Stevie Richards

Michael Stephen Manna (born October 9, 1971), better known by his ring name Stevie Richards, is an American professional wrestler and YouTuber.

Over the course of his career, Richards has performed for major professional wrestling promotions including Eastern/Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and Ring of Honor.

Championships held by Richards include the ECW World Tag Team Championship, the WWE Hardcore Championship (21 times), the NWA National Heavyweight Championship and the Extreme Rising World Championship.

Michael Manna trained as a professional wrestler under Jimmy Jannetty at Mike Sharpe's wrestling school in Brick Township, New Jersey.

He wrestled his first match on February 25, 1992, for the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance as "Stevie Richards", facing Jannetty.

He wrestled a handful of matches for Eastern Championship Wrestling before spending two years working on the independent circuit for seasoning.

Richards returned to Eastern Championship Wrestling on June 26, 1994, as "Steve Richards" (later tweaked to "Stevie Richards") in a preliminary wrestling role.

His first televised appearance was on the June 28, 1994, episode of NWA Eastern Championship Wrestling, teaming with Hack Meyers in a loss to Dory Funk Jr.. and Terry Funk.

Shortly after his return, Richards was given a valet, Angel.

In addition to his in-ring role, Richards answered calls to the ECW hotline under the pseudonym "Lloyd Van Buren".

At Heat Wave on July 16, 1994, Richards lost to Tommy Dreamer.

In late-1994, he developed an "identity crisis", performing under the ring names "Stevie Flamingo", "Stevie the Body", and "Stevie Polo"—all references to former ring names used by Scott Levy in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation.

After sustaining another loss to Dreamer, Richards became irate and claimed he would present "the real Johnny Polo".

On the January 7, 1995, episode of ECW Hardcore TV, Levy—now known as "Raven"—made his ECW debut, with Richards as the first member of Raven's Nest, Raven's stable of lackeys.

As a member of Raven's Nest, Richards began wearing jean shorts and half shirts for glam metal bands such as Cinderella, Nelson, Poison and Winger.

His behavior attracted the scorn of commentator Joey Styles, who repeatedly described him as a "clueless putz" and referred to his attending the Blue Oyster Bar, a (fictional) gay bar.

Immediately upon debuting in ECW, Raven began feuding with Dreamer.

On April 8, 1995, at Three Way Dance, Raven revealed that he and Dreamer had attended summer camp together as teenagers, where Raven slept with Beulah McGillicutty, an overweight girl with acne who had been spurned by Dreamer.

Richards then revealed that he had tracked down McGillicutty, who was now a Penthouse model, who also harbored a grudge against Dreamer.

Later that night, Raven wrestled Dreamer for the first time, defeating him following interference from both Richards and McGillicutty.

The feud between Raven and Dreamer would continue for another two years, with Dreamer constantly unable to pin Raven.

In May 1995 at Enter The Sandman, Dreamer introduced Luna Vachon to ECW to counter the continual interference from Richards and Raven's Nest.

On June 30, 1995, at Mountain Top Madness, Raven and Richards defeated The Public Enemy to win the ECW World Tag Team Championship.

At Hardcore Heaven on July 1, 1995, Raven and Richards defeated Dreamer and Vachon in a tag team match.

Two weeks later at Heat Wave, Vachon defeated Richards in a cage match.

In the summer of 1995, an unnamed woman began appearing in the audience during Richards' matches.

On August 26, 1995, Richards introduced her to Joey Styles as his girlfriend, Francine.

Francine began accompanying to Richards to ringside, but tensions quickly arose between her and McGillicutty.

On August 26, 1995, McGillicutty defeated Francine after Richards turned on her by super kicking her at the behest of Raven.

Francine subsequently aligned herself with The Pitbulls, helping them defeat Raven and Richards for the ECW World Tag Team Championship at Gangstas Paradise on September 16, 1995.

Raven and Richards regained the titles from The Pitbulls on October 7, 1995 at South Philly Jam, only to lose them to The Public Enemy later that evening.

At November to Remember on November 18, 1995, Richards introduced a lackey of his own, The Blue Meanie.

Over the following year, Richards and The Blue Meanie would perform numerous parodies of other wrestlers, including "Baron von Stevie" and "Colonel DeMeanie"; "Lord Stevie" and "Sir Meanie"; "Stevie Alexander Bagwell" and "Meanie Riggs"; and "Flyboy Stevie Rock" and "Meanie Grunge".

In late 1995, Richards received another lackey, Super Nova.

During the opening of Holiday Hell on December 29, 1995, Richards received a kiss from Missy Hyatt, who was seated at ringside, after claiming he could get her "a date with Raven" in return.

Later that evening, Richards and The Blue Meanie were squashed by Dreamer in consecutive matches.

Dreamer went on to face Raven, who defeated him yet again after repeated interference from Richard and The Blue Meanie.

At House Party on January 5, 1996, Richards attempted to kiss McGillicutty, who refused, eventually announcing that she was pregnant.

After Raven angrily confronted McGillicutty, she informed him that he was not the father, causing Raven to attack Richards.

McGillicutty then revealed that Tommy Dreamer was the father, with Dreamer storming the ring and beating down Raven, Richards and The Blue Meanie.