The Headbangers

Infobox Wrestling team
article_name= The Headbangers
type=T


caption=
members=Mosh
Thrasher
names=The Headbangers
Flying Nuns
The Sisters of Love
The Spiders
former_members=
heights= Mosh:
height|ft=6|in=0
Thrasher:
height|ft=6|in=2
weights= convert|488|lb|kg st|abbr=on|lk=on
billed=
hometown=
trainer=
debut=1996cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/h/headbangers.html|title=The Headbangers|work=Online World of Wrestling|accessdate=2008-01-03]
disbanded=2000
promotions=WWF
HWA
NWA
Independents|

The Headbangers were the tag team of Mosh and Thrasher, whose most notable matches were in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). As the name of the team implied, their gimmick was that they were a pair of headbangers, complete with heavy metal related T-shirts, piercings, shaved heads, and black face paint.

History

1996-1998

The team debuted on WWF television wearing nuns' clothing and billed as the Flying Nuns, Sister Angelica and Mother Smucker. On an episode of "Shotgun Saturday Night", Brother Love showed up to manage the Nuns. After the Nuns defeated the The Godwinns, Love renamed them the Sisters of Love.cite web|title=1997|work=The History of WWE|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/97.htm|accessdate=2008-01-03] The gimmick was short-lived, but they kept the skirts when they became The Headbangers in January 1997.cite web|last=Baines|first=Tim|title=Bangers a smash: Eccentric, yes, but WWF tag team caught up in fun|work=SLAM! Wrestling|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingArchive/oct18_wwf1.html|accessdate=2008-01-03] They later had T-shirts with the phrase "Real men wear skirts" and occasionally wore sports bras over their shirts.cite book|last=Oppliger|first=Patrice A.|title=Wrestling and Hypermasculinity|pages=115|publisher=McFarland & Company|date=2004|isbn=0786416920] The duo often carried a boombox to the ring, and on one occasion, Mosh vomited during an interview.

Throughout 1997, The Headbangers (initially as heels, later as faces) feuded with The Godwinns, as well as Doug Furnas & Phil Lafon, often finding themselves on the losing end. They faced Legion of Doom during their surprise return match on February 24 to a double count-out. At WrestleMania 13, The Headbangers won a 4-way elimination match for a shot at the WWF Tag Team Championship. The team was seen on New York's WABC-TV in June, which re-aired on WWF programming.

The Headbangers' won the vacant Tag Team title at due to run-in interference by Steve Austin.cite web|title=W.W.W.F./W.W.F./W.W.E. World Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-t.html|accessdate=2008-01-03] [cite web|title=Ground Zero|work=Pro Wrestling History|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/miscppvs1990s.html#17|accessdate=2008-01-03] [cite web|title=WWF IYH:Ground Zero|last=Gutschmidt|first=Adam|work=Online Onslaught|url=http://www.oowrestling.com/columns/ooldtyme/20050706.shtml|accessdate=2008-01-13] They faced the New Age Outlaws in their debut match on October 20 and frequently challenged them into the following the year for the Tag Team title.

The two are seen backstage playing with Bret Hart's son, Blade, in the 1998 documentary film "". The footage depicts events from the previous year.

Both Mosh and Thrasher entered the 1998 Royal Rumble and both lasted over 10 minutes before Mosh was eliminated by Kurrgan and Thrasher by Steve Austin. [cite web|title=WWF Royal Rumble 1998|work=Hoffco Inc.|url=http://www.hoffco-inc.com/wwe/ppv/ppv/rr98.html|accessdate=2008-01-03] On February 17 1998, The Headbangers won the NWA World Tag Team Championship from The Rock 'n' Roll Express during a WWF program. They feuded with The Quebecers and the Oddities throughout the year and become the first Maryland Championship Wrestling Tag Team Champions on August 18.cite web|title=Maryland Championship Wrestling Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/md/mcw/mcw-t.html|accessdate=2008-01-03]

1999-2000

The Headbangers were both meant to compete in the 1999 Royal Rumble but were injured before the event. Consequently, they were used sparingly throughout 1999. Mosh, repackaged as Beaver Cleavage and then Chaz, performed in singles competition and began having problems with his on-screen girlfriend, Marianna Komlos. He was kayfabe arrested on an episode of "Sunday Night Heat" in September after Komlos claimed he hit her. After Chaz's match on October 5, Glen Ruth (Thrasher) showed GTV footage of Mariana applying makeup to create the effect of wounds.cite web|title=1999|work=The History of WWE|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/99.htm|accessdate=2008-01-03] This proved her accusations false, and The Headbangers subsequently reunited. They then took on a gimmick where they dressed as the opponents that they feuded with, such as the Dudley Boyz and Mean Street Posse. The duo later turned heel and began to dress in drag, most notably wearing breast cones.

Mosh entered in the 2000 Royal Rumble alone; [cite web|title=Royal Rumble 2000|work=Pro Wrestling History|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/rumble.html#00|accessdate=2008-01-03] however, The Headbangers continued performing in tag team and singles matches.cite web|title=2000|work=The History of WWE|url=http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling/cawthon777/00.htm|accessdate=2008-01-03] Both men participated in the Hardcore battle royal at WrestleMania 2000 where Thrasher held the title for 43 seconds. [cite web|title=W.W.F./W.W.E. Hardcore Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-hc.html|accessdate=2008-01-03] [cite web|title=WrestleMania PPV Cards|work=Wrestling Information Archive|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wwf/wwfwm.htm|accessdate=2008-01-03] The team continued battling the likes of Too Cool and T & A until mid 2000. They then separated and Mosh joined D'Lo Brown as Chaz to form Lo Down. [cite web|title=Tag Team List|work=Wrestling Information Archive|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/other/tagteams.htm|accessdate=2008-01-03]

Glen Ruth was released from WWF in 2000 and performed independently briefly before retiring. Charles Warrington (Mosh) was released from WWF in July 2001 and continues to perform occasionally at Florida shows.cite web|title=Wrestler Profiles: Chaz Warrington|work=Online World of Wrestling|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/c/chaz.html|accessdae=2008-01-03]

Criticism by WWE

Years after their departure from the company, The Headbangers have been the brunt of criticism by WWE media. One example can be found in a June 2007 article from a special magazine about the history of WWE champions. The article criticized wrestlers who are considered not worth of winning a belt they held. The Headbangers were included in this article for their supposedly poor Tag Team Championship reign.

WWE's "RAW 15th Anniversary" magazine also includes a list of 15 superstars who "overstayed" their welcomes in the company. This has The Headbangers at #2, behind only Scott Steiner. [cite web|title=WWE Takes Shots At Christy Hemme, VKM & Scott Steiner|url=http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2008/articles/1199655745.php|date=2008-01-06|accessdate=2008-06-30|work=Lords of Pain]

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**Diving somersault leg drop - Thrasher
**"Mosh Pit" (Cannonball senton) - Mosh
**"Stage Dive" (Powerbomb/Leg drop combo)
**Leapfrog body guillotine

*Signature foreign object
**"Boombox"

Championships and accomplishments

*Heartland Wrestling Association:*HWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) [cite web|title=Heartland Wrestling Association Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/oh/hwa/hwa-t.html|accessdate=2008-01-03]

*Insane Championship Wrestling:*ICW Streetfight Tag Team Championship (1 time)

*Main Event Championship Wrestling:*MECW Tag Team Championship (1 time)

*Maryland Championship Wrestling:*MCW Tag Team Champions (1 time)(First)

*"'National Wrestling Alliance:*NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) [cite web|title=N.W.A. World Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/world/nwa-t.html|accessdate=2008-01-03]

*New England Wrestling Federation:*NEWF Tag Team Championship (3 times)

*Texas Wrestling Alliance:*TWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) [cite web|title=Texas Wrestling Alliance Title Histories|work=Wrestling Information Archive|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/other/twatit.htm|accessdate=2008-01-03]

*World Wrestling Federation:*WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time)

References