Ernest Miller
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For Ernest Miller the murder victim, see Jeffrey Dahmer
| Ernest Miller | |
|---|---|
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| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | The Cat The Commissioner |
| Billed height | 6 ft 2 in |
| Billed weight | 235 lb |
| Born | January 14, 1964 Atlanta, Georgia |
| Trained by | Dewayne Bruce at the WCW Power Plant |
| Debut | 1997 |
Ernest "The Cat" Miller (born January 14, 1964 in Atlanta, Georgia), is a former professional wrestler who worked in both the WCW and WWE. He was the karate instructor to R & B superstar Usher Raymond and TV star Emmanuel Lewis while they were younger, and has stated that, like his other students, both still refer to him as Mr. Miller as a sign of respect.
Contents |
[edit] Wrestling career
[edit] WCW
After a career as a karate tournament competitor, Miller was brought into WCW by Eric Bischoff. Miller was a karate instructor and was teaching Bischoff's son Garrett, when Bischoff asked him to become a wrestler.
He started out as Glacier's tag team partner in his feud with Mortis and Wrath. He soon left Glacier and became a heel with Sonny Onoo as his manager. It was during this time that Miller's popularity heightened.
As a heel, he often gloated that he could beat anybody within two minutes and managed to do so on several occasions using his signature springboard kick, The Feliner. It was also around this time that Ernest Miller began wearing ruby slippers in the ring and dancing in a James Brown-esque fashion to celebrate his victories (this led to a PPV "dance-off" between Miller and James Brown, who had been brought in especially). He also holds the distinction of being one of the only men to make the fiercely professional Gene Okerlund break character and visibly laugh during an interview (Okerlund told Miller that - due to Miller's unreliable nature - he would never buy a used car from him, at which point Miller retorted with "I'll sell my foot to your ass", causing Okerlund to visibly crack on screen). Miller even went as far promoting his own instructional, karate home video with a presumably psuedo infomercial. During this time, Billy Blanks' Tae Bo exercise videos were quite popular, so Miller's infomercial was obviously a comedic parody that fit his gimmick.
While Miller was most often a heel, he eventually turned face and became WCW Commissioner in 2000. He began the storyline as a heel but eventually turned face due to the high fan reaction he was getting whenever he entered an arena. He was feuding with Ric Flair's Magnificent Seven group when WCW was purchased by Vince McMahon.
He appeared at some World Wrestling All-Stars shows before going to the WWF where he would lead a somewhat brief career.
[edit] WWE
Ernest Miller made his TV debut on the November 28, 2002 episode of SmackDown! He served as a wrestler and an announcer for Velocity before becoming an active wrestler on the main roster for a few weeks, before he was ultimately released from WWE on February 10, 2004. WWE credits his release for lack of enthusiasm to improve his skills as a wrestler and overall performer as the reason for his release.
Miller appeared in the 2004 Royal Rumble match, making his entrance (along with manager Lamont) while the other two people in the ring, Chris Benoit and Randy Orton, were knocked down. Miller and Lamont proceeded to do a funky dance to his theme music, not bothering to capitalize on the advantage he'd been given. When Benoit and Orton got back up, both men quickly tossed him from the ring. During his time, both with WWE and WCW his catch phrase was "somebody call my momma", this was also the lyrics to his theme song, which he would dance to.
[edit] Retirement
Miller is currently retired from professional wrestling and for an unkown reason he still lives with his ex-wife and sons in Conyers, Georgia; though he does not rule out a return to the ring. He continues to compete in point sparring in the annual Battle of Atlanta martial arts tournament each summer promoted by Joe Corley, which benefits Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
[edit] In wrestling
[edit] Finishing and signature moves
- The Feliner (Standing or diving spinning Taekwon-do roundhouse kick)
- Superkick
- Cat's cradle (Outside cradle)
- Various martial arts strikes
[edit] Managers
[edit] Quotes
- "I'm the Greatest!"
- "Somebody call my Mama!"
- "I have spoken!"
- "I'm gonna whoop somebody!"
- "I'm gonna lock the doors and whoop everybody!"
- "I'ma go outside, get my karate gi, and whoop EVERY redneck in the buildin'!"
- "I am a three time! Three time! Three time world karate champion!"
- "It ain't easy looking this pretty!"
- "Mark Madden, I hate yo' fat ass!"
- "Sit down, Fat Boy!"
- "May I please have your attention? Shut the hell up!"
- "Now hit my James Brown Music!"
- "How many people here came to see The Cat dance?"
- "By law, I'm gonna give you 5 seconds to get out of this ring..."
- "My hands and feet are registered weapons!"
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- 3-Time World Karate Champion
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 479 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
