Al Snow
Encyclopedia
Allen Ray Sarven is an American professional wrestler
and actor
better known by his ring name
of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling
and World Wrestling Entertainment
and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
as a road agent
.
and Gene Anderson
. There he met Jim Lancaster, promoter of Ohio's Midwest Championship Wrestling, who agreed to train him. Lancaster later described Sarven as "a leader in the ring" who "had drive and natural ability". He made his debut on May 22, 1982. Sarven defeated Lancaster on May 5, 1985 for the Midwest Championship Wrestling title.
Sarven wrestled in various independent promotions throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, capturing both tag team and singles titles, but failed to make any big breaks. He gained a reputation as "the best-kept secret in wrestling". Sarven helped train future Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC) Hall of Fame member and NWA World Heavyweight Champion
Dan Severn
. During this time he would sometimes wrestle as Shinobi, a ninja
-style masked gimmick. in 1993 using Steve Moore name he wrestled a match on challenge v Undertake. He wrestled in the November 19, 1994 tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but he lost to Chris Candido
, the eventual winner of the tournament.
, Sarven wrestled a match in Michigan
against Sabu, an Extreme Championship Wrestling
(ECW) regular, who suggested he try ECW. After making his debut against the Tazmaniac and losing VIA pinfall on February 4, 1995, Sarven faced Chris Benoit
as "The Snowman" Al Snow, in a 15-minute match that was hailed as one of the best of the year.
Sarven was also being courted by Jim Cornette
for his Smoky Mountain Wrestling
federation. ECW booker Paul Heyman
agreed to let him work for both companies. Sarven soon found that he was not being utilized by ECW and went to Smoky Mountain full-time. In Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Snow teamed with Unabomb (Glenn Jacobs) as The Dynamic Duo
and defeated The Rock 'n' Roll Express for the SMW Tag Team Championship
. Both wrestlers caught the attention of the World Wrestling Federation and were signed by the end of 1995.
hiring D'Lo Brown
as an assistant trainer. It has since branched out with one of his trainers running "Bodyslammers" in Ottawa
.
(WWF) when he signed a contract in August 1995. Sarven wrestled under numerous gimmicks in the WWF, such as Avatar (a superhero gimmick with Sarven putting on his mask right before starting a match) and Shinobi. Sarven's WWF debut took place on the October 23, 1995 episode of Monday Night RAW as "Avatar." He also competed in and lost a match against Marty Jannetty
under the name Steve Moore. Sarven received his first mainstream exposure with the WWF as Leif Cassidy, the heel tag team
partner of Marty Jannetty
. The duo was promoted as The New Rockers, a throwback to the original Rockers
team of Shawn Michaels
and Jannetty. Eventually, the storyline was dropped, and Sarven was reduced to jobbing
for mid-carders. In the late 1990s, WWF and ECW began to cross-promote their organizations to counteract the success of World Championship Wrestling
(WCW); Sarven was one of the wrestlers sent to ECW, or Extreme Championship Wrestling.
and finding a mannequin head on the street near ECW Arena during a Mummers
Day parade. He got the idea to portray an individual with a schizophrenic
disorder using the head as a prop for projection
. In this role, Sarven received a lot of fan and management support for his J.O.B. Squad
storyline, which promoted him as being driven insane
by his years as a jobber
for the WWF.
In the storyline, Snow, upset at his lot in life, asked Cactus Jack
what he had to do to get anywhere in wrestling. Jack said to Snow that to become famous he had to "get a little head" (meaning he had to be willing to sleep with/have sex with the booker). Snow, however took this literally, and thus he started coming to the ring with a mannequin
head (with the words "Help Me" written backwards on its forehead, an action Snow himself began to do) whom he talked to as if it were a real person, which prompted ECW crowds to chant "We want Head", an intentional double entendre
. ECW promoters handed out styrofoam
mannequin heads at wrestling shows, and audience members started waving them and shouting, "Head! Head! Head!" in time to his entrance music. The entire audience would then throw the heads into the ring before the match started. Once in his ECW career, he wrestled for the ECW Heavyweight title, losing to Shane Douglas
at Wrestlepalooza in 1998.
" including fighting himself in a hardcore match
(which he won by putting himself through a table) and his short lived comedy tag team with Steve Blackman
.
Snow received some mainstream publicity in 1999 when Wal-Mart
pulled his action figure from their shelves after Sabrena Parton, a professor at Kennesaw State University
, complained that "Head" was a "decapitated woman's head" that sent an inappropriate message about violence towards women. Parton was quoted as saying "My sons are 6 and 11. What kind of message would this toy send them about brutalization of women?" Sarven used the story as part of an angle in which the controversy caused Al Snow to suffer from depression. In one skit, Snow called his mother (kayfabe
), observing that the stores would not sell his action figures, but would sell shotguns and ammunition.
During the Fall of 1999, Snow replaced Head with a chihuahua
named Pepper, who he claimed talked to him, leading to the Boss Man kidnapping Pepper. Boss Man agreed to return the dog if Snow defeated him in a match for the Hardcore title; however after losing the match he reneged and kept the dog. Later, in a segment on SmackDown, Boss Man invited Snow to his hotel room to discuss the situation, before serving Snow dinner which was then revealed to be Pepper. This led to the two competing in a "Kennel from Hell" match at Unforgiven, which consisted of a regular cage which was surrounded by a Hell in a Cell structure, with "savage dogs" in between the two, and the objective was to escape both cages without being attacked by the dogs. Al Snow won the match, also ending the feud between him and Boss Man.
Snow would later team with real life friend Mick Foley
, but turned heel
by betraying him due to Foley's jokes about him in his autobiography
, Have A Nice Day
. He would later turn face again due to fan reaction. Snow was often the butt of Foley's jokes during Foley's tenure as WWF Commissioner in 2000. However, they are close friends in real life. Foley continued to use Snow as the butt of many jokes in his second book, Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker than Wrestling
.
In early 2000, he began to team with Steve Blackman as an "odd couple" tag team called Head Cheese (the "cheese" part being given various explanations, including Snow's claim that Blackman was a voracious eater of cheese and later his attempt to force him to wear a Green Bay Packers
"Cheesehead
" hat). Also in 2000, Snow won the European Championship
from Perry Saturn. He then began a tongue-in-cheek
gimmick of entering the ring to various Europe
an countries' native music, with his theme song sung in the language of the country, and wearing attire which would suit the stereotype of that country. This continued until he lost the title to William Regal
.
In 2001, Snow tried to rally support from the fans to vote for him as the new Commissioner of the WWF following Foley's on-screen firing by Vince McMahon in December 2000. By March 2001, a match was set up between Snow and Regal to determine the new WWF Commissioner, which resulted in Regal winning. Snow then took some time off from the ring in order to commit more time for the reality show Tough Enough
. He made his return to the ring in October 2001 during the InVasion era and challenged Christian
for the European Championship at Survivor Series
, which he lost.
Snow's last championship reign in WWF came on March 11, 2002, when he defeated Goldust to win his last Hardcore Championship. He lost the title to his former Tough Enough student, Maven
, a few days later. He was drafted to SmackDown! as part of the 2002 Brand Extension, where he teamed up with Maven. After taking time off again for another season of Tough Enough
, Snow returned as a member of the Raw
roster and eventually became a commentator for Sunday Night Heat
alongside Jonathan Coachman
. When the Coach sided with Eric Bischoff
, Snow followed suit, turning heel. The two feuded with Jim Ross
and Jerry Lawler
, and briefly replaced them at the Raw announce table after a victory at Unforgiven
in 2003. When Tough Enough IV came to SmackDown!, Snow was on the scene and turned face once again.
In 2006, Snow returned to wrestling full-time as a member of the new ECW brand. His first appearance in the new brand was in the WWE vs ECW Battle Royal
at the "WWE vs. ECW Head to Head" special, where he was accompanied by Head. He was eliminated from the match. On the June 13, 2006 debut of ECW on Sci-Fi, Snow participated in an Extreme Battle Royal, which was won by Sabu. Over the next six months, he was used sporadically, mostly as a jobber
, losing to people such as Test and Kevin Thorn
.
On January 18, 2007, Snow was released from his WWE contract, along with several other superstars. However, he remained with the company as a trainer at Ohio Valley Wrestling
. On the February 3, 2007 OVW TV tapings, Snow was named the new OVW Troubleshooter by Danny Davis in response to Danny Basham's WWE release. On Raw XV, the 15th-Anniversary special on December 10, 2007, Snow participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal. After WWE ceased affiliations with Ohio Valley Wrestling, Sarven was released from his position as a trainer.
, Mick Foley
assigned himself as the special guest enforcer for the match between Kurt Angle
and Rhino. Angle said he had hired employed "another former World Champion" and someone who had co-held a world tag team title with Foley. This person would debut during Angle's match to "take care of Foley". And on the night in question, Al Snow revealed himself to be the mystery ally of Angle, who interrupted the match by slapping Foley. The distraction allowed Angle to beat Rhino.
(MWF) and was pinned by MWF Heavyweight Champion
"Sudden Impact" Dylan Kage of Paul Bearer
's Trifecta at MWF Fireworks On The 4th.
At the early stages of 2009, Snow participated regularly in several independent promotions in the US and in independent promotions in Europe, especially UK and Germany. He debuted in Damn That's Wrestling in South New Jersey, where he won in a tag-team match with local wrestler Tommy Golden against local wrestlers Patch and Jojo. Al Snow made an appearance in Chikara
's King of Trios 2009
, teaming up with Glacier and D'Lo Brown
.
On Saturday April 18, 2009 Snow wrestled his first match in Australia at St. Jays Recreation Centre, Salisbury, South Australia along with Chris Masters and various local wrestlers.
On Saturday, October 31, 2009 Snow became one of the first big name wrestlers to wrestle for the Dynamic Wrestling Alliance defeating "Bad Attitude" Brian Beech in the main event of the Monster Ball event which also became the promotions first televised event.
In 2009 Snow was the GLCW Heavyweight Champion. On August 8 at GLCW SlamFest, Snow was set to defend the GLCW Heavyweight Championship against X-Pac
. Due to not being able to make the event, he was stripped of the title as a result. In 2010, Snow won the GLCW Heavyweight Championship for a second time as X-Pac
was not able to make it to the show due to the travel delays in Europe
caused by the volcano
in Iceland
.
On January 16, 2010, Snow made another independent appearance, wrestling at the Throwdown in Downtown II at the Fort Smith (Arkansas) Event Center. Snow was the headliner of the seven match card, taking on Total Championship Wrestling International heavyweight champion Tim Storm in a title match. Snow was extremely over with the capacity crowd, but he lost the match to Storm after interference from Storm's tag team partner from the Dark Circle, APOC.
On Nov. 14, 2010 Snow teamed with Fred Flash to defeat Bodacious Pretty Boy & Eddie Gillett at a Regional Championship Wrestling event called Megabrawl 5 in Reading, PA.
, Raven, Stevie Richards
, Rhino, Brother Devon, Pat Kenney
and Mick Foley in their invitation by Dixie Carter to TNA. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand
, as a celebration of hardcore wrestling and a final farewell to the company. At the event Snow was defeated by Rhino in a three-way match, which also included Brother Runt
. Since then, he has appeared onscreen in his real-life role as company agent on multiple occasions, often alongside fellow agents Ace "D'Lo Brown" Conner and Pat Kenney. Sarven currently holds the title of producer for the company.
with Christopher Lloyd
, Sean Astin
, Billy Boyd
and Barry Ratcliffe
, playing the Gnome King, as well as starring in the action film Overtime
, and the comedy, Agua Caliente
. He had an uncredited role in the 1993 film Rudy
. Snow also appeared in 2006's They're Just My Friends and co-stars alongside Tiger Chung Lee in 2009's Mountain Mafia.
Snow and his wife Cindi can also be seen as the brutal serial killers Grim and Lady, also known as "The Reaper's", in Feathered Italian Films latest slasher films The Legacy and Hell House. Head also cameo's in "The Legacy". He recently wrapped filming a lead role in the comedy/action/sci-fi movie Overtime by director Matt Niehoff.
Snow had a quick line in the wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat
. He also participated in the wrestling documentary, Bloodstained Memoirs
.
Al Snow also appeared as a coach on WWE Tough Enough
during the show's first three seasons.
, who wrestles under the name "Bobcat".
Sarven has a longtime friendship with fellow professional wrestler Mick Foley
, who wrote several humorous stories about it in his memoirs.
Al's real life brother (also a wrestler) going by the name Logan Caine, was a NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Allen Ray Sarven (born July 18, 1963) is an American professional wrestler
and actor
better known by his ring name
of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling
and World Wrestling Entertainment
and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
as a road agent
.
and Gene Anderson
. There he met Jim Lancaster, promoter of Ohio's Midwest Championship Wrestling, who agreed to train him. Lancaster later described Sarven as "a leader in the ring" who "had drive and natural ability". He made his debut on May 22, 1982. Sarven defeated Lancaster on May 5, 1985 for the Midwest Championship Wrestling title.
Sarven wrestled in various independent promotions throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, capturing both tag team and singles titles, but failed to make any big breaks. He gained a reputation as "the best-kept secret in wrestling". Sarven helped train future Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC) Hall of Fame member and NWA World Heavyweight Champion
Dan Severn
. During this time he would sometimes wrestle as Shinobi, a ninja
-style masked gimmick. in 1993 using Steve Moore name he wrestled a match on challenge v Undertake. He wrestled in the November 19, 1994 tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but he lost to Chris Candido
, the eventual winner of the tournament.
, Sarven wrestled a match in Michigan
against Sabu, an Extreme Championship Wrestling
(ECW) regular, who suggested he try ECW. After making his debut against the Tazmaniac and losing VIA pinfall on February 4, 1995, Sarven faced Chris Benoit
as "The Snowman" Al Snow, in a 15-minute match that was hailed as one of the best of the year.
Sarven was also being courted by Jim Cornette
for his Smoky Mountain Wrestling
federation. ECW booker Paul Heyman
agreed to let him work for both companies. Sarven soon found that he was not being utilized by ECW and went to Smoky Mountain full-time. In Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Snow teamed with Unabomb (Glenn Jacobs) as The Dynamic Duo
and defeated The Rock 'n' Roll Express for the SMW Tag Team Championship
. Both wrestlers caught the attention of the World Wrestling Federation and were signed by the end of 1995.
hiring D'Lo Brown
as an assistant trainer.Canoe.ca 2003 article It has since branched out with one of his trainers running "Bodyslammers" in Ottawa
.Bodyslammers' history
(WWF) when he signed a contract in August 1995. Sarven wrestled under numerous gimmicks in the WWF, such as Avatar (a superhero gimmick with Sarven putting on his mask right before starting a match) and Shinobi. Sarven's WWF debut took place on the October 23, 1995 episode of Monday Night RAW as "Avatar." He also competed in and lost a match against Marty Jannetty
under the name Steve Moore. Sarven received his first mainstream exposure with the WWF as Leif Cassidy, the heel tag team
partner of Marty Jannetty
. The duo was promoted as The New Rockers, a throwback to the original Rockers
team of Shawn Michaels
and Jannetty. Eventually, the storyline was dropped, and Sarven was reduced to jobbing
for mid-carders. In the late 1990s, WWF and ECW began to cross-promote their organizations to counteract the success of World Championship Wrestling
(WCW); Sarven was one of the wrestlers sent to ECW, or Extreme Championship Wrestling.
and finding a mannequin head on the street near ECW Arena during a Mummers
Day parade. He got the idea to portray an individual with a schizophrenic
disorder using the head as a prop for projection
. In this role, Sarven received a lot of fan and management support for his J.O.B. Squad
storyline, which promoted him as being driven insane
by his years as a jobber
for the WWF.
In the storyline, Snow, upset at his lot in life, asked Cactus Jack
what he had to do to get anywhere in wrestling. Jack said to Snow that to become famous he had to "get a little head" (meaning he had to be willing to sleep with/have sex with the booker). Snow, however took this literally, and thus he started coming to the ring with a mannequin
head (with the words "Help Me" written backwards on its forehead, an action Snow himself began to do) whom he talked to as if it were a real person, which prompted ECW crowds to chant "We want Head", an intentional double entendre
. ECW promoters handed out styrofoam
mannequin heads at wrestling shows, and audience members started waving them and shouting, "Head! Head! Head!" in time to his entrance music. The entire audience would then throw the heads into the ring before the match started. Once in his ECW career, he wrestled for the ECW Heavyweight title, losing to Shane Douglas
at Wrestlepalooza in 1998.
" including fighting himself in a hardcore match
(which he won by putting himself through a table) and his short lived comedy tag team with Steve Blackman
.
Snow received some mainstream publicity in 1999 when Wal-Mart
pulled his action figure from their shelves after Sabrena Parton, a professor at Kennesaw State University
, complained that "Head" was a "decapitated woman's head" that sent an inappropriate message about violence towards women. Parton was quoted as saying "My sons are 6 and 11. What kind of message would this toy send them about brutalization of women?" Sarven used the story as part of an angle in which the controversy caused Al Snow to suffer from depression. In one skit, Snow called his mother (kayfabe
), observing that the stores would not sell his action figures, but would sell shotguns and ammunition.
During the Fall of 1999, Snow replaced Head with a chihuahua
named Pepper, who he claimed talked to him, leading to the Boss Man kidnapping Pepper. Boss Man agreed to return the dog if Snow defeated him in a match for the Hardcore title; however after losing the match he reneged and kept the dog. Later, in a segment on SmackDown, Boss Man invited Snow to his hotel room to discuss the situation, before serving Snow dinner which was then revealed to be Pepper. This led to the two competing in a "Kennel from Hell" match at Unforgiven, which consisted of a regular cage which was surrounded by a Hell in a Cell structure, with "savage dogs" in between the two, and the objective was to escape both cages without being attacked by the dogs. Al Snow won the match, also ending the feud between him and Boss Man.
Snow would later team with real life friend Mick Foley
, but turned heel
by betraying him due to Foley's jokes about him in his autobiography
, Have A Nice Day
. He would later turn face again due to fan reaction. Snow was often the butt of Foley's jokes during Foley's tenure as WWF Commissioner in 2000. However, they are close friends in real life.Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (Foreword p.x) Foley continued to use Snow as the butt of many jokes in his second book, Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker than Wrestling
.
In early 2000, he began to team with Steve Blackman as an "odd couple" tag team called Head Cheese (the "cheese" part being given various explanations, including Snow's claim that Blackman was a voracious eater of cheese and later his attempt to force him to wear a Green Bay Packers
"Cheesehead
" hat). Also in 2000, Snow won the European Championship
from Perry Saturn. He then began a tongue-in-cheek
gimmick of entering the ring to various Europe
an countries' native music, with his theme song sung in the language of the country, and wearing attire which would suit the stereotype of that country. This continued until he lost the title to William Regal
.
In 2001, Snow tried to rally support from the fans to vote for him as the new Commissioner of the WWF following Foley's on-screen firing by Vince McMahon in December 2000. By March 2001, a match was set up between Snow and Regal to determine the new WWF Commissioner, which resulted in Regal winning. Snow then took some time off from the ring in order to commit more time for the reality show Tough Enough
. He made his return to the ring in October 2001 during the InVasion era and challenged Christian
for the European Championship at Survivor Series
, which he lost.
Snow's last championship reign in WWF came on March 11, 2002, when he defeated Goldust to win his last Hardcore Championship. He lost the title to his former Tough Enough student, Maven
, a few days later. He was drafted to SmackDown! as part of the 2002 Brand Extension, where he teamed up with Maven. After taking time off again for another season of Tough Enough
, Snow returned as a member of the Raw
roster and eventually became a commentator for Sunday Night Heat
alongside Jonathan Coachman
. When the Coach sided with Eric Bischoff
, Snow followed suit, turning heel. The two feuded with Jim Ross
and Jerry Lawler
, and briefly replaced them at the Raw announce table after a victory at Unforgiven
in 2003. When Tough Enough IV came to SmackDown!, Snow was on the scene and turned face once again.
In 2006, Snow returned to wrestling full-time as a member of the new ECW brand. His first appearance in the new brand was in the WWE vs ECW Battle Royal
at the "WWE vs. ECW Head to Head" special, where he was accompanied by Head. He was eliminated from the match. On the June 13, 2006 debut of ECW on Sci-Fi, Snow participated in an Extreme Battle Royal, which was won by Sabu. Over the next six months, he was used sporadically, mostly as a jobber
, losing to people such as Test and Kevin Thorn
.
On January 18, 2007, Snow was released from his WWE contract, along with several other superstars. However, he remained with the company as a trainer at Ohio Valley Wrestling
. On the February 3, 2007 OVW TV tapings, Snow was named the new OVW Troubleshooter by Danny Davis in response to Danny Basham's WWE release. On Raw XV, the 15th-Anniversary special on December 10, 2007, Snow participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal. After WWE ceased affiliations with Ohio Valley Wrestling, Sarven was released from his position as a trainer.
, Mick Foley
assigned himself as the special guest enforcer for the match between Kurt Angle
and Rhino. Angle said he had hired employed "another former World Champion" and someone who had co-held a world tag team title with Foley. This person would debut during Angle's match to "take care of Foley". And on the night in question, Al Snow revealed himself to be the mystery ally of Angle, who interrupted the match by slapping Foley. The distraction allowed Angle to beat Rhino.
(MWF) and was pinned by MWF Heavyweight Champion
"Sudden Impact" Dylan Kage of Paul Bearer
's Trifecta at MWF Fireworks On The 4th.Welcome To The BOSTONWRESTLING.COM Supersite!
At the early stages of 2009, Snow participated regularly in several independent promotions in the US and in independent promotions in Europe, especially UK and Germany. He debuted in Damn That's Wrestling in South New Jersey, where he won in a tag-team match with local wrestler Tommy Golden against local wrestlers Patch and Jojo. Al Snow made an appearance in Chikara
's King of Trios 2009
, teaming up with Glacier and D'Lo Brown
.
On Saturday April 18, 2009 Snow wrestled his first match in Australia at St. Jays Recreation Centre, Salisbury, South Australia along with Chris Masters and various local wrestlers.
On Saturday, October 31, 2009 Snow became one of the first big name wrestlers to wrestle for the Dynamic Wrestling Alliance defeating "Bad Attitude" Brian Beech in the main event of the Monster Ball event which also became the promotions first televised event. http://dwafanpage.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=115220290
In 2009 Snow was the GLCW Heavyweight Champion. On August 8 at GLCW SlamFest, Snow was set to defend the GLCW Heavyweight Championship against X-Pac
. Due to not being able to make the event, he was stripped of the title as a result. In 2010, Snow won the GLCW Heavyweight Championship for a second time as X-Pac
was not able to make it to the show due to the travel delays in Europe
caused by the volcano
in Iceland
.
On January 16, 2010, Snow made another independent appearance, wrestling at the Throwdown in Downtown II at the Fort Smith (Arkansas) Event Center. Snow was the headliner of the seven match card, taking on Total Championship Wrestling International heavyweight champion Tim Storm in a title match. Snow was extremely over with the capacity crowd, but he lost the match to Storm after interference from Storm's tag team partner from the Dark Circle, APOC.
On Nov. 14, 2010 Snow teamed with Fred Flash to defeat Bodacious Pretty Boy & Eddie Gillett at a Regional Championship Wrestling event called Megabrawl 5 in Reading, PA.
, Raven, Stevie Richards
, Rhino, Brother Devon, Pat Kenney
and Mick Foley in their invitation by Dixie Carter to TNA. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand
, as a celebration of hardcore wrestling and a final farewell to the company. At the event Snow was defeated by Rhino in a three-way match, which also included Brother Runt
. Since then, he has appeared onscreen in his real-life role as company agent on multiple occasions, often alongside fellow agents Ace "D'Lo Brown" Conner and Pat Kenney. Sarven currently holds the title of producer for the company.
with Christopher Lloyd
, Sean Astin
, Billy Boyd
and Barry Ratcliffe
, playing the Gnome King, as well as starring in the action film Overtime
, and the comedy, Agua Caliente
. He had an uncredited role in the 1993 film Rudy
.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0765715/ Snow also appeared in 2006's They're Just My Friends and co-stars alongside Tiger Chung Lee in 2009's Mountain Mafia.
Snow and his wife Cindi can also be seen as the brutal serial killers Grim and Lady, also known as "The Reaper's", in Feathered Italian Filmshttp://www.feathereditalianfilms.com latest slasher films The Legacyhttp://www.myspace.com/killerlegacy and Hell House.http://www.myspace.com/thehellhousemovie Head also cameo's in "The Legacy". He recently wrapped filming a lead role in the comedy/action/sci-fi movie Overtime by director Matt Niehoff.
Snow had a quick line in the wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat
. He also participated in the wrestling documentary, Bloodstained Memoirs
.
Al Snow also appeared as a coach on WWE Tough Enough
during the show's first three seasons.
, who wrestles under the name "Bobcat".
Sarven has a longtime friendship with fellow professional wrestler Mick Foley
, who wrote several humorous stories about it in his memoirs.
Al's real life brother (also a wrestler) going by the name Logan Caine, was a NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Allen Ray Sarven (born July 18, 1963) is an American professional wrestler
and actor
better known by his ring name
of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling
and World Wrestling Entertainment
and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
as a road agent
.
and Gene Anderson
. There he met Jim Lancaster, promoter of Ohio's Midwest Championship Wrestling, who agreed to train him. Lancaster later described Sarven as "a leader in the ring" who "had drive and natural ability". He made his debut on May 22, 1982. Sarven defeated Lancaster on May 5, 1985 for the Midwest Championship Wrestling title.
Sarven wrestled in various independent promotions throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, capturing both tag team and singles titles, but failed to make any big breaks. He gained a reputation as "the best-kept secret in wrestling". Sarven helped train future Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC) Hall of Fame member and NWA World Heavyweight Champion
Dan Severn
. During this time he would sometimes wrestle as Shinobi, a ninja
-style masked gimmick. in 1993 using Steve Moore name he wrestled a match on challenge v Undertake. He wrestled in the November 19, 1994 tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but he lost to Chris Candido
, the eventual winner of the tournament.
, Sarven wrestled a match in Michigan
against Sabu, an Extreme Championship Wrestling
(ECW) regular, who suggested he try ECW. After making his debut against the Tazmaniac and losing VIA pinfall on February 4, 1995, Sarven faced Chris Benoit
as "The Snowman" Al Snow, in a 15-minute match that was hailed as one of the best of the year.
Sarven was also being courted by Jim Cornette
for his Smoky Mountain Wrestling
federation. ECW booker Paul Heyman
agreed to let him work for both companies. Sarven soon found that he was not being utilized by ECW and went to Smoky Mountain full-time. In Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Snow teamed with Unabomb (Glenn Jacobs) as The Dynamic Duo
and defeated The Rock 'n' Roll Express for the SMW Tag Team Championship
. Both wrestlers caught the attention of the World Wrestling Federation and were signed by the end of 1995.
hiring D'Lo Brown
as an assistant trainer.Canoe.ca 2003 article It has since branched out with one of his trainers running "Bodyslammers" in Ottawa
.Bodyslammers' history
(WWF) when he signed a contract in August 1995. Sarven wrestled under numerous gimmicks in the WWF, such as Avatar (a superhero gimmick with Sarven putting on his mask right before starting a match) and Shinobi. Sarven's WWF debut took place on the October 23, 1995 episode of Monday Night RAW as "Avatar." He also competed in and lost a match against Marty Jannetty
under the name Steve Moore. Sarven received his first mainstream exposure with the WWF as Leif Cassidy, the heel tag team
partner of Marty Jannetty
. The duo was promoted as The New Rockers, a throwback to the original Rockers
team of Shawn Michaels
and Jannetty. Eventually, the storyline was dropped, and Sarven was reduced to jobbing
for mid-carders. In the late 1990s, WWF and ECW began to cross-promote their organizations to counteract the success of World Championship Wrestling
(WCW); Sarven was one of the wrestlers sent to ECW, or Extreme Championship Wrestling.
and finding a mannequin head on the street near ECW Arena during a Mummers
Day parade. He got the idea to portray an individual with a schizophrenic
disorder using the head as a prop for projection
. In this role, Sarven received a lot of fan and management support for his J.O.B. Squad
storyline, which promoted him as being driven insane
by his years as a jobber
for the WWF.
In the storyline, Snow, upset at his lot in life, asked Cactus Jack
what he had to do to get anywhere in wrestling. Jack said to Snow that to become famous he had to "get a little head" (meaning he had to be willing to sleep with/have sex with the booker). Snow, however took this literally, and thus he started coming to the ring with a mannequin
head (with the words "Help Me" written backwards on its forehead, an action Snow himself began to do) whom he talked to as if it were a real person, which prompted ECW crowds to chant "We want Head", an intentional double entendre
. ECW promoters handed out styrofoam
mannequin heads at wrestling shows, and audience members started waving them and shouting, "Head! Head! Head!" in time to his entrance music. The entire audience would then throw the heads into the ring before the match started. Once in his ECW career, he wrestled for the ECW Heavyweight title, losing to Shane Douglas
at Wrestlepalooza in 1998.
" including fighting himself in a hardcore match
(which he won by putting himself through a table) and his short lived comedy tag team with Steve Blackman
.
Snow received some mainstream publicity in 1999 when Wal-Mart
pulled his action figure from their shelves after Sabrena Parton, a professor at Kennesaw State University
, complained that "Head" was a "decapitated woman's head" that sent an inappropriate message about violence towards women. Parton was quoted as saying "My sons are 6 and 11. What kind of message would this toy send them about brutalization of women?" Sarven used the story as part of an angle in which the controversy caused Al Snow to suffer from depression. In one skit, Snow called his mother (kayfabe
), observing that the stores would not sell his action figures, but would sell shotguns and ammunition.
During the Fall of 1999, Snow replaced Head with a chihuahua
named Pepper, who he claimed talked to him, leading to the Boss Man kidnapping Pepper. Boss Man agreed to return the dog if Snow defeated him in a match for the Hardcore title; however after losing the match he reneged and kept the dog. Later, in a segment on SmackDown, Boss Man invited Snow to his hotel room to discuss the situation, before serving Snow dinner which was then revealed to be Pepper. This led to the two competing in a "Kennel from Hell" match at Unforgiven, which consisted of a regular cage which was surrounded by a Hell in a Cell structure, with "savage dogs" in between the two, and the objective was to escape both cages without being attacked by the dogs. Al Snow won the match, also ending the feud between him and Boss Man.
Snow would later team with real life friend Mick Foley
, but turned heel
by betraying him due to Foley's jokes about him in his autobiography
, Have A Nice Day
. He would later turn face again due to fan reaction. Snow was often the butt of Foley's jokes during Foley's tenure as WWF Commissioner in 2000. However, they are close friends in real life.Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (Foreword p.x) Foley continued to use Snow as the butt of many jokes in his second book, Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker than Wrestling
.
In early 2000, he began to team with Steve Blackman as an "odd couple" tag team called Head Cheese (the "cheese" part being given various explanations, including Snow's claim that Blackman was a voracious eater of cheese and later his attempt to force him to wear a Green Bay Packers
"Cheesehead
" hat). Also in 2000, Snow won the European Championship
from Perry Saturn. He then began a tongue-in-cheek
gimmick of entering the ring to various Europe
an countries' native music, with his theme song sung in the language of the country, and wearing attire which would suit the stereotype of that country. This continued until he lost the title to William Regal
.
In 2001, Snow tried to rally support from the fans to vote for him as the new Commissioner of the WWF following Foley's on-screen firing by Vince McMahon in December 2000. By March 2001, a match was set up between Snow and Regal to determine the new WWF Commissioner, which resulted in Regal winning. Snow then took some time off from the ring in order to commit more time for the reality show Tough Enough
. He made his return to the ring in October 2001 during the InVasion era and challenged Christian
for the European Championship at Survivor Series
, which he lost.
Snow's last championship reign in WWF came on March 11, 2002, when he defeated Goldust to win his last Hardcore Championship. He lost the title to his former Tough Enough student, Maven
, a few days later. He was drafted to SmackDown! as part of the 2002 Brand Extension, where he teamed up with Maven. After taking time off again for another season of Tough Enough
, Snow returned as a member of the Raw
roster and eventually became a commentator for Sunday Night Heat
alongside Jonathan Coachman
. When the Coach sided with Eric Bischoff
, Snow followed suit, turning heel. The two feuded with Jim Ross
and Jerry Lawler
, and briefly replaced them at the Raw announce table after a victory at Unforgiven
in 2003. When Tough Enough IV came to SmackDown!, Snow was on the scene and turned face once again.
In 2006, Snow returned to wrestling full-time as a member of the new ECW brand. His first appearance in the new brand was in the WWE vs ECW Battle Royal
at the "WWE vs. ECW Head to Head" special, where he was accompanied by Head. He was eliminated from the match. On the June 13, 2006 debut of ECW on Sci-Fi, Snow participated in an Extreme Battle Royal, which was won by Sabu. Over the next six months, he was used sporadically, mostly as a jobber
, losing to people such as Test and Kevin Thorn
.
On January 18, 2007, Snow was released from his WWE contract, along with several other superstars. However, he remained with the company as a trainer at Ohio Valley Wrestling
. On the February 3, 2007 OVW TV tapings, Snow was named the new OVW Troubleshooter by Danny Davis in response to Danny Basham's WWE release. On Raw XV, the 15th-Anniversary special on December 10, 2007, Snow participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal. After WWE ceased affiliations with Ohio Valley Wrestling, Sarven was released from his position as a trainer.
, Mick Foley
assigned himself as the special guest enforcer for the match between Kurt Angle
and Rhino. Angle said he had hired employed "another former World Champion" and someone who had co-held a world tag team title with Foley. This person would debut during Angle's match to "take care of Foley". And on the night in question, Al Snow revealed himself to be the mystery ally of Angle, who interrupted the match by slapping Foley. The distraction allowed Angle to beat Rhino.
(MWF) and was pinned by MWF Heavyweight Champion
"Sudden Impact" Dylan Kage of Paul Bearer
's Trifecta at MWF Fireworks On The 4th.Welcome To The BOSTONWRESTLING.COM Supersite!
At the early stages of 2009, Snow participated regularly in several independent promotions in the US and in independent promotions in Europe, especially UK and Germany. He debuted in Damn That's Wrestling in South New Jersey, where he won in a tag-team match with local wrestler Tommy Golden against local wrestlers Patch and Jojo. Al Snow made an appearance in Chikara
's King of Trios 2009
, teaming up with Glacier and D'Lo Brown
.
On Saturday April 18, 2009 Snow wrestled his first match in Australia at St. Jays Recreation Centre, Salisbury, South Australia along with Chris Masters and various local wrestlers.
On Saturday, October 31, 2009 Snow became one of the first big name wrestlers to wrestle for the Dynamic Wrestling Alliance defeating "Bad Attitude" Brian Beech in the main event of the Monster Ball event which also became the promotions first televised event. http://dwafanpage.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=115220290
In 2009 Snow was the GLCW Heavyweight Champion. On August 8 at GLCW SlamFest, Snow was set to defend the GLCW Heavyweight Championship against X-Pac
. Due to not being able to make the event, he was stripped of the title as a result. In 2010, Snow won the GLCW Heavyweight Championship for a second time as X-Pac
was not able to make it to the show due to the travel delays in Europe
caused by the volcano
in Iceland
.
On January 16, 2010, Snow made another independent appearance, wrestling at the Throwdown in Downtown II at the Fort Smith (Arkansas) Event Center. Snow was the headliner of the seven match card, taking on Total Championship Wrestling International heavyweight champion Tim Storm in a title match. Snow was extremely over with the capacity crowd, but he lost the match to Storm after interference from Storm's tag team partner from the Dark Circle, APOC.
On Nov. 14, 2010 Snow teamed with Fred Flash to defeat Bodacious Pretty Boy & Eddie Gillett at a Regional Championship Wrestling event called Megabrawl 5 in Reading, PA.
, Raven, Stevie Richards
, Rhino, Brother Devon, Pat Kenney
and Mick Foley in their invitation by Dixie Carter to TNA. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand
, as a celebration of hardcore wrestling and a final farewell to the company. At the event Snow was defeated by Rhino in a three-way match, which also included Brother Runt
. Since then, he has appeared onscreen in his real-life role as company agent on multiple occasions, often alongside fellow agents Ace "D'Lo Brown" Conner and Pat Kenney. Sarven currently holds the title of producer for the company.
with Christopher Lloyd
, Sean Astin
, Billy Boyd
and Barry Ratcliffe
, playing the Gnome King, as well as starring in the action film Overtime
, and the comedy, Agua Caliente
. He had an uncredited role in the 1993 film Rudy
.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0765715/ Snow also appeared in 2006's They're Just My Friends and co-stars alongside Tiger Chung Lee in 2009's Mountain Mafia.
Snow and his wife Cindi can also be seen as the brutal serial killers Grim and Lady, also known as "The Reaper's", in Feathered Italian Filmshttp://www.feathereditalianfilms.com latest slasher films The Legacyhttp://www.myspace.com/killerlegacy and Hell House.http://www.myspace.com/thehellhousemovie Head also cameo's in "The Legacy". He recently wrapped filming a lead role in the comedy/action/sci-fi movie Overtime by director Matt Niehoff.
Snow had a quick line in the wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat
. He also participated in the wrestling documentary, Bloodstained Memoirs
.
Al Snow also appeared as a coach on WWE Tough Enough
during the show's first three seasons.
, who wrestles under the name "Bobcat".
Sarven has a longtime friendship with fellow professional wrestler Mick Foley
, who wrote several humorous stories about it in his memoirs.
Al's real life brother (also a wrestler) going by the name Logan Caine, was a NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
better known by his ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
and World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
as a road agent
Road agent
A road agent can mean:* Another name for highwayman, a criminal engaged in stagecoach robbery in the mid to late 19th century American West. * Road Agent , a professional wrestling liaison between the wrestlers and management...
.
Early career
Sarven attended a professional wrestling tryout camp held by OleOle Anderson
Alan Robert Rogowski , better known by his ring name of Ole Anderson, is a retired professional wrestler and a promoter. He held numerous NWA World Tag Team Championships with Gene Anderson, who was portrayed as his brother...
and Gene Anderson
Gene Anderson
Gene Anderson was an American professional wrestler best known for his days of teaming with his brother Ole Anderson.-Career:...
. There he met Jim Lancaster, promoter of Ohio's Midwest Championship Wrestling, who agreed to train him. Lancaster later described Sarven as "a leader in the ring" who "had drive and natural ability". He made his debut on May 22, 1982. Sarven defeated Lancaster on May 5, 1985 for the Midwest Championship Wrestling title.
Sarven wrestled in various independent promotions throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, capturing both tag team and singles titles, but failed to make any big breaks. He gained a reputation as "the best-kept secret in wrestling". Sarven helped train future Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
(UFC) Hall of Fame member and NWA World Heavyweight Champion
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
Dan Severn
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
. During this time he would sometimes wrestle as Shinobi, a ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
-style masked gimmick. in 1993 using Steve Moore name he wrestled a match on challenge v Undertake. He wrestled in the November 19, 1994 tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but he lost to Chris Candido
Chris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
, the eventual winner of the tournament.
Extreme Championship Wrestling and Smoky Mountain Wrestling
After a tour of JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Sarven wrestled a match in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
against Sabu, an Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW) regular, who suggested he try ECW. After making his debut against the Tazmaniac and losing VIA pinfall on February 4, 1995, Sarven faced Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
as "The Snowman" Al Snow, in a 15-minute match that was hailed as one of the best of the year.
Sarven was also being courted by Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
for his Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...
federation. ECW booker Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
agreed to let him work for both companies. Sarven soon found that he was not being utilized by ECW and went to Smoky Mountain full-time. In Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Snow teamed with Unabomb (Glenn Jacobs) as The Dynamic Duo
The Dynamic Duo
The Dynamic Duo was a Professional wrestling Tag team that wrestled in Smoky Mountain Wrestling from early to mid 1995. The team consisted of Al Snow and Unabomb...
and defeated The Rock 'n' Roll Express for the SMW Tag Team Championship
SMW Tag Team Championship
The SMW Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in Smoky Mountain Wrestling . It existed from 1992 until 1995 when the promotion closed .-Title history:...
. Both wrestlers caught the attention of the World Wrestling Federation and were signed by the end of 1995.
Body Slammers
From 1995-1997, Snow was also running a wrestling gym called "Body Slammers" in Lima, OhioLima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
hiring D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
as an assistant trainer. It has since branched out with one of his trainers running "Bodyslammers" in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.
World Wrestling Federation (1995–1997)
Sarven began working for the World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) when he signed a contract in August 1995. Sarven wrestled under numerous gimmicks in the WWF, such as Avatar (a superhero gimmick with Sarven putting on his mask right before starting a match) and Shinobi. Sarven's WWF debut took place on the October 23, 1995 episode of Monday Night RAW as "Avatar." He also competed in and lost a match against Marty Jannetty
Marty Jannetty
Frederick Marty Jannetty is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels, and later as a singles competitor. While in the WWF, he became a one time Intercontinental Champion and a one time...
under the name Steve Moore. Sarven received his first mainstream exposure with the WWF as Leif Cassidy, the heel tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
partner of Marty Jannetty
Marty Jannetty
Frederick Marty Jannetty is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels, and later as a singles competitor. While in the WWF, he became a one time Intercontinental Champion and a one time...
. The duo was promoted as The New Rockers, a throwback to the original Rockers
The Rockers
The Rockers were a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty that teamed from 1985 to 1992. The team worked for Central States Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, Continental Wrestling Federation, Continental Wrestling Association and the World...
team of Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Jannetty. Eventually, the storyline was dropped, and Sarven was reduced to jobbing
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
for mid-carders. In the late 1990s, WWF and ECW began to cross-promote their organizations to counteract the success of World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW); Sarven was one of the wrestlers sent to ECW, or Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (late 1990s)
Sarven found success back in ECW, billed once again as Al Snow. Sarven developed a new character gimmick after reading about abnormal psychologyAbnormal psychology
Abnormal psychology is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion and thought, which may or may not be understood as precipitating a mental disorder...
and finding a mannequin head on the street near ECW Arena during a Mummers
Mummers Play
Mummers Plays are seasonal folk plays performed by troupes of actors known as mummers or guisers , originally from England , but later in other parts of the world...
Day parade. He got the idea to portray an individual with a schizophrenic
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
disorder using the head as a prop for projection
Psychological projection
Psychological projection or projection bias is a psychological defense mechanism where a person subconsciously denies his or her own attributes, thoughts, and emotions, which are then ascribed to the outside world, usually to other people...
. In this role, Sarven received a lot of fan and management support for his J.O.B. Squad
J.O.B. Squad
The J.O.B. Squad was a professional wrestling faction. The theme of the group was that each member was a perennial enhancement talent, in which they lost to established or up-and-coming wrestlers....
storyline, which promoted him as being driven insane
Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
by his years as a jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
for the WWF.
In the storyline, Snow, upset at his lot in life, asked Cactus Jack
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
what he had to do to get anywhere in wrestling. Jack said to Snow that to become famous he had to "get a little head" (meaning he had to be willing to sleep with/have sex with the booker). Snow, however took this literally, and thus he started coming to the ring with a mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
head (with the words "Help Me" written backwards on its forehead, an action Snow himself began to do) whom he talked to as if it were a real person, which prompted ECW crowds to chant "We want Head", an intentional double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
. ECW promoters handed out styrofoam
Styrofoam
Styrofoam is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for closed-cell currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. In 1941, researchers in Dow's Chemical Physics Lab found a way to make foamed polystyrene...
mannequin heads at wrestling shows, and audience members started waving them and shouting, "Head! Head! Head!" in time to his entrance music. The entire audience would then throw the heads into the ring before the match started. Once in his ECW career, he wrestled for the ECW Heavyweight title, losing to Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
at Wrestlepalooza in 1998.
World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (1998–2007)
Sarven was then recalled to the WWF, where he continued his gimmick of talking to "Head," creating some of the more memorable humorous skits of "The Attitude EraThe Attitude Era
The Attitude Era was a period in World Wrestling Federation and professional wrestling history that began as a direct result of the Monday Night Wars, a television ratings conflict between the WWF and longtime rival promotion World Championship Wrestling that lasted from 1995 to 2001...
" including fighting himself in a hardcore match
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
(which he won by putting himself through a table) and his short lived comedy tag team with Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman is a American professional wrestler who is best known for his career in the World Wrestling Federation under his own name.-Stampede Wrestling and South Africa :...
.
Snow received some mainstream publicity in 1999 when Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
pulled his action figure from their shelves after Sabrena Parton, a professor at Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
, complained that "Head" was a "decapitated woman's head" that sent an inappropriate message about violence towards women. Parton was quoted as saying "My sons are 6 and 11. What kind of message would this toy send them about brutalization of women?" Sarven used the story as part of an angle in which the controversy caused Al Snow to suffer from depression. In one skit, Snow called his mother (kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
), observing that the stores would not sell his action figures, but would sell shotguns and ammunition.
During the Fall of 1999, Snow replaced Head with a chihuahua
Chihuahua (dog)
The ' is the smallest breed of dog and is so named for the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Chihuahuas come in a wide variety of sizes, head shapes, colors and coat lengths.-History:...
named Pepper, who he claimed talked to him, leading to the Boss Man kidnapping Pepper. Boss Man agreed to return the dog if Snow defeated him in a match for the Hardcore title; however after losing the match he reneged and kept the dog. Later, in a segment on SmackDown, Boss Man invited Snow to his hotel room to discuss the situation, before serving Snow dinner which was then revealed to be Pepper. This led to the two competing in a "Kennel from Hell" match at Unforgiven, which consisted of a regular cage which was surrounded by a Hell in a Cell structure, with "savage dogs" in between the two, and the objective was to escape both cages without being attacked by the dogs. Al Snow won the match, also ending the feud between him and Boss Man.
Snow would later team with real life friend Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, but turned heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
by betraying him due to Foley's jokes about him in his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Have A Nice Day
Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks
Have a Nice Day!: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks is an autobiography of former World Wrestling Entertainment and TNA wrestler Mick Foley. It details his life all the way from his upbringing in New York to winning the WWF Championship from The Rock in December 1998...
. He would later turn face again due to fan reaction. Snow was often the butt of Foley's jokes during Foley's tenure as WWF Commissioner in 2000. However, they are close friends in real life. Foley continued to use Snow as the butt of many jokes in his second book, Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker than Wrestling
Foley is Good: And The Real World is Faker Than Wrestling
Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker than Wrestling is the second autobiography of wrestler Mick Foley, formerly of WWE and TNA. It details his career from January 1999 until his retirement in April 2000 at WrestleMania 2000...
.
In early 2000, he began to team with Steve Blackman as an "odd couple" tag team called Head Cheese (the "cheese" part being given various explanations, including Snow's claim that Blackman was a voracious eater of cheese and later his attempt to force him to wear a Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
"Cheesehead
Cheesehead
Cheesehead is a nickname, sometimes used disparagingly, referring to a person from Wisconsin, referring to the large volume of cheese production of the state...
" hat). Also in 2000, Snow won the European Championship
WWE European Championship
The WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, and was...
from Perry Saturn. He then began a tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
gimmick of entering the ring to various Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries' native music, with his theme song sung in the language of the country, and wearing attire which would suit the stereotype of that country. This continued until he lost the title to William Regal
Darren Matthews
Darren Kenneth Matthews , is an English professional wrestler, author and color commentator currently signed to WWE and competing on the SmackDown brand under the ring name William Regal. He is also known for his time in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Steven Regal...
.
In 2001, Snow tried to rally support from the fans to vote for him as the new Commissioner of the WWF following Foley's on-screen firing by Vince McMahon in December 2000. By March 2001, a match was set up between Snow and Regal to determine the new WWF Commissioner, which resulted in Regal winning. Snow then took some time off from the ring in order to commit more time for the reality show Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
. He made his return to the ring in October 2001 during the InVasion era and challenged Christian
Jason Reso
William Jason Reso is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Christian and Christian Cage...
for the European Championship at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2001)
Survivor Series was the fifteenth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
, which he lost.
Snow's last championship reign in WWF came on March 11, 2002, when he defeated Goldust to win his last Hardcore Championship. He lost the title to his former Tough Enough student, Maven
Maven Huffman
Maven Klint Huffman is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between October 2001 and July 5, 2005 under the name Maven. In 2008 he became a guest expert on the Home Shopping Network.-Early life:Maven was born to an African-American...
, a few days later. He was drafted to SmackDown! as part of the 2002 Brand Extension, where he teamed up with Maven. After taking time off again for another season of Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
, Snow returned as a member of the Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
roster and eventually became a commentator for Sunday Night Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
alongside Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan William Coachman , also known as "The Coach", is a former professional wrestling color commentator and authority figure. He is also a former college basketball player, and football play-by-play announcer...
. When the Coach sided with Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Snow followed suit, turning heel. The two feuded with Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
and Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
, and briefly replaced them at the Raw announce table after a victory at Unforgiven
Unforgiven (2003)
Unforgiven was the sixth annual Unforgiven professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on September 21, 2003 from the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania....
in 2003. When Tough Enough IV came to SmackDown!, Snow was on the scene and turned face once again.
In 2006, Snow returned to wrestling full-time as a member of the new ECW brand. His first appearance in the new brand was in the WWE vs ECW Battle Royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
at the "WWE vs. ECW Head to Head" special, where he was accompanied by Head. He was eliminated from the match. On the June 13, 2006 debut of ECW on Sci-Fi, Snow participated in an Extreme Battle Royal, which was won by Sabu. Over the next six months, he was used sporadically, mostly as a jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
, losing to people such as Test and Kevin Thorn
Kevin Fertig
Kevin Matthew Fertig is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring names Mordecai and Kevin Thorn....
.
On January 18, 2007, Snow was released from his WWE contract, along with several other superstars. However, he remained with the company as a trainer at Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
. On the February 3, 2007 OVW TV tapings, Snow was named the new OVW Troubleshooter by Danny Davis in response to Danny Basham's WWE release. On Raw XV, the 15th-Anniversary special on December 10, 2007, Snow participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal. After WWE ceased affiliations with Ohio Valley Wrestling, Sarven was released from his position as a trainer.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2008)
In the lead-up to the December 7, 2008, TNA show Final ResolutionFinal Resolution (December 2008)
Final Resolution was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on December 7, 2008 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the fifth event under the Final Resolution chronology and second Final Resolution event to take...
, Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
assigned himself as the special guest enforcer for the match between Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
and Rhino. Angle said he had hired employed "another former World Champion" and someone who had co-held a world tag team title with Foley. This person would debut during Angle's match to "take care of Foley". And on the night in question, Al Snow revealed himself to be the mystery ally of Angle, who interrupted the match by slapping Foley. The distraction allowed Angle to beat Rhino.
Independent circuit
Prior to returning to WWE's active roster in 2006, Snow competed in the Millennium Wrestling FederationMillennium Wrestling Federation
The Millennium Wrestling Federation is a New England independent professional wrestling promotion based in Melrose, Massachusetts. Founded in January 2001 by promoters Dan Mirade & Neil Manolian, the MWF is one of the top promotions in the Northeastern United States along with Chaotic Wrestling,...
(MWF) and was pinned by MWF Heavyweight Champion
MWF Heavyweight Championship
The MWF Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in American independent promotion Millennium Wrestling Federation. The title was created when Tiger Mulligan defeated John Brooks in a 17-man "Soul Survivor" competition in Lynn, Massachusetts on May 31, 2003. The title is primarily...
"Sudden Impact" Dylan Kage of Paul Bearer
Percy Pringle
William Alvin "Bill" Moody , better known by his ring name Paul Bearer, is a professional wrestling manager and former wrestler best known for his time in World Class Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation, later known as the WWE.-Early career:He entered the wrestling business in...
's Trifecta at MWF Fireworks On The 4th.
At the early stages of 2009, Snow participated regularly in several independent promotions in the US and in independent promotions in Europe, especially UK and Germany. He debuted in Damn That's Wrestling in South New Jersey, where he won in a tag-team match with local wrestler Tommy Golden against local wrestlers Patch and Jojo. Al Snow made an appearance in Chikara
Chikara
Chikara may refer to:*力, , the Japanese word meaning power, capability, or influence* Chikara, a Shona word meaning "carnivore"* Chikara - A stringed instrument from India.*Chikara-mizu , a ritual at the beginning of a sumo match...
's King of Trios 2009
King of Trios
King of Trios is a three-night tournament promoted by the Chikara wrestling promotion. The tournament is a different take on the Tag World Grand Prix event that the company is known for annually promoting; in King of Trios, instead of tag teams, there are trios that will compete in six-man tag team...
, teaming up with Glacier and D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
.
On Saturday April 18, 2009 Snow wrestled his first match in Australia at St. Jays Recreation Centre, Salisbury, South Australia along with Chris Masters and various local wrestlers.
On Saturday, October 31, 2009 Snow became one of the first big name wrestlers to wrestle for the Dynamic Wrestling Alliance defeating "Bad Attitude" Brian Beech in the main event of the Monster Ball event which also became the promotions first televised event.
In 2009 Snow was the GLCW Heavyweight Champion. On August 8 at GLCW SlamFest, Snow was set to defend the GLCW Heavyweight Championship against X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
. Due to not being able to make the event, he was stripped of the title as a result. In 2010, Snow won the GLCW Heavyweight Championship for a second time as X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
was not able to make it to the show due to the travel delays in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
caused by the volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
On January 16, 2010, Snow made another independent appearance, wrestling at the Throwdown in Downtown II at the Fort Smith (Arkansas) Event Center. Snow was the headliner of the seven match card, taking on Total Championship Wrestling International heavyweight champion Tim Storm in a title match. Snow was extremely over with the capacity crowd, but he lost the match to Storm after interference from Storm's tag team partner from the Dark Circle, APOC.
On Nov. 14, 2010 Snow teamed with Fred Flash to defeat Bodacious Pretty Boy & Eddie Gillett at a Regional Championship Wrestling event called Megabrawl 5 in Reading, PA.
Return to TNA Wrestling (2010-present)
In March 2010 Sarven received a tryout as an agent for TNA Wrestling. He made his return to television on the July 15, 2010, edition of Impact!, aligning himself with fellow ECW alumni Tommy DreamerTommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Raven, Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
, Rhino, Brother Devon, Pat Kenney
Pat Kenney
Patrick Joseph Michael "Pat" Kenney , known also by his ring name, Simon Diamond, is a retired American professional wrestler, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent...
and Mick Foley in their invitation by Dixie Carter to TNA. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand
Hardcore Justice (2010)
Hardcore Justice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on August 8, 2010 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
, as a celebration of hardcore wrestling and a final farewell to the company. At the event Snow was defeated by Rhino in a three-way match, which also included Brother Runt
Matt Hyson
Matthew "Matt" Hyson is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his performances in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Spike Dudley and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brother Runt.In ECW, he was a two-time...
. Since then, he has appeared onscreen in his real-life role as company agent on multiple occasions, often alongside fellow agents Ace "D'Lo Brown" Conner and Pat Kenney. Sarven currently holds the title of producer for the company.
Acting career
He is starring in the upcoming film The Witches of OzThe Witches of Oz
The Witches of Oz is a film directed by Leigh Scott, based on the novels The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Ozma of Oz, The Road to Oz, and The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum.-Plot:...
with Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
, Sean Astin
Sean Astin
Sean Astin is an American film actor, director, voice artist, and producer better known for his film roles as Mikey Walsh in The Goonies, the title character of Rudy, and Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In television, he appeared as Lynn McGill in the fifth season of 24...
, Billy Boyd
Billy Boyd
Billy Boyd is a Scottish actor and musician most widely known for playing the character Peregrin "Pippin" Took in the film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings and Barret Bonden in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World....
and Barry Ratcliffe
Barry Ratcliffe
Barry Ratcliffe is an actor, comedian, and television and film producer in reality, and commercials....
, playing the Gnome King, as well as starring in the action film Overtime
Overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:*by custom ,*by practices of a given trade or profession,*by legislation,...
, and the comedy, Agua Caliente
Agua Caliente
Agua Caliente means "warm waters" or "hot springs" in Spanish. The term may refer to:-People:* Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, a Native American tribe of the U.S...
. He had an uncredited role in the 1993 film Rudy
Rudy (film)
Rudy is a 1993 American sports film directed by David Anspaugh. It is an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles...
. Snow also appeared in 2006's They're Just My Friends and co-stars alongside Tiger Chung Lee in 2009's Mountain Mafia.
Snow and his wife Cindi can also be seen as the brutal serial killers Grim and Lady, also known as "The Reaper's", in Feathered Italian Films latest slasher films The Legacy and Hell House. Head also cameo's in "The Legacy". He recently wrapped filming a lead role in the comedy/action/sci-fi movie Overtime by director Matt Niehoff.
Snow had a quick line in the wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat is a 1999 documentary directed by Barry W. Blaustein. The movie focuses on the lives of professional wrestlers outside of the ring, primarily Mick Foley, Terry Funk, and Jake Roberts, as well as some aspiring wrestlers...
. He also participated in the wrestling documentary, Bloodstained Memoirs
Bloodstained Memoirs
Bloodstained Memoirs is a professional wrestling documentary released online via an official stream in 2009. It is compiled by interviews featuring wrestlers synonymous with different eras in wrestling and different wrestling regions . Production was filmed in the UK, USA, France, Japan, and Italy...
.
Al Snow also appeared as a coach on WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
during the show's first three seasons.
Personal life
Sarven is divorced from wife Pam with whom he has two children, Jake and Brittany. He is currently married to Cynthia LynchCynthia Lynch
Cynthia Lynch is an American professional wrestler. She is perhaps best known for her time in the World Wrestling Federation as one of the The Godfather's many "hos"...
, who wrestles under the name "Bobcat".
Sarven has a longtime friendship with fellow professional wrestler Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, who wrote several humorous stories about it in his memoirs.
Al's real life brother (also a wrestler) going by the name Logan Caine, was a NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Allen Ray Sarven (born July 18, 1963) is an American professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
better known by his ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
and World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
as a road agent
Road agent
A road agent can mean:* Another name for highwayman, a criminal engaged in stagecoach robbery in the mid to late 19th century American West. * Road Agent , a professional wrestling liaison between the wrestlers and management...
.
Early career
Sarven attended a professional wrestling tryout camp held by OleOle Anderson
Alan Robert Rogowski , better known by his ring name of Ole Anderson, is a retired professional wrestler and a promoter. He held numerous NWA World Tag Team Championships with Gene Anderson, who was portrayed as his brother...
and Gene Anderson
Gene Anderson
Gene Anderson was an American professional wrestler best known for his days of teaming with his brother Ole Anderson.-Career:...
. There he met Jim Lancaster, promoter of Ohio's Midwest Championship Wrestling, who agreed to train him. Lancaster later described Sarven as "a leader in the ring" who "had drive and natural ability". He made his debut on May 22, 1982. Sarven defeated Lancaster on May 5, 1985 for the Midwest Championship Wrestling title.
Sarven wrestled in various independent promotions throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, capturing both tag team and singles titles, but failed to make any big breaks. He gained a reputation as "the best-kept secret in wrestling". Sarven helped train future Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
(UFC) Hall of Fame member and NWA World Heavyweight Champion
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
Dan Severn
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
. During this time he would sometimes wrestle as Shinobi, a ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
-style masked gimmick. in 1993 using Steve Moore name he wrestled a match on challenge v Undertake. He wrestled in the November 19, 1994 tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but he lost to Chris Candido
Chris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
, the eventual winner of the tournament.
Extreme Championship Wrestling and Smoky Mountain Wrestling
After a tour of JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Sarven wrestled a match in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
against Sabu, an Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW) regular, who suggested he try ECW. After making his debut against the Tazmaniac and losing VIA pinfall on February 4, 1995, Sarven faced Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
as "The Snowman" Al Snow, in a 15-minute match that was hailed as one of the best of the year.
Sarven was also being courted by Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
for his Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...
federation. ECW booker Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
agreed to let him work for both companies. Sarven soon found that he was not being utilized by ECW and went to Smoky Mountain full-time. In Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Snow teamed with Unabomb (Glenn Jacobs) as The Dynamic Duo
The Dynamic Duo
The Dynamic Duo was a Professional wrestling Tag team that wrestled in Smoky Mountain Wrestling from early to mid 1995. The team consisted of Al Snow and Unabomb...
and defeated The Rock 'n' Roll Express for the SMW Tag Team Championship
SMW Tag Team Championship
The SMW Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in Smoky Mountain Wrestling . It existed from 1992 until 1995 when the promotion closed .-Title history:...
. Both wrestlers caught the attention of the World Wrestling Federation and were signed by the end of 1995.
Body Slammers
From 1995-1997, Snow was also running a wrestling gym called "Body Slammers" in Lima, OhioLima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
hiring D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
as an assistant trainer.Canoe.ca 2003 article It has since branched out with one of his trainers running "Bodyslammers" in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.Bodyslammers' history
World Wrestling Federation (1995–1997)
Sarven began working for the World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) when he signed a contract in August 1995. Sarven wrestled under numerous gimmicks in the WWF, such as Avatar (a superhero gimmick with Sarven putting on his mask right before starting a match) and Shinobi. Sarven's WWF debut took place on the October 23, 1995 episode of Monday Night RAW as "Avatar." He also competed in and lost a match against Marty Jannetty
Marty Jannetty
Frederick Marty Jannetty is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels, and later as a singles competitor. While in the WWF, he became a one time Intercontinental Champion and a one time...
under the name Steve Moore. Sarven received his first mainstream exposure with the WWF as Leif Cassidy, the heel tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
partner of Marty Jannetty
Marty Jannetty
Frederick Marty Jannetty is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels, and later as a singles competitor. While in the WWF, he became a one time Intercontinental Champion and a one time...
. The duo was promoted as The New Rockers, a throwback to the original Rockers
The Rockers
The Rockers were a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty that teamed from 1985 to 1992. The team worked for Central States Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, Continental Wrestling Federation, Continental Wrestling Association and the World...
team of Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Jannetty. Eventually, the storyline was dropped, and Sarven was reduced to jobbing
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
for mid-carders. In the late 1990s, WWF and ECW began to cross-promote their organizations to counteract the success of World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW); Sarven was one of the wrestlers sent to ECW, or Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (late 1990s)
Sarven found success back in ECW, billed once again as Al Snow. Sarven developed a new character gimmick after reading about abnormal psychologyAbnormal psychology
Abnormal psychology is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion and thought, which may or may not be understood as precipitating a mental disorder...
and finding a mannequin head on the street near ECW Arena during a Mummers
Mummers Play
Mummers Plays are seasonal folk plays performed by troupes of actors known as mummers or guisers , originally from England , but later in other parts of the world...
Day parade. He got the idea to portray an individual with a schizophrenic
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
disorder using the head as a prop for projection
Psychological projection
Psychological projection or projection bias is a psychological defense mechanism where a person subconsciously denies his or her own attributes, thoughts, and emotions, which are then ascribed to the outside world, usually to other people...
. In this role, Sarven received a lot of fan and management support for his J.O.B. Squad
J.O.B. Squad
The J.O.B. Squad was a professional wrestling faction. The theme of the group was that each member was a perennial enhancement talent, in which they lost to established or up-and-coming wrestlers....
storyline, which promoted him as being driven insane
Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
by his years as a jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
for the WWF.
In the storyline, Snow, upset at his lot in life, asked Cactus Jack
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
what he had to do to get anywhere in wrestling. Jack said to Snow that to become famous he had to "get a little head" (meaning he had to be willing to sleep with/have sex with the booker). Snow, however took this literally, and thus he started coming to the ring with a mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
head (with the words "Help Me" written backwards on its forehead, an action Snow himself began to do) whom he talked to as if it were a real person, which prompted ECW crowds to chant "We want Head", an intentional double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
. ECW promoters handed out styrofoam
Styrofoam
Styrofoam is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for closed-cell currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. In 1941, researchers in Dow's Chemical Physics Lab found a way to make foamed polystyrene...
mannequin heads at wrestling shows, and audience members started waving them and shouting, "Head! Head! Head!" in time to his entrance music. The entire audience would then throw the heads into the ring before the match started. Once in his ECW career, he wrestled for the ECW Heavyweight title, losing to Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
at Wrestlepalooza in 1998.
World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (1998–2007)
Sarven was then recalled to the WWF, where he continued his gimmick of talking to "Head," creating some of the more memorable humorous skits of "The Attitude EraThe Attitude Era
The Attitude Era was a period in World Wrestling Federation and professional wrestling history that began as a direct result of the Monday Night Wars, a television ratings conflict between the WWF and longtime rival promotion World Championship Wrestling that lasted from 1995 to 2001...
" including fighting himself in a hardcore match
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
(which he won by putting himself through a table) and his short lived comedy tag team with Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman is a American professional wrestler who is best known for his career in the World Wrestling Federation under his own name.-Stampede Wrestling and South Africa :...
.
Snow received some mainstream publicity in 1999 when Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
pulled his action figure from their shelves after Sabrena Parton, a professor at Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
, complained that "Head" was a "decapitated woman's head" that sent an inappropriate message about violence towards women. Parton was quoted as saying "My sons are 6 and 11. What kind of message would this toy send them about brutalization of women?" Sarven used the story as part of an angle in which the controversy caused Al Snow to suffer from depression. In one skit, Snow called his mother (kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
), observing that the stores would not sell his action figures, but would sell shotguns and ammunition.
During the Fall of 1999, Snow replaced Head with a chihuahua
Chihuahua (dog)
The ' is the smallest breed of dog and is so named for the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Chihuahuas come in a wide variety of sizes, head shapes, colors and coat lengths.-History:...
named Pepper, who he claimed talked to him, leading to the Boss Man kidnapping Pepper. Boss Man agreed to return the dog if Snow defeated him in a match for the Hardcore title; however after losing the match he reneged and kept the dog. Later, in a segment on SmackDown, Boss Man invited Snow to his hotel room to discuss the situation, before serving Snow dinner which was then revealed to be Pepper. This led to the two competing in a "Kennel from Hell" match at Unforgiven, which consisted of a regular cage which was surrounded by a Hell in a Cell structure, with "savage dogs" in between the two, and the objective was to escape both cages without being attacked by the dogs. Al Snow won the match, also ending the feud between him and Boss Man.
Snow would later team with real life friend Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, but turned heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
by betraying him due to Foley's jokes about him in his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Have A Nice Day
Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks
Have a Nice Day!: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks is an autobiography of former World Wrestling Entertainment and TNA wrestler Mick Foley. It details his life all the way from his upbringing in New York to winning the WWF Championship from The Rock in December 1998...
. He would later turn face again due to fan reaction. Snow was often the butt of Foley's jokes during Foley's tenure as WWF Commissioner in 2000. However, they are close friends in real life.Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (Foreword p.x) Foley continued to use Snow as the butt of many jokes in his second book, Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker than Wrestling
Foley is Good: And The Real World is Faker Than Wrestling
Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker than Wrestling is the second autobiography of wrestler Mick Foley, formerly of WWE and TNA. It details his career from January 1999 until his retirement in April 2000 at WrestleMania 2000...
.
In early 2000, he began to team with Steve Blackman as an "odd couple" tag team called Head Cheese (the "cheese" part being given various explanations, including Snow's claim that Blackman was a voracious eater of cheese and later his attempt to force him to wear a Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
"Cheesehead
Cheesehead
Cheesehead is a nickname, sometimes used disparagingly, referring to a person from Wisconsin, referring to the large volume of cheese production of the state...
" hat). Also in 2000, Snow won the European Championship
WWE European Championship
The WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, and was...
from Perry Saturn. He then began a tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
gimmick of entering the ring to various Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries' native music, with his theme song sung in the language of the country, and wearing attire which would suit the stereotype of that country. This continued until he lost the title to William Regal
Darren Matthews
Darren Kenneth Matthews , is an English professional wrestler, author and color commentator currently signed to WWE and competing on the SmackDown brand under the ring name William Regal. He is also known for his time in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Steven Regal...
.
In 2001, Snow tried to rally support from the fans to vote for him as the new Commissioner of the WWF following Foley's on-screen firing by Vince McMahon in December 2000. By March 2001, a match was set up between Snow and Regal to determine the new WWF Commissioner, which resulted in Regal winning. Snow then took some time off from the ring in order to commit more time for the reality show Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
. He made his return to the ring in October 2001 during the InVasion era and challenged Christian
Jason Reso
William Jason Reso is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Christian and Christian Cage...
for the European Championship at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2001)
Survivor Series was the fifteenth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
, which he lost.
Snow's last championship reign in WWF came on March 11, 2002, when he defeated Goldust to win his last Hardcore Championship. He lost the title to his former Tough Enough student, Maven
Maven Huffman
Maven Klint Huffman is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between October 2001 and July 5, 2005 under the name Maven. In 2008 he became a guest expert on the Home Shopping Network.-Early life:Maven was born to an African-American...
, a few days later. He was drafted to SmackDown! as part of the 2002 Brand Extension, where he teamed up with Maven. After taking time off again for another season of Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
, Snow returned as a member of the Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
roster and eventually became a commentator for Sunday Night Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
alongside Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan William Coachman , also known as "The Coach", is a former professional wrestling color commentator and authority figure. He is also a former college basketball player, and football play-by-play announcer...
. When the Coach sided with Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Snow followed suit, turning heel. The two feuded with Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
and Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
, and briefly replaced them at the Raw announce table after a victory at Unforgiven
Unforgiven (2003)
Unforgiven was the sixth annual Unforgiven professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on September 21, 2003 from the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania....
in 2003. When Tough Enough IV came to SmackDown!, Snow was on the scene and turned face once again.
In 2006, Snow returned to wrestling full-time as a member of the new ECW brand. His first appearance in the new brand was in the WWE vs ECW Battle Royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
at the "WWE vs. ECW Head to Head" special, where he was accompanied by Head. He was eliminated from the match. On the June 13, 2006 debut of ECW on Sci-Fi, Snow participated in an Extreme Battle Royal, which was won by Sabu. Over the next six months, he was used sporadically, mostly as a jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
, losing to people such as Test and Kevin Thorn
Kevin Fertig
Kevin Matthew Fertig is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring names Mordecai and Kevin Thorn....
.
On January 18, 2007, Snow was released from his WWE contract, along with several other superstars. However, he remained with the company as a trainer at Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
. On the February 3, 2007 OVW TV tapings, Snow was named the new OVW Troubleshooter by Danny Davis in response to Danny Basham's WWE release. On Raw XV, the 15th-Anniversary special on December 10, 2007, Snow participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal. After WWE ceased affiliations with Ohio Valley Wrestling, Sarven was released from his position as a trainer.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2008)
In the lead-up to the December 7, 2008, TNA show Final ResolutionFinal Resolution (December 2008)
Final Resolution was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on December 7, 2008 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the fifth event under the Final Resolution chronology and second Final Resolution event to take...
, Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
assigned himself as the special guest enforcer for the match between Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
and Rhino. Angle said he had hired employed "another former World Champion" and someone who had co-held a world tag team title with Foley. This person would debut during Angle's match to "take care of Foley". And on the night in question, Al Snow revealed himself to be the mystery ally of Angle, who interrupted the match by slapping Foley. The distraction allowed Angle to beat Rhino.
Independent circuit
Prior to returning to WWE's active roster in 2006, Snow competed in the Millennium Wrestling FederationMillennium Wrestling Federation
The Millennium Wrestling Federation is a New England independent professional wrestling promotion based in Melrose, Massachusetts. Founded in January 2001 by promoters Dan Mirade & Neil Manolian, the MWF is one of the top promotions in the Northeastern United States along with Chaotic Wrestling,...
(MWF) and was pinned by MWF Heavyweight Champion
MWF Heavyweight Championship
The MWF Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in American independent promotion Millennium Wrestling Federation. The title was created when Tiger Mulligan defeated John Brooks in a 17-man "Soul Survivor" competition in Lynn, Massachusetts on May 31, 2003. The title is primarily...
"Sudden Impact" Dylan Kage of Paul Bearer
Percy Pringle
William Alvin "Bill" Moody , better known by his ring name Paul Bearer, is a professional wrestling manager and former wrestler best known for his time in World Class Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation, later known as the WWE.-Early career:He entered the wrestling business in...
's Trifecta at MWF Fireworks On The 4th.Welcome To The BOSTONWRESTLING.COM Supersite!
At the early stages of 2009, Snow participated regularly in several independent promotions in the US and in independent promotions in Europe, especially UK and Germany. He debuted in Damn That's Wrestling in South New Jersey, where he won in a tag-team match with local wrestler Tommy Golden against local wrestlers Patch and Jojo. Al Snow made an appearance in Chikara
Chikara
Chikara may refer to:*力, , the Japanese word meaning power, capability, or influence* Chikara, a Shona word meaning "carnivore"* Chikara - A stringed instrument from India.*Chikara-mizu , a ritual at the beginning of a sumo match...
's King of Trios 2009
King of Trios
King of Trios is a three-night tournament promoted by the Chikara wrestling promotion. The tournament is a different take on the Tag World Grand Prix event that the company is known for annually promoting; in King of Trios, instead of tag teams, there are trios that will compete in six-man tag team...
, teaming up with Glacier and D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
.
On Saturday April 18, 2009 Snow wrestled his first match in Australia at St. Jays Recreation Centre, Salisbury, South Australia along with Chris Masters and various local wrestlers.
On Saturday, October 31, 2009 Snow became one of the first big name wrestlers to wrestle for the Dynamic Wrestling Alliance defeating "Bad Attitude" Brian Beech in the main event of the Monster Ball event which also became the promotions first televised event. http://dwafanpage.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=115220290
In 2009 Snow was the GLCW Heavyweight Champion. On August 8 at GLCW SlamFest, Snow was set to defend the GLCW Heavyweight Championship against X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
. Due to not being able to make the event, he was stripped of the title as a result. In 2010, Snow won the GLCW Heavyweight Championship for a second time as X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
was not able to make it to the show due to the travel delays in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
caused by the volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
On January 16, 2010, Snow made another independent appearance, wrestling at the Throwdown in Downtown II at the Fort Smith (Arkansas) Event Center. Snow was the headliner of the seven match card, taking on Total Championship Wrestling International heavyweight champion Tim Storm in a title match. Snow was extremely over with the capacity crowd, but he lost the match to Storm after interference from Storm's tag team partner from the Dark Circle, APOC.
On Nov. 14, 2010 Snow teamed with Fred Flash to defeat Bodacious Pretty Boy & Eddie Gillett at a Regional Championship Wrestling event called Megabrawl 5 in Reading, PA.
Return to TNA Wrestling (2010-present)
In March 2010 Sarven received a tryout as an agent for TNA Wrestling. He made his return to television on the July 15, 2010, edition of Impact!, aligning himself with fellow ECW alumni Tommy DreamerTommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Raven, Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
, Rhino, Brother Devon, Pat Kenney
Pat Kenney
Patrick Joseph Michael "Pat" Kenney , known also by his ring name, Simon Diamond, is a retired American professional wrestler, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent...
and Mick Foley in their invitation by Dixie Carter to TNA. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand
Hardcore Justice (2010)
Hardcore Justice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on August 8, 2010 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
, as a celebration of hardcore wrestling and a final farewell to the company. At the event Snow was defeated by Rhino in a three-way match, which also included Brother Runt
Matt Hyson
Matthew "Matt" Hyson is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his performances in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Spike Dudley and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brother Runt.In ECW, he was a two-time...
. Since then, he has appeared onscreen in his real-life role as company agent on multiple occasions, often alongside fellow agents Ace "D'Lo Brown" Conner and Pat Kenney. Sarven currently holds the title of producer for the company.
Acting career
He is starring in the upcoming film The Witches of OzThe Witches of Oz
The Witches of Oz is a film directed by Leigh Scott, based on the novels The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Ozma of Oz, The Road to Oz, and The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum.-Plot:...
with Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
, Sean Astin
Sean Astin
Sean Astin is an American film actor, director, voice artist, and producer better known for his film roles as Mikey Walsh in The Goonies, the title character of Rudy, and Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In television, he appeared as Lynn McGill in the fifth season of 24...
, Billy Boyd
Billy Boyd
Billy Boyd is a Scottish actor and musician most widely known for playing the character Peregrin "Pippin" Took in the film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings and Barret Bonden in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World....
and Barry Ratcliffe
Barry Ratcliffe
Barry Ratcliffe is an actor, comedian, and television and film producer in reality, and commercials....
, playing the Gnome King, as well as starring in the action film Overtime
Overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:*by custom ,*by practices of a given trade or profession,*by legislation,...
, and the comedy, Agua Caliente
Agua Caliente
Agua Caliente means "warm waters" or "hot springs" in Spanish. The term may refer to:-People:* Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, a Native American tribe of the U.S...
. He had an uncredited role in the 1993 film Rudy
Rudy (film)
Rudy is a 1993 American sports film directed by David Anspaugh. It is an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles...
.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0765715/ Snow also appeared in 2006's They're Just My Friends and co-stars alongside Tiger Chung Lee in 2009's Mountain Mafia.
Snow and his wife Cindi can also be seen as the brutal serial killers Grim and Lady, also known as "The Reaper's", in Feathered Italian Filmshttp://www.feathereditalianfilms.com latest slasher films The Legacyhttp://www.myspace.com/killerlegacy and Hell House.http://www.myspace.com/thehellhousemovie Head also cameo's in "The Legacy". He recently wrapped filming a lead role in the comedy/action/sci-fi movie Overtime by director Matt Niehoff.
Snow had a quick line in the wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat is a 1999 documentary directed by Barry W. Blaustein. The movie focuses on the lives of professional wrestlers outside of the ring, primarily Mick Foley, Terry Funk, and Jake Roberts, as well as some aspiring wrestlers...
. He also participated in the wrestling documentary, Bloodstained Memoirs
Bloodstained Memoirs
Bloodstained Memoirs is a professional wrestling documentary released online via an official stream in 2009. It is compiled by interviews featuring wrestlers synonymous with different eras in wrestling and different wrestling regions . Production was filmed in the UK, USA, France, Japan, and Italy...
.
Al Snow also appeared as a coach on WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
during the show's first three seasons.
Personal life
Sarven is divorced from wife Pam with whom he has two children, Jake and Brittany. He is currently married to Cynthia LynchCynthia Lynch
Cynthia Lynch is an American professional wrestler. She is perhaps best known for her time in the World Wrestling Federation as one of the The Godfather's many "hos"...
, who wrestles under the name "Bobcat".
Sarven has a longtime friendship with fellow professional wrestler Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, who wrote several humorous stories about it in his memoirs.
Al's real life brother (also a wrestler) going by the name Logan Caine, was a NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Allen Ray Sarven (born July 18, 1963) is an American professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
better known by his ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
and World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
as a road agent
Road agent
A road agent can mean:* Another name for highwayman, a criminal engaged in stagecoach robbery in the mid to late 19th century American West. * Road Agent , a professional wrestling liaison between the wrestlers and management...
.
Early career
Sarven attended a professional wrestling tryout camp held by OleOle Anderson
Alan Robert Rogowski , better known by his ring name of Ole Anderson, is a retired professional wrestler and a promoter. He held numerous NWA World Tag Team Championships with Gene Anderson, who was portrayed as his brother...
and Gene Anderson
Gene Anderson
Gene Anderson was an American professional wrestler best known for his days of teaming with his brother Ole Anderson.-Career:...
. There he met Jim Lancaster, promoter of Ohio's Midwest Championship Wrestling, who agreed to train him. Lancaster later described Sarven as "a leader in the ring" who "had drive and natural ability". He made his debut on May 22, 1982. Sarven defeated Lancaster on May 5, 1985 for the Midwest Championship Wrestling title.
Sarven wrestled in various independent promotions throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, capturing both tag team and singles titles, but failed to make any big breaks. He gained a reputation as "the best-kept secret in wrestling". Sarven helped train future Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
(UFC) Hall of Fame member and NWA World Heavyweight Champion
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
Dan Severn
Dan Severn
Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...
. During this time he would sometimes wrestle as Shinobi, a ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
-style masked gimmick. in 1993 using Steve Moore name he wrestled a match on challenge v Undertake. He wrestled in the November 19, 1994 tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but he lost to Chris Candido
Chris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
, the eventual winner of the tournament.
Extreme Championship Wrestling and Smoky Mountain Wrestling
After a tour of JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Sarven wrestled a match in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
against Sabu, an Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW) regular, who suggested he try ECW. After making his debut against the Tazmaniac and losing VIA pinfall on February 4, 1995, Sarven faced Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
as "The Snowman" Al Snow, in a 15-minute match that was hailed as one of the best of the year.
Sarven was also being courted by Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
for his Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Smoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...
federation. ECW booker Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
agreed to let him work for both companies. Sarven soon found that he was not being utilized by ECW and went to Smoky Mountain full-time. In Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Snow teamed with Unabomb (Glenn Jacobs) as The Dynamic Duo
The Dynamic Duo
The Dynamic Duo was a Professional wrestling Tag team that wrestled in Smoky Mountain Wrestling from early to mid 1995. The team consisted of Al Snow and Unabomb...
and defeated The Rock 'n' Roll Express for the SMW Tag Team Championship
SMW Tag Team Championship
The SMW Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in Smoky Mountain Wrestling . It existed from 1992 until 1995 when the promotion closed .-Title history:...
. Both wrestlers caught the attention of the World Wrestling Federation and were signed by the end of 1995.
Body Slammers
From 1995-1997, Snow was also running a wrestling gym called "Body Slammers" in Lima, OhioLima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
hiring D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
as an assistant trainer.Canoe.ca 2003 article It has since branched out with one of his trainers running "Bodyslammers" in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.Bodyslammers' history
World Wrestling Federation (1995–1997)
Sarven began working for the World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) when he signed a contract in August 1995. Sarven wrestled under numerous gimmicks in the WWF, such as Avatar (a superhero gimmick with Sarven putting on his mask right before starting a match) and Shinobi. Sarven's WWF debut took place on the October 23, 1995 episode of Monday Night RAW as "Avatar." He also competed in and lost a match against Marty Jannetty
Marty Jannetty
Frederick Marty Jannetty is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels, and later as a singles competitor. While in the WWF, he became a one time Intercontinental Champion and a one time...
under the name Steve Moore. Sarven received his first mainstream exposure with the WWF as Leif Cassidy, the heel tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
partner of Marty Jannetty
Marty Jannetty
Frederick Marty Jannetty is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels, and later as a singles competitor. While in the WWF, he became a one time Intercontinental Champion and a one time...
. The duo was promoted as The New Rockers, a throwback to the original Rockers
The Rockers
The Rockers were a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty that teamed from 1985 to 1992. The team worked for Central States Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, Continental Wrestling Federation, Continental Wrestling Association and the World...
team of Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Jannetty. Eventually, the storyline was dropped, and Sarven was reduced to jobbing
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
for mid-carders. In the late 1990s, WWF and ECW began to cross-promote their organizations to counteract the success of World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW); Sarven was one of the wrestlers sent to ECW, or Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (late 1990s)
Sarven found success back in ECW, billed once again as Al Snow. Sarven developed a new character gimmick after reading about abnormal psychologyAbnormal psychology
Abnormal psychology is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion and thought, which may or may not be understood as precipitating a mental disorder...
and finding a mannequin head on the street near ECW Arena during a Mummers
Mummers Play
Mummers Plays are seasonal folk plays performed by troupes of actors known as mummers or guisers , originally from England , but later in other parts of the world...
Day parade. He got the idea to portray an individual with a schizophrenic
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
disorder using the head as a prop for projection
Psychological projection
Psychological projection or projection bias is a psychological defense mechanism where a person subconsciously denies his or her own attributes, thoughts, and emotions, which are then ascribed to the outside world, usually to other people...
. In this role, Sarven received a lot of fan and management support for his J.O.B. Squad
J.O.B. Squad
The J.O.B. Squad was a professional wrestling faction. The theme of the group was that each member was a perennial enhancement talent, in which they lost to established or up-and-coming wrestlers....
storyline, which promoted him as being driven insane
Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
by his years as a jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
for the WWF.
In the storyline, Snow, upset at his lot in life, asked Cactus Jack
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
what he had to do to get anywhere in wrestling. Jack said to Snow that to become famous he had to "get a little head" (meaning he had to be willing to sleep with/have sex with the booker). Snow, however took this literally, and thus he started coming to the ring with a mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
head (with the words "Help Me" written backwards on its forehead, an action Snow himself began to do) whom he talked to as if it were a real person, which prompted ECW crowds to chant "We want Head", an intentional double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
. ECW promoters handed out styrofoam
Styrofoam
Styrofoam is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for closed-cell currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. In 1941, researchers in Dow's Chemical Physics Lab found a way to make foamed polystyrene...
mannequin heads at wrestling shows, and audience members started waving them and shouting, "Head! Head! Head!" in time to his entrance music. The entire audience would then throw the heads into the ring before the match started. Once in his ECW career, he wrestled for the ECW Heavyweight title, losing to Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas
Troy Alan Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned nearly three decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly...
at Wrestlepalooza in 1998.
World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment (1998–2007)
Sarven was then recalled to the WWF, where he continued his gimmick of talking to "Head," creating some of the more memorable humorous skits of "The Attitude EraThe Attitude Era
The Attitude Era was a period in World Wrestling Federation and professional wrestling history that began as a direct result of the Monday Night Wars, a television ratings conflict between the WWF and longtime rival promotion World Championship Wrestling that lasted from 1995 to 2001...
" including fighting himself in a hardcore match
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
(which he won by putting himself through a table) and his short lived comedy tag team with Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman is a American professional wrestler who is best known for his career in the World Wrestling Federation under his own name.-Stampede Wrestling and South Africa :...
.
Snow received some mainstream publicity in 1999 when Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
pulled his action figure from their shelves after Sabrena Parton, a professor at Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University, also referred to as KSU, Kennesaw, or Kennesaw State, is a public, coeducational, comprehensive university that is part of the University System of Georgia. The university's main campus is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, United States, approximately north of Atlanta...
, complained that "Head" was a "decapitated woman's head" that sent an inappropriate message about violence towards women. Parton was quoted as saying "My sons are 6 and 11. What kind of message would this toy send them about brutalization of women?" Sarven used the story as part of an angle in which the controversy caused Al Snow to suffer from depression. In one skit, Snow called his mother (kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
), observing that the stores would not sell his action figures, but would sell shotguns and ammunition.
During the Fall of 1999, Snow replaced Head with a chihuahua
Chihuahua (dog)
The ' is the smallest breed of dog and is so named for the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Chihuahuas come in a wide variety of sizes, head shapes, colors and coat lengths.-History:...
named Pepper, who he claimed talked to him, leading to the Boss Man kidnapping Pepper. Boss Man agreed to return the dog if Snow defeated him in a match for the Hardcore title; however after losing the match he reneged and kept the dog. Later, in a segment on SmackDown, Boss Man invited Snow to his hotel room to discuss the situation, before serving Snow dinner which was then revealed to be Pepper. This led to the two competing in a "Kennel from Hell" match at Unforgiven, which consisted of a regular cage which was surrounded by a Hell in a Cell structure, with "savage dogs" in between the two, and the objective was to escape both cages without being attacked by the dogs. Al Snow won the match, also ending the feud between him and Boss Man.
Snow would later team with real life friend Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, but turned heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
by betraying him due to Foley's jokes about him in his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Have A Nice Day
Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks
Have a Nice Day!: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks is an autobiography of former World Wrestling Entertainment and TNA wrestler Mick Foley. It details his life all the way from his upbringing in New York to winning the WWF Championship from The Rock in December 1998...
. He would later turn face again due to fan reaction. Snow was often the butt of Foley's jokes during Foley's tenure as WWF Commissioner in 2000. However, they are close friends in real life.Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (Foreword p.x) Foley continued to use Snow as the butt of many jokes in his second book, Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker than Wrestling
Foley is Good: And The Real World is Faker Than Wrestling
Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker than Wrestling is the second autobiography of wrestler Mick Foley, formerly of WWE and TNA. It details his career from January 1999 until his retirement in April 2000 at WrestleMania 2000...
.
In early 2000, he began to team with Steve Blackman as an "odd couple" tag team called Head Cheese (the "cheese" part being given various explanations, including Snow's claim that Blackman was a voracious eater of cheese and later his attempt to force him to wear a Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
"Cheesehead
Cheesehead
Cheesehead is a nickname, sometimes used disparagingly, referring to a person from Wisconsin, referring to the large volume of cheese production of the state...
" hat). Also in 2000, Snow won the European Championship
WWE European Championship
The WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, and was...
from Perry Saturn. He then began a tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
gimmick of entering the ring to various Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries' native music, with his theme song sung in the language of the country, and wearing attire which would suit the stereotype of that country. This continued until he lost the title to William Regal
Darren Matthews
Darren Kenneth Matthews , is an English professional wrestler, author and color commentator currently signed to WWE and competing on the SmackDown brand under the ring name William Regal. He is also known for his time in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Steven Regal...
.
In 2001, Snow tried to rally support from the fans to vote for him as the new Commissioner of the WWF following Foley's on-screen firing by Vince McMahon in December 2000. By March 2001, a match was set up between Snow and Regal to determine the new WWF Commissioner, which resulted in Regal winning. Snow then took some time off from the ring in order to commit more time for the reality show Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
. He made his return to the ring in October 2001 during the InVasion era and challenged Christian
Jason Reso
William Jason Reso is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Christian and Christian Cage...
for the European Championship at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2001)
Survivor Series was the fifteenth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
, which he lost.
Snow's last championship reign in WWF came on March 11, 2002, when he defeated Goldust to win his last Hardcore Championship. He lost the title to his former Tough Enough student, Maven
Maven Huffman
Maven Klint Huffman is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between October 2001 and July 5, 2005 under the name Maven. In 2008 he became a guest expert on the Home Shopping Network.-Early life:Maven was born to an African-American...
, a few days later. He was drafted to SmackDown! as part of the 2002 Brand Extension, where he teamed up with Maven. After taking time off again for another season of Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
, Snow returned as a member of the Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
roster and eventually became a commentator for Sunday Night Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
alongside Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan Coachman
Jonathan William Coachman , also known as "The Coach", is a former professional wrestling color commentator and authority figure. He is also a former college basketball player, and football play-by-play announcer...
. When the Coach sided with Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Snow followed suit, turning heel. The two feuded with Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
and Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
, and briefly replaced them at the Raw announce table after a victory at Unforgiven
Unforgiven (2003)
Unforgiven was the sixth annual Unforgiven professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on September 21, 2003 from the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania....
in 2003. When Tough Enough IV came to SmackDown!, Snow was on the scene and turned face once again.
In 2006, Snow returned to wrestling full-time as a member of the new ECW brand. His first appearance in the new brand was in the WWE vs ECW Battle Royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
at the "WWE vs. ECW Head to Head" special, where he was accompanied by Head. He was eliminated from the match. On the June 13, 2006 debut of ECW on Sci-Fi, Snow participated in an Extreme Battle Royal, which was won by Sabu. Over the next six months, he was used sporadically, mostly as a jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
, losing to people such as Test and Kevin Thorn
Kevin Fertig
Kevin Matthew Fertig is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring names Mordecai and Kevin Thorn....
.
On January 18, 2007, Snow was released from his WWE contract, along with several other superstars. However, he remained with the company as a trainer at Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
. On the February 3, 2007 OVW TV tapings, Snow was named the new OVW Troubleshooter by Danny Davis in response to Danny Basham's WWE release. On Raw XV, the 15th-Anniversary special on December 10, 2007, Snow participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal. After WWE ceased affiliations with Ohio Valley Wrestling, Sarven was released from his position as a trainer.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2008)
In the lead-up to the December 7, 2008, TNA show Final ResolutionFinal Resolution (December 2008)
Final Resolution was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on December 7, 2008 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the fifth event under the Final Resolution chronology and second Final Resolution event to take...
, Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
assigned himself as the special guest enforcer for the match between Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
and Rhino. Angle said he had hired employed "another former World Champion" and someone who had co-held a world tag team title with Foley. This person would debut during Angle's match to "take care of Foley". And on the night in question, Al Snow revealed himself to be the mystery ally of Angle, who interrupted the match by slapping Foley. The distraction allowed Angle to beat Rhino.
Independent circuit
Prior to returning to WWE's active roster in 2006, Snow competed in the Millennium Wrestling FederationMillennium Wrestling Federation
The Millennium Wrestling Federation is a New England independent professional wrestling promotion based in Melrose, Massachusetts. Founded in January 2001 by promoters Dan Mirade & Neil Manolian, the MWF is one of the top promotions in the Northeastern United States along with Chaotic Wrestling,...
(MWF) and was pinned by MWF Heavyweight Champion
MWF Heavyweight Championship
The MWF Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in American independent promotion Millennium Wrestling Federation. The title was created when Tiger Mulligan defeated John Brooks in a 17-man "Soul Survivor" competition in Lynn, Massachusetts on May 31, 2003. The title is primarily...
"Sudden Impact" Dylan Kage of Paul Bearer
Percy Pringle
William Alvin "Bill" Moody , better known by his ring name Paul Bearer, is a professional wrestling manager and former wrestler best known for his time in World Class Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation, later known as the WWE.-Early career:He entered the wrestling business in...
's Trifecta at MWF Fireworks On The 4th.Welcome To The BOSTONWRESTLING.COM Supersite!
At the early stages of 2009, Snow participated regularly in several independent promotions in the US and in independent promotions in Europe, especially UK and Germany. He debuted in Damn That's Wrestling in South New Jersey, where he won in a tag-team match with local wrestler Tommy Golden against local wrestlers Patch and Jojo. Al Snow made an appearance in Chikara
Chikara
Chikara may refer to:*力, , the Japanese word meaning power, capability, or influence* Chikara, a Shona word meaning "carnivore"* Chikara - A stringed instrument from India.*Chikara-mizu , a ritual at the beginning of a sumo match...
's King of Trios 2009
King of Trios
King of Trios is a three-night tournament promoted by the Chikara wrestling promotion. The tournament is a different take on the Tag World Grand Prix event that the company is known for annually promoting; in King of Trios, instead of tag teams, there are trios that will compete in six-man tag team...
, teaming up with Glacier and D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
.
On Saturday April 18, 2009 Snow wrestled his first match in Australia at St. Jays Recreation Centre, Salisbury, South Australia along with Chris Masters and various local wrestlers.
On Saturday, October 31, 2009 Snow became one of the first big name wrestlers to wrestle for the Dynamic Wrestling Alliance defeating "Bad Attitude" Brian Beech in the main event of the Monster Ball event which also became the promotions first televised event. http://dwafanpage.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=115220290
In 2009 Snow was the GLCW Heavyweight Champion. On August 8 at GLCW SlamFest, Snow was set to defend the GLCW Heavyweight Championship against X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
. Due to not being able to make the event, he was stripped of the title as a result. In 2010, Snow won the GLCW Heavyweight Championship for a second time as X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
was not able to make it to the show due to the travel delays in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
caused by the volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
On January 16, 2010, Snow made another independent appearance, wrestling at the Throwdown in Downtown II at the Fort Smith (Arkansas) Event Center. Snow was the headliner of the seven match card, taking on Total Championship Wrestling International heavyweight champion Tim Storm in a title match. Snow was extremely over with the capacity crowd, but he lost the match to Storm after interference from Storm's tag team partner from the Dark Circle, APOC.
On Nov. 14, 2010 Snow teamed with Fred Flash to defeat Bodacious Pretty Boy & Eddie Gillett at a Regional Championship Wrestling event called Megabrawl 5 in Reading, PA.
Return to TNA Wrestling (2010-present)
In March 2010 Sarven received a tryout as an agent for TNA Wrestling. He made his return to television on the July 15, 2010, edition of Impact!, aligning himself with fellow ECW alumni Tommy DreamerTommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Raven, Stevie Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
, Rhino, Brother Devon, Pat Kenney
Pat Kenney
Patrick Joseph Michael "Pat" Kenney , known also by his ring name, Simon Diamond, is a retired American professional wrestler, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent...
and Mick Foley in their invitation by Dixie Carter to TNA. The following week, TNA president Dixie Carter agreed to give the ECW alumni their own reunion pay–per–view event, Hardcore Justice: The Last Stand
Hardcore Justice (2010)
Hardcore Justice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on August 8, 2010 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
, as a celebration of hardcore wrestling and a final farewell to the company. At the event Snow was defeated by Rhino in a three-way match, which also included Brother Runt
Matt Hyson
Matthew "Matt" Hyson is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his performances in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Spike Dudley and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brother Runt.In ECW, he was a two-time...
. Since then, he has appeared onscreen in his real-life role as company agent on multiple occasions, often alongside fellow agents Ace "D'Lo Brown" Conner and Pat Kenney. Sarven currently holds the title of producer for the company.
Acting career
He is starring in the upcoming film The Witches of OzThe Witches of Oz
The Witches of Oz is a film directed by Leigh Scott, based on the novels The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Ozma of Oz, The Road to Oz, and The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum.-Plot:...
with Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
, Sean Astin
Sean Astin
Sean Astin is an American film actor, director, voice artist, and producer better known for his film roles as Mikey Walsh in The Goonies, the title character of Rudy, and Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In television, he appeared as Lynn McGill in the fifth season of 24...
, Billy Boyd
Billy Boyd
Billy Boyd is a Scottish actor and musician most widely known for playing the character Peregrin "Pippin" Took in the film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings and Barret Bonden in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World....
and Barry Ratcliffe
Barry Ratcliffe
Barry Ratcliffe is an actor, comedian, and television and film producer in reality, and commercials....
, playing the Gnome King, as well as starring in the action film Overtime
Overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:*by custom ,*by practices of a given trade or profession,*by legislation,...
, and the comedy, Agua Caliente
Agua Caliente
Agua Caliente means "warm waters" or "hot springs" in Spanish. The term may refer to:-People:* Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, a Native American tribe of the U.S...
. He had an uncredited role in the 1993 film Rudy
Rudy (film)
Rudy is a 1993 American sports film directed by David Anspaugh. It is an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles...
.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0765715/ Snow also appeared in 2006's They're Just My Friends and co-stars alongside Tiger Chung Lee in 2009's Mountain Mafia.
Snow and his wife Cindi can also be seen as the brutal serial killers Grim and Lady, also known as "The Reaper's", in Feathered Italian Filmshttp://www.feathereditalianfilms.com latest slasher films The Legacyhttp://www.myspace.com/killerlegacy and Hell House.http://www.myspace.com/thehellhousemovie Head also cameo's in "The Legacy". He recently wrapped filming a lead role in the comedy/action/sci-fi movie Overtime by director Matt Niehoff.
Snow had a quick line in the wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat
Beyond the Mat is a 1999 documentary directed by Barry W. Blaustein. The movie focuses on the lives of professional wrestlers outside of the ring, primarily Mick Foley, Terry Funk, and Jake Roberts, as well as some aspiring wrestlers...
. He also participated in the wrestling documentary, Bloodstained Memoirs
Bloodstained Memoirs
Bloodstained Memoirs is a professional wrestling documentary released online via an official stream in 2009. It is compiled by interviews featuring wrestlers synonymous with different eras in wrestling and different wrestling regions . Production was filmed in the UK, USA, France, Japan, and Italy...
.
Al Snow also appeared as a coach on WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
during the show's first three seasons.
Personal life
Sarven is divorced from wife Pam with whom he has two children, Jake and Brittany. He is currently married to Cynthia LynchCynthia Lynch
Cynthia Lynch is an American professional wrestler. She is perhaps best known for her time in the World Wrestling Federation as one of the The Godfather's many "hos"...
, who wrestles under the name "Bobcat".
Sarven has a longtime friendship with fellow professional wrestler Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, who wrote several humorous stories about it in his memoirs.
Al's real life brother (also a wrestler) going by the name Logan Caine, was a NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Snow Plow (Scoop brainbuster)
- Beast Choker (Dragon sleeper with body scissors)
- Snow-sault (MoonsaultMoonsaultA moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...
) - Headshot (hit to the head with a MannequinMannequinA mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
head)
- Signature moves
- Arm wrench inside cradle
- DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
- Diving leg drop
- Snow Bomb (Sitout side slam spinebuster)
- Snow-Plex (Wheelbarrow suplex)
- Springboard moonsault
- Running clothesline
- Spinning heel kick
- Trapping headbutts
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Jim CornetteJim CornetteJames Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
- Skandor Akbar
- Jerry LawlerJerry LawlerJerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
- Jonathan CoachmanJonathan CoachmanJonathan William Coachman , also known as "The Coach", is a former professional wrestling color commentator and authority figure. He is also a former college basketball player, and football play-by-play announcer...
- Head (Woman's MannequinMannequinA mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
Head with HELP ME! written backwards on forehead) - Pierre (MountedTaxidermyTaxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
DeerDeerDeer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
Head) - Pepper (ChihuahuaChihuahua (dog)The ' is the smallest breed of dog and is so named for the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Chihuahuas come in a wide variety of sizes, head shapes, colors and coat lengths.-History:...
)
- Jim Cornette
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "The Clown Prince of Hardcore"
- "The Snowman"
- "Five Star Ninja"
- Theme music
- "Rock n Roll, Pt. 2" by Gary GlitterGary GlitterGary Glitter is an English former glam rock singer-songwriter and musician.Glitter first came to prominence in the glam rock era of the early 1970s...
(ECW) - "Head Like a HoleHead Like a Hole"Head Like a Hole" is a song by the American industrial rock project Nine Inch Nails. A song influenced by industrial metal group Ministry, it was released as the second single from the group's debut album Pretty Hate Machine...
" by Nine Inch NailsNine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
(ECW) - "Purple HazePurple Haze"Purple Haze" is a song written in 1966 and recorded in 1967 by The Jimi Hendrix Experience and released as a single in both the United Kingdom and the United States. It appeared on their 1967 album Are You Experienced...
" by The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceThe Jimi Hendrix ExperienceThe Jimi Hendrix Experience were an English-American psychedelic rock band that formed in London in October 1966. Comprising eponymous singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969, in which...
(ECW) - "BreatheBreathe (The Prodigy song)"Breathe" is a song by The Prodigy, released as the group's eleventh single on November 11, 1996. It was the second single from the album The Fat of the Land. The song became the group's second consecutive #1 on both the Finnish and the Official UK Singles Chart...
" by The ProdigyThe ProdigyThe Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
(ECW) - "Scurry" from the Non-Stop Music library (WWF)
- "What Does Everybody Want?" by Jim JohnstonJim Johnston (composer)James Alan "Jim" Johnston is an American music composer who has been working for WWE since 1985. His work is often accredited to the names Jim Johnston, James A...
(remake of Scurry; WWE) - "Crash" by 12 Stones12 Stones12 Stones is a rock band that was formed in 2000 in Mandeville, Louisiana. They have collectively sold more than 2 million records.-History:The four band members met in Mandeville, Louisiana, a small suburb north of New Orleans, and within 15 months were signed to a record deal with Wind-up Records...
(WWE) - "Tattoo" by Big Mother Thruster (used one time at WWF Survivor Series 2001)
- "Rock n Roll, Pt. 2" by Gary Glitter
Championships and accomplishments
- Border City WrestlingBorder City WrestlingBorder City Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion once based in Windsor, Ontario. It was the base promotion for several Total Nonstop Action Wrestling wrestlers, including all of the former Team Canada, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley. Many BCW employees were trained by Scott...
- BCW Can-Am Tag Team ChampionshipBCW Can-Am Tag Team ChampionshipThe BCW Can-Am Tag Team Championship is the tag team title contested for in the Ontario-based professional wrestling promotion Border City Wrestling.-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Denny Kass
- BCW Can-Am Tag Team Championship
- Cal-International Pro Wrestling
- CIPW Americas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Global Wrestling Alliance
- GWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- GWA Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- GWA Tag Team Championship (5 times) - with Mike Kelly
- Great Lakes Championship Wrestling
- GLCW Heavyweight Championship (2 times, current)
- Jersey All Pro WrestlingJersey All Pro WrestlingJersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-1997:Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia on April 19, 1997. This promotion was born out of a dream of "Fat" Frank. He wanted to take the promotion...
- JAPW Heavyweight ChampionshipJAPW Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Jersey All Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship in the American independent professional wrestling promotion Jersey All Pro Wrestling. Being a professional wrestling championship, it is not won via direct competition; it is instead won via a...
(1 time)
- JAPW Heavyweight Championship
- Masterz of Mayhem
- MoM Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Mickey Doyle
- Midwest Championship Wrestling
- MCW-ICW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- MCW Midwest Tag Team Championship (2 times)
- MCW Midwest Territorial Championship (1 time)
- MCW-ICW United States Tag Team Championship (6 times)
- Midwest Territorial Wrestling
- MTW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- MTW Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Ray Roberts
- Motor City Wrestling
- MCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- MCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Denny Kass
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him # 329 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- Smoky Mountain WrestlingSmoky Mountain WrestlingSmoky Mountain Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Appalachian area of the United States from October 1991 to December 1995, when it was run by Jim Cornette...
- SMW Tag Team ChampionshipSMW Tag Team ChampionshipThe SMW Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in Smoky Mountain Wrestling . It existed from 1992 until 1995 when the promotion closed .-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Unabomb
- SMW Tag Team Championship
- Top of the World Wresting
- TOW World Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) - with PCOCarl OuelletCarl Joseph Yvon Ouellet is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. He has worked for, among other promotions, the World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.-Beginnings:Carl Ouellet debuted in 1987...
- TOW World Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) - with PCO
- USA Xtreme Wrestling
- UXW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Most Underrated Wrestler in 1996
- Worst Worked Match of the Year (1999) vs. the Big Boss ManRay TraylorRay Walter Traylor, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Big Boss Man and World Championship Wrestling under various ring names, most notably Big Bubba Rogers.-Early years:Traylor, a prison guard in...
in a Kennel from Hell match at Unforgiven
- World Wrestling Alliance
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Mickey Doyle
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF European ChampionshipWWE European ChampionshipThe WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, and was...
(1 time) - WWF Hardcore ChampionshipWWE Hardcore ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship is a hardcore wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and is contested under "hardcore" rules, meaning there is no disqualifications, no countouts, and pin falls could be counted anywhere...
(6 times) - WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with MankindMick FoleyMichael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
- WWF European Championship