Pro wrestler in court on harassment charges By Jared Allen, jallen@nashvillecitypaper.com October 26, 2006

A professional wrestler who resides in Nashville is facing a new round of criminal charges for alleged threats he made to his girlfriend.

Tracy Smothers, 44, who also was known as Freddy Joe Floyd when he was affiliated with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), is scheduled to appear before a General Sessions Judge on Thursday to face two charges of criminal harassment.

In March, Smothers live in girlfriend, Melba Renee Payne, told authorities that Smothers made a series of phone calls to her threatening bodily harm.

[He] called me at work and told me that he was going to bash my head in with a baseball bat, Payne alleged in her affidavit. [He] called me nine (9) times and left multiple messages. I told [him] not to call me anymore.

Payne went on to allege that Smothers called later that day and stated that he was going to get me when I least expect it and take me away in a car where no one would ever find my body, according to a second affidavit written by Payne.

Smothers, of 5170 Hickory Hollow Parkway, has had prior brushes with the law while in Nashville.

In March he appeared in court to faces two charges of misdemeanor drug possession and one charge of unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. Criminal Court documents indicated those charges were settled.

In August of 2005, Smothers defended himself against a charge of domestic assault, which was also brought forth by Payne.

The defendant, who is my boyfriend and resides with me, has been calling me and leaving me voicemail messages threatening me with bodily harm. The defendant has stated to me that he is going to kill me, Payne wrote in a sworn statement at the time.

The defendant has assaulted me in the past, she alleged last year. He is also addicted to steroids and he is a professional wrestler.

According to various professional wrestling Web sites, Smothers began his career in the early 1990s with the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) series.

While with the WCW, Smothers joined wrestler Steve Armstrong in the tag-team duo The Southern Boys.

He later joined the WWF under the name Freddy Joe Floyd.

Since March 2004, Smothers has continued wrestling on the independent circuit.