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There are individuals in the wrestling industry who don't get enough credit for their contributions. While legendary superstars like The Rock and John Cena get highly celebrated for their box-office appeal to the business, and deservingly so, the people who work behind the scenes don't nearly get as much credit as the on-screen talent does. Those who work behind the curtains in some ways deserve as much credit as the in-ring performers. One of those deserving people is the trainers that help season some of these in-ring talents that go on to do big things in the wrestling business, like former WWE superstar Tom Prichard.
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The Importance Of Wrestling Trainers
Some of the most legendary superstars in the wrestling industry get trained by personalities that many fans aren't familiar with much. Trainers, in general, are one of the best examples of heavily contributing to the wrestling business, as they help season the superstars of tomorrow.
Furthermore, many veteran wrestlers have achieved great respect from the wrestling world for training other fellow superstars. One can view Al Snow as a good example, considering he's a known wrestling personality while also providing vast knowledge for the students that trained under him. Al Snow is only one example of the many wrestlers who's had a respectable reputation for helping up-coming performers.
Former WWE superstar Tom Prichard is also a respected figure in the wrestling business as he's seasoned many breakout superstars in WWE. Tom Prichard is the older brother of Bruce Prichard, someone who's also known for his reputation behind the scenes at WWE.
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Tom Prichard's In-Ring Experience
For those who may not be familiar with Tom Prichard's work as a former in-ring talent, Tom Prichard's wrestling background goes back to when he made his debut in 1979. Tom Prichard wrestled for many promotions throughout his career before eventually winding down his in-ring activity during the late 1990s.
Throughout his wrestling career, Tom Prichard has had a decorated resume regarding the championships he's won in the many promotions he's wrestled. Whether wrestling as a single or tag team performer, Tom Prichard has won numerous belts in both departments, including being a former WWE Tag Team Champion as part of the Bodydonnas unit.
Tom Prichard's Success As A Trainer
Tony Prichard may not have had the most successful career as a WWE superstar, but his experience is what probably molded him into an effective trainer. There's a reason why many superstars he's trained over the years achieved long-term success.
As he became a trainer for WWE in 1997, he helped train superstars like The Rock, who exploded into mainstream success soon after. Another performer he helped train was Mark Henry, who didn't have much wrestling experience when arriving at WWE in 1996. And yet, Mark Henry eventually became one of WWE's long-tenured veterans as he wrestled for two decades for the company.
Another superstar who lacked pro wrestling experience that Tom Prichard trained was Kurt Angle. Despite his initial lack of wrestling experience, Kurt Angle not only became a successful WWE superstar but went on to become one of the best in-ring performers in the wrestling industry. Randy Orton is another big-time WWE superstar that got trained under Tom Prichard.
The list goes on with the number of successful WWE superstars he's trained, from Dolph Ziggler to women performers like The Bella Twins. Even after Tom Prichard got released by the company in 2004, WWE brought him back to work as a trainer for their Deep South Wrestling developmental. After DSW closed, Tom Prichard got assigned to train the performers at Florida Championship Wrestling before getting released for the second time in 2012.
Tom Prichard's Wrestling Career Continues While Training Up-Coming Superstars
It's worth noting that while Tom Prichard spent most of the past two decades of his career training wrestlers in WWE and on the independents, his in-ring career didn't stop after becoming a trainer in 1997. Although his in-ring career became part-time at best, Tom Prichard would wrestle matches in smaller independent promotions while working as a trainer for WWE. Even after taking the trainer role for WWE, Tom Prichard even wrestled a televised contest on a September 1998 episode of Raw is War, teaming with Jeff Jarrett in a losing effort to Goldust and Chyna in a tag match.
In 2017, Tom Prichard officially ended his wrestling career by performing his final match on the independent scenes. While thriving as an in-ring wrestler for decades, Tom Prichard played a crucial role in building WWE's future stars. His contributions must never get forgotten.
