| Van Hammer |
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| Van Hammer
Height: 6'6" Weight: 280 lbs. Real name: Mark Hildreth Hometown: Hebron, MD Pro debut: 1991 Finishing move: Modified Cobra clutch slam, Hammer Rocks (slingshot suplex), Flashback (double leg slam) Other aliases: "Heavy Metal" Van Hammer, Hammer, Major Stash Career highlights: Winner of 1992 WCW Jesse "The Body" Ventura Strongest Arm Tournament Trained by: WCW Power Plant Hildreth started wrestling in 1991 as "Heavy Metal" Van Hammer in World Championship Wrestling. He had a rock guitarist gimmick and feuded with J.T. Southern. His mannerisms were similar to that of The Ultimate Warrior, leading to speculation of his identity considering Warrior had dropped out of sight in the World Wrestling Federation about this time. He soon dropped the Heavy Metal part of the gimmick and wrestled as Van Hammer. He was thought of by other wrestlers as having an ego problem, as he would make comments on being the savior of the company, and was documented in Mick Foley's autobiography, Have a Nice Day. He won the first WCW Jesse "The Body" Ventura Strongest Arm Tournament in 1992 but did not have much success other than that. He had a small feud with Vinnie Vegas due to the arm-wrestling tournament but the angle was short-lived. At Starrcade '92, he teamed with "Dangerous" Dan Spivey to defeat Johnny B. Badd and Cactus Jack to earn a spot in the Battle Bowl match. In 1994, he feuded very briefly with Diamond Dallas Page while Page was doing an arm-wrestling gimmick. Hammer left WCW shortly thereafter and wrestled in Maryland Championship Wrestling with his wife Alexis as his valet. He returned to WCW in the late 1990's using the single name Hammer and joined The Flock, a stable led by Raven. Hammer won a "Loser Leaves The Flock" match against Perry Saturn in May of 1998. Despite winning the match, Hammer was attacked by The Flock after the match and was thrown out of the group. As a result of the attack, Hammer assisted Juventud Guerrera during his feud with Ron Reese. He later embraced peace as a hippie face and used a Cobra Clutch Slam variation as his finisher. Neither this gimmick nor the anti-peace heel that he soon became did much for his career. Hildreth appeared in the 2000 WCW movie, Ready To Rumble. In 2000, he joined the Misfits In Action as Major Stash, a reference to his drug problems. His original name was to be Private Stash, but he was reportedly offended at being labeled such a low rank, and fought to have it changed. It was because of these problems that he was let go in July of 2000. Hammer returned to the independent circuit before retiring in 2002 to help train wrestlers in the Maryland area. He has also been employed at the Rose's Department Store near his home. |