Men on a Mission
Encyclopedia
Men on a Mission was the World Wrestling Federation
name for the pairing of wrestlers Nelson Frazier, Jr.
and Robert Horne
, who wrestled as Mabel and Mo respectively. Frazier and Horne wrestled together as a tag team for nearly a decade in various promotions under various names.
where they wrestled as The Harlem Knights with Frazier being known as Nelson Knight and Horne as Bobby Knight, with the two being billed as brothers. In the PWF the team was managed by George South
. The duo would return to the PWF in 1996 and win the PWF Tag Team Title.
While in the USWA the team feuded with Jerry Lawler
, Jeff Jarrett
and other faces being pushed as the “Monster threat” due to their size. Their work in the PWF and the USWA got them noticed by the WWF
and they were signed to a contract in 1993.
. They wore bright clothes, had positive attitudes, and teamed with a rapping manager called “Oscar” (Whose real name is unknown) and they were now known as “Mabel” and “Mo”, collectively “M.O.M.” or “Men On a Mission”. They had the image of three people who could be loved by the crowd but who were also attempting to make positive changes in their neighborhood. This was accomplished through use of several vignettes showing them walking down streets in the ghetto
but saying positive things and talking about how things could be made better.
The team met with moderate success and got over with the crowd because of Mabel’s unusual size, their in-ring personas, and Oscar’s crowd pleasing raps. Their fun loving personalities were prominently displayed when they, along with The Bushwhackers
, dressed up as Doink the Clown
and wrestled as "The Four Doinks" in a comedy match against Bam Bam Bigelow, Bastion Booger, and The Headshrinkers
. The team even won the match in comedic fashion, with all four team members garnering the pin on Bigelow. Their next feud was against the WWF Tag-Team Champions The Quebecers
. Men on a Mission won the titles on March 29, 1994 at a house show in London, England. Two days later the Quebecers regained the titles in Sheffield, England. The title change was also reported on WWF television.
Men on a Mission took a small break from teaming in the summer of 1994 as Mabel, who was seen as the big star of the group, began wrestling more singles matches in an attempt to get over as a solo wrestler. He was also used to help get rising stars over, due to his size.
Men on a Mission returned to regular teaming in late 1994, and moved almost immediately back into the Tag Team Championship picture. The team was entered in an eight-team tournament for the WWF Tag Team Championship, which was vacant at the time due to champions Shawn Michaels
and Diesel
breaking up. The team was eliminated in the first round on December 17, 1994 by Tatanka
and Bam Bam Bigelow (who went on to lose in the tournament final to Bob "Spark Plugg" Holly
and The 1-2-3 Kid
). After that they continued to climb the ranks in the tag division, culminating in a match against the then champion Smoking Gunns on an episode of Action Zone which aired in March 1995. The Gunns defeated Mabel and Mo, who responded by attacking them postmatch. The next week on Action Zone Oscar offered an apology to The Gunns, and on the show after that Mabel and Mo decided to bring out the Gunns to shake their hands. The move turned out to be a swerve, as Mabel and Mo once again attacked the Gunns and turned heel. During the attack Oscar pleaded with his charges to stop but was shoved down and held by Mo while Mabel hit him with a running legdrop, completing the turn. (Oscar, who was never seen in professional wrestling again after this and was not heard from for over a decade, later explained that the reason why Mabel and Mo attacked him in addition to their attack on the Gunns was because he did not want any part of the heel turn as he was more of a positive person, which would have been in contrast with the new characteristics the team was to show. Oscar said that he didn't want to be portrayed in such a negative light.)
tournament and became King Mabel with his trusty sidekick being dubbed Sir Mo, wrestling royalty. When Mabel became king, the focus shifted from the team to Mabel once more with Sir Mo acting more as a manager and less like an active competitor as Mabel challenged for the WWF Championship. The last notable appearance of Men on a Mission was at In Your House 2: The Lumberjacks
where they beat Razor Ramon
and Savio Vega
. They were also the opponents in the match where the British Bulldog
turned on partner Diesel
. The feud between Diesel and Mabel fizzled out almost immediately thereafter, with Mabel losing his WWF Championship match against Diesel at Summerslam and losing the top heel assignment to the Bulldog. For the remainder of the year Mabel and Mo wrestled sporadically, and both were fired in early 1996 with Mabel's last match coming against his former rival Diesel (which he lost).
, where they were both entered in a tournament for the Unified Heavyweight Championship. Mabel defeated Mo and went on to lose in the tournament final.
Frazier eventually returned to the WWF as Mabel in 1998, being repackaged as Viscera, a member of the Ministry of Darkness
. Frazier was released from his WWF contract in August 2000. In March 2003, Frazier, as "Nelson Knight", made a surprise appearance at a weekly NWA: Total Nonstop Action
pay-per-view at the side of Ron Killings
. A second appearance followed the next week, but Frazier soon returned to the independent circuit
. In late 2004, Frazier returned again to the WWE as Viscera. In 2007, he was repackaged as "Big Daddy V" and began appearing on the ECW brand. Frazier was released from his WWE contract on August 8, 2008. After wrestling for promotions such as the National Wrestling Alliance
and the Insane Clown Posse
's Juggalo Championship Wrestling, Frazier began wrestling for All Japan Pro Wrestling
, as Big Daddy Voodoo, where he is a former AJPW All Asia Tag Team Champion
with TARU
and is part of the Voodoo Murders
stable
Horne stayed in the independent promotions and wrestled as both Mo and Rob Harlem. He and Frazier both resurfaced in Memphis Wrestling
for a show in 2003, during which Horne (as Mo) turned on Frazier (as Mabel), which led to a one-off match which Frazier won.
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...
name for the pairing of wrestlers Nelson Frazier, Jr.
Nelson Frazier, Jr.
Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
and Robert Horne
Robert Horne (wrestler)
Robert Lawrence Horne is a retired American professional wrestler who is most famous for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as Mo, part of the tag-team Men on a Mission with partner Mabel.-Harlem Knights:...
, who wrestled as Mabel and Mo respectively. Frazier and Horne wrestled together as a tag team for nearly a decade in various promotions under various names.
Harlem Knights
The team that would later be known as “Men on a Mission” started out by competing as a team in the Pro Wrestling Federation and the United States Wrestling AssociationUnited States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
where they wrestled as The Harlem Knights with Frazier being known as Nelson Knight and Horne as Bobby Knight, with the two being billed as brothers. In the PWF the team was managed by George South
George South
George South is a professional wrestler who has appeared as a preliminary wrestler in World Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions and the World Wrestling Federation.-Professional wrestling career:...
. The duo would return to the PWF in 1996 and win the PWF Tag Team Title.
While in the USWA the team feuded with Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
, Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
and other faces being pushed as the “Monster threat” due to their size. Their work in the PWF and the USWA got them noticed by the WWF
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 they were signed to a contract in 1993.
Men on a Mission
When Men on a Mission began appearing on WWF television, their vicious heel gimmick had been repackaged as facesFace (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...
. They wore bright clothes, had positive attitudes, and teamed with a rapping manager called “Oscar” (Whose real name is unknown) and they were now known as “Mabel” and “Mo”, collectively “M.O.M.” or “Men On a Mission”. They had the image of three people who could be loved by the crowd but who were also attempting to make positive changes in their neighborhood. This was accomplished through use of several vignettes showing them walking down streets in the ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
but saying positive things and talking about how things could be made better.
The team met with moderate success and got over with the crowd because of Mabel’s unusual size, their in-ring personas, and Oscar’s crowd pleasing raps. Their fun loving personalities were prominently displayed when they, along with The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers
The Bushwhackers were a professional wrestling tag team that also competed as The Sheepherders during their long career. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation and Jim Crockett Promotions as well as a nearly 40 year run on the independent wrestling circuit...
, dressed up as Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown
Doink the Clown is a professional wrestling gimmick, originally used by Matt Osborne in the World Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1995. Since Osborne's departure from the WWF, the character has been played by several wrestlers, primarily on the independent circuit, as well as in sporadic special...
and wrestled as "The Four Doinks" in a comedy match against Bam Bam Bigelow, Bastion Booger, and The Headshrinkers
The Headshrinkers
The Headshrinkers were a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation that consisted of Fatu and Samu. They previously competed under the name The New Wild Samoans in the National Wrestling Alliance , and as The Samoan Swat Team in World Championship Wrestling , World Class...
. The team even won the match in comedic fashion, with all four team members garnering the pin on Bigelow. Their next feud was against the WWF Tag-Team Champions The Quebecers
The Quebecers
The Quebecers were a heel professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation from mid-1993 to mid-1994 and again in 1998 that consisted of Jacques Rougeau and Pierre...
. Men on a Mission won the titles on March 29, 1994 at a house show in London, England. Two days later the Quebecers regained the titles in Sheffield, England. The title change was also reported on WWF television.
Men on a Mission took a small break from teaming in the summer of 1994 as Mabel, who was seen as the big star of the group, began wrestling more singles matches in an attempt to get over as a solo wrestler. He was also used to help get rising stars over, due to his size.
Men on a Mission returned to regular teaming in late 1994, and moved almost immediately back into the Tag Team Championship picture. The team was entered in an eight-team tournament for the WWF Tag Team Championship, which was vacant at the time due to champions Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Diesel
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
breaking up. The team was eliminated in the first round on December 17, 1994 by Tatanka
Chris Chavis
Christopher "Chris" Chavis , is a Native American professional wrestler best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as Tatanka from 1991 to 1996 and from 2005 to 2007...
and Bam Bam Bigelow (who went on to lose in the tournament final to Bob "Spark Plugg" Holly
Bob Holly
Robert "Bob" Howard better known by his ring name Bob "Hardcore" Holly, is a American professional wrestler. He is best known for his 15-year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment ....
and The 1-2-3 Kid
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
). After that they continued to climb the ranks in the tag division, culminating in a match against the then champion Smoking Gunns on an episode of Action Zone which aired in March 1995. The Gunns defeated Mabel and Mo, who responded by attacking them postmatch. The next week on Action Zone Oscar offered an apology to The Gunns, and on the show after that Mabel and Mo decided to bring out the Gunns to shake their hands. The move turned out to be a swerve, as Mabel and Mo once again attacked the Gunns and turned heel. During the attack Oscar pleaded with his charges to stop but was shoved down and held by Mo while Mabel hit him with a running legdrop, completing the turn. (Oscar, who was never seen in professional wrestling again after this and was not heard from for over a decade, later explained that the reason why Mabel and Mo attacked him in addition to their attack on the Gunns was because he did not want any part of the heel turn as he was more of a positive person, which would have been in contrast with the new characteristics the team was to show. Oscar said that he didn't want to be portrayed in such a negative light.)
King Mabel and Sir Mo
After a short feud with the Smokin’ Gunns Mabel returned to singles competition and won the 1995 King of the RingKing of the Ring (1995)
King of the Ring was the third annual King of the Ring professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on June 25, 1995 at the CoreStates Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
tournament and became King Mabel with his trusty sidekick being dubbed Sir Mo, wrestling royalty. When Mabel became king, the focus shifted from the team to Mabel once more with Sir Mo acting more as a manager and less like an active competitor as Mabel challenged for the WWF Championship. The last notable appearance of Men on a Mission was at In Your House 2: The Lumberjacks
In Your House 2: The Lumberjacks
In Your House 2: The Lumberjacks was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It was the second pay-per-view of the In Your House series. It took place on July 23, 1995 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.Seven professional...
where they beat Razor Ramon
Scott Hall
Scott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...
and Savio Vega
Savio Vega
Juan Rivera is a professional wrestler best known under the name Savio Vega. During the mid-late 1990s, he was an active wrestler in the World Wrestling Federation...
. They were also the opponents in the match where the British Bulldog
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...
turned on partner Diesel
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
. The feud between Diesel and Mabel fizzled out almost immediately thereafter, with Mabel losing his WWF Championship match against Diesel at Summerslam and losing the top heel assignment to the Bulldog. For the remainder of the year Mabel and Mo wrestled sporadically, and both were fired in early 1996 with Mabel's last match coming against his former rival Diesel (which he lost).
Post WWF
Shortly after leaving the WWF, Frazier and Horne (still wrestling as Mabel and Mo) moved to the United States Wrestling AssociationUnited States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
, where they were both entered in a tournament for the Unified Heavyweight Championship. Mabel defeated Mo and went on to lose in the tournament final.
Frazier eventually returned to the WWF as Mabel in 1998, being repackaged as Viscera, a member of the Ministry of Darkness
Ministry of Darkness
The Ministry of Darkness was a professional wrestling stable in the World Wrestling Federation during the WWF Attitude Era of the late 1990s...
. Frazier was released from his WWF contract in August 2000. In March 2003, Frazier, as "Nelson Knight", made a surprise appearance at a weekly NWA: Total Nonstop Action
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
pay-per-view at the side of Ron Killings
Ron Killings
Ronald Aaron "Ron" Killings is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE working on its Raw brand. Since working for the company, he has been a one time United States Champion under the ring name R-Truth and a two time Hardcore Champion under the ring name K-Kwik...
. A second appearance followed the next week, but Frazier soon returned to the independent circuit
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...
. In late 2004, Frazier returned again to the WWE as Viscera. In 2007, he was repackaged as "Big Daddy V" and began appearing on the ECW brand. Frazier was released from his WWE contract on August 8, 2008. After wrestling for promotions such as the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
and the Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
's Juggalo Championship Wrestling, Frazier began wrestling for All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
, as Big Daddy Voodoo, where he is a former AJPW All Asia Tag Team Champion
AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
with TARU
Yoshikazu Taru
Yoshikazu Taru is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name TARU. He works for All Japan Pro Wrestling and El Dorado Wrestling.-Professional wrestling career:...
and is part of the Voodoo Murders
Voodoo Murders
VOODOO-MURDERS was the main heel group in All Japan Pro Wrestling. They are famous for their violent actions and lack of respect for their opponents...
stable
Horne stayed in the independent promotions and wrestled as both Mo and Rob Harlem. He and Frazier both resurfaced in Memphis Wrestling
Memphis Wrestling
Memphis Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:Memphis Wrestling evolved from an earlier short-lived promotion called Memphis Championship Wrestling.-Television:...
for a show in 2003, during which Horne (as Mo) turned on Frazier (as Mabel), which led to a one-off match which Frazier won.
In wrestling
- Double team moves
- Double Dropkick
- Drop toe-hold (Mo) / Running leg drop to back of head (Mabel) combination
- Inverted suplex slam (Mo) followed by a second rope diving leg drop to the back of a facedown opponent's head (Mabel)
- Stacked Big Splash (Mo jumps off the top rope onto Mabel adding more weight to the big splash)
- ManagerManager (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...
s- George SouthGeorge SouthGeorge South is a professional wrestler who has appeared as a preliminary wrestler in World Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions and the World Wrestling Federation.-Professional wrestling career:...
- Oscar
- George South
Championships and accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling Federation
- PWF Tag Team Championship (2 times)
- 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...
- WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- King of the RingKing of the RingKing of the Ring is a professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held by WWE. The tournament was held annually from 1985 to 2002, with the exception of 1990 and 1992, and from 1993 to 2002 the tournament was produced as a pay-per-view event....
(1995King of the Ring (1995)King of the Ring was the third annual King of the Ring professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on June 25, 1995 at the CoreStates Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
) (Mabel)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Worst Worked Match of the Year (1993) with The BushwhackersThe BushwhackersThe Bushwhackers were a professional wrestling tag team that also competed as The Sheepherders during their long career. They wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation and Jim Crockett Promotions as well as a nearly 40 year run on the independent wrestling circuit...
vs. The HeadshrinkersThe HeadshrinkersThe Headshrinkers were a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation that consisted of Fatu and Samu. They previously competed under the name The New Wild Samoans in the National Wrestling Alliance , and as The Samoan Swat Team in World Championship Wrestling , World Class...
, Bastion BoogerMike ShawMike Shaw was a professional wrestler who was best known for his stint in World Championship Wrestling as Norman The Lunatic, and as Bastion Booger in the World Wrestling Federation...
, and Bam Bam Bigelow at Survivor SeriesSurvivor Series (1993)Survivor Series was the seventh annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Eve, November 24, 1993 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts...