Paul Ellering
| Paul Ellering | |
|---|---|
 Ellering in June 2011 | |
| Born |
August 22, 1953 Melrose, Minnesota[1] |
| Residence | Grey Eagle, Minnesota |
| Alma mater | South Dakota State University |
| Children | 3; including Rachael Ellering |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) |
The Body Doc Mr. Dot Com Precious Paul Ellering Paul Ellering[2] |
| Trained by |
Verne Gagne Eddie Sharkey |
| Debut | December 25, 1977[3] |
| Retired | August 12 , 2018 |
Paul Ellering (born August 22, 1953) is an American professional wrestling manager currently signed with WWE to an legends contract, professional wrestler and dog musher. Ellering spent most of his wrestling career managing the Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk), working with them from 1983 to 1990 and again on occasion between 1992 and 1997. In addition to being their on screen manager he actually handled the team's affairs outside the ring as well, including contract negotiations and travel arrangements. Ellering and the Road Warriors were inducted into both the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011. Five years later, in June 2016, he returned to the ring at NXT TakeOver: The End as the manager of The Authors of Pain, a heel tag team making their debut.
Prior to becoming a manager he was a professional wrestler, but due to injuries retired in 1983 to become a full-time manager, only wrestling on special occasions. In the late 1990s he was involved in a storyline where he actually turned on the Road Warriors and managed Disciples of Apocalypse as they fought the Road Warriors. After retiring from full-time activity in wrestling, he raced in the Iditarod and John Beargrease Dog Sled Race.
Early life
Before entering the wrestling business, Ellering was an accomplished powerlifter, setting a world record in the deadlift at 745 pounds (338 kg).[4]
Professional wrestling career
Early career
Ellering was trained in Minneapolis, Minnesota at a camp run by American Wrestling Association (AWA) owner and promoter Verne Gagne and wrestler/trainer Eddie Sharkey in the mid 1970s. According to Ellering's RF Video shoot interview, of the thirty-plus trainees in the camp, only himself and later AWA mid-card wrestler Steve Olsonoski (a.k.a. Steve O) made it through the camp. Ellering would later go on to wrestle in singles and tag teams for Gagne in the AWA, Bill Watts's Mid-South promotion, and for Jerry Jarrett's Memphis promotion, where he was paired with manager Jimmy Hart. Ellering now known as "Precious" Paul Ellering His notable feuds were with Jesse Ventura as a face, and as a heel with Jerry Lawler and Jimmy Valiant, from whom he won the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship.
Mid-South Wrestling
While wrestling for the National Wrestling Alliance in Mid-South Wrestling, Ellering in 1982 severely injured his knee in a match with Robert Gibson, started doing workout segments with kids for Mid South re-injuring it after returning to the ring,but the injury ended his full-time wrestling career. Georgia booker Ole Anderson recognized his speaking ability, however, and gave him a job as a manager.[1]
Jim Crockett Promotions (1987–1990)
Although primarily a manager, Ellering has stepped between the ropes as a competitor, notably at the 1987 NWA Great American Bash in which he joined the Road Warriors, Nikita Koloff, and Dusty Rhodes to face The Four Horsemen and their manager James J. Dillon in the first ever WarGames match. Ellering would also face Teddy Long in a 'Hair vs. Hair' match at the World Championship Wrestling Capital Combat event in 1990, coming away with a victory.
World Wrestling Federation (1992; 1998–1999)
Ellering is best known for managing The Road Warriors, also known as the Legion of Doom, from 1981 until 1997 during their stints in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation in 1992.[2] Ellering was also the real-life manager for the team; he booked their matches, lined up their flights, set up hotel reservations, and kept track of their expenses.[2]
Throughout 1998 he managed the Disciples of Apocalypse, who were then feuding with the Legion of Doom; according to Ellering and Animal on the Road Warriors DVD, Ellering had a hard time working with another team against Hawk and Animal, and had difficulty ripping on his former team on the microphone. By the end of his second WWF run, though, he was back to managing the LOD, most notably on Sunday Night Heat, during a tag-team battle royal for a shot at the tag titles later in the night at WrestleMania XV, though they were unsuccessful.
Return to WWE
WWE Hall of Fame (2011)
In 2011, Ellering was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, along with the Road Warriors, by "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.
Authors of Pain manager (2016–2018)
Ellering made his return to WWE programming at NXT TakeOver: The End on June 8, 2016, revealing himself as the manager of a debuting Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar), after their attack on American Alpha, turning Ellering heel for the first time in 18 years.[5]
On January 28, 2017, at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, Ellering led Akam and Rezar to their first reign as NXT Tag Team Champions.
On April 9, 2018, Paul Ellering made his debut on Monday Night Raw with Akam and Rezar as they answered an open challenge from Heath Slater and Rhyno. After they were victorious in their match, Akam and Rezar ended their partnership with Ellering by pushing him away and leaving him ringside as they returned backstage.[6]
Personal life
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After retiring from professional wrestling, he traveled to Alaska to become a sled dog racer, participating in the Iditarod.[7] In 2000 he came in 54th place.[8]
In 2002, Ellering became the owner and operator of the Historic Rock Tavern on Big Birch Lake in Grey Eagle, Minnesota. He has three children: Rebecca, Rachael and Saul. His daughter Rachael won the bronze medal at the 2014 World Powerlifting Championships.[9] She made her professional wrestling debut in December 2015.[10] Though not signed to a contract, she made multiple appearances in WWE since debuting against Alexa Bliss in NXT in 2016, including participating in the Mae Young Classic.[11]
Other media
Ellering made his video game debut as a non-playable character in WWE 2K18.
Championships and accomplishments
- Continental Wrestling Association
- AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Sheik Ali Hassan
- International Wrestling Alliance
- IWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Terry Latham
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA Legends Hall of Heroes (2016)[12]
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- Class of 2011 (As a member of The Road Warriors)[13]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI Manager of the Year (1984)[14]
- WWE
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2011)
References
- 1 2 Meltzer, Dave. Tributes II: Remembering More of the World's Greatest Professional Wrestlers. p. 136. ISBN 1-58261-817-8.
- 1 2 3 Oliver, Greg (October 19, 2003). "Road Warrior Hawk dead at 45". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
- ↑ Wessel, Ann (March 21, 2016). "Catching up with pro wrestler 'Precious' Paul Ellering". Associated Press. St. Cloud Times. Retrieved July 24, 2016 – via Minnesota Public Radio.
- ↑ http://whatculture.com/wwe/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-paul-ellering?page=2, Retrieved November 29, 2016.
- ↑ Caldwell, James. "6/8 "NXT Takeover" Results – CALDWELL'S Complete Live Report on "The End"". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
- ↑ Benigno, Anthony. "The Authors of Pain def. Heath Slater & Rhyno". WWE.com. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
- ↑ "Blind musher to run Iditarod". Sports Illustrated. March 3, 2005. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
- ↑ "Paul Ellering - Musher Career Summary - Race Archives - Iditarod".
- ↑ "Ellering doesn't shy away from past". TMCNET.com. 2009-12-28. Retrieved 2010-07-06.
- ↑ Meltzer, Dave (December 21, 2015). "December 21, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Conor McGregor wins UFC Featherweight title, Roman Reigns WWE Champion". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 55. ISSN 1083-9593.
- ↑ "Daughter of a WWE Hall Of Famer makes her debut at Thursday's NXT tapings - Wrestling News". 29 April 2016.
- ↑ http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=103369
- ↑ "Lawler, McMahon, Road Warriors among PWHF Class of 2011". Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. 2010-11-26. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
- ↑ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners : Manager of the Year". Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on 2007-10-14. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
External links
