Randy Thornton facts for kids
Randall "Randy" Thornton (born December 23, 1964) is an American former athlete. He played professional football and later became a professional wrestler. In wrestling, he was known by his ring name, Swoll.
| No. 94, 58 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive end Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | December 23, 1964 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight: | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | West Jefferson (New Orleans, Louisiana) |
| College: | Houston |
| Undrafted: | 1988 |
| Career history | |
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Contents
Playing Football
Randy Thornton went to the University of Houston. He played football there for the Houston Cougars from 1984 to 1987. He was a defensive back and a free safety. These players help stop the other team from scoring.
After college, Randy joined the Denver Broncos football team. He was a linebacker from 1988 to 1990. In 1990, he also played for the Sacramento Surge. This team was part of the World League of American Football.
In 1993, he played for the Sacramento Gold Miners. This team was in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played as a defensive end for them.
Becoming a Professional Wrestler
| Swoll | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Randall Thornton |
| Born | December 23, 1964 |
| Alma mater | University of Houston |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Swoll |
| Billed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Billed weight | 325 lb (147 kg; 23.2 st) |
| Billed from | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Trained by | Brad Rheingans |
| Debut | May 3, 1991 |
| Retired | August 31, 1999 |
Randy Thornton trained to become a professional wrestler with Brad Rheingans.
Early Wrestling Matches
On May 3, 1991, Randy had his first wrestling match. It was in the American Wrestling Association. He lost this match to Frank Andersson.
Later that month, he traveled to Japan. He wrestled in a special "Different Style Fight" against Shinya Hashimoto. He lost this match in the second round. In October 1991, he lost another "Different Style Fight" to Masashi Aoyagi.
Time in World Championship Wrestling (1999)
In 1999, Randy joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He used the ring name Swoll. He became part of a wrestling group called the No Limit Soldiers. This group was led by the famous musician Master P.
The No Limit Soldiers started a big rivalry, called a "feud," with another group. This group was called The West Texas Rednecks. The Rednecks did not like rap music, which the Soldiers were known for.
On June 13, 1999, Swoll helped his teammates. At an event called The Great American Bash, Swoll helped Konnan and Rey Misterio Jr. They defeated two Rednecks, Curt Hennig and Bobby Duncum Jr..
Swoll had his first official wrestling match on June 24. He and his teammate B.A. won against Disorderly Conduct.
At another big event, Bash at the Beach, the Soldiers won again. Swoll, Konnan, B.A., and Misterio Jr. defeated the Rednecks. This was an elimination tag team match, where wrestlers are removed one by one.
Swoll and B.A. kept winning for a few weeks. But on August 3, they lost to the Windhams. This ended Swoll's winning streak. It also ended the big rivalry between the Soldiers and the Rednecks.
Swoll's last match in WCW was on August 17. He and B.A. won against Hugh Morrus and Jerry Flynn. After this match, Randy Thornton stopped wrestling professionally.
Life After Sports
After he stopped wrestling, Randy Thornton started working. He joined the American Center For Character and Cultural Education. He is also a Christian and speaks for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
See also
- List of gridiron football players who became professional wrestlers
