Gurjit Singh
Encyclopedia
Gurjit Singh Hans is an Indo-Canadian professional wrestler
, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) under the ring name Tiger Ali Singh. He is the son of legendary wrestler Tiger Jeet Singh
.
dojo for six months. He spent time with Sweet Daddy Siki
and Ron Hutchinson
at Sully's Gym in Toronto, and learned kickboxing
in Thailand
and Bangkok
. Upon completing his training, Singh made his in-ring debut as he teamed with his father, Tiger Jeet Singh, against Atsushi Onita
and Tarzan Goto in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
(FMW).
in January 1997, with the signing announced at a press conference at SkyDome
in Toronto. Singh's most notable accomplishment in the company occurred in 1997, when he won the second WWF Kuwait Cup Tournament, held on April 9, 1997 in Kuwait City
. He defeated Owen Hart
in the finals to become the second and final WWF Kuwait Cup winner. He would also participate and be managed by his father at the WWF's United Kingdom
-exclusive pay-per-view event One Night Only
on September 20, 1997, facing off against and defeating Leif Cassidy
.
He made his official WWF debut on the April 21, 1997 episode of Raw
. He would disappear from WWF television until they had fully submerged into the Attitude Era. His gimmick was that of a rich and arrogant heir to a fortune (similar to Ted DiBiase
's character). He came to the ring accompanied by a manservant
named Babu
, and would pay random people in the audience each week to perform humiliating stunts.
Singh was later sent to Puerto Rico to work on his in-ring skills. He returned in late 2000 as the manager of Lo Down
(D'Lo Brown
and Chaz Warrington). Lo Down and Singh were eventually sent to International Wrestling Association
in Puerto Rico
, removing them from WWF programming as The Invasion of 2001 started. Down in IWA, Singh became a two-time tag team champion. He eventually suffered a career-ending injury and was sent home to Toronto to recover. He was later released from his contract in July 2002.
was stuffed with garbage. WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt countered by noting that the company was not responsible for any injuries occurring in a different organization, and that Singh's contract could legally be ended if he suffered an injury.
and Shiro Koshinaka
.
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...
, best known for his time in 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...
(WWF) under the ring name Tiger Ali Singh. He is the son of legendary wrestler Tiger Jeet Singh
Tiger Jeet Singh
Jagjit Singh Hans is a semi-retired professional wrestler, known better by his ring name Tiger Jeet Singh. He wrestled as a crazed heel, coming to the ring with a sword in his mouth . Singh wrestled in Japan for 22 years...
.
Career
Singh trained to be a wrestler in the New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
dojo for six months. He spent time with Sweet Daddy Siki
Sweet Daddy Siki
Reginald Siki is a former professional wrestler and was born on June 16 in Montgomery, Texas.Sweet Daddy Siki started wrestling in 1955 in Artesia, New Mexico. He also did some training in Los Angeles with Sandor Szabo and Ray Ortega...
and Ron Hutchinson
Ron Hutchinson
Ron Hutchinson is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, trainer and promoter who competed for Canadian independent promotions such as Grand Prix Wrestling and Maple Leaf Wrestling as well as a brief stint in the World Wrestling Federation during the mid-1980s...
at Sully's Gym in Toronto, and learned kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
. Upon completing his training, Singh made his in-ring debut as he teamed with his father, Tiger Jeet Singh, against Atsushi Onita
Atsushi Onita
Atsushi Onita is a Japanese former politician and active professional wrestler best known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling...
and Tarzan Goto in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling was a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded on July 28, 1989 by Atsushi Onita that specialized in hardcore wrestling involving weapons such as barbed wire and fire. They held their first show on October 6, 1989...
(FMW).
World Wrestling Federation (1997-2002)
Singh signed with 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...
in January 1997, with the signing announced at a press conference at SkyDome
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
in Toronto. Singh's most notable accomplishment in the company occurred in 1997, when he won the second WWF Kuwait Cup Tournament, held on April 9, 1997 in Kuwait City
Kuwait City
-Suburbs:Although the districts below are not usually recognized as suburbs, the following is a list of a few areas surrounding Kuwait city:Al-Salam ""السلام"" -Economy:...
. He defeated Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
in the finals to become the second and final WWF Kuwait Cup winner. He would also participate and be managed by his father at the WWF's United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-exclusive pay-per-view event One Night Only
WWF One Night Only
WWF One Night Only was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation that took place on September 20, 1997 at the NEC Arena in Birmingham, England.-Background:...
on September 20, 1997, facing off against and defeating Leif Cassidy
Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent.-Early career:Sarven...
.
He made his official WWF debut on the April 21, 1997 episode of Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
. He would disappear from WWF television until they had fully submerged into the Attitude Era. His gimmick was that of a rich and arrogant heir to a fortune (similar to Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
's character). He came to the ring accompanied by a manservant
Domestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
named Babu
Pablo Marquez
Pablo Márquez is a professional wrestler who has competed for various promotions such as the World Wrestling Council, International Wrestling Association, and Michinoku Pro out of Japan. Marquez is probably most famous for his brief stint in the World Wrestling Federation in 1998 as Babu...
, and would pay random people in the audience each week to perform humiliating stunts.
Singh was later sent to Puerto Rico to work on his in-ring skills. He returned in late 2000 as the manager of Lo Down
Lo Down
Lo Down was a tag team formed in WWF in 2000 that consisted of Chaz and D'Lo Brown.-History:...
(D'Lo Brown
D'Lo Brown
Accie Julius Connor better known by his ring name D'Lo Brown , is an American professional wrestler. Well known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, he is currently working as an agent for Impact Wrestling.Connor has held forty-eight championships in various promotions during...
and Chaz Warrington). Lo Down and Singh were eventually sent to International Wrestling Association
International Wrestling Association
The International Wrestling Association is a wrestling promotion in Puerto Rico, started in Japan in 1994 by promoter Victor Quiñones. The Hispanic division was created in 1999. The company was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance until 2001, but again became a member in 2007...
in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, removing them from WWF programming as The Invasion of 2001 started. Down in IWA, Singh became a two-time tag team champion. He eventually suffered a career-ending injury and was sent home to Toronto to recover. He was later released from his contract in July 2002.
Retirement and lawsuit with the WWF
The next month, Singh filed a $7 million lawsuit against the World Wrestling Federation. Among his claims were that his career-ending injury was the result of being forced to wrestle in the rain while in Puerto Rico. He also accused other WWF wrestlers of frequently calling him "taxi driver", and that he was the victim of a stunt in 1999 where his turbanTurban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
was stuffed with garbage. WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt countered by noting that the company was not responsible for any injuries occurring in a different organization, and that Singh's contract could legally be ended if he suffered an injury.
Return to wrestling
In late 2008, Singh, under the new ring name Tiger Jeet Singh, Jr. (in honor of his father), returned to wrestling as a part of the HUSTLE promotion in Japan. He made his return by teaming up with his father in a tag team match against Genichiro TenryuGenichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...
and Shiro Koshinaka
Shiro Koshinaka
is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Wrestle Association "R" during the 1980s and 1990s...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Camel clutch
- Hangman's neckbreaker
- Signature moves
- Bulldog, sometimes from the second or top rope
- Lifting DDT
Championships and accomplishments
- International Wrestling AssociationInternational Wrestling AssociationThe International Wrestling Association is a wrestling promotion in Puerto Rico, started in Japan in 1994 by promoter Victor Quiñones. The Hispanic division was created in 1999. The company was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance until 2001, but again became a member in 2007...
- IWA World Tag Team ChampionshipIWA World Tag Team ChampionshipIWA World Tag Team Championship is a tag team titles being defending in the International Wrestling Association in Puerto Rico. It has been an active wrestling championship since January 6, 2000.-Title history:-References:*General...
(2 times) - with Big Ross McCollough (1) and Pain (1)
- IWA World Tag Team Championship
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld 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...
- Kuwait Cup (1997)