| Bull Pain | |
|---|---|
| Ring name(s) | Bull Pain Texas Hangman Psycho Bull Payne (WCW) Rick "Wildfire" Golden Rick Gantner |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1] |
| Billed weight | 265 lb (120 kg)[1] |
| Born | Louisville, Kentucky |
| Trained by | Tom "Rocky" Stone[1] |
| Debut | 1987 |
Rick Gantner, known by his ring name Bull Pain, is an American independent professional wrestler, currently best known for his work in IWA Mid-South, and for his past career as part of the Texas Hangmen tag team in promotions such as American Wrestling Association, United States Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Council.
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Rick Gantner had a grounding in martial arts and boxing, but having been taken to AWA shows by his father became a fan of professional wrestling (particularly Superstar Billy Graham, The Crusher and The Valiant Brothers). He got his start in Milwaukee at Federation Hall training with Tom "Rocky" Stone, having his first independent match vs Lance Atlas as Ricky "Wildfire" Golden, before moving to Bob Geigel's NWA Heart of America and debuting against Gypsy Joe as Rick Gantner.[2]
Gantner then moved on to work for Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association, debuting on TV against Bruiser Brody,[2] and going on to wrestle the likes of Nick Bockwinkel, Scott Norton, Baron Von Raschke and Stan Hansen. After working as a jobber for the AWA (as well as regular appearances for the World Wrestling Federation, NWA and others), Gantner was repackaged as a masked wrestler named Psycho and paired up with Killer (Mike Moran) as the Texas Hangmen, a gimmick used primarily in Puerto Rico, particularly wrestling for the World Wrestling Council where they would become four time WWC World Tag Team Champions. After returning from Puerto Rico, the Texas Hangmen found that they were in demand in the United States, wrestling back in AWA, as well as going to wrestle in Memphis for the United States Wrestling Association.[2]
While wrestling for Global Wrestling Federation, Gantner developed the Bull Pain gimmick, using an old high school football nickname. At the same time Ian Rotten was in a feud with his kayfabe brother Axl Rotten in Extreme Championship Wrestling, during which Axl Rotten disappeared. As Ian and Bull Pain had previously worked together in USWA, he recommended Bull Pain as a replacement,[2] and the two had a brief feud, including Taipei Death Matches and Barbed Wire Baseball Bat Matches.[3] Pain was also wrestling at this time as a regular "enhancement talent" for World Championship Wrestling under the name "Bull Payne", wrestling the likes of Jim Duggan,[4] Hak,[5] Van Hammer,[6] Johnny B Badd,[7] and Bobby Duncum, Jr.[8]
After being released from ECW, Bull Pain debuted for Ian Rotten's Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South, a company he still makes appearances for. Bull has stated that he considers the IWA:Mid-South to be "one of the best independent shows on the market",[2] and that he feels that they are only held back by the area in which they are putting on shows. Pain went on to both hold the Television and Light Heavyweight Championships, as well as holding the Heavyweight Championship five times.
Bull Pain debuted in Juggalo Championship Wrestling at East Side Wars by attacking hero 2 Tuff Tony.[9] In the following weeks, Pain continued to beat opponents mercilessly using a metal baseball bat he called Brother Pain.[9] At Bloodymania, 2 Tuff Tony defeated Bull Pain in a Louisville Slugger match.[9] The following year at Bloodymania II, Pain replaced Isabella Smothers to team with Tracy Smothers in a losing effort against 2 Tuff Tony and Boondox.[10] Pain continued his losing streak at Bloodymania III, losing a Tough Man Match to Butterbean. At Oddball Wrestling 2010, Bull Pain and Ian Bloody lost to Corporal Robinson and 2 Tuff Tony in a Taipei Deathmatch.[11] The following night at Bloodymania IV, Pain and Bloody interfered in a match on Tracy Smothers' behalf.[11] The duo was fended off by Jim Duggan and Smothers' opponent Booker T.[11]
By the end of 2010, Pain was put into a storyline in which he was seemingly dating Tracy Smothers' daughter Isabella. Both Pain and Isabella became involved in a rivalry with The Weedman.[12][13] On March 26, 2011, Pain took part in Juggalo Championship Wrestling's first internet pay-per-view Hatchet Attacks. Teaming with Baby Bitch Boy and The Bumpin' Uglies, Pain lost to the team of The Weedman, 2 Tuff Tony, Jailbird Man, and Rhino.[14] At the following event, he lost to The Weedman in a match that seemingly ended their feud. At Bloodymania 2011, Bull teamed with Tracy Smothers in a losing effort against Necro Butcher and Mad Man Pondo, The Ring Rydas and Scott Levy and Slim Goody. Raven and Goody left with the Tag Team straps. [15]
Following a run-in at Deuces Wild, Bull Pain made his Chikara in-ring debut at Passion and Persistence (April 20, 2008) at the New Alhambra Arena, teaming with Vin Gerard against The Colony (Fire Ant and Soldier Ant). Due to Pain's use of his signature baseball bat, which he nicknamed Brother Pain,[16] Pain and Gerard were disqualified, and Leonard F. Chikarason (Chikara's Director of Fun) banned them both from appearing on any Chikara shows for 30 days. Pain has not been seen in the company since.[17]
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