Duane Gill
Encyclopedia
Duane Gill is an American
professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation
as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion
World Championship Wrestling
's top star Goldberg
. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion
. He would go on to hold the title for 15 months, becoming the longest reigning Light Heavyweight Champion in the company's history.
with Barry Hardy
called The Lords of Darkness, with Hardy billed as Agony and Gill billed as Pain. On August 2, 1991, they defeated Cream Team (Dino Casanova and Rip Sawyer
) to become the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
's first ever Tag Team Champions
. The Lords participated in two of three 40-man battle royal
s held in 1992.
and took part in a 40-man battle royal won by Tatanka
. The Executioners then joined the World Wrestling Federation
, competing on its Monday Night Raw
program against several other tag teams. The Executioners split in early 1994 and Hardy left the company on April 18. Gill then began competing under his real name as an enhancement talent
before also leaving the company soon after.
at Survivor Series
as Mankind
's mystery opponent. Vince McMahon
seemingly facilitated Mankind's route to victory in a tournament for the vacant WWF Championship
as he appeared to be McMahon's favorite to win. Before Gill made his entrance, McMahon built up the suspense by referring to him (Gill) as a wrestler with a win/loss record that no other wrestler could match. Although the statement was thought to indicate that Mankind's opponent won more than lost in his career, the exact opposite was true and Gill was quickly defeated by Mankind. He later joined the J.O.B. Squad
with Al Snow
, Scorpio
, and Bob Holly
.
During this time, Gill became notable for ending
Marc Mero
's career when Mero challenged him to a match, announcing to the crowd that he would retire from wrestling if he could not beat Gill. Gill won the match with some help from the J.O.B. Squad and Mero left the WWF, although he did not legitimately retire as promised.
after defeating Christian
on Raw is War
. Shortly thereafter, Gill was given his most notable gimmick: "Gillberg", a parody of rival promotion
World Championship Wrestling
's top star Goldberg
. When he became Gillberg, the original plan of the bookers was reputedly to have him lose 173 consecutive matches, parodying Goldberg's winning streak
of 173 matches. The Gillberg character parodied numerous other aspects of Goldberg's character, such as his entrance being accompanied by the pre-recorded sound of a crowd chanting "Gillberg" (which was an allusion to WCW's controversial use of pre-recorded chants in Goldberg's usual entrance) and stage hands that would hold up sparkler
s (parodying Goldberg's pyrotechnics
) and then spray the entrance way with fire extinguisher
s. He also had a dotted line "tattoo" on his right arm (parodying Goldberg's tribal tattoo) and would use the catchphrase "Who's First?" in reference not only to Goldberg's catchphrase "Who's Next?", but also to the fact that Gill would lose to each and every one of his opponents.
Gill made his Royal Rumble
debut in 1999
, but was immediately eliminated by Edge
. Gill's only victory as Gillberg came on the February 15, 1999 edition of Raw is War, when he defeated Goldust with help from former J.O.B. Squad member Blue Meanie
, who was feuding with Goldust at the time. While he still came to the ring with the belt, the Light Heavyweight Championship was all but forgotten as Gill seldom defended the title on television or at house shows. After being off of WWF television for several months, Gill returned on the February 13, 2000 episode of Sunday Night Heat
for one final match in order to lose the championship to the debuting Essa Rios
. Upon losing the title, Gill's reign ended at 15 months, making him the longest reigning Light Heavyweight Champion in WWF history. After leaving the WWF, Gill continued to use the Gillberg gimmick on the independent circuit
, most prominently for Maryland Championship Wrestling
.
came to WWE in 2003, his first feud was against The Rock, who on the April 21, 2003 edition of Raw
brought in Gill, once again under his Gillberg gimmick, to mock Goldberg. After beating up The Rock's security guards, who were trying to apprehend him for interrupting a concert "dedicated" to him, Goldberg turned his attention to Gillberg and, while choking him, was attacked by The Rock from behind. The Rock and Gillberg then quickly ran out of the arena to avoid any further conflict.
On December 10, 2007, Gill, now sporting two new tattoos on his left deltoid
, returned to WWE television under his Gillberg name and gimmick for the 15th Anniversary of Raw. During the show, he participated in a 15-Man Battle Royal against fourteen other former Raw wrestlers, but was the first man eliminated only a few seconds into the match by every other competitor.
named Gillberg's Pro Wrestling Academy that opened in July 2010.
Gill is married and has two adult children and a granddaughter.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation
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...
as Gillberg, a parody of then-rival promotion
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...
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...
's top star Goldberg
Bill Goldberg
Goldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....
. During his tenure in the WWF, Gill became a one time Light Heavyweight Champion
WWF Light Heavyweight Championship
The World Wrestling Federation Light Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship. The title was challenged by light heavyweights at a maximum weight of 220 lbs.- History :...
. He would go on to hold the title for 15 months, becoming the longest reigning Light Heavyweight Champion in the company's history.
Early career
Gill made his debut on the American independent scene as a part of a masked tag teamTag 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...
with Barry Hardy
Barry Hardy
Barry Hardy is an American professional wrestler and trainer who has competed in North American independent promotions since 1987, including East Coast Wrestling, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance, New Millennium Wrestling and Larry Sharpe's World Wrestling...
called The Lords of Darkness, with Hardy billed as Agony and Gill billed as Pain. On August 2, 1991, they defeated Cream Team (Dino Casanova and Rip Sawyer
Rip Sawyer
Rip Sawyer is a retired American professional wrestler who competed in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast independent circuit during the late 1980s and early 1990s. As one-half of The Cream Team with longtime tag team partner Dino Casanova, they won the MEWF Tag Team Championship in the Mid-Eastern...
) to become the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation
The Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...
's first ever Tag Team Champions
MEWF Tag Team Championship
This is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...
. The Lords participated in two of three 40-man 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...
s held in 1992.
World Wrestling Federation (1992–1994)
The second battle royal took place two months later. The Lords later became second version of The ExecutionersThe Executioners (professional wrestling)
The Executioners is the name of several tag teams of masked wrestlers who wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation.- The Executioners :...
and took part in a 40-man battle royal won by Tatanka
Chris Chavis
Christopher "Chris" Chavis , is a Native American professional wrestler best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as Tatanka from 1991 to 1996 and from 2005 to 2007...
. The Executioners then joined the World Wrestling Federation
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...
, competing on its Monday Night Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
program against several other tag teams. The Executioners split in early 1994 and Hardy left the company on April 18. Gill then began competing under his real name as an enhancement talent
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...
before also leaving the company soon after.
J.O.B. Squad
In 1998, Gill made his return to 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...
at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1998)
Survivor Series was the twelfth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on November 15, 1998 at the Kiel Center in St...
as Mankind
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...
's mystery opponent. Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
seemingly facilitated Mankind's route to victory in a tournament for the vacant WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
as he appeared to be McMahon's favorite to win. Before Gill made his entrance, McMahon built up the suspense by referring to him (Gill) as a wrestler with a win/loss record that no other wrestler could match. Although the statement was thought to indicate that Mankind's opponent won more than lost in his career, the exact opposite was true and Gill was quickly defeated by Mankind. He later joined the 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....
with Al Snow
Al Snow
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.-Early career:Sarven...
, Scorpio
2 Cold Scorpio
Charles Scaggs is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name 2 Cold Scorpio . Scaggs has competed in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment and Pro Wrestling Noah...
, and Bob Holly
Bob Holly
Robert "Bob" Howard better known by his ring name Bob "Hardcore" Holly, is a American professional wrestler. He is best known for his 15-year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment ....
.
During this time, Gill became notable for ending
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...
Marc Mero
Marc Mero
Marc Mero is an American retired amateur boxer and professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Marc Mero and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Johnny B. Badd...
's career when Mero challenged him to a match, announcing to the crowd that he would retire from wrestling if he could not beat Gill. Gill won the match with some help from the J.O.B. Squad and Mero left the WWF, although he did not legitimately retire as promised.
Gillberg, Light Heavyweight Champion and departure
On November 17, 1998, Gill won the Light Heavyweight ChampionshipWWF Light Heavyweight Championship
The World Wrestling Federation Light Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship. The title was challenged by light heavyweights at a maximum weight of 220 lbs.- History :...
after defeating Christian
Jason Reso
William Jason Reso is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Christian and Christian Cage...
on Raw is War
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
. Shortly thereafter, Gill was given his most notable gimmick: "Gillberg", a parody of rival promotion
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...
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...
's top star Goldberg
Bill Goldberg
Goldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....
. When he became Gillberg, the original plan of the bookers was reputedly to have him lose 173 consecutive matches, parodying Goldberg's winning streak
Winning streak (sports)
In sports, a winning streak refers to a consecutive number of games won. A winning streak can be held by a team, as in baseball, football, basketball, hockey, or by an individual, as in tennis...
of 173 matches. The Gillberg character parodied numerous other aspects of Goldberg's character, such as his entrance being accompanied by the pre-recorded sound of a crowd chanting "Gillberg" (which was an allusion to WCW's controversial use of pre-recorded chants in Goldberg's usual entrance) and stage hands that would hold up sparkler
Sparkler
A sparkler is a type of hand-held firework that burns slowly while emitting colored flames, sparks, and other effects.In the United Kingdom, a sparkler is often used by children at bonfire and fireworks displays on Guy Fawkes Night, the fifth of November, and in the United States on Independence...
s (parodying Goldberg's pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
) and then spray the entrance way with fire extinguisher
Fire extinguisher
A fire extinguisher or extinguisher, flame entinguisher is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations...
s. He also had a dotted line "tattoo" on his right arm (parodying Goldberg's tribal tattoo) and would use the catchphrase "Who's First?" in reference not only to Goldberg's catchphrase "Who's Next?", but also to the fact that Gill would lose to each and every one of his opponents.
Gill made his Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every January by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. The event was created in 1988, with its inaugural event taking place on January 24, 1988 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario...
debut in 1999
Royal Rumble (1999)
Royal Rumble was the twelfth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 24, 1999 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. The title of the event was taken from a promise by Mr...
, but was immediately eliminated by Edge
Adam Copeland
Adam Joseph Copeland is a retired Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Edge. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract....
. Gill's only victory as Gillberg came on the February 15, 1999 edition of Raw is War, when he defeated Goldust with help from former J.O.B. Squad member Blue Meanie
Brian Heffron
Brian Heffron is a professional wrestler and actor better known as The Blue Meanie or Da Blue Guy.-Early career:...
, who was feuding with Goldust at the time. While he still came to the ring with the belt, the Light Heavyweight Championship was all but forgotten as Gill seldom defended the title on television or at house shows. After being off of WWF television for several months, Gill returned on the February 13, 2000 episode of Sunday Night Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
for one final match in order to lose the championship to the debuting Essa Rios
Mr. Águila
José Seldano is a Mexican professional wrestler or luchador currently working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre...
. Upon losing the title, Gill's reign ended at 15 months, making him the longest reigning Light Heavyweight Champion in WWF history. After leaving the WWF, Gill continued to use the Gillberg gimmick on the independent circuit
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...
, most prominently for Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling
Maryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.Rivaling other east coast independent...
.
Part-time WWE appearances (2003, 2007)
When Bill GoldbergBill Goldberg
Goldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....
came to WWE in 2003, his first feud was against The Rock, who on the April 21, 2003 edition of Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
brought in Gill, once again under his Gillberg gimmick, to mock Goldberg. After beating up The Rock's security guards, who were trying to apprehend him for interrupting a concert "dedicated" to him, Goldberg turned his attention to Gillberg and, while choking him, was attacked by The Rock from behind. The Rock and Gillberg then quickly ran out of the arena to avoid any further conflict.
On December 10, 2007, Gill, now sporting two new tattoos on his left deltoid
Deltoid muscle
In human anatomy, the deltoid muscle is the muscle forming the rounded contour of the shoulder. Anatomically, it appears to be made up of three distinct sets of fibers though electromyography suggests that it consists of at least seven groups that can be independently coordinated by the central...
, returned to WWE television under his Gillberg name and gimmick for the 15th Anniversary of Raw. During the show, he participated in a 15-Man Battle Royal against fourteen other former Raw wrestlers, but was the first man eliminated only a few seconds into the match by every other competitor.
Personal life
Duane Gill operates an independent wrestling school in Severn, MarylandSevern, Maryland
Severn is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 35,076 at the 2000 census, which is a 30 percent increase over the 24,499 population of 1990...
named Gillberg's Pro Wrestling Academy that opened in July 2010.
Gill is married and has two adult children and a granddaughter.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Jackhammer (Vertical suplex powerslam pin) – parodied from GoldbergBill GoldbergGoldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....
- Spear – parodied from Goldberg
- Jackhammer (Vertical suplex powerslam pin) – parodied from Goldberg
- Signature moves
- Double underhook suplex
- Pumphandle fallaway slam
- Roll-up
- Snap swinging neckbreaker
- Superkick
Championships and accomplishments
- Atlantic States Wrestling Alliance
- ASWA Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with AgonyBarry HardyBarry Hardy is an American professional wrestler and trainer who has competed in North American independent promotions since 1987, including East Coast Wrestling, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance, New Millennium Wrestling and Larry Sharpe's World Wrestling...
- ASWA Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Agony
- East Coast Pro Wrestling
- ECPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Executioner #2Barry HardyBarry Hardy is an American professional wrestler and trainer who has competed in North American independent promotions since 1987, including East Coast Wrestling, Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance, New Millennium Wrestling and Larry Sharpe's World Wrestling...
- ECPW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Executioner #2
- Eastern Wrestling Federation
- EWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Agony
- Mid-Eastern Wrestling FederationMid-Eastern Wrestling FederationThe Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...
- MEWF Tag Team ChampionshipMEWF Tag Team ChampionshipThis is a chronological list of MEWF tag team champions. The MEWF Tag Team Championship is the oldest championship title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation having been established when the Lords of Darkness defeated Cream Team at the MEWF's first show in Pasadena, Maryland on August 2, 1991...
(1 time) – with Agony
- MEWF Tag Team Championship
- NWA New JerseyNational Wrestling AllianceThe 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...
- NWA New Jersey Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- 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 #120 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1999
- World Wrestling Alliance
- WWA World Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Barry Hardy (3) and Wayne Gill (2)
- 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 Light Heavyweight ChampionshipWWF Light Heavyweight ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Federation Light Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship. The title was challenged by light heavyweights at a maximum weight of 220 lbs.- History :...
(1 time)
- WWF Light Heavyweight Championship
- Other titles
- ASWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Wayne Gill