Dave Sullivan (wrestler)

Last updated

Dave Sullivan
Birth nameWilliam Adolph Danenhauer Jr.
Born (1963-12-01) December 1, 1963 (age 60) [1]
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. [1]
Alma mater University of Nebraska Omaha
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) American Hawkwind
Captain Ron [1]
Dave Sullivan [2]
The Equalizer [2]
Billed height6 ft 4 in (193 cm) [2]
Billed weight305 lb (138 kg)
Billed from Daytona, Florida
Trained by Len Denton [1]
Debut1989 [2]
Retired2001 [2]

William Adolph Danenhauer Jr. (born December 1, 1963) is an American retired professional wrestler, college football coach, and college athletics administrator. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling from 1993 to 1996 under the ring name Dave Sullivan, where he played the dyslexic brother of Kevin Sullivan. [1] Danenhauer served as the head football coach at Dana College in Blair, Nebraska from 2003 to 2009, compiling a record of 22–55.

Contents

Early life and football career

Dannenhauer attended Westside High School, where both he and his brother wrestled. He and his brother attended the University of Nebraska Omaha, where they played football for the Omaha Mavericks. Dannenhauer went on to play in the short-lived United States Football League (USFL) before ending his playing career. He went on to serve as an assistant coach for the Mavericks before joining Washburn University as offensive coordinator for the Washburn Ichabods. [2]

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1989–1993)

In 1989, Dannehauer decided to become a wrestler after meeting Harley Race at a high school tournament. [2] He trained under Len Denton and debuted later that year.[ citation needed ] Danenhauer started wrestling in the National Wrestling Alliance territory Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the ring name "The Equalizer". He teamed with The Grappler as "The Wrecking Crew", with the duo winning the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship on two occasions. [3]

In 1990, he would tour on and off with Catch Wrestling Association for two years under the name "The Barbarian". He also occasionally wrestled under this name in France in matches taped for satellite TV channel Eurosport [4] .

In 1991, he briefly wrestled in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, most notably losing a match to Scott Norton on March 21 at the Tokyo Dome.[ citation needed ]

In 1992, Danenhauer left PNW for the Global Wrestling Federation where he wrestled as "Captain Ron". [5] Worked in Puerto Rico for the World Wrestling Council. He would tour the United Kingdom for All Star under the name "American Hawkwind."[ citation needed ]

World Championship Wrestling (1993–1996)

In 1993, Danenhauer joined World Championship Wrestling as The Equalizer, and teamed briefly with Rick Rude as his tag team partner/bodyguard. They feuded with Dustin Rhodes and Road Warrior Hawk. [6] He also teamed with Paul Orndorff. [1]

His biggest push started in the summer of 1994 when he became "Dave Sullivan" the dyslexic brother of Kevin Sullivan who regularly mispronounced his own forename as "Evad". He was being picked on by The Nasty Boys and brought Kevin in to help him against them. He was injured by them, so Kevin Sullivan brought in Cactus Jack to help them out. After Kevin and Jack took care of The Nasty Boys, they split up, and Jack left. Hulk Hogan made his WCW debut that summer, and Sullivan became his biggest fan. Kevin hated Hogan, and problems started brewing. [7]

Sullivan started teaming with Hogan and Sting against Ric Flair and his henchmen, and Kevin soon turned on Dave, which started a feud that went into 1995. After his feud with Kevin ended, Dave fell in love with Kimberly, the valet of Diamond Dallas Page. Page took offense to this and started a feud with Dave that lasted all summer. During this feud, Dave gave Kimberly presents, which infuriated Page even more, and at point won an arm wrestling contest at the 1995 Great American Bash which resulted in him going on a date with Kimberly. Sullivan eventually lost the feud and moved on. [7]

Sullivan's next feud was with Big Bubba Rogers. Sullivan had a pet rabbit that he brought to ringside with him, and Bubba was allergic to rabbits. Bubba started wearing a surgical mask to keep from inhaling the allergens, but Sullivan would always pull it off and get the victory. [7] Danenhauer left WCW in early 1996 after participating in the second World War 3 event.[ citation needed ]

Retirement and football coaching career

Danenhauer retired from professional wrestling in 2001 due to the cumulative impact of injuries sustained in his football and wrestling careers. He relocated to Bentonville, Arkansas, where he worked for Wal-Mart as a fitness trainer. In 2001, he began working as offensive coordinator for the Vikings football team of Dana College in Blair, Nebraska. [2] He was appointed head football coach in 2003 and later athletic director. [8]

In 2020 he was inducted into the Nebraska Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame. His Class also included Gorgeous George and Local Wrestler Tony Cortez.

"Dave Sullivan" came out of retirement in 2022 with the MWA Midwest Wrestling in Lincoln, Nebraska as a manager.

Championships and accomplishments

Head coaching record

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Dana Vikings (Great Plains Athletic Conference)(2003–2009)
2003 Dana2–92–810th
2004 Dana2–91–9T–10th
2005 Dana5–64–6T–6th
2006 Dana6–55–55th
2007 Dana4–73–79th
2008 Dana3–82–8T–9th
2009 Dana0–110–10T–10th
Dana:22–5517–53
Total:22–55

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Hayes (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler

Michael Seitz is an American retired professional wrestler and former musician. Seitz is best known for leading The Fabulous Freebirds under the ring name Michael "P.S." Hayes and for his role as an announcer under the name "Handsome" Dok Hendrix in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He is currently employed with WWE as Vice President, Creative Writing & Booking and is also a senior producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buzz Sawyer</span> American professional wrestler

Bruce Alan Woyan was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Buzz Sawyer.

Robert Welch is an American manager and retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring names Robert Fuller and Col. Robert Parker. Robert and his brother Ron co-owned Continental Championship Wrestling for a time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron von Raschke</span> American professional and amateur wrestler

James Donald Raschke is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Baron von Raschke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Garvin</span> Canadian professional wrestler

Roger Barnes is a Canadian former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin. He is best known for his appearances with Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation in the late-1980s and early-1990s. Championships held by Garvin over his career include the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He headlined the Starrcade 1987 pay-per-view event.

Alberto "Al" Madril is an American retired professional wrestler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bunkhouse Buck</span> American professional wrestler

James "Jimmy" Golden is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under the ring name Bunkhouse Buck. He also appeared in WWE as Jack Swagger Sr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adnan Al-Kaissie</span> Iraqi professional wrestler (1939–2023)

Adnan bin Abdul Kareem Ahmed Alkaissy El Farthie, better known professionally as Adnan Al-Kaissie, was an Iraqi-American professional wrestler and manager best known as Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey, Billy White Wolf, or General Adnan. In 1971 he defeated André the Giant in Al-Shaab Stadium in Baghdad, under the auspices of his high school classmate, Ba'ath Party leader Saddam Hussein. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). On December 7, 1976, he won the WWWF World Tag Team Championship with Chief Jay Strongbow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Perez</span> American professional wrestler

Al Perez is an American retired professional wrestler. He held 16 titles during a 20-year career, including the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship.

Thomas Erwin Zenk was an American professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He was best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation from 1986 to 1987, American Wrestling Association (AWA) 1988 to 1989 and with World Championship Wrestling from 1989 to 1994, as well for his tours of Japan with All Japan Pro Wrestling.

Curtis Thompson is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling from 1991 to 1992 under the ring name Firebreaker Chip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Lewin</span> American professional wrestler

Mark Lewin is an American retired professional wrestler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Parsons</span> American professional wrestler

King Bailey Parsons Jr. is a former professional wrestler better known by his ring name Iceman King Parsons.

Stephan Simpson is a South African former professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Steve Simpson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Doll</span> American professional wrestler

Steven Lyle Doll was an American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as Steven Dunn in the tag team Well Dunn.

John L. Sullivan was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by his ring name, Johnny Valiant. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), which became the World Wrestling Federation during his time with the promotion. He won the World Tag Team Championship two times. The first run was with his first and most famous storyline brother Jimmy Valiant over Tony Garea and Dean Ho on May 8, 1974; his second title run was with his second storyline brother Jerry Valiant over Tony Garea and Larry Zbyszko on March 6, 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bugsy McGraw</span> American professional wrestler (born 1945)

Michael Davis, best known by the ring names Bugsy McGraw and The Skull, is an American retired professional wrestler. McGraw is known for his long beard and for his philosophical, crazed rants during wrestling interviews. He was a major star in significant territories during the 1970s and 1980s, including major runs in Vancouver, Australia, Florida, Dallas and Memphis.

Edward Lynn "Len" Denton is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, The Grappler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tor Kamata</span> American professional wrestler

McRonald Kamaka was an American-Canadian professional wrestler known by the ring name Tor Kamata. He won several heavyweight and tag team championships, most notably the PWF World Heavyweight Championship in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the AWA World Tag Team Championship in the American Wrestling Association. He was a classic heel, reviled for dirty tricks in the ring, included rubbing salt in his opponent's eyes.

Ferrin Barr Jr. is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Championship Wrestling from Florida under the ring name Jesse Barr and with the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Jimmy Jack Funk. He is the son of wrestling promoter Sandy Barr and the elder brother to wrestler Art Barr.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Dave "Evad" Sullivan was inspiration for Eugene". Online World of Wrestling. July 9, 2009. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Doug, Barber (September 2, 2003). "From 'The Equalizer' to Dana's Head Viking". Washington County Enterprise and Pilot Tribune . Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Duncan, Royal; Gary Will (2000). "Portland: NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp. 317–320. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6X4ZyUF90Y
  5. ↑ "Matches von Dave Sullivan, GWF" (in German). CageMatch.net. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
  6. ↑ "CLash of the CHampionms XXIV". ProWrestlinghistory.com. August 18, 1993. Archived from the original on November 28, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 RD Reynolds and Randy Baer (2003). "Hulkster's in the house" . Wrestlecrap – the very worst of pro wrestling. ECW Press. pp.  155. ISBN   1-55022-584-7.
  8. ↑ "Varsity Bowling Added To Dana College Athletics". WOWT . May 4, 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2014.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. 1 2 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  10. ↑ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Tennessee: SSW Southern States Wrestling Title [Beau James]". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 209. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  11. 1 2 Meltzer, Dave (January 26, 2011). "Biggest issue of the year: The 2011 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards Issue". Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Campbell, CA: 1–40. ISSN   1083-9593.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.