Tracy Smothers is an American professional wrestler with a long and storied career. Born in Springfield, Tennessee, Smothers graduated from Springfield High School, where he excelled in football, golf, and wrestling. He was the first person in Springfield High School history to go to the state championship in wrestling.
Smothers started his wrestling career in the Memphis promotion on Saturday morning TV, before teaming up with Steve Armstrong to form the Wild-Eyed Southern Boys in Florida Championship Wrestling in 1987. They feuded with The New Breed and later moved on to Southeast Championship Wrestling, where they feuded with The Stud Stable.
In 1989, Smothers won the CWF Tag Team Championship in the newly renamed Continental Wrestling Federation. He also wrestled an unmuzzled bear that was announced as 550 pounds, showcasing his versatility as a wrestler.
Smothers went on to compete in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1990 to 1992, where he and Armstrong were known as the Southern Boys and later the Young Pistols. They had a long feud with The Fabulous Freebirds, consisting of Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin.
After leaving WCW, Smothers joined Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW) in 1992, where he achieved his greatest singles success, winning the Heavyweight title twice, the tag team titles once, and the "Beat the Champ" TV title on three separate occasions. He had notable feuds during this time against Prime Time Brian Lee, Chris Candido, Tony Anthony, The Heavenly Bodies, and The Gangstas.
Smothers also competed in the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) from 1995 to 1996, where he joined the USWA branch of the Nation of Domination, changing his name to Shaquille Ali.
In the summer of 1996, Smothers began wrestling in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as Freddie Joe Floyd, a babyface jobber to various up-and-coming wrestlers. He later joined Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) as "The Main Man" Tracy Smothers, where he was part of the comedy heel tag team The Full Blooded Italians (FBI).
After ECW, Smothers continued to compete on the independent circuit, forming a tag team with Chris Hamrick known as "Southern Comfort" and winning several tag team championships. He also worked for Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW),where he became the company's main villain and had a long-standing rivalry with 2 Tuff Tony.
In recent years, Smothers has competed for various independent promotions, including Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South (IWA Mid-South) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He has also been involved in a class-action lawsuit against WWE, alleging that wrestlers incurred traumatic brain injuries during their tenure and that the company concealed the risks of injury.
Smothers currently hosts a podcast titled "School of Smothers" on the Homers Radio Network, where he shares his wrestling experiences and insights with fans.
