King Kong Bundy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
King Kong Bundy
Kingkondbundy.jpg
King Kong Bundy in 1985
Ring name(s) Big Daddy Bundy[1]
Boom Boom Bundy[1]
Chris Cannon[1]
Chris Canyon[2][3]
Crippler Cannon[1]
King Kong Bundy[4]
Man Mountain Cannon, Jr.[1]
Billed height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[4]
Billed weight 458 lb (208 kg)[4]
Born (1957-11-07) November 7, 1957 (age 55)[1]
Atlantic City, New Jersey[1]
Resides Glassboro, New Jersey
Billed from Houston, Texas (as Chris Canyon)
Atlantic City, New Jersey[4]
Trained by Larry Sharpe
Debut 1981[1]
Retired 2006

Christopher Alan "Chris" Pallies[1] (born November 7, 1957) is an American professional wrestler, stand-up comedian and actor, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy. Bundy achieved mainstream recognition in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in the 1980s and 1990s: he headlined WrestleMania 2 in 1986 against Hulk Hogan in a steel cage match for the WWF Championship, and at WrestleMania XI in 1995 he was also the fourth victim in The Undertaker's now 21-match undefeated WrestleMania streak.[4] Late WWF play-by-play commentator Gorilla Monsoon dubbed Bundy as the "Walking Condominium" in reference to his imposing size and weight.[4]

Contents

Personal [edit]

Pallies graduated in 1974 from Washington Township High School in Sewell, New Jersey.[5] He currently lives in Glassboro, New Jersey.

Professional wrestling career [edit]

Early career [edit]

Pallies took the King Kong Bundy name during a storyline while working with World Class Championship Wrestling. Bundy was discovered and developed as Big Daddy Bundy (a combination of Shirley Crabtree's "Big Daddy" moniker, and the surname of psychopathic serial killer, Ted Bundy) by the Von Erich family. He wore blue jeans with a rope belt and was a fan favorite. After a dispute with the Von Erich family, Bundy was recruited by manager Gary Hart and dramatically reintroduced as King Kong Bundy, with the "Big Daddy" portion of his moniker replaced by the name of cinematic monster, King Kong, wearing the black singlet for the first time to signify his change. He lost his hair during the feud, adding to his signature look.

Bundy was Fritz Von Erich's opponent for Fritz's 1982 retirement match at Texas Stadium.

He also competed in various territories such as the American Wrestling Association and National Wrestling Alliance. He also had a tendency to demand a five count (as opposed to the usual three count) for pinfalls whenever he dominated his opponent in a squash match, a gimmick he began while wrestling for Mid-South Wrestling.

World Wrestling Federation [edit]

Bundy and Big John Studd facing André the Giant and Hillbilly Jim.

After making a few appearances on New Japan Pro Wrestling/World Wrestling Federation joint shows in early 1985, Bundy officially debuted in the WWF as a heel on the March 16, 1985 airing of WWF Championship Wrestling. First managed by Jimmy Hart, he was immediately pushed with dominating victories over all of his opponents. He defeated S.D. "Special Delivery" Jones in what was announced as only nine seconds at the first WrestleMania at Madison Square Garden (it was actually 24 seconds). This remained the shortest match in WrestleMania history until 2008 when Kane defeated Chavo Guerrero in eight seconds at WrestleMania XXIV.

In September 1985, Hart traded Bundy to manager Bobby Heenan in exchange for Adrian Adonis and The Missing Link. After joining The Heenan Family, Bundy feuded extensively with André the Giant, a feud which started during an angle where Bundy interfered in one of André's matches and delivered several splashes, giving the Giant a kayfabe broken sternum. They feuded for several months, including a pair of tag team matches on Saturday Night's Main Event in late 1985, where Bundy and André's other nemesis, Big John Studd, first faced André and Tony Atlas and then André and Hulk Hogan.[6][7]

On a nationally televised match on Saturday Night's Main Event, Hogan was wrestling challenger The Magnificent Muraco when he was ambushed by Bundy and Heenan. Muraco and Bundy double-teamed Hogan, with Bundy giving the WWF Heavyweight Champion multiple Avalanches and Big splash's, which caused Hogan to have severely bruised ribs (kayfabe), thus setting up a feud between Hogan and Bundy. The feud culminated with a steel cage match for Hogan's WWF Championship as the main event of WrestleMania 2 in the Los Angeles portion of the event, which Hogan won.[8]

One year later at WrestleMania III, Bundy was involved in a mixed six-man tag team match, teaming with midget wrestlers Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook against Hillbilly Jim, the Haiti Kid and Little Beaver. During the match, after being pestered by Beaver (which included Beaver elbowing Bundy in the stomach and later slapping Bundy in the face with his shoe), Bundy finally caught him and bodyslammed Little Beaver and then delivered a big elbow causing his teams disqualification and his own tag partners to turn against him.[9][10]

In November 1987, Bundy defeated Hulk Hogan via count-out on an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event.[11] Bundy left the WWF in early 1988 following a loss to Hogan in a rematch on the next episode of the series.[12]

Bundy returned to the WWF in the fall of 1994 as a member of Ted DiBiase's stable, the Million Dollar Corporation.[13] He had a successful pay-per-view return at the Survivor Series, when he and fellow "Million Dollar Team" member Bam Bam Bigelow survived a match against Lex Luger's "Guts and Glory" team. Bundy was then billed as a favorite in the 1995 Royal Rumble, but lasted only three minutes before being eliminated by another big man, Mabel.[14] Bundy made his return to WrestleMania at WrestleMania XI, where he was defeated by The Undertaker.[15] Bundy left the WWF in November 1995.

Independent circuit [edit]

Bundy then wrestled for several independent promotions in the United States. In April 1997, he resurfaced in magazines when he joined a faction managed by Kenny Casanova called "Camp Casanova" along with "Danger" Dave DeJohn and The Masked Maniac at times in USWF, NBW, and USA Power Pro Wrestling. In a match against "The Seven Foot Tall" Primo Canera III, Bundy knee-dropped his opponent and then "Bundy-Splashed" him. The impact actually broke the ring, leaving the two grapplers in a pit in the center of the squared circle. This independent footage was picked up by Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

His feuds against "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, Doink the Clown, and Tom Brandi are among many main events in the northeast independent circuit. In 1999, at the Kolf Arena in Oshkosh, Wisconsin he won the AWA Superstars of Wrestling Heavyweight Championship from Jonnie Stewart. He was last seen at the Legends of Wrestling Show at the Pulaski County Fair in Somerset, KY in 2006. He lost to "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan in the Main Event. Before the show started he went on a profane tirade after being unhappy with the promotion and the ring <citation needed>

Acting career [edit]

Bundy has also tried a career in stand-up comedy.[16] On April 24, 2008, he was on a Norwegian TV show called Golden GOAL!. He had two guest spots on Married...With Children. In 1987, he played Uncle Irwin, the brother of Peggy Bundy. In 1995, he appeared again as the King Kong Bundy character.[17] He appeared in the 1988 Richard Pryor film Moving as Gorgo,[18] part of a trio of ex-cons who are insolent and careless movers. Bundy also starred as Otto Belmar in the 2011 independent film Fight the Panda Syndicate. He is on the cover of Belgian band Asociality's 2009 album Kabaal.

In wrestling [edit]

Championships and accomplishments [edit]

  • International Pro Wrestling
    • IPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[24]
  • International Wrestling Superstars
    • IWS United States Championship (1 time)
  • Top Rope Wrestling
    • TRW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "King Kong Bundy profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2011-07-07. 
  2. ^ Myers, Robert (1999). The Professional Wrestling Trivia book. Branden Books. p. 4. ISBN 0-8283-2045-4. 
  3. ^ Myers, Robert (1999). The Professional Wrestling Trivia book. Branden Books. p. 49. ISBN 0-8283-2045-4. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "King Kong Bundy's WWE Alumni Bio". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 2010-05-26. 
  5. ^ Beym, Jessica. "'King Kong Bundy' lends hand to Washington Township fundraiser", Gloucester County Times, January 31, 2010. Accessed February 17, 2011. "Bundy whose real name is Chris Pallies, a Washington Township High School grad in 1974 made an appearance in his former hometown Friday afternoon to help support a good cause."
  6. ^ "Saturday Night's Main Event #2 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2012-04-03. 
  7. ^ "Saturday Night's Main Event #3 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2012-04-03. 
  8. ^ Powell, John. "WrestleMania 2: Caged Heat". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-11-08. 
  9. ^ "WrestleMania III Results". WWE. Retrieved 2008-02-14. 
  10. ^ Shields, Brian (2006). Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s. Simon and Schuster. p. 81. ISBN 1-4165-3257-9. 
  11. ^ "Saturday Night's Main Event #13 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2012-04-03. 
  12. ^ "Saturday Night's Main Event #14 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2012-04-03. 
  13. ^ a b "Million Dollar Corporation profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2011-07-07. 
  14. ^ "Royal Rumble 1995 Elimination Info". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2012-04-06. 
  15. ^ Powell, John. "No worse WrestleMania than 11". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-11-08. 
  16. ^ "King Kong Bundy puts comedy on the mat tonight at the Colosseum". Delaware Online. January 18, 2007. Archived from the original on February 23, 2007. Retrieved November 2008. 
  17. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0642271/plotsummary Married With Children, Flight of the Bumblebee, 1995.
  18. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095662/fullcredits#cast
  19. ^ Desjardins, Curtis (February 3, 1999). "The Official RSP-W Finishing Moves List". rec.sport.pro-wrestling. Retrieved 2012-09-15. 
  20. ^ "King Kong Bundy photos". WWE. Retrieved 2011-11-10. 
  21. ^ "Jimmy Hart profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  22. ^ "Bobby Heenan profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-10-09. 
  23. ^ "Kenny Casanova profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-10-09. 
  24. ^ a b Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2000). Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. 
  25. ^ "King Kong Bundy Announced For PWR Hall of Fameauthor=Ben Kerin". 2013-01-14. Retrieved 2013-01-14. 

External links [edit]

Portal icon Professional wrestling portal
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=King_Kong_Bundy&oldid=555800164"