Honky Tonk Man
Aliases - Wayne Ferris, Red Diablo, Danny Condrey
Athletic background - none
Teachers - n/a
Professional background - Tennessee(`79-`81), WWC(`80-`81), Alabama(`82-`84) Stampede(`84-`86), WWF(`86-`9?), WCW(`94), WWF(`97)
Groups - Hart Foundation
Peak Years - `80-`87
Career Highlights -
- Enjoys the first success of his career forming the Blonde Bombers with Larry Latham
- Wins a tournament to become the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight champion
- Makes his WWF debut and instantly gets a push as a promising heel
- Defeats Ricky Steamboat to win the Intercontinental Championship
- Has a nice 14-month reign battling everyone from Randy Savage to Brutus Beefcake
Finisher(s) -
- Shake, Rattle and Roll (Swinging Neckbreaker)
Favorites -
- 2nd Turnbuckle Fistdrop
- Bodyslam
- Double Axe Handle Drop
- Punch
Ringwork Rating -
move set - 3
science - 1
aerial - 1
power - 5
strikes - 4
Intangible Rating -
entertainment - 8
selling - 4
bumping - 5
carrying - 3
heat - 8
legacy - 4
Place in History - The kind of wrestler only Memphis could create, Wayne Farris was a charismatic guy with not too much athletic ability. He enjoyed most of his early success in Tennessee and Alabama, where they had a more personality-based product and whether by necessity or by nature, Farris took to that style. After stints in violent Puerto Rico and innovative Calgary, Farris was called up. His buddy Hulk Hogan brought him in to the WWF and got him in a nice spot. While they thought his Elvis-impersonator schtick would make him a babyface, the fans quickly hated him. With a little tweeking, the Honky Tonk Man quickly became the company's hottest midcard heel. With a goofball heel style, Honky was able to entertain to such a degree that his inadequecies remained hidden. When the IC title slot opened up thanks to politics, HTM was plugged in and held that title for over a year! His personality kept his character strong and it's safe to assume his connections kept his placing strong. After dropping the belt to the Ultimate Warrior in `88, Honky struggled to find a niche. How could he be "The Greatest Intercontinental Champion of All-Time" without the belt? Quite simply, he couldn't. After floundering for the next few years HTM basically cashed in his chips and became a vagabond of sorts. While his ego prevented him from seeing success anywhere else really, Honky would get a few more gigs with WCW and the WWF that ultimately showed he had novelty appeal, but that was all. These days he does his share of indy shows and radio appearances, but his time passed long ago.