Drake Younger

Drake Younger
Ring name(s)	Drake Younger The Psycho Shooter
Billed height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Billed weight	210 lb (95 kg)[1]
Born	September 10, 1984 (1984-09-10) (age 27)[2] Indianapolis, Indiana [2]
Billed from	Indianapolis, Indiana by way of the R.A.A.G.E Dojo[1]
Trained by	American Kickboxer Ian Rotten Chris Hero Low Ki
Debut	February 7, 2003

Drake Wuertz (born September 10, 1984) is an American professional wrestler known by his ring name Drake Younger. He has worked for a number of major independent promotions including Combat Zone Wrestling, IWA Mid-South and Chikara. He is best known for his deathmatch wrestling, however he is rapidly gaining a reputation as a "breakthrough" wrestler, capable of technical style matches also.

Professional wrestling career

Drake became a fan of wrestling at an early age, attending WrestleMania VIII and became a fan of Hulk Hogan, before discovering wrestlers such as Sabu and Cactus Jack, both of whom would become major influences. Drake tried his hand at wrestling joining Crazy Ass Wrestling, a backyard wrestling group ran by Diehard Dustin Lee. A few years later, Drake, along with fellow Indianapolis natives Scotty Vortekz, Cliff Crunk, xOMGx, & Diehard joined the R.A.A.G.E Dojo, training under American Kickboxer, after already debuting for Insanity Pro Wrestling in Indianapolis, IN in 2002. Drake disappeared from wrestling for over a year citing personal issues. During this hiatus, Drake was in a car accident which gave him the gash on his shoulder.

In March 2006, Drake returned to Insanity Pro Wrestling in a losing effort "Diehard" Dustin Lee. In June 2006 Drake and Dustin Lee went at it once again but this time at IWA Mid-South's King of the Deathmatch tournament. He defeated Dustin Lee in the 1st round in a cage match. but lost in round 2 against JC Bailey in a barefoot thumbtack deathmatch.

Drake debuted for Combat Zone Wrestling in July 2006 in the fifth annual Tournament of Death. Drake lasted to the finals but was eliminated by Nick Gage. The following year, he made it to the finals again and defeated Brain Damage to become the TOD 6 Champion. In February 2007, Younger defeated Ian Rotten, Mad Man Pondo, 2 Tuff Tony, Mickie Knuckles and "Diehard" Dustin Lee in a Hardcore Rumble to become the new IWA Mid-South Deathmatch Champion.^[3] On November 24, 2007, Drake competed in the Strong Style Tournament hold by wXw Germany. He defeated "Brusin" Marc Slater in the 1st round, but lost to Bad Bones in a 4-way elimination final. He was the final man to get eliminated.

On January 5, 2008, Drake defeated Carlton Kaz for the IPW Grand Heavyweight Championship (which Younger made into the IPW World Heavyweight Championship, by defending the Grand Title in Germany), making him a two time champion by also winning the Jr. Heavyweight Championship a few years back.^[4] Drake also teams with Scotty Vortekz and Dustin Lee as The Naptown Dragons. The Naptown Dragons competed in CHIKARA's King of Trios tournament, losing in the first round to Team IPW:UK (Martin Stone, Sha Samuels, and Terry Frazier). On July 12, 2008, Younger defeated Nick Gage in a "Tangled Web" Deathmatch for the CZW World Heavyweight Championship, making him a dual champion as he currently also holds the CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship.^[5] On September 27, 2008, Younger defeated "New Horror"Sami Callihan and Claudio Castagnoli in the finals of the 2008 Ted Petty Invitational, to become the first wrestler to win both a technical wrestling and a deathmatch wrestling tournament.

On October 11, 2008, Younger gave his CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship to Danny Havoc at Decision'08.^[5]

On January 3, 2009, Younger lost his IPW World Heavyweight Championship to Jon Moxley at Animosity 09 in a Dog Collar Match.^[4] Drake participated in wXw's 16 Carat Gold Tournament in Germany, making it all the way to the finals with a great showing before losing to Dragon Gate ace Takagi Shingo. He then toured Europe before returning to Germany for wXw's deathmatch tournament, Gorefest II, in which he was eliminated in the semi-finals in a lighttube log cabin match. Earlier in the afternoon he had defeated Danny Havoc to retain his CZW World Heavyweight Title belt.

On January 30, 2010 Drake Younger would lose his CZW World Heavyweight Title belt to B-Boy at High Stakes 4 - Sky's The Limit.^[6] On February 13, 2010 at the CZW 11th Anniversary Show Fan Appreciation Deadly Doubleheader Younger would win the afternoon show defeating Drew Blood but would go on to losing at the night show to J.C. Bailey.^[6] On April 10, 2010 at Swinging For The Fences,^[6] Drake Younger teamed with Eddie Kingston to win the CZW World Tag Team Champions by defeating The Best Around.

On May 1, 2010 Younger would make his Evolve debut at Evolve 3: Rise or Fall in a winning effort against Jon Moxley.^[7]

On July 10, 2010, Younger and Kingston were stripped of the CZW World Tag Team Championship, after Kingston quit the company.

On September 9, 2010 at CZW's "It's Always Bloody In Philadelphia" Drake Younger turned heel when he turned on the Suicide Kings and his friend Scotty Vortekz.^[8]

On September 17, 2011 Drake was crowned IWA Mid South's "King Of The Deathmatches". The only competitor to ever win both the Ted Petty Invitational and King Of The Deathmatches tournaments.

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Drake's Landing (Back to back double underhook piledriver, sometimes from the second rope)^[1]
  • Drake 'n' Bake (Death Valley Bomb)
  • Fire thunder driver

• Signature moves
  • Brainbuster
  • Diving somersault seated senton
  • Double underhook piledriver
  • Flapjack, sometimes into a chair or a ladder
  • Frog splash
  • Front powerslam, sometimes from off of the ring apron into a table
  • Inverted STF
  • Multiple suplex variations
    • Exploder
    • High-angle belly to back
    • Sitout
  • Rolling fireman's carry slam, sometimes from off the ring apron into a table
  • Springboard moonsault
  • Sunset flip powerbomb, sometimes from the second or top rope

• Nicknames
  • "The Psycho Shooter"^[1]
  • "The Junior Shooter"
  • "The Golden Boy"
  • "Polarias" (Crazy Ass Wrestling/Insanity Pro Wrestlilng)

• Entrance themes
  • "Whatever" by Godsmack
  • "Black Republican" by Jay-Z"^[1]
  • "Insane In The Membrane" by Cypress Hill.
  • "Naptown Dragons" by Diehard Dustin Lee. (IPW Only)
  • "A Warriors Call" by Volbeat
  • "I am A Rock" by Simon and Garfunkel^[9]

Championships and accomplishments

• Absolute Intense Wrestling

• AIW Absolute Championship (1 time)

• Coliseum Championship Wrestling

• CCW Tag Team Championship - with JC Bailey

• CCW Tag Team Championship - Diehard Dustin Lee

• Combat Zone Wrestling

• CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship (2 times)^[10]
• Tournament of Death (VI)^[11]
• CZW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[12]
• CZW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Eddie Kingston

• Full Throttle Wrestling

• FTW Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Diehard Dustin Lee ^[13]

• Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South

• IWA Mid-South Deathmatch Championship (1 time)^[14]
• IWA Mid-South King of the Deathmatch (2011)
• Ted Petty Invitational (2008)

• Insanity Pro Wrestling

• IPW Grand Championship (1 time)^[15]
• IPW Jr. Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• IPW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[16]

• Mark Pro Wrestling

• MPW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)^[17]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI ranked him #178 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2009

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "CZW Roster". Combat Zone Wrestling. http://www.czwrestling.com/lockerroom/. Retrieved 2008-11-12. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Profile". http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/d/drake-younger.html. Retrieved 2009. 
3. ^ "2007 IWA Mid-South Results". www.iwamidsouthwrestling.com. http://www.freewebs.com/iwamidsouth/2007.html. Retrieved 2008-07-08. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Insanity Pro Wrestling". http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/insanity/. Retrieved May 2009. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Combat Zone Wrestling (2008)". http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/czw/_2008/. Retrieved 2008-11-12. 
6. ^ ^{a b c} http://czwrestling.com/archives/index.html
7. ^ evolvewrestling.com/roster/younger.htm
8. ^ "A Look at the CZW Tag Team Title Tournament". Combat Zone Wrestling. 2010-07-21. http://www.czwrestling.com/news.php/a_look_at_the_czw_tag_team_title_tournament.html. Retrieved 2010-08-15. 
9. ^ http://www.czwrestling.com/lockerroom/drakeyounger.html
10. ^ "CZW Ultraviolent Underground Title History". solie.org. http://solie.org/titlehistories/uutczw.html. Retrieved 2008-07-08. 
11. ^ "Combat Zone Wrestling (2007)". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/czw/_2007/. Retrieved 2008-07-08. 
12. ^ "CZW title history". CZWrestling.com. http://www.czwrestling.com/titlehistory/. Retrieved 2008-11-12. 
13. ^ "Independent Wrestling Results - November 2006". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/other/2006-11.html. Retrieved 2008-07-04. 
14. ^ "IWA Mid-South Deathmatch Title History". solie.org. http://solie.org/titlehistories/msdmiwassoc.html. Retrieved 2008-07-08. 
15. ^ "Insanity Pro Wrestling". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/insanity/. Retrieved 2008-07-08. 
16. ^ "Insanity Pro Wrestling Champions". insanityprowrestling.com. Archived from the original on 2008-02-24. http://web.archive.org/web/20080224103056/http://insanityprowrestling.com/content/champions.php. Retrieved 2008-08-05. 
17. ^ "Mark Pro Wrestling Championship History". madwrestling.com. http://www.madwrestling.com/Champions.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-15. 

External links

Professional wrestling portal

• CZW Roster Page
• Match History at Indy Wrestling News
• Interview with Insane Wrestling Federation Online
• Official MySpace
• Profile at Online World of Wrestling
• Profile at accelerator3359.com

Persondata
Name	Younger, Drake
Alternative names	Wuertz, Drake; Psycho Shooter, The
Short description	professional wrestler
Date of birth	September 10, 1984
Place of birth	Indianapolis, Indiana
Date of death
Place of death