Count Grog
Encyclopedia
Greg Mosorjak better known as Count Grog, is an American
professional wrestling
manager
, referee
, ring announcer
, commentator
, promoter
, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Cueball Carmichael
's Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
, OMEGA
and Southern States Wrestling
and from 1994 to 2004, was the owner of Southern Championship Wrestling
.
A well-known wrestling personality in the Southeastern United States
, especially in the North Carolina
independents
, he is best remembered for his longrunning feud with "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant
during the 1990s. He was also the founder and longtime manager of the "heel"
stable "The Brotherhood". Initially consisting of Major DeBeers and Boris Dragoff, the group included some of the region's top stars such as "Beastmaster" Rick Link
, "Ragin' Bull" Manny Fernandez
, K.C. Thunder and Frank "The Tank" Parker. He has been called the "least employee friendly boss around" by Pro Wrestling Illustrated
due to his frequent habit of betraying his own wrestlers. Mosorjak is currently the promoter and on-screen commissioner for G.O.U.G.E (Gimmicks Only Underground Grappling Entertainment) based in Raleigh, North Carolina
.
, Mosorjak was an early fan of professional wrestling, watching Pittsburgh Studio Wrestling
in the mid-1960s, and became "hooked" after attending his first live event, headlined by Bruno Sammartino
and Battman
versus Prof. Toru Tanaka and Ivan Koloff, in February 1970. Inspired by Ron Dobratz's Illustrated Wrestling Digest, he established his own monthly newsletter called "Inside the Squared Circle", and later "Ringside Seat" with Mark Curtis
, while still in high school. These "kayfabe sheets"
featured the latest news and results from "the territories" and included reports, monthly recaps, and photos. A number of future wrestling personalities were staff members on Mosorjak's newsletters such as Mark Curtis, Ken Jugan, Norman Dooley, Pete Lederberg, and Elio Zarlenga. Eddie Gilbert and Jim Cornette
also worked as photographers. His publications covered not only mainstream wrestling, then the "Big Three" (American Wrestling Alliance, National Wrestling Alliance
and the World Wrestling Federation), but covered the leading independents throughout the country. He worked for Pittsburgh promoter Gene Dargen during this period, with duties such as putting up posters and calling in radio shows, where he befriended fellow fans Ken Jugan and Mark Curtis.
In his senior year, Mosorjak started working in various capacities for local independent promotions, both as a referee and manager, under the name Greg "Punk Rock" Mason. His initial training was learned "on the job" as well as assistance from friends Zoltan the Great and Mark Curtis, and Luis Martinez. By 1982, he was a regular referee for Zoltan's 3 Rivers Wrestling, having previously written its programs
, and made his managerial debut in CCWA, an independent based in Smithfield, North Carolina
. A year later, he started promoting wrestling events as part of West Virginia Championship Wrestling in Morgantown, West Virginia
, also appearing in the promotion under his "Punk Rock" persona. Some of his early years in the business was spent touring the Northeast and Southern independents with his first charges, Zoltan the Great and J.W. "Snakeman" Hawk, feuding with Bobo Brazil
, Luis Martinez, JR Hogg, and Mike Schulli among other regional stars. It was around this time that he got an opportunity to work for Joseph Blanchard and Southwest Championship Wrestling
, however, he was involved in a car accident while traveling with Jugan to a television taping in Kingwood, West Virginia
. His injuries, which included a dislocated shoulder
, left him unable to appear on the Blanchard shows though he did work matches for The Original Sheik
when he toured West Virginia. In 1984, following his graduation from West Virginia University
, Mosorjak left pro wrestling to pursue other business and personal interests (while attending WVU he was roommates with the nephew of Farhat). He later claimed that he had also grown frustrated with the industry at the time, working indy shows in Ohio and West Virginia for little to no pay, describing one incident in which he drove 200 miles to work a show and was stiffed by the promoter. Between 1985 and 1992, he attended North Carolina State University at Raleigh and Appalachian State University
, graduating with a bachelor's degree
in political science
from the former institution.
, on August 19, 1994, at a show for Atlantic Championship Wrestling in Carolina Beach, North Carolina
. He eventually left CCWA with his first protege, the Intruder, to start Southern Championship Wrestling
in November 1994.
(SCW) promotion in 1994. SCW promoted shows primarily in eastern and central North Carolina, with its home arena at the Kings Barcade in downtown Raleigh and later the historic Dorton Arena
. It also had a weekly television show which aired Tuesdays on Channel 6 in Durham
, Chapel Hill
, and Carrboro
, and Saturday mornings on Channel 10 in Raleigh. Among the promotion's mainstays included C.W. Anderson
, Caprice Coleman
, Cham Pain, Dewey Cheatum, Lazz, Lexie Fyfe
, Mickie James
, Matt Stryker, Shawn Alexander, Seymour Snott, The Stro, Trailer Park Heat, Venom, The Bad Street Boys
(Joey Matthews and Christian York
), Dangerous Minds (Toad and Lodi), Death & Destruction (Frank Parker and Roger Anderson), and The Dupps
(Bo and Jack Dupp). Future WWE superstars Shane Helms, Shannon Moore
, Edge and Christian
, Lita
and The Hardy Boyz (Matt
and Jeff Hardy
) also spent their early careers in SCW. The promotion's unique mix of traditional Southern-style 'Rasslin and modern hardcore wrestling
attracting Extreme Championship Wrestling
's Chilly Willy, Steve Corino
, Julio Dinero, New Jack
as well as older Mid-Atlantic legends Ivan Koloff, Manny Fernandez, and Jimmy Valiant.
In addition to being the owner, he also continued managing in SCW as "Count Grog". One of his first maneuvers was the formation of a "heel" stable which he called "The Brotherhood". The group initially consisted of Major DeBeers and Boris Dragoff, however, it would eventually include many of the region's top "rulebreakers". On January 7, 1995, under Count Grog's management, Boris Dragoff won a one-night championship tournament in Creedmoor, North Carolina
to crown the first SCW Heavyweight Champion. A year later, he helped the Dream Team (Billy Simmons and Sean Powers) in winning the SCW tag team titles from The Rat Pack (Jimmy Cicero
and Brian Perry) though they refused Grog's invitation to become a part of The Brotherhood. Another tag team he would manage to the titles was Death & Destruction
(Frank Parker and Roger Anderson) and during their feud with the Serial Thrillaz (Shane Helms
& Mike Maverick) and Thug Life (Christian Cage and Sexton Hardcastle).
Over the next two years, he led Brotherhood members Gorgeous George III to the SCW Heavyweight title (November 1996) and K.C. Thunder to the North Carolina Heavyweight title (February 1997), who defeated Big Slam in a tournament final to become the promotion's first-ever champion. On June 27, 1998, he again led Dragoff to recapture SCW title, and persuaded Boris Dragoff to rejoin the Brotherhood, who had left the previous year. Five months later, on November 21, 1998, he helped Cueball Carmichael
win the vacant SCW Heavyweight Championship from Big Slam, then substituting for an injured James "Poison" Ivey, in Louisburg, North Carolina
. Club Security (Rumble and Rukkus) captured the SCW Tag Team titles from Pat & C.W. Anderson and Otto Schwanz the North Carolina title, with assistance from Mosorjak, making it one of The Brotherhood's most successful years.
, "Ragin' Bull" Manny Fernandez
, K.C. Thunder and Frank "The Tank" Parker. By the end of the decade, the group had appeared in every major independent organization in North Carolina as well as in South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York. It was during this time that Mosorjak engaged in a long-running feud with "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant
which set attendance records in historic wrestling towns such as Fall Branch, Tennessee
to Butner, North Carolina
. On at least one occassion, Valiant managed to get his hands on Mosorjak during a Southern States Wrestling
show, on December 9, 1995, defeating him in a "5-minute challenge" match.
Mosorjak himself, a "hands on" manager who frequently involved himself in his wrestler's matches, used such tactics as throwing fire at opponents as well as "opening up foreheads with his razor sharp teeth". In the summer of 1996, he and Major DeBeers were suspended from the Great American Wrestling Federation after Grog threw a fireball at DeBeers' opponent "Iceman" Mike Murphy. He was by voted by fans as "Manager of the Year" in SCW and Southern States Wrestling
in 1997, and in 1999 by Norm Kietzer's The Wrestling News magazine for the North Carolina independents. That same year, Pro Wrestling Illustrated
called Count Grog the "least employee friendly boss around", due to his tendency of double-crossing his own wrestlers. Since forming the group, Mosorjak has twice turned on Major DeBeers, Boris Dragoff, Otto Schwanz, Jimmy Cicero, and Venom, though many eventually rejoined the group.
He also took part in wrestling matches on occasion though this was usually for comic effect. For example, at an ICW show in Yanceyville, North Carolina
, Skinhead #1 chose Count Grog as his tag team partner to defend the ICW Tag Team Championship. Later that night, their opponents Heartbreak Express
pinned Grog to win the titles. In the fall of 1998, he also wrestled midget wrestler
Sweetie Pop in a special challenge match in Raleigh.
An active manager in OMEGA
, Mosorjak managed Christian York
to the OMEGA Junior Heavyweight Championship
fought in a four-way match involving Joey Matthews, Caprice Coleman and Shannon Moore. He managed many of these younger stars in his own promotion, most notably, when Shane Helms defeated Otto Schwanz for the SCW title on November 29, 1999, in Raleigh. Mosorjak's cross-promotional activities with the Hardys, which included championship titles being both recognized and defended in both promotions, continued up until OMEGA's close that same year.
. In the main event later that night, he once more managed Major DeBeers to the SCW title, in what would also be DeBeers' retirement match.
Mosorjak's retirement lasted less than three months when, on March 1, 2002, he made his return to SCW in Louisburg, North Carolina
. He continued managing the Brotherhood up until the promotion's close two years later. On its final event, November 20th's "Blowout Bash", Count Grog led Otto Schwanz to victory over C.W. Anderson to become the last SCW Heavyweight Champion title, and afterwards went into retirement. Lexie Fyfe, who had gotten her start in SCW, was among the former stars who returned for its last show.
.
. Mosorjak has compared it to the American version of HUSTLE. He continued appearing as "Count Grog" reforming a new version of "The Brotherhood" with Major DeBeers, Scab, and Chilly Willy and a later stable consisting of "Beef Stew" Lou Marconi and Bad Romance (Mickey Gambino and Frank Stalletto
). He was involved in several memorable angles including:
Mosorjak also continued making appearances on the Carolinas "indy circuit". On February 2, 2008, during a handicap match pitting Rick Link against Scrap Yard Dog and Dick Foley for Alternative Championship Wrestling's "Night of Legends", he engineered a "swerve" by convincing "The Perfect Ten" Baby Doll
, their opponent's manager, to desert her team during the match and allowing Link to win the match. That same month, he was a guest on the internet radio series
In Your Head! Wrestling Radio. During the show, he discussed writing with Mark Curtus, Paul Heyman, Jim Cornette on his newsletter, stories of The Original Sheik
, Bobo Brazil
, and others during the 1980s, and promoting SCW and GOUGE. Similarly, he was also interviewed on the August 21st 2009 edition of Carolina Wrestling Radio. He discussed the promotion's history, the general state in independent wrestling, and running interpromotional events with other local North Carolina organizations. Mosorjak also recalled a recent match he took part in, at the 7th Annual Seagrove SuperShow, between Otto Schwanz and Jerry "The King" Lawler with Jimmy Valiant as the special guest referee. When he climbed in to the ring to interfere, he was put in the sleeper hold by Valiant and dropkick
ed by Lawler over the top rope following the end of the match.
He has been a regular performer at Deaf Wrestlefest
, an annual benefit show for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
, managing Lou Marconi, Frank Staletto, and J.J. Dillon against Dominic DeNucci
, Cody Michaels
, and Shane Douglas
with Missy Hyatt
(2009), Marconi and Staletto against David Sammartino
and Larry Zbyszko
(2010), and Staletto against Patrick Hayes (2011).
On May 21, 2011, Mosorjak announced at the "Mayhem at Butner" supercard that he would be retiring from managing to take on the role of the promotion's new commissioner. He subsequently turned over control of his stable to manager Andre Adonisy at the June 25th "Born to be GOUGED" show in Apex, North Carolina
.
's Independent Pro Wrestling Alliance in Woodbridge, Virginia
, he delivered a worked shoot against Lee Morey, known by his internet alias "The Dark Cheetah", of OtherArena.com. He was also critical of flame wars which occurred on internet forums between independent workers and fans, and strictly prohibited SCW wrestlers from participating.
During his years in semi-retirement, and while promoting GOUGE Wrestling, Mosorjak often interacted with fans on NWAlegends.com
, SportsandWrestling.com, and WrestlingClassics.com. He not only discussed his thoughts on the wrestling industry, and shared road stories from his career, but talked about current events and pop culture. In January 2011, he also informed fans of health issues he was experiencing.
to become a prominent wrestling historian
and researcher. In 2006, he and Steve Johnson started SteelBeltWrestling.com which examined the history of pro wrestling in Buffalo, New York
, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, and Cleveland, Ohio
, and its intermingling histories, during the 1970s; he conducted an interview with George "The Animal" Steele as part of his work. He wrote about this subject for KayfabeMemories.com as well as contributing to the research of the Toronto wrestling territory
in the same period.
In early-2007, Mosorjak announced that he was attempting to compile the first complete record book for Wahoo McDaniel
which was later published on MidAtlanticGateway.com two years later; he also assisted in researching its match records for "The Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
as well.
In recent years, Mosorjak has been a guest columnist for the Canadian Online Explorer and OnlineWorldofWrestling.com reporting on major wrestling events such as the 2008 Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame and the 2010 NWA Wrestling Legends Fan Fest as well as contributing a number of book reviews
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestling
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...
manager
Manager (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...
, referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
, ring announcer
Ring announcer
A ring announcer is a paid in-ring employee for a boxing, professional wrestling, or mixed martial arts event or promotion...
, commentator
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
, promoter
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Cueball Carmichael
Cueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
's Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance
The Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance was an American independent professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, especially in the Carolinas and Virginia, from October 1995 to February 2001, when it was run by Cueball Carmichael and...
, OMEGA
Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts
The Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts, also known as OMEGA, is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in central North Carolina....
and Southern States Wrestling
Southern States Wrestling
Southern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in eastern Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James in early 1991, SSW succeeded Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the top promotion in eastern Tennessee following its close...
and from 1994 to 2004, was the owner of Southern Championship Wrestling
Southern Championship Wrestling
Southern Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Southeastern United States, especially in eastern and central North Carolina, from November 1994 to November 2004, when it was run by Greg Mosorjak...
.
A well-known wrestling personality in the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, especially in the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
independents
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
, he is best remembered for his longrunning feud with "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant
Jimmy Valiant
James Harold Fanning is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.-Personal life:...
during the 1990s. He was also the founder and longtime manager of the "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...
stable "The Brotherhood". Initially consisting of Major DeBeers and Boris Dragoff, the group included some of the region's top stars such as "Beastmaster" Rick Link
Rick Link
"The Beastmaster" Rick Link is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, trainer and promoter. He wrestled throughout Canada and the United States for the National Wrestling Alliance during the 1970s and 80s under a number of ringnames, most notably, as M.E.B. in NWA Central States and as...
, "Ragin' Bull" Manny Fernandez
Manny Fernandez (wrestler)
Emanuel "Manny" Fernandez is an American professional wrestler currently wrestling for different independent promotions. He is best known by the his ring name "The Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez.-Professional wrestling career:...
, K.C. Thunder and Frank "The Tank" Parker. He has been called the "least employee friendly boss around" by Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro 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...
due to his frequent habit of betraying his own wrestlers. Mosorjak is currently the promoter and on-screen commissioner for G.O.U.G.E (Gimmicks Only Underground Grappling Entertainment) based in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
.
Career
A native of Johnstown, PennsylvaniaJohnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
, Mosorjak was an early fan of professional wrestling, watching Pittsburgh Studio Wrestling
Studio Wrestling
Studio Wrestling was a live professional wrestling show broadcast from WIIC-TV Channel 11 in Pittsburgh every Saturday evening. In 1959, WIIC began broadcasting professional wrestling from their studio located in Fineview. The show was hosted by Bill Cardille through most of its run, although he...
in the mid-1960s, and became "hooked" after attending his first live event, headlined by Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino is an Italian-American former professional wrestler, best known for being the longest-running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation , holding the title across two reigns for over 11 years in total, as well as the longest single WWE Championship reign...
and Battman
Tony Marino
Tony Silipini is a former American born Italian professional wrestler who is best known as Tony Marino.-Early career:Tony Silipini was born in 1945. He started wrestling in the 1950s near his hometown of Rochester, NY. He wrestled under a number of names over the years in different areas of the...
versus Prof. Toru Tanaka and Ivan Koloff, in February 1970. Inspired by Ron Dobratz's Illustrated Wrestling Digest, he established his own monthly newsletter called "Inside the Squared Circle", and later "Ringside Seat" with Mark Curtis
Brian Hildebrand
Brian Curtis Hildebrand was a professional wrestling manager, wrestler and referee who sometimes went by the name of Mark Curtis...
, while still in high school. These "kayfabe sheets"
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...
featured the latest news and results from "the territories" and included reports, monthly recaps, and photos. A number of future wrestling personalities were staff members on Mosorjak's newsletters such as Mark Curtis, Ken Jugan, Norman Dooley, Pete Lederberg, and Elio Zarlenga. Eddie Gilbert and 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...
also worked as photographers. His publications covered not only mainstream wrestling, then the "Big Three" (American Wrestling Alliance, National Wrestling Alliance
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
and the World Wrestling Federation), but covered the leading independents throughout the country. He worked for Pittsburgh promoter Gene Dargen during this period, with duties such as putting up posters and calling in radio shows, where he befriended fellow fans Ken Jugan and Mark Curtis.
In his senior year, Mosorjak started working in various capacities for local independent promotions, both as a referee and manager, under the name Greg "Punk Rock" Mason. His initial training was learned "on the job" as well as assistance from friends Zoltan the Great and Mark Curtis, and Luis Martinez. By 1982, he was a regular referee for Zoltan's 3 Rivers Wrestling, having previously written its programs
Programme (booklet)
A programme or program is a booklet available for patrons attending a live event such as theatre performances, fêtes, sports events, etc. It is a printed leaflet outlining the parts of the event scheduled to take place, principal performers and background information. In the case of theatrical...
, and made his managerial debut in CCWA, an independent based in Smithfield, North Carolina
Smithfield, North Carolina
Smithfield is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. In 2008, the estimated population was 12,965. It is the county seat of Johnston County...
. A year later, he started promoting wrestling events as part of West Virginia Championship Wrestling in Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
, also appearing in the promotion under his "Punk Rock" persona. Some of his early years in the business was spent touring the Northeast and Southern independents with his first charges, Zoltan the Great and J.W. "Snakeman" Hawk, feuding with Bobo Brazil
Bobo Brazil
Houston Harris was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. He is credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling...
, Luis Martinez, JR Hogg, and Mike Schulli among other regional stars. It was around this time that he got an opportunity to work for Joseph Blanchard and Southwest Championship Wrestling
Southwest Championship Wrestling
Southwest Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was owned by Joseph Blanchard and based in San Antonio, Texas, from 1978 to 1985, when it was purchased by Texas All-Star Wrestling and absorbed into that company.-Venues:...
, however, he was involved in a car accident while traveling with Jugan to a television taping in Kingwood, West Virginia
Kingwood, West Virginia
Kingwood is a town in and the county seat of Preston County, West Virginia, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh DMA. Kingwood was founded in 1815...
. His injuries, which included a dislocated shoulder
Dislocated shoulder
A dislocated shoulder occurs when the humerus separates from the scapula at the glenohumeral joint. The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body and as a result is particularly susceptible to dislocation and subluxation. Approximately half of major joint...
, left him unable to appear on the Blanchard shows though he did work matches for The Original Sheik
Ed Farhat
Edward George Farhat was an American professional wrestler best known as by his ring name The Sheik...
when he toured West Virginia. In 1984, following his graduation from West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
, Mosorjak left pro wrestling to pursue other business and personal interests (while attending WVU he was roommates with the nephew of Farhat). He later claimed that he had also grown frustrated with the industry at the time, working indy shows in Ohio and West Virginia for little to no pay, describing one incident in which he drove 200 miles to work a show and was stiffed by the promoter. Between 1985 and 1992, he attended North Carolina State University at Raleigh and Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
, graduating with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the former institution.
Introduction of Count Grog (1993-1994)
In 1993, Mosorjak returned to wrestling working primarily in North Carolina as a referee. While in the Carolina Championship Wrestling Alliance, he briefly feuded with television announcer Henry Dean which saw Mosorjak wrestle his first wrestling match which ended in a 10-minute draw. He left refereeing soon afterwards to go back to managing. He made his first appearance as "Count Grog", a Transylvanian nobleman modeled after Count DraculaCount Dracula
Count Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula and archetypal vampire. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian general and Wallachian Prince Vlad III the Impaler...
, on August 19, 1994, at a show for Atlantic Championship Wrestling in Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Carolina Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,701 at the 2000 census. It is located on part of the Wilmington metropolitan area...
. He eventually left CCWA with his first protege, the Intruder, to start Southern Championship Wrestling
Southern Championship Wrestling
Southern Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Southeastern United States, especially in eastern and central North Carolina, from November 1994 to November 2004, when it was run by Greg Mosorjak...
in November 1994.
Southern Championship Wrestling (1994-1998)
Mosorjak began the Southern Championship WrestlingSouthern Championship Wrestling
Southern Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Southeastern United States, especially in eastern and central North Carolina, from November 1994 to November 2004, when it was run by Greg Mosorjak...
(SCW) promotion in 1994. SCW promoted shows primarily in eastern and central North Carolina, with its home arena at the Kings Barcade in downtown Raleigh and later the historic Dorton Arena
Dorton Arena
The J.S. Dorton Arena is a 7,610-seat multi-purpose arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair...
. It also had a weekly television show which aired Tuesdays on Channel 6 in Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
, and Carrboro
Carrboro, North Carolina
Carrboro is a town in Orange County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 19,582 at the 2010 census. The town, which is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan statistical area, was named after North Carolina industrialist Julian Shakespeare Carr.Located near Chapel Hill and...
, and Saturday mornings on Channel 10 in Raleigh. Among the promotion's mainstays included C.W. Anderson
C.W. Anderson
Chris Wright is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name, C.W. Anderson. He is best known for his time with Extreme Championship Wrestling.-Early life:...
, Caprice Coleman
Caprice Coleman
Caprice Coleman is an American professional wrestler who competes in Mid-Atlantic and Southern independent promotions including Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, NWA Wildside, Ring of Honor and, in recent years, Live Action Wrestling and the Christian Wrestling Federation...
, Cham Pain, Dewey Cheatum, Lazz, Lexie Fyfe
Lexie Fyfe
Mary Beth Bentley , is an American professional wrestler. She has wrestled in various independent wrestling promotions, most notably for Shimmer Women Athletes and has had tryouts for both WWE and WCW.-Early life:...
, Mickie James
Mickie James
Mickie Laree James , better known simply as Mickie James, is an American professional wrestler and singer of mixed Native American-Caucasian descent, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she is a former two-time TNA Women's Knockout Champion.James began her professional...
, Matt Stryker, Shawn Alexander, Seymour Snott, The Stro, Trailer Park Heat, Venom, The Bad Street Boys
The Bad Street Boys
Bad Street Boys was a professional wrestling tag team in the independent circuit. It was initially formed as a stable, consisting of Gregory Helms, Shannon Moore, Joey Matthews and Christian York...
(Joey Matthews and Christian York
Christian York
Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...
), Dangerous Minds (Toad and Lodi), Death & Destruction (Frank Parker and Roger Anderson), and The Dupps
The Dupps
The Dupps were a professional wrestling tag team in southern independents and ECW during the late 1990s composed of Bo Dupp and Jack Dupp. They feuded with Amish Roadkill & Danny Doring over who should have a shot at the ECW Tag-Team Titles...
(Bo and Jack Dupp). Future WWE superstars Shane Helms, Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore is an American professional wrestler, who is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment for several years in the 2000s.Moore befriended Matt and Jeff Hardy...
, Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian was a tag team made of real life best friends Edge and Christian , who performed in WWE and the Canadian independent circuit. They won the WWF Tag Team Championship on seven occasions...
, Lita
Amy Dumas
Amy Christine Dumas , known by her primary stage name Lita, is the lead singer for the band The Luchagors as well as a retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva active from 1999 to 2006....
and The Hardy Boyz (Matt
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
) also spent their early careers in SCW. The promotion's unique mix of traditional Southern-style 'Rasslin and modern hardcore wrestling
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...
attracting 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...
's Chilly Willy, Steve Corino
Steve Corino
Steven Eugene "Steve" Corino is a Canadian professional wrestler, who currently works for Pro Wrestling Zero1, Ring of Honor and numerous other independent promotions. Corino is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and ECW World Heavyweight Champion.-Early years :Corino began wrestling in 1994...
, Julio Dinero, New Jack
New Jack
Jerome Young is an American professional wrestler, better known by his stage name New Jack in ECW.He is known for his willingness to take dangerous bumps and his stiff hardcore wrestling style, often taking high risks and "shooting" on opponents, though he is only known to shoot on opponents who...
as well as older Mid-Atlantic legends Ivan Koloff, Manny Fernandez, and Jimmy Valiant.
In addition to being the owner, he also continued managing in SCW as "Count Grog". One of his first maneuvers was the formation of a "heel" stable which he called "The Brotherhood". The group initially consisted of Major DeBeers and Boris Dragoff, however, it would eventually include many of the region's top "rulebreakers". On January 7, 1995, under Count Grog's management, Boris Dragoff won a one-night championship tournament in Creedmoor, North Carolina
Creedmoor, North Carolina
Creedmoor is a city in Granville County, North Carolina, United States . The population was 4,124 at the 2010 census.-Brief History of the Town:...
to crown the first SCW Heavyweight Champion. A year later, he helped the Dream Team (Billy Simmons and Sean Powers) in winning the SCW tag team titles from The Rat Pack (Jimmy Cicero
Jimmy Cicero
Matt Bowman, best known by his ring name "Wiseguy" Jimmy Cicero, is an American professional wrestler who has competed in several promotions on the independent circuit. He had also competed for the United States Wrestling Association, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
and Brian Perry) though they refused Grog's invitation to become a part of The Brotherhood. Another tag team he would manage to the titles was Death & Destruction
Death & Destruction
Death & Destruction was a professional wrestling tag team composed of Frank "The Tank" Parker and "Ruthless" Roger Anderson. They competed in numerous regional and independent promotions throughout the Southern United States in the 1990s, and were arguably one of the region's top "heel" teams...
(Frank Parker and Roger Anderson) and during their feud with the Serial Thrillaz (Shane Helms
Gregory Helms
Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms...
& Mike Maverick) and Thug Life (Christian Cage and Sexton Hardcastle).
Over the next two years, he led Brotherhood members Gorgeous George III to the SCW Heavyweight title (November 1996) and K.C. Thunder to the North Carolina Heavyweight title (February 1997), who defeated Big Slam in a tournament final to become the promotion's first-ever champion. On June 27, 1998, he again led Dragoff to recapture SCW title, and persuaded Boris Dragoff to rejoin the Brotherhood, who had left the previous year. Five months later, on November 21, 1998, he helped Cueball Carmichael
Cueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
win the vacant SCW Heavyweight Championship from Big Slam, then substituting for an injured James "Poison" Ivey, in Louisburg, North Carolina
Louisburg, North Carolina
Louisburg is a town in Franklin County, North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,111. It is the county seat of Franklin County...
. Club Security (Rumble and Rukkus) captured the SCW Tag Team titles from Pat & C.W. Anderson and Otto Schwanz the North Carolina title, with assistance from Mosorjak, making it one of The Brotherhood's most successful years.
Independent circuit (1998-2000)
While promoting SCW, Mosorjak and The Brotherhood also toured the Southern independent circuit with many of his wrestlers, most especially Major DeBeers, have won titles in most of the promotions they visited. At its height, The Brotherhood consisted of Major DeBeers, Boris Dragoff, "Beastmaster" Rick LinkRick Link
"The Beastmaster" Rick Link is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, trainer and promoter. He wrestled throughout Canada and the United States for the National Wrestling Alliance during the 1970s and 80s under a number of ringnames, most notably, as M.E.B. in NWA Central States and as...
, "Ragin' Bull" Manny Fernandez
Manny Fernandez (wrestler)
Emanuel "Manny" Fernandez is an American professional wrestler currently wrestling for different independent promotions. He is best known by the his ring name "The Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez.-Professional wrestling career:...
, K.C. Thunder and Frank "The Tank" Parker. By the end of the decade, the group had appeared in every major independent organization in North Carolina as well as in South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York. It was during this time that Mosorjak engaged in a long-running feud with "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant
Jimmy Valiant
James Harold Fanning is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.-Personal life:...
which set attendance records in historic wrestling towns such as Fall Branch, Tennessee
Fall Branch, Tennessee
Fall Branch is a census-designated place in Washington and Greene counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 1,313 at the 2000 census....
to Butner, North Carolina
Butner, North Carolina
Butner is a town in Granville County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,591 at the 2010 census]. Butner was managed by the state of North Carolina from 1947 through 2007. A bill passed by the North Carolina General Assembly incorporating the town was signed by Gov. Mike Easley on...
. On at least one occassion, Valiant managed to get his hands on Mosorjak during a Southern States Wrestling
Southern States Wrestling
Southern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in eastern Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James in early 1991, SSW succeeded Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the top promotion in eastern Tennessee following its close...
show, on December 9, 1995, defeating him in a "5-minute challenge" match.
Mosorjak himself, a "hands on" manager who frequently involved himself in his wrestler's matches, used such tactics as throwing fire at opponents as well as "opening up foreheads with his razor sharp teeth". In the summer of 1996, he and Major DeBeers were suspended from the Great American Wrestling Federation after Grog threw a fireball at DeBeers' opponent "Iceman" Mike Murphy. He was by voted by fans as "Manager of the Year" in SCW and Southern States Wrestling
Southern States Wrestling
Southern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in eastern Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James in early 1991, SSW succeeded Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the top promotion in eastern Tennessee following its close...
in 1997, and in 1999 by Norm Kietzer's The Wrestling News magazine for the North Carolina independents. That same year, Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro 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...
called Count Grog the "least employee friendly boss around", due to his tendency of double-crossing his own wrestlers. Since forming the group, Mosorjak has twice turned on Major DeBeers, Boris Dragoff, Otto Schwanz, Jimmy Cicero, and Venom, though many eventually rejoined the group.
He also took part in wrestling matches on occasion though this was usually for comic effect. For example, at an ICW show in Yanceyville, North Carolina
Yanceyville, North Carolina
Yanceyville, first incorporated in 1833, is the county seat of Caswell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,091 at the 2000 census. It has been the county seat since 1792 . The original Caswell County Courthouse has been renovated and provides offices for county departments...
, Skinhead #1 chose Count Grog as his tag team partner to defend the ICW Tag Team Championship. Later that night, their opponents Heartbreak Express
Heartbreak Express
-Chart performance:-External links:*...
pinned Grog to win the titles. In the fall of 1998, he also wrestled midget wrestler
Midget wrestler
A midget professional wrestler is a dwarf or person of short stature who competes in professional wrestling. The heyday of midget wrestling was in the 1950s and 1960s, when wrestlers such as Little Beaver, Lord Littlebrook, and Fuzzy Cupid toured North America, and Sky Low Low was the first holder...
Sweetie Pop in a special challenge match in Raleigh.
An active manager in OMEGA
Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts
The Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts, also known as OMEGA, is an independent professional wrestling promotion based in central North Carolina....
, Mosorjak managed Christian York
Christian York
Jason Spence is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Christian York.-York and Matthews:...
to the OMEGA Junior Heavyweight Championship
OMEGA Light Heavyweight Championship
The OMEGA Light Heavyweight Championship was the top light heavyweight title in the Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts independent professional wrestling promotion. The title lasted from 1997 to 1999.-Title history:-See also:...
fought in a four-way match involving Joey Matthews, Caprice Coleman and Shannon Moore. He managed many of these younger stars in his own promotion, most notably, when Shane Helms defeated Otto Schwanz for the SCW title on November 29, 1999, in Raleigh. Mosorjak's cross-promotional activities with the Hardys, which included championship titles being both recognized and defended in both promotions, continued up until OMEGA's close that same year.
Southern Championship Wrestling (2000-2004)
Over the next two years, due to his independent appearances and responsibilities running SCW, Mosorjak gradually began to limit his on-screen appearances in the promotion. On February 22, 2001, he defeated Anthony Overdrive for the SCW Brass Knuckles Championship, mimicking the 24/7 rule of the WWF Hardcore Championship, before immediately losing the belt to Justin Drive. The title change took place during a "New Jersey Drive" match in which the title could change hands multiple times within a 10-min. period. As Count Grog, he met Drive in a wrestling match several months later pinned him to win SCW Hardcore Championship on October 25, 2001. He made his final appearance as "Count Grog" on November 18, 2001, successfully defending the Brass Knuckles title against Duke Richards, Rico Rage, Hashim Ali, and Trailer Park Heat at The Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill, North CarolinaChapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
. In the main event later that night, he once more managed Major DeBeers to the SCW title, in what would also be DeBeers' retirement match.
Mosorjak's retirement lasted less than three months when, on March 1, 2002, he made his return to SCW in Louisburg, North Carolina
Louisburg, North Carolina
Louisburg is a town in Franklin County, North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,111. It is the county seat of Franklin County...
. He continued managing the Brotherhood up until the promotion's close two years later. On its final event, November 20th's "Blowout Bash", Count Grog led Otto Schwanz to victory over C.W. Anderson to become the last SCW Heavyweight Champion title, and afterwards went into retirement. Lexie Fyfe, who had gotten her start in SCW, was among the former stars who returned for its last show.
Semi-retirement (2004-2005)
Mosorjak spent the next year or two in employed in educational research though he sometimes made the occasional show for local promotions. On May 7, 2005, "Count Grog" returned for a special one-night appearance for the Mark Curtis Memorial Show in Johnson City, TennesseeJohnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
.
G.O.U.G.E. (2006-)
A year later, Mosorjak decided to start a second promotion, G.O.U.G.E. (Gimmicks Only Underground Grappling Entertainment), out of Raleigh's Kings Barcade once more. After Kings was torn down, GOUGE made Vintage 21 its new home arena. Unlike the SCW, the new promotion presented more comedy-based "family friendly" satire of hardcore wrestlingHardcore 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...
. Mosorjak has compared it to the American version of HUSTLE. He continued appearing as "Count Grog" reforming a new version of "The Brotherhood" with Major DeBeers, Scab, and Chilly Willy and a later stable consisting of "Beef Stew" Lou Marconi and Bad Romance (Mickey Gambino and Frank Stalletto
Frank Stalletto
Frank Stalletto is an American professional wrestler. He was a mainstay of the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit for much of the 1990s and early 2000s....
). He was involved in several memorable angles including:
- On its debut show, held on April 19, 2006, Mosorjak introduced a blind man, Stevie Charles, a play on blind musicians Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and Ray CharlesRay CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, to serve as the promotion's new commissioner.
- Throughout the promotion's first year, he impersonated famous managers such as Captain Grog Albano (Captain Lou Albano), Sir Oliver Humper Grog (Sir Oliver Humperdink), Grog E. Cornette (James E. 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...
, Grog E. Dangerously (Paul E. DangerouslyPaul HeymanPaul 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....
), Coach Grog Tolos (Coach John TolosJohn TolosJohn Tolos, nicknamed "The Golden Greek", was a Canadian professional wrestler, and professional wrestling manager.-Canadian Wrecking Crew:...
), and Playboy Groggy Hart ("Playboy" Gary HartGary Hart (wrestler)Gary Richard Williams, was a former professional wrestling manager, as well as a professional wrestler in his early career, best known by his ring name Gary Hart...
), before returning to managing as "Count Grog". Commissioner Charles warned Grog to stop these antics and, at one point, during a Raleigh house show on April 14, 2007, he ordered that if any of Grog's men lost their matches he would have to stop using the gimmick.
- At GOUGE's "Glory Bowl" show on September 15, 2007, Grog helped Wallabee Joe win an intergender matchIntergender wrestlingIntergender wrestling, also known as mixed wrestling is a type of professional wrestling match between a man and a woman, and may also refer to tag team matches with both men and women on each team....
against Felicia O by rendering her unconscious with a rag full of etherEtherEthers are a class of organic compounds that contain an ether group — an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups — of general formula R–O–R'. A typical example is the solvent and anesthetic diethyl ether, commonly referred to simply as "ether"...
. Later on the show, he wrestled a match against Seymour Snott who knocked him out using a sleeper holdSleeper holdA sleeper hold may refer to:*A type of Chokehold*A pre-MMA term for a version of the rear naked choke used in professional wrestling matches...
. Two months later, he and Joe abducted Cinnamon Snott during her match against Naudia, again using ether to knock her out, and carried her backstage.
- On January 12, 2008, Grog turned on Wallabee Joe at "The Redneck Rumble" in Allensville, North Carolina during a match against Scab. He hit Joe with a fireball, temporarily blinding the champion, allowing Scab to pin him for the title. This started a short-lived feud which ended at the "Winter Wars" supercard two weeks later with Wallabee Joe regaining the title from Scab and forcing him to leave GOUGE permanently. This ultimately saw the end of "The Brotherhood" as a force in the promotion.
- At GOUGE's 2nd Anniversary Show, Count Grog was in "King" Chilly Willy's corner during his match against ex-Brotherhood member Otto Schwanz. Due to the pre-match stipulations, Willy was never able to use the ring name again.
- On May 3, 2008, at a GOUGE benefit show for The Iron Horse in Apex, North CarolinaApex, North CarolinaApex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina and a suburb of Raleigh. The population was 37,476 according to the 2010 census., wakegov.com-Geography:Apex is located at ....
, the "Kyle Petty’s Victory Junction Fundraiser", Count Grog helped Major DeBeers win his match against Tater in the main event and helped shave him bald afterwards.
- On May 30, 2008, during a hardcore match between Major DeBeers and Wallabee Joe for the North Carolina Championship, Count Grog went to hit champion with a traffic signTraffic signTraffic signs or road signs are signs erected at the side of roads to provide information to road users. With traffic volumes increasing over the last eight decades, many countries have adopted pictorial signs or otherwise simplified and standardized their signs to facilitate international travel...
but accidentally struck a member of the audience, Crystal Lloyd. The following week, he was forced by then GOUGE commissioner David Blanchard to apologize to the longtime fan. He threw a birthday partyBirthday partyA birthday party is a party to celebrate the anniversary of one's birth.Birthday Party may also refer to:- Theatre, film, and television :* The Birthday Party , a 1958 play by Harold Pinter...
for her but then pushed the birthday cakeBirthday cakeThe birthday cake has been an integral part of the birthday celebrations in Western cultures since the middle of the 19th century. Certain rituals and traditions, such as singing of birthday songs, associated with birthday cakes are common to many Western cultures. The Western tradition of adding...
in her face. At the end of the night, following his match with Prince Kofi Jabba against Wallabee Joe, Commissioner Blanchard suspended Grog for 50 days. Two weeks later, Grog attempted to attend a GOUGE show at Raleigh's Vintage 21 but was spotted sitting in the crowd by Wallabee Joe and was escorted from the building by security. At the "2 Hot 2 Handle" supercard on August 9, Grog managed Sean Cruise against Wallabee Joe, with Crystal Lloyd in his corner, with Grog and Cruise being on the losing end.
Mosorjak also continued making appearances on the Carolinas "indy circuit". On February 2, 2008, during a handicap match pitting Rick Link against Scrap Yard Dog and Dick Foley for Alternative Championship Wrestling's "Night of Legends", he engineered a "swerve" by convincing "The Perfect Ten" Baby Doll
Nickla Roberts
Nickla Ann Roberts is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and valet, better known by her ring name, "The Perfect 10" Baby Doll...
, their opponent's manager, to desert her team during the match and allowing Link to win the match. That same month, he was a guest on the internet radio series
Internet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
In Your Head! Wrestling Radio. During the show, he discussed writing with Mark Curtus, Paul Heyman, Jim Cornette on his newsletter, stories of The Original Sheik
Ed Farhat
Edward George Farhat was an American professional wrestler best known as by his ring name The Sheik...
, Bobo Brazil
Bobo Brazil
Houston Harris was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. He is credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling...
, and others during the 1980s, and promoting SCW and GOUGE. Similarly, he was also interviewed on the August 21st 2009 edition of Carolina Wrestling Radio. He discussed the promotion's history, the general state in independent wrestling, and running interpromotional events with other local North Carolina organizations. Mosorjak also recalled a recent match he took part in, at the 7th Annual Seagrove SuperShow, between Otto Schwanz and Jerry "The King" Lawler with Jimmy Valiant as the special guest referee. When he climbed in to the ring to interfere, he was put in the sleeper hold by Valiant and dropkick
Dropkick
A dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as he or she jumps so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than...
ed by Lawler over the top rope following the end of the match.
He has been a regular performer at Deaf Wrestlefest
Deaf Wrestlefest
Deaf Wrestlefest is a professional wrestling supercard, produced annually in late April or early May by Lord Zoltan, a longtime wrestler and sports promoter based in Western Pennsylvania. It is considered a major fundraiser for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and has raised, on...
, an annual benefit show for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf is a school for deaf and hard of hearing children in Edgewood, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1869....
, managing Lou Marconi, Frank Staletto, and J.J. Dillon against Dominic DeNucci
Dominic DeNucci
Dominic DeNucci is an Italian-American professional wrestler. He is also an accomplished trainer, counting former World Heavyweight champions Mick Foley and Shane Douglas, as well as referee Brian Hildebrand, among his students.-Early career:...
, Cody Michaels
Cody Michaels
Cody Michaels has an extensive background in professional wrestling both as an in-ring performer and also behind the scenes as a booker, promoter, and creator.-Early career:...
, and 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...
with Missy Hyatt
Missy Hyatt
Melissa Ann Hiatt is an American professional wrestling valet, better known by her ring name, Missy Hyatt. She gained the majority of her fame while working for World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling....
(2009), Marconi and Staletto against David Sammartino
David Sammartino
David Lugogo Sammartino is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for being the son of former World Wide Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino.-Career:...
and Larry Zbyszko
Larry Zbyszko
Lawrence "Larry" Whistler is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino during the early 1980s....
(2010), and Staletto against Patrick Hayes (2011).
On May 21, 2011, Mosorjak announced at the "Mayhem at Butner" supercard that he would be retiring from managing to take on the role of the promotion's new commissioner. He subsequently turned over control of his stable to manager Andre Adonisy at the June 25th "Born to be GOUGED" show in Apex, North Carolina
Apex, North Carolina
Apex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina and a suburb of Raleigh. The population was 37,476 according to the 2010 census., wakegov.com-Geography:Apex is located at ....
.
Involvement in the "internet wrestling community"
A wrestling newsletter writer early in his career, Mosorjak became very active in the internet wrestling community during the late 1990s and 2000s. He was one of the first promoters to create an official website for the promotion as early as 2000, and contributed to Pro Wrestling Torch. He went as far as to reference "smart marks" while traveling the independent circuit. During a show for Cueball CarmichaelCueball Carmichael
Chris Jackson is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter, known by his ringname Cueball Carmichael, who competes in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit...
's Independent Pro Wrestling Alliance in Woodbridge, Virginia
Woodbridge, Virginia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 31,941 people, 10,687 households, and 7,769 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,047.8 people per square mile . There were 11,026 housing units at an average density of 1,052.1/sq mi...
, he delivered a worked shoot against Lee Morey, known by his internet alias "The Dark Cheetah", of OtherArena.com. He was also critical of flame wars which occurred on internet forums between independent workers and fans, and strictly prohibited SCW wrestlers from participating.
During his years in semi-retirement, and while promoting GOUGE Wrestling, Mosorjak often interacted with fans on NWAlegends.com
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
, SportsandWrestling.com, and WrestlingClassics.com. He not only discussed his thoughts on the wrestling industry, and shared road stories from his career, but talked about current events and pop culture. In January 2011, he also informed fans of health issues he was experiencing.
Work as a wrestling historian and researcher
Mosorjak also used his background in educationEducational research
Educational research refers to a variety of methods, in which individuals evaluate different aspects of education including but not limited to: “student learning, teaching methods, teacher training, and classroom dynamics”....
to become a prominent wrestling historian
History of professional wrestling
Professional wrestling in the United States, up until the late 1920s, was viewed as a legitimate sport. Across the country there were "iron men" who would stand in the center of the ring, usually at state fairs, and literally shout out a challenge to anyone with the nerve to enter the ring...
and researcher. In 2006, he and Steve Johnson started SteelBeltWrestling.com which examined the history of pro wrestling in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, and Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, and its intermingling histories, during the 1970s; he conducted an interview with George "The Animal" Steele as part of his work. He wrote about this subject for KayfabeMemories.com as well as contributing to the research of the Toronto wrestling territory
Maple Leaf Wrestling
Maple Leaf Wrestling was the unofficial name in the 1970s and 1980s of the professional wrestling promotion run by Frank Tunney in Toronto.-Queensbury Athletic Club:...
in the same period.
In early-2007, Mosorjak announced that he was attempting to compile the first complete record book for Wahoo McDaniel
Wahoo McDaniel
Edward "Wahoo" McDaniel was a Choctaw-Chickasaw Native American who achieved fame as a professional American football player and later as a professional wrestler.-Early life:...
which was later published on MidAtlanticGateway.com two years later; he also assisted in researching its match records for "The Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
Buddy Rogers
Buddy Rogers may refer to:*Charles Rogers , aka "Buddy" Rogers, American actor and jazz musician*Buddy Rogers , aka "Nature Boy", stage name of wrestler Herman Rohde...
as well.
In recent years, Mosorjak has been a guest columnist for the Canadian Online Explorer and OnlineWorldofWrestling.com reporting on major wrestling events such as the 2008 Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame and the 2010 NWA Wrestling Legends Fan Fest as well as contributing a number of book reviews
In wrestling
- Signature moves
- Biting an opponent's foreheadForeheadFor the Arsenal striker see GervinhoIn human anatomy, the forehead is the fore part of the head. It is, formally, an area of the head bounded by three features, two of the skull and one of the scalp. The top of the forehead is marked by the hairline, the edge of the area where hair on the scalp...
- Fireball
- Wrestlers managedManager (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...
- Tag teams managed
- The Bad Street BoysThe Bad Street BoysBad Street Boys was a professional wrestling tag team in the independent circuit. It was initially formed as a stable, consisting of Gregory Helms, Shannon Moore, Joey Matthews and Christian York...
(Christian York and Joey Matthews) - Death & DestructionDeath & DestructionDeath & Destruction was a professional wrestling tag team composed of Frank "The Tank" Parker and "Ruthless" Roger Anderson. They competed in numerous regional and independent promotions throughout the Southern United States in the 1990s, and were arguably one of the region's top "heel" teams...
(Frank Parker and Roger Anderson) - New Hollywood Blondes
- Club Security (Rumble and Rukkus)
- The Broke Back Express (T-Dawg HG)
- Krazy Killer Klowns (PoPo and LoLo)
- Bad Romance (Mickey Gambino and Frank StallettoFrank StallettoFrank Stalletto is an American professional wrestler. He was a mainstay of the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic independent circuit for much of the 1990s and early 2000s....
)
- 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 - Greg "Punk Rock" Mason
- "The Imparsario of Fun"
- "The Shah of Grog"
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "The Phantom of the OperaThe Phantom of the Opera (song)"The Phantom of the Opera" is a song from the stage musical of the same name, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, sung by Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford, lyrics written by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, and additional lyrics by Mike Batt...
" by Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
Championships and accomplishments
- Southern Championship Wrestling
- SCW Brass Knuckles Championship (2 times)
- SCW Hardcore Championship (1 time)
- Manager of the Year (1997)
- Southern States WrestlingSouthern States WrestlingSouthern States Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in eastern Tennessee. Founded by wrestler Beau James in early 1991, SSW succeeded Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the top promotion in eastern Tennessee following its close...
- Manager of the Year (1997)
- Wrestling News
- Manager of the Year (1999)
- Other titles
- ICW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Skinhead #1