Post by Tyfo on May 16, 2009 23:42:24 GMT -5
Back in 2000, a group of graduates from the WCW Power Plant training facility hit WCW television, and were touted as the next set of stars in the business. I thought it would be fun to look back now that 9 years have gone by and see how these superstars careers have panned out. Of course, several are still active, and some may be again soon, so the jury can still be out on all of them.
Tell me what you think. Who's been the most successful of the Thrillers? Or who has yet to make the biggest impact their going to make in the business?
"Above Average" Mike Sanders
The leader and mouthpiece of the Thrillers. Sanders won the WCW Crusierweight Championship and was the Commissioner of WCW while with the Thrillers. Upon the WWE's purchase of WCW, his contract was picked up and he was sent to the HWA developmental territory, where he was a tag team champion with Lance Cade. However, he was never called up to the main roster. Rumors say he was to be the mouthpiece/manager to Brock Lesnar for his 2002 debut, but was replaced by Paul Heyman. Sanders was released from his WWE contract in July of 2002. Afterwards, he had short runs with World Wrestling All-Stars, NWA TNA, and Georgia Championship Wrestling before slowing down his wrestling schedule. Sanders is now a stand up comedian and motivational speaker in Florida. He no longer wrestles as far as I know.
Sean O'Haire
Big and athletic, O'Haire held the WCW Tag Team Championship with both Mark Jindrak and Chuck Palumbo during his Thrillers run. He was picked up by WWE after the purchase and he and Palumbo entered the promotion with the WCW Tag Team titles. After dropping them, O'Haire was sent to WWE developmental territory OVW. He would return in 2003 on the RAW brand, working matches on Sunday Night Heat before being sidelined by an injury. When he re-emerged, it was through a series of vignettes on Smackdown portraying a devil's advocate character. He was paired with Rowdy Roddy Piper and gained a countout victory over Hulk "Mr. America" Hogan. After Piper was released, O'Haire didn't do much of anything of note. He was released from WWE in April of 2004. He worked shortly in New Japan Pro Wrestling and various U.S. independents before turning to MMA, where in 5 professional fights, he holds a record of 3 wins and 2 losses. He has not been active since late 2007. He appears to be done with pro wrestling, at least for now.
Mark Jindrak
Jindrak debuted in a tag team along with Sean O'Haire, holding the WCW Tag Team titles together twice. His contract was picked up by WWE and he spent time in both the HWA and OVW developmental territories after making few sporadic appearances on TV during the Invasion. Returning to RAW in 2003, Jindrak formed a semi-successful tag team with Garrison(Lance) Cade and they held several victories over the Dudley Boyz. Moved to Smackdown in 2004 and christened "The Reflection of Perfection", Jindrak would flounder and mostly appear on Velocity until late 2004 when he came to the aid of Kurt Angle, joining his group along with Luther Reigns. During this time, he would play parts in feuds with the Big Show, Undertaker, Booker T, and Eddie Guerrero. Jindrak would turn face and shortly feud with Reigns before being released by WWE in July of 2005. Jindrak would go to work in Japan for NJPW and HUSTLE before finding success in Mexico. As Marco Corleone, Jindrak has worked for CMLL and later AAA, where he works currently.
Shawn Stasiak
Having previous exposure in the WWF as Meat and then Shawn Stasiak, he came into WCW looking for a better opportunity. Forming "The Perfect Event" tag team with Chuck Palumbo and holding the WCW Tag Team titles 3 times. After the Thrillers, Stasiak formed an alliance with Stacy Kiebler before WCW closed. He was picked up by WWE and became known for his clumsiness. Whether it was running into William Regal's decorative suit of armor or straight into a Rock Bottom, he just could never seem to get it right. Following the end of the Alliance angle, he started claiming to hail from Planet Stasiak, but his in-ring success didn't improve. He was released by WWE in September of 2002. Since, Stasiak has moved to Dallas, Texas where he is now a licensed chiropractor. He still accepts occasional indy bookings as well and has been active the past few years.
Chuck Palumbo
Palumbo held the WCW Tag Team titles 4 times (3 with Stasiak, 1 with O'Haire) during his run with the Thrillers. He and O'Haire went in to WWE as the champions before dropping the titles to The Undertaker and Kane. Shortly after, he was kicked out of the Alliance and joined the WWF roster, where he formed a tag team with Billy Gunn. They would morph into "Billy and Chuck" and have a very successful run, including 2 WWE Tag Team title runs, and the infamous gay wedding angle. After Billy was injured, Palumbo went on his own for awhile before joining the FBI along with Nunzio and Johnny Stamboli. They would feud with the likes of The Undertaker and Rikishi until Palumbo was drafted to RAW. Finding little success or TV time, he was let go in November of 2004. He would go on to work for All Japan Pro Wrestling and various other international promotions before being re-signed by WWE in March of 2006. He would re-debut on TV in July of 2007 with a biker gimmick, with his most notable angle being a love triangle of sorts involving Michelle McCool and Jamie Noble. He was once again drafted to RAW, and then once again released in November of 2008. He has his own motorcycle shop in San Diego, California and has built many bikes for various WWE superstars and many others.
Reno
An ex-kickboxer, Reno was somewhat of the enforcer of the group. He competed mainly in the WCW hardcore division, holding the WCW Hardcore title on 1 occasion. His main angle came in a feud with Big Vito over Vito's sister. Reno's contract was picked up by WWE and he was sent to the HWA developmental territory. He was never called up to the main roster however and was released from WWE in 2002. He would go on to wrestle for the World Wrestling All-Stars promotion, and remained with them until they shut down. Reno then retired from professional wrestling.
Johnny The Bull
Originally a member of the Mamalukes tag team with Big Vito, Johnny The Bull joined the Thrillers shortly after their formation. He held the WCW Tag Team titles twice with Big Vito and also held the WCW Hardcore championship jointly with him. He was picked up by WWE after the purchase and was sent to the HWA developmental territory where he held the HWA Heavyweight title two times. He was called up to the RAW roster in 2003 as Johnny "The Bull" Stamboli. Shortly after he would shift to Smackdown as a member of the FBI along with Nunzio and Chuck Palumbo. After Palumbo's departure, he worked as a tag team with Nunzio before being released by WWE in November of 2004. The Bull would then go on to work for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a fake Great Muta, before losing to the real Muta. He continued wrestling in AJPW, as well as CMLL in Mexico, adopting a new masked character known as REDRUM. Returning to the U.S. The Bull worked regularly for IZW in Arizona and then took his REDRUM gimmick to TNA in late 2007. Renamed RELLIK (that's killer spelled backwards ya know) he would form a tag team with Dustin Rhodes' Black Reign character. RELLIK left TNA in April 2008 and has gone back to working various independents in the U.S. as well as working in Mexico again.
Tell me what you think. Who's been the most successful of the Thrillers? Or who has yet to make the biggest impact their going to make in the business?
"Above Average" Mike Sanders
The leader and mouthpiece of the Thrillers. Sanders won the WCW Crusierweight Championship and was the Commissioner of WCW while with the Thrillers. Upon the WWE's purchase of WCW, his contract was picked up and he was sent to the HWA developmental territory, where he was a tag team champion with Lance Cade. However, he was never called up to the main roster. Rumors say he was to be the mouthpiece/manager to Brock Lesnar for his 2002 debut, but was replaced by Paul Heyman. Sanders was released from his WWE contract in July of 2002. Afterwards, he had short runs with World Wrestling All-Stars, NWA TNA, and Georgia Championship Wrestling before slowing down his wrestling schedule. Sanders is now a stand up comedian and motivational speaker in Florida. He no longer wrestles as far as I know.
Sean O'Haire
Big and athletic, O'Haire held the WCW Tag Team Championship with both Mark Jindrak and Chuck Palumbo during his Thrillers run. He was picked up by WWE after the purchase and he and Palumbo entered the promotion with the WCW Tag Team titles. After dropping them, O'Haire was sent to WWE developmental territory OVW. He would return in 2003 on the RAW brand, working matches on Sunday Night Heat before being sidelined by an injury. When he re-emerged, it was through a series of vignettes on Smackdown portraying a devil's advocate character. He was paired with Rowdy Roddy Piper and gained a countout victory over Hulk "Mr. America" Hogan. After Piper was released, O'Haire didn't do much of anything of note. He was released from WWE in April of 2004. He worked shortly in New Japan Pro Wrestling and various U.S. independents before turning to MMA, where in 5 professional fights, he holds a record of 3 wins and 2 losses. He has not been active since late 2007. He appears to be done with pro wrestling, at least for now.
Mark Jindrak
Jindrak debuted in a tag team along with Sean O'Haire, holding the WCW Tag Team titles together twice. His contract was picked up by WWE and he spent time in both the HWA and OVW developmental territories after making few sporadic appearances on TV during the Invasion. Returning to RAW in 2003, Jindrak formed a semi-successful tag team with Garrison(Lance) Cade and they held several victories over the Dudley Boyz. Moved to Smackdown in 2004 and christened "The Reflection of Perfection", Jindrak would flounder and mostly appear on Velocity until late 2004 when he came to the aid of Kurt Angle, joining his group along with Luther Reigns. During this time, he would play parts in feuds with the Big Show, Undertaker, Booker T, and Eddie Guerrero. Jindrak would turn face and shortly feud with Reigns before being released by WWE in July of 2005. Jindrak would go to work in Japan for NJPW and HUSTLE before finding success in Mexico. As Marco Corleone, Jindrak has worked for CMLL and later AAA, where he works currently.
Shawn Stasiak
Having previous exposure in the WWF as Meat and then Shawn Stasiak, he came into WCW looking for a better opportunity. Forming "The Perfect Event" tag team with Chuck Palumbo and holding the WCW Tag Team titles 3 times. After the Thrillers, Stasiak formed an alliance with Stacy Kiebler before WCW closed. He was picked up by WWE and became known for his clumsiness. Whether it was running into William Regal's decorative suit of armor or straight into a Rock Bottom, he just could never seem to get it right. Following the end of the Alliance angle, he started claiming to hail from Planet Stasiak, but his in-ring success didn't improve. He was released by WWE in September of 2002. Since, Stasiak has moved to Dallas, Texas where he is now a licensed chiropractor. He still accepts occasional indy bookings as well and has been active the past few years.
Chuck Palumbo
Palumbo held the WCW Tag Team titles 4 times (3 with Stasiak, 1 with O'Haire) during his run with the Thrillers. He and O'Haire went in to WWE as the champions before dropping the titles to The Undertaker and Kane. Shortly after, he was kicked out of the Alliance and joined the WWF roster, where he formed a tag team with Billy Gunn. They would morph into "Billy and Chuck" and have a very successful run, including 2 WWE Tag Team title runs, and the infamous gay wedding angle. After Billy was injured, Palumbo went on his own for awhile before joining the FBI along with Nunzio and Johnny Stamboli. They would feud with the likes of The Undertaker and Rikishi until Palumbo was drafted to RAW. Finding little success or TV time, he was let go in November of 2004. He would go on to work for All Japan Pro Wrestling and various other international promotions before being re-signed by WWE in March of 2006. He would re-debut on TV in July of 2007 with a biker gimmick, with his most notable angle being a love triangle of sorts involving Michelle McCool and Jamie Noble. He was once again drafted to RAW, and then once again released in November of 2008. He has his own motorcycle shop in San Diego, California and has built many bikes for various WWE superstars and many others.
Reno
An ex-kickboxer, Reno was somewhat of the enforcer of the group. He competed mainly in the WCW hardcore division, holding the WCW Hardcore title on 1 occasion. His main angle came in a feud with Big Vito over Vito's sister. Reno's contract was picked up by WWE and he was sent to the HWA developmental territory. He was never called up to the main roster however and was released from WWE in 2002. He would go on to wrestle for the World Wrestling All-Stars promotion, and remained with them until they shut down. Reno then retired from professional wrestling.
Johnny The Bull
Originally a member of the Mamalukes tag team with Big Vito, Johnny The Bull joined the Thrillers shortly after their formation. He held the WCW Tag Team titles twice with Big Vito and also held the WCW Hardcore championship jointly with him. He was picked up by WWE after the purchase and was sent to the HWA developmental territory where he held the HWA Heavyweight title two times. He was called up to the RAW roster in 2003 as Johnny "The Bull" Stamboli. Shortly after he would shift to Smackdown as a member of the FBI along with Nunzio and Chuck Palumbo. After Palumbo's departure, he worked as a tag team with Nunzio before being released by WWE in November of 2004. The Bull would then go on to work for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a fake Great Muta, before losing to the real Muta. He continued wrestling in AJPW, as well as CMLL in Mexico, adopting a new masked character known as REDRUM. Returning to the U.S. The Bull worked regularly for IZW in Arizona and then took his REDRUM gimmick to TNA in late 2007. Renamed RELLIK (that's killer spelled backwards ya know) he would form a tag team with Dustin Rhodes' Black Reign character. RELLIK left TNA in April 2008 and has gone back to working various independents in the U.S. as well as working in Mexico again.