Ernest Miller
Wrestler, Actor
Ernest Clifford Miller (born January 14, 1964) is an American actor and former professional wrestler who worked for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) better known by his ring name, Ernest "The Cat" Miller.
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Miller graduated from Gordon High School in Decatur, Georgia, playing on the football team as a linebacker. He then went to Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia studying electrical engineering and playing football as an All-American linebacker.
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 Garett, when Bischoff asked him to become a wrestler.
Miller made his WCW debut when he saved Glacier from a two-on-one attack by Wrath and Mortis at the WCW Slamboree 1997 PPV. Initially thought as just a fan who had jumped the railing, the WCW commentators then realized that this was no ordinary man and he was in fact the three-time karate champion Ernest Miller. Glacier and Ernest Miller quickly became tag team partners in their feud with Mortis and Wrath. He soon left Glacier and became a villain with Sonny Onoo as his manager (although Glacier actually turned on Miller first). It was during this time that Miller's popularity heightened.
As a villain, 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 pay-per-view "dance-off" between Miller and James Brown, who had been brought in specially. Miller even went as far promoting his own instructional, karate home video with a pseudo infomercial. This served as a comedic parody to Billy Blanks' Tae Bo exercise videos which were quite popular at the time.
While Miller was most often a villain, he eventually turned into a fan favorite and became WCW Commissioner in 2000. He began the angle as a villain but eventually turned into a fan favorite due to the high fan reaction he was getting whenever he entered an arena. He was feuding with Ric Flair's Magnificent Seven stable during the purchase of WCW byVince McMahon in March 2001.
Miller appeared at some World Wrestling All-Stars shows before going to the WWE where he would have a somewhat brief career.
[ Wikipedia ]
- Born
- January 14, 1964 (age 60)
- Profession
- Wrestler, Actor