| Bryan Clark | |
|---|---|
| Ring name(s) | The Nightstalker[1][2] Adam Bomb[1][2] Wrath[1][2] Bryan Clark[1][2] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)[1][3] |
| Billed weight | 290 lb (130 kg)[1][3] |
| Born | March 14, 1964 [1][2] Tallahassee, FL[2] |
| Resides | Scottsdale, AZ[1] |
| Billed from |
"Your Nightmares" (as the Nightstalker (in Smoky Mountain Wrestling) Three Mile Island (as Adam Bomb)[3]Devil's Island (as Wrath) |
| Debut | 1989[2] |
| Retired | 2003[2] |
Bryan Emmeth Clark, Jr. (born March 14, 1964)[1][2] is a American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling.
Contents |
Clark, as The Nightstalker, made his wrestling debut in 1990 in Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association. When the AWA folded, he began competing for World Championship Wrestling.[4] In 1991, he replaced an injured Diamond Studd at Starrcade to team with Rick Steiner in a losing effort to Vader and Mr. Hughes. He then joined Smoky Mountain Wrestling, and defeated Tracy Smothers to become the promotion's second-ever "Beat The Champ" Television Champion on February 2, 1993. He lost the title to Tim Horner six days later.[5] He also briefly wrestled in Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation under his "Nightstalker" moniker.[6]
In May 1993, Clark was introduced to the World Wrestling Federation audience by Johnny Polo as Adam Bomb (a pun on "atom bomb").[3] Bomb's gimmick was that of a survivor of the infamous Three Mile Island accident.[3] Four months after his debut, Harvey Wippleman replaced Polo as Bomb's manager.[3] He went so far as to get a large "ADAM BOMB" tattoo on his left arm. After leaving the WWE, Clark had his Adam Bomb tattoo removed via laser removal. He has faint but noticeable scarring on this arm due to the tattoo removal.
Adam Bomb made his pay-per-view debut at Survivor Series '93, where he teamed up with Irwin R. Schyster, Diesel and "The Model" Rick Martel against Razor Ramon, The 1-2-3 Kid, Marty Jannetty and "The Macho Man" Randy Savage in an elimination match. He was the last remaining wrestler from his team, being pinned by Jannetty after a roll-up. Jannetty and 1-2-3 Kid were the only survivors of their team.
Following this, he participated in the Royal Rumble in 1994, where he was the last entrant in the match. However, he lasted less than 5 minutes before being eliminated by Lex Luger. Following the Rumble and a feud with Earthquake, Bomb turned face after his manager Harvey Wippleman turned on him and helped his new client Kwang attack him. As a babyface, he would throw rubber "nuclear missiles" into the audience as he walked to the ring and after he won a match. After briefly feuding with Kwang and Bam Bam Bigelow, he was moved down the card and began competing exclusively on the show WWF Superstars of Wrestling, where he began to garner a fan base who he referred to as "The Bomb Squad". He left the promotion by August 1995. According to Triple H, he was fired after he turned his back during a spot where Henry Godwinn was supposed to "Slop" him.[3] Clarke claims that he voluntarily left the company because he did not approve of the backstage politics of The Kliq, particularly Scott Hall.
In 1997, Clark rejoined WCW as Wrath, a helmeted martial artist who, along with Mortis, battled Glacier and Ernest Miller. The four characters, collectively known as "Blood Runs Cold", was WCW's attempt to tap into the popularity of the Mortal Kombat video games. The angle continued until 1998, when Clark was injured. After recovery, he returned to singles action later as a in the year booked as a fan favorite and sporting a new ring outfit and finishing move (a pumphandle slam called "The Meltdown"); any "Blood Runs Cold" references were since eliminated. Wrath enjoyed a lengthy undefeated streak, though mostly against midcarders. However, in a Thunder match against Jerry Flynn on April 15, 1999, he tore his ACL and spent a year recuperating.[7]
Clark returned to the ring in April 2000, now using his real name. He formed a tag team with Brian Adams known as KroniK, and both became members of the New Blood.[8] However, KroniK switched allegiances to the Millionaires Club after Vince Russo betrayed them and, on May 15, 2000, they defeated Shane Douglas and The Wall to win the World Tag Team Championship.[9] They held the title until May 30, when they lost to New Blood members Shawn Stasiak and Chuck Palumbo. KroniK was granted a rematch for the title at Bash at the Beach on July 9 and they won their second and final World Tag Team Championship. KroniK then entered a feud with the entire Natural Born Thrillers stable for the title, but they retained against the Thrillers until August 13, when they were beaten by Vampiro and The Great Muta for the championship. Afterwards, Vince Russo managed to regain the services of KroniK after bribing them, and he sent them after Bill Goldberg, who would be fired if he lost a single match. However, Goldberg managed to overcome the odds and pinned both Clark and Adams in a handicap match at Halloween Havoc.[10] KroniK continued their "hired muscle" gimmick, helping The Boogie Knights battle the Filthy Animals, and eventually working for their former enemies, the Natural Born Thrillers. KroniK turned face once again in January 2001, siding with Ernest Miller.
KroniK were sidelined when Clark was split open with a chair, needing stitches, while Adams was hospitalized with appendicitis. While they were injured, WCW was purchased by the WWF in March 2001.
Clark and Adams returned to the WWF on September 4, 2001, attacking and double chokeslamming The Undertaker.[11] Managed by Steven Richards, they faced the Brothers of Destruction (Undertaker and Kane) at Unforgiven for the WCW Tag Team Championship, but KroniK was defeated.[12] Due to the lackluster match, both were sent down to developmental territories to work off ring rust, but Clark refused to do so and was soon released from his contract.
After Brian Adams was released from the WWF in November 2001, he and Clark reunited and reformed KroniK, making appearances on the independent circuit, most prominently for World Wrestling All-Stars and All Japan Pro Wrestling. During their time in AJPW, they won their final tag team championship together by defeating Keiji Mutoh and Taiyō Kea for the Unified World Tag Team Championship on July 17, 2002.[1] KroniK were stripped of the title on October 12, due to Adams retiring from wrestling to become a professional boxer. They wrestled their last match together in January 2003, losing to Bill Goldberg and Keiji Mutoh.
Shortly afterwards, both Adams and Clark retired due to injuries. In February 2006, Clark underwent back surgery to heal his injuries.[1]
|title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". April 15, 1999. http://ddtdigest.com/updates/1999042t.htm. Retrieved October 11, 2011.