Randy Thornton

Randy Thornton
No. 94, 58
Position: Defensive back
Defensive end
Free safety
Linebacker
Personal information
Date of birth: (1964-12-23) December 23, 1964
Place of birth: New Orleans, Louisiana, US
Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight: 250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school: West Jefferson
College: Houston
Career history

Randy Thornton[1][2] (born December 23, 1964) is an American former football player and professional wrestler. He is also known for his stint in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Big Swoll.

Football career

Thornton attended the University of Houston, where he played for the Houston Cougars as a defensive back and free safety between 1984 and 1987.

From 1988 to 1990, he played for the Denver Broncos as a linebacker. In 1990, he was sidelined with a knee injury. In 1990, he was courted by the New York Giants. He left the Broncos in the same year.

In the 1993 CFL season, he played for the Sacramento Gold Miners as a defensive end.

Professional wrestling career

Swoll
Birth name Randy Thornton
Born (1964-12-23) December 23, 1964[3]
Residence New Orleans, Louisiana, US[1][2]
Alma mater University of Houston
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Swoll[1][2]
Billed height 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)[1][2]
Billed weight 325 lb (147 kg; 23.2 st)[1][2]
Billed from New Orleans, Louisiana, US
Trained by Brad Rheingans[1]
Debut May 3, 1991[4]
Retired 1999[1]

Early career

Thornton trained as a wrestler under Brad Rheingans.

On May 3, 1991, he debuted in the American Wrestling Association, where he lost to Frank Andersson.[5] That same month, he toured New Japan Pro Wrestling. Having an extensive background in martial arts, Thornton fought in an infamous "Different Style Fight" against Shinya Hashimoto, which he lost in the second round.[6]

World Championship Wrestling (1999)

In 1999, Thornton, under the ring name Swoll, debuted in World Championship Wrestling as a member of Master P's No Limit Soldiers.[1] The Soldiers immediately began a feud with The West Texas Rednecks due to the Rednecks' hatred of rap music. On June 13, 1999 at The Great American Bash, Swoll assisted fellow Soldiers Konnan and Rey Misterio, Jr. in defeating the Rednecks' Curt Hennig and Bobby Duncum, Jr..[7] On the June 24 episode of Thunder, Swoll made his in-ring debut as he and B.A. defeated Disorderly Conduct (Mean Mike and Tough Tom).[8] At Bash at the Beach, the Soldiers (Swoll, Konnan, B.A. and Misterio, Jr.) defeated the Rednecks (Hennig, Duncum, Jr. Barry Windham and Kendall Windham) in an elimination tag team match.[8][9] After defeating a few other teams over the next few weeks, Swoll and B.A. lost to the Windhams on the August 3 episode of Saturday Night, thus ending both Swoll's undefeated streak and the feud between the Soldiers and the Rednecks.[8] On the August 17 episode of Saturday Night, Swoll competed in his final match for WCW as he and B.A. defeated Hugh Morrus and Jerry Flynn via disqualification.[8] Thornton retired from professional wrestling immediately afterwards..

Retirement

After retiring from wrestling, Thornton began working for the American Center For Character and Cultural Education.[2] He is a born again Christian[1] and also speaks for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

In wrestling

References

External links

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