Nick Gage

Nick Gage

Nick Gage bleeding during a match at a Combat Zone Wrestling show in October 2010.
Born (1980-09-22) September 22, 1980
Residence Camden, New Jersey
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Nick Gage
Billed height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Billed weight 210 lb (95 kg)
Billed from Salt Lake City, Utah
Trained by CZW Wrestling School
John Zandig[1]
Debut February 13, 1999[1]

Nicholas W. "Nick" Wilson[2][3] is a hardcore professional wrestler best known from Combat Zone Wrestling, where he wrestled as Nick Gage. He is currently signed to Jersey Championship Wrestling, On Point Wrestling, and Combat Zone Wrestling.

Along with being the first-ever CZW World Heavyweight Champion, as of early 2011, Gage had wrestled at nearly every CZW show and had competed in more CZW matches than anyone. He has held the World Heavyweight, Tag Team, Iron Man, and Ultraviolent Underground championships during his career [4] Nick Gage's brother Chris Wilson is also a professional wrestler who performs under the name Justice Pain.[5]

In April 2011, Wilson was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree bank robbery.[6]

Career

Combat Zone Wrestling (1999-2010)

Gage is known for being the first ever CZW World Heavyweight Champion and for being part of the H8 Club tag team. Before teaming with Nate Hatred as the H8 Club, Gage won the CZW World Tag Team Championship with Zandig. Gage would also find great success in his run for the CZW Ironman Title, which he had several brutal matches with the likes of LOBO, The Wifebeater, Nick Mondo & Mad Man Pondo. One of the most notable matches from the time period was the first ever, 200 Light Tubes Death Match against The Wifebeater. He would later team up with Hatred and wrestle such teams as The Briscoe Brothers, VD, and The Backseat Boyz. Together, they won the tag team championship from the original H8 Club of Wifebeater and Justice Pain. Gage and Hatred would break up in 2003 when Hatred joined Messiah's stable, the Hi-V. Gage and Hatred would embark on a bloody feud against one another, competing in a Tables Match, Cage Match, Dog Collar Match, as well as a 200 Light Tubes Death Match. The two would trade the Big Japan Death Match Title between one another. Gage would take part in Cage of Death V: Suspended, as a part of Team Zandig, to take on the Hi-V.They feuded for nearly one year, and met in the Cage of Death match at Cage of Death V. At the end of the match, Hatred turned on Messiah and rejoined Gage. After reforming, they regained the tag championship, but lost it to The Blackout. At Cage of Death VI, The H8 Club of Nick Gage and Nate Hatred faced the H8 Club of Wifebeater and Justice Pain, with the winners winning the right to the H8 Club name. That night, Nick Gage and Justice Pain turned on their partners joined each other.[7] They would then win the tag team championship and hold it for many months before losing to Necro Butcher and Toby Klein.[8][9]

Even after the loss of the Tag Titles, Gage and his brother would continue to feud with The Tough Crazy Bastards. Gage would find himself in the finals of the annual, Tournament of Death, along with the Necro Butcher and CZW owner, John Zandig. In this match, Gage would, literally, get set on fire, due to a botched Suplex, which saw Gage deliver it to Zandig, over the top rope and off the apron, onto a flaming board, which incorporated other Ultraviolent qualities. Gage would ultimately lose the match, as a result of being driven through several Panes of Glass, as well as a table, by Necro and his use of the Death Valley Driver. At the following show, Gage would interfere in Necro's No Rope Barbed Wire Match with one, J.C. Bailey. Gage, and his brother, Justice Pain's feud with Klein and The Butcher, would carry on all the way until Cage of Death 7. At Cage of Death 7 in the Cage of Death match, with Justice Pain and Zandig on Gage's team and Joker and Toby Klein on Necro's team. After Cage of Death, Gage and Necro Butcher fought in a triple threat no rope barbed wire match with J.C. Bailey for Bailey's Ultraviolent Underground Championship, which Gage captured that night.[10] Gage later became color commentator for CZW DVDs, replacing Eddie Kingston. On July 29, 2006, Nick Gage won Tournament of Death 5 defeating Brain Damage, JC Bailey, and Drake Younger in the final round. After this, Gage began exhibiting strange behavior. He attacked LuFisto after she won the Iron Man title, had incidents with Zandig and Justice Pain, and insulted the fans on many occasions, most notably on commentary.[11] He has since been removed from his commentary position. At Last Team Standing on October 14, he and Justice Pain made it to the finals of the tag team tournament. However, he left the arena before the last match. The next night, he lost the Ultraviolent Underground Championship to Drake Younger.

At Night of Infamy 5, problems between Gage, Lobo, and Zandig continued, leading to a Cage of Death match between the three, which called for the loser of the bout to hang up the boots and retire. Before the match started, Gage's enemy LuFisto came to the ring and entered herself in the match. Gage won by pinning Zandig, forcing the CZW owner into retirement.[12] The next month, Gage was scheduled to face LuFisto in a one on one match, but LuFisto was injured and the match was canceled.[13][14] Gage would end up facing his brother, Justice Pain, for Pain's CZW Heavyweight Championship at CZW's eight anniversary show, H8. The match ended early due to the result of Gage receiving a stinger, as a result of a botched Pain Thriller from his brother. Nick Gage would remain out of action until the end of the year.

Gage made his return to CZW at the ninth annual Cage of Death event on December 8. He defeated Messiah and Ruckus in a Triple Threat Match to become a three time CZW World Heavyweight Champion. Gage's third reign as the Heavyweight Champion would last seven months, as he successfully defended his title against the likes of Drake Younger, Danny Havoc, Devon Moore, Ruckus & Eddie Kingston. However, Gage's run would come to an end at A Tangled Web, in which he lost to Drake Younger in a Tangled Web Death Match, due to interference from NOTORIOUS INC member, Devon Moore. Gage would face Moore at the following show in a No Ropes Barbed Wire Taipei Death Match. Gage would soon take up arms with his old tag team partner, Nate Hatred, to reform the infamous H8 Club. The H8 Club would go on to face NOTORIOUS INC at Down With The Sickness, as well as BLKOUT at Cage of Death X. Gage and Hatred would then move on to a bloody feud with Billy Gram's Cult Fiction, Brain Damage & Deranged, which, ultimately, culminated at CZW Tournament of Death 8, when Nick Gage defeated Deranged in a No Ropes Barbed Wire "Fire" Match. At that very same event, Gage would end up defeating Jon Moxley & Scotty Vortekz in the second round, advancing to the third, and final, round, against Thumbtack Jack. Gage would have to be airlifted to hospital after taking a bump onto a light tube, which resulted in a laceration severing an artery in his arm. Gage had made a full recovery and was back at CZW Best of the Best (only 1 week later) and participated in an attack on Thumbtack Jack.[15]

Following his injury at TOD, and his attack on Thumbtack Jack at Best of the Best, Gage, along with Nate Hatred, would feud with The Best All Around in their hunt to regain the CZW Tag Team Titles. However, the hunt would prove to be a failure as they did not win the titles. The H8 Club would go on to turn heel, as they took up arms with the Switchblade Conspiracy, and attacked the new CZW owner, D.J. Hyde. In response to the attacks, Hyde would replace himself in the upcoming Tournament of Death: Rewind, and in his place would be Nick Gage, who would take on the former owner of CZW, John Zandig. Gage would defeat Zandig in the opening round in a Panes of Glass Match, but would come up on the losing end to MASADA in the second round in a Home Run Derby Death Match.

"The Future of Hardcore" would cross paths with Thumbtack Jack once more before the end of the year, as they faced one another for Jack's Ultraviolent Underground Championship, in a No Ropes Barbed Wire Match at Cage of Death XI. Jack would come out the victor in the contest, only to be attacked by a returning, J.C. Bailey. In May 2010, Gage went to Japan and wrestled for Big Japan Pro Wrestling after an interval of nearly 10 years. Gage, as a member of the stable CZW Japan[16] originally created around 2000, competed at the event BJW 15th Anniversary Show, teaming with Jun Kasai and DJ Hyde.[17] Nick Gage won the CZW Underground title from Adam Polak in Germany.

Gage wrestling at CZW Tournament of Death 9.

Apart from Nick Gage's performances in CZW's Tournament of Death, he's also taken part in IWA-MS's King of the Deathmatches, having competed in four of them. During 2003, Gage entered the tournament during the CZW vs IWA-MS angle, which was going on at the time. Gage was able to take out Dysfunction in the first round, by defeating him in a 4-Corners of Pain Match, followed by defeating "Mean" Mitch Page in a Barbed Wire Canvas & Light Tube Ropes Match in the second round. However, Gage would end up on the losing end during the third round when he lost to Mad Man Pondo in a Bed of Nails & Caribbean Spider Web Match.

Return to CZW (2013–2014)

During Tournament of Death 13 in 2013, DJ Hyde announced that Nick Gage would return and be the first entrant into Tournament of Death 14. At CZW's Tangled Web on October 18, 2014, Matt Tremont challenged Gage to a match when he is released.[18]

Other promotions

After his return to professional wrestling in December 2007, Gage would return to the IWA-MS for their 2008 King of the Deathmatch. The Future of Hardcore, along with Danny Havoc, would defeat the former photographer, WHACKS, in a first round Light Tubes & Ladders Match. The following night, Gage would defeat FREAKSHOW in a Taped Fist Texas Death Match, but would be defeated by Devon Moore, his rival in CZW at the time, in a third round Pyramids of Pain Death Match, which featured Moore, Gage & "Diehard" Dustin Lee.

Less than a year later, Nick would find himself at the 2009 King of the Deathmatches. Nick Gage would lose in the opening round against Thumbtack Jack in a Deep Six Death Match, which consisted of Chains, Fish Hooks, and a No Ropes Barbed Wire stipulation.

"The Man" has also competed in the last two consecutive Carnage Cups. In Carnage Cup 2008, Gage defeated Devon Moore in a Fans Bring The Weapons Match in the first round, followed by defeating Prophet in an Ultraviolent Boards Match. However, Nick Gage would lose in the finals, in a 4-Way 200 Light Tubes Death Match, to Danny Havoc. FREAKSHOW and Corey Shaddix would take part in the finals as well.

At the 2009 Carnage Cup, Gage would pick up a victory over Insane Lane & FREAKSHOW in the first round, advancing himself to the second round. Gage would be defeated, once again, by Thumbtack Jack, in an Ultraviolent Boards & Thumbtack Cinderblocks Death Match.

On April 10, 2015 Nick Gage made his first appearance in wrestling after being released from prison at Jersey Championship Wrestling's Tag Team J-Cup Tournament. Gage interrupted a promo by The Rogues, Jeff Cannonball and Brandon Kirk, hitting Cannonball with a chair and then his boot scrape and giving Kirk a chokebreaker. Gage and Lucky 13 would then lose in the first round to the Beast Squad, consisting of Monsta Mack and Kyle the Beast. After the match Gage turned on Lucky with a series of chokebreakers.

Bank robbery and incarceration

On December 30, 2010, New Jersey authorities announced that they were seeking Wilson for allegedly robbing a PNC Bank in Collingswood, New Jersey on December 22.[2][19][20] During the robbery, Wilson handed a note to a female employee at the bank demanding money, and got approximately $3,000.[21] Following the robbery, Wilson and his girlfriend went to Atlantic City to gamble.[21] Wilson surrendered to authorities on December 31, 2010.[22] On March 15, 2011, Wilson pled guilty to second degree robbery and was on April 29 sentenced to five years in prison. His guilty plea was part of an agreement for a lesser sentence.[3] He was eligible for parole on March 31, 2015, after serving 85% of his five-year sentence.[3][6][23] He has now been released. Wilson was also ordered to pay compensation to both the bank and the female employee from whom he had demanded the money.[3]

Personal life

Wilson grew up in National Park, Gloucester County in New Jersey.[21] As a child, Wilson idolized Lawrence Taylor.[21] Wilson and his brother Chris trained together as professional wrestlers.[21]

In an interview in early 2010, Wilson stated he had been addicted to oxycontin and other painkillers for at least 10 years.[3][21] At the time of the bank robbery in 2010, Wilson was homeless, after being evicted from the house where he had lived with his girlfriend and her mother.[3][21] Wilson was arrested in 2005 for possession of stolen property.[21] He pleaded guilty, and paid a $250 fine as well as court costs.[21] On September 4, Gage was taken into custody for a parole violation.[24]

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

References

General
Specific
  1. 1 2 Online World of Wrestling : Nick Gage
  2. 1 2 Caldwell, James (2010-12-30). "Other News: Police seeking independent wrestler Nick Gage for allegedly robbing a bank, CZW issues statement". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Zatzariny, Jr., Tim (April 29, 2011). "Former Pro Wrestler Sentenced in Collingswood Bank Robbery". Collingswood Patch. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  4. ↑ "CZW Statistics". Archived from the original on 13 January 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  5. ↑ "Combat Zone Wrestling - Cage of Death VI". 2004-11-12. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  6. 1 2 Alvarez, Bryan (2011-04-29). "Fri update: More from Toronto, Gage to prison, major UFC change, WWE shareholders meeting,Mania buys". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved 2011-04-30.
  7. ↑ CZW (December 2004). Cage of Death VI (DVD). Smart Mark Video.
  8. ↑ "Combat Zone Wrestling - Only the Strong: Scarred for Life". 2005-05-02. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  9. ↑ "Combat Zone Wrestling - High Stakes". 2005-09-07. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  10. ↑ "Combat Zone Wrestling". 2006-01-14. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  11. ↑ O'Mac, Ed (2006-09-14). "News Update". Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  12. ↑ Riotstarter (2006-12-09). "Live Results from Cage of Death 8!". Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  13. ↑ O'Mac, Ed (2006-12-29). "On January 13th: LUFISTO VS. NICK GAGE - 1st Time Ever!". Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  14. ↑ Goulet, Genny (2007-01-08). "Retirement...". Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  15. ↑ Aldren, Mike (2009-05-17). "Daily wrestling news and gossip". The Sun. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
  16. ↑ BJW 15th Anniversary Show ~Death & Crazy That's The Way Of The BJ-World~ : Six Man Tag Team Barbed Wire Razor Blade Death Match Yahoo! Sportsnavi (Japanese)
  17. ↑ BJW 15th Anniversary Show ~Death & Crazy That's The Way Of The BJ-World~ - CAGEMATCH.DE (German)
  18. ↑ "Results from Saturday's CZW Tangled Web 7". czwrestling.com. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  19. ↑ "'Ultraviolent' wrestler suspected in bank robbery". American Broadcasting Company. 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  20. ↑ "‘Combat Zone’ wrestler wanted in S. Jersey bank heist". Philly.com. 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Zatzariny, Jr., Tim; DiBacco, Deena (January 11, 2011). "Pro Wrestler: Desperation Led Me to Rob Bank". Collingswood Patch. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  22. ↑ Barna, John (2010-12-31). "Pro wrestler Nick Gage surrenders to authorities; he faces bank robbery charge". NJ.com. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  23. ↑ Caldwell, James (2011-04-30). "Other News: Independent wrestler Nick Gage given prison sentence for bank robbery scandal last year". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
  24. ↑ http://www.pwinsider.com/article/96567/crowbar-surgery-nick-gage-update-rvd-vs-morrison-for-first-time-ever-and-more-.html?p=1

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