| The Warlord |
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| The Warlord Height: 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) Weight: 323 lb (147 kg) Real name: Terry Szopinski Hometown: Pompano Beach, Florida Pro debut: 1986 Finishing move: Warlord Lariat (Diving Clothesline), Warlord Lock (Full Nelson Submission) Other aliases: Super Assassin #2 (WCW) Career highlights: NWA Central States Tag Team Champion (w/Killer Karl Kovac), NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Champion (w/Ivan Koloff & The Barbarian), NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion, WWWA Tag Team Champion (w/The Barbarian), WAR Six-Man Tag Team Champion (w/Bob Backlund & Scott Putski), UWS Heavyweight Champion, MXPW Heavyweight Champion Trained by: Eddie Sharkey Terry Szopinski started wrestling as The Warlord in 1986 for the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions. He was managed by Baby Doll and was supposed to be her protection against Jim Cornette and Big Bubba Rogers. He was so green that he had only a couple of confrontations before Bubba knocked him out with a roll of quarters. Jim Crockett, Jr. then sent him to the Kansas City territory for more seasoning. While in Central States Wrestling, he teamed with Killer Karl Kovac and won the NWA Central States Tag Team Championship. He also learned more about wrestling. He returned to the NWA in late 1987 and hooked up with Ivan Koloff and manager Paul Jones. He was immediately teamed with another big man, The Barbarian, with whom he formed The Powers of Pain. They feuded heavily with the Road Warriors and won the NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship with Ivan. Management wanted them to do some scaffold matches against the Warriors (they would have had to fall off the scaffold) which caused he and Barbarian to head to the WWF. Upon arrival, they were faces managed by The Baron and feuded with Demolition (Ax and Smash). At the 1988 Survivor Series, the manager for Demolition (Mr. Fuji) double-crossed them and joined the Powers of Pain. They continued the feud as heels but could not win the tag team titles. They then feuded with The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart). The Powers of Pain split in 1990 and Warlord went under the management of Slick. He would have his image tweaked, changing from his Road Warrior-like reverse mohawk and face paint to a shaved head and wearing a metal cyborg-like phantom of the opera half-face cover to the ring. He feuded with Jimmy Snuka, Davey Boy Smith, Kerry Von Erich, Bret Hart, Greg Valentine, and Tito Santana. He once bench pressed 500 lbs 19 times on an episode of WWF Prime Time Wrestling. His goal was to rep it 20 times; Slick excused the Warlord by saying that he had a cold at the time. He holds the record for shortest time spent in a Royal Rumble match with 3 seconds in 1989. Warlord left the WWF in 1992 for the independent circuit. He had to retire for a few years after a car wreck in 1996. He briefly wrestled in WCW as Super Assassin 2 with Barbarian as Super Assassin 1. They were managed by Col. Rob Parker but did not get a decent push. During his time away from wrestling, he trained as a security guard, providing his services for several businesses in the Florida area. He also worked as a bodyguard for rapper 50 Cent during an overseas tour. |