Kamala (wrestler)

Jim Harris
Jim Harris
Born	May 28, 1950 (age 74); Coldwater, Mississippi
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	"Big" Jim Harris; "Sugar Bear" Harris; "Ugly Bear" Harris; Kimala; Kamala; The Mississippi Mauler; The Superfly
Billed height	6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
Billed weight	400 lb (170 kg)
Billed from	Uganda
Trained by	The Great Mephisto
Debut	1974

James Harris (born May 28 1950) is an American professional wrestler. For much of his career, Harris has wrestled under the ring name Kamala, using the gimmick of a "Ugandan Giant".

Early life

Harris grew up in Coldwater, Mississippi, where his family picked cotton for a living. In 1967, he relocated to Florida, where he became an avid fan of professional wrestling. At the age of twenty-five, Harris moved to Michigan, where he met wrestler Bobo Brazil. Harris then began training as a wrestler under a friend of Brazil's, The Great Mephisto.^[1]

Wrestling career

Harris trained alongside Michael Hayes, Percy Pringle, and Terry Gordy. He debuted in 1978, facing Mephisto in his first match. Harris originally wrestled as "Sugar Bear" Harris before adopting the ring names "Ugly Bear" Harris and "Big" Jim Harris in turn.^[1]

After wrestling for a long time in London in the United Kingdom as The Mississippi Mauler, Harris returned to the United States. While acquiring a new costume in Memphis, Tennessee, Harris was asked by Jerry Lawler to adopt a gimmick. Harris agreed, and, together with Lawler and Jerry Jarrett, created the character of Kamala (sometimes spelled Kimala), a Ugandan cannibal with a painted face and body who wrestled barefoot and in a loincloth.^[1] Kamala wrestled for Mid-South Wrestling in Memphis and World Class Championship Wrestling in Dallas throughout the early 1980s. In Mid-South Wrestling, Kamala was nicknamed "The Ugandan Giant" and was managed by General Skandor Akbar and Friday. He was originally billed as a former bodyguard of President of Uganda Idi Amin.^[2]

In 1986, Kamala joined the World Wrestling Federation, where he was managed by his "handler", Kim Chee and by King Curtis Iaukea. In this run Kamala battled Hulk Hogan, André the Giant, and eventually feuded with Jake "the Snake" Roberts in which he was shown to be afraid of snakes. Kamala was also known to team with Wild Samoan Sika before leaving the WWF in the late 80s. Kamala returned in the early-90s along with Kim Chee, this time managed by Harvey Wippleman. After a loss to the The Undertaker in the first televised Coffin Match at Survivor Series 1992, Kamala left Harvey Wippleman and turned face under the tutelage of the newly ordained Reverend Slick. Slick set out to humanize Kamala, on one occasion by going to a cricket match in a Coliseum Video. After once again leaving the WWF in the mid-90s, Kamala was part of Kevin Sullivan's Dungeon of Doom in WCW trying to end the career of Hulk Hogan. Kamala left the promotion in October 1995 as he was on a pay-per-appearance deal. Kamala said that his WCW stint was the least enjoyable time of his career and that he didn't wrestle for seven years after his stint with the promotion. He Said WCW was a poison and if he could he would knock out Vince Russo if he ever runs into him again.^[3]

In 2003, Kamala also worked at Juggalo Championship Wrestling where, accompanied by a A Monkey-like manager (Masked Negotiator), he defeated jobber, Sin Bin Jim in a "Loser Leaves JCW" match.

Harris participated in the "Gimmick Battle Royal" at WrestleMania X-Seven and was eliminated by Sgt. Slaughter. On July 26 2004 Harris made a surprise return to World Wrestling Entertainment, participating in a RAW Diva Search segment. Kamala made an appearance on the August 11 2005 edition of SmackDown!. Former manager Kim Chee came to the ring with him, but his match with Randy Orton ended in a no decision when a message from The Undertaker interrupted the match. Kamala also appeared at the 2005 Taboo Tuesday event, where he was one of the choices for Eugene's tag team partner. He lost out to Jimmy Snuka, but came down at the end of the match and delivered a big splash to Tyson Tomko. On June 25 2006 at Vengeance, he accompanied Eugene to the ring along with Doink the Clown and Hacksaw Jim Duggan to take on Umaga. As the dominant Umaga quickly won the match, he destructively took out everyone afterwards except for Kamala. Kamala faced Umaga on the June 26 edition of Monday Night Raw where he was defeated.

Harris still wrestles independent shows on the West coast: in September 2006, he went to a non-finish with Bryan Danielson in a match for the Ring of Honor title. He has also recently embarked on a new career as a singer, releasing his debut album, The Best of Kamala Vol 1 through his official website TheGiantKamala.com. The main track of his album is a ballad to the memory of Stanley "Tookie" Williams.

In February 2007, he started to team with his "son" Kamala Jr.^{[citation needed]} Kamala Jr. is portrayed by the actor/athlete Perry Bernard McClendon Jr.^{[citation needed]} The original Kamala Jr. is James Radford; he got permission to use the gimmick in 1994. ^{[citation needed]}

The Last Time Kamala Was Last Seen on TV was on June 8, 2008 on TNA Wrestling's Slammiversary PPV Being a guest for Jay Lethal and SoCal Val's (kayfabe) Wedding.