- Dale Torborg
-
Dale Torborg 
Ring name(s) The MVP[1]
The Demon
The KISS Demon[1]
Dale Torberg[2]
Dale Torborg[1]Billed height 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)[1] Billed weight 275 lb (125 kg)[1] Born October 24, 1971 [1]
Mountainside, New Jersey[1]Trained by Buddy Lee Parker
WCW Power Plant
The Warlord[1]
Jim NeidhartDebut 1995 Retired 2002 Dale Christian Torborg (born October 24, 1971) is an American baseball trainer and former professional wrestler.[1] He is the son of former Major League Baseball manager Jeff Torborg. He is currently the conditioning coordinator for the Chicago White Sox.
Contents
Early life
Torborg was originally a professional baseball player after graduating from Northwestern University. A fastball to the face while in the minor leagues ended his baseball career.
Professional wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
In 1995 on the way to LA, Torborg met Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. The two of them spoke with Torborg about going into the wrestling business. Torborg was trained by The Warlord and Jim Neidhart and debuted in 1998. He debuted in WCW and was said to have been a member of the WCW Pit Crew and was training in the WCW Power Plant.
In 1995, he then worked for the American Wrestling Federation as The MVP, a baseball player character. After the AWF closed he was briefly employed by the World Wrestling Federation and used the MVP gimmick there, but was released shortly thereafter. In 1998, he was hired by World Championship Wrestling where he spent the beginning of his tenure as an enhancement talent on the minor WCW weekend shows, WCW Saturday Night and WCW Pro. His fortunes changed in 1999 when WCW head Eric Bischoff struck a deal with the rock band KISS to create a KISS themed wrestler, "The KISS Demon", a gimmick that was meant to be the wrestling alter ego of performer Gene Simmons. The gimmick was played once by Brian Adams, rejected by him, and given to Torborg. He was managed by Asya, who he later married. The "Demon" character was originally supposed to be the beginning of a stable called The Warriors of KISS, in which the other original members of the band would have a wrestler representing their look and gimmick.[3] KISS was guaranteed their "Demon" themed wrestler would wrestle a Main Event match with the contract they made with WCW. This was supposed to happen at a special 1999 New Year's Eve PPV against Vampiro. The PPV and the match were taken off the table, however, after Eric Bischoff lost his position. In order to fulfill the contractual obligation, he was booked in a "Special Main Event" match at Superbrawl in early 2000. Uncharacteristic to "Main Event" matches, it was the fourth match on the card and saw Torborg face The Wall which saw The Wall win with a chokeslam.
Afterwards, he was known simply as "The Demon" and placed in a stable with Vampiro and The Insane Clown Posse called The Dark Carnival. He later turned against the group and feuded with Vampiro. When WCW was bought out by the then-World Wrestling Federation in 2001, Torborg's contract was not picked up.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Torborg appeared with White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski on a episode of TNA Impact! on December 8, 2005. Along with veteran wrestling manager and color commentator Bobby Heenan. Torborg and Pierzynski presented A.J. Styles, Chris Sabin and Sonjay Dutt with memorabilia from the 2005 World Series until they were interrupted by The Diamonds in the Rough. Simon Diamond, the leader of the Diamonds and himself a former baseball player, mocked Pierzynski's .256 batting average, telling him that he needed a designated hitter. Diamond then slapped Torborg, leading to a brawl. As a result, Torborg, Sabin and Dutt, with Pierzynski in their corner, faced the Diamonds at TNA Turning Point 2005 on December 11. At Turning Point, Dutt pinned Diamond following interference from then-Boston Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon.
On the January 18, 2007 edition of iMPACT!, Pierzynski and Torborg attacked Lance Hoyt, helping James Storm win, who was also aided by Miss Tennessee.[4] At Against All Odds 2007 Torborg, with Pierzynski in his corner, was defeated by Hoyt, who had David Eckstein in his corner.[1] Torborg and Pierzynski's appearance were some of the highest rated episodes for TNA.Template:Http://www.gerweck.net/tv-ratings/2007-ratings/
Baseball coaching
Torborg left wrestling and joined the Montreal Expos as a strength coach, when WCW was purchased by the World Wrestling Federation in March 2001, and retired from professional wrestling in 2002.
Afterwards, Torborg became the conditioning coach for the Florida Marlins. His father Jeff was the manager for the team as well. He made news when he scared Marlins pitcher Antonio Alfonseca into hiding in a trainer's room after Alfonseca berated him and made fun of his prior career as a professional wrestler while refusing Torborg's request for a weigh-in.
In January 2004, Dale was hired by the Chicago White Sox baseball team as a roving strength trainer. Torborg has been a part of two World Champion baseball teams: 2003 Marlins and 2005 White Sox.
Torborg had a small role in the Transporter 2, as well as numerous commercials over his acting career. He also worked with Tom Selleck for the movie Mr. Baseball, as well as with Madonna and Geena Davis for the movie A League of their Own.
Personal life
Torborg and Christie Wolf got married on October 5, 2000.[5] He and Christie welcomed their first child, a daughter named Sierra Raye on August 18, 2005.[6]
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Cobra clutch slam[1][7]/Love Gun
- Signature moves
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The Kiss Demon profile". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/d/dale-torborg.html. Retrieved 2009-08-011.
- ^ "WWE: WCW Thunder October 7, 1999: Dale Torborg vs. The Maestro". WWE. http://vids.wwe.com/12551/wcw-thunder-october-7-1999-dale. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
- ^ KISS ASYLUM: July '99 News Archive
- ^ Total Nonstop Action Wrestling On Spike TV! - NEWS
- ^ Dale Torborg (Demon) and Asya got married on 9/15
- ^ Most importantly the birth of his daughter Sierra Raye August 18th! Sierra weighed 6lbs 12oz. and was 19½ inches at birth. She is Dale and his wife Christie's first child.
- ^ a b "Dark Carnival Vs. Jung Dragons". World Championship Wrestling, TNT. WCW Monday Nitro. 2000-08-07.
- ^ a b "KroniK, Booker T, Sting Vs. Vampiro, The Demon, The Great Muta, Jeff Jarrett; Elimination Match". World Championship Wrestling. WCW Thunder. 2000-08-02.
- ^ "Vampiro Vs. The Demon". World Championship Wrestling. WCW Monday Nitro. 2000-07-03.
- ^ a b c "The Demon Vs. Billy Kidman". World Championship Wrestling, TNT. WCW Monday Nitro. 2000-02-07.
- ^ "The Demon Vs. Hugh Morrus". World Championship Wrestling. WCW Thunder. 2000-03-22.
- ^ "The Demon vs The Wall". World Championship Wrestling, TNT. WCW Superbrawl. 2000-02-20.
- ^ "Brian Knobs Vs. The Demon". Wrestling Night. Tampa at Tropicana field. April 2008.
External links
Categories:- 1971 births
- American professional wrestlers
- Living people
- People from Union County, New Jersey
- Northwestern Wildcats baseball players
- Finishing moves
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