Steve Blackman

Steve Blackman
File:Steve blackman.jpg
Born	September 28, 1963 Annville, Pennsylvania
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Steve Blackman
Billed height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Billed weight	246 lb (112 kg)
Debut	1986
Retired	2001

Steve Blackman (born September 28, 1963 in Annville, Pennsylvania) was a former professional wrestler who most notably worked for the World Wrestling Federation as "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman.

Career

Stampede Wrestling

Steve Blackman began his wrestling career in 1989, in Calgary, working for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling. He held the Stampede Television title. Later that year he contracted malaria while wrestling in South Africa and barely survived. Steve Blackman made unsuccessful comebacks in 1991, 1992 and 1993, but the fatigue was too strong. Around this time, Blackman had a contract with the WWF but became ill and had to wait to make his debut when he finally recovered.

World Wrestling Federation

Steve Blackman made his WWF debut on the November 3, 1997 episode of RAW is War as a planted fan who jumped the guardrail, to help Vader fend off an attack from the Hart Foundation. Steve Blackman was a replacement for the injured Patriot (Del Wilkes) on Team USA (Vader/Goldust/Mero/Blackman), at Survivor Series 1997, against Team Canada (Bulldog/Neidhart/Lafon/Furnas).

The following year, Blackman joined Shamrock in his efforts to combat the Nation of Domination. Eventually Blackman broke out on his own, establishing his trademark entrance involving swinging glow-in-the-dark eskrima sticks before walking to the ring. He would eventually turn heel after siding with Shane McMahon. During his run as a heel, he would bring a gym bag full of martial arts weapons with him to the ring, including his soon trademark kendo sticks. Blackman would attempt to use the weapons in the bag during or after the match.

In late 1998, Blackman competed in the WWF's Brawl For All tournament, beating Marc Mero in the first round. However, he had to withdraw due to injury, allowing Mero to advance by default.

Blackman's most notable efforts in the WWF involved his run as a tag team with Al Snow. Unofficially dubbed "Head Cheese" by Snow, the team had some measure of success and was quite popular with the fans. Snow made Blackman wear a cheese-shaped hat to complement the mannequin head that Snow would bring to the ring.

After the "Head Cheese" team went their separate ways, Blackman entered the WWF's Hardcore Division. At the time, the title was defended 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (established by Crash Holly). Because of this clause, WWF would often run storylines where the champion was attacked backstage, in a hotel, etc, and the title would change hands. However, with Blackman as champion that changed. The story was that Blackman was so dangerous in hand-to-hand combat, that even surprise attacks were not enough to take the title from him. This distinction makes Blackman one of the more unique athletes to have held the Hardcore title. Blackman's most famous Hardcore title match is from Summerslam 2000, where he fought Shane McMahon for the title. During that match, Blackman took a 30 foot leap off of the Titantron onto a prone Shane McMahon below.

In early 2001, Blackman formed another tag team, this time with Grandmaster Sexay. This was much like Head Cheese in that it was a comedic wrestler paired with the personality-challenged Blackman. The recurring storyline was that Sexay would always try to convince Blackman to dance with him after their matches. After weeks of prodding, Blackman eventually obliged, and Sexay started calling him "Boogie Woogie Blackman - cause he's a white man, but he dances like a black man!"

By the summer of 2001, Sexay was released from his WWF contract, leaving Blackman without a storyline. At around the same time, Blackman suffered an injury, and was released in October of 2002.

Post-wrestling

Blackman opened a self-defense school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania called "Blackman's Self Defense and Street-Fighting School" in mid-2003, and as of August 2003, Blackman & MMA/wrestler star Ken Shamrock are creating a clothing line for professional fighters.

Finishing and signature moves

• The Guillotine (Guillotine Choke)
• It's Party Time (Spinning trash can lid to the back of the head)

Championships and accomplishments

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him # 440 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
• Stampede Wrestling
  • 1-time Stampede Television Champion
• World Wrestling Federation
  • 6-time WWF Hardcore Champion
• Quotes
  • "It's party time!"'
  • "This is my house!"'

External links

• Profile at obsessedwithwrestling.com