Maven (wrestler)

Maven
Birth name	Maven Klint Huffman
Born	(1976-11-26) November 26, 1976[1] Crimora, Virginia[1]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Maven
Billed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Billed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Billed from	Charlottesville, Virginia[2]
Trained by	Al Snow[2][3] Tazz[3]
Debut	2001[3]
Retired	2007

Maven Klint Huffman^[1] (born November 26, 1976)^[1] is an American former professional wrestler, best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment under his first name. Alongside Nidia Guenard, Huffman was the co-winner of the inaugural season of Tough Enough, and he also became a three time Hardcore Champion.^[3]

Professional wrestling career

World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (2001–2005)

Tough Enough and Hardcore Champion (2001–2002)

Huffman began his professional wrestling career in 2001 upon being selected to participate in the inaugural season of Tough Enough, a reality television show used by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) to find new WWF stars. Ultimately, Maven would become the co-winner of the competition alongside Nidia Guenard, and he was sent to the Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA) to receive further training.^[1] During his first years in WWE, Maven used steroids and said The Rock paid his food and hotel.^[4]

On the October 4 episode of SmackDown!, Maven made his in-ring debut against Tazz, one of his Tough Enough trainers, who forced him to submit to the Tazzmission.^[3] Following the match, Tazz helped Maven to his feet before clotheslining him, thus starting a feud between the two.^[3] After losing to Tazz via submission in a rematch the following week on SmackDown!, Maven clotheslined Tazz following the match.^[3] On the October 18 episode of SmackDown!, Maven won his first wrestling match as he defeated Tazz with assistance from Tough Enough co-winner Nidia Guenard.^[3] Following this brief feud, Maven began a feud with The Undertaker after he eliminated Undertaker from the 2002 Royal Rumble by dropkicking him from behind; Undertaker responded in turn by returning to the ring and tossing Maven out of the ring, hitting him with a steel chair, and beating him all the way back to the concession stand area.^[3] On the January 28, 2002 episode of Raw, Maven received his first title match as he faced Chris Jericho for the Undisputed Championship, but lost after submitting to the Walls of Jericho.^[5] After the match, Maven was attacked by The Undertaker.^[5] On the February 7 episode of SmackDown!, Maven faced Undertaker for his Hardcore Championship, and after interference from The Rock and his Tough Enough trainer Al Snow, Maven defeated Undertaker to win the Hardcore Title, the first championship of his career.^[6] At WrestleMania X8, Maven lost the Hardcore Championship to Spike Dudley during a match with Goldust due to the title's unique 24/7 rule, but won the title back the same night from Christian due to the same rule.^[7]

Mid-card status and feud with Evolution (2003–2004)

In 2003, Maven entered the Royal Rumble for the second time. He attempted to eliminate The Undertaker by using a dropkick like he did the previous year, but failed and was eliminated again by The Undertaker. Following this, Maven continued wrestling on Sunday Night Heat and making sporadic appearances on Raw. In 2004, Maven experienced the biggest push in his career, even gaining a victory over then-Evolution member Batista. Maven then took part in an Elimination Match at Survivor Series, teaming with Randy Orton, Chris Benoit, and Chris Jericho to face Triple H, Batista, Gene Snitsky, and Edge for the power to control Raw for one month.^[8] Maven was attacked backstage by Snitsky prior to the match, but after Benoit was eliminated, Maven arrived to join his teammates.^[8] He was eventually eliminated by Triple H.^[8] Orton was the sole survivor and as a result, he and his team had control of Raw for one month.^[8]

Maven was the first to control Raw, booking himself in a World Heavyweight Championship match against Triple H, who tried to get out of it by offering Maven a place in Evolution.^[9] He declined, but despite interference from Jericho, Benoit, and Orton, Triple H retained the title due to interference from Snitsky and Ric Flair.^[9]

Various feuds and departure (2004–2005)

On the November 29 episode of Raw, Maven competed in a battle royal to determine the number one contender for World Heavyweight Championship, but was eliminated by Eugene.^[10] The following week on Raw, Maven faced Eugene in a singles match, which he lost by disqualification after attacking Eugene's injured knee during the match before choking him out. After the match, Maven attacked Eugene's tag team partner William Regal as Regal came to help him, thus turning heel in the process.^[11]

Following this, Maven began feuding with Shelton Benjamin over Benjamin's Intercontinental Championship, culminating at New Year's Revolution 2005 in a singles match for the title.^[12] Before the start of the match, Maven proceeded to blast the Puerto Rican crowd before Benjamin quickly defeated him in just a matter of seconds by using a roll-up.^[12] Maven then cut a promo on Benjamin, stating that the match "didn't count", and challenged him to a re-match.^[12] Benjamin accepted, and Maven was defeated in only seconds yet again following the T-Bone Suplex.^[12]

Following his feud with Benjamin, Maven formed a tag team with Simon Dean, where he acted as a dedicated user of Dean's "Simon System" brand of nutritional products.^[2][13] After being jobbers for several months, the team came to an end when Dean was traded to the SmackDown! brand while Maven was subsequently released by WWE on July 5, 2005.^[3]

Independent circuit and retirement (2005–2007)

On November 19, 2005, Maven wrestled his first match following his WWE departure, where he lost to Slyck Wagner Brown via disqualification in a match for NWA Cyberspace.^[3] On February 10, 2006, Maven joined United Wrestling Federation Live and teamed alongside Jeff Jarrett to defeat Team 3D.^[3] On March 31, Maven wrestled his first match for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he and Jarrett lost to Jeff Hardy and Kip James in a tag team dark match.^[3] After wrestling sporadically for the UWF and in dark matches for TNA throughout the year, Maven wrestled his final match on October 5, 2007, where he lost to Test in a match for Full Throttle Wrestling.^[3]

Television career

In March 2006,^[3] it was announced by VH1 that Huffman would be a participant in the sixth season of The Surreal Life.^[14][15] On the first episode, he was picked by the existing castmates as the seventh and final cast member in a "15 More Minutes of Fame Reality Hunk Pageant," beating four other reality "hunks", including former American Idol contestant Corey Clark. Subsequently, Huffman was a host for a show on BET J.^[14][15] He also appeared on the Home Shopping Network's weekday morning show, HSN Today, as its exercise and wellness expert.^[15]

Personal life

Huffman's father is African American and his mother was caucasian. After his mother died, he was adopted by his maternal uncle and his wife.^[3] According to fellow professional wrestler Konnan, Huffman is his nephew.^[16] Huffman graduated from Wilson Memorial High School in Fishersville, Virginia before attending Eastern Mennonite University.^[1] Prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Huffman was a middle school teacher at Twality Middle School in Tigard, Oregon.^[17]

On February 12, 2004, Huffman's aunt, who he referred to as his mother,^[3] died after suffering from cancer.^[18]

On April 2, 2012, Huffman was arrested in Florida after police revealed that he was doctor shopping due to an addiction to oxycodone and hydrocodone. He was released on a $2,000 bond and faced up to 5 years in prison if convicted of doctor shopping.^[19] On April 11, Huffman revealed that he was seeking help for his addiction and underwent WWE's former talent rehabilitation program.^[20]

As of September 2013, Huffman has been working as a bouncer in New York City at 1015 Midtown.^[15]

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Forward Russian legsweep^[3][21][22] – 2004
  • Halo DDT^[1][3] (Diving DDT)^{[23][24][25][26]} – 2003; used as a signature move from 2004–2005
  • Missile dropkick^{[3][25][27][28]} – 2003–2004; used as a signature move from 2001–2002
  • M-Plosion^[1] (Double knee backbreaker)^[29][30] – 2005

• Signature moves
  • Diving crossbody^[3][21]
  • Dropkick^[3][26][31]
  • Hip toss^[24][31]

• Managers
  • Al Snow
  • Nidia
  • Simon Dean^[2]

• Entrance themes
  • "Tattoo" by Big Mother Thruster^[32]

Championships and accomplishments

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI Rookie of the Year (2002)^[33]
  • PWI ranked him #88 of the Top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2003^[33][34]

• World Wrestling Federation
  • WWF Hardcore Championship (3 times)^[35]
  • Tough Enough with Nidia Guenard^[2]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maven Huffman.

• Official website
• Profile at Online World of Wrestling
• Maven Huffman at the Internet Movie Database
• Maven Huffman on Twitter
• Maven Huffman on Facebook

WWE Hardcore Champions Mankind Big Boss Man Road Dogg Hardcore Holly Billy Gunn Al Snow The British Bulldog Test Crash Holly Pete Gas Tazz Viscera Funaki Rodney Joey Abs Thrasher Perry Saturn Matt Hardy Godfather's Ho Gerald Brisco Pat Patterson Steve Blackman Shane McMahon Raven Big Show K-Kwik Rhyno Kane Chris Jericho Mike Awesome Jeff Hardy Rob Van Dam Kurt Angle The Undertaker Maven Goldust Spike Dudley The Hurricane Mighty Molly Christian Bubba Ray Dudley William Regal Tommy Dreamer Stevie Richards Shawn Stasiak Justin Credible Booker T Trish Stratus Terri Bradshaw Christopher Nowinski Johnny Stamboli

The Surreal Life Season 1 (2003) Gabrielle Carteris MC Hammer Corey Feldman Emmanuel Lewis Jerri Manthey Vince Neil Brande Roderick Season 2 (2004) Traci Bingham Trishelle Cannatella Erik Estrada Tammy Faye Messner Ron Jeremy Vanilla Ice Season 3 (2004) Charo Dave Coulier Flavor Flav Jordan Knight Brigitte Nielsen Ryan Starr Season 4 (2005) Joanie Laurer Adrianne Curry Da Brat Christopher Knight Marcus Schenkenberg Verne Troyer Jane Wiedlin Season 5 (2005) Caprice Bourret José Canseco Sandy "Pepa" Denton Janice Dickinson Carey Hart Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth Bronson Pinchot Season 6 (2006) Alexis Arquette C.C. DeVille Steve Harwell Sherman Hemsley Maven Huffman Tawny Kitaen Andrea Lowell Fame Games (2007) Emmanuel Lewis Traci Bingham Ron Jeremy Rob 'Vanilla Ice' Van Winkle Brigitte Nielsen Joanie 'Chyna Doll' Laurer Sandy 'Pepa' Denton C.C. DeVille Andrea Lowell Verne Troyer Jordan Knight