Peter Gruner
Encyclopedia
Peter Alan Gruner, Jr. is an American
professional wrestler
, trainer
, and wrestling producer, better known by his ring name
Billy Kidman. Kidman is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) and his current workplace of the WWE
throughout the late 1990s, early to late 2000s, and now into the early 2010s. He trained the likes of Wade Barrett in Florida Championship Wrestling
.
He joined World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) and ultimately gained fame as a key member of several strong wrestling factions. In addition to being a member of Raven's Flock
, he also was a member of the Filthy Animals
and later New Blood. As a member of these factions, Gruner participated in memorable rivalries with top WCW names, including Hulk Hogan
, Jeff Jarrett
, and Rey Mysterio. Kidman wrestled for WCW for many years and won tag team gold with partner and real life friend Mysterio. After leaving the group, he won the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
three times. Gruner also met his former wife Torrie Wilson
while the two were working in WCW.
Upon WCW's purchase by World Wrestling Federation (WWF), Kidman became a member of the WCW/ECW Alliance faction, and later a successful champion in WWE's Cruiserweight and Tag Team divisions.
, one half of the Wild Samoans
, and wrestled his first match on September 11, 1994 in Hellertown, Pennsylvania
against "Wild Thing" Dan Kallis independent circuit
as "Kid Flash". He formed a tag team
with Ace Darling known as "Shooting Stars" and they would win the ECWA Tag Team Championship
and USWA World Tag Team Championship.
in a match, thus disbanding the group.
Kidman shed his grungy attire and began performing as a babyface
, eventually pinning Juventud Guerrera
to win his first Cruiserweight Championship. Guerrera won the belt back a few weeks later, but Kidman regained it at World War 3. Kidman eventually lost the title on an episode of WCW Monday Nitro
to Rey Mysterio, Jr. They had a rematch at Spring Stampede, where Mysterio was victorious.
Following this, Mysterio asked Kidman to be his tag team partner in a match for the World Tag Team Championship
. Kidman at first declined, as a previous attempt at a tag team between the two did not reach any level of success. The two, however, faced Chris Benoit
and Dean Malenko
for the titles and succeeded with unwanted aid from Raven and Saturn. The three teams feuded for several weeks, which ended in a three way tag team match for the titles. Chris Kanyon
's interference led to the victory for Raven and Saturn. Kidman spent the next several months in assorted feuds. He won the Cruiserweight Championship one more time from Prince Iaukea
at a house show
, but lost it back to Iaukea 24 hours later. Kidman also defeated Psicosis in a hair vs. mask match, and came close to defeating Jeff Jarrett for the United States Heavyweight Championship
. He then entered a short feud with Vampiro
.
During this time, Kidman was a part of the WCW face faction, the Filthy Animals
, with Mysterio, Konnan
, and Eddie Guerrero
. Guerrero left the group when he left WCW, and Kidman left the group when they became a heel faction. He later rejoined them when they were faces once more in the last few months of WCW.
Following his first departure from the Filthy Animals, Kidman joined Vince Russo
's New Blood faction, taking another heel turn. His gimmick was a young hotshot not wanting to be held back by wrestlers beyond their prime. This led to his biggest feud to date with Hulk Hogan
, defeating him in three matches in a row. After the New Blood split up, Kidman became a face once more by entering a feud with Shane Douglas
for the affection of his on-screen girlfriend, Torrie Wilson
. During the feud, Wilson turned on Kidman. Kidman was legitimately injured in a match at New Blood Rising
in August 2000, when in a strap match, Douglas hung Kidman from the neck using the strap, and was forced to take several weeks for to recover.
Following the Douglas feud, Kidman began teaming with Mysterio again. They entered the Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship
tournament, but lost in the finals to Elix Skipper
and Kid Romeo. On the final episode of Nitro, Kidman and Mysterio won the titles from Skipper and Romeo. That night, the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) purchased WCW and Kidman's contract was picked up by the WWF.
in the first televised WCW match on SmackDown!. Kidman then defeated the WWF's Light Heavyweight champion at the time, X-Pac, after a Shooting Star Press at InVasion 2001
. Kidman was later sidelined with an injury during the Invasion angle and thus did not have as big of an impact as other WCW superstars.
On the October 11 edition of Smackdown, Kidman won the Cruiserweight title back after losing it to X-Pac on an episode of Raw is War in late July.
Kidman turned face
after the WCW/ECW Alliance broke up. He was drafted to SmackDown! as part of the brand extension, and in his return match he defeated Tajiri
to win his first Cruiserweight Championship under the WWE brand. Tajiri reclaimed the title at Backlash
. At Rebellion 2002
, Kidman and his real life girlfriend at the time, Torrie Wilson
defeated John Cena
and Dawn Marie in an intergender tag team match. After the match Torrie and Kidman kissed.
Kidman then went on to capture the Cruiserweight Championship for the seventh time (making him the record holder for most Cruiserweight Titles at the time), by defeating Jamie Noble
at Survivor Series
. Kidman lost the title three months later to Matt Hardy
at No Way Out
. He spent the next few years as a star attraction in the cruiserweight division, relying solely on his in-ring work and no real gimmick. Later, Kidman was placed with a new tag team
partner, Paul London
. The team went on to win the WWE Tag Team Championship
from The Dudley Boyz
on July 8, 2004. Proving the win was not an upset, they went on to win a rematch for the titles.
The championship run of this face team came to an abrupt end after Kidman turned his back on London. The heel
turn played off of a legitimate injury which occurred on an August 24, 2004 taping of SmackDown!, when Gruner's Shooting Star Press had unintentionally caused Chavo Guerrero
to suffer a concussion and be taken to the hospital. The next week, Kidman was on the top rope ready to hit the Shooting Star Press, but hesitated, climbed down the turnbuckles, and slowly walked backstage overwhelmed with guilt after injuring Guerrero. London was left alone to defend the titles against Kenzo Suzuki
and Rene Dupree
, and was brutally defeated. London and Kidman fought at No Mercy 2004
, where Kidman injured London with a shooting star press, while London was strapped to a stretcher. This completed Kidman's heel turn, blaming the fans for wanting him to be more brutal with his in-ring style. Kidman and Guerrero ended their feud upon Chavo's return, the latter being victorious in the final match. Kidman then competed against London over the Cruisweight title in the coming months. At the start of 2005, Kidman suffered a broken orbital bone
, which sidelined him for three months.
Gruner was released from his WWE contract on July 6, 2005. It was rumored that the reason behind his release was the lack of crowd reaction and unintentional injuries he caused, but Gruner later stated in an interview with the UK
newspaper The Sun
that it was because he argued with management over their decision to stop booking wrestlers on first class
flights overseas. Recently, he has become a trainer for developmental talent in World Wrestling Entertainment
's official territory Florida Championship Wrestling
, making appearances as a wrestler but as of yet has not rejoined WWE in an official wrestling role.
3-way match with Jody Fleisch
and Jonny Storm
, Kidman would also wrestle British wrestling legend Robbie Brookside
in a losing effort during a British rules match to determine the first Real Quality Wrestling
Heavyweight Champion. He also competed in Wales for Alan Ravenhill's Welsh Wrestling at Maesteg Town Hall.
In 2007, Gruner made his International Wrestling Association
debut in a match for the IWA World Heavyweight Championship
against Ray Gonzalez
, which he lost. Gruner also took part in the East Coast Australian "International Assault II" Tour from June 1–3, 2007 wrestling Australian superstars TNT
and Mark Hilton, and pinned Bryan Danielson
to win the WSW World Heavyweight Championship on the 3rd night in Newcastle.
On July 8, 2007, Kidman teamed up with Sean "X-Pac" Waltman
as part of a triple threat match in McAllen, Texas
to crown the new NWA World Tag Team Champions
. The title was previously vacated by Team 3D
after TNA Wrestling
officially pulled out of the National Wrestling Alliance
. They would lose the match to Karl Anderson
and Joey Ryan.
On September 21st, 2011, WWE did a story on their website about Kidman and where he is now.
in the Lehigh Valley
region, where he graduated from Parkland High School
. Gruner was a banker before he started training to be a professional wrestler, and was good friends with Chris Kanyon
, whom he met at the Wild Samoan training center in Pennsylvania. Gruner is the cousin of fellow professional wrestler, Mikey Batts.
After being together for four years, Gruner married former WWE Diva
, Torrie Wilson
on July 11, 2003. They lived together in Tampa, Florida
when not traveling. The couple separated in mid-2006, with their divorce finalised in 2008.
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...
, trainer
Personal trainer
A personal trainer is a fitness professional involved in exercise prescription and instruction. They motivate clients by setting goals and providing feedback and accountability to clients. Trainers also measure their client's strengths and weaknesses with fitness assessments...
, and wrestling producer, better known by his ring 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:...
Billy Kidman. Kidman is best known for his work 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...
(WCW) and his current workplace of the WWE
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...
throughout the late 1990s, early to late 2000s, and now into the early 2010s. He trained the likes of Wade Barrett in Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling
Championship Wrestling from Florida was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as Florida Championship Wrestling...
.
He joined 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...
(WCW) and ultimately gained fame as a key member of several strong wrestling factions. In addition to being a member of Raven's Flock
Raven's Nest
Raven's Nest was a professional wrestling stable led by Raven that was present in Extreme Championship Wrestling between 1995 and 1997.Later, Raven created other incarnations of the group in World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .-Raven's Nest:Raven's Nest was a large...
, he also was a member of 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...
and later New Blood. As a member of these factions, Gruner participated in memorable rivalries with top WCW names, including 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 ....
, Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
, and Rey Mysterio. Kidman wrestled for WCW for many years and won tag team gold with partner and real life friend Mysterio. After leaving the group, he won the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
WWE Cruiserweight Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and was originally a World Championship Wrestling title. It was challenged by cruiserweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs...
three times. Gruner also met his former wife Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
while the two were working in WCW.
Upon WCW's purchase by World Wrestling Federation (WWF), Kidman became a member of the WCW/ECW Alliance faction, and later a successful champion in WWE's Cruiserweight and Tag Team divisions.
Early career
Gruner was trained by Afa Anoa'iAfa Anoa'i
Arthur "Afa" Anoa'i, Sr. is a Samoan American retired professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager. Since retiring in the 1990s, he has operated the World Xtreme Wrestling promotion and trained wrestlers at the Wild Samoan Training Facility.-Early life:Anoa'i was born in Samoa, but...
, one half of the Wild Samoans
Wild Samoans
The Wild Samoans was the professional wrestling tag team of Afa and Sika in Mid-South Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation . The Samoans held 21 tag team championships around the world.-Gimmick:...
, and wrestled his first match on September 11, 1994 in Hellertown, Pennsylvania
Hellertown, Pennsylvania
Hellertown is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Hellertown is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state, and geographically in the Saucon Valley.The population of Hellertown was 5,606 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
against "Wild Thing" Dan Kallis 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...
as "Kid Flash". He formed a 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...
with Ace Darling known as "Shooting Stars" and they would win the ECWA Tag Team Championship
ECWA Tag Team Championship
ECWA Tag Team Championship are the tag team titles contested in the independent professional wrestling promotion, East Coast Wrestling Association.- Title history :...
and USWA World Tag Team Championship.
World Championship Wrestling (1996–2001)
Gruner first started wrestling as Billy Kidman for WCW in mid 1996, spending over a year as a cruiserweight jobber with no gimmick. Finally, he was added to Raven's Flock in 1997 as a disheveled street junkie with a gimmick of a heroin addict, constantly scratching his arms, and named his shooting star press maneuver the "Seven Year Itch" to further tie in with the gimmick. Kidman found little personal success with the group and aided Perry Saturn in defeating RavenScott 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...
in a match, thus disbanding the group.
Kidman shed his grungy attire and began performing as a babyface
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...
, eventually pinning Juventud Guerrera
Juventud Guerrera
Eduardo Aníbal González Hernández , better known as Juventud Guerrera, is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known for his work in many wrestling promotions worldwide, including all the major American wrestling promotions, such as World Wrestling Entertainment, World Championship...
to win his first Cruiserweight Championship. Guerrera won the belt back a few weeks later, but Kidman regained it at World War 3. Kidman eventually lost the title on an episode of WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
to Rey Mysterio, Jr. They had a rematch at Spring Stampede, where Mysterio was victorious.
Following this, Mysterio asked Kidman to be his tag team partner in a match for the World Tag Team Championship
WCW World Tag Team Championship
The World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
. Kidman at first declined, as a previous attempt at a tag team between the two did not reach any level of success. The two, however, faced Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
and Dean Malenko
Dean Malenko
Dean Simon is a retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Dean Malenko. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling , New Japan Pro Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling...
for the titles and succeeded with unwanted aid from Raven and Saturn. The three teams feuded for several weeks, which ended in a three way tag team match for the titles. 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...
's interference led to the victory for Raven and Saturn. Kidman spent the next several months in assorted feuds. He won the Cruiserweight Championship one more time from Prince Iaukea
Michael Haynes III
Michael Hayner is a professional wrestler best known as Prince Iaukea in World Championship Wrestling. Haynes has also made a career performing and coordinating stunts for major motion pictures...
at a 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...
, but lost it back to Iaukea 24 hours later. Kidman also defeated Psicosis in a hair vs. mask match, and came close to defeating Jeff Jarrett for the United States Heavyweight 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....
. He then entered a short feud with Vampiro
Vampiro
Ian Richard Hodgkinson , better known by his ring name Vampiro, is a Canadian professional wrestler currently working as a wrestler and a consultant for Juggalo Championship Wrestling. Hodgkinson is semi-retired and is a member of the citizen crime patrol organization Guardian Angels, acting as...
.
During this time, Kidman was a part of the WCW face faction, 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...
, with Mysterio, Konnan
Konnan
Carlos Santiago Espada Moises , also known as Charles Ashenoff and better known by his ring name, Konnan, is a Cuban professional wrestler and rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
, 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...
. Guerrero left the group when he left WCW, and Kidman left the group when they became a heel faction. He later rejoined them when they were faces once more in the last few months of WCW.
Following his first departure from the Filthy Animals, Kidman joined 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...
's New Blood faction, taking another heel turn. His gimmick was a young hotshot not wanting to be held back by wrestlers beyond their prime. This led to his biggest feud to date with 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 ....
, defeating him in three matches in a row. After the New Blood split up, Kidman became a face once more by entering a feud with Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
for the affection of his on-screen girlfriend, Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
. During the feud, Wilson turned on Kidman. Kidman was legitimately injured in a match at New Blood Rising
New Blood Rising
New Blood Rising was a professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by World Championship Wrestling in 2000. It took place on August 13, 2000 from the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, British Columbia.-Results:...
in August 2000, when in a strap match, Douglas hung Kidman from the neck using the strap, and was forced to take several weeks for to recover.
Following the Douglas feud, Kidman began teaming with Mysterio again. They entered the Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship
WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship
The World Championship Wrestling Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship was a short-lived title created in 2001 just prior to World Championship Wrestling being sold to the World Wrestling Federation.-History:...
tournament, but lost in the finals to Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a four-time NWA World Tag Team...
and Kid Romeo. On the final episode of Nitro, Kidman and Mysterio won the titles from Skipper and Romeo. That night, the World Wrestling Federation
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...
(WWF) purchased WCW and Kidman's contract was picked up by the WWF.
World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (2001–2005)
When the WWF purchased WCW, the contract of Gruner (who was still wrestling as Billy Kidman) was one of twenty-five contracts involved in the purchase. When The Invasion storyline commenced, Gruner appeared on WWF television as a tweener for the WCW Alliance faction. In July 2001, Gruner won the Cruiserweight Championship from Gregory HelmsGregory 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...
in the first televised WCW match on SmackDown!. Kidman then defeated the WWF's Light Heavyweight champion at the time, X-Pac, after a Shooting Star Press at InVasion 2001
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...
. Kidman was later sidelined with an injury during the Invasion angle and thus did not have as big of an impact as other WCW superstars.
On the October 11 edition of Smackdown, Kidman won the Cruiserweight title back after losing it to X-Pac on an episode of Raw is War in late July.
Kidman turned 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...
after the WCW/ECW Alliance broke up. He was drafted to SmackDown! as part of the brand extension, and in his return match he defeated Tajiri
Yoshihiro Tajiri
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently competing in SMASH as TAJIRI.-Early years :...
to win his first Cruiserweight Championship under the WWE brand. Tajiri reclaimed the title at Backlash
Backlash (2002)
Backlash was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation promotion, which took place on April 21, 2002 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The event starred talent from the Raw and SmackDown! brands. It was the fourth event under the Backlash...
. At Rebellion 2002
WWE Rebellion
Rebellion was an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event held by World Wrestling Entertainment that was exclusively for the United Kingdom on Sky Box Office. In 2002, the pay-per-view was a SmackDown! exclusive show. It was no longer an annual event after all UK-exclusive pay-per-views...
, Kidman and his real life girlfriend at the time, Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
defeated 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 Dawn Marie in an intergender tag team match. After the match Torrie and Kidman kissed.
Kidman then went on to capture the Cruiserweight Championship for the seventh time (making him the record holder for most Cruiserweight Titles at the time), by defeating Jamie Noble
Jamie Noble
James Howard Gibson better known by his WWE ring name Jamie Noble, is an American former professional wrestler currently working for WWE as a trainer. He is best known for his work from 2002 to 2009 when a severe back injury forced him to retire from competition...
at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2002)
Survivor Series was the sixteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on November 17, 2002 from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York and featured talent from both the Raw and SmackDown! brands...
. Kidman lost the title three months later to Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
at No Way Out
No Way Out (2003)
No Way Out was the fourth annual No Way Out pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . The event took place on February 23, 2003 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec and starred the promotion's Raw and SmackDown! brands.The main event from the SmackDown! brand was a rematch...
. He spent the next few years as a star attraction in the cruiserweight division, relying solely on his in-ring work and no real gimmick. Later, Kidman was placed with a new 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...
partner, Paul London
Paul London
Paul Michael London is an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment ....
. The team went on to win the 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 The Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
on July 8, 2004. Proving the win was not an upset, they went on to win a rematch for the titles.
The championship run of this face team came to an abrupt end after Kidman turned his back on London. The 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...
turn played off of a legitimate injury which occurred on an August 24, 2004 taping of SmackDown!, when Gruner's Shooting Star Press had unintentionally caused 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...
to suffer a concussion and be taken to the hospital. The next week, Kidman was on the top rope ready to hit the Shooting Star Press, but hesitated, climbed down the turnbuckles, and slowly walked backstage overwhelmed with guilt after injuring Guerrero. London was left alone to defend the titles against Kenzo Suzuki
Kenzo Suzuki
Kenzo Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with New Japan Pro Wrestling and in the United States with World Wrestling Entertainment...
and Rene Dupree
René Goguen
René Goguen better known by his ring name René Duprée, is a French Canadian professional wrestler. Goguen is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he is a one-time World Tag Team Champion with Sylvain Grenier as the tag team La Résistance and a one time WWE Tag Team...
, and was brutally defeated. London and Kidman fought at No Mercy 2004
No Mercy (2004)
No Mercy was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on October 3, 2004 at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It was the fifth annual No Mercy event, and featured eight professional wrestling matches...
, where Kidman injured London with a shooting star press, while London was strapped to a stretcher. This completed Kidman's heel turn, blaming the fans for wanting him to be more brutal with his in-ring style. Kidman and Guerrero ended their feud upon Chavo's return, the latter being victorious in the final match. Kidman then competed against London over the Cruisweight title in the coming months. At the start of 2005, Kidman suffered a broken orbital bone
Orbit (anatomy)
In anatomy, the orbit is the cavity or socket of the skull in which the eye and its appendages are situated. "Orbit" can refer to the bony socket, or it can also be used to imply the contents...
, which sidelined him for three months.
Gruner was released from his WWE contract on July 6, 2005. It was rumored that the reason behind his release was the lack of crowd reaction and unintentional injuries he caused, but Gruner later stated in an interview with the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
newspaper The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
that it was because he argued with management over their decision to stop booking wrestlers on first class
Business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
flights overseas. Recently, he has become a trainer for developmental talent in 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...
's official territory Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling
Championship Wrestling from Florida was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as Florida Championship Wrestling...
, making appearances as a wrestler but as of yet has not rejoined WWE in an official wrestling role.
Independent circuit (2005–2010)
During his first tour of the UK since leaving WWE, Kidman would make a few appearances in independent British promotions. Other than his notable Frontier Wrestling AllianceXWA (professional wrestling)
XWA is a British professional wrestling promotion, based in the English north west seaside town of Morecambe, Lancashire, dealing primarily in the professional wrestling industry...
3-way match with Jody Fleisch
Jody Fleisch
Jerome Fleisch is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jody Fleisch. He is best known for his work with the Frontier Wrestling Alliance, One Pro Wrestling and Real Quality Wrestling...
and Jonny Storm
Jonny Storm
Jonathan Whitcombe is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jonny Storm. He has worked for many independent promotions across the United Kingdom, including the Frontier Wrestling Alliance, Real Quality Wrestling and One Pro Wrestling...
, Kidman would also wrestle British wrestling legend Robbie Brookside
Robbie Brookside
Robert Edward Brooks , better known by his ring name Robbie Brookside, is a British professional wrestler. He has toured all over the world during his career including such countries as the United States, Japan, Germany, and Mexico...
in a losing effort during a British rules match to determine the first Real Quality Wrestling
Real Quality Wrestling
Real Quality Wrestling is a British professional wrestling organisation. Len Davies is the Owner and chairman of the company and their sister company, Spectrum Multimedia. The company began as an independent promotion, but soon became an umbrella promotion in 2007 with the self-stated aim to...
Heavyweight Champion. He also competed in Wales for Alan Ravenhill's Welsh Wrestling at Maesteg Town Hall.
In 2007, Gruner made his International Wrestling Association
International Wrestling Association
The International Wrestling Association is a wrestling promotion in Puerto Rico, started in Japan in 1994 by promoter Victor Quiñones. The Hispanic division was created in 1999. The company was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance until 2001, but again became a member in 2007...
debut in a match for the IWA World Heavyweight Championship
IWA World Heavyweight Championship
The IWA Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the International Wrestling Association...
against Ray Gonzalez
Ray Gonzalez
Ramón González Rivera, better know by his ring name Ray González, is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler who has wrestled in Mexico, Japan, as well as with the XWF in the United States, and the World Wrestling Council along with the International Wrestling Association of Puerto Rico...
, which he lost. Gruner also took part in the East Coast Australian "International Assault II" Tour from June 1–3, 2007 wrestling Australian superstars TNT
Greg Bownds
Gregory James Bownds better known by his stage name TNT, is an Australian professional wrestler and promoter, currently owning and promoting the Australasian Wrestling Federation....
and Mark Hilton, and pinned Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE where he wrestles on its SmackDown brand as Daniel Bryan, and currently holds the SmackDown Money in the Bank briefcase, which enables him to have a World Heavyweight Championship match at any time of his choosing...
to win the WSW World Heavyweight Championship on the 3rd night in Newcastle.
On July 8, 2007, Kidman teamed up with Sean "X-Pac" Waltman
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
as part of a triple threat match in McAllen, Texas
McAllen, Texas
McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. It is located at the southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley and is part of the . Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the U.S.–Mexico border and the Mexican city of Reynosa, the Rio...
to crown the new NWA World Tag Team Champions
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
. The title was previously vacated by Team 3D
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
after TNA 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...
officially pulled out of the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
. They would lose the match to Karl Anderson
Karl Anderson
Chad Allegra is an American professional wrestler better known by his stage name Karl "Machine Gun" Anderson currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is currently one half of the IWGP and GHC Tag Team Champions with partner Giant Bernard.-Personal life:Allegra grew up in Asheville,...
and Joey Ryan.
Return to World Wrestling Entertainment (2010-present)
He is currently a Producer on the WWE RAW Brand and was even mentioned by John Cena on the November 22nd Edition of RAW in 2010.On September 21st, 2011, WWE did a story on their website about Kidman and where he is now.
Personal life
Gruner grew up in Allentown, PennsylvaniaAllentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
in the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
region, where he graduated from Parkland High School
Parkland High School (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
Parkland High School, located near Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States, is a public high school serving students in grades 9 to 12. It is the only high school for the Parkland School District....
. Gruner was a banker before he started training to be a professional wrestler, and was good friends with 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...
, whom he met at the Wild Samoan training center in Pennsylvania. Gruner is the cousin of fellow professional wrestler, Mikey Batts.
After being together for four years, Gruner married former WWE Diva
WWE Diva
Diva is a term used by World Wrestling Entertainment , an American professional wrestling promotion, to refer to its female talent. The term is applied to women who appear as wrestlers, managers or valets, backstage interviewers, or ring announcers....
, Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
on July 11, 2003. They lived together in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
when not traveling. The couple separated in mid-2006, with their divorce finalised in 2008.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
-
- BK Bomb (Lifting sitout spinebuster, sometimes from the second rope)
- Kid Krusher (Jumping inverted double underhook facebuster)
- Shooting star press (WCWWorld 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...
/ WWF/EWorld 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...
/ Independent circuitIndependent circuitIn 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...
) / Seven Year Itch (WCWWorld 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...
)
- Signature moves
-
- DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
- Diving bulldog while running up the ring ropes
- DropkickDropkickA dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
, sometimes from the top rope - Fireman's carry neckbreaker
- Frankensteiner, sometimes from the top rope
- Kid Factor (Sitout facebuster, often used as a 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...
counter) - 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,...
- Sidewalk slam
- Slingshot leg drop
- Spin-out powerbomb
- Wheelbarrow suplex
- DDT
- With Rey Mysterio, Jr.
- Catapult by Kidman into a diving hurricanrana by Mysterio
- Wheelbarrow facebuster (Kidman) / Springboard leg drop (Mysterio) combination
- 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...
- Raven
- Torrie WilsonTorrie WilsonTorrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
- Tygress
- Dawn MarieDawn Marie PsaltisDawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
- Lacey Von ErichLacey Von ErichLacey Dawn Adkisson is an American professional wrestler better known by her ring name Lacey Von Erich. She is the daughter of Kerry Von Erich and the granddaughter of Fritz Von Erich...
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s - "The Master of the Shooting Star Press" (WCW / WWF/E)
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Rock The World" (WCW)
- "Destroyer" (WCW)
- "Kid Krusher" (WCW / WWF/E)
- "Kidman's Theme" by Jim JohnstonJim Johnston (composer)James Alan "Jim" Johnston is an American music composer who has been working for WWE since 1985. His work is often accredited to the names Jim Johnston, James A...
(WWE) - "You Can Run" by Lord Akkim (WWE)
Championships and accomplishments
- East Coast Wrestling AssociationEast Coast Wrestling AssociationEast Coast Wrestling Association is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded by promoter Jim Kettner in 1967. It is home to the annual Super 8 Tournament, one of the longest-running independent wrestling tournaments in the country...
- ECWA Tag Team ChampionshipECWA Tag Team ChampionshipECWA Tag Team Championship are the tag team titles contested in the independent professional wrestling promotion, East Coast Wrestling Association.- Title history :...
(1 time) – with Ace Darling - ECWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2004)
- ECWA Tag Team Championship
- 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 #92 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in PWI 500 in 2004
- Revolution Xtreme Wrestling
- RXW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Trans–World Wrestling Federation
- TWWF Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
- United States Wrestling AssociationUnited States Wrestling AssociationThe United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
- USWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ace Darling
- 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 Cruiserweight ChampionshipWWE Cruiserweight ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and was originally a World Championship Wrestling title. It was challenged by cruiserweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs...
(3 times) - WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team ChampionshipWCW Cruiserweight Tag Team ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship was a short-lived title created in 2001 just prior to World Championship Wrestling being sold to the World Wrestling Federation.-History:...
(1 time) – with Rey Mysterio, Jr. - 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...
(2 times) – with Rey Mysterio, Jr. (1), KonnanKonnanCarlos Santiago Espada Moises , also known as Charles Ashenoff and better known by his ring name, Konnan, is a Cuban professional wrestler and rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
(1)
- WCW Cruiserweight Championship
- World Series Wrestling
- WSW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)
- World Wrestling Federation / 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...
(1 time) – with Paul LondonPaul LondonPaul Michael London is an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment .... - WWF/E Cruiserweight ChampionshipWWE Cruiserweight ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and was originally a World Championship Wrestling title. It was challenged by cruiserweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs...
(4 times)
- WWE Tag Team Championship
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Worst Feud of the Year (2000) vs. Hulk HoganHulk HoganTerrance 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 ....
- Worst Feud of the Year (2000) vs. Hulk Hogan