Ron Garvin

Professional wrestling career Early career (1962–1976)

Barnes started wrestling in 1962 under his birthname. In the mid-1960s he adopted the ring name "Ron Garvin" and formed a tag team with Terry Garvin, who was billed as being his brother. The pair competed together in the late 1960s and early 1970s, taking home multiple regional tag team titles. They were managed by their other "brother," Jimmy Garvin (actually Ron's stepson in real life).

Jim Crockett Promotions (1968-1976) Garvin had competed for the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions periodically beginning in 1968, but as he mostly focused on other NWA territories, he was usually considered a jobber to the stars, whether alone or teaming with Terry Garvin. He and Terry split up in 1974. Garvin stayed with Crockett until 1976.

Southern Territories (1976-1984) He made a name for himself as a singles wrestler in the Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee territories in the late 1970s after splitting with Terry and Jimmy. Garvin wrestled in the Ron Fuller (Welch)-owned Knoxville promotion (Southeastern Championship Wrestling) where he (in)famously threw the championship belt off of the Gay Street Bridge. He later wrestled in Angelo Poffo's International Championship Wrestling promotion where he was best known for his heated rivalries with Randy Savage and Pez Whatley. One of Garvin's best-known ICW moments was where he knocked Ox Baker's dentures out of his mouth, after which Garvin stomped on the dentures. Irate at Garvin's antics, Valentine asked that Garvin be reinstated so that he could get his hands on him. For the next four months the two had house show matches all over the country, trading victories in the process. The two then battled at the 1990 Royal Rumble in a Submission match, which Garvin won to end the feud. At Survivor Series, Garvin competed in a 4-on-4 Survivor Series elimination match where he was a member of The 4x4s (Jim Duggan, Bret Hart, Garvin and Hercules) but they were defeated by The King's Court (Randy Savage, Canadian Earthquake, Dino Bravo and Greg Valentine).

After his feud ended with Valentine, Garvin was about to feud with Rick Martel. They cut promos on each other, but a televised match between the two never happened. They did, however, wrestle at house shows, with Martel winning most of the encounters. Garvin left the WWF in November 1990.

Later career (1991–2014) Garvin returned to WCW in a house show in Knoxville, Tennessee, on March 8, 1991 when he lost to Rick Steiner, but was not given a contract. He thus returned to the World Wrestling Council in 1991 and reignited his feud with Carlos Colon over the WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship, winning it for a second time on February 2, 1992. He moved onto Jim Cornette's Smoky Mountain Wrestling promotion where he feuded with Paul Orndorff and Kevin Sullivan, among others. From 1995 to 2001, Garvin ran his own promotion in Knoxville, Tennessee, called Tennessee Mountain Wrestling. In 2001 he sold it to former SMW associate Tony Anthony and Bob Orton Jr., who ran it for two more years He continued making appearances for independent promotions on a semi-retired basis well into the 2000s. In 2011, he competed in a legends battle royal at a Juggalo Championship Wrestling event. On September 20, 2014, he wrestled a tag team match for Bruiser Wrestling Federation in his last recorded match at 69.

Post-wrestling career Garvin owns several used car dealerships in Gaston County, North Carolina.

Personal life Barnes' stepson, Jimmy Garvin, is also a former professional wrestler.

Championships and accomplishments

All-American Wrestling AAW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) American Wrestling Association AWA International Television Championship (1 time) Cauliflower Alley Club Men's Wrestling Award (2008) Championship Wrestling from Florida NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ole Anderson NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time) – with Terry Garvin International Championship Wrestling ICW Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (2 times) Lutte International 2000 Johnny Rougeau Tag Team Championships (1 time) - with Jimmy Garvin Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling/Jim Crockett Promotions NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (1 time) NWA United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Barry Windham NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) NWA Macon Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Terry Garvin (1), and Roger Kirby (1) NWA National Heavyweight Championship (1 time) NWA National Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jerry Oates NWA National Television Championship (2 times) NWA World Television Championship (Georgia version) (2 times)1 National Wrestling Alliance NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) NWA Mid-America NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Terry Garvin NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time) NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time) – with Terry Garvin Northland Wrestling Enterprises North American Junior Heavyweight Championship (Ontario version) (3 times) North Ontario Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Terry Garvin Pro Wrestling Federation PWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Italian Stallion Pro Wrestling Illustrated Ranked No. 126 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1991 Ranked No. 142 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003 Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Southeastern Championship Wrestling NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) (5 times) NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Tony Charles (1), and Bob Orton, Jr. (2) NWA Tennessee Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Terry Garvin Tennessee Mountain Wrestling TMW Heavyweight Championship (1 time) TMW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tim Horner World Wrestling Council WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

1This title was originally named the NWA Georgia Television Championship and was eventually renamed the NWA World Television Championship. However, in March 1985, World recognition is dropped by the NWA and the title reverts to the National Television Championship.