10 Legendary Wrestlers Who Grappled Bears

5. Tracy Smothers

WWE fans may remember Tracy Smothers as the jobber Freddie Joe Floyd during the mid-1990s. On the other hand, the ECW faithful will likely remember him as a member of the Full Blooded Italians.

However, before he wrestled in WWE and ECW, Smothers took on an unmuzzled Terrible Ted. The lack of a muzzle implies that the mighty black bear no longer had teeth at this stage of his career.

Honestly, Smothers did quite well against the creature. He was able to take the animal to the mat on multiple occasions. He even appeared to be toying with the creature at times. Conversely, the bear wasn't able to get much offense in. The time limit for the match expired, which resulted in the bout ending in a draw.

At that time Terrible Ted was even managed by Dutch Mantell, aka Zeb Colter. One has to wonder what type of game plan Mantell and Ted discussed prior to the match...

Contributor
Contributor

From 1999-2003 Jacques performed on the Florida independent pro wrestling circuit. He also has an amateur wrestling background and currently holds a certification in Krav Maga. Jacques graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2003, with a bachelor's degree in Political Science. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. Follow him on twitter @goodeals79.