Sanity (professional wrestling)

SAnitY
SAnitY in 2017. From left to right; Nikki Cross, Alexander Wolfe, Killian Dain and Eric Young.
Stable
Members Eric Young (leader)
Alexander Wolfe
Killian Dain
Nikki Cross
Former
member(s)		 Sawyer Fulton
Debut October 12, 2016
Years active 2016-present

Sanity (stylized as SAni†Y or SAnitY) is a professional wrestling stable in WWE performing on the SmackDown brand, consisting of Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe and Killian Dain. Young and Wolfe are former NXT Tag Team Champions, having won the titles at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III by defeating The Authors of Pain.[1]

The stable originated on October 12, 2016, originally composed of Young, Wolfe, Nikki Cross, and Sawyer Fulton. After Fulton suffered an injury the following month, he was replaced by Dain on January 18, 2017. On April 17, 2018, as Sanity was called up to SmackDown during the 2018 WWE Superstar Shake-up, it was revealed that Cross would be staying on NXT as a singles competitor, thus splitting her from the group. Dain revealed during a Q&A that Cross will remain a member of Sanity despite the separation.

History

Origins

According to original member Sawyer Fulton, Sanity's concept came from Triple H, who was inspired by the film Smokin Aces, "long before 2016".[2] It was originally pitched to Fulton, Solomon Crowe, and Marcus Louis, but this incarnation never came to be, as, according to Fulton: "we tried a few things but it did not fit. Then [Crowe] left the company and Marcus was fired, so I was alone again."[2]

NXT (2016–2018)

The concept was brought back after Fulton was randomly paired up with Alexander Wolfe in a match against The Hype Bros at a live event, as the two enjoyed working with each other.[2] After a series of cryptic vignettes teasing the stable, it was announced on October 4, 2016 that "Sanity" would be part of the second annual Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament, although the nature of the group and the identity of its members remained anonymous.[3] In the first round of the tournament on the October 12 episode of NXT, the stable made their debut, appearing as four hooded individuals. Wolfe and Fulton were the first to unmask, and faced the team of Tye Dillinger and Bobby Roode, winning their first round match after Roode walked out on his partner. After the match, Eric Young and Nikki Cross revealed themselves as the last two members of the stable; it was Young's debut as an NXT wrestler, although he had previously faced Samoa Joe on May 4 while not under contract.[4][5][6][7]

The following week on the October 19 episode of NXT, Cross made her in-ring debut against Danielle Kamela; she originally won the match, but continued to assault Kamela afterwards, forcing the referee to reverse his decision.[8] Wolfe and Fulton went on to defeat T.J. Perkins and Kota Ibushi in the second round of the tournament on November 2, but were eliminated by TM61 in the semi-finals on November 9.[9][10]

Shortly after the tournament, Fulton suffered a torn pect. He was subsequently written off. On November 30, after Sanity teased that Fulton was no longer associated with the group after Young stomped on Fulton's jacket before kicking it out of the ring, Damo was teased as a potential new member of Sanity by attacking No Way Jose but he threw away Fulton's jacket.[11] On January 18, right after Tye Dillinger refused to join Sanity, Damo, now using the name Killian Dain, officially joined the group by attacking Dillinger and accepting Fulton's jacket.[12] Fulton never re-appeared on television, and was ultimately released by WWE on November 3, 2017.[13] He later praised Dain as his replacement, calling him "a great person and great fighter."[2]

At NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, Young defeated Dillinger, while Cross was unsuccessful in capturing the NXT Women's Championship in a Fatal 4-Way match won by defending champion Asuka.[14][15] Dillinger continued his feud with Sanity, gaining new allies with No Way Jose, Roderick Strong, and the debuting Ruby Riot.[16] The eight-people feud culminated at NXT TakeOver: Orlando, where Sanity defeated Dillinger, Strong, Riot and Kassius Ohno (a replacement for Jose, who was attacked earlier in the night by Sanity).[17] Sanity's feud with Dillinger ended on the April 19, 2017 episode of NXT, when Dillinger, who had recently been drafted to SmackDown, had his last NXT match, he defeated Young in a steel cage match.[18] At NXT TakeOver: Chicago, Young suffered his first pinfall defeat to Roderick Strong whilst Nikki Cross once again failed to win the women's title in a triple threat match against Asuka and Riot.[19][20]

After a series of confrontations between Sanity and the NXT Tag Team Champions The Authors of Pain throughout July, it was announced on August 2, that Dain and Wolfe would face the champions for the title at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III.[21] At the event, Wolfe started the match, but instead of tagging Dain in, tagged Young, effectively making him his partner; Wolfe and Young defeated The Authors of Pain, becoming NXT Tag Team Champions.[22] Following the celebration, they were attacked by Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly, who formed the new stable The Undisputed Era with Adam Cole later the same night.[23] Dain subsequently also defended the titles under the Freebird Rule, but was not recognized as champion.

On the September 20 episode of NXT, Sanity helped Drew McIntyre against The Undisputed Era, thus turning the stable face in the process.[24] At NXT TakeOver: WarGames, Young, Wolfe and Dain faced The Undisputed Era and the team of The Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong in a WarGames match, the first one in 20 years, but ultimately lost when Young was pinned by Cole.[25][26]

On the December 20 episode of NXT, Young and Dain lost the NXT Tag Team Championship to Fish and O'Reilly.[27] At NXT TakeOver: New Orleans on April 7, 2018, Dain unsuccessfully competed in a six-man ladder match to determine the inaugural NXT North American Champion against EC3, Lars Sullivan, Ricochet, Velveteen Dream and eventual winner Adam Cole.[28]

SmackDown (2018–present)

On the April 17, 2018 episode of SmackDown Live, a vignette aired to promote Sanity's debut as part of the 2018 WWE Superstar Shake-up. Later in the night it was revealed that Cross would be staying on NXT as a singles competitor, seemingly splitting her from the group; However, Killian Dain revealed during a Q&A that Cross is still a member of Sanity despite the separation. On June 19, Sanity (Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, and Killan Dain) made their debut on Smackdown Live beating down The Usos prior to their scheduled tag match, reverting to heels.[29] At the kickoff of Backlash, Sanity defeated The New Day in a six man tag team tables match. Sanity then entered to a tournament to determine the number one conteders for the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship, losing in the first round to the New Day.

Championships and accomplishments

1Dain also defended the title under the Freebird Rule, but was not recognized as champion.

References

  1. ↑ NXT Tag Team Championship - WWE.com
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Sawyer Fulton, en exclusiva: "Estoy seguro de que WWE tenía cero planes para mí después de la lesión"" (in Spanish). WWE. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "16 teams announced for 2016 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic". WWE. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  4. ↑ "WWE NXT results, Oct. 12, 2016: Eric Young leads SAnitY into NXT". WWE. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  5. ↑ Parry, Josh. "4/28 WWE NXT TV Taping – Full SPOILER Results from Full Sail". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  6. ↑ James, Justin. "5/4 WWE NXT Results – James's Report on Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, Eric Young debut, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  7. ↑ http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2016/0915/617563/spoiler-sanity-in-wwe-nxt-revealed-photo/
  8. ↑ "10/19 Zim's NXT TV Live Review: Roderick Strong and Austin Aries vs. Tucker Knight and Otis Bogojevic, Rich Swann and No Way Jose vs. Drew Gulak and Tony Nese in Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic matches". ProWrestling.Net. 19 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "NXT results, Nov. 2, 2016: SAnitY prevails in Dusty Classic's crazy Second Round showdowns". WWE.com. 2 November 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  10. ↑ "WWE NXT results, Nov. 9, 2016: Nakamura sends splintering message to Joe, Dusty Classic Final set in Los Angeles". WWE.com. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  11. ↑ "NXT Tag Team Champions #DIY's celebration was cut short by The Revival and The Authors of Pain". WWE.com. 7 December 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  12. ↑ "Tye Dillinger vs. Eric Young". WWE.com. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  13. ↑ http://uproxx.com/prowrestling/sawyer-fulton-released-wwe/
  14. ↑ Pappolla, Ryan. "Eric Young def. Tye Dillinger". WWE. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  15. ↑ Pappolla, Ryan. "NXT Women's Champion Asuka def. Billie Kay, Peyton Royce and Nikki Cross". WWE. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong & No Way Jose vs. SAnitY ended in a No Contest". WWE.com. 22 March 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  17. ↑ Benigno, Anthony. "Tye SAni†Y def. Tye Dillinger, Kassius Ohno, Ruby Riot & Roderick Strong". WWE. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Tye Dillinger def. Eric Young in a Steel Cage Match". WWE. April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  19. ↑ Murphy, Ryan (May 20, 2017). "Roderick Strong def. Eric Young". WWE. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  20. ↑ Murphy, Ryan (May 20, 2017). "NXT Women's Champion Asuka def. Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross in a Triple Threat Match". WWE. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  21. ↑ "NXT Tag Team Champions The Authors of Pain vs. SAnitY".
  22. ↑ Taylor, Scott. "NXT Tag Team Champions The Authors of Pain vs. SAnitY". WWE. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  23. ↑ Zimmerman, Zack. "8/19 Zim's NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III live review – Bobby Roode vs. Drew McIntyre for the NXT Title, Asuka vs. Ember Moon for the NXT Women's Title, Authors of Pain vs. Sanity for the NXT Tag Titles, homecoming". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
  24. ↑ "NXT results, Sept. 20, 2017: McIntyre and SAnitY deliver the chaos to Cole, Fish and O'Reilly". WWE. September 20, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  25. ↑ Taylor, Scott. "SAnitY vs. The Undisputed ERA vs. The Authors of Pain & Roderick Strong (WarGames Match)". WWE. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  26. ↑ Taylor, Scott. "Official WarGames Match rules for NXT TakeOver". WWE. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  27. ↑ "NXT results, Dec. 20, 2017: Pete Dunne defends U.K. Title in must-see ripper against Tyler Bate". WWE. December 20, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  28. ↑ Benigno, Anthony. "Adam Cole def. EC3, The Velveteen Dream, Lars Sullivan, Killian Dain and Ricochet to become the first-ever NXT North American Champion". WWE. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  29. ↑ Powell, Jason. "4/17 Powell's WWE Smackdown Live TV Review: The WWE Superstar Shakeup Night Two". Pro Wreslting Dot Net. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  30. ↑ Daily Update: NXT year-end awards, TakeOver, Impact ratings
  31. ↑ Meltzer, Dave. "April 16, 2018 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Historic WrestleMania 34 weekend reviewed, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
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