Mike Plotcheck

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Michael Plotcheck
Statistics
Ring name(s)	Black Bart Bart Gunn Brett Colt Bodacious Bart Mike Barton
Billed height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Billed weight	285 lbs (129 kg)
Born	December 27, 1965 Eddyville, Kentucky
Resides	Melbourne, Florida
Billed from	Austin, Texas
Trained by	Caesar Barraza Blackjack Mulligan
Debut	1991

Michael ("Mike") Plotcheck (born December 27, 1965 in Eddyville, Kentucky) is an American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, also known by the ring names Bart Gunn and Mike Barton. He is perhaps best known for his six-year tenure in the World Wrestling Federation.

1 World Wrestling Federation
2 Japan / MMA
3 Wrestling facts
4 Championships and accomplishments
5 References
6 External link

[edit] World Wrestling Federation

Plotcheck was famous in the World Wrestling Federation (now the WWE) as one-half of the tag team The Smoking Gunns with his storyline brother and former WWE star Billy Gunn. The team were WWF World Tag Team Champions three times before breaking up and engaging in a brief feud. Their first match against each other involved Bart dropping Billy face first into the top rope, supposedly injuring Billy.

Plotcheck would then recreate the Midnight Express tag team as "Bodacious Bart" with partner "Bombastic" Bob Holly. The team had limited success, though they did hold the NWA World Tag Team Championship for a brief period in 1998.

When the WWF announced a shoot tournament called the Brawl for All in which the competition would be real and winners would not be predetermined, Plotcheck volunteered to participate. Plotcheck actually drew partner Bob Holly in the first round but was declared winner by the complicated point system. The tournament is heavily rumoured to have been intended as a vehicle to establish newly signed "Dr. Death" Steve Williams as a legitimate tough guy but any such plans went awry in the second round when Plotcheck knocked Williams out, stunning everyone. After knocking out The Godfather in the semi-finals, Plotcheck was a heavy favorite to knock out Bradshaw in the finals. He did handily and Shawn Michaels, who was on commentary for the final match, suggested Plotcheck "just opened the door to a new future." With his husky physique, which was highlighted by a thick muscular chest, immense brute strength, and good looks which were enhanced by a buzz cut, Plotcheck appeared ready to go to the top tier at the WWF.

Afterward, Plotcheck feuded with both Holly and Williams, the pair angry at having been beaten in the tournament, the latter masking himself and pushing Plotcheck off a stage.

To continue capitalizing on the impressive Brawl for All showing, the WWF set up a Brawl for All match between Plotcheck and heavyweight boxer Eric "Butterbean" Esch at WrestleMania XV. Esch knocked out Plotcheck within 30 seconds. With Plotcheck's legitimacy ruined (just as he had ruined that of Williams), he was soon released by WWF after this.

[edit] Japan / MMA

After leaving the WWF, Plotcheck found success wrestling in Japan (due to the fame of Steve Williams in Japan and his knockout pushing him as tougher than Dr. Death) with New Japan and All Japan Wrestling under the ring name Mike Barton. He would also have a short stint in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2002-2003.

Plotcheck made his mixed martial arts debut on June 17, 2006, defeating Wesley "Cabbage" Correira at Rumble On The Rock: Beatdown in less than two minutes by technical knockout on the basis of a cut suffered by Correira. In his most recent match, Plotcheck faced Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa on the PRIDE Bushido 13 card, losing via unanimous decision to Minowa.