Austin Idol

Infobox Wrestler
name = Austin Idol
names = Mike McCord
Mr. Gulf Coast
Universal Hearthrob


height = 6 ft. 2 in.
weight = 242 lb.
birth_date = Birth date and age|1949|10|26|mf=y
birth_place = Tampa, Florida
death_date =
death_place =
resides = Pensacola, Fl
billed = Las Vegas, Nevada
trainer =
debut = 1972
retired = 1995

Dennis McCord (born October 26 1949 in Tampa, Florida) is a retired professional wrestler. He was known as the "Universal Heartthrob" Austin Idol.

Career

Austin Idol graduated from Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida.

He started wrestling in 1972 and wrestled in the southeast promotions holding many titles in the United States Wrestling Association (Memphis), Georgia, Birmingham, Texas All Star & Mid Atlantic territories. He is best know for a long running feud with the popular Jerry Lawler. Along with Tommy Rich, Idol defeated Lawler in a Cage Match causing Lawler to lose his hair.

McCord 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 healing from 2 broken ankles, he emerged with bleach-blonde hair and the new moniker of "Universal Hearthrob" 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 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).

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**"Las Vegas Leglock" (Figure four leglock)
**Elbow smash
**Knee drop
**Sleeper
**Piledriver

*Managers
**Jimmy Hart
**Paul E. Dangerously
**Eddie Sturgill

Personal life

He has a son, Josh McCord. Austin Idol now resides in Pensacola, FL with his wife and his son. He works as a real estate agent.

Championships and accomplishments

*All Japan Pro Wrestling:*PWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Stan Hansen

*Continental Wrestling Association:*AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (3 times):*AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jerry Lawler:*CWA International Heavyweight Championship (4 times):*CWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) (First) (Most Regins):*CWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Dutch Mantel (2) (Last)and Jerry Lawler (1)

*Georgia Championship Wrestling:*NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship (1 time):*NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Masked Superstar:*NWA Georgia Television Championship (2 times):*NWA National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Southeastern Championship Wrestling:*NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (2 times):*NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship "(Northern Division)" (3 times):*NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship "(Southern Division)" (1 time)

*Texas All-Star Wrestling:*TAS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
*PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1975) [citeweb|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwiinsp.htm|accessdate=2008-07-27|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Inspirational Wrestler of the Year |publisher=Wrestling Information Archive] :*PWI ranked him # 193 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003.

*Wrestling Observer Newsletter:*Feud of the Year (1987) with Tommy Rich vs. Jerry Lawler

References

External links

* [http://www.moviepoopshoot.com/wrestling/45.html Putting my best heel foward by Scott Bowden]
* [http://www.memphiswrestlinghistory.com/ Memphis Wrestling History]