Ex-WWE star Stevie Richards names two wrestlers who refused to lose to him
Stevie Richards worked for ECW and WCW before joining WWE in 1999. In a recent YouTube video, the veteran wrestler recalled how Jim Powers and Scotty Riggs initially refused to lose matches against him in WCW.
On August 18, 1997, Richards beat Riggs on a live episode of WCW Nitro. Eight days later, the former ECW talent recorded another win over Powers on a taped episode of WCW Saturday Night.
Richards said on The Stevie Richards Show that both men complained backstage after finding out they were going to lose:
"I was brand new to the company. In both ways, Riggs and Powers had a point because they had been in WCW. They had been trying to carve out their own spot and do what they can. I just came out of nowhere, skinny kid wearing Daisy Dukes, half shirt, so you have to think about the optics of the way wrestlers, who were pretty much bodybuilders, looking at this skinny kid coming in, not even wearing wrestling gear, and you want me to put him over?" [1:39 – 2:07]
Richards is best known for his nine years in WWE between 1999 and 2008. He was the leader of the Right to Censor faction and held the Hardcore Championship 21 times.
Stevie Richards on Jim Powers and Scotty Riggs' professionalism
When the matches took place, Scotty Riggs had three years' experience in WCW while Jim Powers had spent a combined 11 years in WCW and WWE.
Richards clarified that both men were professional in the ring after venting their frustrations about the finish pre-match:
"They obviously were not happy with it. I was aware of it. I heard them actually say it, Scotty Riggs more than Powers, that they were not happy about it, and that was the end of it. They did a great job out there for me. They didn't do anything to hurt me or rough me up or make it look bad. It was just they weren't happy about their spot." [2:07 – 2:27]
In a separate video, Richards disclosed details about an AEW star dressing in his car because he "didn't fit in" in WWE.
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Please credit The Stevie Richards Show and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.