Rest In Peace: Jimmy Rave
Jimmy Rave passed away on December 12th, 2021. We learned in November of 2020, Rave was battling flesh-eating bacteria. Doctors were forced to amputate his arm and later his legs. His impact in the world of wrestling resonated with fans, friends, and contemporaries. Following his passing, social media was flooded with tributes to him.
Jimmy Rave in the NWA
Trained by Murder-1 and Rick Michaels, Jimmy Rave was a product of NWA Wildside. NWA Wildside in early 2000 was one of the premier wrestling promotions in the National Wrestling Alliance. Rave would spend many formidable years in Cornelia, Georgia (the Hallowed Grounds of Wildside). He became Wildside Jr. Heavyweight Champion by defeating Caprice Coleman in 2001. This victory, earlier in his career cemented him as a credible threat to the World Jr. Heavyweight Champion. In 2002 Rave became World Jr. Heavyweight Champion in his own backyard. This would allow the opportunity for Rave to travel as champion, defending the title in Tennessee, and Florida. Jimmy Rave would go on to challenge for the Ten Pounds of Gold both while AJ Styles as Champion and later when the title was on the line at the Ohio State Fair.
Rave on the Independents
Jimmy Rave would wrestle matches for Impact. More opportunities would open for Rave including IWA Mid South and Combat Zone Wrestling. It was in CZW, Jimmy Rave became the “Crown Jewel of the Embassy.” He would win the CZW Iron Man Championship and would later join the ROH Roster. Rave would continue to compete in some of the best wrestling promotions in the world. Dragon Gate, 1PW, FIP, PWG, but would continue to work with Wildside and later Anarchy. Rave would hold titles in FIP, Georgia Championship Wrestling, and would continue to compete at high levels all the way until 2019. Rave would return to Impact this time pairing with Christy Hemme and Lance Archer as the Rock N Rave Infection. Lance has said that “Jimmy Rave who is one of the smoothest cats, I’ve ever seen in the ring.“
Jimmy Rave wrestled his last match on December 14th, 2019 in CZW at Cage of Death XXI. He would team with Monsta Mack and Azireal against Young Dumb N Broke. At this point, Rave was also doing quite a bit of training himself. Most notably he had a hand in training WWE’s Gigi Dolin. Most recently he had been helping to train new talents for Combat Zone Wrestling.