| Paul Neu | |
|---|---|
| Ring name(s) | American Avalanche[1] Avalanche[2] Cannonball Grizzly[2] Mighty Avalanche[1] Paul Neu[2] PN Neuz[1] PN News[2] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[1] |
| Billed weight | 404 lb (183 kg; 28.9 st)[1] |
| Born | July 9, 1966 [1] Omaha, Nebraska[1] |
| Resides | Europe[2] |
| Billed from | Omaha, Nebraska |
| Trained by | Brad Rheingans[1] |
| Debut | 1987[1] |
Paul Neu[1][2] (born July 9, 1966) is an American professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known under the ring name PN News and for his stints in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling. He currently works on the European independent circuit as American Avalanche.
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After debuting in 1987, Neu traveled to Europe to compete for the Catch Wrestling Association under the ring name Cannonball Grizzly in 1989.[3] After returning to the United States in 1991, Neu joined World Championship Wrestling. He made his debut for the promotion on the May 13 episode of World Championship Wrestling as PN News, a rapper character, where he defeated Al Steele.[3] While making his entrance, he would rap before his matches.
He soon began a brief feud against World Television Champion "Stunning" Steve Austin. At The Great American Bash, News and Bobby Eaton defeated Austin and his partner Terry Taylor in a scaffold match.[3] On November 19, News lost to Austin in a title match at Clash of the Champions XVII.[3]
After their feud, News was moved down the card and on January 21, 1992, he wrestled his final high profile match for the promotion, as he defeated Diamond Dallas Page at Clash of the Champions XVIII.[3]. During a match with Dave Sheldon, aka The Angel of Death, Neu miscalculated with his "Broken Record" top rope splash and came down on Sheldon's knees, effectively ending his career[4]. News' final televised appearance for WCW would be on the May 9, 1992 edition of WCW Power Hour, teaming with Johnny Rich in a losing effort against U.S. Tag Team Champions Greg Valentine and The Taylor-Made Man.
After leaving WCW, Neu returned to the Catch Wrestling Association in late 1992 under his Cannonball Grizzly ring name and character.[5] On November 5, 1995, Grizzly and John Hawk defeated August Smisl and Ulf Herman to win the World Tag Team Championship for the first time.[5] On December 16, Grizzly and Hawk lost the titles to Smisl and Tony St. Clair.[5] After the loss, Grizzly began teaming with his cousin Bruiser Mastino to form the tag team The Brotherhood.[5] On July 7, 1996, Grizzly and new partner Jesse James Armstrong won the World Tag Team Title before losing them to August Smisl and Ulf Herman on August 3. After the title was vacated, Grizzly and Wildcat Brookside won the title on December 21 after defeated Tony St. Clair and Mick Tierney in a tournament.[6] They would hold the title until it was vacated in July 1997.[6] On October 10, 1998, Grizzly would then face Brookside to determine who would claim the vacant Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, but he lost the match via countout.[5] Neu left the promotion in late 1998.[5]
On September 17, 1999, Neu, under his PN News ring name and character, debuted in Extreme Championship Wrestling. In a losing effort to Spike Dudley, Neu paraded around the ECW Arena singing his signature line "Yo baby, yo baby, yo!" to rile up the WCW hating ECW faithful.[5] News then joined Da Baldies, a villainous faction composed of wrestlers who were all bald. At November to Remember, Da Baldies (News, Spanish Angel, Tony DeVito and Vito LoGrasso) defeated New Jack and The Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks (Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney) in a handicap match.[5] On November 19, News and LoGrasso lost to The Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks in a Loser Leaves Town match, ending Neu's stint in ECW.[5]
On November 17, 2000, Neu, as Cannonball Grizzly, returned to wrestling and defeated "Big" Tiger Steele in a tournament final to win the European Wrestling Promotion's Iron Man Championship.[5] He then began performing for both EWP and All Star Wrestling. On September 23, 2001, Grizzly lost the Iron Man Title to Robbie Brookside.[7] On November 27, he won the EPW World Heavyweight Championship after defeating Bam Bam Bigelow.[7] On November 26, 2003, Grizzly lost the World Heavyweight Title to Thunder.[8] Since then, Neu continues to compete on the European independent circuit.
Neu was married to a woman named Connie.[2] He has since remarried to Anja von Stanic.[1] He is also a cousin of Mike Hallick, who was best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation as Mantaur.[1]