Nailz
Nailz | |
---|---|
Birth name | Kevin Patrick Wacholz |
Born | Bloomington, Minnesota, United States | April 17, 1958
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | The Convict Doc Nelson Kevin Kelly[1] Kevin the Magnificent[1] Nails Nailz[1] The Prisoner[1] Thor[1] |
Billed height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)[2] |
Billed weight | 302 lb (137 kg)[2] |
Trained by | Brad Rheingans[1] |
Debut | 1981[1] |
Retired | 2001 |
Kevin Patrick Wacholz (born April 17, 1958) is an American retired
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1982–1986)
Wacholz started wrestling in 1982 after winning a Toughman Contest. He wrestled in various territories in Tennessee, Montreal, Central States, and the Pacific Northwest.
In 1985 he wrestled as Thor for World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas. Had feuds with Bobby Fulton and Brian Adias. That same year he worked with the same gimmick for Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling.
In 1986 he worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
American Wrestling Association (1984–1988)
Wacholz debut in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) as Kevin Kelly in 1984, as a babyface midcarder. By 1986, he was a top heel and challenged for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. He used the moniker, "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly.
In 1987, he was managed by Sherri Martel and regularly issued arm wrestling challenges. This led to a feud with Tommy Rich, who answered one of his challenges on an edition of AWA Championship Wrestling on ESPN. Rich appeared to have the contest won, when Martel interfered on Kelly's behalf. In retaliation, Rich tore off her dress. Rich would then dominate a series of matches between the two.[3]
After Martel left the AWA, Kelly took
He left the AWA in 1988, before it folded in 1991.
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (1990)
In June 1990, Kelly returned to Japan for Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling where he had a feud with Dick Murdoch.
World Wrestling Federation (1989, 1991, 1992)
Wacholz, still performing under the name Kevin Kelly, received a tryout match on June 6, 1989, at a WWF Superstars taping in Madison, WI, defeating Tim Horner.[4] A night later he defeated Jim Powers at a Wrestling Challenge taping, but was not signed to a contract that year. After the AWA folded, Wacholz received another tryout match, this time at a WWF Superstars taping on May 6, 1991, defeating Brian Costello.[5] The following night at a Wrestling Challenge taping he defeated Gary Jackson in a dark match.[5]
In early 1992, Wacholz returned to the WWF as Nailz, an ex-convict who, in a series of
Altercation with Vince McMahon
Wacholz was released from his WWF contract in December 1992, after he attacked
World Championship Wrestling (1993, 1997–1998)
After getting fired from the WWF, Wacholz appeared at
He returned to WCW for several appearances over a six-month period from 1997 to 1998. His return began on October 6, 1997, when he defeated
Late career (1993–2001)
After WCW, Wacholz began working in the independent circuit.
From 1993 to 1997 he worked for Pro Wrestling America in Minnesota where he feuded with Road Warrior Hawk.
He was World Wide Wrestling Alliance's heavyweight champion in 1994. He dropped the title to Brutus Beefcake on April 16.
He wrestled in
In 1994, Wacholz appeared in
His last match was a loss to Matt Burns by disqualification on August 25, 2001, at an independent show in Orrock, Minnesota. After that, Wacholz officially retired from wrestling, later disappeared.
Championships and accomplishments
- Oregon Wrestling Federation
- OWF Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
- World Wide Wrestling Alliance
- WWWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[15]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Kevin Wacholz profile". OWOW. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
- YouTube
- ^ "1989". thehistoryofwwe.com. 16 January 2023.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4935-6689-1.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-55022-584-6.
- YouTube, 8/29/08
- ^ ASIN B00RWUNSRS.
- ^ "WWF Magazine January 1993". Complete WWE. Archived from the original on 2013-06-25. Retrieved 2010-11-23.
- ISBN 978-1-59670-325-4.
- ISBN 978-0-446-53972-2.
- ^ "Top 15 Shocking Accusations Made Against Vince McMahon". 18 September 2015.
- ^ Nailz the Wrestler Testifies He Was Told to Use Steroids The New York Times (July 12, 1994).
- ISBN 978-1499656343.
- ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 - 1992". Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on 2008-06-07. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
- ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years". Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
External links
- Kevin Wacholz at IMDb
- Nailz's profile at Cagematch.net, Wrestlingdata.com, Internet Wrestling Database