Len Denton
Encyclopedia
Len Denton is a semi-retired professional wrestler, best known by his ring name The Grappler.
While wrestling as The Grappler in Pacific Northwest Wrestling
(Portland Wrestling), his gimmick was a loaded boot, and later a loaded mask, which he had started wearing earlier in his career after losing a hair match and being forced to shave his head. This also became part of his gimmick, as he continued to wear the mask even though it was obvious that his hair had grown back.
The Grappler has an extensive history in the Pacific Northwest as wrestler, booker, promoter, trainer and most recently (after neck surgery) a manager. The Grappler is one of the last remaining wrestlers from the NWA Pacific Northwest (Portland Wrestling) days.
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
claims that in a Mid-South Wrestling bout, Jake "The Snake" Roberts put Denton in a front facelock and during the move Jake tripped on Denton's foot fell backwards causing Denton to fall on his head. As a result, Roberts claims to have invented the professional wrestling move known as the DDT
. Jake Roberts has been highly criticized for this story and many of the wrestlers in attendance and the promoter Bill Watts
question its accuracy.
During the late 1990s, Denton worked for World Championship Wrestling
under his real name. Of note is his title match against the undefeated WCW United States Champion Bill Goldberg
on the May 11, 1998 edition of Monday Nitro
. Play-by-play announcer Mike Tenay
described Denton as "a very accomplished veteran grappler."
The Grappler was active as a Wrestler for and Operated as the President of the Booking Committee for the new Portland Wrestling from 2001 to 2006.
The Grappler announced his "return from retirement" on January 10, 2010. He will be working as the head booker for a small Portland Oregon pro wrestling company known as the North West Wrestling Alliance (NWWA). As of August 2010 Denton was working as the booker
for DOA, NWWA, and Portland Wrestling in Portland, Oregon.
While wrestling as The Grappler in Pacific Northwest Wrestling
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
Pacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
(Portland Wrestling), his gimmick was a loaded boot, and later a loaded mask, which he had started wearing earlier in his career after losing a hair match and being forced to shave his head. This also became part of his gimmick, as he continued to wear the mask even though it was obvious that his hair had grown back.
The Grappler has an extensive history in the Pacific Northwest as wrestler, booker, promoter, trainer and most recently (after neck surgery) a manager. The Grappler is one of the last remaining wrestlers from the NWA Pacific Northwest (Portland Wrestling) days.
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
claims that in a Mid-South Wrestling bout, Jake "The Snake" Roberts put Denton in a front facelock and during the move Jake tripped on Denton's foot fell backwards causing Denton to fall on his head. As a result, Roberts claims to have invented the professional wrestling move known as the 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...
. Jake Roberts has been highly criticized for this story and many of the wrestlers in attendance and the promoter Bill Watts
Bill Watts
William F. "Bill" Watts is a former American professional wrestler and promoter. Watts was famous under his "Cowboy" gimmick in his wrestling career, and then as a tough, no-nonsense promoter in the Mid-South area of the United States, which grew to become the UWF.In 1992, he was the Executive...
question its accuracy.
During the late 1990s, Denton worked for 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...
under his real name. Of note is his title match against the undefeated WCW United States Champion Bill Goldberg
Bill Goldberg
Goldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....
on the May 11, 1998 edition of Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
. Play-by-play announcer Mike Tenay
Mike Tenay
Michael William "Mike" Tenay is a professional wrestling play-by-play announcer currently employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . Prior to signing with TNA in 2002, he had a notable tenure with World Championship Wrestling from 1994-2001...
described Denton as "a very accomplished veteran grappler."
The Grappler was active as a Wrestler for and Operated as the President of the Booking Committee for the new Portland Wrestling from 2001 to 2006.
The Grappler announced his "return from retirement" on January 10, 2010. He will be working as the head booker for a small Portland Oregon pro wrestling company known as the North West Wrestling Alliance (NWWA). As of August 2010 Denton was working as the booker
Booker
- Places :*Booker, Buckinghamshire, a hamlet in England*Booker, Texas, a town in the United States*RAF Booker, a Royal Air Force airfield from 1941 to 1963- People :Given name*Booker T , the name of several people...
for DOA, NWWA, and Portland Wrestling in Portland, Oregon.
Championships and accomplishments
- Continental Wrestling AssociationContinental Wrestling AssociationThe Continental Wrestling Association was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually referred to as Mid-Southern Wrestling...
- AWA Southern Tag Team ChampionshipAWA Southern Tag Team ChampionshipThe AWA Southern Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the Tennessee area from the 1940s through the late 1980s. It was originally named the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship from its inception through 1977, when it was renamed the AWA Southern...
(1 time) - with Tony Anthony - Central States WrestlingHeart of America Sports AttractionsHeart of America Sports Attractions, also known as the Midwest Wrestling Association, Central States Wrestling and the World Wrestling Alliance, was an American professional wrestling promotion that ran shows mainly in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa...
- NWA Central States Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Central States Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Central States Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team championship for the Heart of America Sports Attractions / Central States Wrestling promotion from 1979 until the promotion ceased to exist in 1988...
(2 times)–with Tony Anthony - Mid-South Wrestling Association
- Mid-South Mississippi Championship (2 times)
- Mid-South North American ChampionshipMid-South North American ChampionshipThe Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship was the major singles title in the Mid-South Wrestling Association from 1979 until the promotion became the Universal Wrestling Federation in 1986. The title was retired then in favor of the UWF Heavyweight Championship...
(1 time) - Mid-South Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Super DestroyerScott IrwinScott K. Irwin was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his tag team with his brother Barney "Bill" Irwin.-Debut and the World Wide Wrestling Federation:...
- Pacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S...
(7 times) - NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S...
(10 times) - with TerminatorMarcus LaurinaitisMarcus "Marc" Laurinaitis also known by his ring name of The Terminator, is an American professional wrestler who has primarily in Florida, Japan and Europe as well as a stint with World Championship Wrestling...
(1), Abbuda Dein (1), Scotty the BodyScott LevyScott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
(1), Brian AdamsBrian Adams (wrestler)Brian Keith Adams was an American professional wrestler. Adams gained fame in the 1990s while performing for the World Wrestling Federation , under the name Crush, and for World Championship Wrestling under his given name.Trained in Japan by Antonio Inoki, Adams was a two time WCW World Tag Team...
, (1), The EqualizerBill DannenhauserBill Dannenhauer is a retired American professional wrestler better known as Dave Sullivan or The Equalizer.-Career:Bill Danenhauer started out in college football as the Offensive Coordinator at Washburn University...
(2), Don Harris (1), and Steve DollSteve DollSteve Doll was an American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in the World Wrestling Federation as Steven Dunn in the tag team Well Dunn.-Professional wrestling career:...
(3) - Southwest Championship WrestlingSouthwest Championship WrestlingSouthwest Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was owned by Joseph Blanchard and based in San Antonio, Texas, from 1978 to 1985, when it was purchased by Texas All-Star Wrestling and absorbed into that company.-Venues:...
- SCW Southwest Tag Team ChampionshipTexas All-Star USA Tag Team ChampionshipThe Texas All-Star USA Tag Team Championship was a major tag team title in Texas All-Star Wrestling. The title was first established in Southwest Championship Wrestling in 1981 when it was the SCW Southwest Tag Team Championship...
(2 times) - with Tony Anthony - World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- NWA Texas Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Texas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today...
(1 time)
External links
- The Grappler profile at Bodyslammin' 4Ever