Buff Bagwell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (December 2009)

Buff Bagwell
Ring name(s)	Buff Bagwell[1][2] [2] Fabulous Fabian[1][2] The Handsome Stranger[1][2] Marcus Alexander Bagwell[1][2] Marcus Bagwell[1]
Billed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1]
Billed weight	247 lb (112 kg)[1]
Born	January 10, 1970 (1970-01-10) (age 39)[1][2] Marietta, Georgia[1][2][3]
Resides	Marietta, Georgia[1]
Billed from	Marietta, Georgia
Trained by	Dusty Rhodes[2] Mike Graham[2] Steve Lawler[1][2]
Debut	1990[1]

Marcus Alexander Bagwell^[2] (born January 10, 1970) is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell.^[1] He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.^[3]

Contents 1 Professional wrestling career 1.1 World Championship Wrestling (1991–2001) 1.1.1 Early years 1.1.2 New World Order 1.1.3 New Blood 1.1.4 Totally Buff 1.2 Various promotions (2001–2002) 1.2.1 World Wrestling Federation 1.2.2 X Wrestling Federation 1.2.3 World Wrestling All-Stars 1.3 Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2003, 2006) 1.4 Independent circuit (2006–present) 2 Media 2.1 Acting career 3 Personal life 4 In wrestling 5 Championships and accomplishments 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Professional wrestling career

Bagwell was a baseball and football player during his tenure in Sprayberry High School, and worked for his family's lumber company upon graduating as well as being an amateur boxer.^[3] When the company went bankrupt, however, Bagwell became a certified massage therapist before deciding to become a wrestler. He trained under Steve Lawler and debuted in 1990, working for North Georgia Wrestling as Fabulous Fabian. In 1991, he began wrestling with the Global Wrestling Federation as The Handsome Stranger, a gimmick suggested by Bill Eadie that saw Bagwell don a "Lone Ranger"-style eye mask.^[4]

[edit] World Championship Wrestling (1991–2001)

[edit] Early years

In 1991, Bagwell was hired by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) where he wrestled under his full name Marcus Alexander Bagwell. Over the next five years he would form tag teams with Tom Zenk, 2 Cold Scorpio, The Patriot (as Stars N Stripes), and Scotty Riggs (as The American Males), and won four WCW World Tag Team Championships over that span.^[4][5]

[edit] New World Order

On November 25, 1996, Bagwell joined the New World Order along with Scott Norton, with whom he formed Vicious and Delicious, and legends such as Masahiro Chono and The Great Muta. He turned on partner Scotty Riggs and renamed himself Buff Bagwell. He was part of nWo Japan, the New Japan Pro Wrestling version of the nWo. When he returned to America, he feuded with Lex Luger. Bagwell defeated Luger at Starrcade.^[5][6]

On the April 22, 1998 edition of Thunder, Bagwell suffered damage to several vertebrae and developed spinal shock syndrome after a botched diving bulldog at the hands of Rick Steiner. As planned however, Bagwell won the match with the interference of Rick's brother Scott moments before being carefully placed on a stretcher. Bagwell then needed to use a wheelchair and a neck brace for some time. He returned months later for an interview only to be viciously ridiculed by Hollywood Hogan and shoved to the entryway floor.^[5][7] After having neck surgery, the wheelchair-using Bagwell returned to WCW on July 6 in his home state of Georgia. Bagwell seemed to have a new attitude and even called out Rick Steiner to offer him his forgiveness. The supposedly invalid Bagwell restrained Rick, however, while fellow nWo member Scott Steiner assaulted him with a steel chair, reaffirming his loyalty to Hogan and the nWo. Bagwell then rose from his wheelchair and helped Scott beat down Rick Steiner. Bagwell and Scott Steiner went on to form an alliance known as "Buff and Bad".^{[citation needed]} In January 1999, the nWo factions reemerged, leading Bagwell and Steiner to side with the Wolfpac. Their alliance ended at Uncensored when Bagwell accidentally hit Steiner with a chair costing him the World Television Championship.^[5]

[edit] New Blood

In June 1999, Bagwell engaged in a rivalry with WCW President Ric Flair and Vice President Roddy Piper claiming he was being held back. This led to a three-round boxing match with Piper at the Bash at the Beach in which Bagwell was triumphant. In September 1999, Bagwell feuded with Berlyn when Berlyn issued a challenge to Bagwell, but at Fall Brawl Bagwell was late coming to the arena and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan replaced Bagwell to face Berlyn and lost. The next night on Nitro Bagwell fought Berlyn but lost thanks to Berlyn's bodyguard The Wall. In November, he defeated veteran Curt Hennig in a retirement match. Bagwell then feuded with Diamond Dallas Page after he made allegations about Page's wife Kimberly. Having spent much of 1999 fighting older wrestlers Bagwell was one of the first to join Eric Bischoff's New Blood alliance, forming a tag team with Shane Douglas. Bagwell and Douglas eventually won the World Tag Team Championship from Ric Flair and Lex Luger giving Bagwell his fifth World Tag Team Title reign and rekindling the feud between Bagwell and Luger from two years earlier. Bagwell was defeated by Luger at Slamboree after submitting to the Torture Rack.^[5]

On May 9, 2000, following a Thunder taping in Springfield, Illinois Bagwell punched Darrell Miller, a WCW crew member after he and Bagwell began arguing when Miller attempted to carry equipment through a doorway in which Bagwell was standing. On May 15, 2000 Bagwell was charged with battery by the Sangamon County, Illinois State's Attorney's office. WCW responded to the incident by suspending Bagwell for thirty days and stripping him of his half of the WCW World Tag Team Championship.^[8][9]

Upon his return Bagwell attempted to win the World Tag Team Title with Douglas once more but failed causing the team to split. Bagwell, now with Torrie Wilson by his side, fought Douglas at Bash at the Beach but lost when Wilson distracted him and sided with Douglas. Bagwell then began a feud with Chris Kanyon who began stalking Bagwell as well as even harassing Bagwell's mother Judy as a psychological attack. Bagwell eventually defeated Kanyon in a match where Judy Bagwell was suspended from a forklift. He rescued his mother despite the surprise interference of actor David Arquette.^[4][5] In August 2000, Miss Hancock, the girlfriend of David Flair, mysteriously became pregnant. Flair was quick to accuse the womanizing Bagwell. This led to a First Blood match at Halloween Havoc with Flair hoping to obtain a sample of Bagwell's blood to prove he was the father of Miss Hancock's child. Bagwell was victorious but Flair got his blood sample when Bagwell's nemesis Lex Luger attacked him after the match leaving him injured and bleeding. Bagwell however was not the father and the entire pregnancy was eventually found to have been a fabrication.^[5]

[edit] Totally Buff

At Starrcade, Bagwell betrayed fellow New Blood member Goldberg by trying to cost him his match with Lex Luger. Bagwell's efforts were unsuccessful but he managed to hit Goldberg with a steel chair after he had pinned Luger. Despite feuding in the past Bagwell and Luger then formed a tag team known as Totally Buff. Totally Buff would go on to defeat Goldberg at Sin after a "planted fan" maced Goldberg, allowing Bagwell to floor him with the Buff Blockbuster and Luger to pin Goldberg. As Goldberg had been warned by Vince Russo that he would be automatically fired if he was defeated. Totally Buff had ended Goldberg's career with WCW, an event that was scripted. In early 2001, Totally Buff joined Ric Flair's Magnificent Seven stable until WCW's closure.^[5]

[edit] Various promotions (2001–2002)

[edit] World Wrestling Federation

Shortly after WCW was purchased by the World Wrestling Federation in March 2001, Bagwell was one of the first AOL Time Warner contracted wrestlers to accept the offered buy-out on his contract and sign with the WWF. On July 1, 2001, Bagwell faced Booker T at a house show and he appeared on the July 2 episode of Raw is War, facing Booker T for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The match went to a no-contest after interference from Stone Cold Steve Austin and Kurt Angle.^[10] Bagwell was released from the WWF on July 9 following complaints about his attitude and an altercation with fellow WCW alumnus Shane Helms.^[4][5] It has been alleged that after Bagwell had been seen harassing and bullying Helms about his size, WWF officials put him in a stiff match against the Acolytes and that Bagwell was released when he had his mother call in sick for him afterwards.

[edit] X Wrestling Federation

Following his WWF release, Bagwell was featured as a main eventer in Jimmy Hart's newly founded X Wrestling Federation, which taped television matches at Universal Studios Florida on November 12 and November 13, 2001. This appearance, however, ended up violating the terms of his release contract with the WWF because at the time, released WWF wrestlers were given generous severance packages but with the stipulation that they couldn't compete with a rival promotion for a certain amount of time. As a result, WWF management revoked the majority of his severance.

[edit] World Wrestling All-Stars

In 2001 and 2002, Bagwell toured Europe and Australia with the World Wrestling All-Stars. In the autumn of 2001, he competed in the Inception pay-per-view where he won an open battle royal before losing to Jeff Jarrett in the semi-finals of the WWA World Heavyweight Championship tournament. A UK tour followed where he mostly faced Stevie Ray and defeated him in several matches. He continued with the WWA into 2002, where in April he took part in the Eruption pay-per-view. This time, he teamed up with his WWA rival Stevie Ray in an unsuccessful effort against Brian Christopher and Ernest Miller. In the autumn of 2002 he toured the UK and took part in the Retribution pay-per-view. During this tour he often took part in the main event as a tag team match also involving Sting, Lex Luger and Nathan Jones. At the pay-per-view he teamed up with Johnny Swinger to face Norman Smiley and Malice in a losing effort.

[edit] Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2003, 2006)

Bagwell made several appearances with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2002 and 2003.

Bagwell appeared on the April 27, 2006 episode of TNA Impact! as the first of Sting's possible tag team partners for Sacrifice on May 14, 2006. Bagwell also appeared on the September 28, 2006 episode of Impact! in several segments, including a press conference, a video package, and a live segment where he brawled briefly with Jeff Jarrett. At a 2008 live event in Florida, Bagwell expressed that he would like to work a deal with TNA in the near future and that he likes TNA because it reminds him of the old WCW days.^[11]

[edit] Independent circuit (2006–present)

Bagwell has continued to wrestle on the independent circuit, most prominently for the NWA Mid-Atlantic promotion, which covers Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Also wrestles with JCW(Juggalo Championshit Wrestling) at the Big ballas X-mas party.^[11]

[edit] Media

[edit] Acting career

• Day of the Warrior (1996)^[11] as The Warrior
• L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach (1998) as The Warrior
• Terror Tract (2000) as Pound Dispatcher
• Charmed - He appeared in the episode Wrestling With Demons alongside Booker T and Scott Steiner

[edit] Personal life

In April 1990, Bagwell had a son named Alexander Henry Bagwell.^[12] Bagwell married his third wife, Judy, in 2001.^[13]

[edit] In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Buff Blockbuster^[1] (Diving neckbreaker)^[14][15]

• Signature moves
  • Arm drag,^[16] followed by a deep armbar^[15]
  • Back body drop^[15]
  • Big splash^[16]
  • Diving crossbody^[17]
  • Double underhook DDT^[1][10][18]
  • Dropkick^[15][19]
  • Drop toe-hold,^[16] often transitioned into a wrist lock^[16]
  • Inverted atomic drop^[19]
  • Neckbreaker^[1]
  • Scoop powerslam^[15]
  • Shoulder block^[16]
  • Single arm choke on a laying opponent^[10]
  • Swinging neckbreaker^[10][15][19]
  • Vertical suplex^[10][16]
  • Yellowjacket Suplex (Bridging cradle suplex)^[1]

• With The Patriot
  • Simultaneous vertical suplex / diving crossbody combination^[14]

• Managers
  • Theodore Long
  • Vincent

• Nicknames
  • Marcus "Buff" Bagwell^[1]
  • "The Stuff"^[2]

• Entrance themes
  • "Rockhouse" by J.Hart and J.Helm (used while a part of the New World Order) – 1996–1999
  • "Tear It Up" by J.Hart and J.Helm (used while a part of the New World Order) – 1996–1998
  • "Kevin Nash/Wolfpac Theme" (used while a part of the nWo Elite) – 1999
  • "Buff Daddy" – 1999–2001

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

• AWA Superstars of Wrestling
  • AWA Superstars of Wrestling World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with The Patriot^[1]

• Cleveland All-Pro Wrestling
  • CAPW Unified Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[1][20][21]

• Great American Wrestling Federation
  • GAWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[1]

• Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling¹
  • NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (2 times, current)^[1][20]
  • NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dusty Rhodes^[1]
  • NWA Blue Ridge Television Championship (1 time)^[1]

• North American Championship Wrestling
  • NACW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ricky Morton^[1][22]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him #221 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003

• Ultimate NWA
  • Ultimate NWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[1][20]

• World Championship Wrestling
  • WCW World Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with 2 Cold Scorpio (1), The Patriot (2), Scotty Riggs (1) and Shane Douglas (1)^[20]
  • Rookie of the Year (1991)^[1]

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
  • Most Embarrassing Wrestler (2001)

• Other titles
  • Georgia All State Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Chris Walker^[1]
  • Michigan Midwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[1]
  • RCW (Tennessee) Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[1]

¹This is the second promotion to be called Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and this one is owned by David Baucom. The first Mid-Atlantic promotion was under the control of Jim Crockett, Sr. and later on his son, Jim Crockett, Jr. before it was sold to Ted Turner in 1988 and was renamed World Championship Wrestling. While this promotion uses some of the same regional championships that the original Mid-Atlantic promotion used, it is not the same promotion.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Buff Bagwell

• TheRealBuff.com
• Interview with HitTheRopes.com