David Taylor (wrestler)
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David Taylor | |
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Statistics | |
Ring name(s) | Dave Taylor David Taylor |
Billed height | 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) |
Billed weight | 116 kg (256 lb) |
Born | May 1, 1957 Yorkshire |
Trained by | Eric and Jack Taylor |
Debut | Late 1970s |
David Steven Taylor (born May 1, 1957) is an English professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its SmackDown! brand. He also worked as a trainer for the Deep South Wrestling professional wrestling promotion, a subsidiary of World Wrestling Entertainment.
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[edit] Career
A third generation wrestler, Taylor was trained by his father Jack and grandfather Eric. After winning several awards as an amateur wrestler, Taylor made his professional debut in the late 1970s under the ring name Dave "Rocky" Taylor.
Taylor eventually joined All Star Promotions, and defeated Dave Finlay for the All-Star British Heavyweight Championship in King's Lynn on June 4, 1991. He held the title for two years before losing to Tony St. Clair on May 4, 1993 in Croydon. After St. Claire vacated the title in 1995, Taylor entered a tournament for the belt, and defeated Marty Jones in the tournament final in August 1988 in Croydon. His second reign lasted until 1996, when he was defeated by Marty Jones in Croydon
In the early 1990s, Taylor began wrestling for the German Catch Wrestling Association. On December 21, 1991 in Bremen, he and Chris Benoit defeated Franz Schumann and Miles Zrno for the CWA Tag Team Championship. They vacated the titles in June 1992 after Taylor suffered an injury and Benoit left the CWA to compete in Japan. Taylor won the CWA Tag Team Championship on a second occasion on July 18, 1993, teaming with Miles Zrno to defeat Larry Cameron and Mad Bull Buster. Cameron and Buster regained the titles on October 24, 1993 in Hanover.
In the mid 1990s, Taylor travelled to the United States of America and joined the Atlanta, Georgia-based World Championship Wrestling promotion. Taylor, renamed Squire David Taylor, formed a stable with Lord Steven Regal and Earl Robert Eaton known as the Blue Bloods. After Eaton (an American) left the group, Taylor and Regal feuded with him. Taylor continued to team with Regal until Regal was fired from WCW in 2000, at which point Taylor also left the promotion.
In 2001, Taylor joined the World Wrestling Federation, acting as a trainer and wrestler in the Heartland Wrestling Association, a subsidiary of the WWF. Taylor eventually left the WWF after they asked him to relocate to Cincinnati, Ohio, where the HWA was located.
In May 2002, Taylor, William (formerly Steven) Regal and Dave Finlay opened the Atlantan Blue Bloods Wrestling Academy, a professional wrestling school.
On April 7th, 2004 Taylor made an appearance in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a mentor/coach of Team Britain during the America's X-Cup Tournament.
In February 2005, Taylor came back to the UK for a three weeks with Brian Dixon's All Star Wrestling where he responded to some comments made by "The Highlander From Hell" Drew McDonald.
By January 2006, Taylor was hired by World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly the WWF) to train wrestling students at Deep South Wrestling in McDonough, Georgia. On March 23, 2006, Taylor returned to the ring in DSW to once again team with Regal.
On the October 20 episode of SmackDown, Regal announced that Taylor would be joining him on the brand. The two debuted the same night against the team Scotty 2 Hotty & Funaki, and picked up the win after dominating their opponents. Though the pair reformed their previous tag team, Regal and Taylor would not reuse the Blue Bloods gimmick instead portraying themselves as sadistic fighters. However, the team was quickly put into jeopardy in their second match together when Taylor suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee leaving him injured. Taylor took a more relaxed role for a couple of weeks as a corner man for Regal and only wrestled a few short house shows matches.
[edit] Personal life
Taylor was married to Christina Nerrit and divorced in 2000. They have 4 children together. He would later get married again to Ashley Bower. According to WWE commentator JBL, his daughter is the first fourth-generation wrestler.[citation needed]
[edit] Wrestling facts
- Signature moves
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- Jeeves
- Nicknames
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- "Rocky"
- "Squire"
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
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- CWA Tag Team Championship (2 time) - with Chris Benoit (1), and with Miles Zrno (1)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him # 429 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
[edit] References
- British Heavyweight Title history
- David Taylor at Bodyslamming.com
- David Taylor at Cagematch.net
- David Taylor at ObsessedWithWrestling.com
- Solie's title histories