Fit Finlay

Dave Finlay
Dave Finlay
	File:Finlay.jpg
Born	January 31, 1958; Belfast, Northern Ireland
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Belfast Bruiser; Dave Finlay; Fit Finlay; Finlay
Billed height	5 ft 11 in (182 cm )
Billed weight	233 lb (107 kg)
Trained by	Ted Betley
Debut	October 1978

David (Dave) Finlay (born January 31, 1958 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a British / Irish professional wrestler and road agent. He is currently wrestling in the United States of America on the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Finlay. He is the reigning WWE United States Champion.

Career

Finlay began his career in Northern Ireland, being trained by his father who is also a professional wrestler (and even runs his own wrestling promotion in Ireland called Ulster Championship Wrestling), before moving over to Great Britain in 1978. While in Great Britain Finlay wrestled for various companies under the Joint Promotions banner, with his manager and then wife Princess Paula by his side. Finlay won his first title when he defeated Allan Kilby on June 9th, 1982 to win the Joint Promotions British Heavy Middleweight title. He would trade that belt back and forth with various people over the rest of the year, but in early 1983, lost it for the last time. Finlay would win a tournament to crown a new British Light Heavyweight champion, a vacant belt at the time, defeating British Legend Ringo Rigby in the finals.

Finlay would soon lose that belt, but gain another, beating Marty Jones to win the "World Mid-Heavyweight title", although said belt never left Great Britain. Later in the year, Finlay once again defeated Marty Jones en route to winning the British Light Heavyweight title. Through 83 and into 84, Fit was always fighting for a title or defending a title.

He would achieve notoriety by winning a major British title; All-Star's British Heavyweight Championship. Finlay often competed on ITV's World of Sport programme as David "Fit" Finlay.

During this time, Finlay began to wrestle in Germany as well, for one of the biggest companies in Europe, the Catch Wrestling Association. While holding the All-Star title, he teamed with his old foe Marty Jones to win the CWA tag titles off Tony St. Clair (the man he won the All-Star title from) and his partner, Miles Zrno. After losing the All-Star title to Dave Taylor, Fit began to focus more on CWA winning many of their titles and amassing international fame, with it coming trips to Japan and Mexico, on one Japanese trip teaming successfully with The Pegasus Kid.

World Championship Wrestling

Until his current run in WWE, Finlay was best known in the United States for his run in WCW from 1995-2000, first as The Belfast Bruiser and later as "Fit" Finley. His momentum began picking up after his surprising defeat of Eddie Guerrero on WCW Thunder via count-out. Soon after, he cut his dark, greased mullet in exchange for the short, blonde look he sports today and began a pursuit for championship gold. He found some success in 1998, winning the WCW World Television Championship and feuding with the likes of Chris Benoit and Booker T. Before long, he was a well established midcarder with his newly modified name, both in spelling and pronunciation, Fit Finlay.

Near the end of his WCW run, he won a "Hardcore Junkyard Invitational" at Bash at the Beach, winning a "hardcore trophy". However, he suffered a badly lacerated nerve in his leg in a hardcore match at a house show in July, which nearly cost him use of the leg. He was wrestling Brian Knobbs, was thrown into a table in the corner of the ring, and the table shattered and cut his leg. He managed to regain use of the limb and came back later in the year, but by that point, all momentum he had from the Junkyard Invitational win was lost. In 2000, Finlay formed a trio of "Hardcore Soldiers" with Brian Knobbs and Al Green. After the return of Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo to power in WCW, he was virtually forgotten on TV.

World Wrestling Entertainment

After leaving WCW, Finlay wrestled in independent promotions before retiring to become a road agent and trainer for the Divas in WWE.

Finlay began work on a comeback in 2004, and promos began airing for his impending in-ring return in December 2005. His gimmick is that of a proud native Irishman who loves to fight. His first televised WWE match was on the January 20, 2006 airing of SmackDown! against Matt Hardy, which ended in a disqualification loss for Finlay. After the match, Finlay dragged Hardy to the steel ring steps and smashed Hardy's face into them with his boot, quickly establishing himself as a heel. This helped to give him the nickname, "The Fighting Irish Bastard". On one memorable SmackDown!, Finlay interfered in a Junior's Division match and brutalized the participants.

Finlay continued to establish himself on the SmackDown! roster. During Februrary and March of 2006, Finlay was involved in an intense feud with Bobby Lashley which saw the pair brawl on many occasions, including a memorable parking lot segment in which Lashley tried to overturn a car onto Finlay. Later, the pair would compete in a Lumberjack Match that Finlay would win. During this time, Finlay began to wield a shillelagh as a weapon.

On April 2, 2006 Finlay would compete in his first WrestleMania, WrestleMania 22, Finlay faced five other WWE Superstars, from both the WWE RAW and SmackDown! brands in a Money in the Bank ladder match. This match was eventually won by RAW's Rob Van Dam.

Finlay would next be entered into the King of the Ring tournament on Smackdown!, Finlay would defeat his first round opponent Chris Benoit before being defeated by his rival Lashley, who advanced to the finals at WWE Judgment Day 2006. Finlay would help the other finalist, Booker T, defeat Lashley in the final.

Beginning on the May 26 episode of SmackDown!, Finlay would be joined by The Little Bastard character who came out from under the ring to attack Finlay's opponents. The Little Bastard would continue to attack Finlay's opponents with or without Finlay's permission for several weeks. Finlay would join forces with William Regal as loyal subjects of the newly renamed King Booker and his Court. During his time as part of the court, Finlay would pick up a win against World Champion Rey Mysterio in a non-title match before defeating the court's main foe Bobby Lashley to take Lashley's WWE United States Championship. Finlay defeated William Regal at The Great American Bash to retain his title, with help from Little Bastard.

Wrestling facts

File:FinlayFrosion.jpg

Finlay performing the Celtic Cross on Brian "Spanky" Kendrick.

Finishing and signature moves

Celtic Cross / Emerald Fusion (Kryptonite Krunch)
Tombstone piledriver (in WCW)
Finlay Roll (Rolling fireman's carry slam)
Arm breaker DDT
European uppercut
Running seated senton
Short-arm clothesline
Various offensive and defensive maneuvers using the ring apron
Signature foreign object: Shillelagh

Quotes

"My name is Finlay and I love to fight!"
"Finlay! That's my name!"
"The name's Finlay! Remember it!"
"My name is Finlay, and I give a new meaning to the term, Fighting Irish"
"My name is Finlay, some people call me a Fighting Irish Bastard, but not to my face."
"The Little Bastard stole my Guinness. I'll kill him!"