RIP Cincinnati Red

I think when It’s all said and done, I just want to be remembered as a good worker, someone that was popular with the boys in the back. It would mean ten times more to me to be in some kind of Hall of Fame than to be a former world champion of some kind. A lifetime achievement is better than a short championship run.

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Cincinnati Red passed today by what is being reported by Jesse Hernandez as a heart attack. Socal lost a man who have neck to wrestling as a wrestler, trainer, promoter and booker. Red was known as a guy who was a straight shooter. He wasn’t afraid of saying something controversial if he believed it to be true.

As a wrestler, Cincinnati Red was known as the first Wrestler of the Year as voted by SoCal-Wrestling.com in 1999. Red debuted in 1993 being trained by Jesse Hernandez and Bill Anderson. Red’s matches with Terry Funk gained him the notoriety that made him one of the bigger names in the area. Through various times Cincinnati Red was the top guy in promotions like MPW, UIWA, and was a regular for EWF.

Red is known for being responsible for Samoa Joe’s initial training, he also had a hand in breaking in guys like Tom Howard, Mikey Henderson, Sun Warrior, Logan X and more.

Together with Gary Key, Red started the IWF that ran in Ventura County. Even now, Red worked behind the scenes at AWS.

Cincinnati Red was someone who earned respect by everyone in Socal. At age 40, it was far too soon to say goodbye to a friend. For me, I will remember the guy that bleed buckets in the ring and his memorable run in MPW. Rest in Peace Red, you will be missed.

6 Comments on "RIP Cincinnati Red"

  1. It’s a sad deal. He was liked by so many. Could have picked a better headline picture tho just sayin.

    • Alan, thank you for your feedback. I went back and forth with putting up the picture. I get your point, because I shared some of your concern. I ultimately decided to go with the photo, because of what Mike wrote. This picture depicts a man covered in his own blood, doing something that he loved. So I see your point, but ultimately thought there wasn’t a better photo that could demonstrate Red’s passion.

  2. Knowing Red for a long time, I can say he absolutely would have loved this picture. This was his original default picture on Facebook when he first joined, and he was proud of it, because Facebook took it down and told him it was “too graphic.” He loved that.

  3. Pete hatfield | 03/21/2015 at 2:25 PM |

    Red and I had our fueds and in ring battles I came close to beating him for Iwf title such a tragic lost Red vs Dynamite D now up there Rip my friend

  4. Omar Figueroa | 03/23/2015 at 8:59 AM |

    RIP my friend. I always enjoyed working on the same shows as you.

  5. Greg was a great friend. We have known eachother for almost 30 years. For him the pain is gone, but for all his friends the pain is still there, and we will miss him.

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