Danny Holly
Encyclopedia
Daniel R. 'Danny' Holle (born October 3, 1977) is an American professional wrestler
, currently working on the independent circuit
. Holle is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment
between 1998 and 2007 and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
under the ring names Danny Holliday, (The) Damaja and Danny Basham.
(OVW), as the Damaja. On January 6, 1999, he and David C. were awarded the OVW Tag Title
when Nick Dinsmore
no-showed and Rob Conway was counted out. He was also a three-time OVW Champion
, defeating the likes of Dinsmore, Flash Flanagan, and Nova
.
In 2000 Danny Holle made a few appearances on WWF Jakked and in dark matches under the ring name Danny Holliday. In 2003, he was given the managerial services of Tough Enough
II winner Shaniqua
.
to form the heel tag team
, the Basham Brothers
. The Bashams (as they were commonly known) were later aligned with the valet
, Shaniqua
. As well as being portrayed with a bondage
-based S&M gimmick, the "brothers" often switched places mid-match, so the "fresher" wrestler was always in the ring. In almost all cases, the referee
acted oblivious to the switch, despite their easily differentiated faces and won their first WWE Tag Team Championship
from Los Guerreros
on the October 23 episode of SmackDown!, after they switched places behind the referee's back, and hit Eddie Guerrero
with a foreign object. The team lost the titles in February 2004 to Rikishi
and Scotty 2 Hotty. The Basham Brothers and Shaniqua faced Scotty 2 Hotty and Rikishi at No Way Out 2004
in a handicapped match for the tag team titles but lost the match when Shaniqua was pinned. Right after this match, Shaniqua was sent to OVW for training and was eventually released.
The Basham Brothers joined John "Bradshaw" Layfield
's cabinet stable on November 25. They were known as JBL's Co-Secretaries of Defense. The Bashams once again won Tag Team gold by defeating four other teams including Rey Mysterio and Rob Van Dam
, Luther Reigns
and Mark Jindrak
, and Eddie Guerrero
and Booker T
on January 13, 2005 in a four team elimination match by last eliminating Mysterio and Van Dam. The Basham Brothers lost the titles to Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero at No Way Out
on February 20, 2005. From here on, The Bashams either acted as jobbers on SmackDown! or defeated any team that came in their path on Velocity. The Basham Brothers quit Layfield's Cabinet on the June 16 episode of SmackDown!, claiming that they were tired of being "JBL's crash test dummies
" and not getting enough respect.
On June 30, 2005 Basham became one of the last-minute trades in the 2005 WWE Draft
, which saw him leave SmackDown! for Raw. This marked the end of the partnership with his "twin brother," who remained on SmackDown!. On the July 18 episode of Raw, Basham made his first appearance on the Raw brand as one of Chris Jericho
's hand picked lumberjacks in the Lumberjack match between John Cena
and Gene Snitsky
.
In August 2005, Hollie worked dark matches during Raw tapings under his former gimmick, The Damaja and made his televised debut on the September 11 episode of WWE Heat
(as Danny Basham) under his Damaja gimmick, only more gothic and Raven
-like. Danny came out with new music, black face paint, and ring attire consisting of black boots and baggy black pants with hooks and chains on them.
Hollie soon disappeared from television to grow his hair out but continued to work squash matches under this gimmick very sporadically at house shows or in dark matches over the next several months before completely disappearing from in-ring competition in 2006 before signing a new deal with WWE in April of that year.
Hollie and Doug Basham reunited in WWE's revived ECW brand during July 2006 at several house shows before becoming on-screen unnamed masked "Security Enforcers" for ECW leader Paul Heyman
. However, when Danny was injured with a torn biceps, he was later replaced by Derek Neikirk, who continued Danny's role as the second masked enforcer.
took on Rhino
in a Derby City Street Fight, which Doug Basham lost. Basham and Damaja both appeared alongside Christy Hemme
at the April 30 TNA Impact!
TV Tapings. They were then revealed on the May 10 Impact! to be the mystery team facing the Voodoo Kin Mafia at Sacrifice 2007 in a match which they won.
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...
, currently working on the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
. Holle is best known for his appearances with 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...
between 1998 and 2007 and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
under the ring names Danny Holliday, (The) Damaja and Danny Basham.
Ohio Valley Wrestling (1998–2003)
Holle made his wrestling debut in Ohio Valley WrestlingOhio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
(OVW), as the Damaja. On January 6, 1999, he and David C. were awarded the OVW Tag Title
OVW Southern Tag Team Championship
The OVW Southern Tag Team Championship is the tag team titles of Ohio Valley Wrestling. Created in 1997, the first champions were Nick Dinsmore and Flash Flanagan. As of 2011, the current champions are Ted McNaler and Adam Revolver, known as The Elite in their fourth reign...
when Nick Dinsmore
Nick Dinsmore
Nicholas "Nick" Dinsmore , better known by his ring names Eugene and U-Gene, is an American professional wrestler...
no-showed and Rob Conway was counted out. He was also a three-time OVW Champion
OVW Heavyweight Championship
The OVW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Ohio Valley Wrestling promotion. The title was introduced on August 17, 1997 at an OVW live event, then known as the NWA-OVW Heavyweight Championship due to OVW's relationship with the National...
, defeating the likes of Dinsmore, Flash Flanagan, and Nova
Mike Bucci
Michael "Mike" Bucci is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean...
.
In 2000 Danny Holle made a few appearances on WWF Jakked and in dark matches under the ring name Danny Holliday. In 2003, he was given the managerial services 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...
II winner Shaniqua
Linda Miles
Linda M. Miles is an American former professional wrestler and manager. She worked under the ring name Shaniqua for World Wrestling Entertainment's SmackDown! brand between 2002 and 2004. Miles was one of two female winners from WWE Tough Enough season two.-Basketball:Miles was a member of the...
.
World Wrestling Entertainment (2003–2007)
In late 2002 through early 2003 Hollie worked dark matches before the Raw and SmackDown tapings under his OVW gimmick and ring name, Damaja. On May 29, 2003, Danny made his WWE television debut (as Danny Basham), teaming with Doug BashamDoug Basham
This article is about the wrestler, for the talk show host see Doug Basham Lyle Douglas "Doug" Basham, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, He is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between 2002 and 2007, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name...
to form the heel tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
, the Basham Brothers
Basham Brothers
The Basham Brothers, Doug and Danny , are a professional wrestling tag team, who formerly worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment .-History:...
. The Bashams (as they were commonly known) were later aligned with the valet
Manager (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...
, Shaniqua
Linda Miles
Linda M. Miles is an American former professional wrestler and manager. She worked under the ring name Shaniqua for World Wrestling Entertainment's SmackDown! brand between 2002 and 2004. Miles was one of two female winners from WWE Tough Enough season two.-Basketball:Miles was a member of the...
. As well as being portrayed with a bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
-based S&M gimmick, the "brothers" often switched places mid-match, so the "fresher" wrestler was always in the ring. In almost all cases, the referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
acted oblivious to the switch, despite their easily differentiated faces and won their first WWE Tag Team Championship
WWE Tag Team Championship
The WWE Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in WWE. It was established as a second title for tag teams in WWE in 2002 to complement the original World Tag Team Championship...
from Los Guerreros
Los Guerreros
Los Guerreros is a Mexican American family that has been involved with professional wrestling for three generations with the patriarch of the family Gory Guerrero making his debut on September 15, 1937...
on the October 23 episode of SmackDown!, after they switched places behind the referee's back, and hit Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
with a foreign object. The team lost the titles in February 2004 to Rikishi
Solofa Fatu
Solofa F. Fatu, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Rikishi.-The Samoan Swat Team:...
and Scotty 2 Hotty. The Basham Brothers and Shaniqua faced Scotty 2 Hotty and Rikishi at No Way Out 2004
No Way Out (2004)
No Way Out was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on February 15, 2004 at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California...
in a handicapped match for the tag team titles but lost the match when Shaniqua was pinned. Right after this match, Shaniqua was sent to OVW for training and was eventually released.
The Basham Brothers joined John "Bradshaw" Layfield
John Layfield
John Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News...
's cabinet stable on November 25. They were known as JBL's Co-Secretaries of Defense. The Bashams once again won Tag Team gold by defeating four other teams including Rey Mysterio and Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, Luther Reigns
Matt Wiese
Matthew R. "Matt" Wiese is an American actor and former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Luther Reigns, where he performed on its SmackDown brand....
and Mark Jindrak
Mark Jindrak
Mark Robert Jindrak is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, and Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
and Booker T
Booker Huffman
Robert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World...
on January 13, 2005 in a four team elimination match by last eliminating Mysterio and Van Dam. The Basham Brothers lost the titles to Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero at No Way Out
No Way Out (2005)
No Way Out was the seventh annual No Way Out pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on February 20, 2005 from the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
on February 20, 2005. From here on, The Bashams either acted as jobbers on SmackDown! or defeated any team that came in their path on Velocity. The Basham Brothers quit Layfield's Cabinet on the June 16 episode of SmackDown!, claiming that they were tired of being "JBL's crash test dummies
Crash test dummy
Crash test dummies are full-scale anthropomorphic test devices that simulate the dimensions, weight proportions and articulation of the human body, and are usually instrumented to record data about the dynamic behavior of the ATD in simulated vehicle impacts...
" and not getting enough respect.
On June 30, 2005 Basham became one of the last-minute trades in the 2005 WWE Draft
2005 WWE Draft Lottery
The 2005 World Wrestling Entertainment Draft Lottery took place over a three week period in June. There were ten draft picks and an eleven-person trade conducted between the promotion's two brands: Raw and SmackDown!, where twenty-two superstars were drafted and traded overall...
, which saw him leave SmackDown! for Raw. This marked the end of the partnership with his "twin brother," who remained on SmackDown!. On the July 18 episode of Raw, Basham made his first appearance on the Raw brand as one of 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...
's hand picked lumberjacks in the Lumberjack match between John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
and Gene Snitsky
Gene Snitsky
Eugene Alan "Gene" Snisky is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Snitsky, who is best known for his time spent with World Wrestling Entertainment. He had played college football at the University of Missouri and was on the pre-season roster in 1995 for the Birmingham Barracudas...
.
In August 2005, Hollie worked dark matches during Raw tapings under his former gimmick, The Damaja and made his televised debut on the September 11 episode of WWE Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
(as Danny Basham) under his Damaja gimmick, only more gothic and Raven
Scott Levy
Scott 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...
-like. Danny came out with new music, black face paint, and ring attire consisting of black boots and baggy black pants with hooks and chains on them.
Hollie soon disappeared from television to grow his hair out but continued to work squash matches under this gimmick very sporadically at house shows or in dark matches over the next several months before completely disappearing from in-ring competition in 2006 before signing a new deal with WWE in April of that year.
Ohio Valley Wrestling and ECW brand (2006–2007)
On November 18, 2006, Hollie made a surprising return when OVW owner Danny Davis introduced Danny Basham as the "OVW TroubleShooter" (similar to a General Manager), granting him the power to direct each OVW show. On March 7, 2007, The Basham Brothers returned to OVW and defeated Wyatt Young and Mike Tolar in a dark match. Hollie has been wrestling under the ring name The Damaja.Hollie and Doug Basham reunited in WWE's revived ECW brand during July 2006 at several house shows before becoming on-screen unnamed masked "Security Enforcers" for ECW leader Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
. However, when Danny was injured with a torn biceps, he was later replaced by Derek Neikirk, who continued Danny's role as the second masked enforcer.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2007)
On April 20, 2007, Damaja and Doug BashamDoug Basham
This article is about the wrestler, for the talk show host see Doug Basham Lyle Douglas "Doug" Basham, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, He is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between 2002 and 2007, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name...
took on Rhino
Terry Gerin
Terrance "Terry" Gerin is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by the ring name Rhino . He is best known for his career in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
in a Derby City Street Fight, which Doug Basham lost. Basham and Damaja both appeared alongside Christy Hemme
Christy Hemme
Christina Lee "Christy" Hemme is an American actress, singer, model, professional wrestling valet and former professional wrestler. Hemme is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, as a backstage interviewer and ring announcer.-Early life:Hemme was born in Poway, California, but she...
at the April 30 TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
TV Tapings. They were then revealed on the May 10 Impact! to be the mystery team facing the Voodoo Kin Mafia at Sacrifice 2007 in a match which they won.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Brain Damage (Chokebomb)
- Signature moves
- Bulldog
- 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...
- Christy HemmeChristy HemmeChristina Lee "Christy" Hemme is an American actress, singer, model, professional wrestling valet and former professional wrestler. Hemme is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, as a backstage interviewer and ring announcer.-Early life:Hemme was born in Poway, California, but she...
- Miss JackieJackie GaydaJacquelyn Gayda-Haas is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and valet, best known for her work on World Wrestling Entertainment 's Raw and SmackDown! brands and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a TNA Knockout...
- ShaniquaLinda MilesLinda M. Miles is an American former professional wrestler and manager. She worked under the ring name Shaniqua for World Wrestling Entertainment's SmackDown! brand between 2002 and 2004. Miles was one of two female winners from WWE Tough Enough season two.-Basketball:Miles was a member of the...
- VictoriaLisa Marie VaronLisa Marie Varon , is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and fitness competitor of Puerto Rican and Turkish descent...
- Jimmy Falcon
- Christy Hemme
- Nicknames
- The Hitman
- "Co–Secretary of Defense
Championships and accomplishments
- Ohio Valley WrestlingOhio Valley WrestlingOhio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
- OVW Heavyweight ChampionshipOVW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe OVW Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Ohio Valley Wrestling promotion. The title was introduced on August 17, 1997 at an OVW live event, then known as the NWA-OVW Heavyweight Championship due to OVW's relationship with the National...
(4 times) - OVW Southern Tag Team ChampionshipOVW Southern Tag Team ChampionshipThe OVW Southern Tag Team Championship is the tag team titles of Ohio Valley Wrestling. Created in 1997, the first champions were Nick Dinsmore and Flash Flanagan. As of 2011, the current champions are Ted McNaler and Adam Revolver, known as The Elite in their fourth reign...
(3 times) – with David C (2) and with Doug BashamDoug BashamThis article is about the wrestler, for the talk show host see Doug Basham Lyle Douglas "Doug" Basham, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, He is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between 2002 and 2007, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name...
(1)
- OVW Heavyweight Championship
- Pro Championship Wrestling
- PCW World Heavyweight 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 #65 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2003
- World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld 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...
- WWE Tag Team ChampionshipWWE Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWE Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in WWE. It was established as a second title for tag teams in WWE in 2002 to complement the original World Tag Team Championship...
(2 times) – with Doug Basham
- WWE Tag Team Championship