Inside the Ropes is saddened to report that former WCW, ECW, and NWA star Johnny Meadows has lost his battle with COVID-19.
Real name John Condrone, the talent passed away from complications related to the virus that he had been suffering from since September. According to The Daily Times, he had been supported by a ventilator since September 28.
A strong low-mid card talent, Condrone as Johnny Meadows had varying levels of success across the industry’s territorial system beginning his career on Southeastern Championship Wrestling.
Battles against the likes of The Mongolian Stomper, Terry Tayler and Dick Murdoch put him on the map and earned him the respect of then NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Ric Flair and NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Champion, ‘Crazy’ Luke Graham. He would challenge both men for their respective gold.
Meadows didn’t stop there. Victories over Abdullah the Butcher and The Mongolian Stomper changed his career forever and the star soon found himself in demand with the likes of Georgia Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. For the latter, a forgotten mini-feud with Big John Studd awaited where Meadows would team with the likes Jay Widener and Deke Rivers to battle the giant in handicap action.
In the early nineteen nineties, Johnny Meadows landed in World Championship Wrestling and though he was used as enhancement he shared the ring with some of the bigger names, including Scott ‘The Diamond Studd’ Hall (June 8, 1991), Terrance Taylor (July 6, 1991) and Dick Murdoch and Dick Slater when he teamed with Jackie Fulton (July 13, 1991).
Following his departure from WCW, Meadows leant his talents to Smokey Mountain Wrestling for a brief interlude with Killer Kyle and All-State Wrestling where he battled Keith Hart and captured the ASW Tag Team Championships from The Regulators on October 21, 1995.
Besides a singles career, Johnny Meadows was also an accomplished tag team competitor as a member of The Paradise City Rockers, The Dream Team, The Cruisers and The Stingers where he served as a henchman for Ric Flair in his wars against Sting and Brian Pillman.
Away from the squared circle, John Condrone was a Dove and Grammy-nominated ASCAP songwriter. He toured with groups such as Tranquility Express and The Roane State Boys.
The professional wrestling world is another good man down.
Inside the Ropes sends its deepest condolences to John Condrone’s family and friends.