Damien Steele
Encyclopedia
Damien Dothard was an American professional wrestler
, better known by his ring name Damian Steele.
Steele competed mainly in North American independent
promotions
, including Georgia Championship Wrestling
. He later signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment
and was assigned to their developmental territory, Deep South Wrestling (DSW). While in DSW, he competed as one half of the tag team Ebony and Ivory with Ray Gordy
.
and David Young
on October 14, 2004. The following month, he was selected by AJ Steele as his new partner after he and Bull Buchanan, then reigning GCW Tag Team Champions, had split up. Steele had beaten Buchanan in a singles match to win that right. The two successfully defended the tag team titles against Sonny Siaki & David Young and Bull Buchanan and The Grappler before losing the belts to Elix Skipper
and John Bogie in Columbus, Georgia
on December 25, 2004.
They briefly regained the titles from Glenn Gilberti
and Johnny Swinger on February 12, 2005 before losing to Sonny Siaki and The Wrestler a little over two weeks later. On May 6, Steele lost to Jason Cross
in a three-way match with Tony Mamaluke. He also lost to Glen Gilbertti in a four-way match with Jason Cross and Tony Mamaluke for the GCW Television Championship on May 21. At GCW's 1st Anniversary Show a week later, Damian Steele participated in a War Games cage match as part of Dusty Rhodes
' team which included Jason Cross, Sonny Siaki and A.J. Steele. After defeating their opponents David Young, The Wrestler, Chris Stevens and Greg Brown, Dusty Rhodes defeated Tully Blanchard
in the cage with Ronnie Garvin as special guest referee.
On June 4, Steele and Glenn Gilberti wrestled to a time limit draw in a match for the GCW Television Championship. Due to a contract loophole however, Steele was awarded the title. Defeating Elix Skipper weeks later on June 18, he officially unified the GCW Television and US Junior Heavyweight titles. Feuding with Jason Cross over the title, he fought Cross to a 15 minute time limit draw at GCW's Never Say Never held at the GCW Arena on July 2 and defeated Jason Cross and Glen Gilbertti in a three-way match a week later. He finally lost the title to Jason Cross on July 23. He also lost to Elix Skipper on August 6 and, at The Point of No Return, he lost to GCW Television Champion Glen Gilbertti in a no time limit match. Later that month, Steele lost to John Bogie & Lee Thomas in a tag team match with Cassidy Riley
in an "Australian Rules" tag team match on August 20. He and Riley faced each other in a singles match the following month. Steele, while arguing with the referee, was pinned by Riley. Steele would wrestle his last match defeating Lee Thomas on October 15, 2005.
, Todd Shane
and Freakin Deacon. In December, he also teamed with Justin Sane and Ryan Reeves in tag team matches against The Regulators.
He scored his first major victory in the promotion defeating "Uptown" Frankie Capone on January 19, 2006. That same month, he began teaming with Ray Gordy
as "Ebony and Ivory" and quickly became a formidable tag team in the promotion facing both The Slaughter Boys and The Gymini
during their first weeks as a team. On February 9, they teamed with Bill DeMott
to defeat Simon Dean
and The Gymini in a 6-man tag team match. They also teamed with Scott Fantastic against Frankie Piazzo and The Slaughter Boys on March 9.
Defeating Frankie Ciasta in a singles match on March 16, he and Gordy defeated Ciasta and his partner Mikal Adryan in a dark match a week later. At that same event, they were defeated by The Blue Bloods (William Regal
and David Taylor) in a championship tournament for the DSW Tag Team Championship. On April 13, Steele lost to Palmer Canon
in a singles match with Matt Striker
as the special guest referee. During the match, The Great Khali interfered knocking out Steele with a headbutt
. Ebony and Ivory also faced Sonny Siaki
and Jay Bradley
and Montel Vontavious Porter and Eric Perez that same month.
On May 4, Steele defeated Francisco Ciatso in a dark match and defeated he and Cru Jones in a tag team match with T-Ray
a week later. On June 6, he and Gordy defeated Matt Striker and Cru Jones. They also faced The Great Khali several days later losing to him in a handicap match. The following night at Six Flags, Steele lost to Eric Perez. Steele began wrestling in single matches later that month against Matt Striker, Francisco Ciatso and Derek Niekirk.
On July 13, Ebony and Ivory lost a four-way match to Urban Assault (Eric Perez and Sonny Siaki). The match, which included Team Elite (Tony Salantri
and Mike Taylor) and The Major Brothers
(Brett and Brian), was to decide the number one contenders to the DSW Tag Team Championship. Defeating Bradley Jay and Chris Rombola
a week later, Steel also faced Montel Vontavious Porter, Bradley Jay and Big Bully Douglas in single matches for the next few weeks. On August 31, he and Gordy lost to Bradley Jay and Magnus Maximus in a dark match at a DSW television taping.
Three days later, he and Gordy made their first World Wrestling Entertainment
appearance facing The Pitbulls (Jamie Noble
and Kid Kash) at the September 2 edition of SmackDown!. On September 7, they lost to Derrick Neikirk and Danny Gimondo in another dark match on DSW television. Steele also faced Dan Rodimer in the opening match at Six Flags Over Georgia held at the Axis Arena in Austell, Georgia
two days later.
. At GCW's fourth annual War Games show at the Great Skate Plex on April 24, Steele lost to The Bruiser when he was pinned after receiving a high kick to the head. AJ Steele had originally been scheduled to appear at the event, but was replaced by Damian Steele when his former partner left for the Independent Wrestling Network.
Dothard died in his sleep on July 22, 2009 at his home in Smyrna, Georgia
. Steele had complained of feeling unwell the same evening. The cause of death was later determined as a brain aneurysm
.
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...
, better known by his ring name Damian Steele.
Steele competed mainly in North American independent
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
promotions
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...
, including Georgia Championship Wrestling
Georgia Championship Wrestling
Georgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
. He later signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment
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...
and was assigned to their developmental territory, Deep South Wrestling (DSW). While in DSW, he competed as one half of the tag team Ebony and Ivory with Ray Gordy
Ray Gordy
Terry Ray Gordy, Jr. is an American professional wrestler best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment appearing on its SmackDown brand under the ring names Jesse and Slam Master J...
.
Georgia Championship Wrestling (2004-2005)
Making his professional debut in 2004, Damian Steele teamed with AJ Steele in one of his earliest matches in the promotion to challenge GCW Tag Team Champions Sonny SiakiSonny Siaki
Sonny Siaki is a retired American professional wrestler. Unlike many Samoans in professional wrestling, he is not part of the large Anoa'i or Fatu family.-Early life:...
and David Young
David Young (wrestler)
David Williams , better known by his ring name, David Young, is an American professional wrestler. Though he has mainly appeared with NWA Wildside and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Young has also competed for Ring of Honor, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and ZERO-ONE...
on October 14, 2004. The following month, he was selected by AJ Steele as his new partner after he and Bull Buchanan, then reigning GCW Tag Team Champions, had split up. Steele had beaten Buchanan in a singles match to win that right. The two successfully defended the tag team titles against Sonny Siaki & David Young and Bull Buchanan and The Grappler before losing the belts to Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper
Elix Skipper is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a four-time NWA World Tag Team...
and John Bogie in Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
on December 25, 2004.
They briefly regained the titles from 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....
and Johnny Swinger on February 12, 2005 before losing to Sonny Siaki and The Wrestler a little over two weeks later. On May 6, Steele lost to Jason Cross
Jason Cross
William Jason Massengale is an American professional wrestler. He is best known by his ring name Jason Cross and for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.-NWA Wildside :...
in a three-way match with Tony Mamaluke. He also lost to Glen Gilbertti in a four-way match with Jason Cross and Tony Mamaluke for the GCW Television Championship on May 21. At GCW's 1st Anniversary Show a week later, Damian Steele participated in a War Games cage match as part of 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...
' team which included Jason Cross, Sonny Siaki and A.J. Steele. After defeating their opponents David Young, The Wrestler, Chris Stevens and Greg Brown, Dusty Rhodes defeated Tully Blanchard
Tully Blanchard
Tully Arthur Blanchard is a semi-retired second generation American professional wrestler. He is best known as an original member of the Four Horsemen....
in the cage with Ronnie Garvin as special guest referee.
On June 4, Steele and Glenn Gilberti wrestled to a time limit draw in a match for the GCW Television Championship. Due to a contract loophole however, Steele was awarded the title. Defeating Elix Skipper weeks later on June 18, he officially unified the GCW Television and US Junior Heavyweight titles. Feuding with Jason Cross over the title, he fought Cross to a 15 minute time limit draw at GCW's Never Say Never held at the GCW Arena on July 2 and defeated Jason Cross and Glen Gilbertti in a three-way match a week later. He finally lost the title to Jason Cross on July 23. He also lost to Elix Skipper on August 6 and, at The Point of No Return, he lost to GCW Television Champion Glen Gilbertti in a no time limit match. Later that month, Steele lost to John Bogie & Lee Thomas in a tag team match with Cassidy Riley
Cassidy O'Reilly
Cassidy Riley is an American professional wrestler, also known as Cassidy Reilly and Cassidy O'Riley best known for work with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment....
in an "Australian Rules" tag team match on August 20. He and Riley faced each other in a singles match the following month. Steele, while arguing with the referee, was pinned by Riley. Steele would wrestle his last match defeating Lee Thomas on October 15, 2005.
Deep South Wrestling (2005-2006)
Steele was transferred to Deep South Wrestling in the fall of 2005. He was less than successful in the singles division losing matches to Johnny Slaughter, Johnny Parisi, Lash LeRoux, Eric PerezEric Perez
Eric Alexander Pérez is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler who currently performs under the ring name Eric Escobar. He is best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment , where he spent most of his career in developmental territories...
, Todd Shane
Shane Twins
The Shane Twins are a professional wrestling tag team that consist of twin brothers Mike and Todd Shane. They were best known for their appearances in World Wrestling Entertainment as Gymini.-History:The Shane Twins debuted in the Florida based Independent Pro Wrestling promotion in 1998...
and Freakin Deacon. In December, he also teamed with Justin Sane and Ryan Reeves in tag team matches against The Regulators.
He scored his first major victory in the promotion defeating "Uptown" Frankie Capone on January 19, 2006. That same month, he began teaming with Ray Gordy
Ray Gordy
Terry Ray Gordy, Jr. is an American professional wrestler best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment appearing on its SmackDown brand under the ring names Jesse and Slam Master J...
as "Ebony and Ivory" and quickly became a formidable tag team in the promotion facing both The Slaughter Boys and The Gymini
Shane Twins
The Shane Twins are a professional wrestling tag team that consist of twin brothers Mike and Todd Shane. They were best known for their appearances in World Wrestling Entertainment as Gymini.-History:The Shane Twins debuted in the Florida based Independent Pro Wrestling promotion in 1998...
during their first weeks as a team. On February 9, they teamed with Bill DeMott
Bill DeMott
William Charles "Bill" DeMott II is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment as Hugh Morrus and Bill DeMott respectively and as Crash The Terminator in Extreme Championship Wrestling and Japan...
to defeat Simon Dean
Mike Bucci
Michael "Mike" Bucci is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean...
and The Gymini in a 6-man tag team match. They also teamed with Scott Fantastic against Frankie Piazzo and The Slaughter Boys on March 9.
Defeating Frankie Ciasta in a singles match on March 16, he and Gordy defeated Ciasta and his partner Mikal Adryan in a dark match a week later. At that same event, they were defeated by The Blue Bloods (William Regal
Darren Matthews
Darren Kenneth Matthews , is an English professional wrestler, author and color commentator currently signed to WWE and competing on the SmackDown brand under the ring name William Regal. He is also known for his time in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Steven Regal...
and David Taylor) in a championship tournament for the DSW Tag Team Championship. On April 13, Steele lost to Palmer Canon
Brian Mailhot
Brian Mailhot is an American professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter, better known for his short stint in World Wrestling Entertainment's SmackDown! brand under the ring name of Palmer Canon.-Early career:...
in a singles match with Matt Striker
Matthew Kaye
Matthew Kaye is an American actor, wrestling commentator and semi-retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Matt Striker. He is signed to WWE, where he serves as the host of WWE NXT....
as the special guest referee. During the match, The Great Khali interfered knocking out Steele with a headbutt
Headbutt
A headbutt is a strike with the head, typically involving the use of robust parts of the cranium as areas of impact. Effective headbutting revolves around striking a sensitive area with a less sensitive area, such as striking the nose of an opponent with the forehead...
. Ebony and Ivory also faced Sonny Siaki
Sonny Siaki
Sonny Siaki is a retired American professional wrestler. Unlike many Samoans in professional wrestling, he is not part of the large Anoa'i or Fatu family.-Early life:...
and Jay Bradley
Brad Bradley
Brad Bradley is an American professional wrestler, best known for working for World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Ryan Braddock.-Early career:...
and Montel Vontavious Porter and Eric Perez that same month.
On May 4, Steele defeated Francisco Ciatso in a dark match and defeated he and Cru Jones in a tag team match with T-Ray
Ray Gordy
Terry Ray Gordy, Jr. is an American professional wrestler best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment appearing on its SmackDown brand under the ring names Jesse and Slam Master J...
a week later. On June 6, he and Gordy defeated Matt Striker and Cru Jones. They also faced The Great Khali several days later losing to him in a handicap match. The following night at Six Flags, Steele lost to Eric Perez. Steele began wrestling in single matches later that month against Matt Striker, Francisco Ciatso and Derek Niekirk.
On July 13, Ebony and Ivory lost a four-way match to Urban Assault (Eric Perez and Sonny Siaki). The match, which included Team Elite (Tony Salantri
Tony Salantri
Anthony "Tony" Salantri is an American Film and television actor and a former American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names Tony Santarelli or Tony Stradlin, who competed in North American independent promotions including Combat Zone Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance and...
and Mike Taylor) and The Major Brothers
Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder
Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder were a American professional wrestling tag team who appeared on the independent circuit and WWE under a variety of evolving names....
(Brett and Brian), was to decide the number one contenders to the DSW Tag Team Championship. Defeating Bradley Jay and Chris Rombola
Christopher Rombola
Christopher "Chris" Rombola is an American professional wrestler who, in January 2006, was the first to be selected in the nationwide tryouts held by the World Wrestling Entertainment...
a week later, Steel also faced Montel Vontavious Porter, Bradley Jay and Big Bully Douglas in single matches for the next few weeks. On August 31, he and Gordy lost to Bradley Jay and Magnus Maximus in a dark match at a DSW television taping.
Three days later, he and Gordy made their first World Wrestling Entertainment
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...
appearance facing The Pitbulls (Jamie Noble
Jamie Noble
James Howard Gibson better known by his WWE ring name Jamie Noble, is an American former professional wrestler currently working for WWE as a trainer. He is best known for his work from 2002 to 2009 when a severe back injury forced him to retire from competition...
and Kid Kash) at the September 2 edition of SmackDown!. On September 7, they lost to Derrick Neikirk and Danny Gimondo in another dark match on DSW television. Steele also faced Dan Rodimer in the opening match at Six Flags Over Georgia held at the Axis Arena in Austell, Georgia
Austell, Georgia
Austell is a city in Cobb County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,581.-History:Austell used to be known as Salt Springs, and was frequented by hunters who would trap and hunt game on their way to the salt licks. Some enterprising hunters claimed...
two days later.
2007-2009
Steele remained with Georgia Championship Wrestling after the promotion ended its business relationship with World Wrestling Entertainment. He made his official return on April 17, 2007 when he defeated Randall Johnson with a Northern Lights Suplex in Phenix City, AlabamaPhenix City, Alabama
Phenix City is a city and the county seat in Russell County in the U.S. state of Alabama. Portions of Lee County are addressed as Phenix City, 36870 ZIP code, for the sole purpose that Smiths Station does not have full incorporation to annex the area...
. At GCW's fourth annual War Games show at the Great Skate Plex on April 24, Steele lost to The Bruiser when he was pinned after receiving a high kick to the head. AJ Steele had originally been scheduled to appear at the event, but was replaced by Damian Steele when his former partner left for the Independent Wrestling Network.
Personal life and death
Dothard had an on and off relationship with Julie Patterson for nine years. He had two sons. Prior to his death he had been working as a personal trainer.Dothard died in his sleep on July 22, 2009 at his home in Smyrna, Georgia
Smyrna, Georgia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,999 people, 18,372 households, and 9,498 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,949.9 people per square mile . There were 19,633 housing units at an average density of 1,412.6 per square mile...
. Steele had complained of feeling unwell the same evening. The cause of death was later determined as a brain aneurysm
Cerebral aneurysm
A cerebral or brain aneurysm is a cerebrovascular disorder in which weakness in the wall of a cerebral artery or vein causes a localized dilation or ballooning of the blood vessel.- Signs and symptoms :...
.
Championships and accomplishments
- Georgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
- GCW United States Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- GCW Television Championship (2 times)
- GCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with AJ Steele