Anthony Norris

Anthony Norris is an American professional wrestler who made a name for himself in the World Wrestling Federation as Ahmed Johnson, where he was the first ever African American to hold the Intercontinental Championship.

Career

Norris started wrestling in 1995 in the Global Wrestling Federation as Moadib. He was part of Skandor Akbar's heel group, Devastation, Inc.

Related Topics:
1995 - Global Wrestling Federation - Skandor Akbar - Heel - Group

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Norris made his WWF debut as Ahmed Johnson in late 1995 as a participant in the Survivor Series "Wild-Card match", which put both faces and heels on the same teams. He made an immediate impact on his first night on the job, the Raw before the PPV, by becoming, according to WWF kayfabe, only the second man in WWF history at the time to powerslam Yokozuna (Lex Luger being the first).

Related Topics:
Survivor Series - Faces - Raw - PPV - Kayfabe - Powerslam - Yokozuna - Lex Luger

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Johnson adopted the spinebuster and the Pearl River Plunge (a modified Tiger Driver) as his signature moves. He engaged in feuds with Owen Hart and The British Bulldog throughout 1996, and he quickly became popular among fans. His intense wrestling style was not popular backstage, however. Most wrestlers referred to him as sloppy and claimed his moves looked so powerful because he didn't protect his opponents.

Related Topics:
Spinebuster - Feuds - Owen Hart - The British Bulldog - 1996

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He received a Intercontinental Title shot and defeated the controversial Goldust at the 1996 King of the Ring to claim the belt. As the first black WWF Intercontinental Champion, most assumed it was only a matter of time before he climbed to main event status.

Related Topics:
Intercontinental Title - Goldust - King of the Ring

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But Johnson's career took a tragic turn in the summer of 1996. Faarooq, attacked Johnson after a match and delivered a kick that ruptured his kidney. The injury was an accident, but it forced Johnson to forfeit his belt and placed him on the injured list for four months. He returned to enter a feud with Faarooq in 1997 (who had a new gimmick, and formed the Nation of Domination).

Related Topics:
Faarooq - Kidney - 1997 - Gimmick - Nation of Domination

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It was at this time that the WWF began to move away from its family-friendly image and towards the Attitude Era in order to compete with the popular World Championship Wrestling. Johnson, like many other WWF wrestlers at that time, took on more edgy personas. Johnson began teaming with the Legion of Doom and engaging in gang-fights with the entire Nation. Mired in the storyline and losing popularity with the fans, Johnson turned into a shadow of his former self.

Related Topics:
Attitude Era - World Championship Wrestling - Legion of Doom - Storyline

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Johnson eventually turned on then WWF Champion The Undertaker and joined the New Nation, along with Kama Mustafa, D'Lo Brown, and Faarooq. For whatever reason the WWF abandoned the storyline and the Nation turned on him literally only a week after he joined. Ahmed began feuding with them again, but at this point the fans had lost almost all interest in his character.

Related Topics:
Turned - WWF Champion - The Undertaker - Kama Mustafa - D'Lo Brown

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As 1998 continued, Johnson made less and less appearances. He began to to put on weight, and his wrestling skills were starting to suffer. That, along with his inability to get away from the Nation feud, lead to his release in 1998. His wrestling skills had begun to cause injury to his opponents, fueling previous backstage claims.

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He was picked up by WCW in late 1999 and took on the character of Big T to team with Stevie Ray in the reformed Harlem Heat. His weight had spiraled out of control and his ring work was noticeably less intense, and less interesting. He was released by WCW shortly before the company was purchased by its longtime rival the WWF.

Related Topics:
1999 - Stevie Ray - Harlem Heat

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