Quelle: wwe.com
– Der ehemalige WCW, WWF und ECW-Star Tracy Smothers ist am Mittwochmorgen im Alter von nur 58 Jahren an den Folgen einer Krebserkrankung verstorben. Bereits seit über einem Jahr hatte Smothers große gesundheitliche Probleme, neben seiner Krebserkrankung auch mit seinem Herzen. Im letzten Jahr hatte er verraten, dass er sich aufgrund von Lymphknotenkrebs einer Chemotherapie unterzieht und dass er einen Herzinfarkt erlitten hatte, ohne dies wirklich zu realisieren.
Smothers begann seine Karriere im Pro-Wrestling im Jahr 1982 in seiner Heimat Tennessee und machte ab 1984 erstmals in der Wrestlingszene in Memphis auf sich aufmerksam. Von 1987 bis 1992 bildete er gemeinsam mit Steve Armstrong, dem Bruder von „Road Dogg“ Brian James, das Tag Team The Wild Eyed Southern Boys bzw. The Young Pistols. Vor allem im Süden der USA hatte man als Team Erfolge zu verzeichnen, unter anderen durch Fehden mit dem legendären Teams The Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin) und Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane). Von 1990 bis 1992 stieg das Team regelmäßig für World Championship Wrestling in den Ring.
1992 wechselte er zu Jim Cornettes Smoky Mountain Wrestling, wo er unter anderem zwei Mal die SMW Heavyweight Championship gewinnen durfte. Im Jahr 1996 folgte dann ein kurzer Run bei Vince McMahons World Wrestling Federation. Unter dem Namen Freddie Joe Floyd wurde Smothers ein halbes Jahr lang vorrangig als Jobber eingesetzt. Ab 1997 arbeitete er dann für Extreme Championship Wrestling, wo er gemeinsam mit Little Guido das Tag Team FBI (Full Blooded Italians) bildete. Im Oktober 1997 gewannen die beiden die ECW World Tag Team Championship, welche sie zirka zwei Monate halten durften. Im Jahr 2000 stieg Smothers unter seinem bürgerlichen Namen dann noch einige Male für WWE in den Ring.
Bis ins Jahr 2019 war Tracy Smothers weiterhin ein Teil der internationalen Independent-Wrestlingszene. Im Jahr 2019 stieg er zum Beispiel noch mehrfach für Game Changer Wrestling sowie auch für AIW, IWA Mid-South und am „WrestleMania 35“-Wochenende bei der WrestleCon in den Ring. Sein letztes Match bestritt er am 05. Oktober 2019 bei „HLW Heroes And Legends XIII“ in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Im November 2019 gab er dann bekannt, dass in seinem Körper ein bösartiger Tumor gefunden wurde. Noch im Frühjahr dieses Jahres hatte Chris Hero über eine „GoFundMe“-Kampagne zirka 14.000 US-Dollar für Smothers gesammelt. Zahlreiche Persönlichkeiten aus dem Pro-Wrestling sowie Promotions äußerten sich mittlerweile zum Tod des Mannes, der über 36 Jahre lang ein Teil der US-Szene war.
WWE is saddened to learn that Tracy Smothers passed away today at the age of 58.
WWE extends its condolences to Smothers’ family and friends. https://t.co/wdclVdB1n0
— WWE (@WWE) October 28, 2020
AEW and the wrestling world mourn the passing of Tracy Smothers, our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fans. #RIPTracy pic.twitter.com/YkdvY6cvJt
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) October 28, 2020
Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of Tracy Smothers.
The wrestling world will never be the same. pic.twitter.com/EoI3V2CMOL
— NWA (@nwa) October 28, 2020
We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Tracy Smothers. We offer our condolences to his friends and family. pic.twitter.com/9gfXKDHOZe
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) October 28, 2020
Sorry to hear about the passing of Tracy Smothers. I saw him last about a year ago. He was so happy in the ring. He was a good man. RIP Tracy.
— Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) October 28, 2020
Very sad to learn that Tracy Smothers passed. He was a great wrestler and an even better person. He was always cutting up and busting chops in the locker room…just a fun talented dude always smiling. A spectacular career wrestling everywhere you could imagine over his years! pic.twitter.com/L0RERBn7ve
— taz (@OfficialTAZ) October 28, 2020
RIP Tracy Smothers. A great wrestler and a kind soul always willing to lend a hand or drop some knowledge. Very blessed to have known him. A credit to our business. Godspeed
— Frankie Kazarian (@FrankieKazarian) October 28, 2020
Rest In Peace Tracy Smothers. A true gentleman who never failed to bring a smile to my face.
— Christopher Daniels (@facdaniels) October 28, 2020
A sad sad sad days. I have more Tracy stories than I can remember.
Today, I'll be thinking about his memory, family, legacy, spirit & everything in-between. https://t.co/v6aigNCNKZ— Colt Cabana (@ColtCabana) October 28, 2020
I just heard the news about Tracy Smothers. In my early years as a wrestler myself and @SexyChuckieT got to spend a lot of time with Tracy. He always knew how to put a smile on peoples faces.
Rest In Power my friend.
You will be missed. ❤️
— Pretty Ricky (@KingRicochet) October 28, 2020
Tracey Smothers was always an absolute pleasure to be around in ECW. Always smiling and laughing. A good brother.
RIP. pic.twitter.com/uvbtGAqW3L
— Bully Ray (@bullyray5150) October 28, 2020
It didn’t matter where you were In your career… anytime you ran into Tracy, he put a smile on your face and gave you amazing advice. He was a friend, a mentor, and will be missed so much.
Love ya.
RIP Tracy Smothers. pic.twitter.com/W6pNA7rGxN
— ₮ⱧɆ ĐⱤ₳₩ (@TheSamiCallihan) October 28, 2020
At the end of every single interaction I ever had with Tracy Smothers, I left with a smile on my face. Without exception. We lost a good one today.
Godspeed, Tracy, and echoing the voices of countless brothers and sisters:
THANK YOU.
Rest well, my friend. 🙏
— Adam Pearce (@ScrapDaddyAP) October 28, 2020
Rest in power, Tracy. pic.twitter.com/dk6v6nEZab
— Mustafa Ali / Adeel Alam (@AliWWE) October 28, 2020
Tracy was the first name I ever worked. He taught me so much just that first night, and continued to do so for years. He loved working shows full of young kids and always helped share his knowledge. Always asked if I was swimming and eating cans of tuna. 1/5
— player/coach (@CMPunk) October 28, 2020
His shadow boxing to warm up is legendary. I can hear it now if I close my eyes. I watched him try to take a guys eye out once, then immediately start brushing his teeth. One time he grabbed nachos from a fan and I was so terrified he was going to dump cheese all over me and 2/5
— player/coach (@CMPunk) October 28, 2020
I’d have to drive home from kentucky covered in concession stand nacho cheese (no showers in IWA) but he said, “block it, hit me with the cheese, kid”. He wrestled bears. He was in the greatest tag match of all time with Brad vs the Midnights. He was a THUG. 3/5
— player/coach (@CMPunk) October 28, 2020
T is for terrible, H is for hell, U is for ugly and G is for jail because a thug can’t spell! I can recite his SMW promo vs Candido from the coal miners glove match by heart. Most IWA shows he would look out the curtain and say“well if they riot, we got em out numbered boys!”4/5
— player/coach (@CMPunk) October 28, 2020
Fresh from a shower, covered in soap and barely holding a towel to his body he fought police dogs during a riot in ECW. He was one of a kind.The Wild Eyed Southern Boy, and he left his mark on the wrestling business. I love Tracy Smothers. Rest in power Tracy, watch the cheese5/5
— player/coach (@CMPunk) October 28, 2020
Tracy Smothers took two young kids from Canada trying to “tour” the southern United States, with $1.50 a day to spend on food, saw a dilemma we put ourselves in to try and get experience, and took us under his wing. He knew we wanted it. Because of that, and his huge heart, 1/3
— Adam (Edge) Copeland (@EdgeRatedR) October 28, 2020
he drove us to make the next town so we could eat our next meal. He found floors, couches or other talent who had spare space in their hotel rooms for us to sleep. On those drives he dispensed his knowledge. Always with a laugh and a twinkle in his eye. And we soaked it up. 2/3
— Adam (Edge) Copeland (@EdgeRatedR) October 28, 2020
He was a great man. He truly knew what paying it forward meant. I will miss him. 3/3
— Adam (Edge) Copeland (@EdgeRatedR) October 28, 2020
