Kevin Owens traded one decorated tag-team partner for another on Friday night.
As seen during the premiere episode of WWE SmackDown on USA Network on September 13, Owens was scheduled for a tag-team match against A-Town Down Under duo Austin Theory and Grayson Waller.
Owens was scheduled to have a mystery tag-team partner, who was initially “just some guy” named Ricky, before Randy Orton came out to be the real partner for the match.
It turns out, Ricky isn’t “just some guy” after all.
While obviously not as decorated as “The Viper,” Ricky Gibson, the owner of the Oregon Pro Wrestling School, has been competing since 2004 and has won tag-team titles alongside his Midnight Heat tag-team partner Eddie Pearl in such promotions as DEFY Championship Wrestling, CWF Hollywood, Prestige Wrestling and POW! Pro
Midnight Heat have also worked for such promotions as AEW, ROH, NJPW STRONG, Beyond Wrestling, Hoodslam, Supreme Pro, WrestleCore and others.
On the new @WWE SmackDown: Who was Kevin Owens' @FightOwensFight tag team partner, Ricky?
Ricky Gibson @rockinrickyg was the one who received a Stunner from Kevin when his original tag team partner Randy Orton showed up to face A-Town Down Under. #WWE #SmackDown #WWESmackDown pic.twitter.com/GwybBZ5TOO
— The Local Competitor (@LocalCompWWE) September 14, 2024
Ricky Gibson has been competing since 2004.
He’s one-half of Midnight Heat @_MidnightHeat with Eddie Pearl. They won Tag Team Titles in DEFY @defyNW, Championship Wrestling @CWFHollywood, Prestige Wrestling @WrestlePrestige, & POW! Pro @powprowrestling. #WWE #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/xhQ8JQRCq0
— The Local Competitor (@LocalCompWWE) September 14, 2024
Ricky Gibson & Eddie Pearl competed in other promotions these past few years.
They competed in AEW, ROH, NJPW STRONG, Beyond Wrestling @beyondwrestling, Hoodslam @HOODSLAM, Supreme Pro @spw_sacramento, WrestleCore @WrestleCoreRLD, & NEW @NEWWrestlingInc.#WWE #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/vDFCgI5HCb
— The Local Competitor (@LocalCompWWE) September 14, 2024
Ricky Gibson is the owner of the Oregon Pro Wrestling School @ORprowrestling. #WWE #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/oQyraiBZIN
— The Local Competitor (@LocalCompWWE) September 14, 2024
(H/T: @LocalCompWWE)
