Evolution Schematic 10.24.06: Norman Smiley

Sometimes, you find a man or woman who has a very, very simple goal in life. Be it the pursuit of love, or a place in the history books, or the pursuit of spiritual understanding, or even just the desire to have a big pile of cash bigger than Everest, some people are easy to grasp, easy to get a grip on, they are refreshingly straightforward.

And Norman Smiley is one of these men. Despite being an interesting case study of a black British man trained in Florida, despite having great technical ability for a guy a smidge over 40, despite being a former unwilling hardcore superstar…

He just wants to dance. And who are we to stop him?

Origins- From England to Florida, don’t ask me how.

Norman Smiley was born in Northampton, a fairly major British town. His upbringing was as normal as one can get in England in the 60’s and 70’s when you’re black. But soon, his love of dance blossomed, and hence he had to leave. Quickly.

So he eventually, in the early 80’s, got to Florida in the US. There, he needed a job, a career path. He eventually found one in Pro Wrestling, being trained by Rusty Brooks and more importantly the Malenkos, Boris and Dean. From these men he learnt a pure technical style, a very European style which fitted nicely, although it had Mexican, Japanese and American touches here and there, and above all a solid, grounded offensive style, built around intelligent wearing down, not flashy over the top offence.

Hence, his love of dance slowly subsided as he was trained, and when he emerged onto the Florida scene, the dancer was gone. The wrestler had arrived.

Debut- That old Black Magic…

He debuted in 1986, wrestling as Black Magic. And for a while he slogged away on the Florida Indy scene, not doing much. Eventually, he got sick and tired of not getting anywhere nor getting any respect. So out went the Magic, in came the default way British people in the Wrestling Business try and get respect. Acting snooty.

Phase 2- That’s LORD Norman to you.

He became Lord Henry Norman, playing up his roots and the fact that, as an Englishman, he was better than everyone else. This, shockingly, failed to win over any fans, and he quickly became hated. But while he acted differently, the result was still the same, in that he didn’t really get anywhere.

But then, in 1990, a call came. A call that offered him a chance at success.

Phase 3- The Pat O’Connor Memorial International Cup Tag Team Tournament.

Quite a mouthful.

But at the 1990 Starrcade, the tournament was held, with 8 teams representing 8 countries (USA, Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Africa, USSR, UK and New Zealand…NEW ZEALAND?!? Where the hell is Australia? We invented the damm thing after all!). And since the UK was to be represented, two English wrestlers were needed. Chris Adams, a veteran and well respected wrestler who brought the Superkick to America was the obvious choice for one spot. The other one though, went to a young, fresh faced Norman Smiley.

What a break. To be along side a legend in Chris Adams, and to draw Konnan and Rey Mysterio (the original, not the one currently going “Owwie, my knee”) in the opening round, what an honor.

He was feeling less honored when Konnan pinned him to knock them out of the tournament.

Phase 4- Back to the beginning, both times round.

Norman regrouped, and went back to the Indy circuit and also back to his Black Magic moniker, since he didn’t feel particularly upper class. But eventually his work ethic and non-dancing got him to Mexico, with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, a major player in the Mexican Wrestling scene. While there, Cien Caras jumped ship to rival company AAA, thus vacating the CMLL World Heavyweight Title (which given the vast majority of lighter wrestlers was somewhat viewed the same way most fans view the Cruiserweight title now). A tournament was held. And in the final, Rayo de Jalisco Jr. lost to…Black Magic!

Who did you expect, Brian Knobbs?

Phase 5- YOUR CMLL Heavyweight Champ.

Black Magic carried the belt with pride, and was accepted by the Mexican fans. He won the title in November 1992, and held it for almost 2 years, which seems impossible in today’s world but back then was not unheard of. Eventually though, he lost the title in July 94 to Silver King. But while one door closed, eventually, another opened.

Phase 6- Norman Smiley…in ECW?

Norman, now going by his real name, came into ECW in late 95, lured by the Malenko/Guerrero classics.

After seeing the other sorts of matches ECW had on, by early 96 he ran for the hills, thus proving that his later reactions were to be expected. Eventually though, he found a company better suited to him.

Phase 7- Norman Smiley in WCW.

At first, Norman was one of several men trying to catch a break in the chaotic maelstrom that was WCW in 1997. The company was doing great, and it seemed the time for guys to stake a claim. But at first, Norman wrestled on WCW Saturday Night and didn’t really get anywhere.

So, his first step was to debut a move that he knew would revolutionize the industry, and fulfill that deep down dark desire he had. Thus, he began to perform the Big Wiggle.

And yet, that didn’t work, and he still didn’t get anywhere, nor did teaming with Chris Adams, his long time friend. So he took a few months off to rethink. And eventually, he found a new attitude to life.

Phase 8- That’s Nor-MAHN Smi-LAY!

Eventually Norman returned and reminded people that he was European, and hence his name should be pronounced in the correct European way. This, coupled with a new, more straight-forwardly vicious wrestling style gave Norman a few more wins, and some more traction. He was establishing himself as 1999 began, his darker, more serious period peaking when he fed Chavo Guerrero Jr.’s hobby horse Pepe into a woodchipper.

However, as 99 continued, two important things began to happen.

One, the Big Wiggle (now instead of just a standard motion, it had become a full blown event, complete with butt slapping and huge smile at the implied proposed homosexual rape) was slowly but surely winning fans back over, so that near the end of 1999, Norman was, well, liked.

And two…The WCW Hardcore Title was created.

Phase 9- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Norman, since he wasn’t doing much, was booked in the tournament to crown a new WCW Hardcore Champion. Given his past experience with ECW, he wanted no part of this. So, when he was forced to come out to the ring for the match, he wore football gear to protect himself, and like any alive, sane being, when he was hit with a hardcore weapon, he screamed in pain, shock and fear.

And a star was born.

Despite his desires and attempts to not advance, due to other people’s problems and interference, “Screamin'” Norman not only advanced in the tournament, at WCW Mayhem 99, he won the damm thing over Brian Knobbs when Jimmy Hart, Knobbs manager, hit his own man with a Garbage Can.

Thus began a bizarre chain of events where Norman kept winning, or at least keeping his belt, despite several men being after it and Norman not really wanting it.

While he held the belt he was entered in the Lethal Lottery Tournament to crown new WCW Tag champions. Despite drawing a seemingly dud partner in Asya, the duo advanced to the second round when Jim Duggan and Perry Saturn failed to co-exist, but they lost in the second round to Buff Bagwell and Chris Kanyon. Then, a week or so later, on Thunder, Brian Knobbs defeated him to win the Hardcore title.

Phase 10- Sweet, Sweet Release

Norman was free, although he still had to fight for the belt, but at least he was no longer the center of attention. He was able to slowly work his way back into the main roster, for a short time teaming with the Demon (a.k.a that Kiss wrestler), where he would dress up in Kiss gear as well. But then, just when he thought he was safe, WCW was reset.

Phase 11- Yes Sir Mr. Bischoff Sir! Yes Sir Mr. Russo Sir!

And in order to keep his job, he was ordered by the new bosses, Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo, to go after the Hardcore title again. Thus Norman became a pseudo-member of the New Blood, although really he was just trying to keep his job, as he went after Terry Funk of the Millionaire’s Club. And alas for Norman, on the night when the New Blood won all but 1 of the vacant WCW belts, the one belt they didn’t win…was the one he fought for, as Terry Funk beat him to win the vacant title.

But Norman was given another chance, and was told to find a partner, someone to help him beat Terry Funk. He knew just the man. So, leading up to Slamboree 2000, Norman and his mystery partner (a man who appeared to be a yiffy fan, given that he constantly wore a big animal suit) teamed up to some success. On the night, Norman revealed his partner.

Ralphus.

And to the surprise of no-one, this failed to turn the tide for Norman, and he lost to Funk again at the PPV, then again the following night. Ergo, he and Ralphus were fired.

Phase 12- Looking for work.

Thus followed a few weeks of Norman and Ralphus looking for work, getting fired from said work, and then Norman screwing over a kid to win a Backyard Federation title.

Not the most prestigious of moments for him.

But eventually, the duo were rehired.

Phase 13- Found it.

They returned at Bash at the Beach 2000, fighting for the Hardcore Title yet again against then champ Big Vito, who beat both of them fairly easily.

Norman and Ralphus then parted ways once he realised that for all his positive points, as a manager and bodyguard Ralphus…sucked. So Norman set down to once again rise up the ranks as a serious, albeit Big Wiggling, wrestler.

But fate had other plans. For Lance Storm, around this time, ended up with 3 belts, the WCW US Title (renamed the Canadian Title), the WCW Cruiserweight Title (renamed the 100 Kilos and Under Championship) and the WCW Hardcore Title (renamed the Saskatchewan Hardcore International Title). He then gave two of them away to fellow Team Canada members, the Cru…>100 title to Elix Skipper and the S.H.I.T title to Carl Oulette.

Carl was then forced to defend his title against Norman Smiley. Annoyed, he attacked Norman before he had a chance to lay down, since he did not want the belt. Norman was then forced to fight back out of self-preservation, and ended up, somehow, winning for a second time the belt he didn’t want at all!

Phase 14- Irony likes double helpings.

Norman’s first reign was ironically, given his attempts to get rid of it, the longest reign of anyone who held the title. His second reign was the 2nd longest. Fighting out of self-preservation and a desire to not die, he wound up retaining the belt in various matches for over a month. But then Norman, in a result that he had been dreading, was injured. But it had the pleasant side effect that he was stripped of the belt.

Phase 15- The whimper.

At the end of 2000 Norman returned from injury, but failed to make any sort of lasting impact, losing most of his matches as WCW limped to its purchase by Shane McMahon. Shane chose some people to hire, some to not hire. Norman was one he chose not to hire.

Phase 16- Back to the Indys.

Norman then, for lack of options, went back to the independent companies, getting the occasional try out match for TNA and WWE, but no-one, for some reason, wanting to hire the Big Wiggle. For a few years, he remained active, but quiet, on the small stage. But eventually, the Big Wiggle would find a home once again.

Today- Total Non-Stop Wiggling!

Norman Smiley once again graced out TV screens, as did the Big Wiggle, when he returned earlier in the year to TNA, getting the Wiggle on Jeff Jarrett in his first match with the company. He has been injured for a little while at the hands of Scott Steiner, but is now back, and given the nature of some of his competition and the way the company seems to be headed, for safety’s sake, he has once again donned the protective gear. Just in case.

Conclusion

Not every wrestler will make it huge. Not every wrestler can make it huge. But there will always be that subset of wrestlers that are popular, no matter what, just on a smaller scale than the true stars. They are the cult heroes, the guilty pleasures, the hopeless but still fought for causes. Norman Smiley happens to be one of them. Be it for his screaming, his outfits, his work ethic, his background or just for that damm dance, people love him. And that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon.