Ricky Knight Explained

Ricky Knight
Birth Name:	Patrick David Frary
Birth Date:	24 December 1953
Children:	Saraya Bevis Roy Bevis Zak Zodiac
Billed:	Norwich, England
Trainer:	Jimmy Ocean
Debut:	1978

Patrick David Frary (born 24 December 1953) is an English professional wrestling trainer, promoter, owner, and former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Ricky Knight. He is the owner of the World Association of Wrestling promotion in Norwich.

Professional wrestling career

Knight was working as a bouncer when he first met professional wrestler Jimmy Ocean. Ocean trained Knight, and the duo formed a tag team.^[1] Throughout the 1990s, they teamed together as The Superflys on the British circuit. The team was managed by Knight's wife Sweet Saraya. The trio appeared on Reslo, Orig Williams' Welsh-language wrestling programme on S4C.^[2] The Superflys wrestled in All Star Wrestling, holding the British Open Tag Team Championship four times together.^[3] Their final title reign ended in 1998 when Knight and Ocean fell out (kayfabe) and Ocean beat Knight in a singles match for the title then chose the Canary Kid as his partner. Three years later in 2001, Knight won the TWA version of the title with son Roy as the New Superflies.^[4]

Knight, Sweet Saraya, and Jimmy Ocean formed the World Association of Wrestling in 1994 in Norwich. Ocean left the business one year later.^[1] The promotion also included a wrestling school, The WAW Academy, which trained Roy Knight and The UK Pitbulls. The WAW Academy is Europe's longest running wrestling school.^[3] As a member of the roster, Knight has held the WAW World Heavyweight Championship one time. He also held the WAW Tag Team Championship with Ocean.

Personal life

Knight was in prison for eight years, mostly due to violent offences.

Knight is married to Julia Bevis, who wrestles under the name Sweet Saraya. They have two children, and he has two other from a previous marriage. His sons Roy Knight and Zak Zodiac wrestle on the British wrestling circuit as the UK Hooligans. Their daughter Paige wrestled for WWE, winning the NXT Women's Championship and the WWE Divas Championship twice before retiring due to a serious neck injury.^[5] The family was featured in The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family, a 2012 documentary.^[5] The documentary was adapted into a feature film, Fighting with My Family, by Dwayne Johnson's production company Seven Bucks Productions. The film was directed by Stephen Merchant, with Nick Frost playing the role of Knight,^[6] and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019.

Championships and accomplishments

• All Star Wrestling
  • British Open Tag Team Championship (5 times) - 4 with Jimmy Ocean^{[3] [7]}
• DAM Promotions
  • DAM Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[8]
• Extreme World Wrestling
  • EWW St George's Championship (1 time)^[7]
• Herts and Essex Wrestling
  • HEW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)^[7]
  • HEW Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Jimmy Ocean(1), Chuck Cyrus(1), and Karl Kramer(1)^[9]
• Independent Pro Wrestling Germany
  • IPW Senior Championship (1 time)^[10]
• Playhouse Wrestlefest
  • Wrestlefest Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Zack Zodiac^[11]
  • PWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[7]
  • PWF Mid-Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[7]
  • PWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Roy Knight^[7]
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Ranked No. 457 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2019^[12]
• Real Deal Wrestling
  • RDW British Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[7]
  • RDW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Zak Zodiac^[7]
• The Wrestling Alliance
  • British Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[7]
  • British Open Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Roy Knight^{[3] [7]}
• World Association of Wrestling
  • WAW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[13]
  • WAW Hardcore Championship (1 time)^[14]
  • WAW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jimmy Ocean^[13]
  • WAW Pontins Open Championship (1 time)^[15]
  • Eastern Area Championship (1 time)^[16]
• World Wide Wrestling League
  • W3L Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[7]
• X Wrestling Alliance
  • British Inter-Federation Cup (2007) - with Jo FX, Kraft, and Zack Zodiac^[17]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Interview: Zak Knight, Sweet Saraya and Ricky Knight. The Student Pocket Guide. March 2, 2017. July 1, 2016.
2. https://www.itvwrestling.co.uk/other.html#1992 Reslo programme guide (including listings for matches by Superflies, Jimmy Ocean and Ricky Knight with Saraya in their corner) ITV Wrestling, JNLister
3. Web site: The History of WAW. World Association of Wrestling. March 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20181126155214/http://www.wawuk.com/about/. November 26, 2018. dead.
4. https://www.wrestling-titles.com/europe/uk/asw/asw-bri-t.html All Star Wrestling British Tag Team Championship, Wrestling-Titles.com
5. News: The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family, Channel 4, review. Deacon. Michael. 19 July 2012. The Telegraph. 28 April 2016.
6. Web site: Lena Headey & Nick Frost Join Dwayne Johnson In 'Fighting With My Family'. Fleming, Mike Jr.. Deadline. February 8, 2017. March 1, 2017.
7. Web site: Ricky Knight - Titles. CageMatch. March 2, 2017.
8. Web site: DAM Spring Showdown 2. April 21, 2006. CageMatch.
9. Web site: HEW Living On A Prayer 12. March 25, 2016. CageMatch.
10. Web site: IPW Germany Kick In The Eastereggs. April 6, 2019. CageMatch.
11. Web site: Playhouse Wrestlefest IX. February 16, 2008. CageMatch.
12. Web site: Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2019 - the Internet Wrestling Database.
13. Web site: Ricky Knight. 22 March 2019. World Association of Wrestling. November 21, 2020.
14. Web site: WAW/DAM Promotions. 27 September 2002. CageMatch.
15. Web site: WAW. 22 July 2006. CageMatch.
16. Web site: WAW October Outrage 5. 25 October 2003. CageMatch.
17. Web site: XWA War On The Shore. 7 April 2007. CageMatch.