UK Pitbulls
The UK Pitbulls | |
---|---|
Tag team | |
Members | Big Dave Bulk |
Billed heights | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) - Big Dave 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) - Bulk |
Combined billed weight | 884 lb (401 kg) |
Billed from | Norwich, England, United Kingdom |
Debut | 1998 |
Disbanded | 2008 |
The UK Pitbulls[1] was a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of brothers Bulk (Mike Waters, born 1978) and Big Dave (Dave Waters, born 1971). They held a number of titles in the United Kingdom, United States, as well 11 countries worldwide. Their career as a tag team ended when Dave sustained an injury in a strongman contest. They held 20 tag team championships. They were named "England's Most Dominant Tag Team" by Total Wrestling Magazine.[2]
Professional wrestling career
Dave was originally trained by Andre Baker at NWA UK Hammerlock. Dave and Mike completed their training in late 1997 at World Association of Wrestling (WAW) of Norwich under Sweet Saraya.
The UK Pitbulls name is actually a play on the World Wrestling Federation's British Bulldogs tag team name; Bulk and Big Dave were asked to wrestle as the British Bulldogs on a holiday camp but declined and suggested the name UK Pitbulls instead.[3]
The UK Pitbulls opened a professional wrestling and powerlifting gym "Pitbull Powerhouse" in Cromer, Norfolk. Here they ran a wrestling training school and also concentrated on weightlifting, strongman training, fitness weight loss, and any routine to personal requirements. Dave and Mike were directly involved in the wrestling training as well as having regular guest trainers. They also ran their own promotion, DAM Promotions (Dave and Mike Promotions), holding several shows in Holt, Norfolk.
In 2008, Dave's knee collapsed during a strongman competition, and he was forced to retire.[4] At the time of Dave's injury, The UK Pitbulls were Premier Wrestling Federation's Tag Team Champions.[5] Subsequently, Mike wrestled in singles matches for three years.[4] In 2011, he won Falling Starr Wrestling's Championship from Jimmy Starr.[6] Mike considered retiring, but instead formed a tag team a second incarnation of the team with Big Joe.[5] In late 2016, they teamed up with Hornswoggle to take on Sid Scala, Adam Maxted, and Lord Gideon Grey for XWA's Winter Supershow.[7]
Mike also wrestles in a team called The Unnatural Disasters with Karn.[4][3] They appeared on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's British Boot Camp 2.[3][8]
Other media
The Waters Brothers have appeared in the television series Trisha, as well as documentaries on Five and ITV2, and in an independent film called Slumber Party. They also appeared on Channel 4's The Big Breakfast, and in 2003 they filmed several segments for MTV's Dirty Sanchez and ITV's Celebrity Wrestling.
Mike filmed a speaking part in Danny Dyer's film Malice in Wonderland.[3]
Personal lives
Mike Waters
Mike Waters, also known as Bulk, began playing drums at age 13.[3] He is part of the rock band Spot,[9] which formed in 1996, with Chris (guitar), Ollie (bass), and Bub (guitar and vocals). Bulk left the band for a short time to feature in another band, Over-Bored. He also performed with the band The Pocket Godzillas.[4] He is married to Sheena.[4]
Dave Waters
Dave Waters, also known as Big Dave, competed heavily in strongman competitions for 10 years before becoming a professional wrestler.[3] He competed from 1990 to 2000 and reached the UK finals three years running, gaining second place in 1995. In 1996, he was ranked #1 in the UK and Europe, he competed in the universally recognized competitions, such as the Britain's Strongest Man and UK's Strongest Man events. Dave occasionally returns to run strongman competitions and spent most of 2007 coaching Richard "Bomber" Hudson for the World's Strongest Man events. Dave married Wendy in July 2011, but they later separated.
Championships and accomplishments
- Allied Independent Wrestling Federations
- AIWF-GB Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- AIWF World Hardcore Tag Team Championship (3 times)
- DAM Promotions
- DAM Tag Team Championship (1 time)[10]
- International Catch Wrestling Association
- ICWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times)[12]
- K-Star Wrestling
- K-Star Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- Premier Wrestling Federation
- PWF Tag Team Championship (1 time)[5]
- Real Deal Wrestling
- RDW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- WAW British Heavyweight Championship (1 time) – Bulk
- WAW Open Championship (1 time) – Big Dave
- WAW Tag Team Championship (4 times)
- WAW Youth Championship (1 time) – Bulk
- King of the Ring (1998) – Bulk
- Wrestler of the Year (2001) – Big Dave
- Other titles
- BRAWL Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- British Wrestling Website's British Tag Team of the Year (2004, 2005)
- EWC Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- SCW Commonwealth Championship (1 time) – Bulk
- UCW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- UKWW's UK Tag Team of the Year (2005)
- UWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)
References
- ^ "OWOW profile". onlineworldofwrestling.com.
- ^ "Mr Vain and Romper Stomper wrestle The Pitbulls". BBC. October 26, 2004. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f "Interview - Bulk". The British Wrestling Revival. April 11, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Downes, Steven (August 25, 2011). "Sheringham wrestler Mike 'The Bulk' Waters is hanging up his cape". North Norfolk News. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Heavyweight tag team set to invade Assembly Hall". Worthing Herald. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
- ^ "Bulk". Falling Starr Wrestling. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
- ^ Boon, Alan (December 2, 2016). "THE WEEK IN BRITISH WRESTLING: PROGRESS GETS A NEW CHAMPION". f4wonline. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
- ^ McGeorge, Alistair (June 16, 2015). "TNA Wrestling's British Boot Camp 2 to offer the chance of a lifetime for aspiring British grapplers". Mirror. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
- ^ Batson, Richard (March 18, 2014). "Thirty-three stone Sheringham tag wrestler Mike The Bulk Waters aiming for title success on home turf". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
- ^ "Independent Wrestling Results – May 2004". onlineworldofwrestling.com. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ^ "X Wrestling Alliance Title Histories". titlehistories.com. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
- ^ "International Catch Wrestling Association Title Histories". titlehistories.com. Retrieved 2008-07-11.