Unlike most promotion’s television programs, where the jobbers were easy to identify because they had no charisma and, shall we say, not the greatest physiques, the UWF had wrestlers like Jeff Raitz, Skip Young, Perry “Action” Jackson, Ken Massey and Kayfabe Memories own Art Crews. These were good wrestlers and had a good look to them, so the results of the television matches were not always a given. Of course, we always had good ol’ Mike Boyette, too. Around March 1987, Gary Young started to get a push as the Rookie of the Year, midcard heel…

“I think I lost it
Let me know if you come across it
Let me know if I let it fall
Along a back road somewhere” 

“I Lost It,” Lucinda Williams

On the aforementioned UWF Jobbers thread, Preacher Ryan mentioned that “names like Massey, Super Ninja, and Perez have jogged (his) memory.” Ken Massey was a prime example of “enhancement talent” in the promotion. He did get television title matches against Buddy Roberts and Savannah Jack at different points, but most of his bouts had Massey doing the honors for guys such as Terry Taylor, Iceman King Parsons, and Chavo Guerrero, However, Ken Massey was hardly limited to wrestling under one name. He was also the Red Devil and the illustrious Blue Cyclone, named after the goofy Ray “Not the Wrestler” Stevens song. Like Gary Young, Massey worked some cards twice, under two identities. Bill Watts always favored guys with a good work ethic.

Ken had several moments that remain memorable even sixteen years later. Massey faced both the One Man Gang and the Viking during their first televised efforts on UWF TV. As any skilled job guy would do, Massey made both wrestlers look good while still maintaining the slight belief that he was up to the competition (trust me, this is an accomplishment, as the Viking will never be mistaken for Lou Thesz, Ric Flair, or the Gang, for that matter). As the Red Devil, Massey teamed with Bob “The Catman” Bradley against tag champions Chris Adams and Terry Taylor in a title shot in Muskogee, OK on April 19, 1987. The Devil/Bradley duo also faced the Lightning Express, Tim Horner and Brad Armstrong, May 16 in Shreveport, LA, just one day before the Lightning captured the UWF tag straps from Sting and Rick Steiner. Victory narrowly eluded the Devil and the Cat both times. 

Ken Massey also tagged with Mike George and Jeff Gaylord on separate occasions, but the result was the same—no trip to the pay window. Massey and Sean O’Reilly (whatever happened to THAT guy?) teamed up against the Blade Runners, but were still unable to crack the win column against the future Sting and the advanced life form currently known as The Warrior. Kamala and the One Man Gang took Massey and Brett Sawyer apart around the same time. Kamala and the Gang were briefly allied in Devastation, Inc during the UWF’s initial days, and seemed prime to dominate as a monster heel team. Once again, Massey’s effort was noticeably valiant despite his team’s slim and none chances of winning. Perhaps Ken Massey’s most memorable moment was a TV match against the freshly heel turned Iceman Parsons. The King (Parsons, not Lawler) first claimed to have “no beef” with Massey and declined to wrestle him. When Massey turned his back, Iceman launched a devastating sneak attack—much like the one he had recently perpetrated against Savannah Jack—and destroyed Ken. Can’t a guy catch a break now and then? 

Oh well, thus was the story of Ken Massey/the Red Devil in the UWF As the redoubtable One Fan Gang has duly noted, “Ken Massey looked like a nondescript guy but seemed to put forth a great effort. The big bag of gimmicks was a smart move, as it allowed him to expand his characters.” I think it is a tribute to the man that his matches are remembered all these years later, as most of us can barely recall or care to watch what happened on WWE TV this week… 

“You tell lies thinking I can't see 
You can't cry 'cause you're laughing at me 
I'm down, I'm down, I’m down 
How can you laugh when you know I'm down?
How can you laugh when you know I'm down”? 

“I’m Down,” the Beatles

The Ninja was brought in as a member of Skandor Akbar’s Devastation, Inc., hardly known as a haven for jobbers. He had previously wrestled as Ryuma Go and is known as an All-World space cadet.  He is mentioned in Mick Foley’s “Have a Nice Day” as claiming to be from another planet. He did a stint in the AWA in 1986 as Mr. Go, Larry Zbyszko’s bodyguard and tag team partner before coming to the UWF. It was slightly unusual to see a martial arts guy in the traditionally mat-based brawling that the UWF specialized in. His finisher was the stump puller.   The Ninja received a mild push in early 1987, defeating the likes of Johnny West and Jeff Raitz. The Ninja was an integral part in the ignition of the Freebirds/Devastation feud in February 1987. In a bout pitting a Freebird protégé (the Angel of Death) against an Akbar crony (Ninja), the Angel turned on Michael Hayes before the match started, as he, Akbar, the One Man Gang and the Ninja laid a serious beating on ol’ P.S.

Unfortunately for the Ninja, it was all downhill from there for him in the UWF, as he wound up on the losing end against guys such as Steve Cox, Sam Houston, Chris Adams, Chavo Guerrero, and Steve “Dr. Death” Williams throughout the Spring of 1987.The Ninja and former foe the Angel of death even received a tag team title shot against Chris Adams and terry Taylor in Fort Worth on February 21, 1987, but were unsuccessful, Bad karma, I guess… 

“It's so hard for me now
But I'll make it somehow,
Though I know I'll never be the same.
Won't you ever change your ways,
It's so hard to make love pay
When you're on the losing end,
And I feel that way again.” 

“The Losing End,” Neil Young 

Love pays. I guess. My wife bought me three nifty pair of shoes “on sale” last weekend. I repaid her by having our new cat fixed and declawed. Marriage--no job too great or too small. And no losing end for me, Neil-O. We here in South Texas are still buzzing from the Spurs win this past Sunday. Kudos to all involved, especially David Robinson and Tim Duncan, who, BTW, is a huge Ric Flair fan. Go Spurs Go!

Anyhow, that’s the end of my column for this time. Thanks to the twelve or so of you who take the time to read my ramblings. Extra special thanks to the posters at KM’s UWF Message Board. Any comments, suggestions, corrections, or complaints can be sent to the usual place CL11@swt.edu. My apologies to Mr. Tapeman for being too hard to follow. Obfuscation has always been one of my strengths. Er, wait a minute…

Thanks again. Today is the first official day of summer, which means it should only get up to around 97 here. May you and yours enjoy a healthy, happy Independence Day next month, and may we all cherish the freedoms that make this the greatest country in the world to live in. Please take time for your families and friends, and I hope that we find each other well the next time around. Take care. 

NEXT MONTH: 

UWF Job Guys, Part Deux. Hey, I can’t write this themed piece without a discussion of the greatness that was Mike “The Hippy” Boyette, can I?