Real Name: Ronald Read
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 235 lbs.
Date of Birth: January 13
Date of Death: March 5, 2021
Hometown: Bladensburg, Maryland
Pro Debut: June 4, 1962
Retired: 1975
Trained By: Killer Karl Krupp
Finishing Move: Spinning Neckbreaker
Biography
– Prior to beginning his wrestling career, Read was a mechanic in the US Marines. He began training to become a wrestler soon after his 1957 discharge
– At the start of his career, Read wrestled under a slightly tweaked version of his real name, ‘Cowboy Ron Reed’ and occasionally as ‘Ty Colt’
– Reed began a stint with the WWWF in early 1963
– On January 22, 1965, Reed defeated Mike DiBiase to win the NWA Central States Title and would retain against The Outlaw, Dutch Savage & Tom Clark over the next month
– On February 19, Reed & Doug Gilbert defeated Tom Clark & Dutch Savage to win the NWA North American Tag Team Titles
– On March 5, Reed & Gilbert defeated Dutch Savage & Bob Geigel to retain the NWA North American Tag Team Titles
– On March 12, Reed defeated Tom Clark to retain the NWA Central States Title
– On March 19, Reed defeated Bob Geigel to retain the NWA Central States Title
– On April 9, Reed & Doug Gilbert defeated Bob Geigel & Mike York to retain the NWA North American Tag Team Titles
– Reed lost the NWA Central States Title to The Stomper on April 16, but would regain it a week later
– On April 30, Reed defeated The Red Raider to retain the NWA Central States Title
– On May 7, Reed defeated Bob Geigel to retain the NWA Central States Title
– On May 15, Reed & Doug Gilbert defeated Dutch Savage & Bob Brown to retain the NWA North American Tag Team Titles
– On May 28, Reed defeated Bob Geigel to retain the NWA Central States Title
– On January 5, 1966, Reed defeated Luther Lindsay to win the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Title, but would lose it to Ripper Collins two weeks later
– On February 18, Reed defeated Bob Geigel to regain the NWA Central States Title
– On April 1, Reed defeated Geigel to retain the NWA Central States Title
– On April 8, Reed defeated The Viking to retain the NWA Central States Title
– On April 29, Reed defeated Bob Geigel to retain the NWA Central States Title
– On May 13, Reed defeated The Butcher to retain the NWA Central States Title
– On April 8, 1968, Reed & Jack Donovan defeated Chuck Karbo & Chati Yokouchi to win the NWA United States Tag Team Titles
– On June 7, Reed & Donovan defeated Karbo & Yokouchi to retain the NWA United States Tag Team Titles
– On June 28, Reed & Donovan defeated Danny Hodge & Lorenzo Parente to retain the NWA United States Tag Team Titles
– In January 1969, Read began working for the Texas territory under the name ‘Buddy Colt’
– On January 6, Colt defeated Ricky Romero to win the NWA Amarillo North American Title and retained it on January 9
– On January 16, Colt defeated Lord Patrick to retain the NWA Amarillo North American Title
– On April 30, Colt defeated Killer Karl Kox to retain the NWA Amarillo North American Title
– On June 8, Colt & Gorgeous George Jr defeated Mr Ito & Chato Yokouchi to win the NWA Western States Tag Team Titles and retained them a week later
– On June 19, Colt & George defeated The Funks (Dory & Terry) to retain the NWA Western States Tag Team Titles
– On June 25, Colt & George defeated The Kozak Brothers (Nick & Jerry) to retain the NWA Western States Tag Team Titles
– Colt & George lost the NWA Western States Tag Team Titles to Ricky Romero & Nick Kozak on July 23, but regained them on July 31
– On August 7, Colt & George defeated Ricky Romero & Nick Kozak to retain the NWA Western States Tag Team Titles
– Colt joined Japan’s IWE for the last three months of 1969
– On June 16, 1970, Colt & Karl von Stronheim defeated Joe Scarpa & El Mongol to win the NWA Macon Tag Team Titles
– On September 4, Colt defeated Nick Bockwinkel to win the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title
– On October 23, Colt defeated Bobby Shane to retain the NWA Western States Tag Team Titles
– On October 1, 1971, Colt defeated Klondike Bill to retain the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title
– On December 6, Colt defeated Roberto Soto to retain the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title
– On September 5, 1972, Colt defeated Tim Woods to win the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title and retained it two days later. The pair would trade the title back and forth through the remainder of the year until Colt lost it to Mark Lewin in January 1973
– On February 6, Colt defeated Lewin to regain the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– On February 13, Colt defeated Jerry Brisco to retain the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– On February 20, Colt defeated Jack Brisco to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On February 22, Colt defeated Big Bad John to retain the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title
– On March 7, Colt defeated Mark Lewin to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On March 20, Colt defeated Thunderbolt Patterson to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On April 10, Colt defeated Tim Woods to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On April 21, Colt defeated The Great Malenko to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On May 2, Colt defeated Tim Woods in a Cage Match to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On May 29, Colt defeated Hiro Matsuda to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On June 30, Colt defeated Jack Brisco to win the NWA Florida Television Title
– On July 25, Colt defeated Tony Charles to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On November 17, Colt defeated Paul Jones to regain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title, but soon lost it to Eddie Graham, only to regain it in December
– On January 10, 1974, Colt defeated Paul Jones to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On January 14, Colt defeated Mike Graham to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On January 30, Colt defeated Tex McKenzie to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On February 19, Colt defeated Mike Graham to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On February 22, Colt defeated Danny Hodge to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On March 2, Colt defeated Paul Jones to retain the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title
– On May 7, Colt defeated Bill Watts to win the NWA Tri-State North American Title
– On June 4, Colt defeated Dale Lewis to retain the NWA Tri-State North American Title
– On July 5, Colt defeated Mr Wrestling II to win the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title, lost it back six weeks later
– On October 11, Colt defeated Don Muraco to win the vacant NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title
– On November 1, Colt & Roger Kirby defeated The Andersons (Gene & Ole) to win the NWA Georgia Tag Team Titles
– On November 13, Colt & Kirby defeated The Andersons to win the NWA Georgia Southeastern Tag Team Titles
– On February 10, 1975, Colt defeated Bob Armstrong to win the NWA Tri-State North American Title
– Colt suffered career ending injuries after crashing his plane near Tampa Bay. Fellow wrestlers Gary Hart & Austin Idol were severely injured in the crash and sadly, Bobby Shane was killed
– In retirement, Colt remained active in the Florida territory behind the scenes as a part-owner and on-camera as a colour commentator
– Colt passed away on March 3, 2021 at the age of 85