Dave Finlay

David J. Finlay Jr. (Belfast, October 20, 1958), better known by his ring name Finlay, half-time is a Northern Irish professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he is now working as a road agent.



Content
[hide] *1 Career  ==Career[ Edit] == Finlay began his career in Northern Ireland, where he was trained by his father who was also a professional wrestler (and even his own wrestling promotion in Ireland has called Ulster Championship Wrestling), before he went to Britain in 1978. He struggled there for different companies under the Joint Promotions flag, with his manager and then-wife Princess Paula by his side. Finlay won his first title when he defeated Allan Kilby on 9 June 1982 and won so the Joint Promotions British Heavy Middleweight title.He won and lost the title ever again for the rest of the year, but in early 1983 he lost him for the last time. Finlay won a tournament to Crown the new British Light Heavyweight champion, a title which he at that time available British Legend Ringo Rigby in the final.
 * 1.1 World Championship Wrestling
 * 1.2 World Wrestling Entertainment
 * 2 In wrestling
 * 3 Palmares
 * 4 external links

Finlay lost that title soon, but he conquered another, with Marty Jones defeated to the "World Mid-Heavyweight title" to win, although the title never has left Britain. Later that year defeated Finlay again Marty Jones and won again the British Light Heavyweight title. During ' 83 and ' 84 was Fit always fighting for a title if he was there a to defending.

He gained notoriety by a large British title win; All-Star's British Heavyweight Championship. Finlay also often came on the World of Sport Programme as David "Fit" Finlay.

Finlay also began during this period in Germany to struggle, for one of the largest companies in Europe, the Catch Wrestling Association. While he retained the all-star title, he formed a team with his old rival Marty Jones to win the CWA tag titles from Tony St. Clair (the man in which he had won the all-star title) and his partner Miles Zrno. After he lost the all-star title to Dave Taylor, Fit began to focus more on CWA where he won multiple titles and he got international fame, in which he traveled to Japan and Mexico. On a Japanese trip he formed a successful team with Chris Benoit who was then known as "The Pegasus Kid". ===World Championship Wrestling[ Edit] === To its current period in the WWE Finlay was best known in the United States for his time in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1995-2000, first as The Belfast Bruiser and later as "Fit" Finley. His star was rising when he surprisingly won by Eddie Guerrero on WCW Thunder via count-out. Shortly afterwards he snapped his dark, greasy mullet off and exchanged these for short, blond look that he currently carries and went chasing a Championship. He found success in 1998 and won the WCW World Television Championship and had a feud with Chris Benoit and Booker T. Not long after he was a good midcarder with its new name in spelling and pronunciation Fit Finlay.

At the end of its time for WCW, he won a "Hardcore junkyard Invitational" at Bash at the Beach, and won a "hardcore trophy". He suffered a badly lacerated nerve in his leg in a hardcore match at a house show in July which almost cost him the use of his leg. He struggled against Brian Knobbs, was at a table in the corner of the ring causing it to shatter and the table broke into pieces and cut his leg. He got back the use of his limb and came back later in the year, but at that time was all fame that he had gotten the junkyard Invitational road, In 2000 formed Finlay a trio of "Hardcore Soldiers" with Brian Knobbs and Al Green. After the return of Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo in WCW to power, he was virtually forgotten on TV. ===World Wrestling Entertainment<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p lang="en" len="169" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">After he wrestled in independent promotions before the defeated Finlay WCW he retired to a road agent and trainer for the WWE Divas in WWE.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Finlay began a comeback to work in 2004 and promos for his return to the ring were broadcast in december 2005. His gimmick was that of a proud Irishman who keeps fighting. His first televised WWE match was on January 20, 2006 during SmackDown! against Matt Hardy, which ended in a disqualification loss for Finlay. After the match, Finlay dragged Hardy to the steel staircase for the ring and kicked him with his boot in the face, making him himself as very cool and sexy. This helped him to his nickname "The Fighting Irish Bastard". A public Memorial SmackDown! Junior's Division in Finlay a mixed match and he humiliated the participants.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Finlay soon made name on the SmackDown! roster. During February and March of 2006 Finlay was involved in an intense feud with Bobby Lashley which the couple fought on multiple times, including in a Lumberjack match that Finlay won. During this time, Finlay a shillelagh as a weapon to use.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">On 2 april 2006, Finlay participated in his first WrestleMania, WrestleMania 22, Finlay fought against five other WWE Superstars of WWE Raw as both SmackDown! in a Money in the Bank ladder match. This match was eventually won by Rob Van Dam Raws.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Finlay would then participate in the King of the Ring tournament on Smackdown!, Finlay defeated his first round opponent Chris Benoit before he was defeated by his rival Lashley, who went to the finals duringJudgment Day. Finlay would be the other finalist, Booker T, in order to defeat Lashley in the final.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">At the beginning of the episode of SmackDown! on 26 May was Finlay accompanied by The Little Bastard who came from under the ring Finlays to attack opponents. The Little Bastard went through with attacking Finlays Finlays opponents with or without permission for several weeks. Finlay then joined together with William Regal to the loyal contenders of a newly renamed King Booker and his Court. During the period as part of the court, Finlay won the World Champion Rey Mysterio in a non-title match, before becoming the chief rival of the Court he defeated Bobby Lashley for his WWE United States Championship. Finlay defeated William Regal during The Great American Bash to retain his title, with help from The Little Bastard.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">He retired as a wrestler In 2011, but was still active as a Road Agent. He is fired by the WWE on March 29, 2011. ==In wrestling<span class="mw-editsection" len="330" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Finlay with his Shillelagh<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">.

==Palmares<span class="mw-editsection" len="326" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==
 * Finishers
 * Celtic Cross
 * Celtic Knot (Modified Indian deathlock)
 * Kneeling belly to belly piledriver
 * Signature moves
 * Big boot to a seated or kneeling opponent
 * Elevated Boston crab
 * European uppercut
 * Gutwrench suplex
 * Headlock
 * Inverted atomic drop
 * Inverted facelock backbreaker
 * Leg drop
 * Low-angle Dropkick to a seated or kneeling opponent
 * Rolling Hills (Rolling Fireman's carry slam)
 * Running seated senton
 * Short-arm clothesline
 * Single arm DDT
 * Snap mare followed by a seated surfboard
 * Spear to a cornered opponent
 * Characteristic weapon
 * Shillelagh
 * Wrestlers managed
 * The Dog
 * Brian Knobbs
 * Lord Steven Regal
 * Hornswoggle
 * Quotes
 * "My name is Finlay and I love to fight!" (My name is Finlay and I love fighting!)
 * "Finlay! That's my name!" (Finlay! That's my name!)
 * "The name's Finlay! Remember it!" (The name is Finlay! Remember that!)
 * "My name is Finlay, and I give a new meaning to the term, Fighting Irish"(my name is Finlay, and I give a new meaning to the term, Irish fight.)
 * "My name is Finlay, some people call me a Fighting Irish Bastard, but not to my face." (My name is Finlay, some people call me a Fighting Irish Bastard, but not in my face.)
 * "The Little Bastard stole my Guinness. I'll kill him!" (The Little Bastard (Hornswoggle) stole my Guinness. I killed him!)
 * All – Star Promotions
 * British Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * British championships
 * World Middleweight Championship (4 times)
 * Catch Wrestling Association
 * CWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * CWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time with Marty Jones)
 * Commonwealth championships
 * CW British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
 * CW World Middleweight Championship (4 times)
 * Fighting Spirit magazine
 * LL Cool J Award (2006)
 * Irish championships
 * Irish National Championship (1 time)
 * Joint promotions
 * British Heavy Middleweight Championship (5 times)
 * British Light Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
 * World Championship Wrestling
 * WCW World Television Championship (1 time)
 * Hardcore Junkyard Invitational Trophy
 * World Wrestling Entertainment
 * WWE United States Championship (1 time)