{{short description|American football player and professional wrestler}} {{for-multi|the NFL player|Ricky Ortiz (fullback)|the fighting game player|Ricki Ortiz|the American actor|Richard Young (actor)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2018}} {{Infobox person | name = Ricky Ortiz | image = Ricky Ortiz ECW.jpg | caption = Ortiz in 2009 | birth_name = Richard Young | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|5|12}} | birth_place = Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = {{marriage|Layla El|2015|2025|end=div}} | children = 1 | module = {{Infobox professional wrestler|child=yes |names = Atlas DaBone<ref name=OWOW/><br />Atlas Ortiz<ref name=OWOW/><ref name=AtlasOrtiz/><br />Rich Young<br />'''Ricky Ortiz'''<ref name=WWEbio/> |height = {{height|ft=6|in=4}}<ref name=WWEbio/> |weight = {{convert|246|lb|kg|abbr=on}}<ref name=WWEbio/> |billed = Paradise Valley, Arizona<ref name=WWEbio/> |trainer = Ohio Valley Wrestling<ref name=OWOW/><br />Florida Championship Wrestling |debut = 2006<ref name=OWOW/> |retired = 2013 }} | module2 = {{Infobox gridiron football biography | embed = yes | name = Richard Young | image = | college = Tulsa | position = Linebacker | number = | undraftedyear = 1998 | pastteams = * Saskatchewan Roughriders ({{CFL Year|1999}}) * Milwaukee Mustangs ({{AFL Year|2000}}–{{AFL Year|2001}}) * Orlando Rage (2001) * Indiana Firebirds ({{AFL Year|2002}}–{{AFL Year|2003}}) * Colorado Crush ({{AFL Year|2004}}–{{AFL Year|2006}}) | highlights = * ArenaBowl champion (2005) * Second-team All-Arena (2005) | afl = 2451 }} }}

'''Richard Young'''<ref name=OWOW>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/ricky-ortiz.html|access-date=August 15, 2008|title=Ricky Ortiz profile|publisher=Online World of Wrestling}}</ref> (born May 12, 1975)<ref name=OWOW/> is an American former professional wrestler and football player. He is best known for his work with WWE performing under the ring name '''Ricky Ortiz'''.<ref name=WWEbio>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/smackdown/rickyortiz/bio/|access-date=April 15, 2009|title=Official WWE Bio|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602101035/http://www.wwe.com/superstars/smackdown/rickyortiz/bio/|archive-date=June 2, 2009}}</ref><ref name=release>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/ortizreleased|title=Ricky Ortiz released|date=August 8, 2009|access-date=August 8, 2009|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment}}</ref>

Young spent time in the XFL, Canadian Football League (CFL), and Arena Football League (AFL).

==Football career==

===College=== Young spent two years at Glendale Community College in Glendale, Arizona. He then transferred to the University of Tulsa and played for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. He was a two-year letter winner. He played 22 career games and was credited with 177 tackles as a linebacker.<ref name=arenafootball>{{cite web|url=http://arenafootball.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=3500&ATCLID=96570|title=404|last=AFL|website=AFL|access-date=March 23, 2018|archive-date=February 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216113041/http://arenafootball.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=3500&ATCLID=96570|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

===Professional football=== After college, Young attended minicamp with the Kansas City Chiefs on a tryout basis.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-phoenix/145399449/ | title=Talk, talk, talk | publisher=Star-Phoenix | date=June 19, 1999 | accessdate=April 15, 2024 | author=Zary, Darren}}</ref><ref name="slam-release">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2009/08/08/10403551.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310085950/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2009/08/08/10403551.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 10, 2016|title=Ricky Ortiz the latest WWE release|date=August 8, 2009|last=Waldman|first=Jon|access-date=August 9, 2009|work=Slam! Sports|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer}}</ref> In 1999, he went to the Canadian Football League (CFL) and played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.<ref name="slam-release"/> He spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons in the Arena Football League with the Milwaukee Mustangs. In the AFL, Young played both fullback and linebacker. Following the AFL, Young joined the short-lived XFL with the Orlando Rage.<ref name="slam-release"/> After the league folded, Young attempted to make the Jacksonville Jaguars roster, but was waived during training camp. He rejoined the AFL, this time with the Indiana Firebirds, in 2002. He would spend the next two years in Indiana before joining the Colorado Crush in 2004. In 2003, he led all AFL middle linebackers with 4.0 sacks.<ref name=arenafootball/>

==Professional wrestling career==

===World Wrestling Entertainment (2006–2009)=== Young made his professional wrestling debut with Ohio Valley Wrestling in late 2006 under the ring name Atlas DaBone.<ref name="slam-release"/> On January 12, 2008, DaBone became the number one contender to the OVW Heavyweight Championship after beating Mike Kruel in a best of 3 series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ovwrestling.com/tv_results.htm|title=Ohio Valley Wrestling – Tomorrow's Superstars...Today!|date=February 13, 2008|access-date=March 23, 2018|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080213081424/http://www.ovwrestling.com/tv_results.htm|archive-date=February 13, 2008}}</ref>

On July 1, 2008, Young made his WWE debut under the name Atlas Ortiz on the ECW brand, winning his first match against Armando Estrada.<ref name=AtlasOrtiz>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/07012008/|title=Extreme Mismatch|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment}}</ref> The next week on ''ECW'', Tazz and Mike Adamle referred to him as "Ricky Ortiz".<ref name="slam-release"/> He acknowledged the name change in an interview segment on the same show; Lena Yada called him Atlas and he responded by saying, "My friends call me Ricky". On the July 15 episode of ''ECW'', he used the nickname, "The Latin Assassin". Ortiz defeated Chavo Guerrero by disqualification on July 29.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/07292008/|title=Proof of Strength|date=July 29, 2008| last=Medalis|first=Kara A.|access-date=August 15, 2008|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment}}</ref> The next week he beat Guerrero and Bam Neely in a tag team match with Evan Bourne.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/08052008/|title=The Dirt Spat|date=August 5, 2008|last=Burdick|first=Michael|access-date=August 15, 2008|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment}}</ref>

Although enjoying a streak of 5–0, on October 7, Ortiz would team with Kofi Kingston, CM Punk, and Evan Bourne against John Morrison, The Miz, Cody Rhodes, and Ted DiBiase in an 8-man tag match losing effort. After a distraction from Manu, Morrison would then perform a Moonlight Drive on Punk and pin him for the victory. This would be Young's first televised loss since debuting on ECW, although he was still undefeated in singles competition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/10072008/|title=Wild West|date=October 8, 2008|last=DiFino|first=Lennie|access-date=October 15, 2008|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment}}</ref> On the December 2 episode of ''ECW'', he suffered his first pinfall loss at the hands of Jack Swagger, who was also undefeated at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/12022008/|title=Wild Half man ... not so amazing|date=December 2, 2008|last=Burdick|first=Michael|access-date=December 14, 2008|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment}}</ref>

On April 15, 2009, Ortiz was drafted to the SmackDown brand as part of the 2009 Supplemental Draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2009draft/2009supplementaldraftresults/|title=2009 WWE Supplemental Draft results|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment|date=April 15, 2009|access-date=April 15, 2009|archive-date=December 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225191133/http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2009draft/2009supplementaldraftresults/|url-status=dead}}</ref> On the May 15 episode of ''SmackDown'', Ortiz made his debut for the brand, losing to Jeff Hardy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2009/05/16/9476311.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111115024/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2009/05/16/9476311.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 11, 2016|title=Smackdown: re-writing a good show|date=May 16, 2009|last=Waldman|first=Jon|access-date=May 16, 2009|work=Slam! Sports|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer}}</ref> His last match for WWE was on the August 7 episode of ''SmackDown'', where he was squashed by The Great Khali.<ref name="slam-release"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2009/08/07/10396456.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018125944/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2009/08/07/10396456.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 18, 2015|title=Smackdown: Returning superstar makes big impact on World Title match|date=August 7, 2009|last=Bishop|first=Matt|access-date=August 9, 2009|work=Slam! Sports|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer}}</ref> He was released from his WWE contract on August 8, 2009.<ref name="release"/>

===Independent circuit and retirement (2009–2013)=== A week after his WWE release, on August 15, 2009, Young appeared at a World Wrestling Council show, using the name 'Ricky Ortiz' and challenging Shane Sewell for the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship. He failed to win, and attacked Sewell after the match.<ref name=OWOW/> In early 2010, Ortiz appeared for the Combat Championship Wrestling promotion, wrestling against Shawn Spears and Sinn Bodhi.<ref name=OWOW/> He then began competing for Florida-based promotions, including I Believe in Wrestling and WWA.<ref name=OWOW/> On January 14, 2011 Young appeared at Vintage Pro Wrestling's Wrestlebrawl 2 event with Scott Hall, using the NWO Wolfpac theme for his entrance, to face Kennedy Kendrick. Despite originally winning the match, Young would lose when the referee reversed his decision and disqualified him due to refusing to release a hold.

In May 2011, it was revealed that Ortiz would take part in a new hiphop/pro wrestling collaboration, the Urban Wrestling Federation, with taping of the first event "First Blood" taking place on June 3.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vip.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1304727945|title=UWF roster update and hip hop stars involved|last=Martin|first=Adam|date=May 6, 2011|access-date=May 13, 2011|work=WrestleView|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901151603/http://vip.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1304727945|archive-date=September 1, 2011}}</ref>

On December 28, 2013, Ortiz debuted in Extreme Rising, defeating Homicide. Subsequently, Ortiz would retire from professional wrestling, so that he could concentrate more on his personal life with fellow wrestler, Layla El.

Even though he is retired, Ortiz works as a producer for various independent promotions.

==Other media== Young appeared on the November 25, 2008 episode of ''Cha$e'' as a hunter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/overtheropes/news/rickyochase|title='CHA$E' with Ricky Ortiz|date=November 25, 2008|last=Medalis|first=Kara A.|access-date=January 9, 2011|publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment}}</ref> Young also appeared on Scott Hall's web show ''Last Call with Scott Hall''.

==Personal life== In July 2015, Young got engaged to English professional wrestler Layla El,<ref name="retire">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/layla-retires-from-wwe|title=Layla retires from WWE|author=Tello, Craig|website=WWE|date=July 29, 2015|access-date=August 3, 2015}}</ref><ref name="el07282015">{{cite web | url=https://twitter.com/mslayel/status/625917087756627968 | title=Aawwwww who woulda thought .... @iamrichyoung2 richandlay #love #engagement #future #young 💖💕 | publisher=Twitter | date=July 28, 2015 | access-date=July 28, 2015 | author=El, Layla|author-link=Layla El}}</ref> and the two were married on November 27.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/mslayel/status/681773806256455680|title=Layla Young on Twitter|publisher=Twitter|date=April 19, 2018|access-date=December 29, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/layla-ricky-ortiz-married-28355271|title=Former WWE Diva and Superstar tie the knot|publisher=WWE|date=April 19, 2018|access-date=December 29, 2015|archive-date=December 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225162543/http://www.wwe.com/inside/layla-ricky-ortiz-married-28355271|url-status=dead}}</ref> Young and Layla got divorced in 2025. <ref>{{cite web |last=Chavan |first=Ishan |date=2026-05-16 |title=Layla El Interview on dating Cody Rhodes, LayCool moments, Michelle McCool and Undertaker romance | url= https://www.sportshadow.com/wwe/2026/05/16/layla-el-interview-on-dating-cody-rhodes-laycool-moments-michelle-mccool-and-undertaker-romance|website = Sportshadow}}</ref>

==Championships and accomplishments== *'''Independent Wrestling Association Florida''' **IWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time, inaugural) – with Rico Suave<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=1&nr=68768|title=IWA Florida « Events Database « CAGEMATCH – The Internet Wrestling Database|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm|website=www.cagematch.de|access-date=March 23, 2018}}</ref> *'''Ohio Valley Wrestling''' **Elimination Tournament (2007)

==See also== *List of gridiron football players who became professional wrestlers

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons}} * [http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=youngric002 Stats Crew profile] * [http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=2451 Arena Fan profile] * [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/ricky-ortiz.html Online World of Wrestling profile]

{{ArenaBowl XIX}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ortiz, Ricky}} Category:1975 births Category:21st-century male professional wrestlers Category:21st-century American professional wrestlers Category:American football fullbacks Category:American football linebackers Category:Players of Canadian football from Phoenix, Arizona Category:American male professional wrestlers Category:Canadian football linebackers Category:Colorado Crush players Category:Glendale Gauchos football players Category:Indiana Firebirds players Category:Living people Category:Milwaukee Mustangs (1994–2001) players Category:Orlando Rage players Category:Players of American football from Phoenix, Arizona Category:Professional wrestlers from Phoenix, Arizona Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players Category:Tulsa Golden Hurricane football players