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Hard Work Pays Off For Memphis Wrestler

Posted: Jul 15th 2009 By: CMBurnham

Roy Wayne Farris was a huge fan of wrestling while he was growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, and with a little coaxing from some relatives, Farris decided to enter the world of professional wrestling.

Farris began working out with his cousin, Jerry "The King" Lawler and other friends at a barn about 50 miles north of Memphis. They practiced and worked out for 9 months, and then Farris was ready to turn pro.

Farris was a three sport athlete in high school. He played football, basketball and baseball in high school, but at that time wrestling was not offered at his school. It was a sport that was offered at the private schools only at that time.

Title 9 helped get wrestling and other sports into the schools after Farris was already done with school, so he never got the chance to wrestle competitively in high school or college.

"I always watched professional wrestling at that time though, and it became a passion for me," Farris said. " I decided it was going to be my profession - I have always felt that you have to be a fan of a profession to want to do it, so I went after it with a bunch of buddies back home."

Lawler and some of his other relatives were the first ones that started training to be wrestlers, and it didn't take Farris long to follow.

"I was on the weight lifting team when I went to the University of Memphis, and I was the strongest and largest one of our bunch, so I figured if they could do it, so could I," Farris said.

"There was no wrestling certificate nonsense in those days, but when your trainer decided you were ready, you turned pro. If you went to the Verne Gagne's wrestling school in Minneapolis, or the Stu Hart school up in Calgary, you were a shoo-in to get a booking, but if you didn't it was very tough to get in the business."

Farris started out wrestling using his real name, but after a fan thought that he had a striking resemblance to Elvis Presley, Farris was talked into using a Presley persona in the ring under the name of the Honky Tonk Man, and the climb to stardom was on. The fan purchased a Elvis jump suit for Farris and also talked him into dying his hair black. He has been that way ever since.

Honky Tonk's big chance came on September 18, 1986, when he was hired by Vince McMahon of the World Wrestling Federation (now the World Wrestling Entertainment) to be on the roster.

Honky Tonk eventually got a shot at the WWE Intercontinental Championship Belt, defeating Ricky the Dragon Steamboat for the title, which according to the Honky Tonky Man was the biggest moment of his career. He eventually held the belt for over 15 straight months before finally being defeated for the title by the Ultimate Warrior.

"Getting the opportunity to wrestle and win the Intercontinental Championship was definitely the best moment of my career," said Honky Tonk. " It was the defining moment in my career that changed my life. It changed my attitude emotionally, and of course changed my financial status as well, after an already long and sometimes struggling career."

That moment in his career catapulted him from a mid-card wrestler to a main event wrestler almost overnight.

Honky Tonk credits his success to what he calls the "three main elements".

"You need a strong desire, dedication, and a lot of hard work," said Honky Tonk.

The life of professional wrestler is basically life on the road, with up to four nights a week of performing on a regular basis. Honky Tonk noted that you have to be ready for a grueling schedule and many days away from home.

Unknown to most people, most pro wrestlers to this day have to pay for their own travel to the venues, along with their own room and board as well.

Even some of the big stars of the WWE today have to carry those expenses themselves.

"It comes with the territory- wrestlers are non-unionized and have to fend for themselves in those situations, the other professional sports have unions that take care of their players - but I don't foresee that happening anytime in the near future for wrestlers." Honky said.

When Honky Tonk wrestled for McMahon, he understood his position within the company.

"He was the ownership and I was the laborer, you were never going to get any larger than they wanted you to get."

Until he no longer enjoys himself, and is not happy in the locker room, the Honky Tonk Man will continue wrestling. When he no longer feels the passion for the sport, he will know at that time to hang up the shoes.

Honky Tonk now resides in Arizona, but still travels the country to help out the small independent shows like the Northern Outlaw Wrestling organization, and still appears occasionally on the large scale as well. Last March, the Honky Tonk Man appeared at the Super Bowl of wrestling, Wrestlemania 25.

When he is not wrestling, he still travels to various locations to do autograph signings and still conducts wrestling instruction camps.

"My best advice to the young wrestlers today is to work hard - just work hard."

Tags: Jerry Lawler, Verne Gagne, Honky Tonk Man, WWF, WWE, Ultimate Warrior