1.
Professional wrestling
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Professional wrestling is a dramatized athletic performance that portrays a combat sport. Various forms of weaponry are sometimes used, the content – including match outcomes – is scripted and choreographed, and the combative actions and reactions are performed to appear violent without injuring the wrestlers. Before the 1980s, these facts were considered trade secrets, in the mid-90s, the presentation of scripted events as legitimate is known as kayfabe. Although the combative content is staged and communicated between the wrestlers, there are physical hazards involved - including permanent injury and death. While it has declined in Europe, in North America it has experienced several different periods of prominent cultural popularity during its century. The advent of television gave professional wrestling a new outlet, unlike in Europe, show wrestling has become especially prominent in Japan and in North America. In Brazil, there was a popular wrestling television program from the 1960s to the early 1980s called Telecatch. High-profile figures in the sport have become celebrities or cultural icons in their native or adopted home countries, although professional wrestling started out as petty acts in sideshows, traveling circuses and carnivals, today it is a billion-dollar industry. Revenue is drawn from live event ticket sales, network television broadcasts, pay-per-view broadcasts, personal appearances by performers, branded merchandise, pro wrestling was also instrumental in making pay-per-view a viable method of content delivery. Annual shows such as WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, and formerly Bash at the Beach, Halloween Havoc, home video sales dominate the Billboard charts Recreational Sports DVD sales, with wrestling holding anywhere from 3 to 9 of the top 10 spots every week. Due to its persistent cultural presence and to its novelty within the performing arts, there have also been many fictional depictions of wrestling, the 2008 film The Wrestler received several Oscar nominations and began a career revival for star Mickey Rourke. Because actual events are often co-opted by writers for incorporation into storylines for the performers, special care must be taken when talking about people who perform under their own name. The actions of the character should be considered fictional events, wholly separate from the life of the performer and this is similar to other entertainers who perform with a persona that shares their own name. Some wrestlers will incorporate elements of their real-life personalities into their characters, even if they and those who participated felt that it was necessary that spectators should be kept in a constant and complete illusion of a real competition to keep audience interest. For decades, up until the mid-1980s, wrestlers lived their lives as though they were their characters. Wrestlers, bookers and promoters all rigorously enforced the illusion and very few were allowed into the society of professional wrestling to maintain suspension of disbelief. The practice of keeping the illusion, and the methods used to do so, came to be known as kayfabe within wrestling circles. An entire lexicon of slang jargon and euphemism developed to allow performers to communicate without outsiders knowledge of what was being said, occasionally a performer will deviate from the intended sequence of events
2.
Professional wrestling throws
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Professional wrestling throws are the application of professional wrestling techniques that involve lifting the opponent up and throwing or slamming them down. They are sometimes called power maneuvers, as they are meant to emphasize a wrestlers strength. Many of these moves are used as finishers by many wrestlers, many maneuvers are known by several different names. Professional wrestlers frequently give their new names that reflect their gimmick. Moves are listed under general categories whenever possible, an armbreaker is any move in which the wrestler slams the opponents arm against a part of the wrestlers body, usually a knee or shoulder. The wrestler stands beside their opponent to either side, crosses their arm against the opponents opposite hand in front of it. From this point, the wrestler places their leg in front of the opponents opposite leg, a wrestler dives from the ropes and lands on the opponents arm. The wrestler grabs one of the arms, jumps and connects both their knees against the opponents stretched arm. As the wrestler falls onto their back they forces the opponents arm down into both knees, thus damaging it, a move in which the wrestler uses their opponents momentum to the opponents disadvantage. The wrestler hooks the opponents arm and flips them over on to the mat, the wrestler may roll on to their side to give the move extra momentum. This move is performed when an opponent runs towards the wrestler facing them, despite its name, it actually comes from Mexican lucha libre, not Japanese puroresu. The wrestler grabs their opponents arm, then turns to face the other direction and it is essentially the same as the ippon seoi nage found in judo. An arm drag sees the wrestler being spun in front of the opponents body in a tilt-a-whirl. This arm drag sees the wrestler being held in a hold by the opponent. A move in which the wrestler goes behind an opponent, then puts their head under the opponents shoulder and they then lift their opponent up, and drops them tailbone-first on the wrestlers knee. Even though this move is a low blow, it is considered a legal move because the groin is not being targeted. Better known as a full nelson bomb, this sees the wrestling apply a full nelson hold to the opponent from behind. The wrestler then lifts the opponent into the air and falls into a seated position and it is applied frequently against a charging opponent
3.
Professional wrestling holds
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Professional wrestling holds include a number of set moves and pins used by performers to immobilize their opponents or lead to a submission. This article covers the pins, stretches and transition holds used in the ring. Some wrestlers use these holds as their finishing maneuvers, often nicknaming them to reflect their character or persona, moves are listed under general categories whenever possible. An element borrowed from professional wrestlings catch wrestling origins, stretches are techniques in which a wrestler holds another in a position that puts stress on the opponents body. Stretches are usually employed to weaken an opponent or to them to submit, either vocally or by tapping out, slapping the mat. Many of these holds, when applied vigorously, stretch the opponents muscles or twist their joints uncomfortably, chokes, although not in general stress positions like the other stretches, are usually grouped with stretches as they serve the same tactical purposes. In public performance, for sake, stretches are usually not performed to the point where the opponent must submit or risk injury. Likewise, chokes are usually not applied to the point where they cut off the supply to the opponents brain. The wrestler begins the hold by standing over a face-down opponent, a camel clutch can also refer simply to a rear chinlock while seated on the back of an opponent, without placing the arms on the thighs. The move was invented by Gory Guerrero in Mexico, where it was called la de a caballo, but got its common name from Ed Farhat. Rusev performs a variation he calls The Accolade, where he stomps on his opponents back before applying the hold. A standing variation of the clutch is also used, with this variation popularized by Scott Steiner in the late 1990s as he used it as his finisher dubbed the Steiner Recliner. The attacking wrestler stands over a face down opponent, facing the same direction, another version of the move is similar to a wheelbarrow facebuster but instead illegally pulls the hair of the opponent while leaning back to pull up the opponents head and neck. The attacking wrestler stands over a face down opponent, facing the same direction, the wrestler then reaches forwards and applies a chinlock as in a standard camel clutch, leaning backwards to apply pressure to the upper back and arm. The attacker then either pulls straight back on the chin or wrenches it to the side and this move sees the attacker kneel behind a sitting opponent and wrap around one arm under the opponents chin and lock their hands. As with a hold, this move can also be performed from a standing position. This can be transitioned into a clawhold STO, there is also double-handed version sometimes known as a head vise, the wrestler performing the hold approaches their opponent from behind and grip their head with both hands. While in the vise, the wrestler can control their opponent by squeezing the temples and it was innovated and used by Baron von Raschke as well as many members of the Von Erich family
4.
The Undertaker
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Mark William Calaway, better known by the ring name The Undertaker, is a retired American professional wrestler, who is signed to WWE. Calaway began his career with World Class Championship Wrestling in 1984. Calaway is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestler of all time, as The Undertaker, Calaways gimmick was a horror-themed, macabre entity who employed scare tactics and held links to the supernatural. The character was reinvented as a biker during a period in the early 2000s before returning to his previous gimmick in 2004, the Undertaker was the storyline of older half-brother of fellow WWE wrestler Kane, with whom he has alternately feuded and teamed with as The Brothers of Destruction. The Undertaker has been involved in various storylines and matches within WWE history. The Undertaker was known for The Streak, a run of 21 straight victories at WWEs leading pay-per-view, WrestleMania. He also won the 2007 Royal Rumble, Calaway was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Frank Compton Calaway and Betty Catherine Truby. He has four brothers, David, Michael, Paul. Calaway attended Waltrip High School, where he was a member of the football and basketball teams and he graduated in 1983 and began studying at Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas on a basketball scholarship. In 1985, he enrolled in Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1986, Calaway dropped out of university to focus on a career in sports, and he briefly considered playing professional basketball in Europe before deciding to focus on professional wrestling. Calaway made his debut in 1984 for World Class Championship Wrestling under the ring name Texas Red and his first match was a loss against Bruiser Brody. In 1988, after four years in the promotion, he left and joined the Continental Wrestling Association, after his second match the next week, he stayed in the ring by challenging USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler to an impromptu match. The Master of Pain easily dominated Lawler until Mantel entered the ring, Lawler agreed to a title match, and on April 1, The Master of Pain won his first professional wrestling championship. He held it for just over three weeks before Lawler became the first man to pin him, winning it back, while performing as The Punisher, Calaway won the WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship on October 5,1989, when Eric Embry forfeited the title. In 1989, Calaway joined World Championship Wrestling as a villain and adopted the ring name Mean Mark Callous, a name devised for him by Terry Funk. He was portrayed as a character, he wore predominantly black ring attire and was described by announcer Jim Ross as having a fondness for pet snakes. The new team gained notoriety at Clash of the Champions X when they beat down The Road Warriors after their match. However, Callous partner Dan Spivey left WCW days before their Chicago Street Fight against The Road Warriors at WrestleWar, Callous and a replacement masked Skyscraper were defeated in the street fight, and the team broke up soon afterwards
5.
Jon Heidenreich
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Jon Heidenreich is an American retired professional wrestler, better known simply as Heidenreich. He is best known for his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment, prior to professional wrestling, Heidenreich played American football and in 1992, he was a member of the Washington Redskins, winners of that years Super Bowl. Though he was signed by several National Football League teams, he never played an NFL league game due to getting cut in training camp, as such, he does not appear on any NFL teams historical roster. Heidenreich began training at California-based Ultimate Pro Wrestling before he was first signed to a World Wrestling Federation developmental contract in 2001 after he impressed Bruce Prichard. Despite speculation as to Little Johnnys identity – Heidenreichs doll, a similar to George The Animal Steeles Mine. He stated that he used the character in OVW and brought the doll out to the ring with him in the vein as Al Snow used to bring out the styrofoam head. According to Heidenreich, the angle was inspired by his own childhood where he spoke to a doll himself at one point. Heidenreich was then sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling to further hone his skills and he returned on the August 26,2004 episode of SmackDown. as a heel under the management of Paul Heyman. His new gimmick was as a psychopath, running in during matches, attacking fans, and reciting hateful poetry. He attacked commentator Michael Cole and dragged him to the restroom to sexually assault him. In a 2008 interview, Heidenreich explained that the Cole scare angle was McMahons idea, and his first feud came against The Undertaker, and began after Heidenreich ran in during Undertakers WWE Championship match against John Bradshaw Layfield at No Mercy. At Survivor Series and at the 2005 Royal Rumble, Heidenreich had encounters with like-minded psychopath from the Raw brand, during their brief Survivor Series meeting they exchanged their views on each other – while breathing heavily, a mannerism they shared, Snitsky told Heidenreich I like. Your. poetry. and Heidenreich replied I. like what you do. to babies, at the Royal Rumble, Heidenreich broke out on his own, he secretly partnered with Snitsky, who agreed to interfere in Heidenreichs casket match with The Undertaker. During the match it was revealed that Kane was hidden in the casket and this started a chain reaction of feuds, originally planned to lead to a match at WrestleMania 21 in which The Undertaker would partner with Kane to take on Snitsky and Heidenreich. This idea was nixed by The Undertaker, who instead fought Randy Orton. After a short feud with Booker T, Heidenreich turned face and his disasterpieces became more light-hearted and began receiving cheers from the crowd. Heidenreich was then given a segment on SmackDown. in which he made friends with members, read them a piece of his poetry. He also had a feud with Orlando Jordan, unsuccessfully challenging him for the United States Championship
6.
Professional wrestling attacks
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Attacking maneuvers are offensive moves in professional wrestling, used to set up an opponent for a submission hold or for a throw. There are a variety of attacking moves in pro wrestling. Professional wrestlers frequently give their finishers new names, occasionally, these names become popular and are used regardless of the wrestler performing the technique. Professional wrestling contains a variety of punches and kicks found in martial arts and other fighting sports, many of the moves below can also be performed from a raised platform, these are called aerial variations. Moves are listed under general categories whenever possible, also known as a splash, a body press involves a wrestler falling against the opponent with the core of their body. It is executed from a running or jumping position, using momentum and weight to impact the opponent and this attack is a plancha in lucha libre. The big splash involves a wrestler jumping forward and landing stomach-first across an opponent lying on the ground below, on some occasions a wrestler has a short running start before executing the move. The wrestler charges into an opponent in the corner of the ring without leaving their feet and this is normally used by bigger, heavier wrestlers. There is also a variation, known as a diving crossbody. A move named after Sting, who popularized it, the Stinger splash involves the wrestler trapping his opponent in a corner. This move is described as a crossbody as a counter of a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker/tilt-a-whirl mat slam. The bronco buster is normally treated as having comic or sexual connotations rather than as a painful move. Similar to a bronco buster, the wrestler jumps onto a standing opponent in the corner, straddling and sitting on the opponents chest. The attacking wrestler then follows with mounted punches, the act of a wrestler to slap the chest of his opponent with the palm of the hand using a backhand swing. Many wrestlers use this chop, often referring to it as a knife edge chop, because it was popularized by Ric Flair the crowd always responds with a woo noise. Sometimes referred to as a frying pan chop or an open-hand chop, the act of slapping the chest of the opponent using the forehand. A downward diagonal backhand chop to the side of the opponents neck, the act of karate chopping both the opponents shoulders and sides of the neck with the hands edges in a swinging motion at the same time. Also known as a brain chop or a tomahawk chop, the wrestler draws his hand back and hits the opponent vertically with a backhand chop, usually hitting the head
7.
Tatanka (wrestler)
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Christopher Chris Chavis is a Native American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE under a Legends Contract. He is part of the Lumbee tribe and he is best known for his work with the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Tatanka from 1991 to 1996,2005 to 2007 and 2016. His ring name is a Lakota word that means buffalo and he competed in his first bodybuilding contest, Mr. Virginia Beach, placing second. He won many competitions during his time in bodybuilding, but decided against competing on the national level, from 1985 to 1990 he worked for Ballys Health and Tennis Corporation, becoming a divisional manager. He decided to pursue a career with the Dolphins, Chavis was one of 20 hopefuls offered a deal out of approximately 2,000 tryouts. The Dolphins offered him an agent contract with the availability to increase after the first year. He declined, since his income at Ballys exceeded the value of the contract, in 1989, Chavis left Ballys to pursue an accounting career. He met Nature Boy Buddy Rogers in Florida at a store while looking for wrestling tapes. Rogers had Chavis call Larry Sharpe, who ran a school in southern New Jersey called The Monster Factory. He had his first match, as Tatanka, against Joe Thunderstorm in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Rogers introduced Chavis to George Scott, the booker for the World Wrestling Federation during the 1980s. Scott was starting his own called the North American Wrestling Association. Chavis wrestled under the name The War Eagle Chris Chavis and was voted 3rd runner up for Rookie of the Year in Pro Wrestling Illustrated for 1990, also in 1990, he became the South Atlantic Heavyweight Champion by beating Ken Shamrock. Not long after, he was signed to a WWF contract, Chavis received his first tryout match with the WWF on February 18,1991 against Brooklyn Brawler at a WWF Superstars taping in Orlando, FL. Wrestling as The War Eagle, Chavis was victorious and he followed it up with a win against Dale Wolfe the next day at a Wrestling Challenge taping. On October 21 he received what was likely another tryout match at a Superstars taping, in November Chavis began wrestling on house shows under his given name. Soon after, he took on the ring name Tatanka, after wrestling in tryout matches at house shows, Tatanka made his television debut as a fan favorite on the February 1,1992, episode of Superstars, defeating Pat Tanaka in his debut match. As Tatanka, Chavis performed a war dance to the Lumbee tribal war cry that preceded his entrance to the ring, Tatankas earliest rivalry on television was against Martel, it culminated in Tatankas pay-per-view debut at WrestleMania VIII, with Tatanka winning the match. On May 18,1992, Tatanka reached the peak of his success by winning the 40-man Bashed in the USA battle royal
8.
Kane (wrestler)
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Glenn Thomas Jacobs, better known by the ring name Kane, is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler, Insurer and actor. He is signed on the WWE, where he is working on the SmackDown brand. Jacobs began his wrestling career on the independent circuit in 1992. He wrestled in promotions such as Smoky Mountain Wrestling and the United States Wrestling Association before joining the World Wrestling Federation in 1995 and he has continued to compete in world championship PPV matches through the mid 2010s. He is also a two-time WWE Intercontinental Champion and a 2010 Money in the Bank winner, Kane is the third man to win the WWE Grand Slam. Kane also holds the record of eliminations at Royal Rumble with 44 eliminations. Jacobs was born in the Spanish town of Torrejón de Ardoz and he grew up near St. Louis, Missouri. Jacobs earned a degree in English literature at Northeast Missouri State University, in the ring, Jacobs was first known as Angus King when he debuted in the St. Louis, Missouri area with the CSWA which was owned and run by Jacobss childhood friend Mark Morton. During his time in the United States Wrestling Association, Jacobs held the USWA Heavyweight Championship, Jacobs also worked for Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi under his real name. In 1993, he lost his match for World Championship Wrestling to Sting. Jacobs competed in his first World Wrestling Federation bout as Mike Unabomb at the February 20,1995 Raw taping, defeating Reno Riggins in a dark match and he wrestled intermittently as Unabomb through August. Jacobs made his first television appearance with the company as Isaac Yankem, DDS, Jerry Lawlers private dentist, in a vignette on the June 26,1995, episode of Raw. Placing emphasis on Jacobss imposing height and weight, Yankem was portrayed as a figure whom Lawler had hired for the purpose of ridding the WWF of his longtime nemesis. The characters in-ring debut occurred at a Superstars taping on August 15, at that months SummerSlam event, Yankem was disqualified when he hung Hart by twisting him in the top and middle ropes by his neck. After his initial run with Hart, Jacobss push dwindled and he was part of an unsuccessful team in an elimination match at Novembers Survivor Series. Jacobs was used on a series of events in Kuwait in May, as well as a September tour of South Africa. The pair lost a WWF Tag Team Championship match to titleholders Owen Hart and The British Bulldog at Decembers In Your House 12, Diesel and Razor last appeared on television at the 1997 Royal Rumble, where Jacobs was the third-to-last participant. He continued to work live events as Diesel until April
9.
CM Punk
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Punk began his professional wrestling career on the American independent circuit, primarily with Ring of Honor until 2005, when he signed with World Wrestling Entertainment. Throughout his career, he won championships, including the WWE Championship twice. In WWE, Punk was also a one-time World Tag Team Champion, throughout his career, Punk consistently portrayed the character of an outspoken, sharp-tongued, anti-establishment, straight edge iconoclast. Most of the straight edge principles he portrayed, such as not drinking alcohol or not taking drugs, are his real life views. Depending on his alignment as a hero or villain, he emphasized different aspects of the straight edge culture to garner the desired audience reaction. After retiring from wrestling in 2014, Punk pursued a career in mixed martial arts and was signed by the UFC in December of that year. His first professional fight took place on September 10,2016, at UFC203 against Mickey Gall, Brooks was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in nearby Lockport, Illinois. He is one of five children, his father was an engineer, Brooks father struggled with alcoholism which inspired him to become straight edge from an early age. He attended Lockport Township High School, Brooks first venture into wrestling was a stint in a backyard wrestling federation called the Lunatic Wrestling Federation with his friends and brother Mike Brooks in the mid-late 1990s. He first started using the ring name CM Punk when he was put into a tag team named The Chick Magnets with CM Venom after another performer skipped out on the card. Unlike his friends, Punk genuinely wanted to be a wrestler, as part of the training, he wrestled at Steel Domain Wrestling in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was in the Steel Domain that he met Scott Colton, Punk and Cabana became best friends and spent most of their early career together working in the same independent promotions, as both opponents and tag team partners. In the independents, along with fellow Steel Domain graduates Colt Cabana, Chucke E. Smooth, Adam Pearce, Punks home promotion for his early career was considered to be the Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South. J. Styles, Cabana and even Eddie Guerrero in matches for the heavyweight championship, Punks feud with Hero included a 55-minute TLC match, a 93-minute two out of three falls match, and several 60-minute time limit draws. Punks matches with Cabana led him to being hired by the Ring of Honor promotion, from February 2003 until May 2004, Punk refused to wrestle for IWA Mid-South, explaining this as a protest to Ian Rottens mistreatment of Chris Hero in the company. Hero, however, has stated he believes there were other reasons, eventually Punk returned to IWA Mid-South and continued to perform as a wrestler and commentator for them until 2005 when he was signed to World Wrestling Entertainment. His last appearance in IWA Mid-South was on July 2,2005 in which he competed in a 60-minute time limit draw against Delirious. Initially, Punk joined Ring of Honor as a face, and their rivalry was rooted in Punks straight-edge lifestyle, with him likening Raven to his alcoholic father, it lasted most of 2003 and was considered one of ROHs top feuds of the year
10.
Axe
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An axe is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, to harvest timber, as a weapon, and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has many forms and specialised uses but generally consists of an axe head with a handle, before the modern axe, the stone-age hand axe was used from 1.5 million years BP without a handle. It was later fastened to a wooden handle, the earliest examples of handled axes have heads of stone with some form of wooden handle attached in a method to suit the available materials and use. Axes made of copper, bronze, iron, and steel appeared as these technologies developed, axes are usually composed of a head and a handle. The axe is an example of a machine, as it is a type of wedge. This reduces the effort needed by the wood chopper and it splits the wood into two parts by the pressure concentration at the blade. The handle of the axe also acts as a lever allowing the user to increase the force at the cutting edge—not using the length of the handle is known as choking the axe. For fine chopping using an axe this sometimes is a positive effect. Generally, cutting axes have a shallow angle, whereas splitting axes have a deeper angle. Most axes are double bevelled, i. e, less common today, they were once an integral part of a joiner and carpenters tool kit, not just a tool for use in forestry. A tool of similar origin is the billhook, however, in France and Holland the billhook often replaced the axe as a joiners bench tool. Most modern axes have heads and wooden handles, typically hickory in the US and ash in Europe and Asia. Modern axes are specialised by use, size, and form, hafted axes with short handles designed for use with one hand are often called hand axes but the term hand axe refers to axes without handles as well. Hatchets tend to be small hafted axes often with a hammer on the back side, as easy-to-make weapons, axes have frequently been used in combat. Initially axes were tools of stone called hand axes, used without handles, axes made with ground cutting edges are known since the Neolithic period ending 4,000 to 2,000 BC. The first true hafted axes are known from the Mesolithic period, few wooden hafts have been found from this period, but it seems that the axe was normally hafted by wedging. Birch-tar and raw-hide lashings were used to fix the blade, the antler was hollowed out at one end to create a socket for the axehead. The antler sheath was then either perforated and a handle inserted into it or set in a made in the handle instead
11.
Mark Briscoe
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Mark Pugh is an American professional wrestler best known as Mark Briscoe. He is currently signed with Ring of Honor and working for New Japan Pro Wrestling and he has also held the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship twice. Jay and Mark Briscoe made their debuts for Combat Zone Wrestling at Delaware Invasion on January 20,2001 and they were then matched against each other in the second round, with Jay winning and advancing further. After losing in title opportunities at Breakaway Brawl and A New Beginning and they lost it, however, in their first defense, to Johnny Kashmere and Justice Pain on July 28,2001, at What About Lobo. At this event, they faced Nick Gage and Nate Hatred, as CZW regularly began holding shows in the Philadelphia area, the Midnight Outlaws made appearances at the next four CZW events. At A Higher Level of Pain on April 13,2002, Jay appeared across the ring from the Midnight Outlaws, tagging with Ruckus against Mark, by this time, he had turned 18. Jay and Ruckus were won the match, and this was the last time either Jay or Mark appeared for CZW until April 12,2003, Jay was a surprise entrant after being taunted by A. J. Styles, and Mark filling in for the injured Ruckus, Jay advanced to the semi finals, where he lost to B-Boy, and Mark lost his fill-in match to Sonjay Dutt. The two faced off with the Backseat Boyz for the CZW World Tag Team Championship at Truth or Consequences on June 14, but failed to win the belts. On December 11,2010, at Cage of Death XII The Briscoes Returned to CZW challenging newly crowned CZW World Tag Team Champions Phillys Most Wanted of Blk Jeez and Joker to a title match in January. On January 7,2011, at From Small Beginnings Come Great Things Phillys Most Wanted retained the CZW World Tag Team Championships against the Briscoe Brothers in a no contest, the Briscoes then challenged Phillys Most Wanted to a no disqualification rematch. On February 12,2011, at Twelve, The Twelfth Anniversary Event The Briscoe Brothers defeated Phillys Most Wanted to become the new CZW World Tag Team Champions and they lost the title back to Phillys Most Wanted on May 14,2011. The Briscoes returned to CZW again on November 10,2012, facing Dave, Mark Briscoe made his Jersey All Pro Wrestling debut on March 24,2001, at March Madness Night 2, losing to Insane Dragon and Dixie teaming with his brother Jay Briscoe. They made three appearances in JAPW in 2001, and unsuccessful challenge for Dragon and Dixies JAPW Tag Team Championship on June 15 at Here to Stay. Two shows later, on September 20 at Family Crisis 2, the match, which took place at JAPWs 8th Year Anniversary Show, was won Hart and Homicide. At the next show, Fall Out, the S. A. T, defeated them and thus became number one contenders to the tag team championship. In October 2008, the Briscoes competed at JAPWs 11th Anniversary Show against LAX, during a brawl outside the ring, Mark suffered a large gash on the side of his head. Mark was subsequently able to perform at Honor Invades Boston, where he defeated his brother in the second-to-last match of the night, the Brothers went on briefly to feud against each other, during which time Jay scored a non-title win over ROH Champion Xavier at Glory By Honor
12.
Colin Delaney
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Colin Matthew Delaney is an American professional wrestler. Colins brother, Jaret Delaney of WV, currently wrestles in the New York area under the name Freddie Midnight, Delaney first started as a commentator for Rochester, New York promotion Roc City Wrestling. He soon moved to their competitor, Rochester Pro Wrestling, where he trained as a wrestler by Rik Matrix, Wrestling as Colin Olsen, Delaney has won wrestling championships. For his first championship, he teamed with his kayfabe brother Jimmy to win the NWA Upstate Tag Team Championship on November 13,2004 by defeating the Ring Crew Express. They held the belts for six months before dropping them to The Outcast Killaz on May 14,2005. On May 19,2007, Olsen defeated Mastiff Will Christianson and Damien Alexander to win NWA Empires Lord of the Dance Championship, a title which can only be contested in three-way matches. On June 7,2007 Colin and Jimmy Olsen wrestled for Action Packed Wrestling in Rutland, Vermont in a 3-Way Scramble Match against Dunn and Marcos and Rhythm and Booze. Colins last defense of the NWA Empires Lord of the Dance Championship was at on December 8,2007 where he wrestled his kayfabe brother Jimmy Olsen, at an NWA Empire show on February 9,2008, Delaney vacated the title due to his ECW brand commitments. Delaney made his World Wrestling Entertainment debut as a jobber, seen wrestling on the ECW brand and he was first beaten by Shelton Benjamin on the December 18,2007 episode of ECW, before getting squashed by Big Daddy V two weeks later. On the January 8,2008 episode of ECW, Delaney was beaten again, Delaney would also be squashed by Kane and The Great Khali. On the January 29,2008 episode of ECW, WWE Tag Team Champions The Miz, after the match, The Miz and Morrison continued to attack Delaney, but he was saved after Tommy Dreamer came to the ring. Delaney picked up his first win in WWE on the February 26,2008 episode of ECW, defeating The Miz and John Morrison in a tag team match with Tommy Dreamer. On March 11, he and Dreamer challenged The Miz and Morrison for the WWE Tag Team Championships in an Extreme Rules match, in subsequent weeks, ECW General Manager Armando Estrada informed Colin that he would have to acquire his first singles victory to win an official ECW contract. Delaney unsuccessfully faced a number of superstars, including his own mentor Dreamer, finally, on the May 6,2008 episode of ECW, Delaney defeated Estrada himself via a sunset flip to win his contract, which he had legitimately signed in February. He lost his first match as an ECW superstar against Mike Knox, Estrada was defeated by Delaney after already being defeated by Matt Hardy moments earlier, thus removing Estrada from the roster, per the orders of new ECW General Manager Theodore Long. On July 20,2008, at The Great American Bash, on July 29, however, on ECW, he lost to Matt Hardy, which caused Henry to turn on him. The next week on ECW, Delaney remained a heel and helped Estrada beat Dreamer to earn his ECW contract and this led to an Extreme Rules match against Dreamer, where he was easily defeated. On August 15,2008, Delaney was released from his WWE contract due to budget cuts, on that same day, Delaney worked his first match back on the independent
13.
Jerry Lawler
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Jerry ONeil Lawler is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and color commentator, signed to WWE under the companys legends program. Lawler is known throughout the wrestling world under the ring name Jerry The King Lawler. Prior to joining WWE in 1992, Lawler wrestled in numerous territories, Lawler is a one-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion and a three-time WCWA World Heavyweight Champion. He unified the titles by defeating Kerry Von Erich at Superclash III, forming the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship, Lawler has held more championships than any other current WWE wrestler, though he has never won any championships in WWE since joining the company. In 2007, Lawler was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, while working in Memphis, Tennessee as a disc jockey, Lawlers artistic ability attracted the attention of local wrestling promoter Aubrey Griffith. The two made an agreement in which Lawler would give Griffith free publicity in exchange for free wrestling training, Lawler debuted as a wrestler in 1970 and won his first championship in September 1971 by winning a battle royal. He soon won the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship under the service of Sam Bass with partner Jim White. In 1974, Lawler began feuding with Jackie Fargo, who had been his trainer and this led to a match for the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship. On July 24,1974, Lawler was booked to win the belt, during 1975, Lawler teamed with a variety of partners such as Mr Wrestling II, Don Greene, and Bob Orton, Jr. He won the NWA Macon Tag Team Championship twice during this period, while Lawler began his career as a heel, he became a face after splitting from Bass at the end of 1974. On November 12,1979, while working in the Continental Wrestling Association, in 1980, his career was put on hold due to a broken leg, but he returned to the ring after several months. In 1982, Lawler began a feud with comedian Andy Kaufman. At the time, Kaufman wrestled women as part of his skits and had declared himself the Intergender Heavyweight Champion, on April 5, Lawler, who had taken exception to the skits, wrestled Kaufman in Memphis. During the course of the match, Lawler delivered two piledrivers to his opponent, sending him to the hospital, on July 29, Lawler slapped Kaufman in the face on an episode of Late Night with David Letterman. Kaufman responded by throwing his coffee on Lawler, years later, Lawler appeared as himself in the Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon, the movie revealed that Lawlers feud with Kaufman had been kayfabe. Lawler later claimed not only was his entire feud with Kaufman staged. On March 7,1983, Lawler won the AWA International Championship by defeating Austin Idol and he defeated Ken Patera on July 25 to begin his second reign as the International Champion. Lawler became the NWA Mid America Champion on April 12,1984 when he was booked to defeat Randy Savage for the title, in 1985, Lawler traveled to Japan, where he won the Polynesian Pacific title on January 25,1986
14.
Chris Benoit
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Christopher Michael Chris Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler. Industry historian Dave Meltzer considered him one of the top 10, maybe even the top 5, Benoit held 22 championships between WWF/WWE, WCW, NJPW, and ECW. Benoit was the twelfth WWE Triple Crown Champion and sixth WCW Triple Crown Champion, and he was also the 2004 Royal Rumble winner, joining Shawn Michaels as the only two men to win a Royal Rumble as the number one entrant. Benoit headlined multiple pay-per-views for WWE, including a victory in the World Heavyweight Championship main event match of WrestleMania XX in 2004, Benoit murdered his wife and son on June 22,2007, and hanged himself two days later. Research suggests depression and brain damage from numerous concussions are likely contributing factors leading to the crime, Benoit was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Michael and Margaret Benoit. He grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, from where he was billed throughout the bulk of his career and he had a sister living near Edmonton. Benoit trained to become a wrestler in the Hart family Dungeon. In-ring, Benoit emulated both Billington and Bret Hart, cultivating a high-risk style and physical appearance more reminiscent of the former, Benoit began his career in 1985, in Stu Harts Stampede Wrestling promotion. The first title Benoit ever won was the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship in 1986 against Gama Singh, in 1989, Stampede closed its doors later that year, and with a recommendation from Bad News Allen, Benoit departed for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Upon arriving in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Benoit spent about a training in their New Japan Dojo with the younger wrestlers to improve his abilities. While in the dojo, he spent months doing strenuous activities like push ups and he made his Japanese debut in 1986 under his real name. In 1989, he started wearing a mask and assuming the name The Pegasus Kid, Benoit said numerous times that he originally hated the mask, but it eventually became a part of him. In August 1990, he won his first major championship, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and he eventually lost the title in November 1990 back to Liger, forcing him to reinvent himself as Wild Pegasus. Benoit spent the next years in Japan, winning the Best of the Super Juniors tournament twice. He went on to win the Super J-Cup Tournament in 1994, defeating Black Tiger, Gedo and he wrestled outside New Japan occasionally to compete in Mexico and Europe, where he won a few regional championships, including the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship. He held that title for over a year, having many forty-plus minute matches with Villano III and he did not return to WCW until January 1993 at Clash of the Champions XXII, defeating Brad Armstrong. A month later, at Superbrawl III, he lost to 2 Cold Scorpio, at the same time, he formed a tag team with Bobby Eaton. After he and Eaton lost to Scorpio and Marcus Bagwell at Slamboree, in 1994, Benoit began working with Extreme Championship Wrestling in between tours of Japan
15.
Montel Vontavious Porter
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Hassan Hamin Assad is an American professional wrestler and rapper, better known by his ring name Montel Vontavious Porter. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment, Assad was trained by former professional wrestlers Soulman Alex G and Norman Smiley. Following the completion of his training, Assad began wrestling for independent promotions. During his time in these promotions, he won championships in singles competition. Assad signed with WWE in 2005 and was assigned to Deep South Wrestling, after being promoted to the SmackDown. Brand, Assad made his WWE wrestling debut in October 2006, in May 2007, he won the United States Championship, giving him his first title reign with the company. That same year, he captured the WWE Tag Team Championship alongside Matt Hardy, Assad won the United States Championship for a second time on March 17,2009. Following his tenure in WWE, Assad joined NJPW in February 2011 and he spent the next two years with the promotion, becoming the inaugural IWGP Intercontinental Champion in May 2011. Assad was born in Liberty City, Miami, but grew up in Opa-locka and his father was a police officer. He joined a gang when he was 12, describing it as a graffiti gang and he spent six months in a juvenile detention center after a robbery. He later completed 9½ years of an 18½ year prison sentence for armed robbery, while in prison, he converted to Islam and changed his name from Alvin Burke Jr. to Hassan Hamin Assad. Due to his past criminal record, Assads visits to countries on international tours are subject to permits. Assad entered the wrestling business through the help of a corrections officer in his prison who also worked as a wrestler in the independent circuit. After being trained by professional wrestlers Soulman Alex G and Norman Smiley. During his time in FIP, he wrestled Homicide for the World Heavyweight Championship at the Ring of Honor show Do or Die IV on February 19,2005 but did not win the title. He also made appearances for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and wrestled on the April 20,2003. He appeared again for TNA on the August 6,2004, episode of Impact. with Sal Rinauro as his tag team partner and he also wrestled for Coastal Championship Wrestling and Elite Wrestling Entertainment in 2005, competing against wrestlers like Jerry Lynn and DLo Brown. As MVP, he made his first appearance on WWE television on the August 4,2006 episode of SmackDown, during which announcers described him as a coveted free agent
16.
WrestleMania 23
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WrestleMania 23 was the twenty-third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment. It was presented by 360 OTC and took place on April 1,2007, at Ford Field in Detroit, the event was the first WrestleMania at Ford Field and the second to take place in the Detroit metropolitan area. The event was a joint-brand pay-per-view, featuring performers from the Raw, SmackDown. eight professional wrestling matches were featured on the events supercard, a scheduling of more than one main event. The main match on the Raw brand was John Cena versus Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship, the predominant match on the SmackDown. Brand was Batista versus The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship, the primary match on the ECW brand was an eight-man tag team match between The ECW Originals and The New Breed, The ECW Originals claimed victory in the match. Tickets for the event went on sale on November 11,2006, the all-time Ford Field attendance record of 80,103 consisted of people from all fifty U. S. states, twenty-four countries, and nine Canadian provinces. WrestleMania 23 grossed US$5.38 million in ticket sales, WWE estimated that $25 million was pumped into the Detroit economy. With about 1.2 million buys, the event was the highest WWE pay-per-view buyrate in history, WrestleMania XXVIII in 2012 passed 1.2 million buys with 1.21 million buys. WrestleMania 23 featured professional wrestling matches involving wrestlers from existing scripted feuds, wrestlers portrayed faces or heels as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a match or a series of matches. On the January 8 episode of Raw, Donald Trump faced his rival, Trump won the contest, although local wrestlers portrayed Trump and ODonnell. During WWE Chairman Vince McMahons Fan Appreciation Night on the January 29 episode of Raw and this match was then billed as the Battle of the Billionaires. McMahon picked Umaga as his representative, while Trump picked Bobby Lashley, on the March 5 episode of Raw, Steve Austin was appointed as special guest referee for the Battle of the Billionaires match at WrestleMania 23. On the March 26 episode of Raw, McMahon defeated Lashley in a No Disqualification match, after Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch, Chris Masters, Johnny Nitro, Shawn Michaels defeated Randy Orton and Edge in a Triple Threat Match to face Cena at WrestleMania. On an episode of Raw, Rated-RKO attempted to attack Cena, before a scheduled tag team match between Rated-RKO and Cena and Michaels, Orton played a video that highlighted the past friendships that Michaels was involved in, before turning on the friend. In the match, Michaels nearly superkicked Cena after Orton moved, due to a later disagreement, Edge left Orton and walked off backstage, which allowed Cena and Michaels to win the match. The following week, Michaels responded to the video set-up by Orton, I will have your back until WrestleMania. I’ve turned against all my partners and more importantly, I’ve stabbed all my friends in the back, but with you, John, it’s different. After Michaels defeated Orton, Cena ran-down to the ring and saved Michaels from an attack by Edge, on the final Raw before WrestleMania, Cena and Michaels would team up to face Batista and Undertaker in a rematch from their match at No Way Out
17.
Harley Race
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Harley Leland Race is an American former professional wrestler, and current promoter and trainer. He held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship seven times, and was the first NWA United States Heavyweight Champion and he is highly respected for his toughness and lifelong dedication to the business. Race was an fan of professional wrestling, watching programming from the nearby Chicago territory on the DuMont Network. After overcoming polio as a child, he began training as a wrestler as a teen under former world champions Stanislaus and Wladek Zbyszko. While in high school, an altercation with another led to the principal kneeing Race in the back of the head as he tried to break up the fight. Enraged, Race attacked him, resulting in his expulsion, already 6 ft 1 in and 225 lb, Race decided to get his start in professional wrestling. Race then became the driver of Happy Humphrey, as he was too large to drive at the time, Race was recruited by St. Joseph wrestling promoter Gust Karras, who hired Race to do odd jobs for his promotion, including chauffeuring the 800 lb wrestler Happy Humphrey. Eventually, Race started wrestling on some of his shows, at the age of 18, he moved to Nashville and began wrestling under the ring name of Jack Long, forming a tag team with storyline brother John Long. The duo quickly captured the Southern Tag Team Championship, Race was seen as a rising star in the business with a bright future, until a car accident put him out of action, with his leg coming close to being amputated. His pregnant first wife, Vivian Louise Jones, died instantly, Karras heard about his employees condition, went rushing into the hospital, and blocked the planned amputation, declaring it over my dead body. In doing so, he saved Races leg, although he recovered, doctors told Race that he might never walk again, and his wrestling career was over. Undaunted, Race endured grueling physical therapy for months and made a full recovery. Race fought in the Jack Pfefer and Tony Santos in the Boston territory as the Great Mortimer in 1963 and he returned to the ring in 1964, wrestling for the Funks Amarillo, Texas, territory. This time, he wrestled as Harley Race, after his father told him that he should not work to make anyone elses name famous, Race never again used a different ring name. In Amarillo, Race met fellow up-and-coming wrestler Larry Hennig, the two formed a tag team and moved to the American Wrestling Association. In the AWA, Race and Hennig branded themselves as Handsome Harley Race and Pretty Boy Larry Hennig and they quickly became top contenders, and in January 1965, they defeated Dick the Bruiser and The Crusher to capture the AWA World Tag Team Championship. Race and Hennig continued to feud with the Bruiser and Crusher and other top teams for the several years. Verne Gagne, in particular, was a rival of the team
18.
Dynamite Kid
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Thomas Tom Billington, best known by the ring name Dynamite Kid, is a retired British professional wrestler. He competed in the World Wrestling Federation, Stampede Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, with his cousin Davey Boy Smith, he is also known for being one half of the tag team The British Bulldogs. He also had feuds with Tiger Mask in Japan and Bret Hart in Canada. Billington was born in Golborne, Lancashire and his fathers name was Bill and he has two sisters and a younger brother named Mark. His father Bill and uncle Eric Billington were boxers in their youth and he is a member of the Billington family. One of his ancestors James Billington was also a wrestler, in addition, he had also received training in boxing during his formative years, which helped instill toughness in him before his career. His father, the brother of Davey Boy Smiths mother, was a miner and itinerant labourer who often took the young Billington to see wrestling matches in Wigan and his first shot in the pro ranks was working for Max Crabtree, as he debuted in 1975. During his early days, he won the British Lightweight title on 23 April 1977, and he was also instrumental in starting the career of then-Judo star Chris Adams while still competing in the UK, was scouted and moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1978. Dynamite made a big impact in his matches for Stampede Wrestling with the increasingly popular Bruce Hart, despite differences between them due to comments Dynamite Kid made about Stu Hart in his autobiography, Bret still regards him as pound-for-pound, the greatest wrestler who ever lived. Dynamite Kid began taking steroids in 1979 when Big Daddy Ritter, aka the Junkyard Dog, Billington was also introduced to speed during his stay in Canada by Jake Roberts. After doing big business in Canada, Dynamite was booked on his first tour of Japan, both the NWA and WWF Junior Heavyweight titles were vacated after Tiger Mask was injured by Dynamite Kid in a tag match on 1 April 1983. Dynamite and Kuniaki Kobayashi competed for the vacant titles, but no winner was decided, on 21 April 1983, Dynamite and Tiger Mask met for the vacant WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship, but no winner was decided after the match ended up as a draw three consecutive times. On 7 February 1984, Billington captured the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship by winning a tournament in New Japan Pro Wrestling, although it was a WWF Title and he defeated Davey Boy Smith earlier in the tournament, and would go on to defeat The Cobra in the finals. On April 7,1986, accompanied by Captain Lou Albano and Ozzy Osbourne, while recovering in the hospital from back surgery, Billington would later recount that Bret Hart showed up and stated that Vince McMahon had sent him to get Dynamites tag belt, Billington refused. The match itself was an odd sight, as Dynamite could barely walk due to back surgery, Dynamite was knocked out by Jimmy Harts megaphone early in the match, avoiding him having to wrestle in the match for story purposes. Billington was known for being a guy and for his stiffness as a worker. Outside of the ring, WWF-champion Randy Savage once specifically asked for him to watch his back when he went drinking in a bar frequented by NWA wrestlers. He was also involved in very heated backstage fights with Jacques Rougeau
19.
Daniel Bryan
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Bryan Lloyd Danielson is an American retired professional wrestler currently signed to WWE under the ring name Daniel Bryan, where he is the on-screen general manager of SmackDown. He was also the 2011 SmackDown Money in the Bank winner and he is the 26th Triple Crown Champion and the 15th Grand Slam Champion in WWE history and headlined several major pay-per-view events, including SummerSlam in 2013 and WrestleMania XXX. Danielson was previously signed to the WWE, then known as the WWF, prior to joining WWE for his second stint in 2009, Danielson wrestled for various companies internationally using both his real name and the ring name American Dragon. He wrestled for Ring of Honor from 2002 to 2009, being recognized as a Founding Father of the promotion and he was the first winner of ROHs annual Survival of the Fittest tournament in 2004. Along with CM Punk, Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens, Danielson is one of four men to have won a championship in both WWE and ROH. Danielson also wrestled extensively in Japan, winning the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship in Pro Wrestling Noah, between WWE, ROH, and Japanese promotions, he held eleven total championships, including five world titles. Danielson also won titles on the independent circuit, including two PWG World Championships, the FIP Heavyweight Championship, and the wXw World Heavyweight Championship. In 2016, at age 34, Danielson retired from wrestling due to medical issues arising from multiple concussions. Later that year in July, he was named the General Manager of SmackDown following the return of the WWE brand extension, Danielson was born and raised in Aberdeen, Washington, the son of a logger father and a therapist mother, who divorced when Danielson was young. Danielson has a sister named Billie Sue. He competed in sports at Aberdeen-Weatherwax High School, including football. After Danielson graduated from school in 1999, he decided to pursue wrestling professionally. When it closed he trained under Shawn Michaels and Rudy Gonzalez at the Texas Wrestling Academy. He debuted in the TWA, and on March 21,2000, won his first title when he teamed with Spanky to win the TWA Tag Team Championship, defeating Jeromy Sage and Ruben Cruz. There, Danielson gained exposure, and was trained by WWF competitor William Regal, during this time Danielson adopted his moniker American Dragon. WWF severed its ties with MCW in 2001, but not before Danielson won the MCW Light Heavyweight Championship, after 18 months with the company, Danielson was released from his WWF contract in July 2001. Danielson revealed in his 2015 autobiography that he was close to being called up to the roster during the 2001 Royal Rumble match. He explained the WWF thought of using him as one of their key figures in the newly created cruiserweight division which was inspired by World Championship Wrestling, in 2002, Danielson wrestled two matches for the renamed World Wrestling Entertainment despite not being a contracted performer for the company
20.
Professional wrestling aerial techniques
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Aerial techniques are maneuvers, using the ring and its posts and ropes as aids, used in professional wrestling to show off the speed and agility of a wrestler. These moves are mainly done by smaller, quicker wrestlers who are unable to do most of the power moves, there is a wide variety of aerial techniques in professional wrestling. Due to injuries caused by high risk moves, some promotions have banned the use of some maneuvers. Moves are listed under general categories whenever possible, the wrestler takes hold of one of the opponents wrists and twists that arm in an arm wrench. The wrestler then climbs up the corner turnbuckles and walks on the top rope, before jumping down and striking the opponents chest and this is often referred to as Old School, the name used by The Undertaker, who popularized it. This move is a forward somersault three-quarter facelock bulldog/jawbreaker performed by a wrestler from an aerial platform. This move involves the wrestler standing on a platform and facing the back of a standing opponent while applying an inverted facelock. This move was innovated by Masato Tanaka and this variation of a diving elbow drop sees a wrestler stand facing away from a standing or supine opponent and in an elevated position. The wrestler then dives backwards and strikes the opponent in the shoulder and this is a bulldog performed by a wrestler from an elevated position. A standard diving bulldog sees a wrestler jump down on an opponent from an elevated platform, from this point, the wrestler delivers a kick with the back of his leg. This is a move in which a wrestler will jump from an elevated position, a version of this move, called a flying lariat, involves the wrestler wrapping his arm around the opponents head. This move is used by many, usually light, wrestlers and is known as a diving crossbody. To perform the move, a wrestler jumps from an elevated position onto an opponent, landing horizontally across the torso, forcing them to the mat. The diving crossbody is popularized by Ricky The Dragon Steamboat, along with the diving brain chop, there is also a reversed version, named reverse crossbody, where the wrestler faces away from the prone opponent before executing the crossbody maneuver. The wrestler stands in a position and faces the standing or bent-over opponent. This is usually done on a standing or rising opponent, not a prone one, a common variation of the diving double axe handle sees the wrestler standing over the top rope, facing away from the ring. From this point, the jumps and twists his body. A diving elbow drop is executed by diving onto an opponent with ones elbow cocked, driving the elbow into the opponents shoulder, chest
21.
Cima (wrestler)
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Nobuhiko Oshima, better known by his ring name Cima, is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for Dragon Gate. Nobuhiko Oshima, otherwise known as Cima, graduated from the first class of Último Dragóns Toryumon dojo and he quickly became the Toryumon wrestling promotions biggest star. He first wrestled as Shiima Nobunaga, then as Shiima, until finally shortening his name to Cima. He was one of the founders of the Crazy Max stable and he began as a high flyer, utilizing the Mad Splash as his finisher. This, however, took toll on his body and especially his knees, after returning from knee surgery he changed his style and started using the Schwein as his finisher. He wrestled in Toryumon Japan until 2004, when the promotion separated itself from Último Dragóns dojo and he still wrestles in Dragon Gate today. He created the Blood Generation stable in 2005, which had its match in January 2007. Cima also made his first appearance in a North American wrestling promotion in about seven years in August 2005, Cima would return to North America for a three-day tour with Ring of Honor. Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer gave the match the coveted 5 star rating, in September 2006 during the Labor Day Weekend, Cima participated in the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla Battle of Los Angeles super tournament. He was able to all the way to the finals where he lost to Davey Richards. Cimas next return to Ring of Honor happened in late December 2006, Cima teamed with Shingo on December 22 in Hartford, Connecticut to challenge Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal for the ROH World Tag Team Title, but the Japanese stars came up short in the match. The next night, in Manhattan, New York, Cima and Shingo teamed with Matt Sydal to take on the team of Austin Aries, Roderick Strong and this time, they were successful in their outing, when Cima pinned Delirious. After the match, Cima proclaimed Thank you US, thank you ROH, on January 6,2007, Cima traveled to Australia and competed in the Australasian Wrestling Federation. In the main event, he wrestled the AWF Champion Steve Ravenous and TNT in a elimination match. The next night in Newcastle, TNT defeated Cima for the AWF Title, on July 1,2007, Cima won Dragon Gates main title, the Open the Dream Gate Championship, from Jushin Thunder Liger in Kobe, Japan. Cima thus became the first wrestler to hold this title on two occasions, on September 5,2007, Cima made his debut in Hawaii for Action Zone Wrestling, losing to AZW Heavyweight Champion Kris Kavanaugh. After the match, Cima thanked the fans and asked if Hawaii enjoyed Dragon Gate and he promised Dragon Gate would be back in Hawaii, and in AZW. He returned to AZW on January 7,2008 at Battleclash III to defeat Sweet & Sour Larry Sweeney, some time in May 2008, Cima developed a neck injury
22.
Dragon Gate
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Dragon Gate is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion formerly known as Toryumon Japan. On July 4,2004 Último Dragón left the Toryumon Gym in Mexico and took the name, the promotion subsequently changed its name to Dragon Gate and declared Cima its first Open the Dream Gate Champion. Both Ring of Honors All Star Extravaganza III on March 30 and Supercard of Honor II on March 31,2007, in Detroit, in 2008, Dragon Gate promoted their first set of shows in the United States. The first show place in Los Angeles on September 5 and featured El Generico, Necro Butcher. Their second show was in Hawaii on September 8, in 2009, Dragon Gate debuted in the United Kingdom. Their first show was held on November 1,2009, in Oxford, furthermore, they ran the first of what would become annual visits to Europe, in particular the United Kingdom, in October and November. Japans Dragon Gate promotion announced its expansion into the United States with Dragon Gate USA on April 14,2009, also in 2009 it was announced that they created another branch promotion Dragon Gate UK. Dragon Gate Nex is a project of Dragon Gate, which gives the young wrestlers of the more experience. In mid-2006, the NEX project was announced, virtually all of the shows take place in the Dragon Gate Arena, the main training ring at the Dragon Gate offices in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. In addition to the recent graduates, comedy characters, gaijin talent, the occasional main card member of the roster will compete as well. This is done to enhance the experience to be gained for the trainees. The vast majority of NEX shows are called Sanctuary and are twice a month. They generally draw an attendance of around 90 fans due to the limited size, there are also special event shows called Premium, which are the equivalent in atmosphere to a pay-per-view. These shows involve the main members of the roster and will draw up to 100 in attendance. Early in NEX, they ran two shows at Shin-Kiba 1st RING in Tokyo, Japan, although this has since been discontinued. The following is a list of Japanese wrestlers who have graduated from the Dragon Gate Dojo in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, along with the USA Dojo in Houston, Texas. Graduates are regarded as Dragon Gate Trueborn, having trained in the Dragon System exclusively through Dragon Gate as opposed to the Ultimo Dragon Gym. They are listed in alphabetical order
23.
Meteora
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The Metéora - is a formation of immense monolithic pillars and hills-like huge rounded boulders which dominate the local area. It is also associated with one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece, the six monasteries are built on natural conglomerate pillars, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains, in central Greece. Metéora is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List under criteria I, II, IV, V, beside the Pindos Mountains, in the western region of Thessaly, these unique and enormous columns of rock rise precipitously from the ground. But their unusual form is not easy to explain geologically and they are not volcanic plugs of hard igneous rock typical elsewhere, but the rocks are composed of a mixture of sandstone and conglomerate. The conglomerate was formed of deposits of stone, sand and mud from streams flowing into a delta at the edge of a lake, the huge rock pillars were then formed by weathering by water, wind and extremes of temperature on the vertical faults. It is unusual that this formation and type of weathering are confined to a relatively localised area within the surrounding mountain formation. Caves in the vicinity of Metéora were inhabited continuously between 50,000 and 5,000 years ago, as early as the 11th century, monks occupied the caverns of Meteora. However, monasteries were not built until the 14th century, when the monks sought somewhere to hide in the face of a number of Turkish attacks on Greece. At this time, access to the top was via removable ladders or windlass, nowadays, getting up is a lot simpler due to steps being carved into the rock during the 1920s. Of the 24 monasteries, only 6 are still functioning, with each housing less than 10 individuals, the cave of Theopetra is located 4 kilometres from Kalambaka. Excavations and research and have discovered petrified diatoms, which have contributed to understanding the Palaeo-climate and climate changes, radiocarbon dating evidences human presence dating back 50,000 years. The cave is open to the public, in the 9th century AD, an ascetic group of hermit monks moved up to the ancient pinnacles, they were the first people to inhabit Metéora since the Neolithic Era. They lived in hollows and fissures in the towers, some as high as 1800 ft above the plain. This great height, combined with the sheerness of the walls, kept away all. Initially, the led an life of solitude, meeting only on Sundays and special days to worship. The exact date of the establishment of the monasteries is unknown, by the late 11th and early 12th centuries, a rudimentary monastic state had formed called the Skete of Stagoi and was centered around the still-standing church of Theotokos. By the end of the 12th century, a community had flocked to Metéora. In 1344, Athanasios Koinovitis from Mount Athos brought a group of followers to Metéora, the only means of reaching it was by climbing a long ladder, which was drawn up whenever the monks felt threatened
24.
Sasha Banks
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Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Sasha Banks. She previously wrestled on the independent circuit, most notably for Chaotic Wrestling, between WWE and their developmental brand NXT, Banks has had four championship reigns – being a former NXT Womens Champion and a three-time Raw Womens Champion. She went to school online, and grew up watching All Japan Womens Pro-Wrestling and she is of African-American and German descent. Kaestner-Varnado began training at Chaotic Wrestling, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, on October 22, KV lost her debut singles match to Danny E. and lost a rematch to him on November 13. On January 7,2011, KV earned her first victory when she and Roxx defeated Alexxis, on February 11, KV took part in a five-woman gauntlet match to determine the inaugural Chaotic Wrestling Womens Champion, but was unsuccessful. KV made her first successful defense against Barbie on January 6. KV faced Luscious Latasha with the championship on the line on January 27, KV successfully defended the championship against Alexxis in a rematch. She then successfully defended the championship twice against Nikki Roxx, KV went on to defend and successfully retain the championship against Barbie on June 24, against Aida Marie on July 20, and on August 17 against Kasey Ray. KV made her appearance for Chaotic Wrestling on August 18. On August 18, the Chaotic Wrestling Womens Championship was declared vacant after Kaestner-Varnado signed a contract with WWE, on August 8,2010, KV made her debut in New England Championship Wrestling, teaming with Ivy to defeat the team of Ariel and Sammi Lane. She returned to the NECW on September 4,2011, again teaming with Ivy, defeating Mistress Belmont, on September 23, KV defeated Mistress Belmont in a singles match. KV once again returned to the promotion on July 14,2012 at the Red White and Bruised event, KV, under the ring name Miss Mercedes, debuted for National Wrestling Alliance on November 19,2010, where she faced Julian Starr in a losing effort. On the following two nights, Mercedes defeated Sheik Ali and Nick Fahrenheit in singles matches, Mercedes began to feud with The Great Cheyenne, losing to her on several occasions. On August 9, she wrestled her last match for the NWA, in June 2012, Kaestner-Varnado participated in a WWE tryout camp and on August 18 it was announced that she had been signed to a contract. She was assigned to NXT, WWEs developmental territory, where she adopted the ring name Sasha Banks, Banks first televised win on NXT was on the January 23,2013 episode against Alicia Fox. Marie went on to defeat Banks in a match later that episode, Banks feud with Marie came to an end on the April 3 episode of NXT, when Banks teamed with Paige to defeat Marie and Summer Rae. On the June 19 episode of NXT, Banks competed in the NXT Womens Championship tournament to determine the inaugural champion, two weeks later on NXT, Banks defeated Bayley, while accompanied by Rae. After the match, Banks cut a promo with Rae and debuted a new gimmick as The Boss, Banks and Rae, who dubbed themselves the Beautiful, Fierce Females, faced Paige and Emma on the October 16 episode of NXT, where they emerged victorious
25.
WWE
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Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd. was an American professional wrestling promotion and the sanctioning body for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and later World Wrestling Federation. Founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1953, Capitol Wrestling Corporation is the precursor to todays WWE, run by Jess grandson, Jess McMahon was a successful boxing promoter who began working with Tex Rickard in 1926. With the help of Rickard, he began promoting boxing at the third Madison Square Garden, a few years prior, professional wrestler Toots Mondt had created a new challenge of professional wrestling that he called “Slam Bang Western Style Wrestling”. He convinced wrestler Ed Lewis and his manager Billy Sandow to implement this new solution, after much success, a disagreement over power caused the trio to dissolve and, with it, their promotion. Mondt later formed partnerships with other promoters, including Jack Curley in New York City. Mondt eventually took over the New York wrestling scene, due to the fact Curley was dying, with the aid of several bookers, together, McMahon and Mondt created the Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd. which later joined the National Wrestling Alliance in 1953. In November 1954, Jess McMahon died and Ray Fabiani, one of Mondts associates, both men left the company in protest following the incident and formed the WWWF in the process, awarding Rogers the new WWWF World Heavyweight Championship in April of that year. He lost the championship to Bruno Sammartino a month later on May 17,1963, after gaining a television program deal and turning preliminary wrestler Lou Albano as a manager for Sammartinos heel opponents, the WWWF was doing sell out business by 1970. Mondt left the company in the late 1960s and although the WWWF had withdrawn from the NWA, Vince McMahon, at the annual meeting of the NWA in 1983, the McMahons and WWF employee Jim Barnett all withdrew from the organization. By March 1979, for marketing purposes, the World Wide Wrestling Federation was renamed the World Wrestling Federation and that same year, Vincent J. McMahons son, Vincent K. McMahon, founded Titan Sports, Inc. incorporated on February 21,1980, originally in Massachusetts. In 1982, Titan Sports Inc. acquired Capitols operations, effectively relocating its headquarters to Greenwich, in an attempt to make the WWF the premier wrestling promotion in the world, McMahon began an expansion that fundamentally changed the industry. In the end, the elder McMahon would never live to see his company grow from a promotion to what is now a worldwide organization. He died from cancer at 69 years old on May 24,1984. By 1985, Titan moved to Stamford, Connecticut then establishing a new entity in 1987 in Delaware which later merged with the old company in 1988. Titan later changed its name to World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. before finally becoming World Wrestling Entertainment, list of independent wrestling promotions in the United States
26.
Leg drop
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The wrestler spins 180° while they jump and land their leg across an opponents chest, throat, face, or head. This variation of the leg drop sees the wrestler drop both legs onto the opponent, usually onto the midsection, instead of just one leg and it was used by Kofi Kingston, who calls it the Boom Drop. This leg drop sees the attacking wrestler hold the opponents legs. If performed to hit the lower-abdomen, the user bends their legs. If it is to hit the area, the attacking wrestler bends out and keeps their legs straight. This also refers to the attackers leg hitting the throat in a standard leg drop. The wrestler jumps in the air and uses one of his legs to push down on the head of an opponent who is leaning forward, which drives the opponent face-first into the mat. The move was innovated by Johnny Ace calling it The Ace Crusher II and later popularized by Billy Gunn, who called it the Famouser or Fame-Ass-Er, the latter name used when he wrestled as Mr. Ass. Marty Jannetty performed a version of the move where he applied a wristlock to the opponent first, Kelly Kelly later adopted the same variation as her finishing maneuver calling it K2. An inverted version of this sees the wrestler drop the opponent on the back of their head. A variation to the original, the wrestler bounces off from one side of the ring, runs. It was said that Hogan had popularized this and also invented it, the attacker, while on the outside, pulls back on the ropes and, assisted by the rebound of the ropes, propels themselves into the ring and onto their victim. Variations include using the ropes for a slingshot somersault leg drop, another variant is when the attacker slingshots onto the opponents neck. An attacking wrestler would perform a forward somersault to drop their leg across the throat or chest of an opponent. This is very similar to the leg drop, but there are two variations to this move. The first is that the wrestler jumps splits his legs in the air. This move is performed by women. The wrestler, while standing on the apron, jumps over the top rope and dives upwards, stretching and extending a leg, targeting the neck of the opponent
27.
Somersault
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A somersault is an acrobatic exercise in which a persons body rotates 360° around a horizontal axis with the feet passing over the head. A somersault can be performed forwards, backwards, or sideways, when performed on the ground it is typically called a roll. Somersault originates from an obsolete French word, sombresault, from Occitan sobresaut, and ultimately Latin – supra, over, there are many variations of front and back somersaults. In competitive gymnastics and trampolining, standardized names have been assigned to all common variations, within British gymnastic associations, a crash dive is referred to as a ¾ front somersault. Similarly, a Barani Ballout is referred to as a Ballout Barani to indicate that the forward somersault is executed before the twist, the word flip is synonymous with an airborne somersault in a number of countries. In contrast, in Britain and some countries, a flip must rely on the arms to induce body revolution. The word somerset was also used in Victorian England to describe what today is called a somersault, for example, an 1843 poster advertising Pablo Fanques Circus Royal boasts, Mr. HENDERSON will undertake the arduous Task of THROWING TWENTY-ONE SOMERSETS, ON THE SOLID GROUND. Aerial cartwheel Gymnastics Trampolining Tumbling Handspring Diving
28.
Masaki Sumitani
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His act was featured on the Bakusho Mondai no Bakuten. Saturday variety show on TBS Television in Japan, in 2005, Masaki Sumitani was born December 18,1975 in Harima, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. After graduating from Hyogo Prefectural Kakogawa Higashi High School, he entered Doshisha University, while at college he picked up wrestling as a hobby and soon joined the Doshisha Professional Wrestling Alliance. Under his performing name GiveUp Sumitani, he won the heavy class Kyoto pro-wrestling championship co-hosted by DWA, former IWGP Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi and fellow comedian Makoto Izubuchi were also participant of these events. In early 2006, he started working with manzai partner Izubuchi again, izubuchi’s character was not nearly as well received as Sumitani’s, but is still an active pro-wrestler in HUSTLE, recently teaming up with The Great Muta. Sumitanis character is that of a face that has a never say die attitude. Daily Sports in Japan reported that Razor Ramon HG retired from pro wrestling after Hustle Mania, however, as with most retirements in pro-wrestling, Sumitani returned to action, pro wrestling at Hustle 21 on March 18 and Hustle 22 on April 21. He needed 12 bolts to put his back together. Upon his recovery, he hoped to return to TV comedy, after completing his degree at the prestigious Doshisha University, Sumitani got a job at CO-OP KOBE, as a grocery delivery man. His desire to pursue a career as a professional comedian led him to quit his job after four months, Razor Ramon made their TV debut in 1999 and won the Judges Special Award in the ABC Owarai Grand-Prix in 2000. Both Sumitani and Izubuchi joined the Yoshimoto Kogyo-produced program Yoshimoto Shin-kigeki in 2001, often playing yakuza, salaryman, udon restaurant owners, construction workers, a character developed and portrayed by Sumitani is Hard Gay. The term Hādo Gei is a Japanese reference to American gay subculture in similar fashion to punk, in Japan, gender subculture with distinct dress style are in fact transgender or drag, which in Japan is referred to as Gei ゲイ. In turn, the term hard gay became the reference to more masculine oriented drag seen to be prevalent in America. The fact that Hard Gay does not portray any Japanese gay subculture also explains why the sketch was allowed to be aired on Japanese TV, the official name is Razor Ramon HG. According to some accounts the name Hard Gay was the suggestion of Sumitani’s senior comedian in the Yoshimoto Kogyo group, Kendo Kobayashi, the name has also been described as a pun on 芸, gei, which means skill or art. Hard Gay makes regular use of a number of catchphrases in his act, he makes his entrance in front of the camera shouting Dōmō Haadogei desu, with arms thrust out. His self-introduction is then followed by his dance moves and he often shouts Hoooooo or Foohhhh. A running joke in his performances and he often stops people saying unfavorable things to him by shouting Sei sei sei sei sei with his palm in front of the person’s face
29.
Yokozuna (wrestler)
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Rodney Agatupu Anoaʻi was an American professional wrestler who is best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation where he wrestled under the ring name Yokozuna. Although the Yokozuna character was portrayed as a sumo wrestler. Though Yokozuna wrestled as a representative of Japan, in real life Anoaʻi was Samoan American and was billed as hailing from Polynesia. However, he was managed by the Japanese character Mr. Fuji, who would follow Anoaʻi to the ring with a bucket of salt. In the WWF, Anoaʻi was a two-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion and two-time WWF Tag Team Champion and he was the third fastest newcomer after Brock Lesnar and Sheamus to win the WWF Championship after his WWF debut. Anoaʻi was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012, Anoaʻis career in professional wrestling began as he grew up in a family full of wrestlers, the Anoaʻi family. His uncles were The Wild Samoans, Afa and Sika, who trained him from an age in the family business. Anoaʻi took on the name of the Great Kokina while wrestling overseas in Japan and he also spent some time in Mexico learning the craft and gaining the experience necessary to be a star in the sport. He made a one time appearance for Jim Crockett Promotions on August 12,1987 when he faced Ron Simmons at a house show and his first major exposure in the United States came in the American Wrestling Association as Kokina Maximus. Wrestling as a Samoan superstar, he was managed by Sheik Adnan El Kassey, in storyline, he was responsible for the breaking of Greg Gagnes leg and ending his career. In 1992, Anoaʻi was contacted by Vince McMahon of the World Wrestling Federation, on an August 17,1992 episode of Prime Time Wrestling, the Samoans made their debut. Commentator Gorilla Monsoon made mention of another, larger Samoan that they would soon be seeing in the WWF, anoai would make his initial debut as Kokina in an untelevised match on September 1,1992 at a WWF Superstars taping in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Wrestling as Kokina, he defeated Ron Neal and this would be the only time that Anoa wrestled under his former gimmick. Shortly after he was offered a new gimmick, Yokozuna, managed by Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna debuted on the October 31,1992 edition of Superstars and portrayed a sumo wrestler competing under the Japanese flag. He made his debut at Survivor Series, easily defeating the much smaller Virgil with his huge weight advantage. Yokozunas career soon took off, and he headed into 1993s Royal Rumble and he eliminated Randy Savage to win the Royal Rumble match, cementing his movement towards main event status. Yokozuna was a competitor in the first ever match in Monday Night Raw history, defeating the much smaller Koko B. Ware with his signature finisher, the Banzai Drop. Soon after, Yokozuna was challenged by American patriot Hacksaw Jim Duggan, afterwards, Duggan was suffering from internal bleeding
30.
Kelly Kelly
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Barbara Jean Barbie Blank-Souray is an American model, former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name Kelly Kelly. Blank has a background in gymnastics and cheerleading and she studied broadcast journalism, hoping to become a television anchor, and worked as a model for Venus Swimwear and Hawaiian Tropic. In 2006, Blank was signed to a contract by WWE and sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling and she debuted on the ECW brand in June 2006 as Kelly Kelly, with the character of an exhibitionist and performing a striptease. She is a one-time WWE Divas Champion, holding the title for four months. Blank was born in Jacksonville, Florida, Blank was a fan of professional wrestling as a child, and cites Stone Cold Steve Austin as her favorite wrestler. While growing up, Blank participated in gymnastics for ten years, Blank studied broadcast journalism, hoping to become a news anchor. She was also a Hawaiian Tropic and Venus Swimwear bikini model, in 2006, while working as a model, Blank was scouted by World Wrestling Entertainment official John Laurinaitis, who was interested in signing her to a contract. As a result, WWE contacted her modeling agency and invited her to their territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling. Despite having no previous wrestling experience, she was offered a contract, one of her first matches took place at the September 6 television tapings, where she participated in a Divas battle royal, which was won by ODB. In late 2007, she also made appearance in Florida Championship Wrestling, Blank debuted for the ECW brand as Kelly Kelly. Originally, she was to be named just Kelly, but her name was expanded to Kelly Kelly by WWE chairman Vince McMahon. She made her debut on the first episode of ECW on June 13,2006 and her character, an exhibitionist, was introduced performing a striptease for the crowd. The next week, while performing another striptease, Kelly was interrupted by her boyfriend, Mike Knox. Originally a solo segment, Kelly was joined by the villainous Candice Michelle on the July 11 edition of ECW, Knox began forcing Kelly to accompany him to ringside so he could keep an eye on her, making her his de facto valet. During the next month, Kelly continuously flirted with Punk and was watching his matches from the crowd. Subsequently, Kellys character dressed as Punk for ECWs Halloween Costume Contest, enraging Knox and she returned to television on January 16,2007 and cut a promo announcing that she was newly single and bringing back Kellys Exposé. The following week, she joined Layla and Brooke to form Extreme Exposé, the trio performed a weekly dance segment on ECW for the next several months, as a successor to Kellys Exposé. In June 2007, The Miz was moved to the brand, on November 1, Brooke was released from her WWE contract, and Extreme Exposé dissolved as a group, leaving Kelly and Layla to enter an ongoing rivalry with more active wrestling roles
31.
WrestleMania XXVIII
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WrestleMania XXVIII was the twenty-eighth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by WWE. It took place on April 1,2012 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens and it is the highest grossing PPV event in professional wrestling history. There were eight matches on the events card, the main event, in which The Rock defeated John Cena, was advertised a year in advance. The match, and its yearlong buildup, was broadcast on NBC and later sent to DVD and Blu-Ray, collected under the title of The Rock vs John Cena, Once in a Lifetime. The match was included in WWE Best PPV Matches of 2012 as the Most Anticipated WrestleMania Match of All Time. Despite the Once in a Lifetime tagline, the two would wrestle each other again at WrestleMania 29 for the WWE Championship, with Cena emerging victorious, the city of Miami Gardens was one of the two major contenders to host WrestleMania XXVII along with Atlanta. Ultimately, in February 2010, Atlanta was awarded the right to host the event, however, the Miami area was reportedly considered for the next event due to its international ties, facilities, airports and experience of hosting previous major events. Bidding documents were sent to seventeen cities in consideration for hosting a WrestleMania event between 2012 and 2014, with fourteen replying in interest. Other cities under consideration for WrestleMania XXVIII included Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Toronto, Detroit, Tampa, Vancouver, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Orlando and Houston. The city of Dallas also showed interest but had to withdraw from bidding for the two years due to hosting events such as the NCAA Final Four. Miami was revelead as the site of WrestleMania on February 9,2011 by the The Miami Herald, WrestleMania XXVIII was the second Wrestlemania event that was hosted in the state of Florida, the fourth open-air event, and the third event to be held entirely outdoors. For hosting the event, WWE will received a $250,000 cash incentive from the Miami-Dade Sports Commission raised through grants, WrestleMania consisted of professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds or storylines that played out on WWEs primary television programs. Wrestlers portrayed villains or heroes as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. On the February 14,2011 episode of Raw, The Rock returned to as the host of WrestleMania XXVII He began a feud with John Cena, which continued for weeks in terms of verbal insults. On the March 28 episode of Raw, Cena delivered an Attitude Adjustment to the Rock after he fended off attacks from the Miz and Alex Riley. At WrestleMania XXVII, the Rock got involved in the main event WWE Championship match between Miz and Cena, which ended in a double count-out. After the match was restarted under no disqualifications, no count-outs rules, the next night on Raw, Cena challenged the Rock to a match, who accepted and proposed it to be held at WrestleMania XXVIII. Such intentions were thwarted by Cena losing the title against CM Punk at Money in the Bank in July
32.
Molly Holly
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Nora Kristina Benshoof is an American retired professional wrestler. She is best known for her appearances with the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment from 2000 to 2005 under the ring name Molly Holly and she is also known for her appearances with World Championship Wrestling as Miss Madness and Mona in 1999 to 2000. Holly began her wrestling career in WCW, where she also worked as a trainer. In 2000, Greenwald debuted in the then-WWF as part of The Holly Cousins stable and she was later aligned with The Hurricane. During her time with the WWF/WWE, Holly held the WWF Hardcore Championship once and she now serves as a female coach at The Academy School of Professional Wrestling in Minneapolis, Minnesota owned by Ken Anderson and Shawn Daivari. Greenwald was born in 1977 to Rick and Bonnie Greenwald, growing up, Greenwald had no plans to be a wrestler, but she was interested in appearing on American Gladiators while growing up. She trained to be a powerlifter from age 14 to age 18 and she also trained as a gymnast. Later, she began wrestling for fun, not because she wanted to be on TV, after she graduated from Forest Lake Area High School in 1996, Nora left home with $200 and a 65 Oldsmobile, which she drove from Minnesota to Florida. Before training as a wrestler, Greenwald was employed at a Subway restaurant, while working at Subway, it was suggested to Nora that she try out for wrestling, and out of curiosity, she did. Greenwald began training as a wrestler under Dean Malenko in Tampa and she debuted on August 2,1997 in the World Professional Wrestling Federation under the ring name Starla Saxton. Greenwald wrestled on the independent circuit throughout 1997 and 1998, winning two championships, on August 21,1998 she defeated Malia Hosaka to win the New Dimension Wrestling Womens Title, but lost it one day later back to Hosaka. K. In late 1999, she feuded with Brandi Alexander while wrestling in the Florida independent circuit. She debuted in WCW as Miss Madness, one of Randy Savages valets along with Gorgeous George, Savage asked Greenwald and Madusa to train his then-girlfriend Gorgeous George in real life, highlights of which were shown on WCW television. As part of the storyline, this alliance, called Team Madness. Behind the scenes, Greenwald and Madusa trained the other women of WCW at the WCW Power Plant, eventually, Savage betrayed Miss Madness by firing her from Team Madness along with Madusa after a championship loss. She then became Mona, a fan favorite, who wrestled in a cocktail dress. She embarked on mini-feuds with Madusa, Little Jeannie, and Asya, independent female wrestlers, such as Dee Dee Venturi and Brandi Alexander, were also brought in to wrestle Mona. WCW released Greenwald, however, in August 2000 in a cost-cutting move, upon signing a contract with the World Wrestling Federation, she was sent to their training ground in Memphis Championship Wrestling to work off ring-rust
33.
The Sandman (wrestler)
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Fullington has held the ECW World Heavyweight Championship a record 5 times. He also had stints in World Championship Wrestling, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, 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, in April 1992 he arrived in Eastern Championship Wrestling as a crowd favorite. He won his first ECW Championship from Don Muraco on November 16,1992, in the end of 1993 he changed his ring-name to the Sandman. In 1994, Sandman changed his gimmick after ECW owner Tod Gordon suggested that he channel his own personality into his character and he began a feud with his former tag team partner Tommy Cairo, after The Sandman was temporarily blinded following a match and inadvertently struck Peaches. When The Sandman regained his sight and saw Cairo assisting Peaches to her feet, the Sandman subsequently became estranged from his wife and adopted a new manager, Woman. In keeping with The Sandmans character, Woman would open his beers and she began carrying a Singapore cane with which she would strike The Sandmans opponents. After Cairo insinuated that he was sleeping with Peaches, The Sandman stated that Cairo owed him $25 a romp, following the highly publicized caning of Michael P. Sandman and Woman faced Cairo and Lori in a mixed Singapore Caning match on May 14,1994. After Cairo and Lori defeated their opponents, Lori caned Sandmans crotch until Woman threw salt in her eyes, enabling Sandman to regroup and use his cane on both Lori and Cairo. In late 1994, The Sandman was once again blinded after a lit cigarette was pushed into his eye during an I Quit match with Tommy Dreamer, Woman blamed Sandman for the injury and abandoned him. The Sandman subsequently claimed that he would have to retire as a result, Cairo began mocking The Sandman, which led to Dreamer heavily beating him during a match at November to Remember. At Sandmans retirement ceremony during the event, an attempted reconciliation with Lori was interrupted by Woman. As Dreamer came to the rescue, Sandman revealed that he was not in fact blinded and attacked Dreamer, the Sandman later revealed that his blinding had been an elaborate ruse concocted to trick Dreamer into hurting Cairo on his behalf. Sandman challenged Shane Douglas for the ECW Championship in April 1995, but was attacked by his own valet, Woman, in a rematch at Hostile City Showdown on April 15,1995, Sandman faced Douglas in a rematch. During the course of the match, Woman turned on the now overconfident Douglas and it was revealed that the entire sequence of events was a double-cross planned all along by Woman to aid Sandman while psychologically destroying Douglas in the process. Douglas attempted to regain the championship in the months. Sandmans feud with Cactus Jack lasted throughout 1995 and culminated in a series of matches involving barbed wire, in a Texas Death match in February 1995, Sandman was hit with a heavy metal frying pan, giving Fullington a legitimate concussion. This went on for about a minute before Cactus Jack delivered a legit maneuver, the referee also had to resort to making the ten-count at nearly double his original speed
34.
A.J. Styles
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Allen Neal Jones, best known by the ring name A. J. Styles, is an American professional wrestler signed to WWE on the SmackDown brand. Styles, who has long regarded as one of the worlds greatest professional wrestlers, is widely known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2002–2013. While in TNA, Styles held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times and the TNA World Heavyweight Championship twice and he was also the first X Division Champion, a title he held six times. Styles is the first professional wrestler ever to complete the TNA Triple Crown, in 2010, Styles became the first ever TNA-contracted wrestler to be ranked number one on the annual Pro Wrestling Illustrated PWI500 list. He simultaneously appeared in Ring of Honor from 2002–2006, winning the ROH World Tag Team Championship, in 2014, he signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first match with the company, later becoming the leader of the Bullet Club. He has also competed extensively on the independent circuit, winning titles such as the PWG World Championship, Styles first appeared in WWE in 2002, but turned down a developmental deal he was offered with the company. He signed a contract with WWE fourteen years later in January 2016. Also in 2016, both PWI and Wrestling Observer Newsletter voted Styles as the Wrestler of the Year, Jones was born in Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He grew up in poverty with an abusive, alcoholic father and he attended Johnson High School in Gainesville, Georgia, graduating in the class of 1996. He left college to try wrestling, entering a professional wrestling school because his friends were doing it. To supplement his income, he worked by mowing lawns and driving an ambulance, Jones was trained by Rick Michaels and debuted in 1998. In the Georgia-based National Championship Wrestling promotion he wrestled as Mr. Olympia, by August 1999, he had won the promotions Television Championship. From 1999 to 2001, he competed in less notable independent promotions, in December 1999, NCW merged with NWA Georgia to form NWA Wildside, and Jones was renamed A. J. He appeared sporadically even after signing with NWA-TNA, and is a former NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion, on October 26,2001, Styles participated in All Pro Wrestlings King of Indies tournament. He defeated Jardi Frantz in his first round match, but was eliminated by Christopher Daniels in the finals the following night. Later that night, Styles defeated Josh Mathews in a match taped for XWF television, the following night, Styles was defeated by Daniels, again in a match taped for the XWF television program. On April 7, Styles teamed with Chuck E. Chaos to face Jerry Lynn, on April 10, Styles faced Lynn and Nova in a three-way-dance, in a losing effort
35.
Jeff Hardy
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Hardy is best known for his work during his first run in the World Wrestling Federation, later renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment, and he also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Before gaining prominence in WWE, Hardy performed for the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts, after being signed by WWE, the brothers worked as enanchment talents, before gaining notoriety in the tag team division, partly due to their participation in Tables, Ladders and Chairs matches. With the addition of Lita, the became known as Team Xtreme. As a tag team wrestler, Hardy is a world tag team champion – all with his brother Matt. On the independent circuit, Jeff was also one-half of the OMEGA Tag Team Champions with Matt in their second reign and one-half of the The Crash Tag Team Champions with Matt in their first reign. As a singles wrestler, Hardy is a world champion. Between WWE, TNA, and ROH, Hardy has won 25 total championships, Hardy is involved in motocross, music, painting, and other artistic endeavors. He is currently a member of the band PeroxWhy. Gen, Jeff Hardy is the son of Gilbert and Ruby Moore Hardy, and the younger brother of Matt Hardy. Their mother died of cancer in 1986, when Hardy was nine. He developed an interest in motocross aged 12 and got his first bike and he had his first race when he was in ninth grade. Hardy played baseball as a child, but had to stop after he crashed during a motocross race and he also played football during high school as a fullback and linebacker. He briefly competed in wrestling in high school. He had to stop playing football in school, after he was ordered to pick between professional wrestling and football, and he chose wrestling. Hardys favorite subjects in school were U. S. history and art, Hardy, along with his brother Matt and friends, started their own federation, the Trampoline Wrestling Federation and mimicked the moves they saw on television. Later on, the TWF went under different names, eventually being integrated into a county fair in North Carolina. The brothers and their friends began to work for other independent companies. They drove all over the East Coast of the United States, working for such as ACW. Before arriving in the WWF, Jeff and Matt formed their own wrestling promotion, the promotion was a more successful version of the original TWF and included talent such as both Hardy brothers, Shannon Moore, Gregory Helms, Joey Matthews, and Steve Corino, among others
36.
Chris Jericho
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Jericho is known for his over-the-top, rockstar persona. He also found success while performing for international promotions in countries such as Canada, Japan. He is also the ninth Triple Crown Champion, as well as the fourth Grand Slam Champion in WWE history, Jericho is a six-time world champion, having won the WWF Championship once, the WCW/World Championship twice, and WWEs World Heavyweight Championship three times. He is also a record nine-time Intercontinental Champion, beating out four other contenders in a 2013 WWE fan poll to determine the greatest champion in history with a landslide 63% of the vote. Jericho has headlined multiple pay-per-view events during his time with the company, baltimore Sun writer Kevin Eck wrote that Jericho has proved to be one of best all-around performers in the business, particularly regarded as one of the very best talkers. Outside of professional wrestling, Jericho became the lead vocalist of the band Fozzy in 1999, Jericho also competed in the 2011 series of Dancing With the Stars, lasting until the sixth week. Prior to this, he hosted the ABC game show Downfall, Irvine was born in Manhasset, New York. His father, ice hockey player Ted Irvine, had relocated there to play for the New York Rangers, when his father retired, they moved back to Winnipeg, Manitoba. In addition to Hart, Irvine also cited Ricky The Dragon Steamboat and he also took a course in creative communication at Red River Community College in Winnipeg, where he graduated with top honors. At age 19, he entered the Hart Brothers School of Wrestling and he was trained by Ed Langley and local Calgary wrestler Brad Young. The pair then worked as a tag team, initially called Sudden Impact and he took the name Jericho from an album, Walls of Jericho, by German power metal band, Helloween. Jericho and Storm worked for Tony Condello in the tours of Northern Manitoba with Adam Copeland, Jason Reso, the pair also wrestled in Calgarys Canadian National Wrestling Alliance and Canadian Rocky Mountain Wrestling. In 1991, Jericho and Storm started touring in Japan for Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling as Sudden Impact, where he befriended Ricky Fuji, who also trained under Stu Hart. In CMLL, Jericho took on Silver King, Negro Casas, after leaving Mexico, Jericho wrestled in Hamburg, Germany for six weeks as part of a tournament run by Rene Lasartesse. In late 1994, Jericho began competing regularly in Japan for Genichiro Tenryus Wrestling, in November 1994, Último Dragón defeated him for the NWA World Middleweight Championship, which he had won while wrestling in Mexico. In March 1995, Jericho lost to Gedo in the final of a tournament to crown the inaugural WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship and he defeated Gedo for the championship in June 1995, losing it to Último Dragón the next month. In December 1995, Jericho competed in the second Super J-Cup tournament, in 1996, Jericho joined the villain stable Fuyuki-Gun with Hiromichi Fuyuki, Gedo, and Jado, adopting the name Lion Do. The stable was nicknamed Team No Respect for its members brash mannerisms, in February 1996, Jericho and Gedo won a tournament for the newly created International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, defeating Lance Storm and Yuji Yasuraoka in the final
37.
Diving
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Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, usually while performing acrobatics. Diving is a recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime, Diving is one of the most popular Olympic sports with spectators. Competitors possess many of the characteristics as gymnasts and dancers, including strength, flexibility, kinaesthetic judgment. Some professional divers were originally gymnasts or dancers as both the sports have similar characteristics to diving, dmitri Sautin holds the record for most Olympic diving medals won, by winning eight medals in total between 1992 and 2008. Although diving has been a popular pastime across the world since ancient times, the exact origins of the sport are unclear, though it likely derives from the act of diving at the start of swimming races. The 1904 book Swimming by Ralph Thomas notes English reports of plunging records dating back to at least 1865. The 1877 edition to British Rural Sports by John Henry Walsh makes note of a Mr. Young plunging 56 feet in 1870, and also states that 25 years prior, the English Amateur Swimming Association first started a plunging championship in 1883. The Plunging Championship was discontinued in 1937, Diving into a body of water had also been a method used by gymnasts in Germany and Sweden since the early 19th century. The soft landing allowed for more elaborate gymnastic feats in midair as the jump could be made at a greater distance and this tradition evolved into fancy diving, while diving as a preliminary to swimming became known as Plain diving. The event consisted of standing and running dives from either 15 or 30 feet and it was at this event that the Swedish tradition of fancy diving was introduced to the sport by the athletes Otto Hagborg and C F Mauritzi. Fancy diving was introduced into the championship in 1903. Plain diving was first introduced into the Olympics at the 1904 event, the 1908 Olympics in London added fancy diving and introduced elastic boards rather than fixed platforms. Women were first allowed to participate in the events for the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. In the 1928 Olympics, plain and fancy diving was amalgamated into one event – Highboard Diving, the diving event was first held indoors in the Empire Pool for the 1934 British Empire Games and 1948 Summer Olympics in London. Most diving competitions consist of three disciplines,1 m and 3 m springboards, and the platform, competitive athletes are divided by gender, and often by age group. In platform events, competitors are allowed to perform their dives on either the five, seven, in major diving meets, including the Olympic Games and the World Championships, platform diving is from the 10 meter height. Divers have to perform a set number of dives according to established requirements, a possible score out of ten is broken down into three points for the takeoff, three for the flight, and three for the entry, with one more available to give the judges flexibility
38.
The Great Sasuke
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Masanori Murakawa, is a Japanese professional wrestler and politician who is best known by his stage name The Great Sasuke, as well as a former Iwate Prefectural Assembly legislator. He has wrestled in Japan and in the United States in various wrestling promotions. He is said to have a tolerance for pain, mainly in reference to the injuries he has had including a cracked skull on two occasions. In his early career, Murakawa wrestled under the name Masa Michinoku, Masa, from his given name Masanori, and Michinoku, after the alternate name for his Japanese home region, Tōhoku. Taka Michinoku adopted a similar gimmick to parody him, later, on a tour of Mexico, Murakawa adopted the mask, uniform, and name Ninja Sasuke. This was the predecessor to the Great Sasuke gimmick he would adopt upon returning to Japan, Murakawa is also the owner, and founder, of Michinoku Pro Wrestling, the first Japanese independent promotion not to be based around the Tokyo area. Instead, it was centered around the area of Honshu Island. The 2 prefectures in the area of Honshu are Iwate Prefecture. As part of an agreement between Michinoku Pro Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, The Great Sasuke was part of the tournament to crown the first WWF Light Heavyweight Champion in 1997. In 1998 he and Tiger Mask began feuding with the clones of their respective gimmicks, Masked Tiger. In 1999 he won the NWA World Middleweight Championship vacated by old rival Ultimo Dragon, in 2002, Sasuke briefly turned heel and started using the name SASUKE, using blue stripes on his mask instead of the red stripes. However, he turned face when Jinsei Shinzaki brought him back from the dark side by exorcising the evil out of him. Sasuke still currently wrestles in Michinoku Pro Wrestling, although he left the running of the promotion to Shinzaki in 2003 to focus on his political career. In 2003 he lost the NWA title to Ultimo Dragon, who vacated it and returned the belt to CMLL in Mexico. On April 15,2011, Sasuke returned to the United States to wrestle for Chikara in the 2011 King of Trios tournament, in their first round match Team Michinoku Pro defeated Team Minnesota. The following day, Team Michinoku Pro defeated Jigsaw, Manami Toyota, on April 17, Team Michinoku Pro was eliminated from the tournament in the semifinal stage by F. I. S. T. At the end of 2013, Sasuke took part in the classic Great Space War match and he then called out the Brahman Brothers and said he knew they were attempting to protect the Earth like him, and asked them to join him to fight for the greater good. This led to the creation of Mu no Taiyo, a stable with Sasuke posing as the mystic leader of the group
39.
Tamina Snuka
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Sarona Moana-Marie Reiher Snuka-Polamalu is an American professional wrestler and actress currently signed to WWE under the brand Smackdown and the ring name Tamina. Snuka first became involved in wrestling after she received the first Lia Maivia Scholarship to train at the Wild Samoan Training Center in Minneola. The next week on the May 31 episode of Raw, Tamina and The Usos introduced themselves and stated that the Hart Dynasty were in the place at the wrong time. On June 20 at Fatal 4-Way, Tamina and the Usos were defeated by the Hart Dynasty in a mixed tag team match. Two weeks later on the June 21 episode of Raw, Tamina made her singles debut against Natalya, on the July 12 episode of Raw, Tamina and The Usos won their first match by defeating The Hart Dynasty in a six-person mixed tag team match. At the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, Tamina accompanied The Usos to a tag match against The Hart Dynasty. On the July 26 episode of Raw, Tamina, along with Jimmy Uso accompanied Jey Uso to a match against Randy Orton. On the August 9 episode of Raw, Tamina began flirting with Santino Marella, on the September 27 episode of Raw, Tamina competed in a Divas battle royal to determine the number one contender to the WWE Divas Championship, which was ultimately won by Natalya. On the October 11 episode of Raw, Tamina joined Santino Marella after his victory over Zack Ryder and celebrated with him. A few weeks later on the November 8 episode of Raw, Tamina teamed with Alicia Fox and Maryse in a Diva Cup Match in an effort to Eve Torres. On the November 15 episode of Raw, Tamina accompanied The Usos to a number one tag team match against Santino Marella. Tamina made an appearance with Marella and Kozlov on the November 22 episode of Raw. On the December 20 episode of Raw, Tamina teamed with Marella in a tag team match in a winning effort against Maryse. The next week on the December 27 episode of Raw, Snuka accompanied Marella to a win against Ted DiBiase, on the January 3 episode of Raw, Tamina accompanied Marella and Vladimir Kozlov in a tag team match against The Usos in a losing effort. A week later on SmackDown, Tamina and Fox again defeated AJ and Kaitlyn, on the June 13 episode of Superstars, Tamina competed in a six-Diva tag team match with Alicia Fox and Rosa Mendes in a losing effort to AJ, Kaitlyn and Natalya. Tamina then began appearing on the season of NXT Redemption. On the November 2 episode of NXT Redemption, Tamina would lose again in a rematch against Kaitlyn, Tamina would then begin an on-screen relationship with JTG, becoming his valet. She accompanied him on the November 9 episode of NXT Redemption in an effort against Jimmy Uso
40.
Big Van Vader
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Leon Allen White, better known by his ring name Big Van Vader, or simply Vader, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and former professional football player. White wrestled as a heavyweight wrestler capable of aerial maneuvers such as the Vadersault. Although he never held a championship in the WWF, White challenged for all of the heavyweight titles, including multiple WWF Championship matches on pay-per-view. White was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996, White was born in Lynwood, California, and grew up in Compton, California. His father was a US Marine, while attending Los Angeles Bell High School, he competed in shotput on the track and field team, wrestled, and played football. White was a nationally ranked center who was recruited by forty colleges and he played offensive line at the University of Colorado, where he became a two-time All-American and earned a business administration degree. In the 1978 NFL Draft, White was drafted as a center by the Los Angeles Rams with the 24th pick of the 3rd Round. During Whites first season, he was put on the reserve list. He was forced to retire after only a couple of seasons due to a ruptured patella, while working out at a gym, White was spotted by a man who remembered him from his college football days who suggested he look into professional wrestling. Trained by Brad Rheingans, White got his first national exposure in the American Wrestling Association and he went by the moniker Baby Bull, which was later changed to Bull Power. Although originally signed to All Japan Pro Wrestling, AJPW owner Giant Baba traded Whites contract over to New Japan Pro Wrestling in 1987 after consideration, upon joining NJPW, White was given the ring name Big Van Vader and began to wear a black wrestling mask. His new identity was based on a warrior of the same name from Japanese folklore. He was introduced as the jewel of the Takeshi Puroresu Gundan stable that was managed by Takeshi Kitano. After a match where Riki Choshu had challenged Antonio Inoki in an effort, Vader demanded a match with the already worn down Inoki. After winning the match of an eight-man tournament against Shinya Hashimoto. He was the first gaijin wrestler to hold the title, on May 25, one month after being crowned champion, Vader lost the title to Russian suplex master Salman Hashimikov. Hashimikov dropped the title to Vaders old rival, Riki Choshu, on August 10, Vader defeated Choshu to become a two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Shortly after winning the title again, White traveled to Europe, again using the name Bull Power and he continued to travel between Japan and Europe, defending his titles
41.
AJ Lee
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April Jeanette AJ Mendez Brooks, better known by her ring name AJ Lee, is an American retired professional wrestler. She is best known for her time in WWE, Mendez began her professional wrestling career on the New Jersey independent circuit in 2007, where she performed as Miss April, notably in Women Superstars Uncensored. She signed with WWE in 2009 and spent two years in its system, Florida Championship Wrestling, before she was called up to the main roster. Meanwhile, she took part in three of NXT in 2010 and placed third in the competition. In subsequent years, she won the Divas Championship a record-tying three times and held the title for a record of 406 days. She also won the Diva of the Year Slammy Award twice and she retired from in-ring competition in 2015. April Jeanette Mendez was born in Union City, New Jersey and she is of Puerto Rican descent, and has two older siblings, a sister, Erica, and brother, Robert. She has described her familys experience while growing up as having to live in motels, other peoples houses and her brothers childhood interest in the World Wrestling Federation influenced her ambition to pursue a professional wrestling career, which she cemented when she was 12 years old. She was inspired by the WWFs female stars, especially Lita, footage of the encounter, which shows the young Mendez being brought to tears, aired on an episode of SmackDown. in July 2001. As an homage to her brother, who was in the U. S. Army, after graduating from Memorial High School in 2005, Mendez worked several part-time jobs in order to save up the money she needed to both support her family and enroll in wrestling school. Shortly after leaving university, Mendez enrolled in a school one mile away from her house. She worked full-time to pay the tuition and started training in March 2007 under Jay Lethal and she debuted on September 29,2007, under the ring name Miss April, wrestling on the New Jersey independent circuit. Miss April joined the New Jersey-based promotion Women Superstars Uncensored in October 2008, on April 11, Miss April and Jay Lethal won the 2009 WSU/NWS King and Queen of the Ring tournament, defeating Jana and Danny Demanto in the final. In May, she left WSU upon signing with WWE and vacated her half of the WSU Tag Team Championships, Mendez signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment in May 2009, after she took part in a tryout camp that she paid US$1,500 to attend. She was assigned to Florida Championship Wrestling, WWEs developmental territory, shortly thereafter, her name was changed to AJ Lee. In February 2010, AJ defeated Serena Mancini to win the Queen of FCW title, in November, AJ lost the Queen of FCW title to Rosa Mendes. AJ then defeated Naomi for the FCW Divas Championship in December and she held the championship until April 2011, when she lost it to Aksana. On August 31,2010, AJ was announced as one of the six participants in the third season of NXT
42.
Nikki Bella
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Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace is an American professional wrestler, actress, and model signed to WWE under the ring name Nikki Bella, performing on the SmackDown brand. She made her debut on SmackDown in November 2008, Bella is a two-time WWE Divas Champion. Her second reign is recognized as the longest in the history at 301 days. Bella ranked No.1 in Pro Wrestling Illustrateds Female 50 in November 2015 and she also won the award for Choice Female Athlete alongside her sister at the Teen Choice Awards in 2016. Born sixteen minutes before her sister, Brianna, to parents Jon Garcia and Kathy Colace, Garcia-Colace was born in San Diego, California and raised on a farm in Scottsdale. She is of Mexican and Italian descent, keen soccer enthusiasts, she along with her twin sister played for the Scottsdale club in elementary school. She graduated from Chaparral High School in 2002 and she then started modeling, acting, and doing promotional work. She made her first national TV appearance on the Fox reality show Meet My Folks, following this appearance, the Garcia twins were hired to be the World Cup Twins for Budweiser and were photographed holding the World Cup trophy. Nikki and her sister Brie were contestants in the 2006 International Body Doubles twins search, Nikki and Brie later participated in the 2006 WWE Diva Search, but they did not make the cut. On September 15,2007, the made their in-ring debut. Dubbed The Bella Twins, they defeated Nattie Neidhart and Krissy Vaine with Victoria Crawford as the special guest referee and she quickly started a scripted rivalry with Neidhart and Crawford, and had a series of matches against them throughout October 2007. As a part of her personas, she and her sister Brie would switch places behind the referees back if one of them was hurt. She also occasionally competed in mixed tag matches, teaming with male wrestlers including Kofi Kingston. She also made some non-wrestling appearances on Heath Millers Happy Hour promo segment, starting in December 2007, she managed Derrick Linkin, but this storyline was cut short when Linkin was released in January 2008. She and Brie then resumed their feud with Neidhart and Crawford, after Neidhart was called up to the WWE roster in April 2008, Milena Roucka took her place in the feud. Nikki also competed in contests, and wrestled against other competitors including Katie Lea Burchill. Nikkis last FCW appearance was on September 2, when she competed in a Divas battle royal won by Miss Angela, on the August 29,2008 episode of SmackDown, Brianna debuted as Brie Bella and defeated Victoria. She quickly began a rivalry with Victoria and Victorias accomplice, Natalya
43.
WrestleMania 31
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WrestleMania 31 was the thirty-first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by WWE. It took place on March 29,2015, at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, nine matches took place at the event, with two being shown on the pre-show. The event was notable for Stings debut match in WWE and only WrestleMania match. The event received positive reviews from fans and critics alike. WWE reported that the show was the highest grossing WWE event ever, the company also claimed an attendance figure of 76,976. WrestleMania is considered WWEs flagship event, and has described as the Super Bowl of sports entertainment. The logo for the event included a red play button, according to a San Jose Mercury News article, Vince McMahon explained that the play button highlighted the technical prowess of Silicon Valley. There were two songs for the event. The main theme was Rise by David Guetta featuring Skylar Grey, while the theme was Money. The event included musical performances from Skylar Grey, Kid Ink, Travis Barker. Grammy Award winner LL Cool J appeared in the video package for the event. Travel Packages for the event went on sale on September 29 with the exclusive California Dreamin Travel Package ranging from $5,500, individual tickets went on sale on November 15 ranging from $35 to $1,000. It was the first WrestleMania event to be held in the San Francisco Bay Area, the sixth to be held in the state of California, the professional wrestling matches at WrestleMania 31 featured professional wrestlers performing as characters in scripted events pre-determined by the hosting promotion, WWE. Storylines between the characters played out on WWEs primary television programs, Raw and SmackDown, at the Royal Rumble, Brock Lesnar successfully defended his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena and Mr. Money in the Bank Seth Rollins in a triple threat match. Meanwhile, Roman Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble match to face Lesnar for the title at WrestleMania, on the February 2 episode of Raw, Reigns agreed to put his number one contendership on the line in a match at Fastlane. Later that night, Daniel Bryan defeated Rollins to face Reigns at the event, at Fastlane, Reigns defeated Bryan to ensure his title shot against Lesnar at WrestleMania. It was acknowledged in the storylines that Lesnars contract was set to not long after WrestleMania. Under a week before the event amid speculation that he would return to UFC, Lesnar signed a new WWE contract and retired from mixed martial arts
44.
Pin (professional wrestling)
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A pinfall is a victory condition in various forms of professional wrestling that is met by holding an opponents shoulders on the wrestling mat, usually till the referee counts to three. In professional wrestling, a pinfall is a method of winning a match. The purpose of a maneuver is to hold the opponents shoulders against the mat for a count of three. The count is if the opponent manages to raise one or both of his shoulders off of the mat, commonly by kicking out. In some positions, a wrestler may bridge to put more of their weight on the opponent or to prop themselves up from being pinned. Sometimes, a wrestler may hook the opponents tights for extra leverage. The attacking wrestler stands back-to-back with their opponent and hooks both of the opponents arms and they then lean forward and drop to their knees, sliding the opponent down their back so that their shoulders are against the mat and their chin is against their chest. The attacker holds the arms down with their own arms for the pin. Also known as a press, cross press, or simply as the basic pin. With an opponent lying face-up on the mat, the wrestler lies face-down across the opponents chest to hold them down. Sometimes, when both wrestlers are exhausted or badly hurt the attacking wrestler will cover with just an arm or lie down face up rather than face down. The term floatover refers to a wrestler using the momentum of a throw or slam they are performing to propel themselves over the opponent into the lateral press position. A variation commonly used by WWE superstar The Undertaker sees the cross the opponents arms across their chest. This can be called a Rest In Peace pin, the attacking wrestler lies across the opponents chest and hooks a leg with the arm on the opposite side. Holding the leg gives the attacker greater leverage and makes it harder for the opponent to kick out and this was derived from the inside cradle and outside cradle in amateur wrestling. An attacking wrestler hooks the arms of an opponent, by grapevining their legs around one arm and this positions the attacking wrestler horizontally across the back of the opponent and forces the opponents arms out like a crucifixion. The attacking wrestler then lowers their bodyweight so that the opponent is brought down to the mat backwards and is forced on to his own shoulders in a position with his legs in the air. The Delfin Clutch has an attacking wrestler crossing the arms of the opponent across their own chest while lying on their back on the mat
45.
Eddie Guerrero
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Eduardo Gory Eddie Guerrero Llanes, was an American professional wrestler and a member of the Guerrero wrestling family. Guerreros gimmick was that of Latino Heat, a crafty, resourceful wrestler who would do anything to win a match. I Steal. and was used in one of his themes, he partly used this phrase in the title of his 2005 autobiography, Cheating Death. He experienced various substance abuse problems, including alcoholism and an addiction to painkillers, Guerrero spent his early career while wrestling in Mexican promotions and forming a popular tag team with Art Barr. After the death of Barr, Guerrero received his first mainstream exposure in the United States in 1995 by joining ECW, later that year, Guerrero moved to WCW, where he became WCW United States Champion, WCW Crusierweight Champion and led the Latino World Order. He left WCW in 2000 after the failed to elevate him to a main event spot. He moved to WWF with his WCW colleagues Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn, Guerrero went on to win the WWF European Championship and WWF Intercontinental Championship before he was released in 2001 due to addiction issues. After being rehired in 2002, he formed Los Guerreros with his nephew Chavo, winning the WWE Tag Team Championship and he climbed to main event status and won the WWE Championship, his sole world championship at No Way Out 2004. He lost the title later that year but remained a main eventer until his untimely death on November 13,2005. Guerrero left an impact and legacy on the wrestling industry as one of the best wrestlers of his generation. He was posthumously inducted into the WWE, AAA, Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Guerrero was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, where he graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1985. He attended the University of New Mexico, and then New Mexico Highlands University on an athletic scholarship and it was there that Guerrero entered collegiate wrestling before moving to Mexico to train as a professional wrestler. He followed in the footsteps of his brothers and father, who wrestled in Mexico. As a boy, he would attend the wrestling promotions held by his father Gory Guerrero at the El Paso County Coliseum, Guerreros father allowed him and his nephew Chavo to wrestle each other during intermissions. Guerrero began wrestling as the original Mascara Magica in CMLL until his departure in 1992 and he then left the company to pursue a career with AAA. Although the Mascara Magica gimmick was popular, CMLL owned the rights to the character, Guerrero then appeared on a televised AAA show as Mascara Magica, only to then unmask himself along with the aide of his tag team partner that night, Octagón. He was the first luchador to voluntarily unmask and was also physically attacked by the opposing tag team for doing so. In Mexico, he wrestled mainly for Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, teaming with El Hijo del Santo as the new version of La Pareja Atómica, the tag team of Gory Guerrero and El Santo
46.
Daniel Hollie
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Daniel R. Danny Holle is an American professional wrestler, currently working on the independent circuit. Holle made his debut in Ohio Valley Wrestling, as the Damaja. On January 6,1999, he and David C. were awarded the OVW Tag Title when Nick Dinsmore no-showed and he was also a three-time OVW Champion, defeating the likes of Dinsmore, Flash Flanagan, and Nova. In 2000 Danny Holle made a few appearances on WWF Jakked, in 2003, he was given the managerial services of Tough Enough II winner Shaniqua. In late 2002 through early 2003 Hollie worked dark matches before the Raw and SmackDown tapings under his OVW gimmick and ring name, on May 29,2003, Danny made his WWE television debut, teaming with Doug Basham to form the heel tag team, the Basham Brothers. The Bashams were later aligned with the valet, Shaniqua, as well as being portrayed with a bondage-based S&M gimmick, the brothers often switched places mid-match, so the fresher wrestler was always in the ring. After they switched places behind the back, and hit Eddie Guerrero with a foreign object. The team lost the titles in February 2004 to Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty, the Basham Brothers and Shaniqua faced Scotty 2 Hotty and Rikishi at No Way Out 2004 in a handicapped match for the tag team titles but lost when Shaniqua was pinned. Right after this match, Shaniqua was sent to OVW for training and was eventually released, the Basham Brothers joined John Bradshaw Layfields cabinet stable on November 25,2004. They were known as JBLs Co-Secretaries of Defense, the Basham Brothers lost the titles to Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero at No Way Out on February 20,2005. From here on, The Bashams either acted as jobbers on SmackDown, or defeated any team that came in their path on Velocity. The Basham Brothers quit Layfields Cabinet on the June 16 episode of SmackDown, claiming that they were tired of being JBLs crash test dummies and not getting enough respect. On June 30,2005 Basham became one of the trades in the 2005 WWE Draft. This marked the end of the partnership with his twin brother, on the July 18 episode of Raw, Basham made his first appearance on the Raw brand as one of Chris Jerichos hand picked lumberjacks in the Lumberjack match between John Cena and Gene Snitsky. Danny came out with new music, black paint, and ring attire consisting of black boots and baggy black pants with hooks. On November 18,2006, Hollie made a return when OVW owner Danny Davis introduced Danny Basham as the OVW TroubleShooter. On March 7,2007, The Basham Brothers returned to OVW and defeated Wyatt Young, Hollie has been wrestling under the ring name The Damaja. Hollie and Doug Basham reunited in WWEs revived ECW brand during July 2006 at several shows before becoming on-screen unnamed masked Security Enforcers for ECW leader Paul Heyman
47.
La Fiera
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Arturo Casco Hernández was a Mexican luchador, or professional wrestler who was best known under the ring name La Fiera, which is Spanish for The Beast. Hernández was a second generation wrestler, following in the footsteps of his father Hércules Poblano and his brother wrestled as Ángel Poblano. Fiera held the NWA World Welterweight Championship from October 23,1981 when he defeated Lizmark for the title until July 18,1982 when he lost the championship to Américo Rocca. He would later hold the NWA World Middleweight Championship, defeating Gran Hamada on November 18,1984, holding it until July 20,1985 when he lost the belt to Chamaco Valaguez. and Sangre Chicana. The team was forced to vacate the title in 1997 when Héctor Garza left the promotion, La Fiera had been in semi-retirement since the early 2000s. During this final period of his career he wrestled only on a few select dates a year and he died on September 12,2010 after being stabbed five times
48.
Art Barr
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Arthur Leon Art Barr was an American professional wrestler. While he wrestled briefly for World Championship Wrestling, he found his greatest success in Mexicos Asistencia Asesoría y Administración promotion, while growing up, Barr became friends with Roddy Piper during Pipers stint in the Oregonian independent circuit. While attending Oregon State University, Barr became an amateur wrestler, having become a four-time district champion. However, he dropped out of college to tend to his first wife when she became pregnant. On April 2,1987, Barr debuted in the Pacific Northwest Wrestling territory, about a year and a half later, at the suggestion of Roddy Piper, he began wrestling as Beetlejuice, based on the title character of the 1988 movie. The character, wearing face paint and flour in his hair, was a fan favorite. On July 16,1989, Barr had an encounter with a 19-year-old girl after a PNW card in Pendelton, Oregon. Barr continued to wrestle as Beetlejuice, despite the charges and the attention brought to him and PNW by the Portland Oregonian. A year later, Barr was polygraphed as part of the investigation, during which he admitted the girl did not consent. Barr worked a plea-bargain, and was convicted of sexual abuse. He was fined $1,000, placed on two years probation, and sentenced to 180 hours of community service, but served no jail time. Barr always maintained that he would have beaten the case in court, also if he lost, the bad publicity would harm the local wrestling business, driving away customers. After the trial, Barrs license to wrestle in Oregon was not renewed, about this time, a tape of Barr as Beetlejuice was sent to the offices of WCW president Jim Herd. WCW was even with WWF in adult demographics, but was losing badly among the child demographics, Herd decided to hire Barr, even though booker Ole Anderson thought Barr was too small to work in the company. Barr joined World Championship Wrestling in 1990 and was renamed The Juicer in order to avoid copyright conflicts, but he retained his character. Due to a campaign, his rape conviction followed him. After leaving WCW, Barr was brought into Mexicos Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre promotion by Konnan and he initially wrestled under a mask as The American Love Machine, and was very successful. A year after entering EMLL, the American Love Machine faced off against another masked wrestler, Blue Panther, in a mask versus mask match
