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MIKE AWESOME PROFILE |
Mike Awesome profile written by Wayne
K. Wilkins
The 1990's were an era of change in the world of
professional wrestling. The 1980's featured the
most success of all time in the sport and with
the new decade starting out, many people were
inspired by the likes of Hulk Hogan and Randy
Savage to start training for the sport and were
looking to break in and make an impact
throughout the coming decade. Of course, many
men who attempted this gave up shortly after
they started after realizing how grueling the
sport actually is and how it becomes a life
altering decision if one chooses to stay on
course in the business.
One of the men
who decided to stick with it however was a man
who later became known as "The Gladiator" Mike
Awesome. The title of "The Gladiator" was not
actually one that Mike dubbed on himself; it was
a name he earned for a wide range of reasons.
Much liked I described above with the popularity
of wrestling, Mike was one of the most
determined wrestlers during the early 1990's and
a man who fought tooth and nail and put in as
much hard graft that was asked of him in order
to advance his career. He single handedly took
down every obstacle that may have hindered his
future and he single handedly made a career and
made a name for himself all over the world even
during his rookie years. He was eventually
dubbed "The Gladiator" as a symbol of his
dedication and determination to succeed to his
fullest potential in his chosen craft.
Needless to say, a man on the caliber of Mike
Awesome was a rare sight in professional
wrestling. The "big leagues" were currently ran
by the likes of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, men
who did their hard graft years ago and were now
riding the easy road at the very top of their
game being two of the most popular wrestlers in
the world. This was the success every man longed
for, along with the cash that came with it. Mike
however, once realizing the harsh reality of
professional wrestling the politics, the
backstabbing and the betrayal, decided to stay
loyal to his craft and stayed on the independent
circuit for the majority of his career.
He made a huge name for himself alongside his
real-life cousin, Horace Boulder in Japan, as
well as making an even bigger name for himself
in his solo career which took him to every
corner of the world and taking on opponents
fluent in a variety of different wrestling
styles. Mike took in every detail and quickly
became fluent in several wrestling styles. This
gained him much acclaim all over the world and
he eventually busted his way through the huge
hardcore leagues of the likes of FMW.
He
eventually moved on to Extreme Championship
Wrestling and added even more credibility to his
rapidly growing name, having legendary matches
with the likes of Masato Tanaka and Taz. Awesome
eventually went on to win the ECW World
Heavyweight Championship, his first major
championship on mainstream pay per view in the
United States.
Awesome's career
eventually took a turn for the worst when he
joined WCW. His entire hard-graft was put to
waste when a simply hideous gimmick was given to
him "that 70's guy", a man who would wrestle
with a mullet, and while his stay was only
short, this without a doubt dealt a massive blow
to his career. After WCW was purchased by the
WWF, Awesome went on to play a small part in the
"Invasion" angle before leaving the company.
Awesome's career was generally winding down
at this point, he made a few appearances on
Total Nonstop Action's weekly pay per views and
wrestled on the Independent circuit before
returning to his roots in Japan where he
experienced the last of his success. He became
semi-retired before signing a one-time rematch
deal between himself and his greatest opponent,
Masato Tanaka, at WWE's ECW Reunion pay per
view, One Night Stand. This was to be Awesome's
last match as he would retire shortly later in
early 2006 stating he wanted to spend more time
with his family.
Sadly, shortly after he
retired, his wife filed for divorce after an
argument. Shortly after this, Awesome was found
hanging in his home in Tampa, Florida on
February 17, 2007 as a result of a suspected
suicide, putting an end to one of the most
hard-working men the sport has ever seen, and
without a doubt one of the greatest workers to
ever lace up a pair of boots. Needless to say,
his retirement was a huge loss to the world of
wrestling, but his death left a permanent hole
in the hearts of wrestling fans everywhere. We
have lost one of the best names to something so
trivial that it hurts to think. It is a shame
that we had to lose one of the sports' finest
this way.
Rest in Peace
Mike Awesome
Thank you for the memories.
January 24,
1965 February 17, 2007.
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