Richard "Rick" Bognar (January 16, 1970 – September 20, 2019) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances on the U.S. independent circuit and in Japan as Big Titan and as the "second" Razor Ramon who debuted in the World Wrestling Federation as a replacement for the original man to use the Ramon gimmick, Scott Hall.
Wrestling career[]
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling[]
Titan debuted in 1989 in Canadian indies, including the CIWF and the CNWA, and later joined the Japanese Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling promotion in 1991 as Big Titan through Ricky Fuji's connections in Canada. He made his debut on November 20, 1991 while entering into the FMW World Strongest Tag Team Tournament with The Gladiator. He won the World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship on January 15, 1992, defeating Atsushi Onita. Titan's reign lasted just fifteen days before he lost to Tarzan Goto in Osaka on January 30. He was also part of the original Team Canada stable with Ricky Fuji, Dr. Luther, and The Gladiator. He formed a tag team with The Gladiator, and on January 18, 1994, they defeated Atsushi Onita and Katsutoshi Niyama in a tournament final to become the first ever Brass Knuckles Tag Team Champions. Their reign lasted until April 21, 1994, when they lost to Mr. Pogo and Hisakatsu Oya. His last match for the company would be on December 9, 1994 at Korakuen Hall in a loss to The Gladiator.
Wrestle And Romance / Wrestle Association R[]
He would join Genichiro Tenryu's WAR in 1995. In WAR, he wrestled under the name Ti Do, and he was an ally of Fuyuki-Gun, which consisted of Hiromichi "Kodo" Fuyuki, Gedo, and Jado; Lion Do would also join the group.
World Wrestling Federation[]
In September 1996, play-by-play announcer Jim Ross introduced Rick Titan as "Razor Ramon" and Glenn Jacobs as "Diesel" as part of a storyline mocking the departure of former employees Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, and also as an attempt to turn Ross into a heel. The Jim Ross heel turn proved unpopular and was dropped almost immediately, and despite receiving a WWF Tag Team Championship match against Owen Hart and The British Bulldog at the In Your House 12: It's Time pay-per-view, the gimmick's television lifespan lasted only until the 1997 Royal Rumble, where Bognar was the first one eliminated in the match by Ahmed Johnson. While Jacobs, who was the last wrestler legally eliminated from the Royal Rumble match, was later repackaged as the Undertaker's brother "Kane" and went on to experience considerable success, Bognar's one-year contract expired and he left the company.
New Japan Pro Wrestling[]
Titan returned to Japan, where he joined New Japan Pro Wrestling and became a member of the nWo Japan stable. He ended up injuring his neck in a match against Shinya Hashimoto on February 15, 1998 at the Nippon Budokan Hall. Although he wrestled a couple of more tours after his neck injury, he never felt the same afterwards and wrestled his last match on April 23, 1999 at the Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan when he teamed with Keiji Muto and Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeating Tatsumi Fujinami, Manabu Nakanishi and Osamu Nishimura.
Retirement[]
In 2001, he opened a professional wrestling school in his hometown of Calgary with Bad News Brown. He ran the school until late 2003.
Acting career[]
Titan appeared in the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show episode "Honey, Meet the Barbarians" as the "Meanest Barbarian" on February 6, 1998.
Death[]
Bognar died on September 20, 2019 at the age of 49. His death was confirmed by his brother and is yet unknown of the causes.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Signature moves
- Abdominal stretch, sometimes transitioned into a slam
- Chokeslam
- Frankensteiner
- Gutwrench powerbomb
- Slingshot crossbody
- "The Free Spirit"
Championships and accomplishments[]
- CRMW International Championship (2 times)
- FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with The Gladiator
- PWI ranked him #124 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1995
- Worst Gimmick (1996) as Fake Razor Ramon
External links[]
Profile- Rick Bognar Profile at Online World of Wrestling
Profile- Rick Bognar at the Internet Movie Database
