Sean Royal

Last updated
Sean Royal
Birth nameSean Vellenga
Born (1961-02-01) February 1, 1961 (age 62)
Tampa, Florida, U.S. [1]
Professional wrestling career
Billed from"The future"
Trained by Hiro Matsuda [1]
Debut1984
Retired2002

Sean Vellenga (born February 1, 1961) is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Sean Royal. [1]

Contents

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1984–1986)

Sean Royal made his professional wrestling debut in 1984 after training under Hiro Matsuda. He initially worked for Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling based in Charlotte, North Carolina. [2]

Championship Wrestling from Florida (1986–1987)

In 1986 he began working for Championship Wrestling from Florida. Initially he worked as a singles wrestler, but it was not long into his tenure in Florida that the promoter and match makers decided to team Royal up with another young wrestler, Chris Champion; and together the two became a regular tag team called The New Breed. The New Breed tag team was given an elaborate backstory and science fiction flavor as they were marketed as wrestlers sent back in time from 2002 to 1986. The duo was presented as having futuristic technology, wore bright neon-colored ring gear and unusual haircuts that were supposed to be the fashion of the future, and at one point had a robot as their manager. The team made various references to future events such as referring to wrestler Dusty Rhodes as "President Rhodes", indicating that Rhodes would win the 2000 presidential election. [2] The team would come to the ring to the sound of the Beastie Boys' song "Fight For Your Right to Party". [2] The team made a special appearance in Memphis, working for the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) where they lost to the MOD Squad on a show in the Mid-South Coliseum on September 1, 1986. [3]

On December 25, 1986, the New Breed defeated Vic Steamboat and Kendall Windham in the finals of a tournament for the vacant NWA Florida Tag Team Championship, which had been inactive since 1981. [4] [5] After the title win the New Breed was put into a storyline feud with the face team (those that portray the good guys) the Southern Boys (Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers). The feud between the two teams led to the Southern Boys defeating the New Breed for the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship on February 11, 1987. [4] Shortly after their title loss the New Breed left Florida.

Jim Crockett Promotions (1987–1988)

The duo made their debut for National Wrestling Alliance Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), which was in the process of expanding from the mid-Atlantic region to a national promotion. [6] The team kept their futuristic gimmick and their heel characters (those that portray the bad guys) as they were immediately put up against the popular team the Rock 'n' Roll Express of Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, stating that they had been sent back from the future to save the fans from the Rock 'n' Roll Express, who would supposedly go crazy over what happened to Rock and Roll in the year 2000. [6] They also claimed that in the future Jimmy Valiant had corrupted future Dusty Rhodes, leading to a dictatorship mockingly calling him "Father Time". They also claimed that masked wrestler LazorTron was in reality a robot from the future, sent to stop them. [2] In the spring of 1987 the New Breed was one of 10 teams competing in a tournament for the vacant NWA United States Tag Team Championship. The team wrestled the father/son duo of Bob Armstrong and Brad Armstrong to a draw, eliminating both teams from the tournament. [7]

The storyline with the Rock 'n' Roll Express was still in its infant stages when the New Breed was involved in a car accident and Chris Champion's injuries forced him to not wrestle for an extended period. [2] Royal teamed up with Gladiator #1 and Gladiator #2, losing to the trio of Kendall Windham, Jimmy Valiant and LazerTron on the undercard on one of JCP's 1987 The Great American Bash series. [8] JCP used the sympathy that Royal and Champion garnered from the car accident to turn the team into faces, as Jim Cornette, the manager of the Midnight Express tried to recruit Royal to his group, but Royal refused. During his recovering Chris Champion appeared on television with circuit boards and wires glued to his cast, making it look like it was a futuristic "healing device". [2] Once Champion returned to action the New Breed feuded with the Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane). [2] The two teams clashed several times, often over the NWA United States Tag Team Championship where most of the matches ended inconclusively. [6]

In an attempt to bolster the fan favorite image and congruent with their futuristic characters, JCP officials decided to give the New Breed a manager, a small remote-controlled robot called XTC-1. [2] [9] On November 26, 1987 the New Breed was scheduled to face the Sheepherders (Luke Williams and Butch Miller) in a steel cage match for the UWF World Tag Team Championship as part of the Universal Wrestling Federation's Superdome pre-Starrcade '87 show, but Champion failed to appear for the event. Royal defeated Killer Khalifa in a singles match at the event instead. [10] Royal since stated in a shoot interview that he was livid with Champion over this, and he retired from full-time wrestling soon after, opting to become a construction worker instead. [2]

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1993)

Royal made a return to pro wrestling in 1993, traveling to Japan to work for New Japan Pro-Wrestling in the fall. Royal teamed up with Brad Armstrong to compete in NJPW's Super Grade Tag League III, a monthlong round-robin tournament NJPW holds each year. The duo ended the tournament with 0 points, losing to teams such as Jushin Thunder Liger and Wild Pegasus, The Barbarian and Masa Saito, Takayuki Iizuka and Akira Nogami, Shiro Koshinaka and Michiyoshi Ohara, the Hell Raisers (Hawk Warrior and Power Warrior), Tatsumi Fujinami and Osamu Kido, Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto as well as semi-finalists the Jurassic Powers (Scott Norton and Hercules Hernandez) and tournament winners Hiroshi Hase and Keiji Mutoh. [11] He wrestled his last NJPW match on November 4, 1993 as part of a special NJPW show in Sumo Hall. Royal teamed up with the Barbarian, losing to the Jurassic Powers. [12]

NWA Wildside (2001–2002)

In 2001 Royal returned to pro wrestling, teaming up with Rusty Riddle to form a team known as Total Destruction in NWA Wildside. As a member of Total Destruction Royal once again plays a heel character, leading to a storyline where the team was banned from NWA Wildside for 30 days. During that time period the team won the NWA Wildside Tag Team Championship from Blackout (Homicide and Rainman) after a surprise challenge, but since the team was supposed to be banned from working in NWA Wildside they were forced to return the championship to Blackout a week later. [13] The duo also had a long running storyline with The Kohl Twins. At the 2001 Freedom Fight, Total Destruction challenged the Kohl Twins for the Wildside Tag Team titles, with Riddle also putting his hair on the line. Royal and Riddle lost and Riddle was shaved bald as a result. On August 8, 2001 Total Destruction defeated the NWA World Tag Team Champions The New Heavenly Bodies (Chris Nelson and Vito DeNucci) by disqualification and thus did not win the championship.

Championships and accomplishments

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Simmons</span> American football player and professional wrestler (born 1958)

Ronald Simmons is an American retired professional football player and professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in WWE and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Simmons played football as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL) and United States Football League (USFL) for four seasons during the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Windham</span> American professional wrestler (born 1960)

Barry Clinton Windham is an American retired professional wrestler. The son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan, he is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

Kendall Wayne Windham is an American retired professional wrestler. He is the son of Blackjack Mulligan and the brother of Barry Windham. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling.

Steven James, better known by his ring name Steve Armstrong, is an American professional wrestler. He is the son of fellow wrestler "Bullet" Bob Armstrong, and has three brothers who also wrestled: Scott, Brad, and Brian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWA World Tag Team Championship</span> Professional wrestling championship

The NWA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created by the National Wrestling Alliance. From 1948 to 1982, the NWA allowed member promotions to create their own territorial version of the "NWA World Tag Team Championship" without oversight from the board of directors. The first of these NWA World Tag Team Championships was created in 1950 in the San Francisco territory, which while billed as a "World" title was essentially restricted to the specific NWA territory. In 1957 as many as 13 versions of the NWA World Tag Team Championship were confirmed to be in existence. In 1982 Big Time Wrestling, based in Los Angeles, closed and abandoned their version of the championship. The following year, the World Wrestling Federation, an NWA member at the time and which had its own World Tag Team Championship, split from the NWA in acrimony. This meant that only the Jim Crockett Promotions' NWA World Tag Team Championship was active within the NWA, but still being controlled by JCP, not the NWA board of directors. In 1991 that championship was renamed the WCW World Tag Team Championship.

The Midnight Express was the name used by several professional wrestling tag teams of changing members, usually under the management of Jim Cornette. The group started in 1980 with Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose in Southeast Championship Wrestling. In 1981 they were joined by Norvell Austin. This group disbanded in 1983, but later the same year a new version of the Midnight Express was formed in Mid-South Wrestling by teaming up Condrey and Bobby Eaton, with Cornette as their manager. After leaving Mid-South, the Midnight Express competed briefly in WCCW (Dallas) before moving on to Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). Condrey left in 1987, and was replaced by Stan Lane. Eaton and Lane competed in JCP and WCW, where they briefly feuded with "The Original Midnight Express" of Condrey and Rose. This version of the Midnight Express disbanded in October 1990 when Cornette and Lane left WCW. In 1998, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) teamed up Bob Holly and Bart Gunn as "The Midnight Express", who were also managed by Jim Cornette. From 2004 until 2011 various combinations of Condrey, Eaton, and Lane competed as The Midnight Express on the independent circuit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock 'n' Roll Express</span> Professional wrestling tag team

The Rock 'n' Roll Express is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of professional wrestlers Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s, followed by Mid-South Wrestling, followed by Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP). They held the NWA World Tag Team Championship nine times, with the first four times in JCP. They also feuded with The Four Horsemen. In the late 1980s, they were contenders for the American Wrestling Association's AWA World Tag Team Championship. By 1991, the team was losing momentum, and Morton turned heel on his partner to join The York Foundation in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In 1992, the team reformed in Smoky Mountain Wrestling, where they held the SMW Tag Team Championship ten times. The duo also worked in the World Wrestling Federation. On March 31, 2017, the Rock 'n' Roll Express was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Jim Cornette. On April 15, 2023 the Rock n Roll Express was inducted into the ASW's Hall of Fame at the "Seventeenth Year Anniversary Rock N Roll Forever" show at the Madison Civic Center in Madison WV.

Christopher Dennis Ashford-Smith, better known by his ring name Chris Champion, was an English professional wrestler. He primarily worked for various National Wrestling Alliance member territories, including Championship Wrestling from Florida and Jim Crockett Promotions. He is also known as Yoshi Kwan, initially from World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

The Hollywood Blonds is a name used by several professional wrestling tag teams over the years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Murdoch</span> American professional wrestler

Hoyt Richard Murdoch was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names "Dirty" Dick Murdoch and "Captain Redneck". He was best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWA National Tag Team Championship</span> Professional wrestling championship

The NWA National Tag Team Championship was the major tag team title in the NWA-affiliated Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1980 until 1986. The championship was introduced in November 1980 when Georgia Tag Team Champions The Fabulous Freebirds won a tournament to determine the first champions, defeating Stan Frazier and Robert Fuller in the final. They were introduced as the Georgia and National Tag Team Champions and carried a trophy to the ring representing the National title as they wore belts which represented the Georgia title.

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

Roland C. Daniels, better known by his ring name Leroy Brown, was an American professional wrestler. He took his ring name from the Jim Croce song "Bad, Bad" Leroy Brown, which also became his theme song for many of his in-ring appearances. He later used the ring name Elijah Akeem as he adopted a more militaristic black Muslim character, teaming with Kareem Muhammad as the Muslim Connection and later the Zambuie Express.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road Warriors</span> Professional wrestling tag team

The Road Warriors, also known as the Legion of Doom, were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Road Warrior Hawk and Road Warrior Animal. They performed under the name "The Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the name "Legion of Doom" (LOD) in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Under either name, their gimmick was the same – two imposing wrestlers in face paint. For brief periods, other wrestlers were added as stand-in partners for both men. In Japan in the 1990s, Kensuke "Power Warrior" Sasaki often teamed with Hawk and Animal, separately and together, while in WWE were joined by Ahmed Johnson and Droz in the 1990s and Heidenreich in the 2000s. The team also had three managers: Sunny in the 1990s, Christy Hemme in the 2000s, and Paul Ellering, the manager associated with the original team.

The New Breed was a professional wrestling tag team, formed in 1986, consisting of Chris Champion and Sean Royal. The team had a gimmick of being time travelers from the then-future of 2002. As a team, Royal and Champion won the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship while working for Championship Wrestling from Florida.

The Miracle Violence Connection was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of "Dr. Death" Steve Williams and Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy.

The Southern Boys - also known as The Wild-Eyed Southern Boys and The Young Pistols - were a professional wrestling tag team active between 1987 and 1991 in Championship Wrestling from Florida, Southeastern Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling. The tag team was composed of Steve Armstrong and Tracy Smothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge</span> 1984 Jim Crockett Promotions closed-circuit television event

Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge was the second annual Starrcade professional wrestling closed-circuit television event that was produced by Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) under the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) banner. It took place on November 22, 1984, at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina. The main event of the show was billed as "the Million Dollar Challenge" as the storyline was that the winner of the match would not only win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship but also win a $1,000,000 purse, part of the illusion that professional wrestling was a legitimate sporting competition.

Steve Anthony is an American professional wrestler and trainer. Throughout his career, Anthony has competed for various promotions throughout the United States and Japan most notably Ring of Honor, World League Wrestling, New Japan, Pro Wrestling Noah, and various National Wrestling Alliance member promotions. Within the NWA, Anthony is a former two-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, a title which he defended in both America and Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crockett Cup (2019)</span> National Wrestling Alliance and Ring of Honor event

The Fourth Annual Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament, or more commonly the Crockett Cup (2019), was a professional wrestling tournament that took place on April 27, 2019, at the Cabarrus Arena in Concord, North Carolina. The eight team single elimination tournament was co-produced by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and Ring of Honor (ROH).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crockett Cup (1987)</span> American professional wrestling tournament

The Second Annual Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament, also referred to as the Crocket Cup (1987), was an event held over two nights: April 10 and 11, 1987. The tournament included 24 tag teams. The tournament was won by "The Super Powers", who defeated Lex Luger and Tully Blanchard in the finals. Their victory was dedicated to Magnum T. A., who was forced to retire due to a near-fatal car accident.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Sean Royal". Cagematch.net. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Reynolds, R.D.; Baer, Randy (2003). "Welcome to Oz! Welcome to Oz!" . Wrestlecrap – the very worst of pro wrestling. Toronto Ont: ECW Press. pp.  97–118. ISBN   1-55022-584-7.
  3. ↑ "September 1, 1986 in Memphis, TN Mid-South Coliseum". Pro Wrestling History. September 2, 1986. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Florida: NWA Florida Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 157. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  5. ↑ Hoops, Brian (December 25, 2015). "DAILY PRO WRESTLING HISTORY (12/25): ONE OF THE BIGGEST NIGHTS IN NORTH AMERICAN WRESTLING". Figure Four Wrestling Online. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 Cawthon, Graham (2013). the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 3:Jim Crockett and the NWA World Title 1983–1989. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN   978-1494803476.
  7. ↑ "NWA U.S. Tag Team Title Tournament 1987". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  8. ↑ "2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts: Great American Bash 1987". Wrestling’s Historical Cards. Kappa Publishing. 2007. p. 131.
  9. ↑ Braxton, Blade (April 11, 2015). "NDUCTION: XTC-1 – THE WORLD'S FIRST ROBOTIC WRESTLING MANAGER!". WrestleCrap. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  10. ↑ "JCP 1987". thehistoryofwwe.com.
  11. ↑ "Super Grade Tag Team LeagueIII". ProWrestlingHistory.com. October 8 – November 4, 1993. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Sumo Hall 11/93". Pro Wrestling History. November 4, 1993. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  13. 1 2 "NWA Georgia Tag Team Title". wrestling-titles.com. July 25, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
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.