Donovan Morgan
Encyclopedia
Andrew Vassos is an American
professional wrestler
, better known by his ring name
, Donovan Morgan. Best known for his appearances with Pro Wrestling Noah
in Japan
and Ring of Honor
in the United States, Morgan received tryouts with World Championship Wrestling
and the World Wrestling Federation
in 1997 and 1998, but was not hired.
where he was trained by Michael Modest
and Ric Thompson for two years. He debuted in All Pro Wrestling
on June 29, 1996 in Hayward, California
as "Donovan Morgan", facing Dwayne Jones.
Soon after his debut, Morgan began feuding
with his trainer, Michael Modest. Morgan's first title win in APW was on January 25, 1997, when he and his partner, Robert Thompson, defeated Modest and Steve Rizzono for the APW Tag Team Championships in a Two out of three falls match, winning two straight falls. They held the titles until August 1, when they lost to Tony Jones and Jay Smooth. Morgan continued his feud with Modest, and on July 7 they faced one another in a match for the vacant APW Universal Heavyweight Championship. Modest was victorious, but Morgan continued to pursue the title, eventually defeating Modest for the Universal Heavyweight Championship on September 5 in what was considered a major upset. Modest regained the title less than a month later on October 3.
In early 2000, Morgan formed a stable with Vinny Massaro and Vanilla Frost called "The New Breed". On April 15, 2000 Morgan defeated Boyce LeGrande for the APW Internet Championship in the finals of a one night tournament (the previous champion, Christopher Daniels
, had been signed by World Championship Wrestling
and subsequently stripped of the belt). After Morgan won the Universal Heavyweight Championship for a second time, defeating Ed Moretti on October 7, 2000, he was informed by APW Commissioner Gabe Ramirez that he was not allowed to hold two titles simultaneously, so he vacated the Internet Championship on October 28.
After Morgan lost the Universal Heavyweight Championship to Vic Capri on April 28, 2001 he immediately began pursuing the Internet Championship once more, beating Vinny Massaro on May 19. He was stripped of the title on November 27 after he left APW along with Modest and several other wrestlers following a disagreement with APW owner Roland Alexander.
Until he left APW, Morgan acted as the head camp instructor of the APW professional wrestling school. He was replaced by Spanky
and The American Dragon
.
Morgan formed a tag team
with Modest known as "Excellence, Inc.", and the duo began touring Japan
with the Noah
promotion
on July 14, 2001. Morgan and Modest became Noah regulars, often facing Japanese legend Mitsuharu Misawa
. Morgan and Modest formed a stable in Noah with fellow gaijins 2 Cold Scorpio
and Bison Smith
known as Team KAOS.
After leaving All Pro Wrestling, Morgan and Modest decided to open their own gym, "The Tetsu Academy". They later opened their own promotion in conjunction with the training center, "Pro Wrestling Iron", which held its first show on May 31, 2002 in Ukiah, California
. Morgan and Modest eventually negotiated a talent swap agreement with Noah that saw Japanese wrestlers such as Misawa, Naoya Ogawa
, and Takao Ōmori
appear on PWI shows. Morgan and Modest continued to team in PWI and defeated Los Maximos
in a match to decide the first ever PWI Tag Team Championships on June 11, 2004. They lost the titles to Frank Murdoch and Bart Blaxton on January 8, 2005. In addition, they continue to train wrestlers at the Tetsu Academy. August 31, 2005 marked the end of the Tetsu Academy, with a final show at the PWI dojo in Hayward, California
on August 27, 2005.
On September 21, 2002, Morgan and Christopher Daniels, known collectively as The Prophecy
, won a tournament to crown the first ever ROH Tag Team Champions
, defeating Modest and his partner, The American Dragon. They held the titles until March 15, 2003, when they were defeated by A.J. Styles
and Amazing Red
. Morgan and Modest left ROH soon after following disputes over accommodation and schedule clashes with their Japanese commitments.
On the February 18, 2006 episode of TNA Impact!
, Morgan teamed with Michael Modest and Ryan Drago as La Migra. The trio were defeated by The Latin American Xchange. On the March 3, 2006 episode of TNA Xplosion
, Morgan and Modest were defeated by The Naturals
.
On October 21, 2007, Vassos, as Chicano Flame, appeared at Wrestle Fan Fest 2007,
and wrestled National Championship Wrestling (NCW) World Champion the New York Gangster on the AWA show in a non-title match in the Cow Palace
in Daly City, California
.
Morgan became a mortgage broker in 2006.http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2006-11-01/business/WRESTLER01_1_donovan-morgan-professional-wrestling-wrestler
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional 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...
, better known by his 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:...
, Donovan Morgan. Best known for his appearances with Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
in the United States, Morgan received tryouts with World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
and 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...
in 1997 and 1998, but was not hired.
Career
Vassos graduated from Ripon Christian High School in 1994 at the age of eighteen, and attended Modesto Junior College for a year before deciding to become a professional wrestler. He left college at the age of twenty and attended the APW Boot Camp in Hayward, CaliforniaHayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
where he was trained by Michael Modest
Michael Modest
Michael K. Cariglio is an American professional wrestler, better known by his stage name, Michael Modest . A Bay Area legend on the independent circuit scene, Modest ran the promotion Pro Wrestling IRON with tag partner Donovan Morgan and Frank Murdoch until its closure in 2005...
and Ric Thompson for two years. He debuted in All Pro Wrestling
All Pro Wrestling
All Pro Wrestling Gym Wars is a professional wrestling television program produced by APW which originally aired weekly on Saturday mornings on KFTY Channel 50 in the San Francisco Bay Area, beginning December 5, 2009. The series features the professional wrestlers of All Pro Wrestling competing in...
on June 29, 1996 in Hayward, California
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
as "Donovan Morgan", facing Dwayne Jones.
Soon after his debut, Morgan began feuding
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with his trainer, Michael Modest. Morgan's first title win in APW was on January 25, 1997, when he and his partner, Robert Thompson, defeated Modest and Steve Rizzono for the APW Tag Team Championships in a Two out of three falls match, winning two straight falls. They held the titles until August 1, when they lost to Tony Jones and Jay Smooth. Morgan continued his feud with Modest, and on July 7 they faced one another in a match for the vacant APW Universal Heavyweight Championship. Modest was victorious, but Morgan continued to pursue the title, eventually defeating Modest for the Universal Heavyweight Championship on September 5 in what was considered a major upset. Modest regained the title less than a month later on October 3.
In early 2000, Morgan formed a stable with Vinny Massaro and Vanilla Frost called "The New Breed". On April 15, 2000 Morgan defeated Boyce LeGrande for the APW Internet Championship in the finals of a one night tournament (the previous champion, Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
, had been signed by World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
and subsequently stripped of the belt). After Morgan won the Universal Heavyweight Championship for a second time, defeating Ed Moretti on October 7, 2000, he was informed by APW Commissioner Gabe Ramirez that he was not allowed to hold two titles simultaneously, so he vacated the Internet Championship on October 28.
After Morgan lost the Universal Heavyweight Championship to Vic Capri on April 28, 2001 he immediately began pursuing the Internet Championship once more, beating Vinny Massaro on May 19. He was stripped of the title on November 27 after he left APW along with Modest and several other wrestlers following a disagreement with APW owner Roland Alexander.
Until he left APW, Morgan acted as the head camp instructor of the APW professional wrestling school. He was replaced by Spanky
Brian Kendrick
Brian David Kendrick is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under his real name. Before joining TNA he spent several years wrestling for World Wrestling Entertainment, where he wrestled under his name, as Spanky, and finally as "The" Brian Kendrick...
and The American Dragon
Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE where he wrestles on its SmackDown brand as Daniel Bryan, and currently holds the SmackDown Money in the Bank briefcase, which enables him to have a World Heavyweight Championship match at any time of his choosing...
.
Morgan formed a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
with Modest known as "Excellence, Inc.", and the duo began touring Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with the Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
on July 14, 2001. Morgan and Modest became Noah regulars, often facing Japanese legend Mitsuharu Misawa
Mitsuharu Misawa
was a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...
. Morgan and Modest formed a stable in Noah with fellow gaijins 2 Cold Scorpio
2 Cold Scorpio
Charles Scaggs is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name 2 Cold Scorpio . Scaggs has competed in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment and Pro Wrestling Noah...
and Bison Smith
Mark Smith
Mark Smith may refer to:*Mark A. Smith, professor of pathology at Case Western Reserve University*Mark S. Smith, American biblical scholar, professor at NYU*Mark Smith , designer of radio-controlled model airplanes...
known as Team KAOS.
After leaving All Pro Wrestling, Morgan and Modest decided to open their own gym, "The Tetsu Academy". They later opened their own promotion in conjunction with the training center, "Pro Wrestling Iron", which held its first show on May 31, 2002 in Ukiah, California
Ukiah, California
The average high temperature is 73.5 °F . Average low temperature is 46.1 °F . Temperatures reach 90 °F on an average of 65.6 days annually and 100 °F on an average of 14.4 days annually. Due to frequent low humidity, summer temperatures normally drop into the fifties at night. Freezing...
. Morgan and Modest eventually negotiated a talent swap agreement with Noah that saw Japanese wrestlers such as Misawa, Naoya Ogawa
Naoya Ogawa
Naoya Ogawa is a Japanese former world judo champion, Olympic silver medalist, professional wrestler and mixed martial artist...
, and Takao Ōmori
Takao Omori
is a Japanese semi-retired professional wrestler, currently competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He has formerly competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
appear on PWI shows. Morgan and Modest continued to team in PWI and defeated Los Maximos
The S.A.T.
The S.A.T. are a professional wrestling tag team mostly seen in independent promotions that consists of brothers Jose Maximo and Joel Maximo who were both born in Brooklyn, New York...
in a match to decide the first ever PWI Tag Team Championships on June 11, 2004. They lost the titles to Frank Murdoch and Bart Blaxton on January 8, 2005. In addition, they continue to train wrestlers at the Tetsu Academy. August 31, 2005 marked the end of the Tetsu Academy, with a final show at the PWI dojo in Hayward, California
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
on August 27, 2005.
On September 21, 2002, Morgan and Christopher Daniels, known collectively as The Prophecy
The Prophecy (professional wrestling)
The Prophecy was a villainous alliance in the Ring of Honor wrestling promotion, led by Christopher Daniels, whose goal was to break down Ring of Honor and rebuild in their own image...
, won a tournament to crown the first ever ROH Tag Team Champions
ROH World Tag Team Championship
The Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in the American professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor. The championship is generally contested in professional wrestling matches, in which participants usually execute...
, defeating Modest and his partner, The American Dragon. They held the titles until March 15, 2003, when they were defeated by A.J. Styles
A.J. Styles
Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and Amazing Red
Amazing Red
Jonathan Figueroa is a professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Amazing Red, or simply Red for short. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a former three-time X Division Champion, while also working on the American independent circuit...
. Morgan and Modest left ROH soon after following disputes over accommodation and schedule clashes with their Japanese commitments.
On the February 18, 2006 episode of TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
, Morgan teamed with Michael Modest and Ryan Drago as La Migra. The trio were defeated by The Latin American Xchange. On the March 3, 2006 episode of TNA Xplosion
TNA Xplosion
TNA Xplosion is a television program produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , featuring both highlights from Impact Wrestling and exclusive taped matches. It is now produced only for international markets, no longer airing in the United States...
, Morgan and Modest were defeated by The Naturals
The Naturals
The Naturals were a professional wrestling tag team made up of Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens. They are best known for their work in TNA, where they are multi-time former tag team champions.- History :...
.
On October 21, 2007, Vassos, as Chicano Flame, appeared at Wrestle Fan Fest 2007,
and wrestled National Championship Wrestling (NCW) World Champion the New York Gangster on the AWA show in a non-title match in the Cow Palace
Cow Palace
Cow Palace is an indoor arena, in Daly City, California, situated on the city's border with neighboring San Francisco, notable as a sporting arena.-History:...
in Daly City, California
Daly City, California
Daly City is the largest city in San Mateo County, California, United States, with a 2010 population of 101,123. Located immediately south of San Francisco, it is named in honor of businessman and landowner John Daly.-History:...
.
Morgan became a mortgage broker in 2006.http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2006-11-01/business/WRESTLER01_1_donovan-morgan-professional-wrestling-wrestler
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Sayonara (Sitout double underhook facebuster)
- Signature moves
- Back flipSomersaultA somersault is an acrobatic exercise in which a person does a full 360° flip, moving the feet over the head. A somersault can be performed either forwards, backwards, or sideways and can be executed in the air or on the ground...
transitioned into a springboard arm drag, as a wrist-lock counter - Diving DDT
- Diving leg drop
- Fallaway slam
- Multiple suplexSuplexA suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling . The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
variations- Northern lights
- Overhead belly to belly
- Swinging cradle
- Sitout double underhook powerbomb
- Sitout scoop slam piledriver
- Somersault plancha
- Split-legged moonsault
- Suicide dive
- Back flip
- 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...
- Eddie Corvin
- Al Getz
- Mackenzie the Fungirl
- Pete the Bartender
- 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- "Dazzling"
- "Funboy"
- "The Suicide Machine"
Championships and accomplishments
- All Pro WrestlingAll Pro WrestlingAll Pro Wrestling Gym Wars is a professional wrestling television program produced by APW which originally aired weekly on Saturday mornings on KFTY Channel 50 in the San Francisco Bay Area, beginning December 5, 2009. The series features the professional wrestlers of All Pro Wrestling competing in...
- APW Internet Championship (2 times)
- APW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Robert Thompson
- APW Universal Championship (2 times)
- Cauliflower Alley ClubCauliflower Alley ClubThe Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America....
- Future Legend Award (2001)
- East Coast Wrestling AssociationEast Coast Wrestling AssociationEast Coast Wrestling Association is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded by promoter Jim Kettner in 1967. It is home to the annual Super 8 Tournament, one of the longest-running independent wrestling tournaments in the country...
- Super 8 TournamentECWA Super 8 TournamentThe Super 8 Tournament is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by the East Coast Wrestling Association. The tournament is contested by eight wrestlers in a one-night single-elimination format.-History:...
(2002)
- Super 8 Tournament
- Midwest Championship Wrestling
- MCW Lightweight Championship (1 time)
- North American Wrestling
- NAW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #73 of the 500 best singles wrestlers the PWI 500 in 2004
- Pro Wrestling Iron
- PWI Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Michael ModestMichael ModestMichael K. Cariglio is an American professional wrestler, better known by his stage name, Michael Modest . A Bay Area legend on the independent circuit scene, Modest ran the promotion Pro Wrestling IRON with tag partner Donovan Morgan and Frank Murdoch until its closure in 2005...
- PWI Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Michael Modest
- Ring of HonorRing of HonorRing of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
- ROH Tag Team ChampionshipROH World Tag Team ChampionshipThe Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in the American professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor. The championship is generally contested in professional wrestling matches, in which participants usually execute...
(1 time, First) – with Christopher DanielsChristopher DanielsDaniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
- ROH Tag Team Championship