Education
McCord graduated from Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida.
McCord graduated from Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida.
He started wrestling as Iron Mike McCord, a superheavyweight powerlifter in 1972, and became a star in a number of southeast promotions, holding many titles in the Memphis, Georgia, Birmingham, Texas All Star & Mid Atlantic territories. McCord also had a stint in the WWWF with Lou Albano as his manager. McCord and wrestlers Gary Hart and Bobby Shane were passengers on a Cessna 182 flown by wrestler Buddy Colt, which crashed on February 20, 1975 into Tampa Bay in Florida, killing Shane.
After a period of inactivity healing from two broken ankles, he emerged with bleach-blonde hair, over 100 lbs lighter, and the new ring name "Universal Heartthrob" Austin Idol.
Idol is well-known for a feud during the 1980s with the popular Jerry "The King" Lawler in the CWA and Aging with Attitude territories. In a 1981 angle, Idol dressed up as a masked Mexican wrestler, presenting the "Top Rated Wrestler in Mexico" award to Lawler on television before sucker-punching him.
Afterwards, he delivered an interview where he promised to clean up Memphis and rid it of Lawler. Early in the year, Lawler burned Idol"s neck in a match.
On April 27, 1987, Idol defeated Lawler in a steel cage match with the assistance of "Wildfire" Tommy Rich, who hid underneath the ring for the entirety of the event, winning the Aging with Attitude Southern Heavyweight championship and causing Lawler to lose his hair.
Idol semi-retired in 1990, wrestling only every few years until the mid-1990s. In addition, he promoted his own promotion in Alabama in 1993. After appearing on Memphis Power Pro Wrestling"s first television show in 1998, he officially retired.
Idol has since become a popular motivational speaker.
November 2012, Idol launched his new radio program "Austin Idol Rock & Roll Wrestling Show" broadcasting on American Hearts Network. Finishing moves
Las Vegas Leglock (Figure four leglock)
Signature moves
Elbow smash
Knee drop
Sleeper hold
Piledriver
Managers
Jimmy Hart
Paul Heyman
Entrance Music
"Do You Wanna Touch Maine?" - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
All Japan Pro Wrestling
PWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Stan Hansen
Continental Wrestling Association
Aging with Attitude Southern Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
Aging with Attitude Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jerry Lawler
CWA International Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
CWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
CWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Dutch Mantel (2) and Jerry Lawler (1)
Georgia Championship Wrestling
NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Masked Superstar
NWA Georgia Television Championship (2 times)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1975)
PWI ranked him # 193 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003.
Southeastern Championship Wrestling
NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) (3 times)
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Southern Division) (1 time)
Texas All-Star Wrestling
TAS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
World Championship Wrestling (Australia)
NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jimmy Golden
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Feud of the Year (1987) with Tommy Rich versus Jerry Lawler.