Johnny Weiss
John Weiss (born February 19, 1963) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Johnny Hotbody. In Eastern Championship Wrestling, he won the ECW Championship, ECW Tag Team Championship, and ECW Television Championship. Professional wrestling career Early career Johnny Hotbody broke into professional wrestling in the late 1980s after completing his training at The Monster Factory, operated by Larry Sharpe. He made a name for himself in several Pennsylvania and New Jersey- based independent promotions before signing with Philadelphia's Tri-State Wrestling Alliance (TWA) in 1990. Hotbody had a long-running feud with Tony Stetson. The TWA closed its doors suddenly in 1991, but was soon replaced by Eastern Championship Wrestling (later Extreme Championship Wrestling), run by Tod Gordon. Eastern Championship Wrestling (1992-1993) On April 26, 1992, Hotbody won the ECW Heavyweight Championship by defeating Jimmy Snuka. He held the title for nearly three ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Larry Sharpe (wrestler)
Larry Weil (June 26, 1951 – April 10, 2017) was an Irish-American professional wrestler, manager and trainer better known under his ring name, "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe. Sharpe is perhaps most well-known for creating the Monster Factory professional wrestling school. He grew up in Castleisland, Ireland and was the original trainer of Kevin Von Erich, and many other well-known wrestlers. Professional wrestling career Larry Sharpe was a successful wrestler at Paulsboro High School in New Jersey. He had a record 13–1–1 and was ranked fourth in the NCAA national rankings. In 1974 he was scouted by Red Berry and Gorilla Monsoon who trained him for a life in professional wrestling and later that year Larry made his pro wrestling debut in the WWWF. Larry then toured Japan and various territories including Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Mid Atlantic. Sharpe then headed to Canada, where he won his first championship while working for Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta. For ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fabulous Freebirds
The Fabulous Freebirds were a professional wrestling tag team who attained fame in the 1980s, performing into the 1990s. The team usually consisted of three wrestlers, although in different situations and points in its history, just two performed under the Freebirds name. The Freebird lineup of Hayes, Roberts, and Gordy was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015, and members Hayes, Roberts, Gordy, and Garvin were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016. History The Fabulous Freebirds started performing together in 1979 when Mid South Wrestling promoter Bill Watts put together the duo of Michael "P.S." Hayes and Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy. Though originally meant to be a tag team, he soon added Buddy "Jack" Roberts into the mix, and they became a "three man gang" type of tag-team—an unusual concept at the time. They invented a concept that is now called The Freebird Rule in their honor, in which any two of three members can defend the team's championships. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Axl Rotten
Brian Knighton (April 21, 1971 – February 4, 2016), better known by the ring name Axl Rotten, was an American professional wrestler. In the early 1990s, he was a part of the tag team The Bad Breed with Ian Rotten. He had a short stint with World Championship Wrestling in 1991, but he was best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from 1993 to 1999. Bad Breed competed in ECW's tag team division in the early years of the company until the team was forced to disband after losing to The Pitbulls and engaged in a rivalry against each other that ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' named Feud of the Year in 1995. After an unsuccessful singles career, Rotten formed short-lived tag teams with Hack Meyers and D-Von Dudley before forming Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks with Balls Mahoney in 1997. The team lasted until Rotten departed ECW in 1999. Knighton then wrestled on the independent circuit and appeared at World Wrestling Entertainment's ECW One Night Stand pa ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ian Rotten
John Benson Williams (born June 1, 1970) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Ian Rotten. He has wrestled in the Global Wrestling Federation (GWF), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), and his own wrestling promotion IWA: Mid-South. Professional wrestling career Early career After becoming a fan of Dusty Rhodes and "Superstar" Billy Graham while growing up in Florida and Baltimore, Maryland, John Williams, began his career under the name Johnny Lawler, the storyline illegitimate son of Jerry "The King" Lawler. After a short stint as hockey gimmick Zach Blades, Williams went to wrestle in the Global Wrestling Federation. The Bad Breed In GWF, Williams formed The Bad Breed, a tag team with Brian Knighton as brothers Ian and Axl Rotten, respectively. They defeated the Texas Mustangs (Bobby Duncum, Jr. & Johnny Hawk) for the GWF Tag Team Championship in January 1993, losing the titles shortly therea ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Sandman (wrestler)
James Fullington (born June 16, 1963), better known by his ring name The Sandman, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler, best known for his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), where he developed into a smoking and drinking "Hardcore Icon" and held the ECW World Heavyweight Championship a record five times. He also had stints in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Professional wrestling career Tri-State Wrestling (1989–1992) Fullington got his start in professional wrestling in the Philadelphia-based Tri-State Wrestling Alliance under the ring name Mr. Sandman, managed by his then real-life wife Peaches. He also performed in Memphis in 1991–1992. Eastern/Extreme Championship Wrestling Surfer and pimp (1992–1994) In April 1992 he arrived in Eastern Championship Wrestling (later renamed Extreme Championship Wrestling) as a crowd favorite. He won his first ECW Championship ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pat Tanaka
Patrick Tanaka (born August 5, 1963) is an American professional wrestler best known for his work in the American Wrestling Association as one half of Badd Company and the World Wrestling Federation as one half of The Orient Express. He is the son of Duke Keomuka. In his career, which has spanned more than three decades, Tanaka has worked for the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Professional wrestling career Early career (1984-1986) Trained by his father, Duke Keomuka, Hiro Matsuda, and the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Dojo, Pat Tanaka debuted in 1984 for NJPW. During his time there, he wrestled the likes of Keiichi Yamada, Shunji Kosugi, Black Cat, Naoki Sano, Tatsutoshi Goto, Shinichi Nakano, and Hirokazu Hata. After a year in New Japan, Tanaka started wrestling as a jobber in Jim Crockett Prom ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Paul Diamond
Thomas Boric (born May 11, 1961) is a Croatian retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name Paul Diamond. He is best known for being one half of the tag team Badd Company with Pat Tanaka and for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as Kato, one half of The Orient Express, also with Tanaka. Before he was a professional wrestler, Boric was a professional soccer player. Early life Boric was born in Zagreb, Croatia in 1961 and grew up wanting to follow in his father's footsteps and become a soccer player. When Boric was 13 years old the family emigrated from Croatia to Canada, settling down in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Tom got a full soccer scholarship to Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Professional soccer career After only three semesters at college, Boric was selected as the 6th overall pick of the 1981 NASL draft to play goalkeeper for the recently formed Calgary Boomers of the North American Soccer League. After the Boomers folded in 1981, Boric mo ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Badd Company
Badd Company was a professional wrestling tag team in the American Wrestling Association in the late 1980s, which later went by the name the Orient Express. They used the song "Bad Company", by the band of the same name as their theme song. History Championship Wrestling Association (1986–1988) Both Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond had competed in the Championship Wrestling Association during 1986, Tanaka had teamed with Jeff Jarrett to win the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship while Paul Diamond had held the CWA/AWA International Tag Team Championship also with Jeff Jarrett. In late 1986 the two tag-team specialists Tanaka and Diamond were teamed up to form “Badd Company", where they held the federation's tag-team titles four times., a move that paid off pretty soon as the two won the CWA/AWA International Tag Team Championship, beating Tarzan Goto and Akio Sato on December 15, 1986. The first reign was short lived as The Sheepherders ( Luke Williams and Butch Miller) defe ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Professional Wrestling Promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling that has little relationship to the rules of the amateur olympic form. "Promotion" also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event (''see promoter''). Within the convention of the show, the company is a sports governing body which sanctions wrestling matches and gives authority to the championships and is responsible for maintaining the divisions and their rankings. In truth, the company serves as a touring theatre troupe, as well as event promotion body for its own events. The most prominent promotions in the United States are World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor (ROH), Major League Wrestling (MLW), and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The largest Mexican lucha libre promotions are Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and Lucha Lib ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Eddie Gilbert (wrestler)
Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr. (August 14, 1961 – February 18, 1995) better known by his ring name "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert, was an American professional wrestler and booker. Gilbert started his wrestling career for the Continental Wrestling Association in 1977, using the ring name Tommy Gilbert Jr. and winning the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship with his father in 1980. He later moved to the World Wrestling Federation in 1982, working a storyline as the protégé of Bob Backlund until leaving the company in 1984. He found his greatest success in Memphis, teaming with Tommy Rich to form “Fargo’s Fabulous Ones” and winning the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship. Gilbert eventually turned heel and feuded with Rich as well as Jerry Lawler. He moved to the Universal Wrestling Federation in 1985, where he wrestled and worked as a manager, forming the villainous stable “Hot Stuff International, Inc.” In addition, Gilbert also worked as a booker in promotions like th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Doug Gilbert
Douglas Gilbert (born February 5, 1969) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with regional professional wrestling promotions throughout the Southern United States, as well as for Extreme Championship Wrestling and overseas in Japan. Professional wrestling career Doug Gilbert debuted for Continental Wrestling Association in 1986 at the age of seventeen. In 1987, he wrestled for Jim Crockett Promotions as the masked Enforcer. In 1988, Gilbert went to Continental Wrestling Federation, under a masked alter-ego Nightmare Freddie, siding with Nightmare Ken Wayne in his rivalry with Nightmare Danny Davis. In March 1989, he wrestled for World Championship Wrestling, where he remained until October. In December 1989, Gilbert won his first championship, the ICW Tag Team Championship with Dennis Condrey. By March 1990, Gilbert left ICW and the Tag Team titles were vacant. Upon his return to Memphis, Gilbert won two USWA World Tag Team Championships wit ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Doug Stahl
Douglas E. Stahl (born February 25, 1963) is an American professional wrestler who currently works in the Independent circuit as one half of the masked Tag team known as The Super Destroyers. The two are best known for their time in Eastern Championship Wrestling where they were first 2-time and longest reigning ECW Tag Team Champions. Boxing career Prior to the Super Destroyers forming, Doug Stahl was a Golden Gloves Boxer. Doug started boxing at the age of 14 under the guidance of Dick Hess. Dick Hess made a huge impact on Doug's life during his teenage years and watched over him like a father would. Dick strategically fought Doug to win the Junior USA Championship Heavyweight title at the age of 15 and winning two regional Golden Gloves tournaments at 15 and 17 years old. After highschool, Doug joined the Army and boxed on the Ft. Bragg Boxing team. During a parachute jump, Doug tore his ACL of his left knee and his sports career went on hold. Professional wrestling career ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |