Wacholz started wrestling in 1982 after winning a Toughman Contest. He wrestled in various territories in Tennessee, Montreal, Central States, and the Pacific Northwest.
Wacholz made his debut in Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association (AWA) as Kevin Kelly in March 1984, positioned as a babyface midcarder.[5] By 1986, under the moniker "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly, he was a top heel and challenged for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. He acquired Sherri Martel as a manager and regularly issued arm wrestling challenges.[2] 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.[citation needed] After Martel left the AWA, Kelly took Madusa Miceli as his manager and teamed with Nick Kiniski as "The Perfect Tag Team".[6]
He left the AWA in 1988, winning the OWF Heavyweight Championship in the Oregon Wrestling Federation.[2]
Wacholz, as Kevin Kelly, received a tryout match on June 6, 1989, at a WWF Superstars taping in Madison, Wisconsin, defeating Tim Horner.[8] The next night, he defeated Jim Powers at a Wrestling Challenge taping, but was not signed to a contract.[8] After the AWA folded, Wacholz received another tryout match at a Superstars taping on May 6, 1991, defeating Brian Costello.[9] The following night at a Wrestling Challenge taping, he defeated Gary Jackson in a dark match.[9]
In early 1992, Wacholz returned to the WWF as Nailz, an ex-convict who, in a series of promos, alleged he was abused by former prison guard Big Boss Man during his incarceration.[3][10] After Boss Man squashed a jobber on a May edition of Superstars of Wrestling, Nailz, clad in an orange prison jumpsuit, attacked Boss Man, handcuffing him to the top rope before repeatedly hitting and choking him with his own nightstick.[11] Nailz defeated Boss Man's ally, Virgil, at SummerSlam on August 29 (aired August 31).[12] He then attacked Sgt. Slaughter before a match that ended in a no contest on a September edition of WWF Prime Time Wrestling.[13] The feud between Nailz and Boss Man ended on November 25 at Survivor Series, where Nailz lost to Boss Man in a nightstick on a pole match.[14]
Altercation with Vince McMahon
Wacholz was released from his WWF contract after an incident on December 14, 1992, during a house show in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in which he attacked Vince McMahon in his office over a financial dispute.[10][15]Bret Hart recalled in his autobiography that Wacholz "cornered Vince in his office and screamed at him for fifteen minutes". Hart claims he was just down the hall from the office when he heard a loud crash, which was Wacholz "knocking Vince over in his chair, choking him violently".[16] Wacholz then filed a wrongful termination lawsuit, claiming he was sexually assaulted by McMahon.[17] The WWF filed a counterclaim against Wacholz, however, both suits were later dropped.[17] In 1994, Wacholz testified against McMahon during his trial on charges of supplying steroids to WWF wrestlers, claiming McMahon had told him to take steroids.[1]
Prior to his release, Wacholz was planned to feud with The Undertaker, with a staredown between the two being used as the cover of the January 1993 issue of WWF Magazine.[15] Their feud would have culminated in an "electric chair match" at WrestleMania IX, in which Nailz would lose to the Undertaker and get "electrocuted".[15]
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 Yuji Nagata in a dark match on WCW Monday Nitro.[18] His last appearance was on April 17, 1998, where he defeated Barry Darsow at a house show.[18]
Wrestling sporadically for the next few years, his last match before retiring was a loss to Matt Burns by disqualification on August 25, 2001, at an independent show in Orrock, Minnesota.[21]
1 2 Cawthon, Graham (2013). The History of Professional Wrestling: The Results WWF 1990–1999. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. p.118. ISBN978-1-4935-6689-1.
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