Dan Marsh
Encyclopedia
Dan Marsh is a former professional wrestling
referee
and wrestler
most famous as Danny Davis of the World Wrestling Federation
. He also competed in the WWF for several years as Mr. X, a masked wrestler.
As a referee, Davis showed blatant favortism toward certain wrestlers, which eventually led to his removal as a referee. He then helped manage
the Hart Foundation
and began wrestling. He competed at several major WWF events, during which he won a six-man match at WrestleMania III
and advanced to the semi-final round at King of the Ring 1987. He was later reinstated as a referee and remained with the company until the mid-1990s.
as a referee under the ring name
Danny Davis. He also wrestled from 1984 to 1986 as the masked Mr. X. The Mr. X character was a jobber
who won very few matches. He wrestled some of the WWF's top stars, including former WWF Champions
Pedro Morales
and Bruno Sammartino
. He also participated in the 1986 King of the Ring tournament. He was given a bye
to the second round but lost his match to Billy Jack Haynes
. His biggest win as Mr. X came on the October 28, 1986 episode of WWF Prime Time Wrestling
when he defeated fellow jobber Rudy Diamond.
Starting in 1986 Davis was involved in several controversial matches in which he was thought to favor the heel
(villain) wrestlers. Davis made fast pinfall counts and disqualified face
(fan favorite) wrestlers with little or no provocation. WWF commentator Gorilla Monsoon
accused Davis of accepting bribes, pointing to Davis' wealth as evidence. Davis involved himself in a steel cage match between face Hulk Hogan and heel Paul Orndorff. When both wrestlers escaped the cage at the same time, Davis declared Orndorff the winner, while referee Joey Marella
stated that Hogan won. As a result, the match had to be restarted, and Hogan eventually won.
Davis' refereeing style angered many of the fan favorite wrestlers and led to them physically attacking him. The wrestlers hit him or threw him when they got frustrated, which led to Davis disqualifying them. They also attacked him after some matches in which they felt that his officiated led to the heels winning unfairly.
, The Hart Foundation
defeated the British Bulldogs
for their first WWF Tag Team Championship. Danny Davis was the referee and allowed the Hart Foundation to use illegal double-team maneuvers in the match. As a result of the match, WWF President Jack Tunney
stripped Davis of his referee duties. That same night, Davis was approached by manager Jimmy Hart
about joining his stable of wrestlers. Davis joined up with Jimmy Hart and the Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) and became "Dangerous" Danny Davis. He accompanied the Hart Foundation to the ring for their matches and often became involved by attacking the Hart Foundation's opponents from outside the ring or entering the ring to reverse pinfalls by placing Hart or Neidhart on top of their opponents.
At the beginning of his suspension as a referee, Davis was involved in a scripted storyline in which he occasionally came to the ring and insisted that he would referee a match. This led to officials from the state athletic commission removing Davis from ringside. Davis appeared on Piper's Pit
, an interview segment hosted by Roddy Piper
to discuss his decisions as a referee. Davis refused to admit to any wrongdoing and was confronted by Marella, who criticized him. The segment ended with Piper attacking Davis.
At WrestleMania III
, Davis made his in-ring debut when he teamed up with the Hart Foundation to defeat the British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith
and Dynamite Kid
) and Tito Santana
. Davis got the pin on Smith after he hit him in the head with Jimmy Hart's megaphone
. His next major appearance was in the 1987 King of the Ring tournament. Davis defeated Tito Santana
and Junkyard Dog
before being eliminated in the third round by Randy Savage
, who went on to win the tournament.
During 1987, Davis was booked in several series of matches: against Koko B. Ware, George Steele
, and Jake Roberts
. The feud with Ware included a match televised on the April 13, 1987 episode of Prime Time Wrestling, which ended in a draw. Ware won most of the matches, but Davis won several matches after using foreign objects to attack Ware. Davis initiated a feud with Steele when Steele was facing Randy Savage
in a lumberjack match, which is a match where the ring is surrounded by other wrestlers. Davis, one of the "lumberjacks" at ringside to ensure that neither competitor could escape, attacked Steele with the timekeeper's bell and helped Savage with the match. This feud culminated in a match on the November 28, 1987 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event, in which Steele defeated Davis by disqualification after Davis kicked referee Joey Marella. Davis' feud with Roberts began when Davis showed up unexpectedly on the Snake Pit, Roberts' interview segment, while Roberts was interviewing Mr. T
. Davis ran away after Roberts brought out Damien, his pet python. On the September 19, 1987 episode of WWF Superstars of Wrestling
, Davis attempted to steal Damien during one of Roberts' matches, but Roberts chased him away again. Davis also had a rivalry with Mr. T, who was booked to enforce the rules during matches and thwarted Davis' attempts to interfere.
At the inaugural Survivor Series
, Davis participated in the opening contest, joining The Honky Tonk Man
, Hercules
, Ron Bass
and Harley Race
, facing Randy Savage
, Jake Roberts
, Ricky Steamboat
, Brutus Beefcake
and Jim Duggan
. Davis was the third man eliminated on his team, after Roberts performed a DDT
on him. Roberts and Davis had a singles match the following month on Prime Time Wrestling. Roberts beat Davis quickly, placed Damien on Davis, and left the ring. As Davis' feuds were winding down, he entered into a new feud with Sam Houston
. Houston defeated Davis in their first encounter, but Davis was upset because his foot was on the ropes and the referee should not have counted the pinfall. This disagreement led to a series of angry promotional interviews and fights, as well as a series of matches that lasted several months.
The following year, he competed in the battle royal
main event at Royal Rumble 1988
. He was in the ring for the fourth-longest time but was eliminated by eventual winner Jim Duggan
when Davis was thrown over the top ring rope to the floor. He also competed in the 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania IV
. He was thrown over the top rope by Paul Roma
to be eliminated from the match.
after Hulk Hogan used a foreign object to attack his opponents in a tag team contest. After Hogan's team won the match and the WWF Tag Team Championship, Davis came to the ring from backstage, disqualified Hogan, and returned the title belts to Money Inc.
in a classic Dusty finish. He worked for the WWF until 1995.
and Earl
) were involved in a controversy when Earl took Dave's place and showed favoritism to André the Giant
, helping him to win the WWF Championship. In a similar manner, Eric Bischoff
and Vince McMahon
, the heads of World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment, respectively, have used the gimmick of evil owners in storylines.
Davis's fame as a wrestler and referee led to him appearing in the 1989 line of Classic WWF trading cards. Davis has continued to wrestle occasionally and currently wrestles on the Massachusetts independent
wrestling scene. He competes for the World Wrestling Alliance
, where he is the current WWA Champion. He also occasionally acts as a referee for wrestling matches in Massachusetts.
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...
referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
and 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...
most famous as Danny Davis of 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...
. He also competed in the WWF for several years as Mr. X, a masked wrestler.
As a referee, Davis showed blatant favortism toward certain wrestlers, which eventually led to his removal as a referee. He then helped manage
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...
the Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation referred to several teams or stables in the World Wrestling Federation , usually consisted of members or close friends of the Hart wrestling family from Canada....
and began wrestling. He competed at several major WWF events, during which he won a six-man match at WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
and advanced to the semi-final round at King of the Ring 1987. He was later reinstated as a referee and remained with the company until the mid-1990s.
WWF Referee (1982–1987)
Dan Marsh started out in 1982 in the 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 a referee under the ring name
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:...
Danny Davis. He also wrestled from 1984 to 1986 as the masked Mr. X. The Mr. X character was a jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
who won very few matches. He wrestled some of the WWF's top stars, including former WWF Champions
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
Pedro Morales
Pedro Morales
Pedro Morales is a retired Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He began his wrestling career as a teenager in 1959 and continued through to the late 1980s...
and Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino is an Italian-American former professional wrestler, best known for being the longest-running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation , holding the title across two reigns for over 11 years in total, as well as the longest single WWE Championship reign...
. He also participated in the 1986 King of the Ring tournament. He was given a bye
Bye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
to the second round but lost his match to Billy Jack Haynes
Billy Jack Haynes
William Albert Haynes, III is a retired American professional wrestler better known as Billy Jack Haynes.-Early career :...
. His biggest win as Mr. X came on the October 28, 1986 episode of WWF Prime Time Wrestling
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
WWF Prime Time Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It aired on the USA Network from 1985-1993. A precursor to Monday Night Raw, Prime Time Wrestling was a two-hour long, weekly program that featured stars of the World Wrestling...
when he defeated fellow jobber Rudy Diamond.
Starting in 1986 Davis was involved in several controversial matches in which he was thought to favor the 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...
(villain) wrestlers. Davis made fast pinfall counts and disqualified face
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...
(fan favorite) wrestlers with little or no provocation. WWF commentator Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Robert James "Gino" Marella , better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play announcer, and booker...
accused Davis of accepting bribes, pointing to Davis' wealth as evidence. Davis involved himself in a steel cage match between face Hulk Hogan and heel Paul Orndorff. When both wrestlers escaped the cage at the same time, Davis declared Orndorff the winner, while referee Joey Marella
Joey Marella
Joey Marella was a professional wrestling referee for the World Wrestling Federation and the son of former wrestler and then WWF announcer Gorilla Monsoon from Willingboro Township, New Jersey....
stated that Hogan won. As a result, the match had to be restarted, and Hogan eventually won.
Davis' refereeing style angered many of the fan favorite wrestlers and led to them physically attacking him. The wrestlers hit him or threw him when they got frustrated, which led to Davis disqualifying them. They also attacked him after some matches in which they felt that his officiated led to the heels winning unfairly.
"Dangerous" Danny Davis (1987–1989)
On the January 26, 1987 edition of SuperstarsWWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It debuted on September 6, 1986...
, The Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation referred to several teams or stables in the World Wrestling Federation , usually consisted of members or close friends of the Hart wrestling family from Canada....
defeated the British Bulldogs
British Bulldogs
The British Bulldogs were the team of cousins Davey Boy Smith and Tom Billington , professional wrestlers who competed through most of the 1980s in both North America, England, and Japan and is by many considered one of the top tag-teams in history.-Early years :In the 1970s, Dynamite Kid and Davey...
for their first WWF Tag Team Championship. Danny Davis was the referee and allowed the Hart Foundation to use illegal double-team maneuvers in the match. As a result of the match, WWF President Jack Tunney
Jack Tunney
John "Jack" Tunney was a Canadian wrestling promoter. Tunney was known worldwide for his appearances on World Wrestling Federation television as the promotion's figurehead president, suspending wrestlers, stripping them of titles, and ordering matches...
stripped Davis of his referee duties. That same night, Davis was approached by manager Jimmy Hart
Jimmy Hart
James "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...
about joining his stable of wrestlers. Davis joined up with Jimmy Hart and the Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) and became "Dangerous" Danny Davis. He accompanied the Hart Foundation to the ring for their matches and often became involved by attacking the Hart Foundation's opponents from outside the ring or entering the ring to reverse pinfalls by placing Hart or Neidhart on top of their opponents.
At the beginning of his suspension as a referee, Davis was involved in a scripted storyline in which he occasionally came to the ring and insisted that he would referee a match. This led to officials from the state athletic commission removing Davis from ringside. Davis appeared on Piper's Pit
Piper's Pit
Piper's Pit was an interview segment featuring Roddy Piper which was a mainstay of WWF/WWE television from 1984 to 1987, and then returned briefly in 1989. Also, Piper hosted similar segments while wrestling for other promotions in 2003 - 2011....
, an interview segment hosted by Roddy Piper
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
to discuss his decisions as a referee. Davis refused to admit to any wrongdoing and was confronted by Marella, who criticized him. The segment ended with Piper attacking Davis.
At WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
, Davis made his in-ring debut when he teamed up with the Hart Foundation to defeat the British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
and Dynamite Kid
Dynamite Kid
Thomas Wilton Billington , best known by the ring name Dynamite Kid, is a retired British professional wrestler who competed in the World Wrestling Federation, Stampede Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid- to late-1980s...
) and Tito Santana
Tito Santana
Merced Solis better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation...
. Davis got the pin on Smith after he hit him in the head with Jimmy Hart's megaphone
Megaphone
A megaphone, speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn, or loud hailer is a portable, usually hand-held, cone-shaped horn used to amplify a person’s voice or other sounds towards a targeted direction. This is accomplished by channelling the sound through the megaphone, which also serves to match the...
. His next major appearance was in the 1987 King of the Ring tournament. Davis defeated Tito Santana
Tito Santana
Merced Solis better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation...
and Junkyard Dog
Junkyard Dog
Sylvester Ritter was an American professional wrestler and professional football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as The Junkyard Dog...
before being eliminated in the third round by Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
, who went on to win the tournament.
During 1987, Davis was booked in several series of matches: against Koko B. Ware, George Steele
George Steele
William James Myers , better known by his ring name George "The Animal" Steele is a former American professional wrestler and actor...
, and Jake Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
. The feud with Ware included a match televised on the April 13, 1987 episode of Prime Time Wrestling, which ended in a draw. Ware won most of the matches, but Davis won several matches after using foreign objects to attack Ware. Davis initiated a feud with Steele when Steele was facing Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
in a lumberjack match, which is a match where the ring is surrounded by other wrestlers. Davis, one of the "lumberjacks" at ringside to ensure that neither competitor could escape, attacked Steele with the timekeeper's bell and helped Savage with the match. This feud culminated in a match on the November 28, 1987 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event, in which Steele defeated Davis by disqualification after Davis kicked referee Joey Marella. Davis' feud with Roberts began when Davis showed up unexpectedly on the Snake Pit, Roberts' interview segment, while Roberts was interviewing Mr. T
Mr. T
Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
. Davis ran away after Roberts brought out Damien, his pet python. On the September 19, 1987 episode of WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It debuted on September 6, 1986...
, Davis attempted to steal Damien during one of Roberts' matches, but Roberts chased him away again. Davis also had a rivalry with Mr. T, who was booked to enforce the rules during matches and thwarted Davis' attempts to interfere.
At the inaugural Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1987)
Survivor Series was the first Survivor Series pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1987 and was held at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio....
, Davis participated in the opening contest, joining The Honky Tonk Man
The Honky Tonk Man
Roy Wayne Farris , better known by his ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American professional wrestler. A 1975 graduate from University of Memphis with a B.S. degree in Education. Coached high school football 2 seasons at Munford High School in Munford, Tennessee...
, Hercules
Ray Fernandez
Raymond Fernandez was a professional wrestler who primarily wrestled in Florida and Texas before joining the World Wrestling Federation. He was best known by the ring name Hercules Hernandez or simply Hercules...
, Ron Bass
Ronald Herd
Ronald Heard is a former American professional wrestler, best known under the name Ron Bass. His gimmick was a Texan cowboy who entered World Wrestling Federation rings to the sound of a bullwhip.-Career:...
and Harley Race
Harley Race
Harley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
, facing Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
, Jake Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
, Ricky Steamboat
Ricky Steamboat
Richard Henry Blood , better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career...
, Brutus Beefcake
Edward Leslie
Edward Harrison "Ed" Leslie is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Brutus The Barber Beefcake. He later worked for World Championship Wrestling under a variety of names, mainly as "The Disciple" of real-life best friend...
and Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan
James Edward Duggan , better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation , and World Championship Wrestling...
. Davis was the third man eliminated on his team, after Roberts performed a DDT
DDT (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...
on him. Roberts and Davis had a singles match the following month on Prime Time Wrestling. Roberts beat Davis quickly, placed Damien on Davis, and left the ring. As Davis' feuds were winding down, he entered into a new feud with Sam Houston
Michael Smith (wrestler)
Michael Maurice Smith is a second generation professional wrestler who is best known for competing under the ring name Sam Houston in the 1980s...
. Houston defeated Davis in their first encounter, but Davis was upset because his foot was on the ropes and the referee should not have counted the pinfall. This disagreement led to a series of angry promotional interviews and fights, as well as a series of matches that lasted several months.
The following year, he competed in the battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
main event at Royal Rumble 1988
Royal Rumble (1988)
Royal Rumble was the first annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 24, 1988 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario...
. He was in the ring for the fourth-longest time but was eliminated by eventual winner Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan
James Edward Duggan , better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation , and World Championship Wrestling...
when Davis was thrown over the top ring rope to the floor. He also competed in the 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania IV
WrestleMania IV
WrestleMania IV was the fourth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 27, 1988 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey....
. He was thrown over the top rope by Paul Roma
Paul Roma
Paul Roma is a professional wrestler who is known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling primarily as a tag-team wrestler alongside such partners as Jim Powers, Hercules, Arn Anderson and Paul Orndorff.-World Wrestling Federation :Paul Roma entered...
to be eliminated from the match.
WWF Referee (1989–1995)
The "Dangerous" Danny Davis persona was eventually phased out, and in 1989, Davis was reinstated as a "probationary" referee. His officiating style had become objective, and the crooked referee gimmick was dropped. He was involved in another controversial match at WrestleMania IXWrestleMania IX
WrestleMania IX was the ninth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. The event took place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 4, 1993 and was the first WrestleMania event held outdoors...
after Hulk Hogan used a foreign object to attack his opponents in a tag team contest. After Hogan's team won the match and the WWF Tag Team Championship, Davis came to the ring from backstage, disqualified Hogan, and returned the title belts to Money Inc.
Money Inc.
Money Inc. was a heel professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation from February 1992 to August 1993. The team consisted of "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster . They held the WWF Tag Team Championship three times, defeating the Legion of Doom, The Natural...
in a classic Dusty finish. He worked for the WWF until 1995.
Legacy
Although Davis was not the first crooked wrestling referee, he is often mentioned as a prototype of a corrupt official, which is a storyline that has been used by several wrestling promotions. One year after Davis was banned from referee duties, the twin Hebner brothers (DaveDave Hebner
Dave Hebner is an American professional wrestling authority figure, promoter, road agent and referee.-Career:Hebner debuted as a professional wrestling referee in the late 1970s in the Richmond, Virginia area...
and Earl
Earl Hebner
Earl William Hebner is a professional wrestling referee currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and the twin brother of Dave Hebner...
) were involved in a controversy when Earl took Dave's place and showed favoritism to André the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
, helping him to win the WWF Championship. In a similar manner, Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and 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...
, the heads of World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment, respectively, have used the gimmick of evil owners in storylines.
Davis's fame as a wrestler and referee led to him appearing in the 1989 line of Classic WWF trading cards. Davis has continued to wrestle occasionally and currently wrestles on the Massachusetts 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...
wrestling scene. He competes for the World Wrestling Alliance
World Wrestling Alliance
The World Wrestling Alliance is used by several regional and independent professional wrestling promotions, which include:*World Wrestling Alliance , an American independent promotion based in Springdale, Arkansas and owned by retired wrestler Dr. X.*World Wrestling Alliance , an American regional...
, where he is the current WWA Champion. He also occasionally acts as a referee for wrestling matches in Massachusetts.
In wrestling
- Finishing move
- Boston crabBoston crabThe Boston crab is a professional wrestling hold that typically starts with the opponent lying supine on the mat, with the wrestler standing and facing them. It is a type of spinal lock where the wrestler hooks each of the opponent’s legs in one of his arms, and then turns the opponent face-down,...
- Diving seated senton
- Boston crab
- 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...
- Jimmy Hart
- 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- "Dangerous" Danny Davis
Championships and accomplishments
- World Wrestling AllianceWorld Wrestling AllianceThe World Wrestling Alliance is used by several regional and independent professional wrestling promotions, which include:*World Wrestling Alliance , an American independent promotion based in Springdale, Arkansas and owned by retired wrestler Dr. X.*World Wrestling Alliance , an American regional...
- WWA Championship (1 time)