Bill Irwin (wrestler)
| Bill Irwin | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Barney William Irwin |
| Born | September 17, 1954 [1] |
| Residence | Duluth, Minnesota[1] |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Bill Irwin[1] The Goon[1] Super Destroyer #1[1] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1] |
| Billed weight | 250 lb (110 kg; 18 st)[1] |
| Billed from | Pecos, Texas (as Wild Bill Irwin) Duluth, Minnesota (as The Goon) |
| Trained by | Scott Irwin[1] Verne Gagne |
| Debut | 1979[1] |
| Retired | 1996 |
Barney William Irwin (born September 17, 1954) is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Wild" Bill Irwin. Irwin is also known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as The Goon in 1996.[1] He is the brother of the late Scott Irwin.
Contents
Professional wrestling career
The Super Destroyers/The Long Riders (1979–1987)
Irwin began wrestling in 1979 in the National Wrestling Alliance's Central States territory and in World Class Championship Wrestling. He was soon teaming with his brother Scott Irwin as the masked "Super Destroyers" with manager Skandor Akbar.[1][2] Irwin then moved on to Jim Crockett Promotions and the American Wrestling Association where he and his brother wrestled as the "Long Riders" and won several tag team titles together.[3][4] Their tag team ended in 1987 when Scott died from a brain tumor.
Irwin later provided extensive commentary on the WWE's "The Triumph and Tragedy of WCCW" video retrospective of World Class Championship Wrestling, regarding his time in Texas, what it was like to wrestle in the Dallas Sportatorium, and his fateful trip with David Von Erich to Japan.
Independent circuit/World Championship Wrestling (1987–1996)
Irwin stayed in wrestling in the independents and resurfaced in the NWA during 1989. Later he would form a tag team with Black Bart in the Global Wrestling Federation from 1991 to 1992.[5] Irwin, as "Wild" Bill Irwin, also appeared sporadically in World Championship Wrestling, including in a loss to Davey Boy Smith in Smith's WCW debut at SuperBrawl III.[6]
World Wrestling Federation (1996–1997, 2001, 2007)
In 1996, Irwin wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation as The Goon, a hockey character who was "kicked out of every league he ever participated in." He made his TV debut on the July 20, 1996 episode of Superstars. The gimmick did not last long, as he left a few months after arriving.[7]
In 2001, Irwin returned to the WWF for one night, resuming the gimmick of "The Goon" for the gimmick battle royal at WrestleMania X-Seven.
On Raw XV, the 15th-anniversary WWE Raw special on December 10, 2007, Irwin, wrestling as "The Goon" once again, and sporting a thick moustache, participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal. He was eliminated by the Repo Man.
Return to the independent circuit and retirement
Upon leaving the WWF in 1996, Irwin wrestled on the independent circuit for a short time, his most prominent match being against Shockwave the Robot. Irwin is now a motor coach bus driver.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Signature moves
- Managers
- Nicknames
- "Wild"
Championships and accomplishments
- Big D Wrestling
- Central States Wrestling
- NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Bryan St. John[9]
- Continental Wrestling Association
- Georgia Championship Wrestling
- Global Wrestling Federation
- Lutte` Internationale
- Canadian International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Scott Irwin[4]
- NWA Big Time Wrestling / World Class Championship Wrestling
- NWA American Tag Team Championship (5 times) - with King Kong Bundy (1) and Super Destroyer #2/Scott Irwin (4)[2]
- NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[13]
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (2 times) - with Frank Dusek (1) and Bugsy McGraw (1)[14]
- WCCW Television Championship (7 times)[15]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him # 311 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003.
- Steel Domain Wrestling
- SDW Television Championship (1 time)
- Universal Wrestling Federation
See also
References
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