Mike Morgan is a former professional wrestler from New Zealand who competed in the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling and World Class Championship Wrestling, Continental Wrestling Association known as Rip Morgan.
Career
On The Mat
Rip Morgan wrestled for Steve Rickard's On The Mat capturing the New Zealand heavyweight title defeating Samoan Joe, September 8, 1983.
He left New Zealand for the United States in late 1984. On arrival Morgan made his way through the territory system, before settling in Memphis for an extended stay.
Memphis
Morgan was a successful tag team wrestler, and his partnership with Jonathan Boyd as an alternative version of the New Zealand Sheepherders, was his career highlight. They were a dominant team the Memphis territory for two years. Morgan even teamed with Mongolian Taras Bulba, who was briefly an honorary Sheepherder. During 1986 Morgan was injured in a match at the Mid South Coliseum against the Fabulous Ones, he was replaced by Bigfoot (Bob Hallow) for the remainder of the Sheepherders Memphis run.
WCW
Rip Morgan moved on to WCW, where he was the last in the line of flagbearers for the Sheepherders (who would soon leave for the WWF). Morgan briefly feuded with former flagbearer Johnny Ace, before Ace left for Florida Championship Wrestling.
Morgan then became flagbearer and tag team partner of the Iron Sheik, this was short-lived and pretty much broke up after WrestleWar 1989.
Rip Morgan then began tag teaming as one half of the New Zealand Militia in WCW with Jack Victory and managed by Lord Littlebrook. The team changed it's name to the Royal Family and despite the team's rising popularity, they were released by WCW.
Post WCW
After being threatened with a lawsuit by WCW, Morgan and Victory changed the team name to "The Maulers" and wrestled for Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Grizzly Smith's Five Star Wrestling, Heritage Championship Wrestling and the Global Wrestling Federation. After the Maulers run concluded, Morgan returned to New Zealand.
In 2001-2 he was based in Liverpool, England and wrestled throughout Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England before retiring.
He is now the CEO of Wellington-based professional wrestling promotion, Kiwi Pro Wrestling.
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- Lariat
- Big Boot
- Flying clothesline
- Running Powerslam
- Managers
- Teams and stables
- The Sheepherders as Flagbearer
- The Sheepherders with Jonathan Boyd
- New Zealand Militia/Royal Family/Maulers with Jack Victory
- with The Iron Sheik
- with Taras Bulba
- Entrance Music
- Triumphal March from Aida by Giuseppe Verdi (Royal Family)
- Everybody Wants Some by Van Halen (NJPW)
- Nicknames
- "The Ripper"
- Wrestlers Managed
- Wrestlers Trained
- Queen Hollie
- Jade Diamond
- Slade Mercer
- Inferno
Championships and accomplishments
- Continental Championship Wrestling
- AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (4 times) with Jonathan Boyd
