The Sandman (wrestler)

Jim Fullington
Jim Fullington
Born	June 16, 1963; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Hak; Hardcore Hak; Mr. Sandman; The Sandman
Billed height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Billed weight	244 lb (111 kg)
Billed from	Sandy, Utah
Trained by	Larry Winters
Debut	1989

James ("Jim") Fullington (born June 16, 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), better known as The Sandman, is an American professional wrestler, best known for his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he was dubbed "The Hardcore Icon." He is currently wrestling on the Extreme Championship Wrestling brand of World Wrestling Entertainment.

Career

Extreme Championship Wrestling

The Sandman arrived in Eastern Championship Wrestling, the precursor to Extreme Championship Wrestling, in late 1991. After a brief period where the Sandman character was that of a surfer, Paul Heyman suggested that Fullington channel his own personality into his character. Fullington agreed and evolved into the Extreme Icon, Sandman, a harsh, abrasive, anti-social brawler who smoked cigarettes and drank beer on his way to the ring, and sometimes during a match, often crushing the can on his forehead causing himself to bleed. The revised character is often compared to the character that Stone Cold Steve Austin assumed in 1997. Sandman's lengthy ring entrance, where he would typically approach the ring via the audience, often sharing beer with fans, were closely linked to his popular entrance music, Metallica's "Enter Sandman" which live crowds would sing along with.

Like many ECW performers, the Sandman's wrestling style often incorporated weapons, further polishing his image as a bar room brawler. Over the years he was in classic matches noted for their blood, use of steel chairs, tables, Singapore canes and barbed wire.

World Championship Wrestling

In 1999, he joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He first appeared in vingettes promoting Raven as a spoiled rich kid as his preppy friend, but the original plans of Fullington debuting under this gimmick were scrapped due to negative fan reaction. He later debuted as a wrestler under the name "Hak" (a name derived from his longtime nickname "Hack", although it was rumored that the name was also a pun, as WCW always thought of hardcore wrestlers as "No talent hacks".). In his short time there, he was mostly involved in storylines featuring fellow former ECW alumni Raven, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Raven's (kayfabe) sister Chastity, with whom he developed an on-screen relationship after she turned on Raven.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

In late 2002 and early 2003, The Sandman had a run in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), joining former ECW wrestlers Justin Credible and Raven along with New Jack and Perry Saturn in a stable known as the Extreme Revolution, a sub-faction in the Sports Entertainment Xtreme group who was invading TNA at the time.

In late 2002 after an appearance for XPW, The Sandman was briefly barred from wrestling in Pennsylvania by the Athletic Commission, who objected to his supposedly inebriating fans.

World Wrestling Entertainment

It can be argued that The Sandman made his World Wrestling Federation debut at the 1996 In Your House: Mind Games Pay-Per-View event in Philadelphia where he and a number of other ECW stars caused a (kayfabe) disturbance at ringside. This event marked the beginning of the on-air working relationship between Vince McMahon's WWF and Paul Heyman's ECW and eventually led to ECW, appearing on the February 24, 1997 WWF program Monday Night RAW.

In 2005, Sandman participated in the ECW reunion show Hardcore Homecoming against longtime rival Raven. Two nights later he appeared at the WWE produced One Night Stand pay-per-view event, another ECW reunion show, teaming with Tommy Dreamer to face The Dudley Boyz.

In 2006, prior to the June 11th One Night Stand, The Sandman made a number of promotional appearances on WWE programming, first appearing, along with a number of other ECW stars, on RAW attacking John Cena then, two nights later, on the WWE vs. ECW Head to Head special taking part in a battle royal. At One Night Stand, when the "simpleton" Eugene made his way to the ring to read a poem expressing his love of ECW, The Sandman came out with his Singapore Cane and sent him packing.

On June 13, 2006 World Wrestling Entertainment officially relaunched ECW as a brand equal to RAW or SmackDown! with it's on show on the Sci Fi Channel. In the new ECW, The Sandman was used for the first few weeks as a character who would emerge from the crowd when a non-ECW style character was annoying the audience. Once the character had a few minutes to talk Sandman appeared and destroyed the character with his cane, often ending the "match" with his signature White Russian Legsweep manuever.

This gimmick escalated when Sandman came out to confront regular ECW fixture Mike Knox while he was attempting to stop his exhibitionist girlfriend, Kelly Kelly, in the middle of her weekly "exposê" strip show. The Sandman began a feud with Knox over this and eventually began teaming up with fellow original ECW wrestler Tommy Dreamer to take on Knox and Test in a feud that many felt symbolized the original vision of ECW (Sandman and Dreamer) vs. the "new" vision of ECW (Knox and Test).

Personal life

Fullington owns a bar in New Jersey with his wife, and former manager, Lori Fullington with whom he has a son, Tyler. He also has two other children, an older daughter and a younger son, Oliver.

In wrestling

Finishing and signature moves

White Russian Legsweep (Russian legsweep with Singapore cane across opponent's throat)
DDT
Piledriver
Bitchin' Legdrop / Utah Jam (Diving legdrop)
Heinekenrana (Frankensteiner)
Rolling Rock (Senton bomb) often on to a ladder that has been placed on the opponents chest.
Russian Legsweep