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Raven Spotlight - WCW.COM - May 14, 1999
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A MAN OF MANY NAMES
By Bob Ryder
Do the names Scotty the Body, Scotty Flamingo, Johnny Polo or Scott Anthony ring a bell?
They should.
Those names are all previous incarnations of the wrestler known in WCW as Raven. Johnny Polo was primarily a manager and commentator in the WWF, but the other names were used by Raven when he wrestled in various promotions around the world.
Raven broke into the wrestling business in 1988. His first match was against Jimmy Jack Funk (Jesse Barr) in Nashville TN.
His first major exposure came as Scotty the Body in Memphis when Missy Hyatt promised him a date if he could beat Jerry Lawler (who was feuding with Missy's then husband, Eddie Gilbert). Scotty didn't beat Lawler and didn't get the date with Missy.
As Scotty the Body, Raven held the Pacific Northwest Tag Team Titles three different times in 1989-90 (with Top Gun, The Grappler and Steve Doll) and also held the Pacific Northwest Title (also three times) and the Pacific Northwest TV Title.
Appearing as Scott Anthony, Raven wrestled in 1991 for the Global promotion in Texas and reached the finals of the GWF Tag Team Title Tournament (with Rip Rogers).
After a tour to Japan, where he wrestled with the All-Japan promotion, and for a one-night appearance with the W*ING promotion, Raven made his WCW debut using the name Scotty Flamingo.
In WCW, Scotty captured the WCW Light Heavyweight Title when he defeated Brian Pillman on June 20, 1992 in Portland, Ore. He dropped the belt to Brad Armstrong on July 5, 1992, also in Portland.
Following his WCW stay, Raven returned to Memphis, this time as Scotty Flamingo, and won the USWA Tag Team Title with Brian Christopher.
In 1993-'94, Raven worked in the WWF as Johnny Polo, leading the Quebecers to three WWF Tag Title reigns.
On January 7, 1995, Raven made his first appearance in ECW Arena and began the evolution of the Raven character that has been the most successful of his wrestling personas.
In ECW, he had memorable feuds with Tommy Dreamer, Sandman and others. He held the ECW Tag Team Title with Stevie Richards twice and was also a two-time ECW World Champion. Raven lost the ECW Title for the last time on April 13, 1997 at ECW's first PPV, Barely Legal.
Raven left ECW in the summer of 1997 after a loss to Tommy Dreamer on June 7 that wrapped up their long feud and made his first apperance on Nitro on June 30, 1997.
In WCW, Raven quickly became a major factor in the US Title picture, beating Diamond Dallas Page on April 19, 1998 in Denver to become the US Champion. Unfortunately for Raven, Goldberg took the belt from him the next night in Colorodo Springs.
A series of injuries limited Raven's role in WCW for the next few months, but earlier this year he was involved in some of the brutal hardcore matches before reunited with on-again/off-again friend, Perry Saturn, to begin a challenge for the WCW World Tag Titles.
Teaming with Saturn, Raven captured the belts from the team of Billy Kidman and Rey Mysterio Jr. at Slamboree this past weekend.
What about Raven? He's getting cheers from the fans, he's wearing championship gold... it's not a bad time to be Raven.
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