His name is one of the most recognizable in professional wrestling.  His career was like a main event from start to finish.  Ricky Steamboat was the consummate professional both in and out of the ring.  He found success wherever he wrestled and entertained us along the way.

Ricky Steamboat was a graduate of Verne Gagne's AWA wrestling school.  He was trained initially by another World Champion, Khosrow Vaziri (The Iron Sheik).  Steamboat initial persona was presented as being the "son" of long-time JCP star Sam Steamboat.  In fact, early in his career, Ricky was actually billed as "Sam Steamboat, Jr.".  This was due to Ricky's physical resemblance to Sam.  As was the case with many wrestling "families", this was just an angle to help promote Ricky's career.

After a short stint in a few other territories, Steamboat (real name Richard Blood) arrived in the Mid Atlantic region in mid 1977.  He was almost immediately thrust into a top program with a wrestler who would become his greatest adversary in later years...Ric Flair.  Flair had just won the Mid Atlantic Television Championship from Rufus R. Jones.  Steamboat was the new kid on the block, and the contrast between Flair's outrageous, braggadocios flamboyance and Steamboat's quiet, introverted demeanor was parlayed into a huge success for Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling.

The angle started when Flair began confronting Steamboat on television, trying to rattle the youngster into losing his temper.  Even after repeated verbal abuse, Steamboat refused to crack.  This only incensed Flair more, leading to a physical attack by Flair.  Steamboat responded by giving Flair a quick backhanded Karate chop that left Flair "unconscious" on the studio floor and fans all around the region cheering wildly for Ricky!  This incident led to a now-famous televised match between the two and saw Steamboat win the TV title from Flair in a huge upset.

After the bout, Flair was aided by his partner Greg Valentine in a beat down on the new TV champion.  This attack led to Steamboat forming a tag team with Paul Jones and going after Flair and Valentine's Mid Atlantic Tag Team Championship.  After a brief, but intense feud, the veteran Jones and the newcomer Steamboat took the straps from Flair & Valentine.  This gave Ricky Steamboat a rare accomplishment of holding two titles simultaneously in one of the top wrestling territories in the country.

During the next year, Steamboat would continue his rise as he had two reigns as the United States Heavyweight Champion (both times taking the title from what was becoming his arch nemesis "Nature Boy" Ric Flair).  Also, in early 1978, Ricky and Paul Jones also took the NWA World Tag Team titles from Flair and Valentine.  It was beginning to look like anytime the Flair captured gold in MACW; Steamboat would soon be there to steal Ric's thunder!  The matches that involved Flair and Steamboat were always hugely popular in the region and fans still talk about their battles to this day.

However, there had to come a time when the brutal reality of pro wrestling would finally catch up with Ricky Steamboat.  During a battle royal that took place in Charlotte on Christmas night in 1979, Paul Jones double-crossed Steamboat and turned heel on him.  This split horrified Mid Atlantic fans, not to mention Steamboat!  Jones then seemingly aligned himself with Ricky's hated rival, Ric Flair.  But, this too turned out to be a sham as Jones also turned against Flair!  Flair, not to take this cross lightly, came out on television and made a very surprising call.  Ric insisted that Steamboat come out to the interview area.  Nature Boy was irate at the actions of Jones (and his new partner, Baron Von Raschke) and wanted revenge.  In a shocking move, Flair asked Steamboat to be his partner and battle Jones and Der Baron!  Naturally, Steamboat was extremely skeptical, but Flair offered to put up $10,000 as a promise that he wouldn't cross The Dragon.  After a few tentative moments, Steamboat accepted!  This was now a sort of "Dream Team", seeing former rivals Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat teaming up!!  During this time, Jones and Raschke had won the World Tag Team titles and Flair and Steamboat were hot on their trail.  But, despite the huge fan following, Ric & Ricky were unable to win the belts from the heels.  More...