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The Maestro (wrestler)

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The Maestro
Birth nameRobert Kellum
Born (1973-01-26) January 26, 1973 (age 51)[1]
Raleigh, North Carolina
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Gorgeous George III[1]
The Maestro[1]
Robbie Eagle[1]
The Stro[1]
Billed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1]
Billed weight245 lb (111 kg; 17.5 st)[1]
Trained byNelson Royal[1]
Gene Anderson[1]
Ivan Koloff[1]
DebutJanuary 1, 1990

Robert Kellum (born January 26, 1973) is an American professional wrestler and actor, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling under the ring name The Maestro. He has also wrestled for various other promotions, including the United States Wrestling Association, Smokey Mountain Wrestling and the World Wrestling Council. He currently wrestles under the ring name The Stro.

Kellum is also an occasional television and film actor, having cameoed on several episodes of the television series One Tree Hill.

Professional wrestling career

Kellum began training for pro wrestling under veterans Nelson Royal, Gene Anderson and Ivan Koloff. He made his professional debut on January 1, 1990 against ACW champion L.A. Stevens in Kannapolis, North Carolina. He wrestled Ivan Koloff and Wahoo McDaniel early in his career and worked in various independent promotions in the Southeastern US.

Kellum, as Robbie Eagle, debuted in Smokey Mountain Wrestling (SMW) in August 1992, and feuded with Tim Horner and Chris Candido over the SMW Beat the Champ Television Championship during 1994. In 1993, he also jobbed on a few episodes of WCW Saturday Night, including to Sting on the August 14 Saturday Night.[2]

In January 1995, Kellum began wrestling in the USWA as Gorgeous George III (a nod to his great-uncle, Gorgeous George) and soon aligned himself with Tommy Rich and Doug Gilbert in their feud against PG-13, Brian Christopher, Bill Dundee and Jerry Lawler. He later teamed with Scott Hall, King Mabel and The Gambler.

In 1997, he wrestled on both days of the Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) supercard TripleMania V. On June 13, he, Jake Roberts and Killer lost to Canek, Perro Aguayo and Tinieblas, Jr.. On June 15, he, Roberts, El Cobarde II and Fuerza Guerrera lost to Canek, Aguayo, Cibernético and Octagon.

Although he complained to WCW management after Randy Savage's former girlfriend and valet Stephanie Bellars began using the name Gorgeous George, he later agreed to return to WCW full-time after meeting with then WCW Vice President Eric Bischoff and returned as The Maestro. He often came out to an instrumental (and slightly tweaked) version of Paul Orndorff's short lived theme, "Wonderful" during the late 1990s with Symphony as his valet. Feuding with Evan Karagias over the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship, Kellum would also become involved in feuds with David Flair, Norman Smiley, Buff Bagwell and Ernest Miller. He regularly appeared on Monday Night Nitro and WCW Thunder having some success. The Maestro/Cat feud involved legendary entertainer "The Godfather of Soul" James Brown at WCW's Superbrawl PPV. He left the promotion after his contract expired in 2000.

After his release from WCW, Kellum began operating a wrestling school out of Jacksonville, North Carolina. He later returned to the Southeastern area as The Stro competing for Atlantic Championship Pro Wrestling, Mason-Dixon Wrestling, the Independent Wrestling Federation, North American Championship Wrestling, and the National Wrestling Alliance who has held victories over Demolition Ax, The Barbarian as well as faced "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and Ivan Koloff. He was later defeated by Shark Boy in the opening round of Nick Mayberry's HCW Incredible 8 Tournament on July 13, 2002. That same year, he Won the CAPW TV title and feuded with Balls Mahoney and other top stars of CAPW in Cleveland, Ohio. Kellum also won the ACCW title for a second time in a rumble match in Wilmington, NC and later feuded with Cold Cash D, Flex Phenom and Dave Renegade. Kellum became a two time NACW champion feuding with "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas, Ricky Morton, Jake Roberts, Carnage, and Brad Hunter, leader of a faction called "Damage Inc." along with Main Attraction and Rico Rage. Facing his former tag team partner Lodi at PPCW in Conway, South Carolina, Kellum also won the SCW title in Dayton, Ohio.

Stro won the WCEW title and feuded with Magnum T.R., Ali Steele, Ouga Booga, Justin Feeche, Bobby Eaton, and Aaron Devil. Was a part of the "Triple Heat" group along with Aaron Devil and Steve Michaels who was later replaced by P Roc. With "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas, The Patriot and Ranger Ross, he feuded with Ivan Koloff & The Russian Army in late 2005 as well as defeating The Barbarian at the Ricky Morton Benefit Show on February 2, 2006.

A mainstay of American Coast Professional Wrestling, Kellum was the promotion's youngest champion ever in Charlotte, North Carolina-area.[citation needed] He also feuded with female wrestler "The Queen of Pain" Naudia facing her in a series of intergender matches during 2005 and 2006, most notably defeating her for the ACPW Television Championship in an "I Quit" match in December 2005 as well as regaining the ACPW Television title from her in the first intergender dog collar match against her on February 4, 2006. He later defeated her and Sgt. Chaos in a handicap match for the Ring Wars Carolina promotion on February 18, 2006.

In June, he made his DSCW debut in Supply, North Carolina and, that same month, Kellum and Lord Everett Devore formed a tag team known as The Classics. The following month, while wrestling for the West Virginia-based NWA Mountain State, Kellum defeated The Barbarian in a Hardcore match as well as defeating Buzzsaw in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia on September 5, 2006. Kellum defeated Dave Renegade to win his second ACPW Heavyweight Championship on March 10, 2007. On June 9, Kellum made his ASPW debut in Elizabeth City, North Carolina where he began feuding with Derik Flair. On September 28, Kellum joined long time heel stable the Fourth Alliance along with Stan Braddock, Sean Cruise, and Cletus Bass. The stable, which had existed since 1997 when it included NWA World Tag Team Champions Pat and CW Anderson, was managed by Dexter "The Expert" Holley. Holley is now semi retired and working as a television producer. The Stro joined the Alliance at an ACPW show in Warsaw, North Carolina. He defeated Hangtime to win his third ACPW heavyweight title in Salemburg, North Carolina on October 13. He also returned to ASCW and wrestled another epic bout against former AAA tag team partner and former WWE star the legendary Jake "The Snake" Roberts defeating him with STF Encore submission hold in Clarkburg, West Virginia on November 15. Feuding with Johnny Blast and NWA Mountain State TV champion Dr. Roger Hamm in NWA Mountain State Wrestling, he defeated Frank "The Tank" Parker to win the NWA-Mountain State Wrestling heavyweight championship on December 8, 2007.

On February 8, 2008, Kellum was voted 2007 NWA-MSW Wrestler of the Year.[1] In April, it was announced that Kellum would star in upcoming horror movie 12-24. Kellum was inducted in the ACPW wrestling Hall of Fame on August 2, 2008. On March 15, 2009, Princeton, West Virginia, Stro defeats Jason "The Gift" Kincaid to become a two time NWA-Mountain State Wrestling heavyweight champion. On November 21, 2009, Mullens, West Virginia, Stro defeated "Dynamite" Derik Billings and "King" Richard to become the first three time NWA-Mountain State Wrestling heavyweight champion.

On July 10, 2010 Stro became a four-time NWA-Mountain State heavyweight champion. On August 2011, Stro won the NWA-MSW TV championship from Matt Conard. On May 19, 2012 and again on July 28, 2012, Stro won the APWA American championship. On October 17, 2013, Angry Panda and Stro became XWW tag team champions.

Personal life

Kellum is the great nephew of professional wrestler George Wagner.[1][3]

Kellum is a singer, drummer and pianist. He wrestled collegiately for Pembroke and Iowa State University. He has trained in mixed martial arts and Greco-Roman/freestyle wrestling. Kellum is a born-again Christian.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2003 One Tree Hill Security Guard Episode "The Search for Something More"
2008 12-24 Killer
2009 Deader Country The Stro Video
2010 The Legend of Johnny Smalltie Tony
2011 The Indy Wrestler Stro
2012 History & Tradition: The Story of the National Wrestling Alliance Stro Maestro Documentary
2013 Get Up Biker Short video
2013 Southern Iron Iron Jester Prospect Short

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Robert Kellum". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
  2. ^ Tape list details for WCW Saturday Night
  3. ^ Mac, Eddie (December 26, 2015). "This Day in Wrestling History (Dec. 26): Simply Gorgeous". Cagesideseats.com.
  4. ^ "Big Business Brown's website". Big Biz. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
  5. ^ cagematch (February 25, 2012). "APWA Tag Team Championships". Cagematch. Retrieved 2012-02-25.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Robert Kellum's title history, from Wrestlingdata.com
  7. ^ a b http://www.theupwa.com
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