Rick Cornell
| Rick Cornell | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Ring name(s) | Rick Cornell[1] Reno[1][2] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2] |
| Billed weight | 240 lb (110 kg)[2] |
| Born | Buffalo, New York[1][2] |
| Billed from | Las Vegas, Nevada[1][2] |
| Trained by | Dwayne Bruce[1][2] Mike Graham[1][2] Jody Hamilton[1][2] Paul Orndorff[1][2] WCW Power Plant[2] |
| Debut | 1999[1] |
| Retired | 2003[1][2] |
Richard "Rick" Cornell[1] is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Reno, where he was a one time Hardcore Champion.
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[edit] Before wrestling
Prior to professional wrestling, Cornell was an undefeated kickboxer and was also an amateur wrestler all throughout high school.[2]
[edit] Professional wrestling career
[edit] World Championship Wrestling (1999–2001)
After completing his training at World Championship Wrestling's Power Plant wrestling school in 1999, Cornell made his WCW television debut On the October 26 edition of WorldWide under his real name in a losing effort to Kid Romeo.[3]
Cornell continued wrestling on WorldWide until he made his official debut as Reno, on the August 9, 2000 edition of Thunder where he was defeated by Billy Kidman via Disqualification.
The following week on August 16 edition of Thunder, Reno helped form the Natural Born Thrillers with Chuck Palumbo, Shawn Stasiak, Sean O'Haire, Mark Jindrak and Mike Sanders by attacking the Filthy Animals. Upon joining the Thrillers, Reno's character was expanded to a shootfighting martial artist who fought in Las Vegas's "underground fighting leagues" complete with a queue ponytail, all of which was based on his legitimate training as a kickboxer.[1]
The Thrillers soon became the new enforcers for Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff by replacing their original enforcers, the Filthy Animals. Soon afterwards, the Thrillers and the Animals began feuding with each other. The tension between the two teams quickly grew as the Thrillers attacked their former trainer, Paul Orndorff, who was subsequently saved by the Animals. At Fall Brawl, the Thrillers and the Animals faced off in an elimination match. The Thrillers eliminated all but two members of the Animals, with the match ending in a no-contest after Orndoff legitimately injured himself after botching his signature piledriver. The following night on Nitro, the Thrillers wrestled against the two survivors from their elimination match, Rey Misterio Jr. and Tygress, but lost.
After this, the Thrillers began chasing the World Tag Team Championship while Reno took a more reserved role. On October 2, 2000, Reno began pursuing the Hardcore Championship, losing to Sgt. AWOL in a tournament final for the belt. Fellow Thriller member Mike Sanders, who was WCW's Commissioner at the time, reversed the decision, however, and gave the win and the title to Reno instead. He then defeated AWOL at Halloween Havoc to retain the title.
On November 8, Reno lost the belt to Crowbar. He soon began a brief feud with both Crowbar and former Hardcore Champion Big Vito, with all three men competing for the title at Mayhem. At the event, Crowbar pinned Reno after hitting him with a chair to retain the title.
Reno then began feuding solely with Vito, which was intensified when it was revealed that Reno was, in storyline, dating Vito's sister. It was also revealed that Reno and Vito were, in storyline, brothers. Both men subsequently became allies on the December 4 edition of Nitro when Vito saved Reno from being attacked by KroniK. They formed a tag team soon after, but the team came to an end quickly at Starrcade when Reno turned on Vito during their match with KroniK. He then revealed that he was the one who paid off KroniK to attack him in the previous weeks. Their feud culminated at Sin, which saw Reno pin Vito.
Reno continued his alliance with Mike Sanders and working with the Natural Born Thrillers until the group's dissolution in February 2001, after Johnny The Bull reformed the Mamalukes with Big Vito and members Shawn Stasiak and Mark Jindrak began feuding with Sean O'Haire and Chuck Palumbo over the World Tag Team Title.
Reno wrestled his last match in WCW on the March 14, 2001 edition of Thunder, where he was defeated by former Natural Born Thrillers partner Shawn Stasiak. In late March 2001, the World Wrestling Federation bought out WCW. Cornell's contract was among those acquired in the buyout.
[edit] World Wrestling Federation (2001)
Cornell was signed to a developmental deal with the World Wrestling Federation after wrestling a dark match before the August 6 episode of Raw Is War, defeating Mike Sanders despite both wrestling as members of the Alliance. From there, he was sent to the Heartland Wrestling Association for more training, where he was a member of Team WCW along with Sanders, Johnny The Bull, Mark Jindrak, Jason Jett, Lash LaRoux, Shannon Moore, Evan Karagias, Kwee Wee, Elix Skipper and Jamie Knoble.
He was later released on December 5, 2001 from his developmental contract along with Kwee-Wee, Lash LeRoux, Russ McCullough, Kid Romeo, Jimmy Yang, Elix Skipper and Essa Rios.
[edit] Retirement (2002–2003)
Cornell made his final HWA appearance on December 19, 2001 with Mike Sanders. He attacked Matt Dellinger in the ring until HWA Commissioner Patrick Black arrived and "suspended" Reno indefinitely. Johnny the Bull came out and laid out Reno with a chain. Mike Sanders then told the crowd that Johnny the Bull was Reno's replacement.
Upon being released, Cornell began wrestling for Australia's World Wrestling All-Stars under his Reno ring name again, where he competed against a number of fellow WCW alumni. He remained with the promotion until its closure in 2003, and subsequently retired from wrestling soon after.
[edit] In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Roll of the Dice (Rolling cutter)[4][5][6]
- Signature moves
- Armbar[7][8]
- Back elbow[7]
- Fireman's carry takeover[5][9]
- Fisherman buster[7]
- Knee drop,[7][10] sometimes from the second or top rope[11]
- Multiple kick variations
- Multiple suplex variations
- Powerslam[13]
- Sidewalk slam[11]
- Sunset flip[5][11]
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Cagematch profile". http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "OWOW profile". http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/r/reno.html.
- ^ "Cagematch match listings, page 1". http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=30&view=matches&gimmick=&jahr=&liga=®ion=&art=&artmatches=&gegner=Gegner&partner=Partner&suchbegriff=Suchbegriff&Start=51#matches.
- ^ "WCW WorldWide report on January 19, 2000". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/h0000252.htm.
- ^ a b c d e "WCW Saturday Night report on November 27, 1999". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/1999114s.htm.
- ^ "WCW Saturday Night report on January 29, 2000". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/2000015s.htm.
- ^ a b c d e f "WCW WorldWide report on January 22, 2000". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/2000014w.htm.
- ^ a b c "WCW WorldWide report on November 6, 1999". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/1999111w.htm.
- ^ a b "WCW Thunder report on November 15, 2000". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/2000112t.htm.
- ^ "WCW Thunder report on October 25, 2000". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/2000103t.htm.
- ^ a b c d "WCW WorldWide report on November 4, 2000". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/2000111w.htm.
- ^ a b c "WCW Thunder report on November 8, 2000". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/2000111t.htm.
- ^ "WCW Mayhem report". http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/2000114p.htm.
- ^ "WCW Hardcore Championship history". http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-hc.html.
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