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Gunner
Gunner in July 2011.
Ring name(s)	Phil Shatter[1] Phill Shatter[2] Shatter[1] Gunner[3]
Billed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[4]
Billed weight	247 lb (112 kg)[4]
Born	1982 (age 29–30)[1] Hickory, North Carolina, United States[1]
Billed from	Parris Island, South Carolina[2] Hickory, North Carolina[4]
Trained by	Abel Atoms[1]
Debut	August 2001[1]

Chadwick "Chad" Lail (born 1982) is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, where he performs under the ring name Gunner. In TNA, Lail was a member of the Immortal stable and a former one-time TNA Television Champion. In addition to wrestling for TNA, Lail also performs for various promotions on the independent circuit under the ring name Phill Shatter.

Professional wrestling career[link]

NWA Anarchy (2001–2011)[link]

After serving in the Iraq War, Phill Shatter signed with NWA Anarchy along with fellow Iraq War veteran Truitt Fields. Although they began competing as a tag team, Shatter eventually turned on Fields and joined manager Jeff G. Bailey's NWA Elite stable.

Shatter feuded with Iceberg before receiving a championship match against NWA Anarchy Heavyweight Champion Ace Rocwell. Shatter won the match and the title.^[5]

Shatter later won the NWA National Heavyweight Championship from Crusher Hansen on January 17, 2009, and is the longest reigning champion in the title's history. Shatter would drop the championship to Chance Prophet on February 19, 2011, after signing a contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).^[6]

In October 2010, Shatter defeated Chase Stevens for the Showtime All-Star Wrestling (SAW) International Heavyweight Championship, but was forced to vacate the title in June 2011, due to being unable to defend it because of his TNA schedule.^[7]

Ring of Honor (2010)[link]

Shatter appeared at Ring of Honor's The Big Bang! pay-per-view on April 3, 2010, defeating Zack Salvation in the opening match of the pay-per-view.^[8]

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2010–present)[link]

(Left to right) Gunner and Murphy on TNA Impact! in July 2010.

At the June 23, 2010, tapings of TNA's Impact! television show, Shatter made his TNA debut, along with Mikael Judas, as TNA's on-air security. On the July 29, 2010 edition of TNA Impact! taping, Shatter, now using the name Gunner and Mikael Judas, using the name Murphy, came out after an altercation involving Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson with Matt Morgan, and attacked Hardy and Anderson, thus turning heel. They then teamed with Morgan in a handicap match, where they were defeated by Hardy and Anderson.^[3][9] After appearing with Morgan the following week, Gunner and Murphy's angle with him was discontinued and they went back to being regular security guards.^[10][11] On the October 21 edition of Impact! Gunner and Murphy aligned themselves with Jeff Jarrett and helped him beat down Samoa Joe.^[12] At the Turning Point pay-per-view Gunner and Murphy interfered in a match between Jarrett and Joe, helping Jarrett pick up the win.^[13] On the following edition of Impact! Gunner and Murphy made their in–ring return, losing to Samoa Joe in a handicap match.^[14] After Jarrett's feud with Samoa Joe ended, Gunner and Murphy became regular members of the Immortal stable and were less involved with Jarrett. At the December 9 tapings of Xplosion Gunner and Murphy picked up their first win in TNA, defeating Ink Inc. (Jesse Neal and Shannon Moore) in a tag team match.^[15] On February 13, 2011, at Against All Odds, Gunner and Murphy wrestled their first TNA PPV match, a six man tag team match, where they teamed with their Immortal stablemate Rob Terry in a losing effort against James Storm, Robert Roode and Scott Steiner.^[16]

Gunner after attacking Mr. Anderson.

In February both Gunner and Murphy signed two–year contracts with TNA, which saw them moved from their roles as just security guards into the active roster.^[6] On the February 24 edition of Impact!, Gunner and Murphy defeated Eric Young and Orlando Jordan to earn their first shot at the TNA World Tag Team Championship, held by Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm and Robert Roode).^[17] They would receive their shot at the title on the following edition of Impact!, but were defeated by Beer Money, Inc.^[18] On March 14 at the tapings of the March 17 edition of Impact!, Gunner defeated Murphy and Rob Terry in a three–way match to win the vacant TNA Television Championship.^[19][20] He would lose the title to Eric Young on May 17 at the tapings of the May 26 edition of Impact Wrestling.^[21][22] On the June 9 edition of Impact Wrestling, Gunner pinned World Heavyweight Champion Sting in a tag team main event, in which he teamed with Mr. Anderson against Sting with Eric Young.^[23] The following week, Gunner asked new TNA World Heavyweight Champion Mr. Anderson for a shot at his title and eventually put him through a table, when he declined. In the main event of the show, Gunner defeated Anderson in a non-title match.^[24] From June to September, Gunner was one of the twelve participants in the Bound for Glory Series to determine the number one contender to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. When the group stage of the tournament concluded, Gunner finished in the top four and thus advanced to the finals at No Surrender along with James Storm, Robert Roode and his Immortal stablemate, Bully Ray.^[25] On September 11 at No Surrender, Gunner was eliminated from the tournament, when he was defeated by Bobby Roode via submission.^[26] Gunner then began feuding with Immortal's former referee, Garett Bischoff, losing to him via disqualification, following interference from Ric Flair, on the November 10 edition of Impact Wrestling.^[27] This was followed by Bischoff picking up two pinfall victories over Gunner on the November 17 and December 8 editions of Impact Wrestling where he would injure Garett by piledriving him into the concrete floor.^[28][29] He would do the same to Jesse Neal and Douglas Williams on the December 15 and 29 editions of Impact Wrestling.^[30][31] On the January 5, 2012, edition of Impact Wrestling, Gunner fought Rob Van Dam to a double countout but failed to injure him after Van Dam retaliated and back body droped him onto the concrete.^[32] Three days later at Genesis, Gunner defeated Van Dam after dropping him onto the concrete floor with a DDT.^[33] On February 12 at Against All Odds, Gunner, with Eric Bischoff in his corner, defeated Garett Bischoff, who had Hulk Hogan in his corner, in a singles match.^[34] On April 15 at Lockdown, Gunner represented Team Eric Bischoff in the annual Lethal Lockdown match, where the opposing team was led by Garett Bischoff, who ended up winning the match for his team.^[35] On May 17, Lail announced that he had signed a new three-year contract with TNA.^[36]

In wrestling[link]

• Finishing moves

• As Gunner

• Fireman's carry facebuster^[20][23]

• As Phill Shatter

• PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Powerbomb)^[2]

• Signature moves

• Fist drop^[2]
• Spear^[2]
• Spinebuster^[1]

• With Murphy

• Sidewalk slam (Murphy) / Diving elbow drop (Gunner) combination^[17]

• Managers

• Jeff G. Bailey^[2]
• Ric Flair^[37]
• Eric Bischoff^[34]

• Entrance themes

• "Inflikted" by Cavalera Conspiracy^[2] (NWA)
• "Immortal Theme" by Dale Oliver (Used while part of Immortal; 2010–present) ^[38] (TNA)

Championships and accomplishments[link]

Shatter as the NWA Anarchy Heavyweight Champion.

• National Wrestling Alliance

• Future Legends Cup (2010)^[39]

• NWA Anarchy

• NWA Anarchy Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[40]
• NWA Anarchy Tag Team Championship (1 time)¹ – with Kimo and Abomination^[41]

• NWA Charlotte

• NWA Mid-Atlantic Heritage Championship (1 time)^[42]

• NWA East

• NWA National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[43]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI ranked him #59 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2011^[44]

• Showtime All-Star Wrestling

• SAW International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[7]

• Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

• TNA Television Championship (1 time)^[19][20]

¹Shatter defended the title with either Kimo or Abomination under the Freebird Rule.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gunner

• TNA Wrestling profile
• Official Myspace Page of Phill Shatter
• Gunner on Twitter

Professional wrestling portal

Garett Bischoff
Bischoff in January 2012
Ring name(s)	Garett Bischoff Jackson James
Born	(1984-04-20) April 20, 1984 (age 28)
Debut	November 7, 2010[1]

Garett Bischoff (born April 20, 1984) is a professional wrestler and former referee, who is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

Early life[link]

Bischoff was born in 1984 to wrestling personality and television producer Eric Bischoff and his wife Loree. Garett has a younger sister named Montanna.^[2]

Professional wrestling career[link]

This section requires expansion.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2010–present)[link]

Garett, under the ring name Jackson James, made his debut for TNA Wrestling on November 7, 2010, as a referee at Turning Point.^[1] James would appear again at Final Resolution in a Falls Count Anywhere match between Tara and Mickie James.^[3] Garett was officially revealed (in wrestling storylines) during a match between Sting and Hulk Hogan on October 16, 2011 at Bound for Glory as Eric Bischoff's son when Garett reluctantly called the ring bell for a submission, which led to Eric hitting his son with a steel chair following the match, starting a rivalry between the two, in the process of removing him from Immortal and turning face.^[4]

On the November 10, 2011, edition of Impact Wrestling, Bischoff made his wrestling debut against Gunner and won by disqualification after Ric Flair interfered.^[5] On the November 17 edition of Impact Wrestling, Bischoff defeated Gunner again, this time by pinfall.^[6][7] On the December 8 edition of Impact Wrestling, Bischoff defeated Gunner again, but after the match Gunner would piledrive him into the concrete floor, injuring him in storyline.^[8] Garett returned on the January 5, 2012, edition of Impact Wrestling, in a backstage segment where Sting told him that he was no longer a referee and was being officially welcomed to the roster.^[9] On the February 2 edition of Impact Wrestling, the returning Hulk Hogan was revealed as Bischoff's trainer.^[10] On February 12 at Against All Odds, Bischoff, with Hogan in his corner, was defeated by Gunner, who had Eric Bischoff in his corner, in a singles match.^[11] On the March 8 edition of Impact Wrestling, Bischoff teamed up with Jeff Hardy to defeat Gunner and Kurt Angle in his first main event.^[12] On the March 15 and 22 editions of Impact Wrestling, Bischoff would survive two beat the clock challenges against Angle, first in five minutes and second in three.^[13][14] On April 15 at Lockdown, Garett and his father captained opposing teams in the annual Lethal Lockdown match. Garett won the match for his team by pinning Eric, forcing his father out of TNA in the process.^[15] On the May 24 episode of Impact Wrestling, Bischoff received his first shot at the TNA Television Championship, but his match with Devon ended in a no contest, following interference from Robbie E and Robbie T. Following the match, Bischoff and Devon united to fend off the attack by the two.^[16]

Personal life[link]

In 2011, Bischoff married Mary Jane Ferguson.^[17]

In wrestling[link]

• Managers
  • Hulk Hogan^[10]

References[link]

External links[link]

Professional wrestling portal

• Official website
• TNA Wrestling profile
• Garett Bischoff on Facebook

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2010)

Nikita Koloff^[1] (born Nelson Scott Simpson on March 9, 1959) is a retired American professional wrestler,.^[2][3][4][5] Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he wrestled as "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, which was a play on the nickname of fan favorite "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes (in fact, it was Rhodes who gave him the nickname).

Nikita was brought into the National Wrestling Alliance by his "Uncle" Ivan to prove Soviet superiority. Their ultimate goal was to dethrone NWA World champion Ric Flair. A physical marvel, Koloff was also hailed as the Russian Road Warrior. He was billed from Moscow in the Soviet Union, and then from Lithuania after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Career[link]

He grew up without knowing his father and aspired to play professional football. He started lifting weights in junior high school and built up a massive body, weighing 275 lb (125 kg) with a 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) frame.

He was a 1977 graduate of Robbinsdale High School where he was an All-conference receiver. Simpson played college football at Golden Valley Lutheran College before transferring to Moorhead State. Simpson suffered an injury playing football but rehabbed to play for Moorhead State University where he suffered another career ending injury.

Jim Crockett Promotions and World Championship Wrestling (1984–1989)[link]

In 1984, Simpson was going to try out for the USFL when Road Warrior Animal, a professional wrestler from the Minnesota area, called him to ask him to become a professional wrestler. Simpson decided to go with wrestling and was told to shave his head bald and to show up. Jim Crockett, Jr., the promoter of the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions, renamed him Nikita Koloff, the Russian Nightmare, and teamed him with "uncle" Ivan Koloff and Don Kernodle, a turncoat American. Koloff debuted in 1984 with barely any training at the time and won his first match in 13 seconds, with the only edict from Crockett being that should Koloff trip on the ropes, he would be fired on the spot.

Koloff wrestled briefly in Puerto Rico for WWC and engaged in some bouts with Hercules Ayala. He returned with Ivan Koloff in 1986 and faced The Invaders 1 and 3 at a big house show at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon.

While he learned more about the sport on the road with Ivan and Kernodle, Koloff was booked in very short matches until his skills developed. During television promos, Nikita stood behind Ivan and Kernodle with his arms folded while they took interviews. As his wrestling ability and speaking skills grew, so, too, did the length of his matches and interviews. His improvement negated the need for Kernodle to continue teaming with Ivan and, shortly thereafter, the Russians turned on the American turncoat. Koloff went to great lengths to keep the "Evil Russian" gimmick as realistic as possible. He even learned some Russian and refused to come out of character, even when away from the ring.

With Kernodle out of the picture, Uncle Ivan Koloff introduced a new comrade named Krusher Khruschev. In December 1984, Jim Crockett awarded the Russians with NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. Three months later, on March 18, 1985, Koloff and Ivan defeated Dusty Rhodes and Manny Fernandez to win the NWA World tag team title. Ivan invoked the Freebird rule which dictated that any two of the three could defend the titles. Ivan and Krusher lost the titles to The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) on July 9.

Prior to committing themselves with Jim Crocket Promotions, The Koloffs feuded with then AWA World tag team champions the Road Warriors in both the AWA and the NWA in a brutal series during 1985. One of their encounters was voted Match of the Year runner-up by the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated. The feud was often fought in steel cage Russia chain matches, with lights-out stipulations. The Russian 'chain match', using thicker chains than normal chain matches, was considered a Nikita Koloff specialty.

Continuing to improve, Koloff became a big enough heel to get a match against NWA World Champion Ric Flair at The Great American Bash 1985 on July 6. Koloff lost to Flair and was even attacked by a fan during the match, but he established himself as a superstar in the wrestling business. It was shortly after Koloff's first main event, which drew tremendous heat, that Vince McMahon first approached with an offer to leave the NWA for the WWF. McMahon promised Koloff an immediate push, suggesting either a program with Tito Santana, during which he would win the Intercontinental Championship, or a program with Hulk Hogan that would culminate the following year at WrestleMania 2. Nikita turned him down, believing the massive push that had been booked for him in the NWA, namely the planned feud with Magnum T.A., would give him greater leverage down the road to secure a more lucrative contract with McMahon.^{[citation needed]}

The Koloffs went on to regain the NWA World Tag Team title from the Rock 'N Roll Express three months later, on October 13, but lost it to the same opponents on November 28 at StarrCade 1985 in a steel cage match.

In spring of 1986, Koloff started one of the biggest, most anticipated feuds in the history of Jim Crockett Promotions when he attacked NWA United States Heavyweight Champion Magnum T.A.. Following an incident where Magnum hit on-screen NWA President Bob Geigel for demanding an apology after T.A. started a brawl with Nikita during a contract signing (which started when the Koloffs berated Magnum's mother, who was present), T.A. was stripped of his title. The two were then booked to in a best-of-seven series, which took place during The Great American Bash 1986 tour. The winner of the series would be declared champion. Koloff and T.A. wrestled all summer, ending up tied after six matches with one no contest. The final match took place on August 17 and featured run-ins by Kruschev and Ivan and several false-finishes. Nikita defeated T.A. to win the title.

The following month, Koloff defeated Wahoo McDaniel to unify his US Title with Wahoo's NWA National Heavyweight Championship on September 28. He was readying to embark on a feud with Ron Garvin that would last through the upcoming Starrcade 1986. The idea of head booker Dusty Rhodes was for Koloff to reignite his feud with Magnum T.A. the following year. The plan called for T.A. to defeat Ric Flair for the NWA World Championship at StarrCade 86; after a short program of rematches with Flair, T.A. would begin a long program with Koloff that ran through The Great American Bash Tour of 1987. As of the beginning of October, Rhodes had not decided whether to give Koloff the title at some point during the feud.

In October 1986, Magnum T.A. was involved in a career-ending car accident. Dusty Rhodes saw an alternate opportunity. The Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev had been growing in popularity throughout the country with his political reform of Glasnost and Perestroika. The era of evil Russian heels was coming to an end. Rhodes decided to strike while the iron was hot, booking Koloff to become a face and his greatest ally against the Four Horsemen. The historic moment took place on October 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Rhodes needed a partner to take on Ole Anderson and James J. Dillon in a cage match. The fans in Charlotte erupted when Koloff entered the cage to help Rhodes. This evening established Koloff as one of the top faces in the NWA.

Immediately after his face turn, Koloff resumed his quest for Ric Flair's NWA World Title and came very close to winning it on several occasions. Flair's Four Horsemen comrades bailed him out almost every time. The two fought to a double disqualification at StarrCade '86 on November 26. After StarrCade, Koloff was firmly established as one of the NWA's most popular stars, which made him an even more inviting target for Vince McMahon. His first offer having been rebuked, McMahon made a bid for Koloff's services that dwarfed his earnings from Jim Crockett. This time, however, McMahon could not give him the WWF Intercontinental title (which was already promised to Ricky Steamboat, nor could he give him the WrestleMania III main event with Hulk Hogan (which would be his historic confrontation with André the Giant). Instead McMahon could only offer Koloff a program with Jake "The Snake" Roberts and the promise of a major push. Koloff again declined.^{[citation needed]}

Throughout the early months of 1987, Koloff continued to defend the United States title against members of the Four Horsemen and Paul Jones' Army, which now included "Uncle" Ivan. In March, as part of his ongoing feud with Ivan and Dick Murdoch, Koloff's neck was "injured" by a Murdoch brainbuster on the concrete floor. On April 11, Koloff and Dusty Rhodes won the second-annual Jim Crockett, Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament, defeating the Four Horsemen team of Tully Blanchard and Lex Luger in the finals.

As the 1987 Great American Bash tour got under way, the feud between Koloff, Rhodes, The Road Warriors, and Paul Ellering versus The Four Horsemen and J.J. Dillon was booked as the centerpiece. The tour began and ended with two revolutionary matches created by Rhodes, known as WarGames: The Match Beyond. The team of the Superpowers and The Legion of Doom emerged victorious in both contests.

Also during The War Games, Flair and Blanchard reaggravated Koloff's neck injury by delivering two spike piledrivers. The worked injury set up the pretext for dropping the US Title to Lex Luger. On July 11, 1987 Koloff faced Luger in a steel cage match and was defeated after being hit with a chair. This ended Koloff's reign of nearly 11 months, which still stands today as the fourth longest U.S. title reign in the more than 33-year history of the title. Dusty Rhodes booked Koloff to rebound quickly, winning the NWA World Television Championship from Tully Blanchard on August 27.

In the fall of 1987, Jim Crockett Promotions acquired Bill Watts' Universal Wrestling Federation. Dusty Rhodes decided which members of the UWF roster to retain and how best to use the infusion of new talent that he now had access to on an exclusive basis, beginning with a cross-promotional program between NWA Television Champion Koloff and UWF Television Champion, Terry Taylor. The feud began when Taylor, alongside his fellow members of Hot Stuff International, Inc. - Eddie Gilbert and Rick Steiner- attacked Koloff and stole his championship belt. Koloff and Taylor were booked to face each other in a unification bout at StarrCade '87, but Koloff vowed to get his TV belt back before the match. During a TBS World Championship Wrestling broadcast leading up to what would be Jim Crockett's first foray into pay-per-view, Taylor and Gilbert jumped Koloff again, beating him unconscious, and draping his version of the TV title across his limp body. On November 26, Koloff and Taylor battled in what would be the only NWA/UWF unification bout at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. In front of his first pay-per-view audience, Nikita became the undisputed Television Champion by defeating Taylor on November 26. He still has the UWF belt as a trophy from that night.

Koloff lost the NWA TV Title to Mike Rotunda of the Varsity Club on January 30, 1988. During this period, Koloff had altered his appearance somewhat, dropping some muscle mass (Koloff has admitted to cycling on and off of anabolic steroids during his career) and growing his hair out into a crewcut. He was given the singles main event when he wrestled NWA World Champion Ric Flair at the final Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament. Koloff defeated Flair by disqualification so the title was retained by Flair. He then lost to Barry Windham in the finals of the tournament for the vacant NWA United States Championship, before beginning a feud with Al Perez and teaming with Sting to feud with the Four Horsemen. During the year, he legally changed his name to 'Nikita S. Koloff'.

In the fall of 1988, Koloff was quickly losing interest in professional wrestling due to personal reasons. His wife Mandy was dying from Hodgkins disease, passing away in 1989. After Ivan himself turned face when manager Paul Jones went against him, Koloff helped Ivan briefly against Jones' henchmen, the masked Russian Assassins, and then he took a sabbatical on November 27. A booked showdown at StarrCade '88 in December was to pit Ivan and Koloff against the Russian Assassins. Koloff's departure resulted in the Junkyard Dog substituting for him as Ivan's partner. The Russian Assassins were victorious.

Eventually, Koloff eased back into the business part-time. He returned to WCW/NWA as a special guest referee at WrestleWar '89 in match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship between The Road Warriors and Mike Rotunda and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams. Rotunda & Williams were disqualified for attacking Koloff, and later stripped of the titles.

American Wrestling Association and Universal Wrestling Federation (1989–1990)[link]

In late 1989, Koloff was wrestling for Verne Gagne's AWA in his native Minnesota. The promotion was in its twilight and given Nikita's stature, Gagne positioned Nikita to challenge then AWA World Heavyweight Champion Larry Zbyszko almost immediately. Koloff wrestled in the AWA for the remainder of the year and the first half of 1990, headlining numerous television broadcasts and Twin Wars '90, the last major event for the AWA under Gagne. Koloff also wrestled briefly in Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation, where he reignited a feud with 'Uncle' Ivan.

World Championship Wrestling (1991–1992)[link]

Koloff returned to WCW on February 24 at WrestleWar 1991 to attack Lex Luger. He claimed that Luger stole the title from him in 1987 and he wanted it back. Luger had stolen the title (he was a heel then), but now Koloff was the heel. He went after Luger for the next couple of months, and at SuperBrawl 1991 on May 19, accidentally hit Sting with a chain during a tagteam match between Luger-Sting and the Steiner Brothers, starting his next feud. Koloff defeated Sting in a Russian Chain match at The Great American Bash on July 14. The feud continued through August, but before the program was finished, Koloff disappeared again to run his gym, "Nikita's Fortress of Fitness," in Concord, North Carolina.

Koloff returned to WCW in February 1992, this time as a babyface to save Sting from an attack by the Dangerous Alliance. He explained on WCW's syndicated shows that he saw the error of attacking Sting. He was going after Lex Luger, and Sting accidentally got in the way. Because of the explanation, the fans were happy to see him return. Koloff joined Sting and his team (including Ricky Steamboat, Barry Windham, and Dustin Rhodes) against Rick Rude, Steve Austin, Arn Anderson, Larry Zbyszko, and Bobby Eaton in the WarGames at WrestleWar '92 on May 17. Koloff was booked in a program with Rick Rude for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship. Late 1992 found him feuding with another big man, Big Van Vader, who at Halloween Havoc, ended Koloff's in-ring career with a stiff clothesline to the head. The blow resulted in a herniated disk in Nikita's neck. In addition to the neck injury, Koloff suffered a hernia while attempting to slam Vader.

Retirement[link]

Koloff became a born-again Christian in 1993 and started to travel world wide with his ministry. He also runs his own small wrestling promotion, the Universal Wrestling Alliance UWA as an outreach of his ministry.

He made a few appearances for NWA:TNA in 2003 as a masked man called "Mr. Wrestling IV" who attacked Dusty Rhodes. He finally unmasked but ended up helping Rhodes against the Sports Entertainment Xtreme stable.

On July 15, 2006, Koloff received the Frank Gotch Award from the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Newton, Iowa for contributing to the positive public image of wrestling.

On April 24, 2010- Koloff was inducted into the Legends Pro Wrestling "Hall of Fame" by Jack Blaze in Wheeling, WV at their annual "LPW Superbrawl" event.

Other media[link]

Koloff has written two books: Breaking the Chains (ISBN 1-57090-107-4) in 2000, which is a Christian Living guide and Wrestling with Success (ISBN 0-471-48732-5) in 2004 along with Jeffrey Gitomer, which is a guide to positive thinking in life situations. He also wrote a book about Christian Wrestlers: Wrestling with God, 2001, by Chad Bonham. Koloff also appeared on an episode of America's Funniest People in which his daughter won the $10,000 grand prize.

Personal life[link]

Koloff's wife, Mandy, died of cancer in early 1989. At her funeral he met Mandy’s longtime friend and his future wife, Victoria.^{[citation needed]}They married on August 17, 1990. The couple had two daughters together, Kendra, who was born in June 1992, and Kolby, who was born in May 1996, while Victoria had two daughters (Teryn and Tawni) from her previous relationship.^[6] Nikita and Victoria were divorced on April 23, 2007.^{[citation needed]}

Koloff legally changed his name to Nikita Koloff in 1988.^[1]

Nikita is a member of a religious group called Fellowship of the Sword and serves as an East Coast representative.

In wrestling[link]

• Finishing moves
  • Russian Sickle (Lariat)

• Signature moves
  • Bearhug
  • Jaw clutch

• Managers
  • Ivan Koloff
  • Pedro Biaggi
  • Nikita Koloff

• Entrance Music

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins (AWA)

Championships and accomplishments[link]

• Legends Pro Wrestling
  • Inducted into the LPW Hall of Fame (4/24/10)

• Jim Crockett Promotions

• NWA National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)¹
• NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ivan Koloff and Krusher Khruschev, then with Koloff and Baron Von Raschke after Kruschev was injured
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (2 times) – with Ivan Koloff
• NWA World Television Championship (1 time)
• UWF World Television Championship (1 time)²
• Jim Crockett, Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament (1987) with Dusty Rhodes

• National Wrestling Alliance
  • NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2008)

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI Feud of the Year (1987) with Dusty Rhodes and The Road Warriors vs. The Four Horsemen
• PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1987)^[7]
• PWI ranked him #17 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1992^[8]
• PWI ranked him #64 of the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years with Ivan Koloff in 2003.
• PWI ranked him #113 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003^[9]

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
  • 5 Star Match (1992) with Dustin Rhodes, Sting, Ricky Steamboat, and Barry Windham vs. Rick Rude, Steve Austin, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, and Larry Zbyszko (May 17, WarGames match, WrestleWar)

¹Koloff defeated Wahoo McDaniel to unify the title with the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. The title was also won after Georgia Championship Wrestling was purchased by Jim Crockett Promotions.
²Koloff defeated Terry Taylor to unify the title with the NWA World Television Championship. The title was also won after Bill Watts' Universal Wrestling Federation promotion was purchased by Jim Crockett Promotions.

References[link]

External links[link]

Professional wrestling portal

• NikitaKoloff.com (Official Website)

This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; suggestions may be available. (January 2010)

For the Australian rugby league footballer of the same name, see Steve Walters.

Steven J. Walters is the current Town Supervisor of the Town of Hamburg,^[1] New York and a rising star in the New York Republican Party.^[2] After marginally defeating entrenched incumbent Patrick Hoak in 2005, Walters won a resounding reelection campaign, collecting 58% of the total vote.^[3]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Town Board

This article about a politician from the state of New York is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Martin Casaus
Ring name(s)	Tristan Gallo Martin Casaus
Billed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Billed weight	220 lb (100 kg; 16 st)
Born	(1985-03-05) March 5, 1985 (age 27) West Jordan, Utah
Resides	Saratoga Springs, Utah
Trained by	Steve Nielson Derrick Jannetty Bill DeMott
Debut	2003

Martin Casaus (born March 5, 1985) is an American professional wrestler of Mexican American descent from West Jordan, Utah. He was a contestant on WWE Tough Enough.

In his career, Casaus has been a three time UCW Heavyweight Champion, the first UCW Ultra X Champion, four time UCW Tag Team Champion,^[1] and ACW Midwest Champion.

Career[link]

Wrestling training[link]

Casaus first started training to become a wrestler in 2003 at the Utah-based Ultra Championship Wrestling-Zero (UCW). He was trained mainly by Derrick Jannetty and Steve Nielson. Adopting the ring name "Tristan Gallo", he was placed in Stevie Slick's faction, "The Dynasty", as an arrogant heel and cronie to Slick. He made his debut in a singles match against Mochi Pedro in October 2003 at "Hallowicked". Setting up a tag team with Justin Wilde called Double Cross and beginning a feud against the masked group Los Mochis.

2004[link]

Gallo teamed with UCW-Zero wrestler Khan Kussion to win his first wrestling title, the UCW-Zero Tag Team titles. He won them against the same Los Mochis, Mochi Paco and Mochi Damien. He lost them to the Mochis again in a rematch the next show. After Khan Kussion was fired from UCW; Tristan teamed with cousin, GQ Gallo, to win the UCW Tag Team titles a second time from the Mochis. He Won the first ever UCW Ultra X title match in a four way elimination match with Derrick Jannetty, Mochi Paco, and Nature Boy X. This began a lasting feud against Mochi Paco.

2005[link]

Tristan Gallo had his first Heavyweight Title Match against trainer Derrick Jannetty. He was unsuccessful even with the help of CEO Stevie Slick. Tristan Gallo and GQ Gallo won back the UCW Tag Team Titles from the Mochis once more only to lose them from the team of Tyson Ferrari and JMB. Tristan Gallo wrestles in American Championship Wrestling feuding with Jaden and won the ACW Midwest title. He won match of the year when he fought Jaden and Navajo Warrior. Due to booking issues, Tristan Gallo was unable to compete in a title defense and lost the Midwest title

2006[link]

In 2006, Tristan Gallo got his second chance to win the UCW heavyweight title against JMB. He once more fell short. Tristan set his sights back on the heavyweight title. It was now on his former trainer Derrick Jannetty. On his third attempt he won the UCW heavyweight Title at "Survival Quest" on July 28, 2006. At the rematch for the title Tristan was successful once again with the help of Stevie Slick. After his partner GQ Gallo and former partner Khan Kussion began a feud, he found a new tag team partner in Devon Payne. They won the UCW Tag Titles for Tristan's fourth time. They teamed up to form the team "Total Control" because they were holding 3 0f the 4 belts in UCW. They began a feud with Derrick Jannetty and Radical Ricky, the team called themselves "High Risk". High risk ended up winning the tag titles on "Season Beatings 5" December 2, 2006 in a 30 minute tag team iron man match. Tensions built between Devon Payne and Tristan Gallo.

2007[link]

On January 20, 2007 Tristan Gallo faced David Young of TNA in his first title defense. Tristan Gallo was pushed into Young's spinebuster by Devon Payne and lost the Heavyweight Title.^[2] The tensions in Stevie slicks Dynasty grew when at Stevie slick hit Tristan with a chair in a match vs Jean Martell. Tristan soon began getting mixed reactions from fans because of the tension between him and his colleagues, Devon Payne and Stevie Slick. Devon Payne won the UCW heavyweight match at "Ring of Rage" on February 17, 2007 against David Young. The match was a lumberjack match with only high risk as David Young's lumberjacks.

On March 24, High risk (Radical Ricky and Derrick Jannetty) teamed with former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Marty Jannetty to take on Total Control (Tristan Gallo and Devon Payne) and Validus. The team lost to a superkick by Marty Jannetty and challenged High risk to a TLC match for the tag titles. On April 14, 2007 at "TLC Carnage" High Risk retained their tag titles when Devon Payne blatantly turned on Tristan Gallo pushing him off of a 12 foot ladder to the floor. Tristan Gallo was formally kicked out of the Dynasty when Devon Payne, Magnus, Validus, and Stevie Slick pummeled him after the match. David Young, Derrick Jannetty, and Radical Ricky made the save. Tristan was granted a title shot at Revenge with a match choice Tristan said he would have the fans choose.

On May 12, 2007 at "Revenge" Gallo faced Payne in a fan picked "no dq, no holds barred, last man standing match". Tristan with the help of Derrick Jannetty and Radical Ricky fought back every member of Stevie Slicks dynasty to win the UCW heavyweight championship back for the second time. Devon Payne was unable to get up to a 10 count from a "Perfector" from the top rope through a table. At "Summer Assault" Tristan was hit with the UCW heavyweight title y Validus and lost the belt. He was granted a rematch and won the UCW Heavyweight title for the third time by defeating Validus at "Survival Quest".

Tristan Gallo faced one of his toughest title defenses against former Wrestling Society X star Kaos was hired as a hitman by Stevie Slick to end Tristan Gallo's career. Tristan was preparing to face Devon Payne and Stevie Slick in a cage match with Commissioner Mike at "Incarceration" when Commissioner Mike passed. "Incarceration" was dedicated to the memory of Commissioner Mike. Tristan Gallo teamed with Jeff Orcut and wore a symbolic pink strip in his hair to honor his fallen friend. The team was successful e scaping the cage and sending Stevie Slick to the hospital for stitches.

2008[link]

In 2008, Tristan Gallo has been wrestling in Las Vegas for the National Wrestling Alliance. He made his NWA "Showcase" debut on episode 6 when he was successful in pinning Brandon Gatson with the "Perfector".^[3] He wrestled TJ Perkins on Episode 7 of the NWA Showcase but was pinned with a 450 splash by Perkins. On March 15, Tristan Gallo teamed with Navajo Warrior to take on Misterioso and Super Parka in ACW, only to have the match thrown out due to the teams fighting their teammates.

From July 7 through the 11, Tristan was sent to Florida Championship Wrestling to train at World Wrestling Entertainment developmental for a tryout.

2011[link]

Casaus was announced as a competitor on the revival of WWE Tough Enough which began airing on April 4, 2011. He was forced to leave due to injury close to the end of the competition.^[4]

In wrestling[link]

• Finishing and signature moves
  • Perfector (Spinning TKO)
  • Sharpshooter
  • Spear

• Signature moves
  • Diving leg drop bulldog
  • Northern lights suplex
  • Rolling German suplexes
  • Twisting belly to belly side slam

• Managers
  • Stevie Slick

• Nicknames
  • "The Reflection of Perfection"
  • "The man men want to be and women want to be with"
  • "The Halfbreed Heart Throb"

Championships and accomplishments[link]

• Ultra Championship Wrestling-Zero
  • UCW-Zero Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
  • UCW-Zero Tag Team Championship (3 times) with Justin Wilde (1), G.Q. Gallo (1), Devan Payne (1)
  • UCW-Zero Ultra-X Championship (1 time)
• American Championship Wrestling
  • ACW Midwest Championship (1 time)
  • ACW Match of the Year 2005