Williams trained as a professional wrestler under The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson), debuting in December 1988 as Rockin' Rebel.

In 1989 , Williams made a few appearances in the World Wrestling Federation losing to The Honky Tonk Man and Brutus Beefcake.

While touring with the TWA, Rebel became the first Tri- State Champion and had memorable feuds with The Sandman, D. C. Drake, and C. N. Redd.

He then formed a stable known as Rebel's Army with Derrick Frazier, Doomsday Danny Rose and former Tough Enough contestant Greg Matthews.

[citation needed] In the 1990s, Williams was arrested for holding his wife Stephanie hostage in a closet with a firearm to her head, also threatening to kill himself.

[5] On June 21, 2018, Kyros Law announced that Williams' family decided to donate his brain for CTE research.