3 Faces of Fear
Encyclopedia
The 3 Faces of Fear were a professional wrestling
stable existing in World Championship Wrestling
from late 1994 to early 1995. Composed of Kevin Sullivan
, The Butcher
(formerly Brutus Beefcake) and Avalanche
(formerly Earthquake), the group fought against Hulk Hogan
.
signed with WCW in June 1994, he soon got a huge fan in Dave Sullivan, something which did not sit well with Dave's kayfabe
brother Kevin Sullivan
, who quickly developed an intense hatred of Hulk Hogan and everything associated with him. Kevin turned on his brother after a tag-team match and beat him up.
At Clash Of The Champions XXVIII Hulk Hogan was scheduled to defend his newly-won WCW World Heavyweight Championship
against Ric Flair
. At the top of the show, Hogan was attacked by a man wearing a black mask, who struck him in the knee with a metal pipe (The angle imitated the very well known assault on Olympic Figure Skater Nancy Kerrigan
that had happened about six months earlier.) Taken to the hospital, Hogan returned just in time for the main event but hampered by the injury he lost by count out.
The man under the mask was originally Arn Anderson
but he was never supposed to be revealed as the attacker, who was originally supposed to be Curt Hennig
.
From August through October 1994 Hulk Hogan tried on several occasions to find out who the mystery assailant was but to no avail. At Halloween Havoc, the mysterious attacker appeared again and was now demasked and revealed as Hulk Hogan's long time friend Brutus Beefcake.
Beefcake, who took on the name of The Butcher, revealed that it was Kevin Sullivan's influence that made him turn on his former friend. Shortly afterward, the Butcher and Sullivan were joined
by another former WWF
wrestler, the former Earthquake
, now renamed Avalanche, and formed the 3 Faces of Fear with the goal of destroying Hulkamania.
In December, the Butcher, backed by Kevin Sullivan, challenged Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Title
at Starrcade 1994. Hogan retained the title by pinning the Butcher.
After the match, "Macho Man" Randy Savage
appeared and initially looking like he had joined the 3 Faces of Fear but then sided with Hogan, setting of a tag team match pitting Hogan and Savage against Sullivan and the Butcher at Clash Of The Champions XXX in January 1995 and resulted in Hogan pinning the Butcher.
According to storyline, the Butcher fell into amnesia
due to the injuries sustained in the attack. The Butcher became known as The Man with No Name and lost to Kevin Sullivan at Slamboree 1995, after which he disappeared from WCW..
stable, which among others also included The Shark and The Zodiac, the former Avalanche and Butcher respectively. However, no connection to their former gimmicks or to the former group was made. The stable also included Meng and The Barbarian
, who formed a tag team called Faces of Fear
.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
stable existing in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
from late 1994 to early 1995. Composed of Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)
Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...
, The Butcher
Edward Leslie
Edward Harrison "Ed" Leslie is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Brutus The Barber Beefcake. He later worked for World Championship Wrestling under a variety of names, mainly as "The Disciple" of real-life best friend...
(formerly Brutus Beefcake) and Avalanche
John Tenta
John Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
(formerly Earthquake), the group fought against Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
.
Origins
When Hulk HoganHulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
signed with WCW in June 1994, he soon got a huge fan in Dave Sullivan, something which did not sit well with Dave's kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
brother Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)
Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...
, who quickly developed an intense hatred of Hulk Hogan and everything associated with him. Kevin turned on his brother after a tag-team match and beat him up.
At Clash Of The Champions XXVIII Hulk Hogan was scheduled to defend his newly-won WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
against Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
. At the top of the show, Hogan was attacked by a man wearing a black mask, who struck him in the knee with a metal pipe (The angle imitated the very well known assault on Olympic Figure Skater Nancy Kerrigan
Nancy Kerrigan
Nancy Ann Kerrigan is a two-time American Olympic figure skating medalist and 1993 U.S. champion.-Early life and skating career:...
that had happened about six months earlier.) Taken to the hospital, Hogan returned just in time for the main event but hampered by the injury he lost by count out.
The man under the mask was originally Arn Anderson
Arn Anderson
Martin Anthony Lunde better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is a former American professional wrestler and author. His career has been highlighted by his alliances with Ric Flair and various members of the wrestling stable, The Four Horsemen, in the NWA/WCW...
but he was never supposed to be revealed as the attacker, who was originally supposed to be Curt Hennig
Curt Hennig
Curtis Michael "Curt" Hennig , also known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler, manager and color commentator who worked for, among other promotions, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World...
.
From August through October 1994 Hulk Hogan tried on several occasions to find out who the mystery assailant was but to no avail. At Halloween Havoc, the mysterious attacker appeared again and was now demasked and revealed as Hulk Hogan's long time friend Brutus Beefcake.
Beefcake, who took on the name of The Butcher, revealed that it was Kevin Sullivan's influence that made him turn on his former friend. Shortly afterward, the Butcher and Sullivan were joined
by another former WWF
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
wrestler, the former Earthquake
John Tenta
John Anthony Tenta was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation as Earthquake and later Golga, and in World Championship Wrestling as Avalanche and The Shark.-Early life:John Tenta was born in Surrey, British Columbia...
, now renamed Avalanche, and formed the 3 Faces of Fear with the goal of destroying Hulkamania.
Matches with Hulk Hogan
On November 16, 1994, the trio lost to Hogan, Dave Sullivan and Sting at Clash Of The Champions XXIX.In December, the Butcher, backed by Kevin Sullivan, challenged Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Title
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
at Starrcade 1994. Hogan retained the title by pinning the Butcher.
After the match, "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
appeared and initially looking like he had joined the 3 Faces of Fear but then sided with Hogan, setting of a tag team match pitting Hogan and Savage against Sullivan and the Butcher at Clash Of The Champions XXX in January 1995 and resulted in Hogan pinning the Butcher.
Break up
This match was the last confrontation between the group and Hogan, as both set off in different directions. Hogan began feuding with Big Van Vader, who had attacked him after the match, while the 3 Faces of Fear disintegrated when Sullivan attacked the Butcher and Avalanche began pursuing a feud with Sting. The name 3 Faces of Fear were quickly phased out.According to storyline, the Butcher fell into amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
due to the injuries sustained in the attack. The Butcher became known as The Man with No Name and lost to Kevin Sullivan at Slamboree 1995, after which he disappeared from WCW..
Aftermath
The members of the group eventually reunited later in 1995, when Kevin Sullivan founded the new Dungeon of DoomDungeon of Doom
The Dungeon of Doom was the name of a professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling that existed from 1995 to 1997.-Origin:...
stable, which among others also included The Shark and The Zodiac, the former Avalanche and Butcher respectively. However, no connection to their former gimmicks or to the former group was made. The stable also included Meng and The Barbarian
Sione Vailahi
Sione Havea Vailahi is a professional wrestler best known in wrestling as The Barbarian.-Life and career:Born and raised in Tonga, Sione was one of five teenagers sent by the King of Tonga to Japan to study Sumo wrestling in the mid 1970s. Tonga Fifita was one of the other teenagers...
, who formed a tag team called Faces of Fear
Faces of Fear
The Faces of Fear was the professional wrestling tag team of Sione Vailahi and Uliuli Fifita. Vailahi wrestled as The Barbarian, and Fifita wrestled as Haku in the World Wrestling Federation and Meng in World Championship Wrestling . They appeared together several times in the WWF as part of The...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Kevin Sullivan
- The Double Stomp
- Tree of Woe
- Avalanche
- Avalanche Splash (Running seated senton)
- The Butcher
- Sleeper hold
- Kevin Sullivan