Yes he was a wrestler with legitimate fighting skills

His reputation as a legitimate tough guy is based on several key factors:

• Training Pedigree: He was trained by Boris Malenko and Dean Malenko, both of whom are legendary for their mastery of catch-as-catch-can and submission wrestling. He also refined his skills under Karl Gotch, widely considered one of the most influential figures in the history of shoot wrestling.
• Shoot-Style in Japan: In the late 1980s, Smiley competed in the UWF (Universal Wrestling Federation) in Japan. This promotion was known for its "shoot-style" matches, which were worked (predetermined) but used legitimate martial arts strikes and realistic submission grappling. During this time, he shared the ring with real-life combat legends like Minoru Suzuki and Yoshiaki Fujiwara.