WWE History Vol. 1: The Greatest Intercontinental Champion of all Time
Take a look back at WWE's rich history with Sportskeeda as we examine the legendary Intercontinental Championship reign of the one and only Honky Tonk Man.
It takes a certain type of swagger to pull off a truly cocky heel.
Fortunately, the man known as Wayne Farris has swagger in spades. Most fans know Wayne Farris by his ring name, The Honky Tonk Man. During the WWE's classic era he was perhaps the most dominant heel champion. Farris was a decent technical wrestler, but like any good heel the main attribute which brought him fame was his ability to work a crowd.
Love him, hate him, boo him, or cheer for him, no one can deny that The Honky Tonk Man has left an indelible stamp upon WWE history. In recent years he has become known as one of the most combative and critical wrestling veterans on social media and podcasts. If you're going to book Honky Tonk Man on your show for an interview, be prepared to use the censorship bleep button. A lot.
But in order to bring balance to the present, we must examine the past. Here is the history of Wayne "Honky Tonk Man" Farris's WWE career, and how it affected the industry and his own life.
The beginning
When Farris first broke into the world of pro wrestling, his robust frame and long blonde hair made him a logical babyface.
But Farris would quickly establish himself as a heel. When he teamed with partner Larry Latham for the Blonde Bombers team, he truly broke out onto the regional wrestling scene.
The Blonde Bombers were a fixture of the southern territories for many years. They feuded with major teams of the era, and managed to capture the American Wrestling Association's Southern Tag Team championships four times, and the NWA Mid-America tag team championships three times.
But their most famous moment came against a team which included another WWE hall of fame member, Jerry "The King" Lawler. The "Tupelo Concession Stand Brawl" stood out for its time because of the innovation and brutality. Jerry Lawler and partner Bill Dundee fought the Blonde Bombers in a pier six brawl for the ages.
All good things must come to an end, however, and the Blonde Bombers inevitably split. Farris would continue on both on his own and with other partners until he opened a new chapter in his wrestling career.
He landed a coveted WWE contract.