Donovan Morgan

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Donovan Morgan bigraphy, stories - American professional wrestler

Donovan Morgan : biography

January 10, 1976 –

Andrew Vassos (born January 10, 1976) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Donovan Morgan. Best known for his appearances with Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan and Ring of Honor in the United States, Morgan received tryouts with World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation in 1997 and 1998, but was not hired.

Championships and accomplishments

  • All Pro Wrestling
    • APW Internet Championship (2 times)
    • APW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Robert Thompson
    • APW Universal Championship (2 times)
  • Cauliflower Alley Club
    • Future Legend Award (2001)
  • East Coast Wrestling Association
    • Super 8 Tournament (2002)
  • Midwest Championship Wrestling
    • MCW Lightweight Championship (1 time)
  • North American Wrestling
    • NAW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated
    • PWI ranked him #73 of the 500 best singles wrestlers the PWI 500 in 2004
  • Pro Wrestling Iron
    • PWI Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Michael Modest
  • Pro Wrestling NOAH
    • 10-Man Battle Royal (2002)http://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=5660
  • Ring of Honor
    • ROH Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Christopher Daniels

In wrestling

  • Finishing moves
    • Sayonara (Sitout double underhook facebuster)
  • Signature moves
    • Back flip transitioned into a springboard arm drag, as a wrist-lock counter
    • Diving DDT
    • Diving leg drop
    • Fallaway slam
    • Multiple suplex variations
      • Northern lights
      • Overhead belly to belly
      • Swinging cradle
    • Sitout double underhook powerbomb
    • Sitout scoop slam piledriver
    • Somersault plancha
    • Split-legged moonsault
    • Suicide dive
  • Managers
    • Eddie Corvin
    • Al Getz
    • Mackenzie the Fungirl
    • Pete the Bartender
  • Nicknames
    • "Dazzling"
    • "Funboy"
    • "The Suicide Machine"

Career

Vassos graduated from Ripon Christian High School in 1994 at the age of eighteen, and attended Modesto Junior College for a year before deciding to become a professional wrestler. He left college at the age of twenty and attended the APW Boot Camp in Hayward, California where he was trained by Michael Modest and Ric Thompson for two years. He debuted in All Pro Wrestling on June 29, 1996 in Hayward, California as "Donovan Morgan", facing Dwayne Jones.

Soon after his debut, Morgan began feuding with his trainer, Michael Modest. Morgan’s first title win in APW was on January 25, 1997, when he and his partner, Robert Thompson, defeated Modest and Steve Rizzono for the APW Tag Team Championships in a Two out of three falls match, winning two straight falls. They held the titles until August 1, when they lost to Tony Jones and Jay Smooth. Morgan continued his feud with Modest, and on July 7 they faced one another in a match for the vacant APW Universal Heavyweight Championship. Modest was victorious, but Morgan continued to pursue the title, eventually defeating Modest for the Universal Heavyweight Championship on September 5 in what was considered a major upset. Modest regained the title less than a month later on October 3.

In early 2000, Morgan formed a stable with Vinny Massaro and Vanilla Frost called "The New Breed". On April 15, 2000 Morgan defeated Boyce LeGrande for the APW Internet Championship in the finals of a one night tournament (the previous champion, Christopher Daniels, had been signed by World Championship Wrestling and subsequently stripped of the belt). After Morgan won the Universal Heavyweight Championship for a second time, defeating Ed Moretti on October 7, 2000, he was informed by APW Commissioner Gabe Ramirez that he was not allowed to hold two titles simultaneously, so he vacated the Internet Championship on October 28.