Kevin Wacholz

Professional wrestling career Early career (1983–1988) Wacholz began his professional wrestling career in 1983 after winning a Toughman Contest. He also wrestled for Bob Geigel's Central States Wrestling (CSW) the following year as Kevin The Magnificent. In June 1988, he defeated Billy Jack Haynes to win the Oregon Wrestling Federation (OWF) Heavyweight Championship, which he held until the promotion closed the following month. By 1986, he adopted the moniker "Mr. Magnificent" and became a top heel, challenging for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship and acquiring Sherri Martel as a manager. At SuperClash II on May 2, 1987, Kelly teamed with Buddy Wolfe and Doug Somers in a loss to The Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels) and Ray Stevens. He left the AWA in February 1988, shortly after unsuccessfully challenging Curt Hennig for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. In June 1990, Kelly wrestled for Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW), where he feuded with Dick Murdoch, but lost all matches involving the two. He returned to NJPW as Nailz in August 1994 during the G1 Climax, where he lost to El Gigante. Two months later, he and Ron Simmons participated in the Super Grade Tag League. They finished the tournament with only four points, failing to advance to the semi-finals.

World Wrestling Federation (1989, 1991, 1992) Wacholz, as Kevin Kelly, received a tryout match for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) on June 6, 1989, at a WWF Superstars taping in Madison, Wisconsin, defeating Tim Horner. The next night, he defeated Jim Powers at a Wrestling Challenge taping, but was not signed to a contract. The following night at a Wrestling Challenge taping, he defeated Gary Jackson in a dark match. On the May 30 episode of Superstars, Nailz, clad in an orange prison jumpsuit, attacked Boss Man after his match, handcuffing him to the top rope before repeatedly hitting and choking him with his own nightstick; this angle was done to write Boss Man off television. Nailz easily defeated numerous jobbers over the following months, attacking them with Boss Man's nightstick after each match. The feud between Nailz and Boss Man culminated on November 25 at Survivor Series, where Nailz lost to Boss Man in a nightstick on a pole match. Bret Hart recalled in his autobiography that Wacholz "cornered Vince in his office and screamed at him for fifteen minutes". Hart claims he was just down the hall from the office when he heard a loud crash, which was Wacholz "knocking Vince over in his chair, choking him violently". Wacholz then filed a wrongful termination lawsuit, claiming he was sexually assaulted by McMahon. The WWF filed a counterclaim against Wacholz, however, both suits were later dropped.

He returned to WCW on two occasions, defeating Yuji Nagata in a dark match prior to WCW Monday Nitro on October 6, 1997, and Barry Darsow at a house show on April 17, 1998.

Later career (1993–2000) On March 20, 1993, Nailz defeated Max Moon to win the World Wide Wrestling Alliance (WWWA) Heavyweight Championship. He held the title until April 16, 1994, when he lost it to Brutus Beefcake. However, the name was dropped due to a lawsuit from the WWF, claiming it was similar to the Nailz character. By November 1994, he also wrestled for the American Wrestling Federation (AWF), participating in a tournament for the AWF Heavyweight Championship that was won by Tito Santana. He last wrestled for the AWF at their "Pumpkin Brawl" show on October 19, 1996, where he and The Blacktop Bully fought Santana and Sgt. Slaughter to a no contest. Wacholz retired from professional wrestling in 2000.

Championships and accomplishments Oregon Wrestling Federation OWF Heavyweight Champion (1 time) World Wide Wrestling Alliance WWWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time) Pro Wrestling Illustrated PWI ranked him #78 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1992 PWI ranked him #336 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003