- Del Wilkes
-
Not to be confused with Tom Brandi.
Del Wilkes 
Ring name(s) Dream Weaver[1]
The Trooper[1]
The Patriot[1]Billed height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)[1] Billed weight 275 lb (125 kg)[1] Born December 21, 1961 [1]
Columbia, South Carolina[1]Billed from Washington, D.C. - WCW Trained by Brad Rheingans
Verne Gagne[1]
The Fabulous Moolah[1][2]Debut 1988 Retired 1997 Del Wilkes (born December 21, 1961) 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. Wilkes is perhaps best known, however, for his masked persona, The Patriot, in the Global Wrestling Federation, and World Championship Wrestling, and in World Wrestling Federation.
Contents
Football
Del Wilkes began his athletic career as an offensive guard for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football team. While at USC, he was an All American.[2]
Professional wrestling career
American Wrestling Association (1988–1991)
He started wrestling in 1988 in the American Wrestling Association as The Trooper, a large, well built figure who wrote out tickets for his opponents after defeating them. As a fan favorite, he feuded with AWA World Champion Larry Zbyszko and nearly defeated him for the title had it not been for the match's time expiration. Wilkes also formed a tag team, first with Paul Diamond, then with D.J. Peterson, with whom he won the AWA World Tag Team Championship in a feud with Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom.[3]
Global Wrestling Federation (1991–1994)
Wilkes went to the Global Wrestling Federation as The Patriot after the AWA folded in 1991 and quickly became the top face there by winning both the North American title and the Television title.[4][5] He feuded with Al Perez, Eddie Gilbert, and The Dark Patriot while there.
All Japan Pro Wrestling (1992–1994)
In 1992, during his stint in the GWF, Wilkes went to wrestle in All Japan Pro Wrestling. He had success with Jackie Fulton who wrestled as "The Eagle" to match Wilkes' Patriot gimmick.[6] On June 2, 1993, The Patriot and the Eagle defeated Kenta Kobashi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi to win the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship.[7] The Patriot would hold onto the titles for three months, eventually losing them on September 9, 1993 to Doug Furnas and Dan Kroffat. In late 1993, The Patriot and The Eagle entered the 1993 World's Strongest Tag League where they finished in 7th place with 4 Points.[8]
World Championship Wrestling (1994–1995)
In 1994, Wilkes signed with World Championship Wrestling to form a team with Marcus Bagwell called Stars 'n' Stripes. They feuded with Paul Orndorff and Paul Roma over the WCW World Tag Team Championship. The two teams battled for the titles and exchanged victories in non-title matches for several months. One week after losing the titles at Fall Brawl 1994, Stars and Stripes defeated Pretty Wonderful on September 25, 1994 on WCW Saturday Night. Stars and Stripes held the titles for a month but lost them back to Pretty Wonderful at Halloween Havoc 1994. On November 16, 1994, at Clash of the Champions XXIX, Stars and Stripes regained the titles for the second time[9] in a match with Patriot's mask was on the line. Three weeks later, on December 8, Stars and Stripes lost the titles to Harlem Heat.[9] Following the title loss, Wilkes continued wrestling for WCW for several more months until leaving in May 1995.
All Japan Pro Wrestling (1995–1997)
After no-showing the Slamboree pay-per-view in May 1995, he returned to AJPW. He quickly formed a tag team with Johnny Ace. On August 30, 1995, Wilkes and Ace challenged The Holy Demon Army for the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship but lost.[10] The two then entered the 1995 World's Strongest Tag League where they finished in 4th place with 13 points.[11]
On January 2, 1996, Wilkes won All Japan's yearly January 2 Heavyweight Battle Royal to give him his second All Japan achievement. For the battle royal victory, Wilkes ended his team with Ace and went into the midcard with little direction. In the spring of 1996, Wilkes entered the 1996 Champion's Carnival where he finished in 9th place with 6 points.[12] In the summer of 1996, Wilkes formed a tag team with Kenta Kobashi, on October 12, 1996, they challenged Steve Williams and Johnny Ace for the AJPW World Tag Team Championship but they came up short.[13] In November 1996, Wilkes and Kobashi entered the 1996 World's Strongest Tag League where they finished in 3rd place with 16 points, Wilkes even scored a pinfall victory over Toshiaki Kawada.[14]
In early 1997, Wilkes and Kobashi reunited with Johnny Ace and the three formed the stable: GET (Global, Energetic, Tough).[15] Wilkes involvement with the group only lasted a few months as he left All Japan in July 1997.
World Wrestling Federation (1997)
Wilkes made his TV debut on the July 14, 1997 episode of Raw and feuded with Bret Hart. The premise of this feud was that Hart had just started his anti-American Hart Foundation, and the Patriot was, as the name implied, a man who stood up for America. He wore a mask with American stars and stripes and carried the American flag. He defeated Hart on television in a match on July 28, 1997 after interference from Shawn Michaels.[1] Wilkes went on to challenge Hart for the WWF title at Ground Zero: In Your House where Hart forced him to submit with the Sharpshooter.[1] At Badd Blood: In Your House, Wilkes teamed with Vader against the Hart Foundation's Bret Hart and The British Bulldog, but lost the match. Following Badd Blood, Patriot was scheduled to team with Vader, Goldust, and Marc Mero as part of Team USA at Survivor Series 1997 but suffered a torn triceps weeks earlier, he was replaced by Steve Blackman. He was released in early 1998.
During his tenure in the WWF, Wilkes used the song "Medal", which would be later popularized by Kurt Angle.
Personal life
After leaving the WWF, Wilkes wrestled in the independent circuit before retiring in 2002. Since leaving the business, Wilkes admitted that he had used steroids and cocaine during his career, starting with his college football days. He spent nine months in prison in 2002 for forging a prescription due to his addiction to painkillers. As of July 2007, Wilkes has since quit drugs and is a car salesman in Columbia, South Carolina.[16]
In a July 25, 2007 interview with WACH reporter Justin Kier, Wilkes discussed his career, steroid use, the Chris Benoit tragedy, and various other topics. Kier's last two questions involved saying goodbye to the fans and giving advice to youngsters in the wrestling business. Wilkes urged young wrestlers to "learn from our mistakes." He said that 50 people who he once worked with in the wrestling business are now dead.[citation needed]
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
-
- Full nelson suplex[1]
- Patriot Missile (Shoulder block, sometimes from the top rope)[1]
- Signature moves
-
- Bear hug
- Clothesline
- Uncle Slam (Full nelson slam)[1]
Championships and accomplishments
-
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time)[1][6] – with The Eagle
- January 2nd Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (1996) [17]
-
- AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time, Last) – with D.J. Peterson[1][3]
- Eastern Wrestling Alliance
-
- EWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- National Championship Wrestling
-
- NCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
-
- PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1991)[18]
- PWI ranked him # 55 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1991[19]
- PWI ranked him # 208 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "The Patriot profile". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/p/patriot.html. Retrieved 2009-09-12.
- ^ a b Mooneyham, Mike (1995). "Moolah Simply Fabulous". The Wrestling Gospel. http://www.mikemooneyham.com/pages/viewfull.cfm?ObjectID=BA253264-7A38-4098-A3B2F0ABE84A3973. Retrieved 2009-03-01.[dead link]
- ^ a b Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2006). "AWA World Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 29. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ a b Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2006). "Global Wrestling Federation North American Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 280. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ a b Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2006). "GWF Television Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 281. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ a b Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2006). "Japan: AJPW All Asia Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 375. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ http://www.purolove.com/ajpw/history/allasiatag.php
- ^ http://www.purolove.com/ajpw/history/rwtl93.php
- ^ a b http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ttwcw.html
- ^ http://www.purolove.com/ajpw/history/ajpwtagdefenses.php#21
- ^ http://www.purolove.com/ajpw/history/rwtl95.php
- ^ http://www.purolove.com/ajpw/history/carnival96.php
- ^ http://www.purolove.com/ajpw/history/ajpwtagdefenses.php#30
- ^ http://www.purolove.com/ajpw/history/rwtl96.php
- ^ http://www.cagematch.net/?id=29&nr=647
- ^ "A journey through steroids, injuries, pain pills and prison". USA Today. 2004-03-12. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2004-03-12-wrestling-wilkes_x.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
- ^ http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/alljap/ajtourn.htm
- ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Inspirational Wrestler of the Year". Wrestling Information Archive. http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwiinsp.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-27.
- ^ http://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=855&view=awards#awards
- ^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2006). "WCW World Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 20. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
Categories:- 1961 births
- American businesspeople in retailing
- American professional wrestlers
- South Carolina Gamecocks football players
- Living people
- People from Columbia, South Carolina
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