and Ric Flair (1981-84).
One of his finishing moves was the figure-four leglock which he called the "Las Vegas Leglock."
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Finishing and signature moves
Las Vegas leglockElbow smash Knee drop Sleeper Piledriver
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Managers
Jimmy HartPaul E. Dangerously Eddie Sturgill
- Continental Wrestling Association
- AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (3 times)AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jerry LawlerCWA International Heavyweight Championship (4 times)CWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)CWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Dutch Mantel (2) and Jerry Lawler (1)
- Georgia Championship Wrestling
- NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship (1 time)NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Masked SuperstarNWA Georgia Television Championship (2 times)NWA National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship
- Southeastern Championship Wrestling
- NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (2 times)NWA Southeast Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- Texas All-Star Wrestling
- TAS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him # 193 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003.
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Feud of the Year award in 1987 - with Tommy Rich vs. Jerry Lawler