{{Short description|American professional wrestler (born 1950)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox professional wrestler | name = Gene Ligon | image = | caption = | birth_name = Bradford Gene Ligon | names = Gene Ligon<br />Thunderfoot II<br />Thunderfoot #2 | height = {{height|ft=6|in=2}}<ref name="Cagematch"/> | weight = {{convert|253|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}<ref name="Cagematch"/> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|10|10}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=13858|title=Wrestlingdata.com - The World's Largest Wrestling Database|first=Axel|last=Saalbach|publisher=}}</ref> | birth_place = Salisbury, North Carolina, U.S. | resides = | billed = | trainer = Nelson Royal | debut = 1976 | retired = 2005<ref name="Cagematch"/> }} '''Bradford Gene Ligon''' (born October 10, 1950) is an American retired professional wrestler, who worked for Jim Crockett Promotions in the Mid-Atlantic, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s.<ref name="Cagematch">{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=7425|title=Gene Ligon|work=Cagematch.de|access-date=May 30, 2024}}</ref>

==Early life== Ligon graduated from Gardner Webb College with a Bachelor of Science in 1974.<ref name="Gene Ligon">{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/aacampus.org/geneligon|title=Gene Ligon|work=Apprentice Academy}}</ref>

==Professional wrestling career== Ligon made his professional wrestling debut in 1976 for the IWA promotion in Roxboro, North Carolina. He would make his debut for Jim Crockett Promotions. During his time with the company he worked as a jobber.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/jcp-results-1983// |title=1983 |website=Thehistoryofwwe.com |access-date=December 31, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/jcp-results-1984// |title=1984 |website=Thehistoryofwwe.com |access-date=December 31, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kayfabememories.com/Regions/macw/macw19.htm |title=Regional Territories: MACW}}</ref>

In 1986, he teamed with Joel Deaton as the Thunderfoots, they moved to the NWA's Central States Wrestling territory and in September 1986 won the tag team titles. On their return to Jim Crockett Promotions the Thunderfoots were used as preliminary wrestlers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/jcp-results-1987// |title=1987 |website=Thehistoryofwwe.com |access-date=December 31, 2016}}</ref> Deaton left the team and was replaced by David Isley. The team of Ligon and Isley went to on to win the tag titles in Rob Russen's IWA.

In 1987, Ligon went to Japan to work for All Japan Pro Wrestling for a month and then returned to Crockett Promotions. Ligon stayed with Crockett until leaving in October 1988 before Ted Turner bought the promotion and changed its name to World Championship Wrestling that November.

From 1988 to 1989, Ligon worked for the World Wrestling Federation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/88.htm |title=1988 |website=Thehistoryofwwe.com |access-date=2016-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/89.htm |title=1989 |website=Thehistoryofwwe.com |access-date=2016-12-31}}</ref>

In September 1989, Ligon would make his debut for World Championship Wrestling.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1989/ |title=1989 |website=Thehistoryofwwe.com |access-date=2016-12-31}}</ref> He left WCW in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1990/ |title=1990 |website=Thehistoryofwwe.com |access-date=2016-12-31}}</ref>

During the 1990s, Ligon worked in the independents in North Carolina until retiring from wrestling in 2005.

==Personal life== After wrestling, Ligon became a physical education teacher.<ref name="Gene Ligon"/> Today he teaches Physical Education and Health at Apprentice Academy in North Carolina. Also coaches wrestling, football, and strength training.

He also worked for Topco Marketing. Also owned Fitness Unlimited in 1987 changed name to Your Gym of Concord and expanded to Shelby and Dallas NC the following 4 years.

Today he resides in Concord, North Carolina and is good friends with Nikita Koloff.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://alliance-wrestling.com/where-are-they-now-gene-ligon/ |title=Where Are They Now: Gene Ligon|date=2012|access-date=December 11, 2024}}</ref>

==Championships and accomplishments== *'''Central States Wrestling''' **NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Thunderfoot #1 (Joel Deaton)<ref name="DuncanWill">{{cite book|author1=Royal Duncan|author2=Gary Will|title=Wrestling Title Histories|chapter=Central States Tag Team Title|publisher=Archeus Communications|year=2006|edition=4th|isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/centralstates/nwa/cs-t.html |title=NWA Central States Tag Team Titles |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref>

*'''International Wrestling Association''' **IWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Royal Duncan | last2 = Gary Will |title=Wrestling Title Histories |publisher=Archeus Communications |year=2000 |isbn=0-9698161-5-4 |page=82 |chapter=OHIO: IWA International Wrestling Association Title [Rob Russen, Pete Lucic]}}</ref> **IWA Tag Team Championship – with David Isley (1 time)<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Royal Duncan | last2 = Gary Will |title=Wrestling Title Histories |publisher=Archeus Communications |year=2000 |isbn=0-9698161-5-4 |page=83 |chapter=OHIO: IWA Tag Team Title}}</ref>

*'''Pro Wrestling Illustrated''' **PWI ranked him # '''393''' {{small|(Ligon)}} and # '''442''' {{small|(Thunderfoot #2)}} of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1991 **PWI ranked him # '''421''' {{small|(Ligon)}} and # '''450''' {{small|(Thunderfoot #2)}} of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1991

*'''Virginia Wrestling Association''' **VWA Tag Team Championship – with David Isley (1 time)<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Royal Duncan | last2 = Gary Will |title=Wrestling Title Histories |publisher=Archeus Communications |year=2000 |isbn=0-9698161-5-4 |page=111 |chapter=VIRGINIA: VWA Tag Team Title}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|3853691|Gene Ligon}} *{{cite web|url=https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/gene-ligon/|title=Gene Ligon|website=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=December 9, 2024}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.profightdb.com/wrestlers/gene-ligon-1208.html?prom_id=3|title=Gene Ligon: Profile & Match Listing - Internet Wrestling Database (IWD)|website=profightdb.com|access-date=December 9, 2024}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ligon, Gene}} Category:1950 births Category:American male professional wrestlers Category:Living people Category:Professional wrestlers from North Carolina Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers Category:20th-century American professional wrestlers