Steven Nicolas Romero (June 21, 1955 – September 2, 1985) was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Jay Youngblood. He wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions in a tag team with Ricky Steamboat. In addition, he wrestled with Championship Wrestling from Florida and the American Wrestling Association.
Professional wrestling career[]
Romero started wrestling in 1975 in Amarillo under a mask and calling himself "Silver Streak". He then moved on to Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the name of Jay Youngblood (a Native American gimmick). He wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in a regular tag team with Ricky Steamboat. Also in JCP, he was known as "The Renegade".
In 1982, Steamboat and Youngblood were feuding with Boris Zhukov, Don Kernodle, and their manager Sgt. Slaughter. Zhukov, then known as Private Jim Nelson, later betrayed his team in favor of Youngblood and Steamboat. The rivalry culminated in a match on March 12, 1983 in Greensboro, North Carolina that was attended by 15,000 people, where Steamboat and Youngblood defeated Slaughter and Kernodle to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship inside a steel cage. In June 1982 in Maple Leaf Wrestling, Youngblood defeated The Destroyer to win the NWA Canadian Television Championship. He was later defeated by Private Jim Nelson for the title. Steamboat and Youngblood also feuded with the Brisco brothers.
He went to Championship Wrestling from Florida in September 1984 where he and Mark Youngblood captured the Florida version of the United States Tag Titles. In 1985 Jay also wrestled in Memphis, Mexico and for Pro Wrestling USA.
Personal life[]
Romero was the son of wrestler Ricky Romero. He was the brother of wrestlers Chris and Mark Youngblood.
Romero was married at the time of his death with a daughter named Ricca. Romero also has a son Daniel who is enlisted in the U.S. Army.
Death[]
On September 2, 1985, Youngblood died in Melbourne, Australia, while touring in the South Pacific. He may have ruptured his spleen in a match and had a series of heart attacks when rushed to the back, where he died. He is buried at Llano Cemetery by Cox Funeral Home at Amarillo, Texas, beside his parents Ricky and Stella Marrujo Romero.
Memorials[]
In April 2006 at local Amarillo indy show West Texas Wrestling Legends, Jay's nephew "Radical" Ricky Romero III and Mike DiBiase teamed up as "Team 3G" (Team Third Generation Wrestlers) and went on to become the first-ever WTWL Jay Youngblood Memorial Tag Team Cup Tournament winners at "The Legacy of Legends" show. On April 27 and 28, 2007 Amarillo's Professional Wrestling Federation (formerly known as West Texas Wrestling Legends) held the second annual two night 2007 Jay Youngblood Memorial Tag Team Cup Tournament event that was won by "The Ruthless One" WidowMaker and Mosh Pit Mike of "Pain Inc." after they defeated Jay's nephew "Radical" Ricky Romero III and "The Hooligan" Austin Riley in the final round of the tournament. As winners of the Jay Youngblood Memorial Cup, WidowMaker and Mosh Pit Mike were also crowned the first-ever PWF Tag Team Champions.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- The Flying Tomahawk (Diving overhead chop)
- Signature moves
- Flying ax handle
- Tomahawk Chop (Overhead chop)
Championships and accomplishments[]
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- Maple Leaf Wrestling
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Porkchop Cash (1), Jake Roberts (1), Johnny Weaver (1) and Ricky Steamboat (1)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (5 times) - with Ricky Steamboat
- NWA All-Star Wrestling
- NWA Western States Sports
- NWA Western States Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ricky Romero
- Pacific Northwest Wrestling
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him # 19 of the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years with Ricky Steamboat in 2003
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Tag Team of the Year (1983) - with Ricky Steamboat
