Bill DeMott
Encyclopedia
William Charles "Bill" DeMott II (born November 10, 1966) is an American
professional wrestler
, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling
and World Wrestling Entertainment
as Hugh Morrus and Bill DeMott respectively and as Crash The Terminator in Extreme Championship Wrestling
and Japan
. While wrestling in WCW, he became a two-time United States Champion. DeMott later became a trainer for WWE Tough Enough
, for which he is known for his strict, no nonsense style in handling trainees.
in his New York
wrestling school beginning in 1988. From there he began working at small independent promotions using the name Sweet Williams. In 1992 DeMott began wrestling for the American Wrestling Federation
and started using the name
Crash The Terminator. Under this name he found some success, first capturing the AWF Heavyweight title from Steve Strong in Puerto Rico
, before moving on to the Japanese promotion W*ING and winning their tag team championship with Mr. Pogo. In 1993, while competing in W*ING, Demott won a 16 man tournament to be crowned their heavyweight champion.
for a short time, before moving on to Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling where once again he won a heavyweight championship, this time outlasting a number of competitors in a battle royal
to get it.
(WCW) contract at the behest of Kevin Sullivan
who had been impressed by him. He debuted in dark matches as The Man of Question and The Laughing Man, a strange gimmick that saw him wearing a singlet covered in question marks and laughing frequently. He made his television debut using the same gimmick, though his ring name was eventually changed to Hugh Morrus (a pun
on the word humorous) and he would stay with that for most of his WCW career. The most prominent thing about Hugh Morrus was his finisher, a moonsault
dubbed the "No Laughing Matter", which often ended with a headbutt. Seeing the nearly 300 pound man sail through the air impressed a number of people (both in the crowd and backstage) and Hugh was soon pushed as a mid-card face, usually in tag team matches.
In 1996 Morrus turned heel
by joining the Dungeon of Doom
in their quest to end Hulkamania. Unfortunately, he joined at a time of flux in WCW as the Dungeon of Doom was breaking up and Hogan was making a heel turn as well. Upon the dissolution of the Dungeon Of Doom, Morrus was relegated to a lower spot on the card than ever before. As a curtain jerker he made history on September 22, 1997, when he became the first wrestler to lose a televised match to Bill Goldberg
.
style in WCW
he joined Jimmy Hart's First Family
stable. It seemed that he (along with the rest of the group) were on their way to a major push
when they secured a Pay-Per-View win over their Revolution
rivals until the group suddenly broke up.
At this time, DeMott took some time off from WCW. He returned in early 2000 utilizing the same name and ring attire, but squashing a number of wrestlers as an angrier version of himself. The angry Morrus gimmick came to a halt when Vince Russo
and Eric Bischoff
took over and promised to take WCW in a "new direction."
), Morrus was fired from his New Blood stable along with a number of other wrestlers. These ex-New Blood members (including Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
and Booker T) formed the comedy stable Misfits In Action
; they all adopted new military-themed names for themselves. Morrus, the leader, re-christened himself General Hugh G. Rection (a pun on the term "huge erection"), and led the group in a feud against the Filthy Animals
.
The group's comedic nature and the workrate of some of the wrestlers made the group immediate favorites with fans. Upon the introduction of the heel Team Canada
, the Misfits In Action became Made In America, though much of the gimmick remained the same. Rection feuded with Team Canada leader Lance Storm
, beating him and Hacksaw Jim Duggan
in a handicap match at Halloween Havoc 2000.
After his feud with Lance Storm, the next night on WCW Monday Nitro, DeMott stood in the ring and spoke to the fans. During this segment, the WCW locker room emptied and many wrestlers from backstage stood on the entrance way clapping for DeMott; Bill Goldberg
grabbed the microphone and, fondly recalling his first opponent in WCW, said "Hey, Goldberg's streak had to start somewhere, my friend." In perhaps one of DeMott's greatest achievements in wrestling, he gained respect from his peers.
The Misfits In Action eventually broke up and DeMott took the name Hugh Morrus again for a feud with former members of the stable. Morrus competed in WCW's U.S. Championship
division winning the United States Champions on two occasions until the World Wrestling Federation's
buyout of WCW.
(WWF) Morrus signed a deal with the WWF and became part of The Invasion angle as a member of The Alliance. Morrus made his WWF debut on the June 4, 2001 episode of Raw
attacking Edge, but didn't debut in the ring until July 2001. Morrus didn't make much of an impact during this angle as he mostly wrestled on WWF's lesser shows (Heat
and Jakked
). He only had 3 high profile matches, with them being at WWF Invasion
on July 22 when he, along with Shawn Stasiak
and Chris Kanyon
, defeated Big Show, Billy Gunn
and Albert; on the August 9 edition of SmackDown! losing to Chris Jericho
as Stephanie McMahon's hand picked opponent; and, on the August 27 edition of Raw, facing Edge for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
, which Edge retained when Morrus won via disqualification. When that angle ended at Survivor Series 2001
, after Team Alliance lost to Team WWF, Morrus was kayfabe
fired by Vince McMahon
. He was used at house show
s and worked in WWF's developmental territory Heartland Wrestling Association
. During his time there he, along with Raven, defeated Lance Cade
and Steve Bradley
to become HWA Tag Team champions
on March 12, 2002.
was able to "save his job" and get him drafted to the SmackDown! brand
. Morrus returned on the April 6, 2002, episode of Jakked
along with Chavo Guerrero
(who was also a member of The Alliance) and defeated The Hurricane
and Funaki
. Morrus was a mainstay on Jakked (later renamed Velocity
) until late July 2002 when he was legitimately, seriously injured in a motorcycle accident and had to take a leave from the ring. During his time away, he became a trainer for the third season of Tough Enough
, WWE's reality television
show.
When he had sufficiently healed, Morrus made his return on the November 23, 2002, edition of Velocity, billing himself under his real name, Bill DeMott. DeMott made his official SmackDown! return on December 5, 2002, as a monster heel
defeating Funaki in a squash match. After his return, he was given a push
that had him squashing various wrestlers, including Funaki, Shannon Moore
, Chuck Palumbo
, Crash Holly
, and even Rikishi on two separate occasions on SmackDown!. This push did not last long, however, as DeMott was demoted to Velocity starting in February 2003. In May, DeMott made a face
turn and started telling knock-knock joke
s. The gimmick didn't get over, but he remained a Velocity mainstay and his in-ring domination continued. His last televised match was the June 14 episode of Velocity defeating Chris Kanyon
. Later that month, DeMott retired from in-ring action, citing years of knee injuries. He became a Velocity color commentator
in November until Tough Enough 4, where he once again became a trainer.
. Instead, he became a full time trainer for WWE. While training wrestlers in WWE's Deep South Wrestling "farm territory", he briefly returned to in-ring action to team with The Freakin' Deacon
to face The Gymini
. DeMott was also booker for DSW, however his direction in the promotion has been criticized especially by former WWE development signee Kenny Omega who backed out his contract due to poor treatment. DeMott was released from his WWE contract on January 19, 2007, with Tom Prichard
taking his place as trainer.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
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...
, best known for his appearances with 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...
and World Wrestling Entertainment
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...
as Hugh Morrus and Bill DeMott respectively and as Crash The Terminator in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. While wrestling in WCW, he became a two-time United States Champion. DeMott later became a trainer for WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
, for which he is known for his strict, no nonsense style in handling trainees.
Overseas (1990-1993)
DeMott was trained by Johnny RodzJohnny Rodz
Johnny Rodriguez is a retired American professional wrestler. He has previously worked as a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Rodz.-World Wide Wrestling Federation:...
in his New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
wrestling school beginning in 1988. From there he began working at small independent promotions using the name Sweet Williams. In 1992 DeMott began wrestling for the American Wrestling Federation
American Wrestling Federation
The American Wrestling Federation was a national professional wrestling federation founded by Paul Alperstein.-History:Alperstein, a promoter from Chicago, founded the AWF in 1994 and was on-air president of the company....
and started using the name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Crash The Terminator. Under this name he found some success, first capturing the AWF Heavyweight title from Steve Strong in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, before moving on to the Japanese promotion W*ING and winning their tag team championship with Mr. Pogo. In 1993, while competing in W*ING, Demott won a 16 man tournament to be crowned their heavyweight champion.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1993-1994)
When DeMott returned to the United States, he wrestled for Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
for a short time, before moving on to Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling where once again he won a heavyweight championship, this time outlasting a number of competitors in a battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
to get it.
The Dungeon of Doom
In 1995, DeMott was signed to a World Championship WrestlingWorld 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...
(WCW) contract at the behest 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:...
who had been impressed by him. He debuted in dark matches as The Man of Question and The Laughing Man, a strange gimmick that saw him wearing a singlet covered in question marks and laughing frequently. He made his television debut using the same gimmick, though his ring name was eventually changed to Hugh Morrus (a pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
on the word humorous) and he would stay with that for most of his WCW career. The most prominent thing about Hugh Morrus was his finisher, a moonsault
Moonsault
A moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...
dubbed the "No Laughing Matter", which often ended with a headbutt. Seeing the nearly 300 pound man sail through the air impressed a number of people (both in the crowd and backstage) and Hugh was soon pushed as a mid-card face, usually in tag team matches.
In 1996 Morrus turned heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
by joining the Dungeon of Doom
Dungeon 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:...
in their quest to end Hulkamania. Unfortunately, he joined at a time of flux in WCW as the Dungeon of Doom was breaking up and Hogan was making a heel turn as well. Upon the dissolution of the Dungeon Of Doom, Morrus was relegated to a lower spot on the card than ever before. As a curtain jerker he made history on September 22, 1997, when he became the first wrestler to lose a televised match to Bill Goldberg
Bill Goldberg
Goldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....
.
The First Family
After this, still using the Hugh Morrus gimmick, he changed tracks completely. Now joining the growing Hardcore wrestlingHardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
style in WCW
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...
he joined Jimmy Hart's First Family
The First Family (professional wrestling)
The First Family was the name of two professional wrestling stables led by Jimmy Hart, first in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association, then in the late 1990s in World Championship Wrestling.-CWA stable:...
stable. It seemed that he (along with the rest of the group) were on their way to a major push
Push (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a push is an attempt by the booker to make the wrestler win more matches and become more popular or more reviled with the fans depending on whether they are a heel or a face...
when they secured a Pay-Per-View win over their Revolution
Revolution (professional wrestling)
The Revolution was a professional wrestling heel stable in World Championship Wrestling led by Shane Douglas.-History:The Revolution was formed by Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Shane Douglas, and Perry Saturn on July 29, 1999...
rivals until the group suddenly broke up.
At this time, DeMott took some time off from WCW. He returned in early 2000 utilizing the same name and ring attire, but squashing a number of wrestlers as an angrier version of himself. The angry Morrus gimmick came to a halt when Vince Russo
Vince Russo
Vincent James "Vince" Russo is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
took over and promised to take WCW in a "new direction."
Misfits In Action
After getting on Russo's bad side (in kayfabeKayfabe
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...
), Morrus was fired from his New Blood stable along with a number of other wrestlers. These ex-New Blood members (including Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
Salvador "Chavo" Guerrero IV also known as Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero, Jr., is a third generation Mexican-American professional wrestler and member of the famed Guerrero wrestling family who was well known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling...
and Booker T) formed the comedy stable Misfits In Action
Misfits In Action
The Misfits In Action were a stable in World Championship Wrestling They were originally formed in 2000 from a group of wrestlers that Vince Russo considered too lazy to get over...
; they all adopted new military-themed names for themselves. Morrus, the leader, re-christened himself General Hugh G. Rection (a pun on the term "huge erection"), and led the group in a feud against the Filthy Animals
Filthy Animals
The Filthy Animals was a professional wrestling faction in World Championship Wrestling from 1999 until 2001.-Concept:The Filthy Animals was a group conceived after Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara were hired by WCW. The plan for the stable was to be WCW's version of the World Wrestling Federation's...
.
The group's comedic nature and the workrate of some of the wrestlers made the group immediate favorites with fans. Upon the introduction of the heel Team Canada
Team Canada (WCW)
Team Canada was a professional wrestling stable, active in World Championship Wrestling in 2000 and 2001. The team was composed of Canadian and American wrestlers who believed that Canada was superior to the United States of America.-History:...
, the Misfits In Action became Made In America, though much of the gimmick remained the same. Rection feuded with Team Canada leader Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
, beating him and Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan
James Edward Duggan , better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation , and World Championship Wrestling...
in a handicap match at Halloween Havoc 2000.
After his feud with Lance Storm, the next night on WCW Monday Nitro, DeMott stood in the ring and spoke to the fans. During this segment, the WCW locker room emptied and many wrestlers from backstage stood on the entrance way clapping for DeMott; Bill Goldberg
Bill Goldberg
Goldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....
grabbed the microphone and, fondly recalling his first opponent in WCW, said "Hey, Goldberg's streak had to start somewhere, my friend." In perhaps one of DeMott's greatest achievements in wrestling, he gained respect from his peers.
The Misfits In Action eventually broke up and DeMott took the name Hugh Morrus again for a feud with former members of the stable. Morrus competed in WCW's U.S. Championship
WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
division winning the United States Champions on two occasions until the World Wrestling Federation's
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...
buyout of WCW.
The Alliance
When WCW was purchased by the World Wrestling FederationWorld 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...
(WWF) Morrus signed a deal with the WWF and became part of The Invasion angle as a member of The Alliance. Morrus made his WWF debut on the June 4, 2001 episode of Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
attacking Edge, but didn't debut in the ring until July 2001. Morrus didn't make much of an impact during this angle as he mostly wrestled on WWF's lesser shows (Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
and Jakked
WWE Jakked/Metal
WWE Jakked and WWE Metal were professional wrestling television programs produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . Both shows aired syndicated weekly from 1999 until 2002 and replaced WWF Shotgun Saturday Night...
). He only had 3 high profile matches, with them being at WWF Invasion
WWF InVasion
Invasion was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on July 22, 2001 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio...
on July 22 when he, along with Shawn Stasiak
Shawn Stasiak
Dr. Shawn Emile Stipich, DC, is an American chiropractor and former professional wrestler. He is best known under the ring name Shawn Stasiak and for his stints with World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment, where he is a fifteen time Hardcore Champion, and World Championship Wrestling, where he...
and Chris Kanyon
Chris Kanyon
Christopher Klucsarits was an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, under the ring names Chris Kanyon and Mortis.-Early career:After college, he began training under Pete McKay Gonzalez, Ismael Gerena and Bobby...
, defeated Big Show, Billy Gunn
Monty Sopp
Monty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
and Albert; on the August 9 edition of SmackDown! losing to Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
as Stephanie McMahon's hand picked opponent; and, on the August 27 edition of Raw, facing Edge for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
, which Edge retained when Morrus won via disqualification. When that angle ended at Survivor Series 2001
Survivor Series (2001)
Survivor Series was the fifteenth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
, after Team Alliance lost to Team WWF, Morrus was 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...
fired by Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
. He was used at house show
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
s and worked in WWF's developmental territory Heartland Wrestling Association
Heartland Wrestling Association
The Heartland Wrestling Association is a Midwestern independent professional wrestling promotion based in Cincinnati, Ohio. A former developmental territory for both World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation during the 1990s, it was listed as one of the top independent...
. During his time there he, along with Raven, defeated Lance Cade
Lance Cade
Lance Kurtis McNaught was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment where he performed under the ring names Garrison Cade and Lance Cade....
and Steve Bradley
Steve Bradley
Steven Richard Bisson was an American professional wrestler who had competed on North American independent promotions throughout the 1990s including East Coast Wrestling Association, IWA Puerto Rico and the National Wrestling Alliance as well as spending over three years in World Wrestling...
to become HWA Tag Team champions
HWA Tag Team Championship
The HWA Tag Team Championship is the tag team titles contested for in the Heartland Wrestling Association. It was established in 1996 when the Head Bangers became the first champions.-Title history:...
on March 12, 2002.
SmackDown!
In April 2002, Ric FlairRic 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....
was able to "save his job" and get him drafted to the SmackDown! brand
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
. Morrus returned on the April 6, 2002, episode of Jakked
WWE Jakked/Metal
WWE Jakked and WWE Metal were professional wrestling television programs produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . Both shows aired syndicated weekly from 1999 until 2002 and replaced WWF Shotgun Saturday Night...
along with Chavo Guerrero
Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
Salvador "Chavo" Guerrero IV also known as Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero, Jr., is a third generation Mexican-American professional wrestler and member of the famed Guerrero wrestling family who was well known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling...
(who was also a member of The Alliance) and defeated The Hurricane
Gregory Helms
Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms...
and Funaki
Shoichi Funaki
is a Japanese/American professional wrestler best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Hardcore Champion.-Early years :...
. Morrus was a mainstay on Jakked (later renamed Velocity
WWE Velocity
WWE Velocity was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It replaced two syndicated WWE shows, Jakked/Metal. Once a weekly Saturday night show on Spike TV and on Sky Sports 2 in the UK on Sunday mornings, Velocity became a webcast from 2005 to 2006...
) until late July 2002 when he was legitimately, seriously injured in a motorcycle accident and had to take a leave from the ring. During his time away, he became a trainer for the third season of Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
, WWE's reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show.
When he had sufficiently healed, Morrus made his return on the November 23, 2002, edition of Velocity, billing himself under his real name, Bill DeMott. DeMott made his official SmackDown! return on December 5, 2002, as a monster heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
defeating Funaki in a squash match. After his return, he was given a push
Push (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a push is an attempt by the booker to make the wrestler win more matches and become more popular or more reviled with the fans depending on whether they are a heel or a face...
that had him squashing various wrestlers, including Funaki, Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore is an American professional wrestler, who is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment for several years in the 2000s.Moore befriended Matt and Jeff Hardy...
, Chuck Palumbo
Chuck Palumbo
Charles "Chuck" Palumbo is an American professional wrestler, currently working for Nu-Wrestling Evolution . Palumbo is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment...
, Crash Holly
Mike Lockwood
Michael John "Mike" Lockwood was an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment under the ring name Crash Holly....
, and even Rikishi on two separate occasions on SmackDown!. This push did not last long, however, as DeMott was demoted to Velocity starting in February 2003. In May, DeMott made a face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
turn and started telling knock-knock joke
Knock-knock joke
The knock-knock joke is a type of joke, probably the best-known format of the pun, and is a time-honored "call and answer" exercise.It is a role-play exercise, with a punster and a recipient of wit.The standard format has five lines:...
s. The gimmick didn't get over, but he remained a Velocity mainstay and his in-ring domination continued. His last televised match was the June 14 episode of Velocity defeating Chris Kanyon
Chris Kanyon
Christopher Klucsarits was an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation, under the ring names Chris Kanyon and Mortis.-Early career:After college, he began training under Pete McKay Gonzalez, Ismael Gerena and Bobby...
. Later that month, DeMott retired from in-ring action, citing years of knee injuries. He became a Velocity color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
in November until Tough Enough 4, where he once again became a trainer.
Deep South Wrestling
When Tough Enough 4 wrapped production, DeMott did not make a return to VelocityWWE Velocity
WWE Velocity was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It replaced two syndicated WWE shows, Jakked/Metal. Once a weekly Saturday night show on Spike TV and on Sky Sports 2 in the UK on Sunday mornings, Velocity became a webcast from 2005 to 2006...
. Instead, he became a full time trainer for WWE. While training wrestlers in WWE's Deep South Wrestling "farm territory", he briefly returned to in-ring action to team with The Freakin' Deacon
Drew Hankinson
Andrew "Drew" Hankinson is an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment , where he appeared under the ring names Festus and Luke Gallows...
to face The Gymini
Shane Twins
The Shane Twins are a professional wrestling tag team that consist of twin brothers Mike and Todd Shane. They were best known for their appearances in World Wrestling Entertainment as Gymini.-History:The Shane Twins debuted in the Florida based Independent Pro Wrestling promotion in 1998...
. DeMott was also booker for DSW, however his direction in the promotion has been criticized especially by former WWE development signee Kenny Omega who backed out his contract due to poor treatment. DeMott was released from his WWE contract on January 19, 2007, with Tom Prichard
Tom Prichard
Thomas Prichard is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, working in their developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling as a trainer using his ring name Tom Prichard...
taking his place as trainer.
Independent circuit
Since parting ways with WWE, DeMott has competed for several different independent promotions including Carolina Wrestling Association and United Wrestling Federation.Return to World Wrestling Entertainment (2011-present)
DeMott served as the head trainer on the revived Tough Enough series. Since then, a WWE Alumni profile has been created for him on WWE.com.Personal life
DeMott married his first wife Rose Azzolino in 1987 when he turned twenty-one. The couple had two daughters, Casey, who was born two months premature on July 7, 1993 and Keri, who was born on January 9, 1995. The marriage was annulled in 2004. He married his second wife, Lacey Storey on December 18, 2004. The couple has one child together, a son named William Charles DeMott III, who was born on November 2, 2008.In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- No Joke (Reverse swinging neckbreaker)
- No Laughing Matter (MoonsaultMoonsaultA moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...
)
- Signature moves
- Clothesline, sometimes from the second rope
- Diving elbow drop
- Military press slam
- PowerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
- Running DDT
- Sidewalk slam
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Major GunnsTylene BuckTylene Buck is an American Pornographic actress & model and a former wrestler and valet under the name of Major Gunns.-Professional Wrestler:...
- Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
- Judd the Studd
- Kevin SullivanKevin 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:...
- Darren Wise
- Major Gunns
Wrestlers trained by DeMott
- Matt CappotelliMatt CappotelliMatthew Lee "Matt" Cappotelli is an American professional wrestler, last working in Ohio Valley Wrestling, which was the primary developmental territory for World Wrestling Entertainment until February 7, 2008...
- Danny Inferno
- Mike Mizanin
- John Hennigan
- Daniel PuderDaniel PuderDaniel Puder is an American professional mixed martial artist, who is currently undefeated in MMA competition, holding a a record of eight wins and zero losses...
- Ryan Reeves
- Taylor Wilde
- Johnny CurtisJohnny CurtisJonathan Curtis is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand under his ring name Johnny Curtis. He also performs in its developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling. He was the winner of the fourth season of NXT.- Early Career :Curtis...
- Trenesha BiggersTrenesha BiggersTrenesha Biggers is a model and professional wrestler who worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Rhaka Khan. She was in the final top 25 in the 2005 WWE Diva Search.-Professional wrestling career:...
- Andy LeavineAndy LeavineAndrew "Andy" Leavine is an American professional wrestler who is signed to WWE. Leavine is the winner of the fifth season of WWE Tough Enough and wrestles for WWE's developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling....
Championships and accomplishments
- Americas Wrestling Federation (Puerto Rico)
- AWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Heartland Wrestling AssociationHeartland Wrestling AssociationThe Heartland Wrestling Association is a Midwestern independent professional wrestling promotion based in Cincinnati, Ohio. A former developmental territory for both World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation during the 1990s, it was listed as one of the top independent...
- HWA Tag Team ChampionshipHWA Tag Team ChampionshipThe HWA Tag Team Championship is the tag team titles contested for in the Heartland Wrestling Association. It was established in 1996 when the Head Bangers became the first champions.-Title history:...
(1 time) - with RavenScott LevyScott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
- HWA Tag Team Championship
- Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling
- PCW Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #40 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2001
- PWI ranked him #450 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
- Wrestling International New Generations
- W*ING Championship (1 time)
- W*ING Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Mr. PogoTetsuo SekigawaTetsuo Sekigawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who is very well known for his hardcore matches, competing in his most popular gimmick, Mr. Pogo.-Early years :...
- World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld 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...
- WCW United States Heavyweight ChampionshipWWE United States ChampionshipThe WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
(2 times) - WCW World Tag Team ChampionshipWCW World Tag Team ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
(1 time) – with Alex WrightAlex WrightAlex Wright is a German-British former professional wrestler. He wrestled professionally in Germany and Japan before signing with World Championship Wrestling in 1994...
- WCW United States Heavyweight Championship