Biography: About Ron Fuller
RON FULLER WELCH, the Tennessee Stud, was born in Dyersburg, Tn. on March 3, 1948, into the oldest and largest professional wrestling family in the world! He is the grandson of Roy Welch, the first family member to enter a wrestling ring in 1924. Roy has been followed in the squared circle by more than 20 others in the last 93 years. The Welch, Hatfield (known as Fields), Fuller, and Golden families represent four generations of wrestlers, promoters, and referees.
Ron, brother Robert, and cousin Jimmy Golden grew up in a wrestling ring, as did many of the second and third generation stars. Ron was a Georgia all-state basketball player in high school before receiving a basketball scholarship to the University of Miami. His marketing studies there served him well in the future as a wrestling promoter.
1970 – Ron began his wrestling career with Georgia Championship Wrestling. At six feet nine inches and 265 pounds, he is the largest of his world famous family.
1971-1973 – He wrestled with Florida Championship Wrestling and made his International debut in Australia, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and throughout the Caribbean.
1974 – Ron was becoming a national star, wrestling in Madison Square Gardens in New York City and often in St. Louis, the home of the NWA.
1975 – He became the Tennessee Stud and followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, building his first wrestling company. Southeastern Championship Wrestling in Knoxville, Tn would become one of the most successful small territories in the world. His innovative television wrestling show set the standard for excellence with the introduction of instant replays and split screen viewed by huge audiences in five states. Record numbers of fans filled arenas as he recruited some of the best wrestlers in America and the world. He was the youngest wrestling promoter ever accepted into the NWA, the largest wrestling promotion organization ever assembled.
1978 – Southeastern Championship Wrestling had attracted a multitude of stars in the sport, and he expanded his Knoxville company to Pensacola, Fl. creating a separate northern and southern territory covering ten states.
1979 – Ron sold the Knoxville company to Georgia Championship Wrestling and relocated to the Gulf Coast. He continued to wrestle worldwide and recruited stars from Japan, Canada, and Mexico.
1985 – He established his largest wrestling company, Continental Championship Wrestling, combining both Southeastern companies. He then operated from the Gulf Coast to Ohio. Continental Wrestling went International to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other countries. Ron was elected vice president of the NWA, becoming the youngest promoter ever selected to that position. He also created and managed the famous Stud’s Stable.
1988 – Continental Wrestling sold to David Woods, a Montgomery Alabama television station owner. Ron founded USA Championship Wrestling and sold the company to David Woods before retiring from the ring. He is regarded as one of the most successful and creative wrestlers and promoters of his time.
1989 – 1994 – After attending his first hockey game, Ron purchased two hockey franchises in the East Coast Hockey League. Both Nashville and Cincinnati set attendance records for the league and Cincinnati still holds all-time attendance records for any minor league hockey team.
2002-2015 – Ron opened an ADT security dealership in Tampa Florida. It became the 12th largest ADT dealership in North America.
Present – Ron is available for autograph signings, promotional appearances, and wrestling reunion events throughout America.