Thomas R. Couch (May 14, 1961 – June 1, 2015) was an American professional wrestler better known under the ring name Tommy Rogers of The Fantastics.
Career[]
Couch started wrestling in 1980 as Tommy Rogers in North Carolina. He made his pro debut (as a replacement for Charlie Cook) in a match with Eddy Mansfield with no formal training.
Tommy then headed to Florida for a brief stay before heading to Portland, then Memphis where he met his future tag team partner Bobby Fulton. In a talent trade agreement between Memphis (Jarrett) and Mid South (Watts) the newly formed Fantastics (Rogers and Fulton) headed to Mid South. There they had their first major program with the Midnight Express (Condrey and Eaton).
In late 1984, Rogers went to World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) where he and Bobby Fulton and continued their legendary feud with the Midnight Express. In 1986, Rogers and Fulton went to the Universal Wrestling Federation where they had a long series of violent matches against The Sheepherders (Butch Miller & Luke Williams).
They went back to WCCW in 1987 and feuded with the Rock 'n' Roll RPMs (Mike Davis & Tommy Lane). The feud ended after The Fantastics won a scaffold match at "The Parade of Champions".
In 1988, they went to the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions to renew their feud with the Midnight Express. They left in 1989 and have been wrestling in the independents ever since. The Fantastics spent several tours in Japan during the '90s working with such names as Dean and Joe Malenko.
In 1997, Rogers and Fulton both wrestled in the WWF's Light Heavyweight Division. They were pit against each other in the first round of the Light Heavyweight Championship Tournament. Rogers defeated Fulton with the Tomikaze, a finishing maneuver of Tommy's invention later adopted by Christian Cage.
Rogers wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from 1997 to 1998, where he briefly teamed with Jerry Lynn. Rogers also worked behind the scenes helping the ECW product as an agent.
In 2005, the Fantastics reformed on the indie circuit. They won the SCW Tag Team Titles by defeating the Midnight Express in a Steel Cage Match.
In 2006, Tommy moved to Honolulu, Hawaii.
Death[]
On June 1, 2015, Couch was found dead in his Honolulu home by his roommate. The cause of death is unknown.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing and signature moves
- Nicknames
- "Fantastic"
- Tag teams and stables
- Entrance music
- "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top
- "I'm Your Boogie Man" by White Zombie
- Wrestlers trained
Championships and accomplishments[]
- Continental Wrestling Association
- AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Bobby Fulton
- International Wrestling Association (Japan)
- IWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- National Wrestling Alliance
- Continental Championship Wrestling
- Jim Crockett Promotions
- World Championship Wrestling
- Southeastern Championship Wrestling
- NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- World Class Championship Wrestling
- National Wrestling League
- NWL Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Bobby Fulton
- Pro Wrestling America
- Pro Wrestling America Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Bobby Fulton
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him # 63 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" with Bobby Fulton in 2003.
- Universal Wrestling Federation
- UWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) with Bobby Fulton
- World Class Wrestling Association
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- 5 Star Match (1986) with Bobby Fulton vs. the Sheepherders at the Crockett Cup Tournament on April 16
- Feud of the Year (1988) with Bobby Fulton vs Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane
