Thomas Couch, better known as Tommy Rogers, has passed away at the age of 54. The pro wrestling journeyman and one half of the legendary 1980s tag team The Fantastics worked the Southern territories with his partner Bobby Fulton. Their first major program came against The Midnight Express in promoter Bill Watts’ Mid-South promotion.
They would continue their feud against The Midnight Express in World Class Championship Wrestling before moving onto a series of matches against The Sheepherders (later known as WWE Hall of Famer tag team The Bushwhackers) in UWF. The tag team wrestled all over the United States, winning multiple tag team titles, including in the NWA, and Rogers even made brief appearances in the WWF and ECW in the 1990s. The Fantastics also wrestled in Puerto Rico and All Japan Pro Wrestling.
Rogers innovated the Tomikaze, known to most modern-day wrestling fans as Christian’s Killswitch finisher.
Bobby Fulton wrote this message on his Facebook page about his former tag team partner:
I was wanting to wait until all of the family has been notified. My wrestling tag team partner Tommy Rogers passed away this morning in Hawaii. I am totally devastated by this loss. Words can’t even describe it. Tommy blessed me with an opportunity to be a part of one of the great tag teams of professional wrestling. He was one of the best athletes in the profession. My prayers are for Sheila and the rest of the Couch family. Not only was he a partner he was like a brother we travelled many miles and many different places. I know in fact with his belief in Jesus which he shared with me many times recently and I know he has heaven as his home, because the Bible teaches us to be absent of the body is to be present with The Lord.
The cause of death is currently unknown, but it’s been noted that he was scheduled in court on June 2, the day after his death, for sentencing stemming from a recent physical altercation with the police.
