Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Tag Team Wrestling Legend Bobby Eaton Passes Away Aged 62

Bobby Eaton

Professional wrestling legend Bobby Eaton passed away overnight at age 62. Eaton grew up as a fan of professional wrestling, specifically NWA Mid-America who ran in Alabama.  His earliest involvement in the world of professional wrestling came when he was just 13.  At 13 years old Eaton helped to set up the ring for a local promotion before going on to train under Tojo Yamamoto.

Bobby Eaton made his professional wrestling debut at the age of 17 in May 1976, it was a losing effort against Bearcat Wright for NWA Mid-America, the very promotion that helped make him a fan.  He had a quick rise through NWA MA thanks to his showmanship and notable athleticism which led to him being moved up the card and even winning tag team gold by 1978.  By the time NWA Mid-America closed in 1980 Eaton was a multiple-time NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champion and NWA Mid-America Tag Team Champion.  Notably, during his run in NWA-MA Eaton had a series of singles matches with one Dennis Condrey.

After his home promotion shut down Eaton had a three-year run in Continental Wrestling Association before he made his way to Bill Watts‘ Mid-South Wrestling.  It was in Mid South that he would join the Midnight Express, at the time this was a group of wrestlers consisting of former rival Condrey, Randy Rose, and Norvell Austin.  Upon Eaton’s arrival, the group went forward as a two-man team with Condrey and the rebranded “beautiful” Bobby Eaton being managed by Jim Cornette.  Eaton and Condrey feuded with Mis-South tag champions Magnum T.A. and Mr. Wrestling II and captured the titles when Mr. Wrestling turned on Magnum.

With their main rival gone and championship gold around their waist, the Midnight Express needed new rivals.  Enter the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson). These legendary rivals began their series in 1984 in Mid-South when they traded the tag titles back and forth before Eaton and Condrey left the promotion.

In 1985 the Midnight Express signed with Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) and reignited their feud with The Midnight Express highlighted by the Midnight Express beating the RnR Express for the NWA World Tag Team Championship, this marked the only time that Eaton and Condrey would hold the top tag titles in the NWA.  Not content with having one iconic feud in JCP the Midnight Express also had a memorable feud with the Road Warriors in 1986 which included their scaffold match at Starrcade 86.

In 1987 Dennis Condrey left JCP and was replaced in the Midnight Express by “Sweet” Stan Lane.  The team lost no steam as Lane and Eaton would capture tag team gold four different times in their time together in JCP.  The highlight of their run was a double turn against the Road Warriors that occurred because fans were cheering the heel Midnight Express in the months prior.

The Midnight Express seemed primed for a massive feud when Condrey returned to JCP alongside Randy Rose as the Original Midnight Express.  The duo, managed by Paul E. Dangerously (Paul Heyman) set out to prove that their original version was better than Eaton and Lane’s.  Condrey once again left JCP during the feud which cut the feud short.  Lane and Eaton continued to be an important presence in the tag team division of the company, feuding with new, younger teams up until their split in 1990 when Cornette and Lane left the company, which was now branded as World Championship Wrestling (WCW).  The change in branding came in 1988 when Crockett went bankrupt and was purchased by Turner Broadcasting System (TBS).

Eaton now had to go it alone as a singles competitor in WCW but didn’t find much joy as a heel.  Following a face turn in 1991, he won the WCW World Television Championship from Arn Anderson at SuperBrawl 1, although he lost the title just weeks later.

Eaton once again found himself in a tag team when he joined the Dangerous Alliance. He and Arn Anderson were the groups most notable tag team with the duo winning the WCW World Tag Team Championship in 1992.  Dangerous Alliance was riding high in 1992 as they held a number of championships and were a dominant force in the company, their run peaked at WrestleWar 1992 in a War Games match where Eaton and co. took on a team led by their arch enemy, and top babyface Sting. Eaton’s run in WCW would end not long after the Alliance fizzled out as he was fired by Bill Watts as a cost-cutting measure.

Eaton landed on his feet as he joined Jim Cornette’s promotion Smoky Mountain Wrestling as one of their top heels alongside former tag partner Stan Lane, and Lane’s new teammate Tom Pritchard.

His time in Smoky Mountain was short as Eaton was re-hired by WCW in 1993 which allowed him to do a few tours with New Japan Pro Wrestling. Eaton’s final run with WCW was very unnotable as he mainly bounced from tag team to tag-team, ending his run primarily competing on WCW’s Saturday show.

While Eaton’s career fizzled out by the end his tag team work in the 1980s as part of the Midnight Express is revered to this day with many considering the Express to be among the greatest tag teams of all time.  Outside of the ring, Eaton was seen as one of the nicest people in pro wrestling with many of his peers speaking fondly of him over the years in interviews and books.

We at Last Word On Pro Wrestling would like to extend our condolences to the friends, family, and fans of Bobby Eaton.

https://twitter.com/JANELABABY/status/1423176634807554049

https://twitter.com/FrankieKazarian/status/1423182859691601920

Alex Richards, LWOF Editor

Alex Richards, LWOF Editor

An experienced football writer, Alex is also a long-time wrestling and gaming writer. He brings lifelong experience and passion for both mediums to his writing. He aims to cover each with niche accurately and thoroughly.

Share:

More Posts

Send Us A Message