Mesothelioma, more precisely malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, the mesothelium. It is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.[1]
Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the heart,[2] the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart) or tunica vaginalis.
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. It has also been suggested that washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma.[3] Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking, but smoking greatly increases the risk of other asbestos-induced cancers.[4] Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma (see asbestos and the law).
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms or signs of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years (or more) after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space (pleural effusion) are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.
Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:
Chest wall pain
Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
Shortness of breath
Fatigue or anemia
Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)
In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The individual may develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.
Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:
Abdominal pain
Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
A mass in the abdomen
Problems with bowel function
Weight loss
In severe cases of the disease, the following signs and symptoms may be present:
Blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
Jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
Low blood sugar level
Pleural effusion
Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
Severe ascites
A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.
[edit] Diagnosis
CT scan of a patient with mesothelioma, coronal section (the section follows the plane that divides the body in a front and a back half). The mesothelioma is indicated by yellow arrows, the central pleural effusion (fluid collection) is marked with a yellow star. Red numbers: (1) right lung, (2) spine, (3) left lung, (4) ribs, (5) descending part of the aorta, (6) spleen, (7) left kidney, (8) right kidney, (9) liver.
Micrograph of a pleural fluid cytopathology specimen showing mesothelioma.
Micrographs showing mesothelioma in a core biopsy.Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history. A history of exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion for mesothelioma. A physical examination is performed, followed by chest X-ray and often lung function tests. The X-ray may reveal pleural thickening commonly seen after asbestos exposure and increases suspicion of mesothelioma. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI is usually performed. If a large amount of fluid is present, abnormal cells may be detected by cytopathology if this fluid is aspirated with a syringe. For pleural fluid, this is done by thoracentesis or tube thoracostomy (chest tube); for ascites, with paracentesis or ascitic drain; and for pericardial effusion with pericardiocentesis. While absence of malignant cells on cytology does not completely exclude mesothelioma, it makes it much more unlikely, especially if an alternative diagnosis can be made (e.g. tuberculosis, heart failure). Unfortunately, the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma by cytology alone is difficult, even with expert pathologists.
Generally, a biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. A doctor removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. Alternatively, the chest surgeon might directly open the chest (thoracotomy). If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a laparoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small incision in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
Immunohistochemical studies play an important role for the pathologist in differentiating malignant mesothelioma from neoplastic mimics. There are numerous tests and panels available. No single test is perfect for distinguishing mesothelioma from carcinoma or even benign versus malignant.
Typical immunohistochemistry results Positive Negative
EMA (epithelial membrane antigen) in a membranous distribution CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen)
WT1 (Wilms' tumour 1) B72.3
Calretinin MOC-3 1
Mesothelin-1 CD15
Cytokeratin 5/6 Ber-EP4
HBME-1 (human mesothelial cell 1) TTF-1 (thyroid transcription factor-1)
There are three histological types of malignant mesothelioma: (1) Epithelioid; (2) Sarcomatoid; and (3) Biphasic (Mixed). Epithelioid comprises about 50-60% of malignant mesothelioma cases and generally holds a better prognosis than the Sarcomatoid or Biphasic subtypes.[5]
[edit] Screening
There is no universally agreed protocol for screening people who have been exposed to asbestos. Screening tests might diagnose mesothelioma earlier than conventional methods thus improving the survival prospects for patients. The serum osteopontin level might be useful in screening asbestos-exposed people for mesothelioma. The level of soluble mesothelin-related protein is elevated in the serum of about 75% of patients at diagnosis and it has been suggested that it may be useful for screening.[6] Doctors have begun testing the Mesomark assay which measures levels of soluble mesothelin-related proteins (SMRPs) released by diseased mesothelioma cells.[7]
[edit] Staging
Staging of mesothelioma is based on the recommendation by the International Mesothelioma Interest Group.[8] TNM classification of the primary tumor, lymph node involvement, and distant metastasis is performed. Mesothelioma is staged Ia–IV (one-A to four) based on the TNM status.[8][9]
[edit] Pathophysiology
The mesothelium consists of a single layer of flattened to cuboidal cells forming the epithelial lining of the serous cavities of the body including the peritoneal, pericardial and pleural cavities. Deposition of asbestos fibers in the parenchyma of the lung may result in the penetration of the visceral pleura from where the fiber can then be carried to the pleural surface, thus leading to the development of malignant mesothelial plaques. The processes leading to the development of peritoneal mesothelioma remain unresolved, although it has been proposed that asbestos fibers from the lung are transported to the abdomen and associated organs via the lymphatic system. Additionally, asbestos fibers may be deposited in the gut after ingestion of sputum contaminated with asbestos fibers.
Pleural contamination with asbestos or other mineral fibers has been shown to cause cancer. Long thin asbestos fibers (blue asbestos, amphibole fibers) are more potent carcinogens than "feathery fibers" (chrysotile or white asbestos fibers).[10] However, there is now evidence that smaller particles may be more dangerous than the larger fibers. They remain suspended in the air where they can be inhaled, and may penetrate more easily and deeper into the lungs. "We probably will find out a lot more about the health aspects of asbestos from [the World Trade Center attack], unfortunately," said Dr. Alan Fein, chief of pulmonary and critical-care medicine at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System. Dr. Fein has treated several patients for "World Trade Center syndrome" or respiratory ailments from brief exposures of only a day or two near the collapsed buildings.[11]
Mesothelioma development in rats has been demonstrated following intra-pleural inoculation of phosphorylated chrysotile fibers. It has been suggested that in humans, transport of fibers to the pleura is critical to the pathogenesis of mesothelioma. This is supported by the observed recruitment of significant numbers of macrophages and other cells of the immune system to localized lesions of accumulated asbestos fibers in the pleural and peritoneal cavities of rats. These lesions continued to attract and accumulate macrophages as the disease progressed, and cellular changes within the lesion culminated in a morphologically malignant tumor.
Experimental evidence suggests that asbestos acts as a complete carcinogen with the development of mesothelioma occurring in sequential stages of initiation and promotion. The molecular mechanisms underlying the malignant transformation of normal mesothelial cells by asbestos fibers remain unclear despite the demonstration of its oncogenic capabilities. However, complete in vitro transformation of normal human mesothelial cells to malignant phenotype following exposure to asbestos fibers has not yet been achieved. In general, asbestos fibers are thought to act through direct physical interactions with the cells of the mesothelium in conjunction with indirect effects following interaction with inflammatory cells such as macrophages.
Analysis of the interactions between asbestos fibers and DNA has shown that phagocytosed fibers are able to make contact with chromosomes, often adhering to the chromatin fibers or becoming entangled within the chromosome. This contact between the asbestos fiber and the chromosomes or structural proteins of the spindle apparatus can induce complex abnormalities. The most common abnormality is monosomy of chromosome 22. Other frequent abnormalities include structural rearrangement of 1p, 3p, 9p and 6q chromosome arms.
Common gene abnormalities in mesothelioma cell lines include deletion of the tumor suppressor genes:
Neurofibromatosis type 2 at 22q12
P16INK4A
P14ARF
Asbestos has also been shown to mediate the entry of foreign DNA into target cells. Incorporation of this foreign DNA may lead to mutations and oncogenesis by several possible mechanisms:
Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes
Activation of oncogenes
Activation of proto-oncogenes due to incorporation of foreign DNA containing a promoter region
Activation of DNA repair enzymes, which may be prone to error
Activation of telomerase
Prevention of apoptosis
Asbestos fibers have been shown to alter the function and secretory properties of macrophages, ultimately creating conditions which favour the development of mesothelioma. Following asbestos phagocytosis, macrophages generate increased amounts of hydroxyl radicals, which are normal by-products of cellular anaerobic metabolism. However, these free radicals are also known clastogenic and membrane-active agents thought to promote asbestos carcinogenicity. These oxidants can participate in the oncogenic process by directly and indirectly interacting with DNA, modifying membrane-associated cellular events, including oncogene activation and perturbation of cellular antioxidant defences.
Asbestos also may possess immunosuppressive properties. For example, chrysotile fibres have been shown to depress the in vitro proliferation of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes, suppress natural killer cell lysis and significantly reduce lymphokine-activated killer cell viability and recovery. Furthermore, genetic alterations in asbestos-activated macrophages may result in the release of potent mesothelial cell mitogens such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor-? (TGF-?) which in turn, may induce the chronic stimulation and proliferation of mesothelial cells after injury by asbestos fibres.
[edit] Epidemiology
[edit] Incidence
Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. The incidence rate is approximately one per 1,000,000. The highest incidence is found in Britain, Australia and Belgium: 30 per 1,000,000 per year.[12] For comparison, populations with high levels of smoking can have a lung cancer incidence of over 1,000 per 1,000,000. Incidence of malignant mesothelioma currently ranges from about 7 to 40 per 1,000,000 in industrialized Western nations, depending on the amount of asbestos exposure of the populations during the past several decades.[13] It has been estimated that incidence may have peaked at 15 per 1,000,000 in the United States in 2004. Incidence is expected to continue increasing in other parts of the world. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. Approximately one fifth to one third of all mesotheliomas are peritoneal.
Between 1940 and 1979, approximately 27.5 million people were occupationally exposed to asbestos in the United States.[14] Between 1973 and 1984, the incidence of pleural mesothelioma among Caucasian males increased 300%. From 1980 to the late 1990s, the death rate from mesothelioma in the USA increased from 2,000 per year to 3,000, with men four times more likely to acquire it than women. These rates may not be accurate, since it is possible that many cases of mesothelioma are misdiagnosed as adenocarcinoma of the lung, which is difficult to differentiate from mesothelioma.
[edit] Risk factors
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma.[15] In the United States, asbestos is the major cause of malignant mesothelioma and has been considered "indisputably"[10] associated with the development of mesothelioma. Indeed, the relationship between asbestos and mesothelioma is so strong that many consider mesothelioma a “signal” or “sentinel” tumor.[16][17][18][19] A history of asbestos exposure exists in most cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. In rare cases, mesothelioma has also been associated with irradiation, intrapleural thorium dioxide (Thorotrast), and inhalation of other fibrous silicates, such as erionite. Some studies suggest that simian virus 40 (SV40) may act as a cofactor in the development of mesothelioma.[20]
[edit] Exposure
Asbestos was known in antiquity, but it wasn't mined and widely used commercially until the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not publicly known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the official position of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. EPA is that protections and "permissible exposure limits" required by U.S. regulations, while adequate to prevent most asbestos-related non-malignant disease, they are not adequate to prevent or protect against asbestos-related cancers such as mesothelioma.[21] Likewise, the British Government's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states formally that any threshold for mesothelioma must be at a very low level and it is widely agreed that if any such threshold does exist at all, then it cannot currently be quantified. For practical purposes, therefore, HSE assumes that no such "safe" threshold exists. Others have noted as well that there is no evidence of a threshold level below which there is no risk of mesothelioma.[22] There appears to be a linear, dose-response relationship, with increasing dose producing increasing disease.[23] Nevertheless, mesothelioma may be related to brief, low level or indirect exposures to asbestos.[10] The dose necessary for effect appears to be lower for asbestos-induced mesothelioma than for pulmonary asbestosis or lung cancer.[10] Again, there is no known safe level of asbestos to asbestos as it relates to increased risk of mesothelioma.
The duration of exposure to asbestos causing mesothelioma can be short. For example, cases of mesothelioma have been documented with only 1–3 months of exposure[24][25]. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
Latency, the time from first exposure to manifestation of disease, is prolonged in the case of mesothelioma. It is virtually never less than fifteen years and peaks at 30–40 years.[10] In a review of occupationally related mesothelioma cases, the median latency was 32 years.[26] Based upon the data from Peto et al, the risk of mesothelioma appears to increase to the third or fourth power from first exposure.[23]
[edit] Environmental exposures
Incidence of mesothelioma had been found to be higher in populations living near naturally occurring asbestos. For example, in central Cappadocia, Turkey, mesothelioma was causing 50% of all deaths in three small villages — Tuzk?y, Karain and Sar?h?d?r. Initially, this was attributed to erionite, a zeolite mineral with similar properties to asbestos, however, recently, detailed epidemiological investigation showed that erionite causes mesothelioma mostly in families with a genetic predisposition.[27][28] The documented presence of asbestos fibers in water supplies and food products has fostered concerns about the possible impact of long-term and, as yet, unknown exposure of the general population to these fibers.
[edit] Occupational
Exposure to asbestos fibers has been recognized as an occupational health hazard since the early 1900s. Numerous epidemiological studies have associated occupational exposure to asbestos with the development of pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening, asbestosis, carcinoma of the lung and larynx, gastrointestinal tumors, and diffuse malignant mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, gaskets, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation.
Commercial asbestos mining at Wittenoom, Western Australia, occurred between 1945 and 1966. A cohort study of miners employed at the mine reported that while no deaths occurred within the first 10 years after crocidolite exposure, 85 deaths attributable to mesothelioma had occurred by 1985. By 1994, 539 reported deaths due to mesothelioma had been reported in Western Australia.
[edit] Paraoccupational secondary exposure
Family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos related diseases.[29] This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibres, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.
[edit] Asbestos in buildings
Many building materials used in both public and domestic premises prior to the banning of asbestos may contain asbestos. Those performing renovation works or DIY activities may expose themselves to asbestos dust. In the UK use of Chrysotile asbestos was banned at the end of 1999. Brown and blue asbestos was banned in the UK around 1985. Buildings built or renovated prior to these dates may contain asbestos materials.
[edit] Treatment
The prognosis for malignant mesothelioma remains disappointing, although there have been some modest improvements in prognosis from newer chemotherapies and multimodality treatments.[30] Treatment of malignant mesothelioma at earlier stages has a better prognosis, but cures are exceedingly rare. Clinical behavior of the malignancy is affected by several factors including the continuous mesothelial surface of the pleural cavity which favors local metastasis via exfoliated cells, invasion to underlying tissue and other organs within the pleural cavity, and the extremely long latency period between asbestos exposure and development of the disease. The histological subtype and the patient's age and health status also help predict prognosis.
[edit] Surgery
Surgery, by itself, has proved disappointing. In one large series, the median survival with surgery (including extrapleural pneumonectomy) was only 11.7 months.[30] However, research indicates varied success when used in combination with radiation and chemotherapy (Duke, 2008). (For more information on multimodality therapy with surgery, see below). A pleurectomy/decortication is the most common surgery, in which the lining of the chest is removed. Less common is an extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), in which the lung, lining of the inside of the chest, the hemi-diaphragm and the pericardium are removed.
[edit] Radiation
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of
Radiation Oncology/Lung/Mesothelioma
For patients with localized disease, and who can tolerate a radical surgery, radiation is often given post-operatively as a consolidative treatment. The entire hemi-thorax is treated with radiation therapy, often given simultaneously with chemotherapy. This approach of using surgery followed by radiation with chemotherapy has been pioneered by the thoracic oncology team at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston.[31] Delivering radiation and chemotherapy after a radical surgery has led to extended life expectancy in selected patient populations with some patients surviving more than 5 years. As part of a curative approach to mesothelioma, radiotherapy is also commonly applied to the sites of chest drain insertion, in order to prevent growth of the tumor along the track in the chest wall.
Although mesothelioma is generally resistant to curative treatment with radiotherapy alone, palliative treatment regimens are sometimes used to relieve symptoms arising from tumor growth, such as obstruction of a major blood vessel. Radiation therapy when given alone with curative intent has never been shown to improve survival from mesothelioma. The necessary radiation dose to treat mesothelioma that has not been surgically removed would be very toxic.
[edit] Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the only treatment for mesothelioma that has been proven to improve survival in randomised and controlled trials. The landmark study published in 2003 by Vogelzang and colleagues compared cisplatin chemotherapy alone with a combination of cisplatin and pemetrexed (brand name Alimta) chemotherapy) in patients who had not received chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma previously and were not candidates for more aggressive "curative" surgery.[32] This trial was the first to report a survival advantage from chemotherapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma, showing a statistically significant improvement in median survival from 10 months in the patients treated with cisplatin alone to 13.3 months in the combination pemetrexed group in patients who received supplementation with folate and vitamin B12. Vitamin supplementation was given to most patients in the trial and pemetrexed related side effects were significantly less in patients receiving pemetrexed when they also received daily oral folate 500mcg and intramuscular vitamin B12 1000mcg every 9 weeks compared with patients receiving pemetrexed without vitamin supplementation. The objective response rate increased from 20% in the cisplatin group to 46% in the combination pemetrexed group. Some side effects such as nausea and vomiting, stomatitis, and diarrhoea were more common in the combination pemetrexed group but only affected a minority of patients and overall the combination of pemetrexed and cisplatin was well tolerated when patients received vitamin supplementation; both quality of life and lung function tests improved in the combination pemetrexed group. In February 2004, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved pemetrexed for treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. However, there are still unanswered questions about the optimal use of chemotherapy, including when to start treatment, and the optimal number of cycles to give.
Cisplatin in combination with raltitrexed has shown an improvement in survival similar to that reported for pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin, but raltitrexed is no longer commercially available for this indication. For patients unable to tolerate pemetrexed, cisplatin in combination with gemcitabine or vinorelbine is an alternative, or vinorelbine on its own, although a survival benefit has not been shown for these drugs. For patients in whom cisplatin cannot be used, carboplatin can be substituted but non-randomised data have shown lower response rates and high rates of haematological toxicity for carboplatin-based combinations, albeit with similar survival figures to patients receiving cisplatin.[33]
In January 2009, the United States FDA approved using conventional therapies such as surgery in combination with radiation and or chemotherapy on stage I or II Mesothelioma after research conducted by a nationwide study by Duke University concluded an almost 50 point increase in remission rates.
[edit] Immunotherapy
Treatment regimens involving immunotherapy have yielded variable results. For example, intrapleural inoculation of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in an attempt to boost the immune response, was found to be of no benefit to the patient (while it may benefit patients with bladder cancer). Mesothelioma cells proved susceptible to in vitro lysis by LAK cells following activation by interleukin-2 (IL-2), but patients undergoing this particular therapy experienced major side effects. Indeed, this trial was suspended in view of the unacceptably high levels of IL-2 toxicity and the severity of side effects such as fever and cachexia. Nonetheless, other trials involving interferon alpha have proved more encouraging with 20% of patients experiencing a greater than 50% reduction in tumor mass combined with minimal side effects.
[edit] Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy
A procedure known as heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy was developed by Paul Sugarbaker at the Washington Cancer Institute.[34] The surgeon removes as much of the tumor as possible followed by the direct administration of a chemotherapy agent, heated to between 40 and 48°C, in the abdomen. The fluid is perfused for 60 to 120 minutes and then drained.
This technique permits the administration of high concentrations of selected drugs into the abdominal and pelvic surfaces. Heating the chemotherapy treatment increases the penetration of the drugs into tissues. Also, heating itself damages the malignant cells more than the normal cells.
This technique is also used in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.[35]
[edit] Multimodality Therapy
All of the standard approaches to treating solid tumors—radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery—have been investigated in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Although surgery, by itself, is not very effective, surgery combined with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation (trimodality therapy) has produced significant survival extension (3–14 years) among patients with favorable prognostic factors.[31] However, other large series of examining multimodality treatment have only demonstrated modest improvement in survival (median survival 14.5 months and only 29.6% surviving 2 years).[30] Reducing the bulk of the tumor with cytoreductive surgery is key to extending survival. Two surgeries have been developed: extrapleural pneumonectomy and pleurectomy/decortication. The indications for performing these operations are unique. The choice of operation depends on the size of the patient's tumor. This is an important consideration because tumor volume has been identified as a prognostic factor in mesothelioma.[36] Pleurectomy/decortication spares the underlying lung and is performed in patients with early stage disease when the intention is to remove all gross visible tumor (macroscopic complete resection), not simply palliation.[37] Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a more extensive operation that involves resection of the parietal and visceral pleurae, underlying lung, ipsilateral diaphragm, and ipsilateral pericardium. This operation is indicated for a subset of patients with more advanced tumors, who can tolerate a pneumonectomy.[38]
[edit] Notable people who died from mesothelioma
Mesothelioma, though rare, has had a number of notable patients.
Malcolm McLaren, former manager of New York Dolls and Sex Pistols, died on 8 April 2010.
Hamilton Jordan, Chief of Staff for U.S. President Jimmy Carter and lifelong cancer activist, died in 2008.
Richard J. Herrnstein, psychologist and co-author of The Bell Curve, died in 1994.
Australian anti-racism activist Bob Bellear died in 2005.
British science fiction writer Michael G. Coney, responsible for nearly 100 works, also died in 2005.
American film and television actor Paul Gleason, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Principal Richard Vernon in the 1985 film The Breakfast Club, died in 2006.
Mickie Most, an English record producer, died of mesothelioma in 2003.
Paul Rudolph, an American architect known for his cubist building designs, died in 1997.
Bernie Banton, an Australian workers' rights activist, fought a long battle for compensation from James Hardie after he contracted mesothelioma after working for that company. He claimed James Hardie knew of the dangers of asbestos before he began work with the substance making insulation for power stations. Mesothelioma eventually took his life along with his brothers and hundreds of James Hardie workers. James Hardie made an undisclosed settlement with Banton only when his mesothelioma had reached its final stages and he was expected to have no more than 48 hours to live. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd mentioned Banton's extended struggle in his acceptance speech after winning the 2007 Australian federal election.
Actor Steve McQueen was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma on December 22, 1979. He was not offered surgery or chemotherapy because doctors felt the cancer was too advanced. McQueen subsequently sought alternative treatments at clinics in Mexico. He died of a heart attack on November 7, 1980, in Ju?rez, Mexico, following cancer surgery. He may have been exposed to asbestos while serving with the U.S. Marines as a young adult—asbestos was then commonly used to insulate ships' piping—or from its use as an insulating material in automobile racing suits (McQueen was an avid racing driver and fan).[39] (It is also reported that he worked in a shipyard during World War II, where he might have been exposed to asbestos.[citation needed])
United States Congressman Bruce Vento died of mesothelioma in 2000. The Bruce Vento Hopebuilder award is given yearly by his wife at the MARF Symposium to persons or organizations who have done the most to support mesothelioma research and advocacy.
Rock and roll musician and songwriter Warren Zevon, after a long period of untreated illness and pain, was diagnosed with inoperable mesothelioma in the fall of 2002. Refusing treatments that he believed might incapacitate him, Zevon focused his energies on recording his final album The Wind, including the song "Keep Me in Your Heart," which speaks of his failing breath. Zevon died at his home in Los Angeles, California, on September 7, 2003.
Christie Hennessy, the influential Irish singer-songwriter, died of mesothelioma in 2007, and had stridently refused to accept the prognosis in the weeks before his death.[40] Hennessy's mesothelioma has been attributed to his younger years spent working on building sites in London.[41][42]
Bob Miner, one of the founders of Software Development Labs, the forerunner of Oracle Corporation, died of mesothelioma in 1994.
Scottish Labour MP John William MacDougall died of mesothelioma on August 13, 2008, after fighting the disease for two years.[43]
Australian journalist and news presenter Peter Leonard of Canberra succumbed to the condition on September 23, 2008.
Terrence McCann, Olympic gold medalist and longtime Executive Director of Toastmasters, died of mesothelioma on June 7, 2006, at his home in Dana Point, California.
Merlin Olsen, Pro Football Hall of Famer and television actor, died on March 10, 2010, from mesothelioma that had been diagnosed in 2009.
[edit] Notable people who have lived for some time with mesothelioma
Although life expectancy with this disease is typically limited, there are notable survivors. In July 1982, Stephen Jay Gould was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. After his diagnosis, Gould wrote the "The Median Isn't the Message"[44] for Discover magazine, in which he argued that statistics such as median survival are just useful abstractions, not destiny. Gould lived for another twenty years eventually succumbing to metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung, not mesothelioma. Author Paul Kraus was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in July 1997. He was given a prognosis of less than a year to live and used a variety of complementary modalities. He continues to outlive his prognosis and wrote a book about his experience "Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient's Guide" [45] in which he presented his philosophy about healing and the decision making that led him to use integrative medicine.
[edit] Legal issues
Main article: Asbestos and the law
The first lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers were in 1929. Since then, many lawsuits have been filed against asbestos manufacturers and employers, for neglecting to implement safety measures after the links between asbestos, asbestosis, and mesothelioma became known (some reports seem to place this as early as 1898). The liability resulting from the sheer number of lawsuits and people affected has reached billions of dollars.[46] The amounts and method of allocating compensation have been the source of many court cases, reaching up to the United States Supreme Court, and government attempts at resolution of existing and future cases. However, to date, the US Congress has not stepped in and there are no federal laws governing asbestos compensation.[47]
[edit] Legal history
The first lawsuit against asbestos manufacturers was brought in 1929. The parties settled that lawsuit, and as part of the agreement, the attorneys agreed not to pursue further cases. In 1960, an article published by Wagner et al. was seminal in establishing mesothelioma as a disease arising from exposure to asbestos.[48] The article referred to over 30 case studies of people who had suffered from mesothelioma in South Africa. Some exposures were transient and some were mine workers. Prior to the use of advanced microscopy techniques, alignant mesothelioma was often diagnosed as a variant form of lung cancer.[49] In 1962 McNulty reported the first diagnosed case of malignant mesothelioma in an Australian asbestos worker.[50] The worker had worked in the mill at the asbestos mine in Wittenoom from 1948 to 1950.
In the town of Wittenoom, asbestos-containing mine waste was used to cover schoolyards and playgrounds. In 1965 an article in the British Journal of Industrial Medicine established that people who lived in the neighbourhoods of asbestos factories and mines, but did not work in them, had contracted mesothelioma.
Despite proof that the dust associated with asbestos mining and milling causes asbestos-related disease, mining began at Wittenoom in 1943 and continued until 1966. In 1974 the first public warnings of the dangers of blue asbestos were published in a cover story called "Is this Killer in Your Home?" in Australia's Bulletin magazine. In 1978 the Western Australian Government decided to phase out the town of Wittenoom, following the publication of a Health Dept. booklet, "The Health Hazard at Wittenoom", containing the results of air sampling and an appraisal of worldwide medical information.
By 1979 the first writs for negligence related to Wittenoom were issued against CSR and its subsidiary ABA, and the Asbestos Diseases Society was formed to represent the Wittenoom victims.
In Leeds, England the Armley asbestos disaster involved several court cases against Turner & Newall where local residents who contracted mesothelioma claimed compensation because of the asbestos pollution from the company's factory. One notable case was that of June Hancock, who contracted the disease in 1993 and died in 1997
السبت، 1 مايو 2010
larry king live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN. The show debuted in 1985, and is CNN's most watched (and currently longest running) program, with over one million viewers nightly.[1]
The show broadcasts from CNN's Los Angeles studios. Sometimes, the show broadcasts from CNN's studios in New York and sometimes from Washington, D.C., the city where King gained national prominence during his years as a radio interviewer for the Mutual Broadcasting System. Every night, King interviews one or more prominent individuals, mainly celebrities, politicians, and businesspeople.
The one-hour show is broadcast three times a day in some areas, and can be seen all over the world on CNN International. Larry King is currently expected to stay with CNN through 2011
Interview style
Larry King mainly conducts interviews from the studio, but he has also interviewed people on-site in the White House, their prison cells, their homes, and other unique locations. Critics have claimed that Larry King asks "soft" questions in comparison to other interviewers, which allows him to reach guests who would be averse to interviewing on "tough" talk shows. When interviewed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, King said that the secret to a good interview is to get the guest to talk about him- or herself, and to put oneself in the background.
A 1996 interview in the Washington Post had King note that he sometimes slips hard questions in between softballs. King prefers one sentence questions. In the Post interview, King also proclaimed that he prepares as little as possible for each program, does not read the books of the authors he interviews, and admitted that the show was not journalism but "infotainment." He said that he tries to project an image of earnestness and sincerity in each interview, and the format of the show (King in suspenders instead of suit and tie, sitting directly next to the guest) reinforces that.
In response to "'softball' questions" accusations, King says, "I've never understood that. All I've tried to do is ask the best questions I could think of, listen to the answers, and then follow up. I've never not followed up. I don't attack anybody — that's not my style — but I follow up. I've asked people who say this, 'What's a softball question?' They'll say, 'You say to some movie star, what's your next project?' To me, that's not a softball. To me, that's interesting — what are you doing next?"
Furthermore, King is no fan of the current generation of talk-show hosts, whom he says use their guests as props or punching bags. He describes them as "I" hosts; he states they are more interested in lecturing their guests than in listening to them. "I hope I never do that," he says, "I'm not saying it's bad. If you watch Bill O'Reilly, that is Bill O'Reilly. It's not my cup of tea, I don't care for it, but I can understand why a lot of viewers do."
[edit] Call-ins
King accepts call-in questions on some nights, Callers are identified only by city and state/province, and generally not by name. Occasionally, surprise guests telephone the show and comment, like Governors, royalty, and celebrities. At times, prank calls come in. The phone number for call-ins is 1-800-676-2100.
[edit] Frequent topics
During major election coverage, the program may center on political analysis and commentary, as the show's airing generally coincides with the closing of polls in many states.
One of King's recurring topics is the paranormal. A frequent guest is John Edward of the popular television show Crossing Over with John Edward. Edward comes on the show and gives callers a free chance to supposedly communicate, via him, with their dead loved ones. King also had alleged psychics such as Sylvia Browne and James Van Praagh on from time to time to do readings and discuss the future. King sometimes allows skeptics such as James Randi to debate the psychics. In an April 2005 episode, King hosted a panel discussion regarding Evangelical, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and atheist views on the afterlife. King has also had topics about UFO's and Extraterrestrials where he pits experts against skeptics.
King is also frequently accused of pandering to sensationalist news stories; for instance, the death of Anna Nicole Smith took up much of King's shows after the event, causing the cancellation of numerous guests and interviews that were already scheduled, most notably Christopher Hitchens, who had intended to discuss the Iraq situation.
After the death of a prominent celebrity, King will either replay a recent program featuring said celebrity (for instance, after actor Don Knotts' death in 2006 King replayed the interview with Knotts and Andy Griffith taken several months before) or will bring on family members and close confidantes to the deceased to reminisce on the departed's life.
[edit] Set design
Each studio set features an identical colored-dot map of the world in the background and one of King's trademarks, a vintage RCA microphone, on the desk. The microphone is a prop, as King and his guests use lapel microphones.
[edit] Trivia
Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (October 2008)
[edit] Notable episodes
The November 9, 1993 debate between Ross Perot and Al Gore on the North American Free Trade Agreement was watched in 11.174 million households - the largest audience ever for a program on an ad-supported cable network until the October 23, 2006 New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys game on ESPN's Monday Night Football.[3]
On September 25, 2006, Oprah Winfrey made her first endorsement of Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign for president on Larry King Live. Once Obama became a candidate, Winfrey made her first endorsement of candidate Obama on Larry King Live in May 2007. Two economists estimate that Winfrey’s endorsement was worth over a million votes in the Democratic primary race[4] and that without it, Obama would have lost the nomination[5].
To mark the 20th anniversary of the show, ABC's Barbara Walters was a guest host and interviewed King on his reflections of his career.
To mark 50 years in broadcasting, Larry King Live had a week long celebration that included a two hour CNN presents special and an hour of celebrity toast. The broadcast of this special week long event was postponed due to the tragedy at Virginia Tech. XM Satellite Radio also featured a micro channel called "Larry!" that featured replays of The Larry King Show along with interviews and the new material from the CNN anniversary shows.
On July 19, 2007, a frail Tammy Faye Messner made her final appearance on Larry King Live to talk about her battle with lung and colon cancer. She died the following day.
On September 7, 2009, the first episode in high definition was aired.
On February 9, 2010, the First Lady Michelle Obama was a special guest. She discussed her initiative to fight childhood obesity.
On February 10, 2010, the Vice President Joe Biden joined King. Biden talked about the Recovery Act and his role within the Obama Administration.
On February 12, 2010, during a discussion on Bill Clinton's latest heart procedure, Larry King revealed he had undergone a similar operation 5 weeks earlier. King had a heart attack in 1987 and said he had to surgery to place splints in his coronary artery.
[edit] The episode that did not happen
Al Gore was supposed to host on May 6, 1999 with Oprah Winfrey as a guest and the topic was supposed to be the aftermath of the Columbine High School massacre. However, with Gore's candidiacy for Presidency pending, CNN decided not to let him host as a result of the controversy.[6
The show broadcasts from CNN's Los Angeles studios. Sometimes, the show broadcasts from CNN's studios in New York and sometimes from Washington, D.C., the city where King gained national prominence during his years as a radio interviewer for the Mutual Broadcasting System. Every night, King interviews one or more prominent individuals, mainly celebrities, politicians, and businesspeople.
The one-hour show is broadcast three times a day in some areas, and can be seen all over the world on CNN International. Larry King is currently expected to stay with CNN through 2011
Interview style
Larry King mainly conducts interviews from the studio, but he has also interviewed people on-site in the White House, their prison cells, their homes, and other unique locations. Critics have claimed that Larry King asks "soft" questions in comparison to other interviewers, which allows him to reach guests who would be averse to interviewing on "tough" talk shows. When interviewed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, King said that the secret to a good interview is to get the guest to talk about him- or herself, and to put oneself in the background.
A 1996 interview in the Washington Post had King note that he sometimes slips hard questions in between softballs. King prefers one sentence questions. In the Post interview, King also proclaimed that he prepares as little as possible for each program, does not read the books of the authors he interviews, and admitted that the show was not journalism but "infotainment." He said that he tries to project an image of earnestness and sincerity in each interview, and the format of the show (King in suspenders instead of suit and tie, sitting directly next to the guest) reinforces that.
In response to "'softball' questions" accusations, King says, "I've never understood that. All I've tried to do is ask the best questions I could think of, listen to the answers, and then follow up. I've never not followed up. I don't attack anybody — that's not my style — but I follow up. I've asked people who say this, 'What's a softball question?' They'll say, 'You say to some movie star, what's your next project?' To me, that's not a softball. To me, that's interesting — what are you doing next?"
Furthermore, King is no fan of the current generation of talk-show hosts, whom he says use their guests as props or punching bags. He describes them as "I" hosts; he states they are more interested in lecturing their guests than in listening to them. "I hope I never do that," he says, "I'm not saying it's bad. If you watch Bill O'Reilly, that is Bill O'Reilly. It's not my cup of tea, I don't care for it, but I can understand why a lot of viewers do."
[edit] Call-ins
King accepts call-in questions on some nights, Callers are identified only by city and state/province, and generally not by name. Occasionally, surprise guests telephone the show and comment, like Governors, royalty, and celebrities. At times, prank calls come in. The phone number for call-ins is 1-800-676-2100.
[edit] Frequent topics
During major election coverage, the program may center on political analysis and commentary, as the show's airing generally coincides with the closing of polls in many states.
One of King's recurring topics is the paranormal. A frequent guest is John Edward of the popular television show Crossing Over with John Edward. Edward comes on the show and gives callers a free chance to supposedly communicate, via him, with their dead loved ones. King also had alleged psychics such as Sylvia Browne and James Van Praagh on from time to time to do readings and discuss the future. King sometimes allows skeptics such as James Randi to debate the psychics. In an April 2005 episode, King hosted a panel discussion regarding Evangelical, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and atheist views on the afterlife. King has also had topics about UFO's and Extraterrestrials where he pits experts against skeptics.
King is also frequently accused of pandering to sensationalist news stories; for instance, the death of Anna Nicole Smith took up much of King's shows after the event, causing the cancellation of numerous guests and interviews that were already scheduled, most notably Christopher Hitchens, who had intended to discuss the Iraq situation.
After the death of a prominent celebrity, King will either replay a recent program featuring said celebrity (for instance, after actor Don Knotts' death in 2006 King replayed the interview with Knotts and Andy Griffith taken several months before) or will bring on family members and close confidantes to the deceased to reminisce on the departed's life.
[edit] Set design
Each studio set features an identical colored-dot map of the world in the background and one of King's trademarks, a vintage RCA microphone, on the desk. The microphone is a prop, as King and his guests use lapel microphones.
[edit] Trivia
Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (October 2008)
[edit] Notable episodes
The November 9, 1993 debate between Ross Perot and Al Gore on the North American Free Trade Agreement was watched in 11.174 million households - the largest audience ever for a program on an ad-supported cable network until the October 23, 2006 New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys game on ESPN's Monday Night Football.[3]
On September 25, 2006, Oprah Winfrey made her first endorsement of Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign for president on Larry King Live. Once Obama became a candidate, Winfrey made her first endorsement of candidate Obama on Larry King Live in May 2007. Two economists estimate that Winfrey’s endorsement was worth over a million votes in the Democratic primary race[4] and that without it, Obama would have lost the nomination[5].
To mark the 20th anniversary of the show, ABC's Barbara Walters was a guest host and interviewed King on his reflections of his career.
To mark 50 years in broadcasting, Larry King Live had a week long celebration that included a two hour CNN presents special and an hour of celebrity toast. The broadcast of this special week long event was postponed due to the tragedy at Virginia Tech. XM Satellite Radio also featured a micro channel called "Larry!" that featured replays of The Larry King Show along with interviews and the new material from the CNN anniversary shows.
On July 19, 2007, a frail Tammy Faye Messner made her final appearance on Larry King Live to talk about her battle with lung and colon cancer. She died the following day.
On September 7, 2009, the first episode in high definition was aired.
On February 9, 2010, the First Lady Michelle Obama was a special guest. She discussed her initiative to fight childhood obesity.
On February 10, 2010, the Vice President Joe Biden joined King. Biden talked about the Recovery Act and his role within the Obama Administration.
On February 12, 2010, during a discussion on Bill Clinton's latest heart procedure, Larry King revealed he had undergone a similar operation 5 weeks earlier. King had a heart attack in 1987 and said he had to surgery to place splints in his coronary artery.
[edit] The episode that did not happen
Al Gore was supposed to host on May 6, 1999 with Oprah Winfrey as a guest and the topic was supposed to be the aftermath of the Columbine High School massacre. However, with Gore's candidiacy for Presidency pending, CNN decided not to let him host as a result of the controversy.[6
Davey Boy Smith
The "British Bulldog" redirects here, for other uses, see British Bulldog.
Davey Boy Smith
Ring name(s) (The) British Bulldog
Davey Boy Smith
Young David
Billed height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Billed weight 116 kg (260 lb; 18.3 st)
Born 27 November 1962(1962-11-27)
Golborne, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England
Died 18 May 2002 (aged 39)
Invermere, British Columbia, Canada
Billed from Leeds, England
Manchester, England
Trained by Ted Betley
Stu Hart
Debut 1978
David Boy Smith[2] (November 27, 1962 – May 18, 2002) was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.
Smith was trained by Ted Betley in Winwick, England before relocating to Calgary, Alberta, Canada to further his training under Stu Hart. While training with Hart, Smith met Stu and Helen Hart's youngest daughter Diana, whom he married in 1984. They had two children, Harry (born on August 2, 1986) and Georgia (born on September 26, 1987). He and Diana were divorced in 2000.
Due to Smith's mother mistakenly writing his gender in the line where his middle name was supposed to go, his legal middle name was "Boy
Early years (1978–1984)
'Young David' competing at the age of 15.Davey Boy Smith started competing on ITV's World of Sport when he was only 15, wrestling under the name Young David with his slightly older cousin Tom Billington (Dynamite Kid). His first televised match, broadcast September 2, 1978, saw him draw with one pin each between himself and Bernie Wright.[3] He would wrestle there for four and a half years until February 1983 with his final match again being against Wright, this time winning two pinfalls to one.[4] In World of Sport he wrestled, among others, Dave Finlay,[5] Blackjack Mulligan and Marty Jones[6] as well as teaming with Big Daddy. He also had a series of matches with Jim Breaks, from whom he won the British Welterweight Championship in 1979 by two falls to one submission. The belt was held up due to the match's disputed finish.[7]
He was then spotted by Bruce Hart scouting talent in the UK and traveled to Canada to wrestle for Stu Hart with his cousin. Stu Hart and Roy Wood trained Smith further in his "Dungeon" and Smith became a key wrestler in Hart's promotion, Stampede Wrestling. During his time in Stampede, Smith began a feud with the Dynamite Kid, and on July 9, 1982, he [Smith] won his first title when he defeated the Dynamite Kid for the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight title.[8]
In 1983, Smith debuted in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he became involved in a three-way feud with Dynamite Kid and The Cobra (George Takano) over the NWA Junior Heavyweight Title. On February 7, 1984, a three-way, one-night tournament was held, and Dynamite Kid won the tournament by defeating Smith via count-out, and the Cobra by pinfall.[9] After the tournament, Smith and Dynamite Kid formed a tag team in both New Japan and in Stampede Wrestling known as the British Bulldogs. In 1984, the Bulldogs made a shocking move by jumping to New Japan's rival, All Japan Pro Wrestling just before the start of All Japan's annual Tag Team tournament.[10] The Bulldogs made a nice showing in the tournament, which drew the interest of the World Wrestling Federation.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1984–1988)
The Bulldogs, along with Smith's brothers-in-law Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart were brought in to World Wrestling Federation (WWF) after Vince McMahon bought out Stampede Wrestling.[11] At first, the Bulldogs were able to tour both WWF and All Japan, but eventually McMahon gained exclusive rights to the Bulldogs. While in the WWF, the Bulldogs began a long running feud with Hart and Neidhart, who were now known as The Hart Foundation.
The Bulldogs also feuded with the Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake). At WrestleMania 2, with "Captain" Lou Albano and Ozzy Osbourne in their corner, the Bulldogs defeated the Dream Team for the Tag Team Championship.[11] The Bulldogs held the titles for nearly nine months, feuding with the Dream Team and Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik.
In January 1987, the Bulldogs lost the titles to the Hart Foundation due to a severe back injury to the Dynamite Kid. After losing the titles, the Bulldogs gained a mascot, an actual bulldog who went by the name Matilda, and feuded with the likes of The Islanders (who, kayfabe, dog-napped Matilda), Demolition, and The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers.[11]
The Bulldogs left the World Wrestling Federation in 1988, in part due to backstage problems between the Bulldogs, specifically the Dynamite Kid, and the Rougeau Brothers over a prank pulled by Curt Hennig. The Bulldogs, noted ribbers (pranksters) in their own right, were blamed for the prank, leading to a series of confrontations which culminated in Jacques Rougeau knocking out four of the Dynamite Kid's teeth with a fist filled with a roll of quarters.[12] Though there are various accounts of this situation, many suggest that Billington drew first blood by bullying Rougeau (among many others including The Honky Tonk Man, whom Dynamite, allegedly, brought to tears) in Miami. While Rougeau was playing cards backstage, from behind, Billington smacked Jacques in the ear and then punched and kicked him in the face several times and also struck Raymond, who was on crutches at the time. It was weeks before Jacques responded. Bret Hart wrote about the incident, in his book HITMAN: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling: "At first I was upset, and contemplated getting involved. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that Tom had been asking for this for years and that everyone who'd been bullied by him would rejoice at the news." After no disciplinary action was taken against Jacques, Billington quit the WWF, and Smith followed suit.
[edit] Stampede Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling (1988–1990)
After leaving the World Wrestling Federation, the Bulldogs returned to Stampede Wrestling, and also to All Japan Pro Wrestling. Stampede officials were hopeful that the return of the Bulldogs would revive a struggling promotion, but they were unsuccessful. Eventually, the decision was made to split up the Bulldogs, which caused some problems with All Japan owner Giant Baba, who was still promoting the Bulldogs as a tag team. On July 4, 1989, Smith, along with fellow wrestlers Chris Benoit, Ross Hart, and Jason the Terrible, was involved in a serious automobile accident.[13] Smith, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, needed 135 stitches after slamming his head through the windshield and being thrown 25 feet onto the pavement.[13] He recovered, and the Bulldogs continued teaming in All-Japan against teams such as Joe and Dean Malenko, Kenta Kobashi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, and The Nasty Boys.[13] Personal problems began to surface between Smith and Billington, and Smith later left All Japan to return to the WWF.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1990–1992)
Smith was pushed as the same character from the British Bulldogs' original WWF run, but this time as a singles star under the name The British Bulldog. He was a fairly popular wrestler in the United States, but was a huge attraction to fans in the United Kingdom, due in part to the WWF becoming a ratings hit on Sky Sports,[14] as well as the promotion touring the country holding supercards such as UK Rampage which saw Smith defeat The Warlord at the London Arena in March 1991[15] and the Battle Royal at the Albert Hall in which Smith won a 20-man battle royal by eliminating Typhoon on October 13, 1991.[16] After entering as the first man in the 1992 Royal Rumble, he eliminated "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, Jerry Sags, and Haku before being eliminated by Ric Flair.[17]
Smith again headlined the WWF's European tours at European Rampage again winning a 15-man battle royal by eliminating The Mountie in München, Germany on April 14, 1992[18] and defeated Irwin R. Schyster in Sheffield, England on April 19, 1992.[19]
In 1992, due to this newfound popularity, the WWF decided to hold its annual SummerSlam pay-per-view in Wembley Stadium in London. The show was main-evented by Smith (led to the ring by the British Heavyweight Boxing champion Lennox Lewis) and Bret Hart in a match for Hart's Intercontinental Championship. On August 29, at SummerSlam, in front of 80,355 of his countrymen, Smith won the Intercontinental Title in a match which is regarded by many wrestling experts as the finest in his career.[20] Shortly thereafter, Smith lost the title to Shawn Michaels on the November 8 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event[21] and was later released by the WWF. The reason for Smith's release was that he and The Ultimate Warrior were receiving shipments of Human Growth Hormone from a pharmacy in England.[22] The Warrior was released as well.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling (1993)
Smith had a stint with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1993, engaging in feuds with Sid Vicious and Big Van Vader, whom he challenged for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Slamboree, and formed a mildly successful alliance with Sting. He was officially billed as Davey Boy Smith but was referred to as The British Bulldog frequently and interchangeably with Davey Boy Smith. He and Diana had trademarked the British Bulldog name early in his WWF career, which was the source of animosity between the Dynamite Kid and Smith.
In 1993, he was reportedly involved in an altercation with a man at a bar who was making advances towards his wife. As a result of the altercation (and the ensuing legal issues that followed), WCW released him from his contract. His final pay-per-view appearance for WCW came at the Battlebowl pay-per-view. He was teamed with Stevie Ray in the first round of the Lethal Lottery; they lost to Road Warrior Hawk and Rip Rogers.
[edit] Independent circuit (1994)
In 1994, he worked for some independents in Great Britain before returning to the WWF.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1994–1997)
[edit] 1994–1996
Smith returned to the WWF at SummerSlam, where he immediately became involved in an ongoing family feud between Bret Hart and his brother, Owen Hart. Smith teamed up with Bret against Owen and Jim Neidhart in a series of tag team matches.[11]
Smith entering the ring at a WWF event in 1995Smith appeared at the 1994 Survivor Series in a 10-man elimination match. His partners were WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon, 1-2-3 Kid, and The Headshrinkers. They faced Tag Team Champions Shawn Michaels and Diesel, Owen Hart, Jeff Jarrett, and Jim Neidhart. Smith was eventually counted out, but his team won the match after the entire other side was counted out while trying to stop Diesel and Michaels from fighting in the back.
After entering the Royal Rumble as the second entrant, Smith and Shawn Michaels were the final two at the end. Smith tossed Michaels over the ropes and celebrated on the second turnbuckle. However, only one of Michaels feet hit the floor and he was able to reenter the ring, and eliminate Smith from behind, whilst Smith's music was playing and he was celebrating on the turnbuckles. Soon after, Smith began teaming with Lex Luger as the Allied Powers. The team wasn't much of a success and only wrestled on two pay-per-views as a tag team. The first came at WrestleMania XI were they defeated The Blu Brothers. The second came at In Your House 2 were they lost to Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and Yokozuna in July. Afterward the team briefly began feuding with Men on a Mission. During this time, Smith began teasing a heel turn at several live shows where he walked out on Luger during several of their matches together. Another incident saw him antagonize fans for chanting "USA" during their matches together, as they often had done.
On an August episode of Monday Night Raw, the Allied Powers were supposed to face Men on a Mission but Luger (kayfabe) no-showed the match; Smith found a replacement in then-WWF Champion Diesel. During the match, Smith completed his heel turn and attacked Diesel, assisting Men on a Mission in beating down the champion. He left the ring with manager Jim Cornette and joined former adversaries Owen Hart and Yokozuna in Cornette's stable. With a new look and attitude, Smith knocked down challenges from guys like Bam Bam Bigelow among others, and pinned Diesel in a six-man tag team match on RAW to earn a WWF title shot.
At In Your House 4 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Smith received a WWF Championship shot against Diesel. Smith won by disqualification after Bret Hart interfered. At the Survivor Series in Landover, Maryland, Smith participated in the Wild Card eight-man elimination match. He teamed with Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson, and Sycho Sid. They faced WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon, Dean Douglas, Owen Hart, and Yokozuna. Smith, Michaels, and Johnson were the survivors.
In December, at In Your House 5 from Hershey, Pennsylvania, Smith was granted a title shot against new WWF Champion Bret Hart in a rematch from their SummerSlam match back in 1992. They had another well-received match, yet Hart won this time. A notable incident from this match was that Hart bled during the match, which was controversial because WWF outlawed bleeding at the time.
Smith entered the 1996 Royal Rumble, where he made it to the final four before being eliminated by Shawn Michaels. At In Your House 6, he lost to Yokozuna by disqualification after Vader interfered. At WrestleMania XII, he teamed with Vader and Owen Hart to defeat Yokozuna, Ahmed Johnson, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. At In Your House 7 in April, Smith and Owen Hart defeated Johnson and Roberts after Smith forced Roberts to submit.
[edit] 1996–1997
Main article: Owen Hart and The British Bulldog
In 1996, after Shawn Michaels became WWF Champion, Smith was put in a feud with the new champion. The feud was supposedly based on Smith's wife, Diana, accusing Michaels of hitting on her, which made Smith mad and determined to take the title from Michaels.[23] The two main-evented the In Your House 8 pay-per-view, and their match ended in a double pin when Michaels German suplexed Smith and both their shoulders were counted down by separate referees. This led to a rematch at the 1996 King of the Ring pay-per-view. Michaels ended up successfully defending the title.
Afterwards, Smith formed a tag team with his brother-in-law, Owen Hart, and the two soon won the Tag Team Titles from The Smoking Gunns. The team defended their titles against teams such as Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon, Vader and Mankind, and The Legion of Doom.
In 1997, the WWF created the European Championship and Smith became the first ever holder of the title, winning a tournament in Germany, which culminated in him defeating his own tag team partner, Owen Hart in the finals. A match considered one of the best that year. According to Bret Hart's autobiography the title was awarded to Smith to appease him for unfulfilled promises Vince McMahon hade made.
Hart and Smith later joined forces with Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, and Brian Pillman to re-form the Hart Foundation as a villainous faction which feuded with Stone Cold Steve Austin and other American wrestlers. This created an interesting rift between American fans, where the Hart Foundation were vilified, and Canadian fans, who revered the Hart Foundation. Smith and Owen dropped the Tag Team Titles to Austin and Michaels, and lost the final match in a tournament for the vacant Tag Team Titles[citation needed] to Austin and Dude Love. Smith then started a feud with Ken Shamrock for the European Title, and eventually lost the European Title to Shawn Michaels at the British Pay-per-view event One Night Only.[24] Smith was booked in the main event to defend the belt against Michaels. However, Michaels convinced Vince McMahon that he should win, as it would create build-up not only for his impending rematch with Bret Hart, but also for a rematch against Smith at the next British pay-per-view.[25] Smith reluctantly agreed, and fans at the event, who gave Smith an ovation, voiced their displeasure by booing Michaels and littering the ring with garbage.[25] This marks the only time Smith lost on a WWF card in the United Kingdom, and the third championship Smith has lost to Shawn Michaels. After the events at Survivor Series 1997, Smith, along with Bret Hart and Neidhart, left the WWF for WCW.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling (1998)
Smith re-joined WCW as the British Bulldog and immediately began a feud with Steve "Mongo" McMichael, who was complaining about all the wrestlers coming from "Up North". Smith and Neidhart later formed a tag team. They challenged for the World Tag Team Championship on several occasions, but failed to win the titles.
Smith suffered a knee injury in April 1998 that sidelined him for a month. He suffered another injury on September 13, 1998 at Fall Brawl during his match with Neidhart against the Dancing Fools (Disco Inferno and Alex Wright). While taking a bump, Smith landed awkwardly on a trapdoor that had been set in the ring to enable The Warrior to make a dramatic entrance in the night's main event. The result was a spinal infection that nearly paralyzed Smith, hospitalizing him for six months. While recuperating, Smith received a FedEx informing him that his WCW contract had been terminated.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1999–2000)
Smith returned to the WWF in September 1999 following the death of Owen Hart in an in-ring accident. In keeping with the company's new "Attitude era", Smith began wrestling in jeans instead of his usual Union Flag-adorned tights and his theme music was changed from "Rule, Britannia!" to a remix of that particular theme, and later to rock music (complete with the sounds of a dog barking as the song began) that the WWF used for most of its talent at the time. On the September 7 episode of SmackDown! in Albany, New York, Smith defeated The Big Boss Man for the Hardcore Championship. Smith forfeited the title giving the belt back to Al Snow because Boss Man had previously (kayfabe) dog-napped Snow's dog Pepper to win the title from him, driving him insane in the process. Smith then began pursuing the WWF Championship, eventually turning into a villain and beginning a feud with The Rock. Smith headlined Unforgiven as part of a six-man WWF Championship Match that was won by Triple H. On October 2, Smith returned to England as a heel at Rebellion. After losing to The Rock at No Mercy, Smith was moved down the card.
Smith defeated D'Lo Brown for the European Championship on SmackDown! on October 26.[26] He lost the title to Val Venis in a triple threat match at Armageddon on December 12 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[27]
On May 6, 2000 in London, Smith defeated Crash Holly for the Hardcore Championship. In one of Smith's last televised appearances, Holly regained the title from him in New Haven, Connecticut on the May 11 episode of SmackDown!. His last televised match with the WWF was on Sunday Night Heat some weeks later, when he burst into Eddie Guerrero and Chyna's locker room, accusing Guerrero (who was the European Champion at the time) of not treating the belt with the respect it deserved. This led to a title match on Heat, in which both men were disqualified.
Some commenters, e.g. Jim Ross, have spoken about Smith's difficulty to get over with the fans during his last run, saying: "how many times can you repackage a guy like the British Bulldog?"[28]
In early 2000, Smith's wife Diana divorced him, with Smith being given shared custody of their children. At the same time, he entered a drug rehabilitation clinic at the behest and expense of Vince McMahon due to his problems with prescription painkillers though they were not the only drug he was using. He was released from the company shortly thereafter.
[edit] Death
Smith died on May 18, 2002, after suffering a heart attack while on vacation in Invermere, British Columbia with his girlfriend, Bruce Hart's estranged wife Andrea Redding. He was 39 years old. An autopsy revealed that past anabolic steroid use may have played a part in his death, however no certain reason was found. It is apparent that stress, serious injuries, and the use of drugs took its toll on the wrestler. Bruce Hart claimed "Davey paid the price with steroid cocktails and human-growth hormones."[29]
Before his death, Smith had been training with the intent of resuming his career, and had wrestled in three tag team matches with his son, Harry Smith the previous weekend.
[edit] Media
On April 6, 2010, the WWE released Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology, which is a 3 DVD set featuring a documentary on the Hart wrestling family (including Davey Boy Smith) as well as 12 matches. It is unique in that it also features previously unseen home movies from the Harts as well as candid interviews from surviving family members. On April 28, 2010, the WWE put his wrestling profile on the "WWE Alumni" Page.
Davey Boy Smith
Ring name(s) (The) British Bulldog
Davey Boy Smith
Young David
Billed height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Billed weight 116 kg (260 lb; 18.3 st)
Born 27 November 1962(1962-11-27)
Golborne, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England
Died 18 May 2002 (aged 39)
Invermere, British Columbia, Canada
Billed from Leeds, England
Manchester, England
Trained by Ted Betley
Stu Hart
Debut 1978
David Boy Smith[2] (November 27, 1962 – May 18, 2002) was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.
Smith was trained by Ted Betley in Winwick, England before relocating to Calgary, Alberta, Canada to further his training under Stu Hart. While training with Hart, Smith met Stu and Helen Hart's youngest daughter Diana, whom he married in 1984. They had two children, Harry (born on August 2, 1986) and Georgia (born on September 26, 1987). He and Diana were divorced in 2000.
Due to Smith's mother mistakenly writing his gender in the line where his middle name was supposed to go, his legal middle name was "Boy
Early years (1978–1984)
'Young David' competing at the age of 15.Davey Boy Smith started competing on ITV's World of Sport when he was only 15, wrestling under the name Young David with his slightly older cousin Tom Billington (Dynamite Kid). His first televised match, broadcast September 2, 1978, saw him draw with one pin each between himself and Bernie Wright.[3] He would wrestle there for four and a half years until February 1983 with his final match again being against Wright, this time winning two pinfalls to one.[4] In World of Sport he wrestled, among others, Dave Finlay,[5] Blackjack Mulligan and Marty Jones[6] as well as teaming with Big Daddy. He also had a series of matches with Jim Breaks, from whom he won the British Welterweight Championship in 1979 by two falls to one submission. The belt was held up due to the match's disputed finish.[7]
He was then spotted by Bruce Hart scouting talent in the UK and traveled to Canada to wrestle for Stu Hart with his cousin. Stu Hart and Roy Wood trained Smith further in his "Dungeon" and Smith became a key wrestler in Hart's promotion, Stampede Wrestling. During his time in Stampede, Smith began a feud with the Dynamite Kid, and on July 9, 1982, he [Smith] won his first title when he defeated the Dynamite Kid for the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight title.[8]
In 1983, Smith debuted in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he became involved in a three-way feud with Dynamite Kid and The Cobra (George Takano) over the NWA Junior Heavyweight Title. On February 7, 1984, a three-way, one-night tournament was held, and Dynamite Kid won the tournament by defeating Smith via count-out, and the Cobra by pinfall.[9] After the tournament, Smith and Dynamite Kid formed a tag team in both New Japan and in Stampede Wrestling known as the British Bulldogs. In 1984, the Bulldogs made a shocking move by jumping to New Japan's rival, All Japan Pro Wrestling just before the start of All Japan's annual Tag Team tournament.[10] The Bulldogs made a nice showing in the tournament, which drew the interest of the World Wrestling Federation.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1984–1988)
The Bulldogs, along with Smith's brothers-in-law Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart were brought in to World Wrestling Federation (WWF) after Vince McMahon bought out Stampede Wrestling.[11] At first, the Bulldogs were able to tour both WWF and All Japan, but eventually McMahon gained exclusive rights to the Bulldogs. While in the WWF, the Bulldogs began a long running feud with Hart and Neidhart, who were now known as The Hart Foundation.
The Bulldogs also feuded with the Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake). At WrestleMania 2, with "Captain" Lou Albano and Ozzy Osbourne in their corner, the Bulldogs defeated the Dream Team for the Tag Team Championship.[11] The Bulldogs held the titles for nearly nine months, feuding with the Dream Team and Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik.
In January 1987, the Bulldogs lost the titles to the Hart Foundation due to a severe back injury to the Dynamite Kid. After losing the titles, the Bulldogs gained a mascot, an actual bulldog who went by the name Matilda, and feuded with the likes of The Islanders (who, kayfabe, dog-napped Matilda), Demolition, and The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers.[11]
The Bulldogs left the World Wrestling Federation in 1988, in part due to backstage problems between the Bulldogs, specifically the Dynamite Kid, and the Rougeau Brothers over a prank pulled by Curt Hennig. The Bulldogs, noted ribbers (pranksters) in their own right, were blamed for the prank, leading to a series of confrontations which culminated in Jacques Rougeau knocking out four of the Dynamite Kid's teeth with a fist filled with a roll of quarters.[12] Though there are various accounts of this situation, many suggest that Billington drew first blood by bullying Rougeau (among many others including The Honky Tonk Man, whom Dynamite, allegedly, brought to tears) in Miami. While Rougeau was playing cards backstage, from behind, Billington smacked Jacques in the ear and then punched and kicked him in the face several times and also struck Raymond, who was on crutches at the time. It was weeks before Jacques responded. Bret Hart wrote about the incident, in his book HITMAN: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling: "At first I was upset, and contemplated getting involved. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that Tom had been asking for this for years and that everyone who'd been bullied by him would rejoice at the news." After no disciplinary action was taken against Jacques, Billington quit the WWF, and Smith followed suit.
[edit] Stampede Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling (1988–1990)
After leaving the World Wrestling Federation, the Bulldogs returned to Stampede Wrestling, and also to All Japan Pro Wrestling. Stampede officials were hopeful that the return of the Bulldogs would revive a struggling promotion, but they were unsuccessful. Eventually, the decision was made to split up the Bulldogs, which caused some problems with All Japan owner Giant Baba, who was still promoting the Bulldogs as a tag team. On July 4, 1989, Smith, along with fellow wrestlers Chris Benoit, Ross Hart, and Jason the Terrible, was involved in a serious automobile accident.[13] Smith, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, needed 135 stitches after slamming his head through the windshield and being thrown 25 feet onto the pavement.[13] He recovered, and the Bulldogs continued teaming in All-Japan against teams such as Joe and Dean Malenko, Kenta Kobashi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, and The Nasty Boys.[13] Personal problems began to surface between Smith and Billington, and Smith later left All Japan to return to the WWF.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1990–1992)
Smith was pushed as the same character from the British Bulldogs' original WWF run, but this time as a singles star under the name The British Bulldog. He was a fairly popular wrestler in the United States, but was a huge attraction to fans in the United Kingdom, due in part to the WWF becoming a ratings hit on Sky Sports,[14] as well as the promotion touring the country holding supercards such as UK Rampage which saw Smith defeat The Warlord at the London Arena in March 1991[15] and the Battle Royal at the Albert Hall in which Smith won a 20-man battle royal by eliminating Typhoon on October 13, 1991.[16] After entering as the first man in the 1992 Royal Rumble, he eliminated "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, Jerry Sags, and Haku before being eliminated by Ric Flair.[17]
Smith again headlined the WWF's European tours at European Rampage again winning a 15-man battle royal by eliminating The Mountie in München, Germany on April 14, 1992[18] and defeated Irwin R. Schyster in Sheffield, England on April 19, 1992.[19]
In 1992, due to this newfound popularity, the WWF decided to hold its annual SummerSlam pay-per-view in Wembley Stadium in London. The show was main-evented by Smith (led to the ring by the British Heavyweight Boxing champion Lennox Lewis) and Bret Hart in a match for Hart's Intercontinental Championship. On August 29, at SummerSlam, in front of 80,355 of his countrymen, Smith won the Intercontinental Title in a match which is regarded by many wrestling experts as the finest in his career.[20] Shortly thereafter, Smith lost the title to Shawn Michaels on the November 8 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event[21] and was later released by the WWF. The reason for Smith's release was that he and The Ultimate Warrior were receiving shipments of Human Growth Hormone from a pharmacy in England.[22] The Warrior was released as well.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling (1993)
Smith had a stint with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1993, engaging in feuds with Sid Vicious and Big Van Vader, whom he challenged for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Slamboree, and formed a mildly successful alliance with Sting. He was officially billed as Davey Boy Smith but was referred to as The British Bulldog frequently and interchangeably with Davey Boy Smith. He and Diana had trademarked the British Bulldog name early in his WWF career, which was the source of animosity between the Dynamite Kid and Smith.
In 1993, he was reportedly involved in an altercation with a man at a bar who was making advances towards his wife. As a result of the altercation (and the ensuing legal issues that followed), WCW released him from his contract. His final pay-per-view appearance for WCW came at the Battlebowl pay-per-view. He was teamed with Stevie Ray in the first round of the Lethal Lottery; they lost to Road Warrior Hawk and Rip Rogers.
[edit] Independent circuit (1994)
In 1994, he worked for some independents in Great Britain before returning to the WWF.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1994–1997)
[edit] 1994–1996
Smith returned to the WWF at SummerSlam, where he immediately became involved in an ongoing family feud between Bret Hart and his brother, Owen Hart. Smith teamed up with Bret against Owen and Jim Neidhart in a series of tag team matches.[11]
Smith entering the ring at a WWF event in 1995Smith appeared at the 1994 Survivor Series in a 10-man elimination match. His partners were WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon, 1-2-3 Kid, and The Headshrinkers. They faced Tag Team Champions Shawn Michaels and Diesel, Owen Hart, Jeff Jarrett, and Jim Neidhart. Smith was eventually counted out, but his team won the match after the entire other side was counted out while trying to stop Diesel and Michaels from fighting in the back.
After entering the Royal Rumble as the second entrant, Smith and Shawn Michaels were the final two at the end. Smith tossed Michaels over the ropes and celebrated on the second turnbuckle. However, only one of Michaels feet hit the floor and he was able to reenter the ring, and eliminate Smith from behind, whilst Smith's music was playing and he was celebrating on the turnbuckles. Soon after, Smith began teaming with Lex Luger as the Allied Powers. The team wasn't much of a success and only wrestled on two pay-per-views as a tag team. The first came at WrestleMania XI were they defeated The Blu Brothers. The second came at In Your House 2 were they lost to Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and Yokozuna in July. Afterward the team briefly began feuding with Men on a Mission. During this time, Smith began teasing a heel turn at several live shows where he walked out on Luger during several of their matches together. Another incident saw him antagonize fans for chanting "USA" during their matches together, as they often had done.
On an August episode of Monday Night Raw, the Allied Powers were supposed to face Men on a Mission but Luger (kayfabe) no-showed the match; Smith found a replacement in then-WWF Champion Diesel. During the match, Smith completed his heel turn and attacked Diesel, assisting Men on a Mission in beating down the champion. He left the ring with manager Jim Cornette and joined former adversaries Owen Hart and Yokozuna in Cornette's stable. With a new look and attitude, Smith knocked down challenges from guys like Bam Bam Bigelow among others, and pinned Diesel in a six-man tag team match on RAW to earn a WWF title shot.
At In Your House 4 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Smith received a WWF Championship shot against Diesel. Smith won by disqualification after Bret Hart interfered. At the Survivor Series in Landover, Maryland, Smith participated in the Wild Card eight-man elimination match. He teamed with Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson, and Sycho Sid. They faced WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon, Dean Douglas, Owen Hart, and Yokozuna. Smith, Michaels, and Johnson were the survivors.
In December, at In Your House 5 from Hershey, Pennsylvania, Smith was granted a title shot against new WWF Champion Bret Hart in a rematch from their SummerSlam match back in 1992. They had another well-received match, yet Hart won this time. A notable incident from this match was that Hart bled during the match, which was controversial because WWF outlawed bleeding at the time.
Smith entered the 1996 Royal Rumble, where he made it to the final four before being eliminated by Shawn Michaels. At In Your House 6, he lost to Yokozuna by disqualification after Vader interfered. At WrestleMania XII, he teamed with Vader and Owen Hart to defeat Yokozuna, Ahmed Johnson, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. At In Your House 7 in April, Smith and Owen Hart defeated Johnson and Roberts after Smith forced Roberts to submit.
[edit] 1996–1997
Main article: Owen Hart and The British Bulldog
In 1996, after Shawn Michaels became WWF Champion, Smith was put in a feud with the new champion. The feud was supposedly based on Smith's wife, Diana, accusing Michaels of hitting on her, which made Smith mad and determined to take the title from Michaels.[23] The two main-evented the In Your House 8 pay-per-view, and their match ended in a double pin when Michaels German suplexed Smith and both their shoulders were counted down by separate referees. This led to a rematch at the 1996 King of the Ring pay-per-view. Michaels ended up successfully defending the title.
Afterwards, Smith formed a tag team with his brother-in-law, Owen Hart, and the two soon won the Tag Team Titles from The Smoking Gunns. The team defended their titles against teams such as Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon, Vader and Mankind, and The Legion of Doom.
In 1997, the WWF created the European Championship and Smith became the first ever holder of the title, winning a tournament in Germany, which culminated in him defeating his own tag team partner, Owen Hart in the finals. A match considered one of the best that year. According to Bret Hart's autobiography the title was awarded to Smith to appease him for unfulfilled promises Vince McMahon hade made.
Hart and Smith later joined forces with Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, and Brian Pillman to re-form the Hart Foundation as a villainous faction which feuded with Stone Cold Steve Austin and other American wrestlers. This created an interesting rift between American fans, where the Hart Foundation were vilified, and Canadian fans, who revered the Hart Foundation. Smith and Owen dropped the Tag Team Titles to Austin and Michaels, and lost the final match in a tournament for the vacant Tag Team Titles[citation needed] to Austin and Dude Love. Smith then started a feud with Ken Shamrock for the European Title, and eventually lost the European Title to Shawn Michaels at the British Pay-per-view event One Night Only.[24] Smith was booked in the main event to defend the belt against Michaels. However, Michaels convinced Vince McMahon that he should win, as it would create build-up not only for his impending rematch with Bret Hart, but also for a rematch against Smith at the next British pay-per-view.[25] Smith reluctantly agreed, and fans at the event, who gave Smith an ovation, voiced their displeasure by booing Michaels and littering the ring with garbage.[25] This marks the only time Smith lost on a WWF card in the United Kingdom, and the third championship Smith has lost to Shawn Michaels. After the events at Survivor Series 1997, Smith, along with Bret Hart and Neidhart, left the WWF for WCW.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling (1998)
Smith re-joined WCW as the British Bulldog and immediately began a feud with Steve "Mongo" McMichael, who was complaining about all the wrestlers coming from "Up North". Smith and Neidhart later formed a tag team. They challenged for the World Tag Team Championship on several occasions, but failed to win the titles.
Smith suffered a knee injury in April 1998 that sidelined him for a month. He suffered another injury on September 13, 1998 at Fall Brawl during his match with Neidhart against the Dancing Fools (Disco Inferno and Alex Wright). While taking a bump, Smith landed awkwardly on a trapdoor that had been set in the ring to enable The Warrior to make a dramatic entrance in the night's main event. The result was a spinal infection that nearly paralyzed Smith, hospitalizing him for six months. While recuperating, Smith received a FedEx informing him that his WCW contract had been terminated.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1999–2000)
Smith returned to the WWF in September 1999 following the death of Owen Hart in an in-ring accident. In keeping with the company's new "Attitude era", Smith began wrestling in jeans instead of his usual Union Flag-adorned tights and his theme music was changed from "Rule, Britannia!" to a remix of that particular theme, and later to rock music (complete with the sounds of a dog barking as the song began) that the WWF used for most of its talent at the time. On the September 7 episode of SmackDown! in Albany, New York, Smith defeated The Big Boss Man for the Hardcore Championship. Smith forfeited the title giving the belt back to Al Snow because Boss Man had previously (kayfabe) dog-napped Snow's dog Pepper to win the title from him, driving him insane in the process. Smith then began pursuing the WWF Championship, eventually turning into a villain and beginning a feud with The Rock. Smith headlined Unforgiven as part of a six-man WWF Championship Match that was won by Triple H. On October 2, Smith returned to England as a heel at Rebellion. After losing to The Rock at No Mercy, Smith was moved down the card.
Smith defeated D'Lo Brown for the European Championship on SmackDown! on October 26.[26] He lost the title to Val Venis in a triple threat match at Armageddon on December 12 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[27]
On May 6, 2000 in London, Smith defeated Crash Holly for the Hardcore Championship. In one of Smith's last televised appearances, Holly regained the title from him in New Haven, Connecticut on the May 11 episode of SmackDown!. His last televised match with the WWF was on Sunday Night Heat some weeks later, when he burst into Eddie Guerrero and Chyna's locker room, accusing Guerrero (who was the European Champion at the time) of not treating the belt with the respect it deserved. This led to a title match on Heat, in which both men were disqualified.
Some commenters, e.g. Jim Ross, have spoken about Smith's difficulty to get over with the fans during his last run, saying: "how many times can you repackage a guy like the British Bulldog?"[28]
In early 2000, Smith's wife Diana divorced him, with Smith being given shared custody of their children. At the same time, he entered a drug rehabilitation clinic at the behest and expense of Vince McMahon due to his problems with prescription painkillers though they were not the only drug he was using. He was released from the company shortly thereafter.
[edit] Death
Smith died on May 18, 2002, after suffering a heart attack while on vacation in Invermere, British Columbia with his girlfriend, Bruce Hart's estranged wife Andrea Redding. He was 39 years old. An autopsy revealed that past anabolic steroid use may have played a part in his death, however no certain reason was found. It is apparent that stress, serious injuries, and the use of drugs took its toll on the wrestler. Bruce Hart claimed "Davey paid the price with steroid cocktails and human-growth hormones."[29]
Before his death, Smith had been training with the intent of resuming his career, and had wrestled in three tag team matches with his son, Harry Smith the previous weekend.
[edit] Media
On April 6, 2010, the WWE released Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology, which is a 3 DVD set featuring a documentary on the Hart wrestling family (including Davey Boy Smith) as well as 12 matches. It is unique in that it also features previously unseen home movies from the Harts as well as candid interviews from surviving family members. On April 28, 2010, the WWE put his wrestling profile on the "WWE Alumni" Page.
nancy benoit
Nancy Elizabeth Benoit (née Toffoloni, formerly Daus and Sullivan; May 21, 1964 – June 22, 2007)[1], more commonly known by her in-ring names Woman and Fallen Angel, was a professional wrestling valet and manager.[5] She worked in several promotions, including Jim Crockett Promotions, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling.
Over a three day period ending on June 25, 2007, Nancy Benoit and her son were victims of a double murder-suicide perpetrated by her husband, WWE wrestler Chris Benoit
Career
[edit] Early days
After graduating DeLand High School, Nancy got a job answering phones at an insurance agency.[5] When George Napolitano needed a beautiful young girl for the cover of the June 1984 edition of the pro-wrestling magazine Wrestling All Stars, fellow photographer Bill Otten suggested the 20-year-old Nancy Toffoloni Daus for the role.[1] Nancy, who had worked as a model,[1] often sat alongside her then-husband Jim. She had also been selling programs at the Orlando shows and appeared as Para in the old "Apartment Wrestling" features. It was on this shoot where she met Kevin Sullivan, who eventually wanted her to be a part of his wrestling entourage. After months of convincing, Nancy finally became an on-air valet, taking the name Fallen Angel. She made her in-ring debut on July 7, 1984 at the Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida for Florida Championship Wrestling.
She became a part of Kevin Sullivan's stable of kayfabe "Satanists", which also included wrestlers The Lock, Luna Vachon, The Purple Haze, and Sir Oliver Humperdink.[1] Nancy and Kevin Sullivan traveled throughout the United States using the "Satanist" gimmick for promotions such as Angelo Savoldi's ICW and Southwest Championship Wrestling. The two married in 1985.[1]
[edit] World Championship Wrestling
She first appeared in WCW as a "fan" of Rick Steiner named Robin Green, wearing a Steiner T-shirt and large glasses. She would sit in the audience and would interact with Steiner whenever he appeared. She eventually turned on him, aligning herself with Kevin Sullivan and adopting the name Woman and became the manager of Doom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons). After leaving Doom, she aligned herself with Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen.
[edit] Extreme Championship Wrestling
In 1993, Kevin and Nancy surfaced in the fledgling ECW, where—once again called simply Woman—she managed Sullivan and The Tazmaniac to the ECW Tag Team Championships. When Kevin re-sought the greener pastures of WCW, Nancy remained in ECW, going on to manage Sandman and 2 Cold Scorpio. Once again, she almost seamlessly re-invented herself to fit with The Sandman's gimmick—opening his beers, lighting his cigarettes, and destroying his opponents with her own Singapore cane.[1] She wrestled her first match in ECW when she teamed with The Sandman against Tommy Cairo and Peaches in a Singapore Cane Match.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling
After being dumped by Sandman and Scorpio in ECW, she once again resurfaced in WCW, first appearing on the January 22, 1996 edition of WCW Monday Nitro as one of many women who stood in the aisle and waved as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage came to the ring. On the February 5, 1996 edition of Nitro she turned on Savage during his match with Chris Benoit and rejoined Flair, Arn Anderson, Brian Pillman, and Benoit in the then-current incarnation of the Four Horsemen. Miss Elizabeth also managed the stable.
In 1996, Pillman had left the Horsemen, but they added Steve McMichael and his wife Debra in June,[1] which didn't sit well with Woman. In her next angle, the two bickered, not getting along in general. The Four Horsemen were often given interview time on Nitro and when it came time for Debra to speak on the mic, she'd often go into a soliloquy regarding Woman's looks and fashion sense — usually when the two weren't within the vicinity of each other. Despite the heavy tension, the two managers never had a physical altercation.
At the same time, she started an on-screen relationship with Benoit, who at the time was involved in a feud with her real-life husband, Kevin Sullivan.[1] On December 7, on WCW Saturday Night, during a post-match interview with Sullivan, a home movie of the couple canoodling in a kitchen was played in front of him. Woman taunted Sullivan by saying, "You can't find me" and "I'm my own woman," while Benoit added: "You consider yourself the master of human chess. Well, my bishop just took your queen". After the video, Sullivan stood there speechless, and his manager Jimmy Hart led him off stage.[8] This feud between Benoit and Sullivan saw Woman clashing with Sullivan's then-valet Jacquelyn at ringside. In one match, the two ladies were strapped together, took shots at each other, and used the strap connecting them as a weapon against the men.
Eventually, the Benoit-Nancy on-screen relationship developed into a real-life affair off-screen. Because of this it is often joked that 'Kevin Sullivan booked his own divorce.'[1][5] The two were indeed divorced in 1997. What's more, Sullivan lost a retirement match to Benoit. His intent had been to retire from in-ring action and focus on booking.[1]
Nancy's final WCW appearance (and professional wrestling appearance as Woman) took place on May 26, 1997 on Monday Nitro as she accompanied Benoit to the ring for a confrontation with Jimmy Hart regarding the whereabouts of Sullivan, who wasn't in the arena.[9] On the following week's show, Benoit came alone to ringside without her by his side. After managing him for a little over half a year, no reason was given for Woman's sudden disappearance, and she was never mentioned on WCW programming again.[10]
[edit] Personal life
Before her marriage to Kevin Sullivan in 1985, Nancy had previously been married to and divorced from Jim Daus.[1]
Nancy and Chris Benoit became engaged in 1997 after her divorce from Sullivan that same year, although Benoit only referred to Nancy as his fiancée even after they were married.[1] She managed her husband's career from their home in Atlanta.
She gave birth to her son Daniel Christopher Benoit on February 23, 2000.[1] Nancy married Chris Benoit on November 23, 2000.[1] However, in 2003, she filed for divorce, citing the marriage as "irrevocably broken" and alleging "cruel treatment."[5][11][12] She later dropped the suit, as well as a restraining order filed on her husband.[5][11]
In December 2005, Nancy had back and neck fusion surgery with Dr. Lloyd Youngblood.[13]
[edit] Death
Main article: Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
Wikinews has related news:
Professional wrestler Chris Benoit and family found dead
Chris Benoit mystery editor confesses: claims "terrible coincidence"
On June 25, 2007 Benoit, her husband Chris, and their son Daniel were found dead in their home in suburban Atlanta at around 2:30 p.m.[14] It first was reported by their WWE Mobile Alerts service and posted to their official Web site soon after.
Lieutenant Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department reported to ABC News that it was being investigated as a double murder-suicide,[15] and the police were not searching for any suspects outside of the house, as the instruments of death were located at the scene of the crime.[16] The same day, Detective Bo Turner of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department told television station WAGA-TV that the case was being treated as a murder-suicide.[17]
During a press conference on June 26, Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard reported that Chris Benoit had killed his wife and son.[2][7] A Bible was left by Nancy Benoit's body, and she died of asphyxiation.[18] She had bruises on her back and stomach consistent with an attacker pressing a knee into the back while pulling on a cord around the neck.[19] While there were no signs of restraint on his son, he also died of asphyxiation. He had internal injuries to the throat area, but showed no bruises, indicating he may have been locked in the crook of his attackers's arm.[19] It is reported that his wife died on Friday, his son died on Saturday, and Benoit later hanged himself with the cord of a weight machine in his basement on early Sunday morning; he also died by asphyxiation.
A memorial for Mrs. Benoit and her son took place in Daytona Beach, Florida on July 14, 2007.[20] Both Nancy and her son Daniel were cremated with their ashes placed in starfish-shaped urns[21], and are currently in possession of Nancy's family. Benoit himself was also cremated[22], but what was done with his ashes is not public knowledge.
[edit] Wrestlers managed
Arn Anderson[1][13]
Chris Benoit[1][13]
Shane Douglas[1][13]
DC Drake
Ric Flair[1][13]
Johnny Hotbody[13]
Dean Malenko[13]
Brian Pillman[1]
Psychosis[13]
Butch Reed[1][13]
Ron Simmons[13]
Sandman[1][13]
Randy Savage[13]
Ron Slinker[13]
Rick Steiner[1][13]
Scott Steiner[13]
Kevin Sullivan[1][13]
Tazz[13]
Too Cold Scorpio[1][13]
Kerry Von Erich
Over a three day period ending on June 25, 2007, Nancy Benoit and her son were victims of a double murder-suicide perpetrated by her husband, WWE wrestler Chris Benoit
Career
[edit] Early days
After graduating DeLand High School, Nancy got a job answering phones at an insurance agency.[5] When George Napolitano needed a beautiful young girl for the cover of the June 1984 edition of the pro-wrestling magazine Wrestling All Stars, fellow photographer Bill Otten suggested the 20-year-old Nancy Toffoloni Daus for the role.[1] Nancy, who had worked as a model,[1] often sat alongside her then-husband Jim. She had also been selling programs at the Orlando shows and appeared as Para in the old "Apartment Wrestling" features. It was on this shoot where she met Kevin Sullivan, who eventually wanted her to be a part of his wrestling entourage. After months of convincing, Nancy finally became an on-air valet, taking the name Fallen Angel. She made her in-ring debut on July 7, 1984 at the Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida for Florida Championship Wrestling.
She became a part of Kevin Sullivan's stable of kayfabe "Satanists", which also included wrestlers The Lock, Luna Vachon, The Purple Haze, and Sir Oliver Humperdink.[1] Nancy and Kevin Sullivan traveled throughout the United States using the "Satanist" gimmick for promotions such as Angelo Savoldi's ICW and Southwest Championship Wrestling. The two married in 1985.[1]
[edit] World Championship Wrestling
She first appeared in WCW as a "fan" of Rick Steiner named Robin Green, wearing a Steiner T-shirt and large glasses. She would sit in the audience and would interact with Steiner whenever he appeared. She eventually turned on him, aligning herself with Kevin Sullivan and adopting the name Woman and became the manager of Doom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons). After leaving Doom, she aligned herself with Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen.
[edit] Extreme Championship Wrestling
In 1993, Kevin and Nancy surfaced in the fledgling ECW, where—once again called simply Woman—she managed Sullivan and The Tazmaniac to the ECW Tag Team Championships. When Kevin re-sought the greener pastures of WCW, Nancy remained in ECW, going on to manage Sandman and 2 Cold Scorpio. Once again, she almost seamlessly re-invented herself to fit with The Sandman's gimmick—opening his beers, lighting his cigarettes, and destroying his opponents with her own Singapore cane.[1] She wrestled her first match in ECW when she teamed with The Sandman against Tommy Cairo and Peaches in a Singapore Cane Match.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling
After being dumped by Sandman and Scorpio in ECW, she once again resurfaced in WCW, first appearing on the January 22, 1996 edition of WCW Monday Nitro as one of many women who stood in the aisle and waved as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage came to the ring. On the February 5, 1996 edition of Nitro she turned on Savage during his match with Chris Benoit and rejoined Flair, Arn Anderson, Brian Pillman, and Benoit in the then-current incarnation of the Four Horsemen. Miss Elizabeth also managed the stable.
In 1996, Pillman had left the Horsemen, but they added Steve McMichael and his wife Debra in June,[1] which didn't sit well with Woman. In her next angle, the two bickered, not getting along in general. The Four Horsemen were often given interview time on Nitro and when it came time for Debra to speak on the mic, she'd often go into a soliloquy regarding Woman's looks and fashion sense — usually when the two weren't within the vicinity of each other. Despite the heavy tension, the two managers never had a physical altercation.
At the same time, she started an on-screen relationship with Benoit, who at the time was involved in a feud with her real-life husband, Kevin Sullivan.[1] On December 7, on WCW Saturday Night, during a post-match interview with Sullivan, a home movie of the couple canoodling in a kitchen was played in front of him. Woman taunted Sullivan by saying, "You can't find me" and "I'm my own woman," while Benoit added: "You consider yourself the master of human chess. Well, my bishop just took your queen". After the video, Sullivan stood there speechless, and his manager Jimmy Hart led him off stage.[8] This feud between Benoit and Sullivan saw Woman clashing with Sullivan's then-valet Jacquelyn at ringside. In one match, the two ladies were strapped together, took shots at each other, and used the strap connecting them as a weapon against the men.
Eventually, the Benoit-Nancy on-screen relationship developed into a real-life affair off-screen. Because of this it is often joked that 'Kevin Sullivan booked his own divorce.'[1][5] The two were indeed divorced in 1997. What's more, Sullivan lost a retirement match to Benoit. His intent had been to retire from in-ring action and focus on booking.[1]
Nancy's final WCW appearance (and professional wrestling appearance as Woman) took place on May 26, 1997 on Monday Nitro as she accompanied Benoit to the ring for a confrontation with Jimmy Hart regarding the whereabouts of Sullivan, who wasn't in the arena.[9] On the following week's show, Benoit came alone to ringside without her by his side. After managing him for a little over half a year, no reason was given for Woman's sudden disappearance, and she was never mentioned on WCW programming again.[10]
[edit] Personal life
Before her marriage to Kevin Sullivan in 1985, Nancy had previously been married to and divorced from Jim Daus.[1]
Nancy and Chris Benoit became engaged in 1997 after her divorce from Sullivan that same year, although Benoit only referred to Nancy as his fiancée even after they were married.[1] She managed her husband's career from their home in Atlanta.
She gave birth to her son Daniel Christopher Benoit on February 23, 2000.[1] Nancy married Chris Benoit on November 23, 2000.[1] However, in 2003, she filed for divorce, citing the marriage as "irrevocably broken" and alleging "cruel treatment."[5][11][12] She later dropped the suit, as well as a restraining order filed on her husband.[5][11]
In December 2005, Nancy had back and neck fusion surgery with Dr. Lloyd Youngblood.[13]
[edit] Death
Main article: Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
Wikinews has related news:
Professional wrestler Chris Benoit and family found dead
Chris Benoit mystery editor confesses: claims "terrible coincidence"
On June 25, 2007 Benoit, her husband Chris, and their son Daniel were found dead in their home in suburban Atlanta at around 2:30 p.m.[14] It first was reported by their WWE Mobile Alerts service and posted to their official Web site soon after.
Lieutenant Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department reported to ABC News that it was being investigated as a double murder-suicide,[15] and the police were not searching for any suspects outside of the house, as the instruments of death were located at the scene of the crime.[16] The same day, Detective Bo Turner of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department told television station WAGA-TV that the case was being treated as a murder-suicide.[17]
During a press conference on June 26, Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard reported that Chris Benoit had killed his wife and son.[2][7] A Bible was left by Nancy Benoit's body, and she died of asphyxiation.[18] She had bruises on her back and stomach consistent with an attacker pressing a knee into the back while pulling on a cord around the neck.[19] While there were no signs of restraint on his son, he also died of asphyxiation. He had internal injuries to the throat area, but showed no bruises, indicating he may have been locked in the crook of his attackers's arm.[19] It is reported that his wife died on Friday, his son died on Saturday, and Benoit later hanged himself with the cord of a weight machine in his basement on early Sunday morning; he also died by asphyxiation.
A memorial for Mrs. Benoit and her son took place in Daytona Beach, Florida on July 14, 2007.[20] Both Nancy and her son Daniel were cremated with their ashes placed in starfish-shaped urns[21], and are currently in possession of Nancy's family. Benoit himself was also cremated[22], but what was done with his ashes is not public knowledge.
[edit] Wrestlers managed
Arn Anderson[1][13]
Chris Benoit[1][13]
Shane Douglas[1][13]
DC Drake
Ric Flair[1][13]
Johnny Hotbody[13]
Dean Malenko[13]
Brian Pillman[1]
Psychosis[13]
Butch Reed[1][13]
Ron Simmons[13]
Sandman[1][13]
Randy Savage[13]
Ron Slinker[13]
Rick Steiner[1][13]
Scott Steiner[13]
Kevin Sullivan[1][13]
Tazz[13]
Too Cold Scorpio[1][13]
Kerry Von Erich
nancy benoit
Nancy Elizabeth Benoit (née Toffoloni, formerly Daus and Sullivan; May 21, 1964 – June 22, 2007)[1], more commonly known by her in-ring names Woman and Fallen Angel, was a professional wrestling valet and manager.[5] She worked in several promotions, including Jim Crockett Promotions, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling.
Over a three day period ending on June 25, 2007, Nancy Benoit and her son were victims of a double murder-suicide perpetrated by her husband, WWE wrestler Chris Benoit
Career
[edit] Early days
After graduating DeLand High School, Nancy got a job answering phones at an insurance agency.[5] When George Napolitano needed a beautiful young girl for the cover of the June 1984 edition of the pro-wrestling magazine Wrestling All Stars, fellow photographer Bill Otten suggested the 20-year-old Nancy Toffoloni Daus for the role.[1] Nancy, who had worked as a model,[1] often sat alongside her then-husband Jim. She had also been selling programs at the Orlando shows and appeared as Para in the old "Apartment Wrestling" features. It was on this shoot where she met Kevin Sullivan, who eventually wanted her to be a part of his wrestling entourage. After months of convincing, Nancy finally became an on-air valet, taking the name Fallen Angel. She made her in-ring debut on July 7, 1984 at the Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida for Florida Championship Wrestling.
She became a part of Kevin Sullivan's stable of kayfabe "Satanists", which also included wrestlers The Lock, Luna Vachon, The Purple Haze, and Sir Oliver Humperdink.[1] Nancy and Kevin Sullivan traveled throughout the United States using the "Satanist" gimmick for promotions such as Angelo Savoldi's ICW and Southwest Championship Wrestling. The two married in 1985.[1]
[edit] World Championship Wrestling
She first appeared in WCW as a "fan" of Rick Steiner named Robin Green, wearing a Steiner T-shirt and large glasses. She would sit in the audience and would interact with Steiner whenever he appeared. She eventually turned on him, aligning herself with Kevin Sullivan and adopting the name Woman and became the manager of Doom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons). After leaving Doom, she aligned herself with Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen.
[edit] Extreme Championship Wrestling
In 1993, Kevin and Nancy surfaced in the fledgling ECW, where—once again called simply Woman—she managed Sullivan and The Tazmaniac to the ECW Tag Team Championships. When Kevin re-sought the greener pastures of WCW, Nancy remained in ECW, going on to manage Sandman and 2 Cold Scorpio. Once again, she almost seamlessly re-invented herself to fit with The Sandman's gimmick—opening his beers, lighting his cigarettes, and destroying his opponents with her own Singapore cane.[1] She wrestled her first match in ECW when she teamed with The Sandman against Tommy Cairo and Peaches in a Singapore Cane Match.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling
After being dumped by Sandman and Scorpio in ECW, she once again resurfaced in WCW, first appearing on the January 22, 1996 edition of WCW Monday Nitro as one of many women who stood in the aisle and waved as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage came to the ring. On the February 5, 1996 edition of Nitro she turned on Savage during his match with Chris Benoit and rejoined Flair, Arn Anderson, Brian Pillman, and Benoit in the then-current incarnation of the Four Horsemen. Miss Elizabeth also managed the stable.
In 1996, Pillman had left the Horsemen, but they added Steve McMichael and his wife Debra in June,[1] which didn't sit well with Woman. In her next angle, the two bickered, not getting along in general. The Four Horsemen were often given interview time on Nitro and when it came time for Debra to speak on the mic, she'd often go into a soliloquy regarding Woman's looks and fashion sense — usually when the two weren't within the vicinity of each other. Despite the heavy tension, the two managers never had a physical altercation.
At the same time, she started an on-screen relationship with Benoit, who at the time was involved in a feud with her real-life husband, Kevin Sullivan.[1] On December 7, on WCW Saturday Night, during a post-match interview with Sullivan, a home movie of the couple canoodling in a kitchen was played in front of him. Woman taunted Sullivan by saying, "You can't find me" and "I'm my own woman," while Benoit added: "You consider yourself the master of human chess. Well, my bishop just took your queen". After the video, Sullivan stood there speechless, and his manager Jimmy Hart led him off stage.[8] This feud between Benoit and Sullivan saw Woman clashing with Sullivan's then-valet Jacquelyn at ringside. In one match, the two ladies were strapped together, took shots at each other, and used the strap connecting them as a weapon against the men.
Eventually, the Benoit-Nancy on-screen relationship developed into a real-life affair off-screen. Because of this it is often joked that 'Kevin Sullivan booked his own divorce.'[1][5] The two were indeed divorced in 1997. What's more, Sullivan lost a retirement match to Benoit. His intent had been to retire from in-ring action and focus on booking.[1]
Nancy's final WCW appearance (and professional wrestling appearance as Woman) took place on May 26, 1997 on Monday Nitro as she accompanied Benoit to the ring for a confrontation with Jimmy Hart regarding the whereabouts of Sullivan, who wasn't in the arena.[9] On the following week's show, Benoit came alone to ringside without her by his side. After managing him for a little over half a year, no reason was given for Woman's sudden disappearance, and she was never mentioned on WCW programming again.[10]
[edit] Personal life
Before her marriage to Kevin Sullivan in 1985, Nancy had previously been married to and divorced from Jim Daus.[1]
Nancy and Chris Benoit became engaged in 1997 after her divorce from Sullivan that same year, although Benoit only referred to Nancy as his fiancée even after they were married.[1] She managed her husband's career from their home in Atlanta.
She gave birth to her son Daniel Christopher Benoit on February 23, 2000.[1] Nancy married Chris Benoit on November 23, 2000.[1] However, in 2003, she filed for divorce, citing the marriage as "irrevocably broken" and alleging "cruel treatment."[5][11][12] She later dropped the suit, as well as a restraining order filed on her husband.[5][11]
In December 2005, Nancy had back and neck fusion surgery with Dr. Lloyd Youngblood.[13]
[edit] Death
Main article: Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
Wikinews has related news:
Professional wrestler Chris Benoit and family found dead
Chris Benoit mystery editor confesses: claims "terrible coincidence"
On June 25, 2007 Benoit, her husband Chris, and their son Daniel were found dead in their home in suburban Atlanta at around 2:30 p.m.[14] It first was reported by their WWE Mobile Alerts service and posted to their official Web site soon after.
Lieutenant Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department reported to ABC News that it was being investigated as a double murder-suicide,[15] and the police were not searching for any suspects outside of the house, as the instruments of death were located at the scene of the crime.[16] The same day, Detective Bo Turner of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department told television station WAGA-TV that the case was being treated as a murder-suicide.[17]
During a press conference on June 26, Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard reported that Chris Benoit had killed his wife and son.[2][7] A Bible was left by Nancy Benoit's body, and she died of asphyxiation.[18] She had bruises on her back and stomach consistent with an attacker pressing a knee into the back while pulling on a cord around the neck.[19] While there were no signs of restraint on his son, he also died of asphyxiation. He had internal injuries to the throat area, but showed no bruises, indicating he may have been locked in the crook of his attackers's arm.[19] It is reported that his wife died on Friday, his son died on Saturday, and Benoit later hanged himself with the cord of a weight machine in his basement on early Sunday morning; he also died by asphyxiation.
A memorial for Mrs. Benoit and her son took place in Daytona Beach, Florida on July 14, 2007.[20] Both Nancy and her son Daniel were cremated with their ashes placed in starfish-shaped urns[21], and are currently in possession of Nancy's family. Benoit himself was also cremated[22], but what was done with his ashes is not public knowledge.
[edit] Wrestlers managed
Arn Anderson[1][13]
Chris Benoit[1][13]
Shane Douglas[1][13]
DC Drake
Ric Flair[1][13]
Johnny Hotbody[13]
Dean Malenko[13]
Brian Pillman[1]
Psychosis[13]
Butch Reed[1][13]
Ron Simmons[13]
Sandman[1][13]
Randy Savage[13]
Ron Slinker[13]
Rick Steiner[1][13]
Scott Steiner[13]
Kevin Sullivan[1][13]
Tazz[13]
Too Cold Scorpio[1][13]
Kerry Von Erich
Over a three day period ending on June 25, 2007, Nancy Benoit and her son were victims of a double murder-suicide perpetrated by her husband, WWE wrestler Chris Benoit
Career
[edit] Early days
After graduating DeLand High School, Nancy got a job answering phones at an insurance agency.[5] When George Napolitano needed a beautiful young girl for the cover of the June 1984 edition of the pro-wrestling magazine Wrestling All Stars, fellow photographer Bill Otten suggested the 20-year-old Nancy Toffoloni Daus for the role.[1] Nancy, who had worked as a model,[1] often sat alongside her then-husband Jim. She had also been selling programs at the Orlando shows and appeared as Para in the old "Apartment Wrestling" features. It was on this shoot where she met Kevin Sullivan, who eventually wanted her to be a part of his wrestling entourage. After months of convincing, Nancy finally became an on-air valet, taking the name Fallen Angel. She made her in-ring debut on July 7, 1984 at the Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida for Florida Championship Wrestling.
She became a part of Kevin Sullivan's stable of kayfabe "Satanists", which also included wrestlers The Lock, Luna Vachon, The Purple Haze, and Sir Oliver Humperdink.[1] Nancy and Kevin Sullivan traveled throughout the United States using the "Satanist" gimmick for promotions such as Angelo Savoldi's ICW and Southwest Championship Wrestling. The two married in 1985.[1]
[edit] World Championship Wrestling
She first appeared in WCW as a "fan" of Rick Steiner named Robin Green, wearing a Steiner T-shirt and large glasses. She would sit in the audience and would interact with Steiner whenever he appeared. She eventually turned on him, aligning herself with Kevin Sullivan and adopting the name Woman and became the manager of Doom (Butch Reed and Ron Simmons). After leaving Doom, she aligned herself with Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen.
[edit] Extreme Championship Wrestling
In 1993, Kevin and Nancy surfaced in the fledgling ECW, where—once again called simply Woman—she managed Sullivan and The Tazmaniac to the ECW Tag Team Championships. When Kevin re-sought the greener pastures of WCW, Nancy remained in ECW, going on to manage Sandman and 2 Cold Scorpio. Once again, she almost seamlessly re-invented herself to fit with The Sandman's gimmick—opening his beers, lighting his cigarettes, and destroying his opponents with her own Singapore cane.[1] She wrestled her first match in ECW when she teamed with The Sandman against Tommy Cairo and Peaches in a Singapore Cane Match.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling
After being dumped by Sandman and Scorpio in ECW, she once again resurfaced in WCW, first appearing on the January 22, 1996 edition of WCW Monday Nitro as one of many women who stood in the aisle and waved as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage came to the ring. On the February 5, 1996 edition of Nitro she turned on Savage during his match with Chris Benoit and rejoined Flair, Arn Anderson, Brian Pillman, and Benoit in the then-current incarnation of the Four Horsemen. Miss Elizabeth also managed the stable.
In 1996, Pillman had left the Horsemen, but they added Steve McMichael and his wife Debra in June,[1] which didn't sit well with Woman. In her next angle, the two bickered, not getting along in general. The Four Horsemen were often given interview time on Nitro and when it came time for Debra to speak on the mic, she'd often go into a soliloquy regarding Woman's looks and fashion sense — usually when the two weren't within the vicinity of each other. Despite the heavy tension, the two managers never had a physical altercation.
At the same time, she started an on-screen relationship with Benoit, who at the time was involved in a feud with her real-life husband, Kevin Sullivan.[1] On December 7, on WCW Saturday Night, during a post-match interview with Sullivan, a home movie of the couple canoodling in a kitchen was played in front of him. Woman taunted Sullivan by saying, "You can't find me" and "I'm my own woman," while Benoit added: "You consider yourself the master of human chess. Well, my bishop just took your queen". After the video, Sullivan stood there speechless, and his manager Jimmy Hart led him off stage.[8] This feud between Benoit and Sullivan saw Woman clashing with Sullivan's then-valet Jacquelyn at ringside. In one match, the two ladies were strapped together, took shots at each other, and used the strap connecting them as a weapon against the men.
Eventually, the Benoit-Nancy on-screen relationship developed into a real-life affair off-screen. Because of this it is often joked that 'Kevin Sullivan booked his own divorce.'[1][5] The two were indeed divorced in 1997. What's more, Sullivan lost a retirement match to Benoit. His intent had been to retire from in-ring action and focus on booking.[1]
Nancy's final WCW appearance (and professional wrestling appearance as Woman) took place on May 26, 1997 on Monday Nitro as she accompanied Benoit to the ring for a confrontation with Jimmy Hart regarding the whereabouts of Sullivan, who wasn't in the arena.[9] On the following week's show, Benoit came alone to ringside without her by his side. After managing him for a little over half a year, no reason was given for Woman's sudden disappearance, and she was never mentioned on WCW programming again.[10]
[edit] Personal life
Before her marriage to Kevin Sullivan in 1985, Nancy had previously been married to and divorced from Jim Daus.[1]
Nancy and Chris Benoit became engaged in 1997 after her divorce from Sullivan that same year, although Benoit only referred to Nancy as his fiancée even after they were married.[1] She managed her husband's career from their home in Atlanta.
She gave birth to her son Daniel Christopher Benoit on February 23, 2000.[1] Nancy married Chris Benoit on November 23, 2000.[1] However, in 2003, she filed for divorce, citing the marriage as "irrevocably broken" and alleging "cruel treatment."[5][11][12] She later dropped the suit, as well as a restraining order filed on her husband.[5][11]
In December 2005, Nancy had back and neck fusion surgery with Dr. Lloyd Youngblood.[13]
[edit] Death
Main article: Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
Wikinews has related news:
Professional wrestler Chris Benoit and family found dead
Chris Benoit mystery editor confesses: claims "terrible coincidence"
On June 25, 2007 Benoit, her husband Chris, and their son Daniel were found dead in their home in suburban Atlanta at around 2:30 p.m.[14] It first was reported by their WWE Mobile Alerts service and posted to their official Web site soon after.
Lieutenant Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department reported to ABC News that it was being investigated as a double murder-suicide,[15] and the police were not searching for any suspects outside of the house, as the instruments of death were located at the scene of the crime.[16] The same day, Detective Bo Turner of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department told television station WAGA-TV that the case was being treated as a murder-suicide.[17]
During a press conference on June 26, Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard reported that Chris Benoit had killed his wife and son.[2][7] A Bible was left by Nancy Benoit's body, and she died of asphyxiation.[18] She had bruises on her back and stomach consistent with an attacker pressing a knee into the back while pulling on a cord around the neck.[19] While there were no signs of restraint on his son, he also died of asphyxiation. He had internal injuries to the throat area, but showed no bruises, indicating he may have been locked in the crook of his attackers's arm.[19] It is reported that his wife died on Friday, his son died on Saturday, and Benoit later hanged himself with the cord of a weight machine in his basement on early Sunday morning; he also died by asphyxiation.
A memorial for Mrs. Benoit and her son took place in Daytona Beach, Florida on July 14, 2007.[20] Both Nancy and her son Daniel were cremated with their ashes placed in starfish-shaped urns[21], and are currently in possession of Nancy's family. Benoit himself was also cremated[22], but what was done with his ashes is not public knowledge.
[edit] Wrestlers managed
Arn Anderson[1][13]
Chris Benoit[1][13]
Shane Douglas[1][13]
DC Drake
Ric Flair[1][13]
Johnny Hotbody[13]
Dean Malenko[13]
Brian Pillman[1]
Psychosis[13]
Butch Reed[1][13]
Ron Simmons[13]
Sandman[1][13]
Randy Savage[13]
Ron Slinker[13]
Rick Steiner[1][13]
Scott Steiner[13]
Kevin Sullivan[1][13]
Tazz[13]
Too Cold Scorpio[1][13]
Kerry Von Erich
dream catchers hair extensions
Dream Catchers Hair Extensions
DreamCatchers Hair Extensions is the new hair extension line from Paris Hilton. The hair extensions are made of the finest virgin European hair, giving you that Paris Hilton hollywood look. The extensions have been made so they can be styled and permed. The added benefit of the DC extensions are they can also be colored. Total flexibility with these extensions allow you to treat them as your own hair.
DreamCatchers allows you to:
1.Transform your fine hair into thick hair
2.Transform your short hair into long hair
3.Have hair extensions without the use of glues, waxes or chemicals
Blonde DreamCatchers Hair Extensions:
Click to visit Sally Beauty Supply for choices! Brown DreamCatchers Hair Extensions:
Click to visit Sally Beauty Supply for choices!
Dream Catchers Hair Extensions Before and After
Before
After
Dream Catchers Hair Extensions Video
What Paris Hilton is Saying
"Before I started wearing DreamCatchers, my hair was kind of getting damaged," she explains, "but ever since I have worn my new extension line, my hair has been growing. It's just like there's no glue, there's no wax, there's no damage, and that's different than any other extension I've seen."
Paris also says that while it may take up six hours or more at some places to put in hair extensions, DreamCatchers takes only about two to two-and-a-half hours.
"It's really quick," she says. "It's a lot of fun, because you can just change your hairstyle all the time
DreamCatchers Hair Extensions is the new hair extension line from Paris Hilton. The hair extensions are made of the finest virgin European hair, giving you that Paris Hilton hollywood look. The extensions have been made so they can be styled and permed. The added benefit of the DC extensions are they can also be colored. Total flexibility with these extensions allow you to treat them as your own hair.
DreamCatchers allows you to:
1.Transform your fine hair into thick hair
2.Transform your short hair into long hair
3.Have hair extensions without the use of glues, waxes or chemicals
Blonde DreamCatchers Hair Extensions:
Click to visit Sally Beauty Supply for choices! Brown DreamCatchers Hair Extensions:
Click to visit Sally Beauty Supply for choices!
Dream Catchers Hair Extensions Before and After
Before
After
Dream Catchers Hair Extensions Video
What Paris Hilton is Saying
"Before I started wearing DreamCatchers, my hair was kind of getting damaged," she explains, "but ever since I have worn my new extension line, my hair has been growing. It's just like there's no glue, there's no wax, there's no damage, and that's different than any other extension I've seen."
Paris also says that while it may take up six hours or more at some places to put in hair extensions, DreamCatchers takes only about two to two-and-a-half hours.
"It's really quick," she says. "It's a lot of fun, because you can just change your hairstyle all the time
curt henning
"Mr. Perfect" redirects here. For the member of the Mr. Men, see Mr. Perfect
For the other wrestler who used the ring name Mr. Perfect, see Jerry Stubbs.
Curt Hennig
Hennig guest refereeing at WrestleMania X in 1994.
Ring name(s) Mr. Perfect[1][2]
Curt Hennig[1]
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1][2]
Weight 260 lb (120 kg)[1]
Born March 28, 1958(1958-03-28)[1][3]
Robbinsdale, Minnesota[1][3]
Died February 10, 2003 (aged 44)[1][3]
Tampa, Florida[3]
Billed from Robbinsdale, Minnesota[1][2]
Trained by Verne Gagne[1][2]
Larry Hennig[1][2]
Buddy Rose[1]
Debut January 30, 1980[1]
Curtis Michael "Curt" Hennig[1] (March 28, 1958 – February 10, 2003)[3], also known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler who wrestled for, among other promotions, the American Wrestling Association (AWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and perhaps most notably, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He was the son of wrestler Larry "The Axe" Hennig.
Hennig held fifteen championships in various promotions throughout his career. Among other accolades, he is recognized by WWE a two-time WWF Intercontinental Champion and the longest-reigning champion of the 1990s,[4] and a former world champion, having had a year-long reign as AWA World Heavyweight Champion.[2] He won his second, and final, world championship in 2000, becoming a one-time WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion. Although back problems prevented Hennig from once again being pushed as a world champion in the WWF during the 1990s,[5] he became one of the promotion's most colorful personalities and later assumed a role as a manager and color commentator. In addition to championship success in WCW in the late 1990s, he was also a member of the New World Order and later, wrestling stable and country music group, West Texas Rednecks, who recorded their infamous, tongue-in-cheek anti-rap song, "Rap is Crap."[2] Hennig returned to the WWF for a brief period in 2002, being one of the last three men remaining at that year's Royal Rumble. He later wrestled for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), challenging for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, prior to his death on February 10, 2003.
Described by WWE as "one of the best in-ring technicians of his generation",[6] peers including Hulk Hogan,[7] Ric Flair,[8] Bret Hart,[9] Shawn Michaels[10] and Randy Savage[11] consider Hennig to be one of the most gifted in-ring performers in professional wrestling history. He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007
American Wrestling Association (1980–1982, 1984–1988)
DDP, Curt Hennig and Diamond Doll Tonya in 1988Known as "Cool" Curt Hennig, he began his career on January 30, 1980 in the American Wrestling Association, the promotion which had made his father, Larry "The Axe" Hennig[12] a star. He would eventually become one of the promotion's top stars in his own right, co-holding (with Scott Hall) the AWA World Tag Team Championship (they defeated "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin and "Mr. Electricity" Steve Regal on January 18, 1986 in Albuquerque, New Mexico).[13]
Later, he resumed his solo career in the AWA, culminating in defeating the legendary Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship at SuperClash on May 2, 1987.[14] Hennig, along with his father Larry "The Axe", would engage in a long feud with Greg Gagne and his father, Verne Gagne. He began being associated with Madusa Miceli, the AWA World Women's Champion since December 27, 1987.[15] Hennig and Madusa joined the Diamond Exchange, a stable led by Diamond Dallas Page that also included Badd Company and Colonel DeBeers.[16]
Hennig would hold the AWA World Heavyweight Title for about 53 weeks, before losing it to Jerry Lawler on May 9, 1988.[14] As many other promising-yet-underexposed AWA stars had before him (including Hulk Hogan, Rick Martel, and Bobby Heenan), he left the AWA for the World Wrestling Federation.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1982–1984, 1988–1996)
Curt Hennig's first tenure in WWE/WWF began in 1982; he established himself as a promising young performer against the likes of 'Playboy' Buddy Rose. Eventually, he was paired-up in tag team matches with another young upstart, Eddie Gilbert, himself the son of a wrestling legend (Tommy Gilbert).
Hennig returned to the WWF in the fall of 1988 as Mr. Perfect, an arrogant braggart heel who claimed to be able to accomplish difficult tasks "perfectly." In the weeks before his debut, Hennig shot several promos to get his persona of being superior in athletics or anything else he did. These clips showed him hitting half-court, three-point, and no-look basketball shots, bowling a score of 300, running the table in billiards, throwing then catching his own Hail Mary football pass, sinking a long golf putt, hitting home runs and making bulls-eyes in darts. Stars of various major league sports, including Wade Boggs, Steve Jordan, and Mike Modano, co-starred with Hennig in these vignettes.
Mr. Perfect - initially introduced as "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig - would go undefeated for over a year, beating mid-card wrestlers including The Blue Blazer, The Red Rooster and Jimmy Snuka. Although undefeated on television, Hennig fought Bret "the Hitman" Hart to a draw at several house shows. Later in 1989, Mr. Perfect began appearing with Lanny Poffo, who had turned heel earlier in the year and began competing as "The Genius," an arrogant scholar. That fall, Hennig began feuding with Hulk Hogan over the WWF Championship. The feud heated up when, after The Genius defeated Hogan by countout, Poffo and Hennig stole Hogan's title belt and destroyed it backstage. Although Hogan later pinned "Mr. Perfect" at several house shows, these were not taped and no reference was made to them on television. Hennig and Hogan would be the last two men left in the 1990 Royal Rumble, with Hogan getting the victory. Hennig's first one-on-one loss on television was to Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake at WrestleMania VI at the Toronto Skydome, though a week earlier he was pinned by The Ultimate Warrior in a taped show at Madison Square Garden.
Enlisting Bobby Heenan as his new manager, Mr. Perfect went on to win the vacant Intercontinental Title in the final round of a tournament in April 1990 by defeating two-time Intercontinental Champion Tito Santana.[17][18] He lost the belt to The Texas Tornado four months later at SummerSlam,[18][19] but regained the title back on November 19, 1990, thanks to interference from Ted DiBiase. This title win aired on the December 15, 1990 edition of WWF Superstars of Wrestling. Perfect faced the Big Boss Man at WrestleMania VII, where a disqualification loss meant that he retained his title.[20] The following month he was the winner of a 20-man Battle Royal on Saturday Night's Main Event.[21] Perfect held the Intercontinental Title until August 1991, when a broken tailbone and buldged discs forced him to drop the belt to Bret Hart at SummerSlam;[12][22] In the month of May prior to this match, Heenan retired from managing, which led to "Coach" John Tolos becoming Mr. Perfect's new manager. This was short-lived, as Perfect had actually retired from the ring a couple months before SummerSlam. Hennig spent the next year plus, trying to recuperate from his injuries. While recovering, he acted as Ric Flair's "executive consultant" during Flair's two WWF Championship reigns.
He also worked as a color commentator on WWF Superstars of Wrestling following Survivor Series 1991 until the Superstars before the next Survivor Series, acting as a suitable heel foil to Vince McMahon's play-by-play. Perfect had a falling-out with Flair and Heenan (Flair's financial adviser) on the last Prime Time Wrestling before Survivor Series 1992 after Randy Savage asked Perfect to be his partner against Flair and Razor Ramon at the 1992 Survivor Series. After initially laughing off Savage's decision, Perfect was swayed by Savage's cajoling and by Heenan's comments that Perfect wasn't capable of wrestling on that level anymore and demanded that Perfect follow orders and do as he was told. Immediately afterward, Perfect turned towards the camera to accept Savage's proposal, much to the horror of Heenan, who then slapped Perfect across his face. An infuriated Perfect responded by grabbing Heenan by his tie and pouring a full pitcher of water over Heenan's head. Perfect then stated that he was "back" as Savage's partner at the Survivor Series, much to the delight of the Prime Time Wrestling cast of Hillbilly Jim, Jim Duggan, and Vince McMahon. Perfect returned to the ring at the Survivor Series and he and Savage won the match by disqualification. Perfect later eliminated Flair from the 1993 Royal Rumble[23] and defeated Flair the next night on Monday Night Raw in a "Loser Leaves the WWF Match".[24]
He then went on to feud with Lex Luger, whom Heenan introduced into the WWF at the Royal Rumble. Luger won their match at WrestleMania IX[25] though both of Perfect's feet were clearly between the ropes. Afterwards, Perfect chased Luger backstage where he was jumped from behind by Shawn Michaels. This feud with Michaels would lead to an Intercontinental Title match at Summerslam 1993, which Perfect lost by countout due to interference from Diesel.[26] As stated in WWF Magazine, Perfect was responsible for coining Michaels' moniker, "The Heartbreak Kid".
Hennig also competed in the 1993 King of the Ring tournament, losing in a classic semi-finals match to eventual winner Bret Hart.
He was then set to participate in the opening bout at 1993's Survivor Series, but due to the re-emergence of his back injuries, was replaced by "Macho Man" Randy Savage and apparently had left the company.
[edit] 1994 return
At WrestleMania X, Mr. Perfect was the special guest referee for the title match between Lex Luger and Yokozuna.[27] Perfect disqualified Luger after Luger put his hands on him, instead of counting the pin. Perfect was set to start another feud with Luger following WrestleMania, but plans were changed when Perfect's back problems flared up again. He left the Federation in the spring of 1994.
[edit] 1995–1996 return
He returned in 1995 as a color commentator at the Survivor Series. The following weekend, Jerry Lawler announced Perfect as his replacement on WWF Superstars, his second stint as a color commentator on the show with McMahon, this time with Jim Ross added as the analyst. Later in 1996, McMahon left and Ross switched to the play-by-play role. Perfect also did color commentary with McMahon at the 1996 Royal Rumble and the 1996 SummerSlam with McMahon and Ross, and also at In Your House 10: Mind Games with Ross and McMahon, and in the video game WWF In Your House with McMahon. Mr. Perfect was once again called upon to serve as special referee for the WWF Championship match at 1996 King of the Ring between Shawn Michaels and the British Bulldog.
Mr. Perfect was initially going to make his wrestling comeback on Monday Night Raw in October 1996 against Hunter Hearst Helmsley but was attacked by Helmsley backstage just moments before their match. It appeared Helmsley's attack left Perfect injured and unable to compete. This all turned out to be a ruse for the purpose of suckering "Wildman" Marc Mero into defending his Intercontinental Championship against Helmsley. With help from Perfect, Helmsley won the Intercontinental Title from Mero, and Perfect was once again a heel. Perfect began to serve as a mentor to Helmsley and "hand picked" beautiful models to accompany Helmsley to the ring. Perfect disappeared from the WWF once again shortly before the 1996 Survivor Series. He wouldn't be seen in the WWF again until 2002.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling (1997–2000)
Hennig signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1997, no longer billed as Mr. Perfect as that moniker was trademarked by the WWF. Both the Four Horsemen and the New World Order (nWo) showed interest in recruiting him. Hennig made his official WCW debut at Bash at the Beach '97 as Diamond Dallas Page's mystery tag-team partner. Hennig ended up turning on Page costing them the match. After feuding with Page for a month he joined the Four Horsemen, taking the spot of the retiring Arn Anderson. Anderson's implorement that Hennig take "his spot" was the subject of the following week's parody of the Horsemen by the nWo, which lead to the WarGames match. At Fall Brawl, Hennig was allegedly jumped backstage by the nWo and came to ringside mid-match with his arm in a sling. The whole thing turned out to be a setup as Hennig betrayed the Horsemen and joined the nWo, handcuffing the other Horsemen to the cage and then slamming the steel cage door into Ric Flair's head, afterward claiming he had "destroyed the Horseman" and as a further slap to Flair, claimed to be "the wrestler that made Minnesota famous". Two months after he joined the nWo, his childhood friend, Rick Rude, was also brought in. Hennig won the United States Title from Steve McMichael in September 1997 and defended it by defeating many superstars like Ric Flair, Lex Luger, The Giant, Chris Benoit, Jeff Jarrett, and Diamond Dallas Page to name a few before losing it to Page in December of that year at Starrcade.[28]
He struggled with a knee injury for much of 1998. When the nWo broke into two different factions, the Wolfpac (red and black) and nWo Hollywood (black and white), both Hennig and Rude joined the Wolfpac. The two did not really fit in with the fan favorite Wolfpac faction, especially when Rick Rude would still get on the microphone and tell the fans to shut up. Hennig was not able to compete against Goldberg at the Great American Bash that June, so he asked Konnan to replace him. Konnan lost the match, and afterward both Hennig and Rude attacked him, removing themselves from the Wolfpac and joining nWo Hollywood. Despite his injury he faced WCW World Champion Goldberg in a losing effort at Bash at the Beach. That September, Hennig was taken off WCW TV due to his injury. He returned at Starrcade to aid Eric Bischoff in defeating Ric Flair.
In early 1999, he began tagging with Barry Windham. Hennig and Windham lost to Ric Flair and Flair's son David at Souled Out due to interference by Arn Anderson. After the match, the rest of the nWo came out and humiliated Flair by handcuffing him to the ring, and forced him to watch his son David take a beating from Hollywood Hogan. Shortly afterward, Hennig was attacked by the nWo and thrown out of the group for no apparent reason other than Scott Hall stating "it's time to trim the fat". Hennig went on to win the World Tag Team Title with Barry Windham. Three months later, he became the leader of the West Texas Rednecks with Barry, Barry's brother, Kendall, and Bobby Duncum, Jr.. They were supposed to be heels to feud with rapper Master P's No Limit Soldiers, but the southern WCW fans cheered them and the angle was soon dropped. The Rednecks recorded a country song titled "Rap Is Crap" that received some airplay. After the Rednecks disbanded, Hennig feuded with Harlem Heat and Shawn Stasiak. During the feud, Stasiak called himself "Perfect Shawn" Stasiak, which was a ripoff of the "Mr. Perfect" gimmick. After Stasiak won the feud, Hennig briefly began coaching Stasiak. On November 21, 1999 at WCW Mayhem in Toronto's Air Canada Centre, Hennig lost a retirement match to Buff Bagwell. Hennig left WCW after his contract expired in the summer of 2000.
[edit] X Wrestling Federation (2001–2002)
Hennig was a franchise star for the short lived X Wrestling Federation where he had a brief run. The promotion quickly went under on behalf of the WWF buying out many of its major talent, including Hennig himself. Hennig wrestled a well-known match with Hulk Hogan in XWF, where Hogan defeated him.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (2002)
During the build up for January's Royal Rumble, it was announced that Hennig would be returning as one of the 30 combatants. Hennig, now billed as "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, entered the Royal Rumble at #25, and was one of the final three competitors before being eliminated by Triple H. Mr. Perfect made a strong showing at the Rumble, hitting the Perfect-Plex on Kurt Angle and holding his own with the WWF's best at the time. His performance, along with the positive reaction of the Atlanta crowd, earned Perfect a full time contract with the WWF. He appeared the next night on Raw in a match with The Big Valbowski. He then had short feuds with Stone Cold Steve Austin and Rob Van Dam before forming a tag team with Shawn Stasiak at house shows throughout March and April as well as a tag team on television with The Big Boss Man. He also appeared on Sunday Night Heat the night of WrestleMania X8. Mr. Perfect was drafted to Raw during the first ever WWF Draft. However, he was released from the company on May 5, 2002 due to a physical confrontation with Brock Lesnar over who had the best amateur skills. Among other incidents of drunkenness, the tussle took place on the infamous "plane ride from hell."[29]
[edit] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2003)
After being released from WWE,[30] he went on to work for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. In TNA, he was involved in a feud with NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett.
[edit] Death and legacy
On February 10, 2003, Hennig was found dead in a Florida hotel room. He was 44 years old. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office declared acute cocaine intoxication to be the cause of his death.[31] His father said that steroids and painkillers also contributed to his death.[32]
WWE aired a video tribute as well as words from friends and former co-workers Jerry "The King" Lawler and Jim Ross on Raw following the news of Hennig's death.[33] TNA paid tribute to Hennig by displaying his wrestling singlet and a framed photo as he was employed by TNA at the time of his death.
Hennig's widow, Leonice, signed a WWE Legends contract on her husband's behalf.
Hennig is considered by insiders and his peers (most notably Bret Hart and Ric Flair) as one of the greatest in-ring performers in modern wrestling history.[9]
Wade Boggs, who appeared in a vignette with Hennig and was a friend of his, inducted him into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 31, 2007. His wife, his four children, and his parents accepted the award on his behalf. [2]
On July 4, 2007, Hennig was posthumously inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. His father, who was inducted the prior year, represented him at the event.
A tribute song about Hennig, "My Perfect Friend", was featured on the 2003 "Macho Man" Randy Savage album Be a Man.[34]
Hennig's son Joe is currently pursuing a career in pro-wrestling and is being trained by Harley Race. Joe has wrestled as talent-enhancement on WWE television and has taken to wearing a style of singlet similar to that of his father. He is currently under a WWE developmental contract with FCW, WWE's farm promotion in Florida. Hennig's daughter Amy is also currently pursuing a career in pro-wrestling and is reported to have undergone a one week evaluation training session with WWE's former development territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling.
On September 9, 2008, WWE released a two disc DVD set focused on Hennig titled The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect. Promotion for the video included Charlie Haas spoofing Hennig's memorable sports vignettes at a Dave & Buster's on Raw. Finding that he was incapable of performing those feats, Haas decided on one of his idols that "there was only one Mr. Perfect." The week after the DVD's release, its first week possible, it went to number one on the Billboard Recreational Sports DVD sales list.[34]
[edit] In wrestling
Finishing moves
Perfect-Plex[1][2] (WWF) / Hennig-Plex[1] (WCW) (Bridging cradle suplex)[35]
Signature moves
Atomic drop, sometimes inverted[36]
Backhand chop[1]
Bridging belly to back suplex
Dropkick[1]
Figure four leglock[37]
Forearm smash
Hip toss
Missile dropkick – early career
Modified Indian deathlock
Kneebar followed by a knee breaker[1] (leaps up and drives the knee of his inside leg into the back of his opponent's knee)
Knee drop[1]
Seated senton to force an opponent to the mat[36] or to an opponent's leg draped over the first rope[37][38]
Sleeper hold[38]
Snapmare,[1][36] often followed by a rolling neck snap[1][36][37]
Spear[1]
Spinning toe hold[37]
Standing headscissors into a swinging knee strike[36]
Swinging knee lift[1][36]
Managers
Madusa Miceli[39]
Diamond Dallas Page[16]
The Genius
Bobby Heenan
Coach John Tolos
Rick Rude
Vincent / Curly Bill / Shane
Nicknames
"The Perfect One"[40]
"Cool" Curt Hennig[40]
Entrance themes
"Theme of Exodus" by Ernest Gold (used only briefly)
"Perfection" by Jim Johnston 1989-1993,1994,1995-1996,2002
"Rockhouse" by J.Hart and H.Helm (used while a part of the New World Order) (WCW) 1997-1998,1998-1999
"WolfPac theme" (used while part of the nWo WolfPac) (WCW) 1998
"Rap is Crap" by the West Texas Rednecks (WCW) 1999
"Good Ol' Boys" by the West Texas Rednecks (WCW) 1999
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
American Wrestling Association
AWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][14]
AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) [13] – with Scott Hall[1]
Future of Wrestling
FOW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][41]
i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling
i-Generation Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[42][1]
Main Event Championship Wrestling
MECW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][43]
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][44]
NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (3 times)[45] – with Larry Hennig (1), Buddy Rose (1) and Pat McGhee (1)[1]
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1987)[46]
PWI ranked him #9 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1993[47]
PWI ranked him #55 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003[48]
PWI ranked him #98 of the Top 100 Tag Teams of the "PWI Years" with Scott Hall in 2003[49]
World Championship Wrestling
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][50]
WCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) [51] – with Barry Windham[1]
World Wrestling Council
WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[52]
World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
WWF Intercontinental Championship (2 times)[1][18]
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2007)[1][2]
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Most Improved (1983)
For the other wrestler who used the ring name Mr. Perfect, see Jerry Stubbs.
Curt Hennig
Hennig guest refereeing at WrestleMania X in 1994.
Ring name(s) Mr. Perfect[1][2]
Curt Hennig[1]
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1][2]
Weight 260 lb (120 kg)[1]
Born March 28, 1958(1958-03-28)[1][3]
Robbinsdale, Minnesota[1][3]
Died February 10, 2003 (aged 44)[1][3]
Tampa, Florida[3]
Billed from Robbinsdale, Minnesota[1][2]
Trained by Verne Gagne[1][2]
Larry Hennig[1][2]
Buddy Rose[1]
Debut January 30, 1980[1]
Curtis Michael "Curt" Hennig[1] (March 28, 1958 – February 10, 2003)[3], also known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler who wrestled for, among other promotions, the American Wrestling Association (AWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and perhaps most notably, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He was the son of wrestler Larry "The Axe" Hennig.
Hennig held fifteen championships in various promotions throughout his career. Among other accolades, he is recognized by WWE a two-time WWF Intercontinental Champion and the longest-reigning champion of the 1990s,[4] and a former world champion, having had a year-long reign as AWA World Heavyweight Champion.[2] He won his second, and final, world championship in 2000, becoming a one-time WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion. Although back problems prevented Hennig from once again being pushed as a world champion in the WWF during the 1990s,[5] he became one of the promotion's most colorful personalities and later assumed a role as a manager and color commentator. In addition to championship success in WCW in the late 1990s, he was also a member of the New World Order and later, wrestling stable and country music group, West Texas Rednecks, who recorded their infamous, tongue-in-cheek anti-rap song, "Rap is Crap."[2] Hennig returned to the WWF for a brief period in 2002, being one of the last three men remaining at that year's Royal Rumble. He later wrestled for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), challenging for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, prior to his death on February 10, 2003.
Described by WWE as "one of the best in-ring technicians of his generation",[6] peers including Hulk Hogan,[7] Ric Flair,[8] Bret Hart,[9] Shawn Michaels[10] and Randy Savage[11] consider Hennig to be one of the most gifted in-ring performers in professional wrestling history. He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007
American Wrestling Association (1980–1982, 1984–1988)
DDP, Curt Hennig and Diamond Doll Tonya in 1988Known as "Cool" Curt Hennig, he began his career on January 30, 1980 in the American Wrestling Association, the promotion which had made his father, Larry "The Axe" Hennig[12] a star. He would eventually become one of the promotion's top stars in his own right, co-holding (with Scott Hall) the AWA World Tag Team Championship (they defeated "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin and "Mr. Electricity" Steve Regal on January 18, 1986 in Albuquerque, New Mexico).[13]
Later, he resumed his solo career in the AWA, culminating in defeating the legendary Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship at SuperClash on May 2, 1987.[14] Hennig, along with his father Larry "The Axe", would engage in a long feud with Greg Gagne and his father, Verne Gagne. He began being associated with Madusa Miceli, the AWA World Women's Champion since December 27, 1987.[15] Hennig and Madusa joined the Diamond Exchange, a stable led by Diamond Dallas Page that also included Badd Company and Colonel DeBeers.[16]
Hennig would hold the AWA World Heavyweight Title for about 53 weeks, before losing it to Jerry Lawler on May 9, 1988.[14] As many other promising-yet-underexposed AWA stars had before him (including Hulk Hogan, Rick Martel, and Bobby Heenan), he left the AWA for the World Wrestling Federation.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1982–1984, 1988–1996)
Curt Hennig's first tenure in WWE/WWF began in 1982; he established himself as a promising young performer against the likes of 'Playboy' Buddy Rose. Eventually, he was paired-up in tag team matches with another young upstart, Eddie Gilbert, himself the son of a wrestling legend (Tommy Gilbert).
Hennig returned to the WWF in the fall of 1988 as Mr. Perfect, an arrogant braggart heel who claimed to be able to accomplish difficult tasks "perfectly." In the weeks before his debut, Hennig shot several promos to get his persona of being superior in athletics or anything else he did. These clips showed him hitting half-court, three-point, and no-look basketball shots, bowling a score of 300, running the table in billiards, throwing then catching his own Hail Mary football pass, sinking a long golf putt, hitting home runs and making bulls-eyes in darts. Stars of various major league sports, including Wade Boggs, Steve Jordan, and Mike Modano, co-starred with Hennig in these vignettes.
Mr. Perfect - initially introduced as "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig - would go undefeated for over a year, beating mid-card wrestlers including The Blue Blazer, The Red Rooster and Jimmy Snuka. Although undefeated on television, Hennig fought Bret "the Hitman" Hart to a draw at several house shows. Later in 1989, Mr. Perfect began appearing with Lanny Poffo, who had turned heel earlier in the year and began competing as "The Genius," an arrogant scholar. That fall, Hennig began feuding with Hulk Hogan over the WWF Championship. The feud heated up when, after The Genius defeated Hogan by countout, Poffo and Hennig stole Hogan's title belt and destroyed it backstage. Although Hogan later pinned "Mr. Perfect" at several house shows, these were not taped and no reference was made to them on television. Hennig and Hogan would be the last two men left in the 1990 Royal Rumble, with Hogan getting the victory. Hennig's first one-on-one loss on television was to Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake at WrestleMania VI at the Toronto Skydome, though a week earlier he was pinned by The Ultimate Warrior in a taped show at Madison Square Garden.
Enlisting Bobby Heenan as his new manager, Mr. Perfect went on to win the vacant Intercontinental Title in the final round of a tournament in April 1990 by defeating two-time Intercontinental Champion Tito Santana.[17][18] He lost the belt to The Texas Tornado four months later at SummerSlam,[18][19] but regained the title back on November 19, 1990, thanks to interference from Ted DiBiase. This title win aired on the December 15, 1990 edition of WWF Superstars of Wrestling. Perfect faced the Big Boss Man at WrestleMania VII, where a disqualification loss meant that he retained his title.[20] The following month he was the winner of a 20-man Battle Royal on Saturday Night's Main Event.[21] Perfect held the Intercontinental Title until August 1991, when a broken tailbone and buldged discs forced him to drop the belt to Bret Hart at SummerSlam;[12][22] In the month of May prior to this match, Heenan retired from managing, which led to "Coach" John Tolos becoming Mr. Perfect's new manager. This was short-lived, as Perfect had actually retired from the ring a couple months before SummerSlam. Hennig spent the next year plus, trying to recuperate from his injuries. While recovering, he acted as Ric Flair's "executive consultant" during Flair's two WWF Championship reigns.
He also worked as a color commentator on WWF Superstars of Wrestling following Survivor Series 1991 until the Superstars before the next Survivor Series, acting as a suitable heel foil to Vince McMahon's play-by-play. Perfect had a falling-out with Flair and Heenan (Flair's financial adviser) on the last Prime Time Wrestling before Survivor Series 1992 after Randy Savage asked Perfect to be his partner against Flair and Razor Ramon at the 1992 Survivor Series. After initially laughing off Savage's decision, Perfect was swayed by Savage's cajoling and by Heenan's comments that Perfect wasn't capable of wrestling on that level anymore and demanded that Perfect follow orders and do as he was told. Immediately afterward, Perfect turned towards the camera to accept Savage's proposal, much to the horror of Heenan, who then slapped Perfect across his face. An infuriated Perfect responded by grabbing Heenan by his tie and pouring a full pitcher of water over Heenan's head. Perfect then stated that he was "back" as Savage's partner at the Survivor Series, much to the delight of the Prime Time Wrestling cast of Hillbilly Jim, Jim Duggan, and Vince McMahon. Perfect returned to the ring at the Survivor Series and he and Savage won the match by disqualification. Perfect later eliminated Flair from the 1993 Royal Rumble[23] and defeated Flair the next night on Monday Night Raw in a "Loser Leaves the WWF Match".[24]
He then went on to feud with Lex Luger, whom Heenan introduced into the WWF at the Royal Rumble. Luger won their match at WrestleMania IX[25] though both of Perfect's feet were clearly between the ropes. Afterwards, Perfect chased Luger backstage where he was jumped from behind by Shawn Michaels. This feud with Michaels would lead to an Intercontinental Title match at Summerslam 1993, which Perfect lost by countout due to interference from Diesel.[26] As stated in WWF Magazine, Perfect was responsible for coining Michaels' moniker, "The Heartbreak Kid".
Hennig also competed in the 1993 King of the Ring tournament, losing in a classic semi-finals match to eventual winner Bret Hart.
He was then set to participate in the opening bout at 1993's Survivor Series, but due to the re-emergence of his back injuries, was replaced by "Macho Man" Randy Savage and apparently had left the company.
[edit] 1994 return
At WrestleMania X, Mr. Perfect was the special guest referee for the title match between Lex Luger and Yokozuna.[27] Perfect disqualified Luger after Luger put his hands on him, instead of counting the pin. Perfect was set to start another feud with Luger following WrestleMania, but plans were changed when Perfect's back problems flared up again. He left the Federation in the spring of 1994.
[edit] 1995–1996 return
He returned in 1995 as a color commentator at the Survivor Series. The following weekend, Jerry Lawler announced Perfect as his replacement on WWF Superstars, his second stint as a color commentator on the show with McMahon, this time with Jim Ross added as the analyst. Later in 1996, McMahon left and Ross switched to the play-by-play role. Perfect also did color commentary with McMahon at the 1996 Royal Rumble and the 1996 SummerSlam with McMahon and Ross, and also at In Your House 10: Mind Games with Ross and McMahon, and in the video game WWF In Your House with McMahon. Mr. Perfect was once again called upon to serve as special referee for the WWF Championship match at 1996 King of the Ring between Shawn Michaels and the British Bulldog.
Mr. Perfect was initially going to make his wrestling comeback on Monday Night Raw in October 1996 against Hunter Hearst Helmsley but was attacked by Helmsley backstage just moments before their match. It appeared Helmsley's attack left Perfect injured and unable to compete. This all turned out to be a ruse for the purpose of suckering "Wildman" Marc Mero into defending his Intercontinental Championship against Helmsley. With help from Perfect, Helmsley won the Intercontinental Title from Mero, and Perfect was once again a heel. Perfect began to serve as a mentor to Helmsley and "hand picked" beautiful models to accompany Helmsley to the ring. Perfect disappeared from the WWF once again shortly before the 1996 Survivor Series. He wouldn't be seen in the WWF again until 2002.
[edit] World Championship Wrestling (1997–2000)
Hennig signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1997, no longer billed as Mr. Perfect as that moniker was trademarked by the WWF. Both the Four Horsemen and the New World Order (nWo) showed interest in recruiting him. Hennig made his official WCW debut at Bash at the Beach '97 as Diamond Dallas Page's mystery tag-team partner. Hennig ended up turning on Page costing them the match. After feuding with Page for a month he joined the Four Horsemen, taking the spot of the retiring Arn Anderson. Anderson's implorement that Hennig take "his spot" was the subject of the following week's parody of the Horsemen by the nWo, which lead to the WarGames match. At Fall Brawl, Hennig was allegedly jumped backstage by the nWo and came to ringside mid-match with his arm in a sling. The whole thing turned out to be a setup as Hennig betrayed the Horsemen and joined the nWo, handcuffing the other Horsemen to the cage and then slamming the steel cage door into Ric Flair's head, afterward claiming he had "destroyed the Horseman" and as a further slap to Flair, claimed to be "the wrestler that made Minnesota famous". Two months after he joined the nWo, his childhood friend, Rick Rude, was also brought in. Hennig won the United States Title from Steve McMichael in September 1997 and defended it by defeating many superstars like Ric Flair, Lex Luger, The Giant, Chris Benoit, Jeff Jarrett, and Diamond Dallas Page to name a few before losing it to Page in December of that year at Starrcade.[28]
He struggled with a knee injury for much of 1998. When the nWo broke into two different factions, the Wolfpac (red and black) and nWo Hollywood (black and white), both Hennig and Rude joined the Wolfpac. The two did not really fit in with the fan favorite Wolfpac faction, especially when Rick Rude would still get on the microphone and tell the fans to shut up. Hennig was not able to compete against Goldberg at the Great American Bash that June, so he asked Konnan to replace him. Konnan lost the match, and afterward both Hennig and Rude attacked him, removing themselves from the Wolfpac and joining nWo Hollywood. Despite his injury he faced WCW World Champion Goldberg in a losing effort at Bash at the Beach. That September, Hennig was taken off WCW TV due to his injury. He returned at Starrcade to aid Eric Bischoff in defeating Ric Flair.
In early 1999, he began tagging with Barry Windham. Hennig and Windham lost to Ric Flair and Flair's son David at Souled Out due to interference by Arn Anderson. After the match, the rest of the nWo came out and humiliated Flair by handcuffing him to the ring, and forced him to watch his son David take a beating from Hollywood Hogan. Shortly afterward, Hennig was attacked by the nWo and thrown out of the group for no apparent reason other than Scott Hall stating "it's time to trim the fat". Hennig went on to win the World Tag Team Title with Barry Windham. Three months later, he became the leader of the West Texas Rednecks with Barry, Barry's brother, Kendall, and Bobby Duncum, Jr.. They were supposed to be heels to feud with rapper Master P's No Limit Soldiers, but the southern WCW fans cheered them and the angle was soon dropped. The Rednecks recorded a country song titled "Rap Is Crap" that received some airplay. After the Rednecks disbanded, Hennig feuded with Harlem Heat and Shawn Stasiak. During the feud, Stasiak called himself "Perfect Shawn" Stasiak, which was a ripoff of the "Mr. Perfect" gimmick. After Stasiak won the feud, Hennig briefly began coaching Stasiak. On November 21, 1999 at WCW Mayhem in Toronto's Air Canada Centre, Hennig lost a retirement match to Buff Bagwell. Hennig left WCW after his contract expired in the summer of 2000.
[edit] X Wrestling Federation (2001–2002)
Hennig was a franchise star for the short lived X Wrestling Federation where he had a brief run. The promotion quickly went under on behalf of the WWF buying out many of its major talent, including Hennig himself. Hennig wrestled a well-known match with Hulk Hogan in XWF, where Hogan defeated him.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (2002)
During the build up for January's Royal Rumble, it was announced that Hennig would be returning as one of the 30 combatants. Hennig, now billed as "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, entered the Royal Rumble at #25, and was one of the final three competitors before being eliminated by Triple H. Mr. Perfect made a strong showing at the Rumble, hitting the Perfect-Plex on Kurt Angle and holding his own with the WWF's best at the time. His performance, along with the positive reaction of the Atlanta crowd, earned Perfect a full time contract with the WWF. He appeared the next night on Raw in a match with The Big Valbowski. He then had short feuds with Stone Cold Steve Austin and Rob Van Dam before forming a tag team with Shawn Stasiak at house shows throughout March and April as well as a tag team on television with The Big Boss Man. He also appeared on Sunday Night Heat the night of WrestleMania X8. Mr. Perfect was drafted to Raw during the first ever WWF Draft. However, he was released from the company on May 5, 2002 due to a physical confrontation with Brock Lesnar over who had the best amateur skills. Among other incidents of drunkenness, the tussle took place on the infamous "plane ride from hell."[29]
[edit] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2003)
After being released from WWE,[30] he went on to work for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. In TNA, he was involved in a feud with NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett.
[edit] Death and legacy
On February 10, 2003, Hennig was found dead in a Florida hotel room. He was 44 years old. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office declared acute cocaine intoxication to be the cause of his death.[31] His father said that steroids and painkillers also contributed to his death.[32]
WWE aired a video tribute as well as words from friends and former co-workers Jerry "The King" Lawler and Jim Ross on Raw following the news of Hennig's death.[33] TNA paid tribute to Hennig by displaying his wrestling singlet and a framed photo as he was employed by TNA at the time of his death.
Hennig's widow, Leonice, signed a WWE Legends contract on her husband's behalf.
Hennig is considered by insiders and his peers (most notably Bret Hart and Ric Flair) as one of the greatest in-ring performers in modern wrestling history.[9]
Wade Boggs, who appeared in a vignette with Hennig and was a friend of his, inducted him into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 31, 2007. His wife, his four children, and his parents accepted the award on his behalf. [2]
On July 4, 2007, Hennig was posthumously inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. His father, who was inducted the prior year, represented him at the event.
A tribute song about Hennig, "My Perfect Friend", was featured on the 2003 "Macho Man" Randy Savage album Be a Man.[34]
Hennig's son Joe is currently pursuing a career in pro-wrestling and is being trained by Harley Race. Joe has wrestled as talent-enhancement on WWE television and has taken to wearing a style of singlet similar to that of his father. He is currently under a WWE developmental contract with FCW, WWE's farm promotion in Florida. Hennig's daughter Amy is also currently pursuing a career in pro-wrestling and is reported to have undergone a one week evaluation training session with WWE's former development territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling.
On September 9, 2008, WWE released a two disc DVD set focused on Hennig titled The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect. Promotion for the video included Charlie Haas spoofing Hennig's memorable sports vignettes at a Dave & Buster's on Raw. Finding that he was incapable of performing those feats, Haas decided on one of his idols that "there was only one Mr. Perfect." The week after the DVD's release, its first week possible, it went to number one on the Billboard Recreational Sports DVD sales list.[34]
[edit] In wrestling
Finishing moves
Perfect-Plex[1][2] (WWF) / Hennig-Plex[1] (WCW) (Bridging cradle suplex)[35]
Signature moves
Atomic drop, sometimes inverted[36]
Backhand chop[1]
Bridging belly to back suplex
Dropkick[1]
Figure four leglock[37]
Forearm smash
Hip toss
Missile dropkick – early career
Modified Indian deathlock
Kneebar followed by a knee breaker[1] (leaps up and drives the knee of his inside leg into the back of his opponent's knee)
Knee drop[1]
Seated senton to force an opponent to the mat[36] or to an opponent's leg draped over the first rope[37][38]
Sleeper hold[38]
Snapmare,[1][36] often followed by a rolling neck snap[1][36][37]
Spear[1]
Spinning toe hold[37]
Standing headscissors into a swinging knee strike[36]
Swinging knee lift[1][36]
Managers
Madusa Miceli[39]
Diamond Dallas Page[16]
The Genius
Bobby Heenan
Coach John Tolos
Rick Rude
Vincent / Curly Bill / Shane
Nicknames
"The Perfect One"[40]
"Cool" Curt Hennig[40]
Entrance themes
"Theme of Exodus" by Ernest Gold (used only briefly)
"Perfection" by Jim Johnston 1989-1993,1994,1995-1996,2002
"Rockhouse" by J.Hart and H.Helm (used while a part of the New World Order) (WCW) 1997-1998,1998-1999
"WolfPac theme" (used while part of the nWo WolfPac) (WCW) 1998
"Rap is Crap" by the West Texas Rednecks (WCW) 1999
"Good Ol' Boys" by the West Texas Rednecks (WCW) 1999
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
American Wrestling Association
AWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][14]
AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) [13] – with Scott Hall[1]
Future of Wrestling
FOW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][41]
i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling
i-Generation Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[42][1]
Main Event Championship Wrestling
MECW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][43]
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][44]
NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (3 times)[45] – with Larry Hennig (1), Buddy Rose (1) and Pat McGhee (1)[1]
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1987)[46]
PWI ranked him #9 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1993[47]
PWI ranked him #55 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003[48]
PWI ranked him #98 of the Top 100 Tag Teams of the "PWI Years" with Scott Hall in 2003[49]
World Championship Wrestling
WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][50]
WCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) [51] – with Barry Windham[1]
World Wrestling Council
WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[52]
World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
WWF Intercontinental Championship (2 times)[1][18]
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2007)[1][2]
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Most Improved (1983)
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