Wayne Bloom
Encyclopedia
Wayne Bloom is a former professional wrestler
who wrestled in World Championship Wrestling
, the American Wrestling Association
, and the World Wrestling Federation
between 1988 and 1999.
in 1988 after being trained by Eddie Sharkey
. In the AWA, he competed as Wayne "The Train" Bloom. His initial run as a singles wrestler was not very successful, illustrated by the 24 second loss to Jimmy Valiant
at the AWA PPV SuperClash III. After his unsuccessful singles attempts, Bloom formed a tag team called The Destruction Crew with fellow rookie (and Eddie Sharkey student) ”Mean” Mike Enos
. In the fall of 1989 Wayne Bloom on behalf of the Destruction Crew challenged then AWA World Tag Team champions
Ken Patera
and Brad Rheingans
to a “car lifting” contest. During the challenge, the Destruction Crew attacked Patera and Rhenigans and injured them (kayfabe
). This forced them to vacate the tag team titles.
A tournament was set up to crown new tag-team champions; in the tournament, the Destruction Crew would defeat the team of Sgt. Slaughter
& Baron Von Raschke
in the first round and then beat Greg Gagne
and Paul Diamond in the finals to win the titles. Bloom also challenged the returning Brad Rheingans to a Greco-Roman
match which Bloom lost. Nevertheless, the Crew's tag team victory combined with their devious tactics earned the duo a joint “Rookie of the Year” award from the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated
, which is the only time a tag team has won this award.
In 1990 the Destruction Crew joined World Championship Wrestling
, which at the time was still a part of the National Wrestling Alliance
. In WCW, they wrestled under masks as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew 2
and were managed by Ole Anderson
(a member of the original Minnesota Wrecking Crew). They attempted without success to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship
from the Steiner Brothers over the summer of 1990. During their stint with WCW they were also still under contract with the AWA; in fact, they were the AWA World Tag-Team Champions during their entire run as the masked Minnesota Wrestling Crew 2.
On August 11, the Destruction Crew lost the AWA tag-team titles to longtime rivals The Trooper
and D.J. Peterson
. The Crew tried in vain to regain the titles over the next couple of months until the AWA closed up in early 1991.
and became the Beverly Brothers
, with Enos and Bloom wrestling under the ring name
s Blake and Beau Beverly, respectively. Their gimmick was that of two spoiled rich brats. They were originally managed by the Coach
, then by The Genius
. The team was initially launched into feuds with the Legion of Doom
, The Bushwhackers
, and The Natural Disasters
, the latter of which revolved around the WWF Tag Team Championship. The Beverly Brothers were never promoted as serious players in the tag team division and only made a few PPV appearances between 1991 and 1993
’ UWF
. Bloom and Enos had a brief reunion in World Championship Wrestling
in 1997 and 1998, but the announcers never made any comments on their past history. After a while together, the team finally disbanded for good. Bloom retired permanently in 1999.
Bloom currently works in Stillwater, Minnesota at the Stillwater prison as a prison guard.
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
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...
who wrestled in 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...
, the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
, 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...
between 1988 and 1999.
American Wrestling Assoociation and World Championship Wrestling
Wayne Bloom started wrestling with the American Wrestling AssociationAmerican Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
in 1988 after being trained by Eddie Sharkey
Eddie Sharkey
Eddie Sharkey is an American professional wrestling trainer. He is often called "The Trainer of Champions", and has been instrumental in training some of the biggest names in the industry, including the Road Warriors , "Ravishing" Rick Rude, Tom Zenk, Bob Backlund, Jerry Lynn, Sean Waltman, Nord...
. In the AWA, he competed as Wayne "The Train" Bloom. His initial run as a singles wrestler was not very successful, illustrated by the 24 second loss to Jimmy Valiant
Jimmy Valiant
James Harold Fanning is a former professional wrestler and author better known as Jimmy Valiant.-Personal life:...
at the AWA PPV SuperClash III. After his unsuccessful singles attempts, Bloom formed a tag team called The Destruction Crew with fellow rookie (and Eddie Sharkey student) ”Mean” Mike Enos
Mike Enos
Mike Enos is a retired professional wrestler who wrestled mainly as a tag-team wrestler in World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation between 1989 and 2000....
. In the fall of 1989 Wayne Bloom on behalf of the Destruction Crew challenged then AWA World Tag Team champions
AWA World Tag Team Championship
The American Wrestling Association World Tag Team Championship was professional wrestling world tag team championship in the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991.-History :...
Ken Patera
Ken Patera
Ken Patera is a former professional wrestler, Olympic weightlifter, and Strongman competitor.-Weightlifting/Strongman career:Patera is a former Olympic weightlifter and American powerlifter...
and Brad Rheingans
Brad Rheingans
Brad Rheingans is a former Greco-Roman and professional wrestler.-Career:Rheingans was an NCAA champion in 1975 for North Dakota State University and wrestled in the 1976 Olympics, placing fourth...
to a “car lifting” contest. During the challenge, the Destruction Crew attacked Patera and Rhenigans and injured them (kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
). This forced them to vacate the tag team titles.
A tournament was set up to crown new tag-team champions; in the tournament, the Destruction Crew would defeat the team of Sgt. Slaughter
Sgt. Slaughter
Robert Remus , better known by his ring name Sgt. Slaughter, is an American former WWE personality and semi-retired professional wrestler. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Slaughter had success in the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Association, and World Wrestling...
& Baron Von Raschke
James Raschke
James Donald Raschke is a retired professional wrestler best known as Baron von Raschke.-Career:...
in the first round and then beat Greg Gagne
Greg Gagne (wrestler)
Gregory Alan "Greg" Gagne is a former professional wrestler and the son of Verne Gagne. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he achieved his biggest success as one half of the tag team The High Flyers with Jim Brunzell...
and Paul Diamond in the finals to win the titles. Bloom also challenged the returning Brad Rheingans to a Greco-Roman
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
match which Bloom lost. Nevertheless, the Crew's tag team victory combined with their devious tactics earned the duo a joint “Rookie of the Year” award from the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro 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...
, which is the only time a tag team has won this award.
In 1990 the Destruction Crew joined 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...
, which at the time was still a part of 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...
. In WCW, they wrestled under masks as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew 2
Minnesota Wrecking Crew
The Minnesota Wrecking Crew was originally a professional wrestling tag team that was formed by Gene and Lars Anderson but since then has featured a number of wrestlers who wrestled under the Anderson family name despite not being blood related.-History:...
and were managed by Ole Anderson
Ole Anderson
Alan Robert Rogowski , better known by his ring name of Ole Anderson, is a retired professional wrestler and a promoter. He held numerous NWA World Tag Team Championships with Gene Anderson, who was portrayed as his brother...
(a member of the original Minnesota Wrecking Crew). They attempted without success to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
from the Steiner Brothers over the summer of 1990. During their stint with WCW they were also still under contract with the AWA; in fact, they were the AWA World Tag-Team Champions during their entire run as the masked Minnesota Wrestling Crew 2.
On August 11, the Destruction Crew lost the AWA tag-team titles to longtime rivals The Trooper
Del Wilkes
Del Wilkes is a former American professional wrestler. Over the span of 14 years, he performed in various promotions such as American Wrestling Association, All Japan Pro Wrestling...
and D.J. Peterson
David Peterson (wrestler)
David W. Peterson was an American professional wrestler, known by his ringname D.J. Peterson, who competed in North American regional promotions during the 1980s in the Universal Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance and the American Wrestling Association during its final days,...
. The Crew tried in vain to regain the titles over the next couple of months until the AWA closed up in early 1991.
World Wrestling Federation
In 1991, after the AWA closed up, the Destruction Crew went to 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...
and became the Beverly Brothers
Beverly Brothers
The Beverly Brothers were a professional wrestling tag team comprising Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom in the World Wrestling Federation. They were also known as The Destruction Crew in the American Wrestling Association and the Minnesota Wrecking Crew 2 in the National Wrestling Alliance...
, with Enos and Bloom wrestling 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:...
s Blake and Beau Beverly, respectively. Their gimmick was that of two spoiled rich brats. They were originally managed by the Coach
John Tolos
John Tolos, nicknamed "The Golden Greek", was a Canadian professional wrestler, and professional wrestling manager.-Canadian Wrecking Crew:...
, then by The Genius
Lanny Poffo
Lanny Mark Poffo , better known by his ring name "Leaping" Lanny is an American professional wrestler. Poffo was born in Calgary, Canada, to Angelo Poffo, an Italian American Catholic, and Judy, a Jewish American. He is also the brother of wrestling legend "Macho Man" Randy Savage...
. The team was initially launched into feuds with the Legion of Doom
Road Warriors
The Road Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Michael "Hawk" Hegstrand and Joseph "Animal" Laurinaitis. They performed under the name "Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling, and the name Legion...
, 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...
, and The Natural Disasters
The Natural Disasters
The Natural Disasters were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Earthquake and Typhoon who competed in the World Wrestling Federation between 1991 and 1993...
, the latter of which revolved around the WWF Tag Team Championship. The Beverly Brothers were never promoted as serious players in the tag team division and only made a few PPV appearances between 1991 and 1993
Later career
In 1993, Bloom left the WWF and also semi-retired from professional wrestling. Yet within a year, he was making sporadic appearances on the independent scene as a singles wrestler among other places during the last days of Herb AbramsHerb Abrams
Herb C. Abrams was an American professional wrestling promoter from New York.-Career:Abrams founded the Universal Wrestling Federation in 1990 and remained CEO of the company until his death...
’ UWF
Universal Wrestling Federation (Herb Abrams)
The Universal Wrestling Federation was an American wrestling promotion based out of Marina del Rey, California.-History:Herb Abrams founded the UWF in 1990 with hopes of returning professional wrestling back to its roots...
. Bloom and Enos had a brief reunion in 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...
in 1997 and 1998, but the announcers never made any comments on their past history. After a while together, the team finally disbanded for good. Bloom retired permanently in 1999.
Bloom currently works in Stillwater, Minnesota at the Stillwater prison as a prison guard.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Double underhook suplex
- Signature moves
- Full nelson
- With Mike EnosMike EnosMike Enos is a retired professional wrestler who wrestled mainly as a tag-team wrestler in World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation between 1989 and 2000....
- Aided piledriver - As The Destruction Crew
- Shaker Heights Spike (Blake flapjacks the opponent into the air and Beau catches them with a kneeling head spike) - As The Beverly Brothers
- Wrecking Ball (Electric chair / Diving clothesline combinationDoomsday DeviceDoomsday Device, often shortened to Device, is a term used in professional wrestling to reference a tandem move in which one wrestler hoists the opponent on their shoulders so that they are facing in the same direction in what is known as the electric chair position, while another wrestler climbs...
) - As The Destruction Crew
- 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...
- Baron Von RaschkeJames RaschkeJames Donald Raschke is a retired professional wrestler best known as Baron von Raschke.-Career:...
- Ole AndersonOle AndersonAlan Robert Rogowski , better known by his ring name of Ole Anderson, is a retired professional wrestler and a promoter. He held numerous NWA World Tag Team Championships with Gene Anderson, who was portrayed as his brother...
- The GeniusLanny PoffoLanny Mark Poffo , better known by his ring name "Leaping" Lanny is an American professional wrestler. Poffo was born in Calgary, Canada, to Angelo Poffo, an Italian American Catholic, and Judy, a Jewish American. He is also the brother of wrestling legend "Macho Man" Randy Savage...
- Col. Robert ParkerRobert FullerRobert Welch is a professional wrestler and manager better known by his ring names Robert Fuller and Col. Robert Parker. Robert and his brother Ron co-owned Continental Championship Wrestling for a time.-Career:...
- Theodore LongTheodore LongTheodore R. "Teddy" Long is an American professional wrestling manager and former referee who currently works for WWE on its SmackDown brand as its General Manager.-National Wrestling Alliance / World Championship Wrestling:...
- Coach John TolosJohn TolosJohn Tolos, nicknamed "The Golden Greek", was a Canadian professional wrestler, and professional wrestling manager.-Canadian Wrecking Crew:...
- Johnny ValiantJohn L. Sullivan (wrestler)John L. Sullivan is a retired professional wrestler better known as Johnny Valiant. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation , which became the World Wrestling Federation during his time with the promotion. He won the World Tag Team Championship two times...
- Manny FernandezManny Fernandez (wrestler)Emanuel "Manny" Fernandez is an American professional wrestler currently wrestling for different independent promotions. He is best known by the his ring name "The Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez.-Professional wrestling career:...
- Baron Von Raschke
Championships and accomplishments
American Wrestling AssociationAmerican Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
-
- AWA World Tag Team ChampionAWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe American Wrestling Association World Tag Team Championship was professional wrestling world tag team championship in the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991.-History :...
- with Mike EnosMike EnosMike Enos is a retired professional wrestler who wrestled mainly as a tag-team wrestler in World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation between 1989 and 2000....
(1)
- AWA World Tag Team Champion
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro 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...
-
- 1989 PWI Rookie of the Year (along with Mike Enos)
- PWI ranked him #458 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003