Chris Adams (wrestler)

Chris Adams
Adams, c. 1985
Born
Christopher Adams

(1955-02-10)10 February 1955
Died7 October 2001(2001-10-07) (aged 46)
Cause of deathBallistic trauma
Resting placeOak Grove Memorial Gardens (Irving, Texas)
Occupation(s)Professional wrestler, promoter, trainer, judoka
Spouses
(m. 1984; div. 1994)
Karen Burge
(m. 2001)
Children3
RelativesNeil Adams (brother)
Ring name(s)Chris Adams
The Masked Avenger
Billed height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)[1]
Billed weight229 lb (104 kg)[1]
Billed fromStratford-upon-Avon, England
Trained byTony St. Clair
Shirley Crabtree
Debut1978
Retired2000

Christopher Adams (10 February 1955 – 7 October 2001), best known as "Gentleman" Chris Adams, was an English professional wrestler, promoter, coach, and judoka.

He won the British National Judo Championship in his age and weight class three times by the time he was 21. Adams achieved his greatest success in World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), where he rose to fame and reached the position of World Heavyweight Champion. He also performed for organizations like the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA), where he held the Light Heavyweight Championship of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Throughout a 23-year professional wrestling career, he held a total of 26 titles.

Adams was in charge of training Stone Cold Steve Austin and popularizing the superkick finisher, which was subsequently employed by many other performers. Speaking about his legacy, professional wrestling journalist and historian Dave Meltzer has described Adams as being "one of the twenty best performers" in the United States at the peak of his career but stated that the problems stemming from Adams' drug addiction ruined both his career and personal life.[2]

  1. ^ a b "Chris Adams « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". cagematch.net. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  2. ^ Bryan Alvarez, Dave Meltzer (18 April 2024). "Wrestling Observer Radio: WrestleMania schedule, AEW and WWE PPV numbers, Dynamite, Chris Adams". Wrestling Observer Radio (Podcast). Retrieved 18 April 2024.