Konnan
Encyclopedia
Carlos Santiago Espada Moises (born January 6, 1964), also known as Charles Ashenoff and better known by his ring name
, Konnan, is a Cuban
professional wrestler
and rapper
of Puerto Rican
descent. Konnan is well known in Mexico
due to his appearances on Mexican television, particularly with the Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
, and has in the past been described as "the Mexican Hulk Hogan
", reflecting his mainstream popularity.
After serving in the United States Navy
, Ashenoff began his professional wrestling career in Mexico, wrestling in both Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre and Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
. In the latter, he also acted as a booker and the first AAA Americas Heavyweight Champion
. From 1992 to 1993, he worked in the World Wrestling Federation
as Max Moon, and in 1996, he began working full time for World Championship Wrestling
(WCW). In WCW, he helped bring in other Mexican wrestlers to the promotion, as well as being a member of the Filthy Animals
alliance. In 2002, he joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
where he was a part of two major alliances: 3Live Kru
and The Latin American Xchange. He left the company in 2007 after filing a lawsuit against it, which was eventually resolved.
, Cuba
, Konnan's family relocated to the United States while he was a child. He had a troubled childhood in Miami, Florida
, during which he was expelled
from several schools before graduating from Southwest Miami Senior High School in 1982. Ashenoff served time in prison
after joining a street gang
. After his incarceration was over, Ashenoff fled Miami due to conflicts with other drug dealers. He was given a choice of either going to jail or entering the Military. He decided to join the United States Navy
and served for four years. While in the Navy, he trained as a boxer
, becoming the Californian Middleweight
Amateur
Boxing Champion in 1982 and 1983. He also represented the United States in fights around the world.
then later a wrestler, following a meeting with wrestling promoter
John Roberts. Comparing the masked
and caped wrestlers he met to "superhero
es", Ashenoff was impressed by the colorful Mexican wrestling culture. He subsequently traveled to Tijuana
, Mexico where, alongside Psicosis, Rey Mysterio, Jr., Halloween and Damián 666, he trained under the tutelage of various veteran luchadores
. Wearing a mask and billed as El Centurión ("The Centurion"), Ashenoff debuted for the Universal Wrestling Association
(UWA). He competed in an eight man tag team match for the sum of $200 MXP
($19.13 USD
/ €16.03 EUR
).
Feeling that he was being held back, Ashenoff departed the UWA for Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre
(EMLL), where he was pushed
into the main event. In the EMLL, Ashenoff adopted the ring name Konnan El Barbaro ("The Barbarian"). He lost his mask to Perro Aguayo
in a Lucha de Apuesta, mask versus hair match. After the match, a young boy—introduced as Konnan's brother—entered the ring crying
and handed Konnan his mask back, generating considerable bonhomie towards Konnan from the sympathetic crowd (in lucha libre
, losing one's mask can be a major, career shaping event). Konnan went on to become the first ever CMLL World Heavyweight Champion
by winning a tournament in Mexico City
on June 9, 1991. He, however, lost the title to Cien Caras
in his first title defense on August 18, 1991.
(AAA). Shortening his ring name to simply "Konnan", he feuded
with Cien Caras. Following interference from Jake Roberts
, Konnan lost a two out of three falls retirement match by count-out to Caras at TripleMania I
on April 30, 1993 in front of 48,000 fans in Mexico City, setting the all-time attendance record for a Mexican wrestling event. Konnan did not comply with the stipulations of the match and returned to defeat Roberts in a hair versus hair match at TripleMania II
on May 27, 1994 in Tijuana.
Later in 1994, Konnan began a storyline where he betrayed his tag team
partner, Perro Aguayo, and formed a villainous
alliance known as Los Gringos Locos
with Eddie Guerrero
, Art Barr
and Madonna's Boyfriend
. Aguayo gained his revenge on Konnan by defeating him in the only, AAA pay-per-view
, "When Worlds Collide", in a steel cage match. He eventually became the AAA booker. Konnan defeated Killer on February 2, 1996 in Querétaro
to become the first ever AAA Heavyweight Champion. He vacated the title after leaving AAA in October 1996 to form his own promotion, Promo Azteca, and the title remained inactive until 2004. Konnan's Mexican wrestling career was hampered in the late-1990s by his American wrestling commitments, and Promo Azteca closed in 1998. He made a return to the Mexican wrestling circuit in the 2000s after a six year absence, selling-out arenas in Mexico City and Guadalajara
.
as Max Moon in 1992. The Moon character, created by Konnan, was that of a cyborg
who wore an outfit (purchased by the WWF at the cost of $
1,300) bedecked with circuitry
and a pyrotechnic
gun
during his approach to the ring. Konnan was given many ring names, including his own name, the Comet Kid, Maximillion Moves, El Electrico, and eventually Max Moon. His character hailed from "The Future" or "Outer Space", his entrance music was a techno song, and his finishing move was the flying bodypress (a somersault onto his opponent with them on his shoulders). His attire was blue leather, silver foam tubing and a mask. On his way to the ring, he shot sparkles into the crowd.
Debuting in the WWF on September 1, 1992 in Hershey, Pennsylvania
under the name the Comet Kid, he pinned Duane Gill
. After three televised matches, Konnan left the WWF following a disagreement with WWF owner Vince McMahon
. Konnan believed that he was being discriminated
against and resented McMahon's refusal to give him a guaranteed contract. The Max Moon gimmick was subsequently given to Paul Diamond
, before being abandoned.
(ECW) booker Paul Heyman
while on a wrestling tour of Singapore
, Konnan joined ECW in 1995 and feuded with The Sandman
. He appeared at ECW November to Remember
on November 18, 1995, squashing Jason Knight
. He also wrestled at an event co-promoted by ECW and the AAA in Chicago, Illinois.
(WCW) was at Starrcade
on December 16, 1990. Teaming with his trainer and mentor, Rey Mysterio, Sr., Konnan entered the Pat O'Connor Memorial International Cup Tag Team Tournament, and they defeated Norman Smiley
and Chris Adams in the quarter-finals, but lost to eventual winners, the Steiner Brothers (Rick
and Scott
) in the semi-finals.
and La Parka. Konnan defeated The One Man Gang
for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
on January 29, 1996. During his reign, he continued to defend his IWAS and AAA Heavyweight Championships in Mexico (these championships were billed as a "Mexican Heavyweight Title" wherever Konnan wore one or the other to a WCW ring). He lost the United States Title to Ric Flair
on July 7, 1996 at Bash at the Beach
following interference from Flair's valets
, Miss Elizabeth
and Woman
. Several months after losing the United States Championship, Konnan became a villain and joined the Dungeon of Doom
.
(nWo) on July 14, 1997. During his first stint in the nWo, Konnan feuded with the Luchadores whom he had brought to WCW. During this storyline, he wrestled in a Mexican Death match at Road Wild against Rey Mysterio, Jr. and a match against Juventud Guerrera at Uncensored in March 1998. When the nWo divided into two rival factions on the May 4, 1998 episode of Nitro, Konnan sided with the nWo Wolfpac, led by Kevin Nash
. The Wolfpac feuded with nWo Hollywood, led by Hollywood Hogan
and became tweeners. Konnan developed an increasingly hip-hop
based gimmick and was nicknamed K-Dawg. On the November 30, 1998 episode of Nitro, Konnan defeated Chris Jericho
for the WCW World Television Championship
. His reign lasted until December 28, 1998, when he lost to nWo Hollywood member Scott Steiner on Nitro following interference from Buff Bagwell
. When the two halves of the nWo reunited in January 1999, Konnan was thrown out of the nWo for standing up for Rey Misterio, Jr and was attacked by Lex Luger
. As a result, he became a fan favorite
and teamed with Misterio to fight the nWo. After feuding with nWo member Lex Luger, Konnan and Mysterio, Jr. were defeated by The Outsiders at SuperBrawl IX, with The Outsiders removing Mysterio's mask in the process. Konnan later criticized WCW for not respecting Mexican wrestling culture by writing storylines that saw several Mexican wrestlers unceremoniously unmasked (Juventud Guerrera
, Psicosis, and Mysterio unmasked in WCW). He compared asking a luchadore to remove their mask to "going to Japan and telling the Japanese they have to eat with a fork
instead of chopsticks
".
, and then he began a rivalry with Stevie Ray
. He and Mysterio formed an alliance with Master P
and his No Limit Soldiers
and fought with the West Texas Rednecks
. After Master P left WCW, Konnan formed a stable known as the Filthy Animals
. He and Mysterio, representing the Filthy Animals, defeated Harlem Heat
(Booker T
and Stevie Ray) for the WCW World Tag Team Championship
on October 18, 1999. They were scheduled to defend the titles against Harlem Heat in the MGM Grand Garden Arena on October 24, 1999 at Halloween Havoc, but on the night of the event Misterio was announced as being injured. The title was then contested in a three way tag match pitting Konnan and Billy Kidman, representing the Filthy Animals, against Harlem Heat and the First Family
(Hugh Morrus and Brian Knobbs
). Harlem Heat regained the title after Stevie Ray pinned Morrus. Konnan and Kidman defeated Harlem Heat for the title the next night on Nitro, but lost to Creative Control (Patrick and Gerald) on November 22, 1999.
Konnan was inactive throughout early 2000, as he was suspended for three months by Bill Busch after requesting his release from WCW, unhappy with the way he was being used. Shortly after returning from suspension and reforming the Filthy Animals, Konnan was sidelined once again, this time with a legitimately torn triceps
muscle, damaged when Van Hammer threw Juventud Guerrera at him during a match and Guerrera's elbow connected with Konnan's upper arm as he attempted to catch him. Throughout 2000, the Filthy Animals feuded with other stables, including the Misfits In Action
, the Natural Born Thrillers
and Team Canada
. At Greed
on March 18, 2001, Lance Storm
and Mike Awesome
(representing Team Canada) defeated Hugh Morrus and Konnan in one of his last appearances with the promotion before it was sold to the WWF in March 2001.
Following the sale of WCW, Konnan toured Australia and Europe throughout 2001 with the newly formed World Wrestling All-Stars
promotion. In addition to wrestling, Konnan acted as a color commentator
. He also studied criminology
during a period in which he briefly considered working alongside his father as a private investigator
.
Konnan also appeared in Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council
as a friend of the Colón Family until he turned on them. A very intense event happened in Humacao, Puerto Rico when Konnan blasted Carlos Colon
's daughter Stacy Colón with a guitar that started a riot with the fans in and outside the arena.
(TNA) pay-per-view
on June 19, 2002 in the Von Braun Center
in Huntsville, Alabama
. He entered the Gauntlet for the Gold match for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship
, but he was chokeslam
med and subsequently eliminated by Malice
. He returned to TNA on February 12, 2003 and formed a villainous alliance, the Authentic Luchadores, with fellow Latino wrestlers Juventud Guerrera, Super Crazy and the Spanish Announce Team
. The stable feuded with Jerry Lynn
until April 2, 2003, when Lynn claimed that he had been heavily influenced by lucha libre and that he respected his Mexican opponents, thus earning the friendship of Konnan.
and Ron Killings
, and in July 2003 the trio formed a heroic alliance known as the 3Live Kru. The Kru first wrestled as a unit on August 13, 2003, defeating The New Church
(Sinn
, Vampire Warrior
and Devon Storm
). On November 26, the Kru defeated Simon Diamond
, Johnny Swinger
and Glenn Gilberti
in a six man tag team match with the vacant NWA World Tag Team Championship
s on the line. The championship was held by all three members of the Kru, until January 28, 2004, when they were defeated by Kevin Northcutt
and Legend
in Nashville. After several abortive attempts to regain the tag title, the Kru began supporting Ron Killings's bid to become NWA World Heavyweight Champion. The Kru later feuded with Jarrett's mercenaries
, The Elite Guard (Chad Collyer
, Hotstuff Hernandez
and Onyx
). On July 14, 2004, the 3Live Kru, Dusty Rhodes
and Larry Zbyszko
defeated Jarrett, Ken Shamrock
and the Elite Guard in a ten man tag team match. The Kru began feuding with Team Canada
in August 2004, and at the inaugural three hour TNA pay-per-view, Victory Road
on November 7, 2004, Konnan and James defeated Team Canada members Bobby Roode and "Showtime" Eric Young
for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Their reign lasted one month, with Team Canada regaining the title on December 5, 2004 at Turning Point
with the help of the injured Johnny Devine
.
Throughout early-2005, the Kru feuded with Michael Shane
and Kazarian
, Team Canada and The Naturals
. Dissension arose after James's former tag team partner from the WWF, Billy Gunn
, joined TNA as "The New Age Outlaw" and began trying to convince James to reform their highly successful tag team, the New Age Outlaws
. Konnan and Killings feuded with The Outlaw and "The Alpha Male" Monty Brown
, with James's loyalties divided. Brown and The Outlaw, who had by now renamed himself "Kip James", defeated Konnan and Killings at No Surrender on July 17, 2005, with James declining to help either team. Konnan and Killings became increasingly frustrated, at one point referring to themselves as the "2Live Kru". The two teams faced one another in a No Surrender rematch on August 14, 2005 at Sacrifice, with James appointed guest referee by Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko, and James reaffirmed his loyalty to the Kru by attacking Kip, enabling Konnan to pin him and win the match. The Kru, apparently undivided, celebrated together following the match.
Over the following weeks, Kip James began assisting the 3Live Kru, and on October 23, 2005 at Bound for Glory, he saved Konnan from a beating at the hands of Team Canada. On the November 26 episode of Impact!, B.G. James brought Kip James and the 3Live Kru to ringside, then asked Killings and Konnan whether James could join the stable. Following a heated argument between the still skeptical Konnan and B.G., both Killings and Konnan gave their assent, and the "'4Live Kru" was born. At Turning Point the 4Live Kru faced Team Canada in an eight man tag match. In the course of the match, Konnan attacked both B.G. and Kip James.
, that he was a "hothead" and invited Armstrong to accompany him backstage for an apology. Instead of apologizing, Konnan turned heel
by leading Armstrong into an ambush at the hands of Apolo
and the debuting Homicide. The trio, later identified as The Latin American Xchange (LAX), then instructed an unconscious
Armstrong to tell B.G. and Kip to "take care of their own business". At Final Resolution on January 15, 2006, Konnan and Homicide defeated The Naturals
. After Apolo was released by TNA, he was replaced by Machete
, who was in turn evicted from LAX by Konnan and Homicide. In subsequent weeks, Konnan began feuding with Bob Armstrong. On the April 8, 2006 episode of Impact!, Konnan faced Armstrong in a "Arm Wrestling Challenge"; the contest ended in a no-contest after LAX member Hernandez
attacked Armstrong. At Lockdown
on April 23, 2006, Konnan was defeated by Armstrong in an arm wrestling contest held within the confines of a steel cage; following the bout, each member of the LAX received ten lashes
from the James Gang
.
In May 2006, Konnan became the Impact! Spanish color commentator
. In the same month, he and the LAX began a storyline that saw them refuse to wrestle (as well as himself and Moody Jack
refusing to commentate), claiming that Latino
s were discriminated against within TNA. After LAX were forced to resume wrestling by Jim Cornette
, they began feuding with A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels
, with whom Homicide and Hernandez traded the NWA World Tag Team Championship back and forth. LAX then feuded with America's Most Wanted
and Team 3D
, losing the NWA World Tag Team Championship to Team 3D at Lockdown
.
In early 2007, Konnan underwent hip replacement
surgery, and his appearances in TNA from then on saw him frequently using a wheelchair
. In June, Konnan left TNA for AAA in Mexico. He successfully underwent kidney transplant surgery in July 2007. In March 2008, Konnan sued TNA for racism and discrimination, alleging that while the company said that they would help pay for his hip replacement surgery, they did not. To add leverage to the suit, Konnan claimed that TNA helped pay for Scott Steiner
's operation, but did not pay for Ron Killings
's surgery from around the same time.
claimed in 2009 that Konnan is the "real boss" of the promotion. In AAA he is the leader of the company's top rudo stable La Legión Extranjera
5(Foreign Legion). In February 2010, TNA restarted their working relationship with AAA and in early May 2011, Jeff Jarrett made his return to AAA television, announcing his and TNA's alignment with Dorian Roldán and his heel stable La Sociedad and their participation in TripleManía XIX.[69] Konnan, the co-leader of La Sociedad and former TNA worker, however, was against the idea of his former employer coming to AAA and believed that Roldán had made a mistake by inviting him to the promotion.[70] Jarrett and Abyss arrived to AAA on May 18 for a confrontation with Konnan and La Sociedad. In the end, Jarrett and Konnan revealed that they were in fact on the same page with each other and turned on AAA World Heavyweight Champion El Zorro with Konnan announcing that Jarrett would be challenging for his title at TripleManía XIX. Konnan was a backstage visitor at the live August 15 taping of WWE Raw
.
.
were involved in a backstage fight with Juventud Guerrera
. The fight started after Guerrera accused Konnan of defecating
in his bag, which Konnan owned up to, and then Evans, with whom Guerrera had had a match that evening, grabbed Guerrera from behind, provoking the fight. Guerrera suffered a broken nose in the incident.
In his autobiography, Bret "The Hitman" Hart
gave credit to Konnan for teaching him how to use his move, the Sharpshooter
.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
, Konnan, is a Cuban
Cubans
Cubans or Cuban people are the inhabitants or citizens of Cuba. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and rapper
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
of Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
descent. Konnan is well known in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
due to his appearances on Mexican television, particularly with the Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
, and has in the past been described as "the Mexican Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
", reflecting his mainstream popularity.
After serving in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Ashenoff began his professional wrestling career in Mexico, wrestling in both Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre and Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
. In the latter, he also acted as a booker and the first AAA Americas Heavyweight Champion
AAA Americas Heavyweight Championship
The AAA Americas Heavyweight Championship is a former championship contested for in the Mexican lucha libre promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración , it was promoted as a secondary title to AAA’s main "World" title...
. From 1992 to 1993, he worked 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 Max Moon, and in 1996, he began working full time for World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW). In WCW, he helped bring in other Mexican wrestlers to the promotion, as well as being a member of the Filthy Animals
Filthy Animals
The Filthy Animals was a professional wrestling faction in World Championship Wrestling from 1999 until 2001.-Concept:The Filthy Animals was a group conceived after Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara were hired by WCW. The plan for the stable was to be WCW's version of the World Wrestling Federation's...
alliance. In 2002, he joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
where he was a part of two major alliances: 3Live Kru
3Live Kru
The 3Live Kru was a professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . The 3Live Kru debuted in July 2003, and was initially a trio of wrestlers, consisting of Ron Killings, Konnan and B.G. James. The gimmick of the 3Live Kru was that each member of the group exemplified a racial...
and The Latin American Xchange. He left the company in 2007 after filing a lawsuit against it, which was eventually resolved.
Early life
Born in Santiago de CubaSantiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Konnan's family relocated to the United States while he was a child. He had a troubled childhood in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, during which he was expelled
Expulsion (academia)
Expulsion or exclusion refers to the permanent removal of a student from a school system or university for violating that institution's rules. Laws and procedures regarding expulsion vary between countries and states.-State sector:...
from several schools before graduating from Southwest Miami Senior High School in 1982. Ashenoff served time in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
after joining a street gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
. After his incarceration was over, Ashenoff fled Miami due to conflicts with other drug dealers. He was given a choice of either going to jail or entering the Military. He decided to join the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and served for four years. While in the Navy, he trained as a boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, becoming the Californian Middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
Amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
Boxing Champion in 1982 and 1983. He also represented the United States in fights around the world.
Professional wrestling career
During his residence in San Diego, Ashenoff became a bodybuilderBodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
then later a wrestler, following a meeting with wrestling 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...
John Roberts. Comparing the masked
Wrestling mask
A Wrestling mask is a fabric based mask that some professional wrestlers wear as part of their in-ring persona or gimmick. Professional wrestlers have been using masks as far back as 1915 and they are still widely used today, especially in Lucha Libre in Mexico.-History:In 1915 a North American...
and caped wrestlers he met to "superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es", Ashenoff was impressed by the colorful Mexican wrestling culture. He subsequently traveled to Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
, Mexico where, alongside Psicosis, Rey Mysterio, Jr., Halloween and Damián 666, he trained under the tutelage of various veteran luchadores
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
. Wearing a mask and billed as El Centurión ("The Centurion"), Ashenoff debuted for the Universal Wrestling Association
Universal Wrestling Association
The Universal Wrestling Association was a Mexican Lucha Libre or professional wrestling promotion based in Naucalpan, Mexico State that operated from 1975 until 1995...
(UWA). He competed in an eight man tag team match for the sum of $200 MXP
Mexican peso
The peso is the currency of Mexico. Modern peso and dollar currencies have a common origin in the 15th–19th century Spanish dollar, most continuing to use its sign, "$". The Mexican peso is the 12th most traded currency in the world, the third most traded in the Americas, and by far the most...
($19.13 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
/ €16.03 EUR
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
).
Feeling that he was being held back, Ashenoff departed the UWA for Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
(EMLL), where he was pushed
Push (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a push is an attempt by the booker to make the wrestler win more matches and become more popular or more reviled with the fans depending on whether they are a heel or a face...
into the main event. In the EMLL, Ashenoff adopted the ring name Konnan El Barbaro ("The Barbarian"). He lost his mask to Perro Aguayo
Perro Aguayo
Pedro Aguayo better known as "Perro Aguayo" and El Can de Nochistlan , was a famous Mexican wrestler through 1970s to 1990s. His son also wrestles as Perro Aguayo, Jr. or El Hijo del Perro Aguayo . He is one of the biggest box office attractions in lucha libre history and was the last major rival...
in a Lucha de Apuesta, mask versus hair match. After the match, a young boy—introduced as Konnan's brother—entered the ring crying
Tears
Tears are secretions that clean and lubricate the eyes. Lacrimation or lachrymation is the production or shedding of tears....
and handed Konnan his mask back, generating considerable bonhomie towards Konnan from the sympathetic crowd (in lucha libre
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
, losing one's mask can be a major, career shaping event). Konnan went on to become the first ever CMLL World Heavyweight Champion
CMLL World Heavyweight Championship
The CMLL World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and has been in existence since 1991...
by winning a tournament in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
on June 9, 1991. He, however, lost the title to Cien Caras
Cien Caras
Carmelo Reyes González is a Mexican professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Cien Caras...
in his first title defense on August 18, 1991.
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (1992–1996)
In 1992, Konnan, along with several other EMLL wrestlers, joined Asistencia Asesoría y AdministraciónAsistencia Asesoría y Administración
Asistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
(AAA). Shortening his ring name to simply "Konnan", he feuded
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Cien Caras. Following interference from Jake Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
, Konnan lost a two out of three falls retirement match by count-out to Caras at TripleMania I
TripleMania I
TripleManía I was the first ever TripleManía wrestling show promoted by Asistencia Asesoría y Administración . The show took place on April 30, 1993 in Mexico City, Mexico. The Main event featured a "Retirement" match where the storyline was that the person that lost would have to retire from...
on April 30, 1993 in front of 48,000 fans in Mexico City, setting the all-time attendance record for a Mexican wrestling event. Konnan did not comply with the stipulations of the match and returned to defeat Roberts in a hair versus hair match at TripleMania II
TripleMania II-C
TripleManía II-C was the fourth overall TripleManía wrestling show promoted by Asistencia Asesoría y Administración . 1994 was also the first year to feature the "TripleManía Series" of shows with 3, referred to as II-A, II-B and II-C, where this was the third and final of the series. The show took...
on May 27, 1994 in Tijuana.
Later in 1994, Konnan began a storyline where he betrayed his tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
partner, Perro Aguayo, and formed a villainous
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...
alliance known as Los Gringos Locos
Los Gringos Locos
Los Gringos Locos were a lucha libre stable in Asistencia Asesoría y Administración . The stable was originally a tag team consisting of Eddy Guerrero and Art Barr.-Gimmick:...
with Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
, Art Barr
Art Barr
Arthur Leon "Art" Barr was an American professional wrestler. While he wrestled briefly for World Championship Wrestling, he found his greatest success in Mexico's Asistencia Asesoría y Administración promotion....
and Madonna's Boyfriend
Louie Spicolli
Louis Mucciolo, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He performed in Mexico under the ring name Madonna's Boyfriend, for the World Wrestling Federation as Rad Radford, and in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling in the 1990s as Louie Spicolli...
. Aguayo gained his revenge on Konnan by defeating him in the only, AAA pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
, "When Worlds Collide", in a steel cage match. He eventually became the AAA booker. Konnan defeated Killer on February 2, 1996 in Querétaro
Querétaro
Querétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....
to become the first ever AAA Heavyweight Champion. He vacated the title after leaving AAA in October 1996 to form his own promotion, Promo Azteca, and the title remained inactive until 2004. Konnan's Mexican wrestling career was hampered in the late-1990s by his American wrestling commitments, and Promo Azteca closed in 1998. He made a return to the Mexican wrestling circuit in the 2000s after a six year absence, selling-out arenas in Mexico City and Guadalajara
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality...
.
World Wrestling Federation (1992–1993)
After he was approached by talent scout Pat Patterson, Konnan spent eight months in the American 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...
as Max Moon in 1992. The Moon character, created by Konnan, was that of a cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
who wore an outfit (purchased by the WWF at the cost of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1,300) bedecked with circuitry
Electrical network
An electrical network is an interconnection of electrical elements such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, transmission lines, voltage sources, current sources and switches. An electrical circuit is a special type of network, one that has a closed loop giving a return path for the current...
and a pyrotechnic
Explosive material
An explosive material, also called an explosive, is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure...
gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
during his approach to the ring. Konnan was given many ring names, including his own name, the Comet Kid, Maximillion Moves, El Electrico, and eventually Max Moon. His character hailed from "The Future" or "Outer Space", his entrance music was a techno song, and his finishing move was the flying bodypress (a somersault onto his opponent with them on his shoulders). His attire was blue leather, silver foam tubing and a mask. On his way to the ring, he shot sparkles into the crowd.
Debuting in the WWF on September 1, 1992 in Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey is a census-designated place in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The community is located 14 miles east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
under the name the Comet Kid, he pinned Duane Gill
Duane Gill
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...
. After three televised matches, Konnan left the WWF following a disagreement with WWF owner 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...
. Konnan believed that he was being discriminated
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
against and resented McMahon's refusal to give him a guaranteed contract. The Max Moon gimmick was subsequently given to Paul Diamond
Tom Boric
Thomas "Tom" Boric is a retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name Paul Diamond. He is best known for being one half of the tag team Badd Company with Pat Tanaka and for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as Kato, one half of The Orient Express also with Pat Tanaka...
, before being abandoned.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1995)
Konnan once again attempted to expand his activities out of Mexico in the mid-1990s. After meeting Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW) booker Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
while on a wrestling tour of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Konnan joined ECW in 1995 and feuded with The Sandman
Jim Fullington
James "Jim" Fullington better known by his ring name Sandman, is an American professional wrestler, best known for his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling , where he developed into a "Hardcore Icon"...
. He appeared at ECW November to Remember
ECW November To Remember
November to Remember was an annual Eastern Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling professional wrestling show held during the month of November between 1993 and 2000. From 1997 onward, the event was broadcast on pay-per-view. The event was considered to be ECW's flagship supercard...
on November 18, 1995, squashing Jason Knight
Jason Knight
Ronald Jason Knight is an American professional wrestler and manager. He is best known for his stints in Eastern / Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he was a one time World Television Champion.-World Wrestling Federation :...
. He also wrestled at an event co-promoted by ECW and the AAA in Chicago, Illinois.
World Championship Wrestling (1990–2001)
Konnan's first appearance with World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) was at Starrcade
Starrcade (1990)
Starrcade '90 was the eighth annual Starrcade professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced under the National Wrestling Alliance banner. It was the third Starrcade event produced by World Championship Wrestling, and the last pay-per-view event held by the NWA. It took place on December 16,...
on December 16, 1990. Teaming with his trainer and mentor, Rey Mysterio, Sr., Konnan entered the Pat O'Connor Memorial International Cup Tag Team Tournament, and they defeated Norman Smiley
Norman Smiley
Norman Anthony Smiley is a British professional wrestler best known for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling...
and Chris Adams in the quarter-finals, but lost to eventual winners, the Steiner Brothers (Rick
Rick Steiner
Robert Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Rick Steiner.Steiner is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling, where he was an eight time World Tag Team Champion...
and Scott
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
) in the semi-finals.
United States Heavyweight Championship; Dungeon of Doom (1996–1997)
Feeling that he had accomplished all that he could in Mexico and desiring to expand his popularity north of the border, Konnan returned to WCW on a full-time basis on the January 22, 1996 edition of Nitro. Promising, at the state of the show in an interruptful promo at the announcement table, to defend his "Mexican Heavyweight Championship" against Psicosis the next week. As a WCW employee, he was largely responsible for the hiring of several prominent Mexican wrestlers by WCW, including Rey Mysterio, Jr., Psicosis, Juventud GuerreraJuventud Guerrera
Eduardo Aníbal González Hernández , better known as Juventud Guerrera, is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known for his work in many wrestling promotions worldwide, including all the major American wrestling promotions, such as World Wrestling Entertainment, World Championship...
and La Parka. Konnan defeated The One Man Gang
George Gray (wrestler)
George Gray is an American professional wrestler best known as One Man Gang and Akeem "the African Dream".-Early years:...
for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship
WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
on January 29, 1996. During his reign, he continued to defend his IWAS and AAA Heavyweight Championships in Mexico (these championships were billed as a "Mexican Heavyweight Title" wherever Konnan wore one or the other to a WCW ring). He lost the United States Title to Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
on July 7, 1996 at Bash at the Beach
Bash at the Beach (1996)
Bash at the Beach was the third annual Bash at the Beach professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Championship Wrestling . It took place on July 7, 1996 from the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida...
following interference from Flair's valets
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...
, Miss Elizabeth
Miss Elizabeth
Elizabeth Ann Hulette , best known as Miss Elizabeth, was an American professional wrestling manager. She gained international fame from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation, and the mid-1990s in World Championship Wrestling in her role as the manager to the late...
and Woman
Nancy Daus
Nancy Elizabeth Benoit , more commonly known by her in-ring names Woman and Fallen Angel, was a professional wrestling valet and manager...
. Several months after losing the United States Championship, Konnan became a villain and joined the Dungeon of Doom
Dungeon of Doom
The Dungeon of Doom was the name of a professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling that existed from 1995 to 1997.-Origin:...
.
nWo (1997–1999)
Konnan joined the New World OrderNew World Order (professional wrestling)
The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...
(nWo) on July 14, 1997. During his first stint in the nWo, Konnan feuded with the Luchadores whom he had brought to WCW. During this storyline, he wrestled in a Mexican Death match at Road Wild against Rey Mysterio, Jr. and a match against Juventud Guerrera at Uncensored in March 1998. When the nWo divided into two rival factions on the May 4, 1998 episode of Nitro, Konnan sided with the nWo Wolfpac, led by Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
. The Wolfpac feuded with nWo Hollywood, led by Hollywood Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and became tweeners. Konnan developed an increasingly hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
based gimmick and was nicknamed K-Dawg. On the November 30, 1998 episode of Nitro, Konnan defeated Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
for the WCW World Television Championship
WCW World Television Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Television Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Championship Wrestling....
. His reign lasted until December 28, 1998, when he lost to nWo Hollywood member Scott Steiner on Nitro following interference from Buff Bagwell
Buff Bagwell
Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.-Professional wrestling career: Bagwell...
. When the two halves of the nWo reunited in January 1999, Konnan was thrown out of the nWo for standing up for Rey Misterio, Jr and was attacked by Lex Luger
Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell "Larry" Pfohl , better known by his ring name Lex Luger, is an American former professional wrestler and football player currently working with WWE on their wellness policy...
. As a result, he became a fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
and teamed with Misterio to fight the nWo. After feuding with nWo member Lex Luger, Konnan and Mysterio, Jr. were defeated by The Outsiders at SuperBrawl IX, with The Outsiders removing Mysterio's mask in the process. Konnan later criticized WCW for not respecting Mexican wrestling culture by writing storylines that saw several Mexican wrestlers unceremoniously unmasked (Juventud Guerrera
Juventud Guerrera
Eduardo Aníbal González Hernández , better known as Juventud Guerrera, is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known for his work in many wrestling promotions worldwide, including all the major American wrestling promotions, such as World Wrestling Entertainment, World Championship...
, Psicosis, and Mysterio unmasked in WCW). He compared asking a luchadore to remove their mask to "going to Japan and telling the Japanese they have to eat with a fork
Fork
As a piece of cutlery or kitchenware, a fork is a tool consisting of a handle with several narrow tines on one end. The fork, as an eating utensil, has been a feature primarily of the West, whereas in East Asia chopsticks have been more prevalent...
instead of chopsticks
Chopsticks
Chopsticks are small, often tapered, sticks used in pairs of equal length as the traditional eating utensils of China and its diaspora, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Northern provinces of Laos, Thailand and Burma. Generally believed to have originated in ancient China, they can also be found in some...
".
No Limit Soldiers; Filthy Animals (1999–2001)
Konnan spent several months feuding with Disco InfernoGlenn Gilberti
Glenn Gilbertti is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling as Disco Inferno. He is also a former road agent for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
, and then he began a rivalry with Stevie Ray
Lane Huffman
Lane Steven Huffman is a retired American professional wrestler who is better known as Stevie Ray. He is best known as being part of the tag team Harlem Heat with his younger brother Booker T...
. He and Mysterio formed an alliance with Master P
Master P
Percy Robert Miller , better known by his stage name Master P or his business name P. Miller, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, investor, and producer. He is the founder of the popular label No Limit Records, which went bankrupt and was relaunched as New No Limit Records through Koch...
and his No Limit Soldiers
No Limit Soldiers
The No Limit Soldiers were a stable in World Championship Wrestling that was created after rapper Master P signed with the company. The Soldiers feuded extensively with the West Texas Rednecks.-History:...
and fought with the West Texas Rednecks
West Texas Rednecks
The West Texas Rednecks was a professional wrestling stable and country music band in World Championship Wrestling in 1999. They are famous for recording of two songs, "Rap is Crap " and "Good Ol' Boys."-History:...
. After Master P left WCW, Konnan formed a stable known as the Filthy Animals
Filthy Animals
The Filthy Animals was a professional wrestling faction in World Championship Wrestling from 1999 until 2001.-Concept:The Filthy Animals was a group conceived after Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara were hired by WCW. The plan for the stable was to be WCW's version of the World Wrestling Federation's...
. He and Mysterio, representing the Filthy Animals, defeated Harlem Heat
Harlem Heat
Harlem Heat was a professional wrestling tag team made up of two real-life brothers, Booker and Lane Huffman. Booker Huffman took the ring name of Booker T, and Lane Huffman took the ring name of Stevie Ray...
(Booker T
Booker Huffman
Robert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World...
and Stevie Ray) for the WCW World Tag Team Championship
WCW World Tag Team Championship
The World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
on October 18, 1999. They were scheduled to defend the titles against Harlem Heat in the MGM Grand Garden Arena on October 24, 1999 at Halloween Havoc, but on the night of the event Misterio was announced as being injured. The title was then contested in a three way tag match pitting Konnan and Billy Kidman, representing the Filthy Animals, against Harlem Heat and the First Family
The First Family (professional wrestling)
The First Family was the name of two professional wrestling stables led by Jimmy Hart, first in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association, then in the late 1990s in World Championship Wrestling.-CWA stable:...
(Hugh Morrus and Brian Knobbs
Brian Knobbs
Brian Yandrisovitz , better known as Brian Knobbs, is an American professional wrestler, best known as one half of the tag team The Nasty Boys along with Jerry Sags.-The Nasty Boys:...
). Harlem Heat regained the title after Stevie Ray pinned Morrus. Konnan and Kidman defeated Harlem Heat for the title the next night on Nitro, but lost to Creative Control (Patrick and Gerald) on November 22, 1999.
Konnan was inactive throughout early 2000, as he was suspended for three months by Bill Busch after requesting his release from WCW, unhappy with the way he was being used. Shortly after returning from suspension and reforming the Filthy Animals, Konnan was sidelined once again, this time with a legitimately torn triceps
Triceps brachii muscle
The triceps brachii muscle is the large muscle on the back of the upper limb of many vertebrates. It is the muscle principally responsible for extension of the elbow joint .-Terminology:...
muscle, damaged when Van Hammer threw Juventud Guerrera at him during a match and Guerrera's elbow connected with Konnan's upper arm as he attempted to catch him. Throughout 2000, the Filthy Animals feuded with other stables, including the Misfits In Action
Misfits In Action
The Misfits In Action were a stable in World Championship Wrestling They were originally formed in 2000 from a group of wrestlers that Vince Russo considered too lazy to get over...
, the Natural Born Thrillers
Natural Born Thrillers
The Natural Born Thrillers was a professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling in 2000. The name is a play on the 1994 film Natural Born Killers.-History:...
and Team Canada
Team Canada (WCW)
Team Canada was a professional wrestling stable, active in World Championship Wrestling in 2000 and 2001. The team was composed of Canadian and American wrestlers who believed that Canada was superior to the United States of America.-History:...
. At Greed
WCW Greed
Greed was the final pay-per-view event from World Championship Wrestling. It took place on March 18, 2001 from the Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum in Jacksonville, Florida. The pay-per-view took place eight days before the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro....
on March 18, 2001, Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
and Mike Awesome
Mike Awesome
Michael Lee Alfonso , better known by his ring name Mike Awesome, was an American professional wrestler best known in America for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and in World Wrestling Federation and also in Japan for his work with Frontier Martial-Arts...
(representing Team Canada) defeated Hugh Morrus and Konnan in one of his last appearances with the promotion before it was sold to the WWF in March 2001.
Following the sale of WCW, Konnan toured Australia and Europe throughout 2001 with the newly formed World Wrestling All-Stars
World Wrestling All-Stars
The World Wrestling All-Stars was a professional wrestling promotion founded by Australian concert promoter Andrew McManus in 2001. The promotion was operated by McManus' International Touring Company. WWA was one of several promotions to come into existence shortly after the closings of Extreme...
promotion. In addition to wrestling, Konnan acted as a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
. He also studied criminology
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
during a period in which he briefly considered working alongside his father as a private investigator
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
.
Konnan also appeared in Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council
World Wrestling Council
The World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
as a friend of the Colón Family until he turned on them. A very intense event happened in Humacao, Puerto Rico when Konnan blasted Carlos Colon
Carlos Colón
Carlos Colón may refer to:*Carlos Colón, Sr., wrestler*Carly Colón, wrestler whose real name is Carlos Colón, son of the above*The Deadlines' lead guitarist, Carlos Colón...
's daughter Stacy Colón with a guitar that started a riot with the fans in and outside the arena.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2002–2007)
Konnan appeared on the inaugural Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA) pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
on June 19, 2002 in the Von Braun Center
Von Braun Center
The Von Braun Center , known as the Von Braun Civic Center until 1997, is a multi-purpose indoor arena, meeting, and performing arts complex, with a maximum arena seating capacity of 10,000, located in Huntsville, Alabama...
in Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
. He entered the Gauntlet for the Gold match for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
, but he was chokeslam
Chokeslam
A chokeslam refers to a type of body slam in professional wrestling in which the wrestler grasps their opponent's neck, lifts them up, and slams them to the mat. It is common in televised wrestling because it is simple and relatively safe, yet looks powerful on camera...
med and subsequently eliminated by Malice
Jerry Tuite
Jerry Tuite was an American professional wrestler best known by his ring names, The Wall in World Championship Wrestling and Malice while performing for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.-Career:...
. He returned to TNA on February 12, 2003 and formed a villainous alliance, the Authentic Luchadores, with fellow Latino wrestlers Juventud Guerrera, Super Crazy and the Spanish Announce Team
The S.A.T.
The S.A.T. are a professional wrestling tag team mostly seen in independent promotions that consists of brothers Jose Maximo and Joel Maximo who were both born in Brooklyn, New York...
. The stable feuded with Jerry Lynn
Jerry Lynn
Jeremy "Jerry" Lynn is an American professional wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
until April 2, 2003, when Lynn claimed that he had been heavily influenced by lucha libre and that he respected his Mexican opponents, thus earning the friendship of Konnan.
The 3Live Kru
In May and June 2003, Konnan began teaming with B.G. JamesBrian Gerard James
Brian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
and Ron Killings
Ron Killings
Ronald Aaron "Ron" Killings is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE working on its Raw brand. Since working for the company, he has been a one time United States Champion under the ring name R-Truth and a two time Hardcore Champion under the ring name K-Kwik...
, and in July 2003 the trio formed a heroic alliance known as the 3Live Kru. The Kru first wrestled as a unit on August 13, 2003, defeating The New Church
The New Church
The New Church is the name for a New religious movement developed from the writings of the Swedish scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg . Swedenborg claimed to have received a new revelation from Jesus Christ through continuous heavenly visions which he experienced over a period of at least...
(Sinn
Nick Cvjetkovich
Nicholas "Nick" Cvjetkovich is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his stint in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he worked on its SmackDown brand as Kizarny.-Training and beginning:...
, Vampire Warrior
David Heath (wrestler)
David William Heath is an American professional wrestler and pornographic film director. He is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Gangrel.-Beginning:...
and Devon Storm
Devon Storm
Christopher "Chris" Ford is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Crowbar, where he was a one time Hardcore Champion, a one time World Tag Team Champion with David Flair and a one time Cruiserweight Champion, which he...
). On November 26, the Kru defeated Simon Diamond
Pat Kenney
Patrick Joseph Michael "Pat" Kenney , known also by his ring name, Simon Diamond, is a retired American professional wrestler, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent...
, Johnny Swinger
Joseph Dorgan
Joseph Robert "Joe" Dorgan is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Johnny Swinger and with World Wrestling Entertainment as Johnny Parisi....
and Glenn Gilberti
Glenn Gilberti
Glenn Gilbertti is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling as Disco Inferno. He is also a former road agent for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
in a six man tag team match with the vacant NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
s on the line. The championship was held by all three members of the Kru, until January 28, 2004, when they were defeated by Kevin Northcutt
Kevin Northcutt
Kevin Northcutt is an American professional wrestler.-Total Nonstop Action Wrestling:During his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as part of the Red Shirt Security, he won the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Joe E. Legend & held the belts from January 28, 2004 until February 4 of the...
and Legend
Joe Hitchen
Joseph Edward "Joe" Hitchen is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Joe E. Legend.-Canadian independent circuit:...
in Nashville. After several abortive attempts to regain the tag title, the Kru began supporting Ron Killings's bid to become NWA World Heavyweight Champion. The Kru later feuded with Jarrett's mercenaries
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
, The Elite Guard (Chad Collyer
Chad Collyer
Chad Collyer is an American professional wrestler. A Heartland Wrestling Association mainstay, Collyer is perhaps best known for his appearances with Ring of Honor and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.-Career:...
, Hotstuff Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez"....
and Onyx
Onyx (disambiguation)
Onyx is a banded variety of chalcedony .Onyx can also be used to mean the color black, especially "jet" black.Onyx may also refer to:-Locations:*Onyx, California, a census-designated place located in Kern County, California...
). On July 14, 2004, the 3Live Kru, Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
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....
defeated Jarrett, Ken Shamrock
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...
and the Elite Guard in a ten man tag team match. The Kru began feuding with Team Canada
Team Canada (TNA)
Team Canada was a heel professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which was active from 2004 to 2006.-2004 X-Cups:In 2004, wrestling promoter and personality "Coach" Scott D'Amore brought together fellow Canadians to form his own incarnation of Team Canada in Total Nonstop...
in August 2004, and at the inaugural three hour TNA pay-per-view, Victory Road
Victory Road (2004)
Victory Road was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on November 7, 2004 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the first event under the Victory Road chronology, which became an annual event in 2006...
on November 7, 2004, Konnan and James defeated Team Canada members Bobby Roode and "Showtime" Eric Young
Eric Young (wrestler)
Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Their reign lasted one month, with Team Canada regaining the title on December 5, 2004 at Turning Point
Turning Point (2004)
Turning Point was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on December 5, 2004 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the first event under the Turning Point chronology...
with the help of the injured Johnny Devine
Johnny Devine
John Peter "J.P." Parsonage is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Hot Shot" Johnny Devine...
.
Throughout early-2005, the Kru feuded with Michael Shane
Matt Bentley
Matthew James "Matt" Bentley is an American professional wrestler best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling by the ring name Michael Shane. He was trained by his cousin, former World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Shawn Michaels, and he took the name Michael Shane as a play on...
and Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Team Canada and The Naturals
The Naturals
The Naturals were a professional wrestling tag team made up of Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens. They are best known for their work in TNA, where they are multi-time former tag team champions.- History :...
. Dissension arose after James's former tag team partner from the WWF, Billy Gunn
Monty Sopp
Monty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
, joined TNA as "The New Age Outlaw" and began trying to convince James to reform their highly successful tag team, the New Age Outlaws
New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
. Konnan and Killings feuded with The Outlaw and "The Alpha Male" Monty Brown
Monty Brown
Monty Brown is an American professional wrestler and former National Football League linebacker, also known as Marcus Cor Von. He is best known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment, where he wrestled on its ECW brand under the ring name Marcus Cor Von...
, with James's loyalties divided. Brown and The Outlaw, who had by now renamed himself "Kip James", defeated Konnan and Killings at No Surrender on July 17, 2005, with James declining to help either team. Konnan and Killings became increasingly frustrated, at one point referring to themselves as the "2Live Kru". The two teams faced one another in a No Surrender rematch on August 14, 2005 at Sacrifice, with James appointed guest referee by Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko, and James reaffirmed his loyalty to the Kru by attacking Kip, enabling Konnan to pin him and win the match. The Kru, apparently undivided, celebrated together following the match.
Over the following weeks, Kip James began assisting the 3Live Kru, and on October 23, 2005 at Bound for Glory, he saved Konnan from a beating at the hands of Team Canada. On the November 26 episode of Impact!, B.G. James brought Kip James and the 3Live Kru to ringside, then asked Killings and Konnan whether James could join the stable. Following a heated argument between the still skeptical Konnan and B.G., both Killings and Konnan gave their assent, and the "'4Live Kru" was born. At Turning Point the 4Live Kru faced Team Canada in an eight man tag match. In the course of the match, Konnan attacked both B.G. and Kip James.
The Latin American Xchange
On the December 31, 2005, episode of Impact!, Konnan told B.G.'s father, Bob ArmstrongBob Armstrong
Joseph Melton James is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. In the course of his career, which spanned five decades, Armstrong held numerous championships throughout the Southeastern United States...
, that he was a "hothead" and invited Armstrong to accompany him backstage for an apology. Instead of apologizing, Konnan turned heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
by leading Armstrong into an ambush at the hands of Apolo
Germán Figueroa
Germán Figueroa is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler, better known as Nuevo Gran Apolo, or simply Apolo. Figueroa began performing in Puerto Rico's independent circuit, before entering the International Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Council...
and the debuting Homicide. The trio, later identified as The Latin American Xchange (LAX), then instructed an unconscious
Unconsciousness
Unconsciousness is the condition of being not conscious—in a mental state that involves complete or near-complete lack of responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli. Being in a comatose state or coma is a type of unconsciousness. Fainting due to a drop in blood pressure and a...
Armstrong to tell B.G. and Kip to "take care of their own business". At Final Resolution on January 15, 2006, Konnan and Homicide defeated The Naturals
The Naturals
The Naturals were a professional wrestling tag team made up of Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens. They are best known for their work in TNA, where they are multi-time former tag team champions.- History :...
. After Apolo was released by TNA, he was replaced by Machete
Ricky Vega
Ephraim Vega is an Puerto Rican American professional wrestler and is best known working Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Machete, and in independent promotions under the name Ricky Vega. Vega was a standout high school football star, and was named to All-Section, All-conference,...
, who was in turn evicted from LAX by Konnan and Homicide. In subsequent weeks, Konnan began feuding with Bob Armstrong. On the April 8, 2006 episode of Impact!, Konnan faced Armstrong in a "Arm Wrestling Challenge"; the contest ended in a no-contest after LAX member Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez"....
attacked Armstrong. At Lockdown
Lockdown (2006)
Lockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on April 23, 2006 from the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the second annual event under the Lockdown chronology. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured...
on April 23, 2006, Konnan was defeated by Armstrong in an arm wrestling contest held within the confines of a steel cage; following the bout, each member of the LAX received ten lashes
Whip
A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...
from the James Gang
New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
.
In May 2006, Konnan became the Impact! Spanish color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
. In the same month, he and the LAX began a storyline that saw them refuse to wrestle (as well as himself and Moody Jack
Jack Melendez
Hector Meléndez, better known by his stage name "Moody" Jack Meléndez, is a Puerto Rican professional wrestling sportscaster. He is known in the United States as the Spanish play-by-play announcer for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and the personal ring announcer for The Latin American Xchange, a...
refusing to commentate), claiming that Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
s were discriminated against within TNA. After LAX were forced to resume wrestling by Jim Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
, they began feuding with A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels
A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels
A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels are recurring tag team partners in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , having won the NWA World Tag Team Championship two times in their regular run as teammates...
, with whom Homicide and Hernandez traded the NWA World Tag Team Championship back and forth. LAX then feuded with America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted (professional wrestling)
America's Most Wanted was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of "Wildcat" Chris Harris and "Tennessee Cowboy" James Storm, who competed in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and Team 3D
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
, losing the NWA World Tag Team Championship to Team 3D at Lockdown
Lockdown (2007)
Lockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which took place on April 15, 2007 at the Family Arena in Saint Charles, Missouri. This was the second monthly pay-per-view, after Bound for Glory , to be held outside Orlando, Florida. It was the...
.
In early 2007, Konnan underwent hip replacement
Hip replacement
Hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant. Hip replacement surgery can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi replacement. Such joint replacement orthopaedic surgery generally is conducted to relieve arthritis pain or fix severe...
surgery, and his appearances in TNA from then on saw him frequently using a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
. In June, Konnan left TNA for AAA in Mexico. He successfully underwent kidney transplant surgery in July 2007. In March 2008, Konnan sued TNA for racism and discrimination, alleging that while the company said that they would help pay for his hip replacement surgery, they did not. To add leverage to the suit, Konnan claimed that TNA helped pay for Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
's operation, but did not pay for Ron Killings
Ron Killings
Ronald Aaron "Ron" Killings is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE working on its Raw brand. Since working for the company, he has been a one time United States Champion under the ring name R-Truth and a two time Hardcore Champion under the ring name K-Kwik...
's surgery from around the same time.
Return to AAA (2007-present)
After leaving TNA, Konnan later returned to Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, where Juventud GuerreraJuventud Guerrera
Eduardo Aníbal González Hernández , better known as Juventud Guerrera, is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known for his work in many wrestling promotions worldwide, including all the major American wrestling promotions, such as World Wrestling Entertainment, World Championship...
claimed in 2009 that Konnan is the "real boss" of the promotion. In AAA he is the leader of the company's top rudo stable La Legión Extranjera
Foreign Legion (wrestling)
La Legión Extranjera is the main Asistencia, Asesoría y Administración heel group, though loosely affiliated. It's a catch all for one time and irregularly scheduled foreign heels, working as Konnan's hired guns as well as a number of AAA regular Rudós...
5(Foreign Legion). In February 2010, TNA restarted their working relationship with AAA and in early May 2011, Jeff Jarrett made his return to AAA television, announcing his and TNA's alignment with Dorian Roldán and his heel stable La Sociedad and their participation in TripleManía XIX.[69] Konnan, the co-leader of La Sociedad and former TNA worker, however, was against the idea of his former employer coming to AAA and believed that Roldán had made a mistake by inviting him to the promotion.[70] Jarrett and Abyss arrived to AAA on May 18 for a confrontation with Konnan and La Sociedad. In the end, Jarrett and Konnan revealed that they were in fact on the same page with each other and turned on AAA World Heavyweight Champion El Zorro with Konnan announcing that Jarrett would be challenging for his title at TripleManía XIX. Konnan was a backstage visitor at the live August 15 taping of WWE Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
.
Konnan returns? (2011)
It has been confirmed that Konnan will be returning to wrestling as of September 24, 2011. Konnan has sent out a couple of tweets from his official Twitter account saying, "All I can say is I am returning to a certain company I am sure you are familiar with". After this statement many wrestling news sources believe that there is a good chance that this company will be World Wrestling Entertainment or Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
.
Personal life
In March 2009, Konnan and Jack EvansJack Evans
Jack Edward Miller is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jack Evans. He currently performs for the Mexican-based promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, where he is the current World Cruiserweight Champion and a former World Tag Team Champion. He is the cousin...
were involved in a backstage fight with Juventud Guerrera
Juventud Guerrera
Eduardo Aníbal González Hernández , better known as Juventud Guerrera, is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known for his work in many wrestling promotions worldwide, including all the major American wrestling promotions, such as World Wrestling Entertainment, World Championship...
. The fight started after Guerrera accused Konnan of defecating
Defecation
Defecation is the final act of digestion by which organisms eliminate solid, semisolid or liquid waste material from the digestive tract via the anus. Waves of muscular contraction known as peristalsis in the walls of the colon move fecal matter through the digestive tract towards the rectum...
in his bag, which Konnan owned up to, and then Evans, with whom Guerrera had had a match that evening, grabbed Guerrera from behind, provoking the fight. Guerrera suffered a broken nose in the incident.
In his autobiography, Bret "The Hitman" Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
gave credit to Konnan for teaching him how to use his move, the Sharpshooter
Sharpshooter (professional wrestling)
The Sharpshooter, originally named Sasori-gatame, Scorpion Hold in English, is a professional wrestling submission hold. The move is also known by several other names: cloverleaf leg-lace Boston crab, standing reverse figure-four leglock, and, the most commonly known alternative, Scorpion Deathlock...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Tequila Sunrise (Arm trap single leg Boston crab)
- Signature moves
- DDTDDT (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler has the opponent in a front facelock, and falls down or backwards to drive the opponent's head into the mat...
, sometimes reversed - Drop toe-hold
- Electric chair facebuster
- Indian deathlock
- One-handed bulldog
- Rolling thunder lariat
- 187 (Cradle DDT)
- Facejam / K-Factor (Sitout facebuster, often preceded by a mule kick)
- Running low-angle dropkickDropkickA 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...
to a seated opponent - Spin-out powerbomb
- Splash Mountain (Crucifix powerbomb, sometimes from the second rope)
- Springboard arm drag
- Super German suplex
- Tilt-a-whirl headscissors takedown
- Top-rope headscissors takedown, sometimes reversed
- Wheelbarrow suplex
- Zip Lock (Arm trap standing leglock)
- Slapjack – TNATotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
- Kevin SullivanKevin Sullivan (wrestler)Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...
- VincentMike Jones (wrestler)Mike Jones is an American professional wrestler, who most recently performed for World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Virgil, where he appeared on its Raw brand as Ted DiBiase, Jr.'s personal assistant...
- Torrie WilsonTorrie WilsonTorrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
- Tygress
- 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 - "K-Dawg"
- "The Mexican Hulk Hogan
- "The Godfather of Lucha Libre
- 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...
- "Tear It Up" by J.HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
and H.Helm (WCW; used while a part of the New World OrderNew World Order (professional wrestling)The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...
; 1996–1998) - "Rockhouse" by J.Hart and H.Helm (WCW; used while a part of the New World OrderNew World Order (professional wrestling)The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...
; 1998) - "Wolfpac ThemeWCW Mayhem: The MusicWCW Mayhem: The Music is an album of songs related to World Championship Wrestling during the late 1990s.While many of the songs were performed by professional musicians, others featured wrestlers on vocals, such as "Bow Wow Wow." Numerous tracks, such as "Got Him In The Corner" and "Count That Man...
" (WCW; used while a part of the nWo Wolfpac; 1998–1999) - "Bow Wow WowWCW Mayhem: The MusicWCW Mayhem: The Music is an album of songs related to World Championship Wrestling during the late 1990s.While many of the songs were performed by professional musicians, others featured wrestlers on vocals, such as "Bow Wow Wow." Numerous tracks, such as "Got Him In The Corner" and "Count That Man...
" by Konnan featuring Madd One - "Dawgz" by Konnan (TNA; used while part of the Latin American Xchange)
- "Eye of the TigerEye of the Tiger"Eye of the Tiger" is a single by American rock band Survivor, from their third album Eye of the Tiger. It was released as a single on May 29, 1982, the same year as the album. It was written at the request of actor Sylvester Stallone, who was unable to get permission for Queen's "Another One Bites...
" by SurvivorSurvivor (band)Survivor is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1978. The band achieved its greatest success in the 1980s with its AOR sound, which garnered many charting singles, especially in the United States. The band is best known for its double platinum-certified 1982 hit "Eye of the Tiger", the theme...
Championships and accomplishments
- Asistencia Asesoría y AdministraciónAsistencia Asesoría y AdministraciónAsistencia Asesoría y Administración is a lucha libre professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico...
- AAA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipAAA Americas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe AAA Americas Heavyweight Championship is a former championship contested for in the Mexican lucha libre promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración , it was promoted as a secondary title to AAA’s main "World" title...
(1 time) - AAA Parejas Increibles Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with CibernéticoCibernéticoOctavio López Arreola is a Mexican professional wrestler who is best known under the ring name Cibernético, currently working for the Asistencia Asesoría y Administración promotion in Mexico...
- Championship Wrestling USA Northwest
- Championship Wrestling USA Northwest Tag Championship (1 time) – with BeetlejuiceArt BarrArthur Leon "Art" Barr was an American professional wrestler. While he wrestled briefly for World Championship Wrestling, he found his greatest success in Mexico's Asistencia Asesoría y Administración promotion....
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
- CMLL World Heavyweight ChampionshipCMLL World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe CMLL World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and has been in existence since 1991...
(1 time)
- International Wrestling All-Stars
- IWAS World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- IWAS World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rey Mysterio, Jr.
- International Wrestling Council
- IWC World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Latin American Wrestling Association
- LAWA Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
- NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
(2 times) – with B.G. JamesBrian Gerard JamesBrian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
and Ron KillingsRon KillingsRonald Aaron "Ron" Killings is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE working on its Raw brand. Since working for the company, he has been a one time United States Champion under the ring name R-Truth and a two time Hardcore Champion under the ring name K-Kwik...
(1)Konnan defended the title with either James or Killings under the Freebird Rule during their first reign. and B.G. James (1)
- World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
- WCW United States Heavyweight ChampionshipWWE United States ChampionshipThe WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
(1 time) - WCW World Tag Team ChampionshipWCW World Tag Team ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
(2 times) – with Rey Mysterio, Jr. (1) and Billy Kidman (1) - WCW World Television ChampionshipWCW World Television ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling World Television Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Championship Wrestling....
(1 time)
- World Wrestling CouncilWorld Wrestling CouncilThe World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
- WWC Universal Heavyweight ChampionshipWWC Universal Heavyweight ChampionshipThe WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and the top title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council. The championship was established in July 1982, as the WWC World Heavyweight...
(1 time) - WWC World Tag Team ChampionshipWWC World Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWC World Tag Team Championship is the tag team title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council.-Title history:-External links:***...
(1 time) – with Carly ColónCarly ColonCarlos Edwin "Carly" Colón, Jr. is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler better known internationally by his ring name Carlito. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Entertainment , but was released from his contract on May 21, 2010. In his native Puerto Rico, he is known as both...
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameThe Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
(Class of 2009)
Luchas de apuestas record
| Wager | Winner | Loser | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mask | Konnan | Red Killer | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Mask | Konnan | Junior Killer | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Hairs | Konnan and Unknown | Red Killer and Junior Killer | Monterrey, Nuevo León | Unknown | |
| Hair | Konnan | As Charro | Tijuana Tijuana Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics... , Baja California Baja California Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North... |
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| Mask | Perro Aguayo Perro Aguayo Pedro Aguayo better known as "Perro Aguayo" and El Can de Nochistlan , was a famous Mexican wrestler through 1970s to 1990s. His son also wrestles as Perro Aguayo, Jr. or El Hijo del Perro Aguayo . He is one of the biggest box office attractions in lucha libre history and was the last major rival... |
Konnan | Mexico City Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
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| Hair | Konnan | Perro Aguayo Perro Aguayo Pedro Aguayo better known as "Perro Aguayo" and El Can de Nochistlan , was a famous Mexican wrestler through 1970s to 1990s. His son also wrestles as Perro Aguayo, Jr. or El Hijo del Perro Aguayo . He is one of the biggest box office attractions in lucha libre history and was the last major rival... |
Mexico City Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... |
Triangle match that also included Cien Caras Cien Caras Carmelo Reyes González is a Mexican professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Cien Caras... . |
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| Hair | Konnan | El Cobarde II | Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... , USA |
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| Hair | Konnan | Rey Gestas | Apatlaco, Mexico State | ||
| Hair | Konnan | Jake Roberts Jake Roberts Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith... |
Tijuana Tijuana Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics... , Baja California Baja California Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North... |
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| Hair | Konnan | Cien Caras Cien Caras Carmelo Reyes González is a Mexican professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Cien Caras... |
Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... , USA |
Triangle Cage match that also included Perro Aguayo Perro Aguayo Pedro Aguayo better known as "Perro Aguayo" and El Can de Nochistlan , was a famous Mexican wrestler through 1970s to 1990s. His son also wrestles as Perro Aguayo, Jr. or El Hijo del Perro Aguayo . He is one of the biggest box office attractions in lucha libre history and was the last major rival... . |
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| Hair | Konnan | Mike Awesome Mike Awesome Michael Lee Alfonso , better known by his ring name Mike Awesome, was an American professional wrestler best known in America for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, and in World Wrestling Federation and also in Japan for his work with Frontier Martial-Arts... |
Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana... , USA |
Konnan defended Kidman's Hair against Mike Awesome's Hair. |