William Welch

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William Welch
Statistics
Ring name(s)	Iron Mike Ehrhardt The Blunatic (The) Messiah
Billed height	6 ft
Billed weight	220 lb
Born	December 18, 1977 (1977-12-18) (age 30) Detroit, Michigan
Trained by	Carlito Montana Slam U Training School

William C. Welch[1] (born December 18, 1977 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name (The) Messiah.

On August 1, 2002, Welch was attacked by two unknown assailants in his home, who subsequently cut off his right thumb. His former promoter, Rob Black was named as a suspect on an episode of America's Most Wanted about the incident. Since the episode's airing, nobody has been accused or arrested by police in connection to the attack and the case remains unsolved.[2]

1 Career
2 In Wrestling
3 Championships and accomplishments
4 External links

[edit] Career

Welch's professional career began modestly after being trained at the Slam U Wrestling Gym in Sun Valley, California. He worked for the school's parent company the Slammers Wrestling Federation for a time, losing his first professional match there to El Sprito. In the Slammers Wrestling Federation, he worked under the name Iron Mike Ehrhardt.

Recognition came for Welch after he joined Xtreme Pro Wrestling. Working his way up the card with his new gimmick, Messiah, he eventually became a main eventer who wrestled with well known former Extreme Championship Wrestling stars like Sabu, Chris Candido and New Jack.

While XPW folded, Messiah continued to compete in the CZW promotion. Messiah has also competed in IWA Mid-South, Pro Pain Pro Wrestling (3PW), as well as other promotions. He has competed in Italy twice, as well as been in a world wide video game. (Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes The Neighborhood for Xbox and PlayStation 2) He has held the CZW Heavyweight Title three times; having a nearly one-year long run with the belt from March 6, 2004 to February 5, 2005. After losing the CZW Heavyweight Title to Ruckus in February of 2005, The Messiah slowly faded away from CZW.

In April 2007, Messiah officially left CZW and returned as a regular member of Pro Wrestling Unplugged, feuding with Adam Flash.

On December 8, 2007, Messiah returned to CZW at their biggest event of the year, Cage of Death IX. He faced Ruckus and a returning Nick Gage in a three-way dance for Ruckus' CZW World Heavyweight Championship.

[edit] In Wrestling

Finishing and signature moves
- Fall From Grace (Inverted Death Valley driver)
- Godsmack (Elevated cutter)
- Carlito's Way (Spinning fireman's carry stunner; named as a tribute to his head trainer, Carlito Montana)
- Cross Factor (Sitout facebuster)
- Super Cross Factor (Top rope sitout facebuster)
- Arm drag into an armbar
- Belly to belly suplex into the turnbuckle
- Elevated boston crab with a knee to the back
- Facewash
- Figure four leglock
- Headscissors takedown into a DDT
- Leg lariat
- Springboard moonsault
- Spinning side slam
- Back mounted full nelson
- Suicide dive
- Sunset flip powerbomb
- Various powerslams

Entrance Themes
- Falling Away from Me by Korn
- Messiah by Fear Factory
- Prayer by Disturbed

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

Combat Zone Wrestling

CZW Heavyweight Championship (1)

Won from Justice Pain on May 11, 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Lost to Justice Pain on June 8, 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

CZW Iron Man Championship (1)

Won from Adam Flash on October 12, 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Lost to Nick Mondo on February 8, 2003 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

CZW World Heavyweight Championship (2)

Won from Justice Pain on December 14, 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Lost to John Zandig on October 25, 2003 in Pistoia, Italy

CZW World Heavyweight Championship (3)

Won from John Zandig on March 6, 2004 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Lost to Ruckus on February 5, 2005 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

NWA Florida

NWA Florida King of the Deathmatch Championship (1)

Defeated Madman Pondo, Prime Evil and Chaos on November 30, 2002 in Pinellas Park, Florida, USA (first and final champion)

Insane Wrestling Federation

IWF Tag Team Champion (1)

with Adam Flash

Defeated The Lynch Mob on June 27th 2003 in Hamtramck, Michigan USA

Lost to Corporal Robinson & "The Dangerous One" The DBA on September 26th 2003 in

Hamtramck, Michigan USA

Millennium Pro Wrestling

MPW Heavyweight Championship (1)

Defeated Tech IX, Samoa Joe, B-Boy, Frankie Kazarian, & Super Dragon in a Gauntlet Tag Match on March 23, 2002 in West Hills, California, USA (final champion)