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WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat will return to the ring tonight for Steve Perkins' Big Time Wrestling in Raleigh, NC at the Dorton Arena, teaming with FTR vs. Jay LethaI (as Black Machismo) & Brock Anderson & a mystery partner, managed by Arn Anderson. This will be Steamboat's first official match since a 2010 bout teaming with his son Richie on a Florida Championship Wrestling event when FCW was the primary WWE developmental territory before NXT was instituted.
Steamboat, one of the greatest in-ring babyfaces of all time, initially retired in September 1994 after injuring his back while wrestling Steve Austin in WCW during a Clash of Champions. He surprisingly returned to the ring as part of a storyline with Chris Jericho playing off the Mickey Rourke film The Wrestler at Wrestlemania 25, teaming with Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka. Initially planned as a one-time occurence, Steamboat looked so great as a performer that he wrestled Jericho in a singles bout at Backlash 2009 and was regularly working with other talents before getting injured during an in-ring angle with The Nexus that led to his hospitalization, halting what had been a great return run. From that point on, Steamboat, now 69 years old, had not officially returned to the ring until tonight.
The BTW event, which will be streaming live on FITE.TV, will also feature:
*The Briscoes vs. The Rock N' Roll Express is in what is billed as Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson's final match of the their career in the venue.
*Matt Hardy vs. Crowbar.
*Jimmy Valiant's Boogie Woogie Jam Invitational Battle Royal.
*Also appearing are Lex Luger, Teddy Long, The Steiners, Kane and more.
For more information, visit www.DragonReturns.com.
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