Skip to main content

Who is this wrestler

By
Who was Mark Van Halen? - Never saw this territory as a kid, but that guy I am sure I have seen wrestling under another name. It is eating at me, that I can't figure it out

He's a bit of a wrestling mystery, actually.  I did some digging and found lots of other people equally flummoxed.  Sounds like he was just a one-off deal and never went anywhere, but here's what we know:

- He was active in 1983 in Texas.
- His real name is Mark Hildreth, so he might be related to Van Hammer somehow.

Other than that, no idea.  He kind of has that early Steve Austin / Austin Idol look going on, and probably should have been money for someone what with a great look and great name, but he just disappeared apparently.  Maybe someone who knows will find this on Google and educate us.

Comments

  1. zanadudeJuly 4, 2013 at 5:35 PM

    I think he was the half brother of Mike Saxon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Justin HenryJuly 4, 2013 at 5:44 PM

    Hammer's name IS Mark Hildreth. However, Wikipedia (if it's reliable) says he was born in 1967. So if he was in Texas in '83, he was a kid. That video looks at least mid-80s, so maybe Hammer was a fresh-faced kid barely out of school, bombed out, and then made a comeback in 1991 as a roided rocker? I mean Van Hammer is clearly based on Van Halen (sunglasses and a hat would've made him Van Morrison....)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chris JordanJuly 4, 2013 at 6:27 PM

    Call me crazy, but I thought he resembled Mark Callaway facially. I mean, he would have been 18 at the time, and he made his debut in Texas. However, the physique and blonde hair obviously makes it not him. So, let's forget my little contribution to this thread.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ajm87July 4, 2013 at 6:39 PM

    Has anyone seen Wrestling Road Diaries with Cabana pranking Mark Briscoe by calling him pretending to be Van Hammer? Great stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ryan MurphyJuly 4, 2013 at 7:10 PM

    *obligatory Back To The Future joke*

    Ok so semi-related: I had the same thing with Ryan Braddock. I saw his picture in the old WWE Encyclopedia, and I had no idea who he was which was weird because I was keeping tabs on everything going on at that time. I couldn't find anything on him anywhere online, Wikipedia didn't have him listed and nothing else really said much. So I thumb through it with my buddy at work the other day and get a look at him, and realize that it's Jay Bradley, currently of TNA. So yes, the Gut Check nobody in the BFG series has been to WWE whereas AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Austin Aries have not.

    ReplyDelete
  6. TheDDGJuly 4, 2013 at 9:27 PM

    He's also got kind of a "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly (Wacholz) look about him. It's anyone's guess as to whether he was as big a stiff in the ring as Nailz was.

    ReplyDelete
  7. X-ManJuly 4, 2013 at 9:32 PM

    Hey.. It's Enrico Palazzo!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Joseph LorraineJuly 4, 2013 at 9:47 PM

    AJ and Daniels have both had matches in WWE!


    Never under contract though like Braddock/Bradley though, true.


    His biggest claim to fame in WWE is getting kidnapped by Jesse and Festus as they "moved SD to a new network" in the literal, moving truck sense.


    So maybe he'll get revenge in TNA on DOC!

    ReplyDelete
  9. johntcoleJuly 4, 2013 at 9:53 PM

    Jay Bradley was actually pretty good in WWE's former developmental territory Deep South Wrestling back in 2006 that I was lucky enough to live near.

    ReplyDelete
  10. ONITA100July 4, 2013 at 10:10 PM

    " Mark!...its the Hammer..." That was fucking gold.

    Great documentary if no ones seen it. It follows Danielson on his last days in ROH before jumping to WWE, and Cabana just coming back to ROH after leaving WWE. Really good stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  11. michaelton12July 4, 2013 at 11:35 PM

    I'm thinking of a mix of young Steve Austin and Jeff Jarrett.

    ReplyDelete
  12. SatanJuly 5, 2013 at 1:08 AM

    That's actually me. I retired on the 6th of March, 1986 due to what doctors called "the worst cock injury I've ever fucking seen".

    I was in talks with Vince about being some sort of... Hulk guy... I forget, but that went by the wayside.

    Career highlights:
    - Sold coke to Snuka and Iron Sheik
    - Outdrank Andre
    - Banged Stephanie wearing a Macho Man outfit

    ReplyDelete
  13. CulturebUllyJuly 5, 2013 at 5:44 AM

    I think I saw you behaving suspiciously at Over The Edge 99

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ryan MurphyJuly 5, 2013 at 7:16 AM

    I never heard of that happening. When were these matches? I know both had affiliation with WCW at the end but I didn't think either ever floated over to OVW.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Joseph LorraineJuly 5, 2013 at 7:33 AM

    Not OVW.

    Daniels was actually in WWE before the end of WCW, as one of Edge & Christian's fake Conquistadores in 2000.

    AJ's match was on Jakked/Metal in early '02 before TNA started against The Hurricane.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR5tIFlhetw

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ryan MurphyJuly 5, 2013 at 9:29 AM

    Ok yeah I remember that with Daniels now that you mention it. Well still, neither of them were contacted regular performers, whereas Jay Bradley was.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lalo_hopscotchJuly 15, 2013 at 9:28 AM

    That looks a LOT like Nailz ... Pretty sure that is who it is

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lalo_hopscotchJuly 15, 2013 at 9:30 AM

    Hey Scott where did you get his real name isn't Van Hammer Mark Hildreth?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Lalo_hopscotchJuly 15, 2013 at 9:32 AM

    If you look at Kevin Kelly he looks exactly like him - pretty sure that is who it is and that soft voice explains why Vince dubbed it

    ReplyDelete
  20. Lalo_hopscotchJuly 15, 2013 at 10:26 AM

    That is who I think it is

    ReplyDelete
  21. Justin partneyMay 31, 2014 at 5:15 PM

    His real name is Scott. I won't say the last name. He was my best friend when I lived in santee ca from 1984 to 1990. He is an awesome guy.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Justin partneyMay 31, 2014 at 5:16 PM

    Oh yea... That's you? Really? Remember my bday card to your daughter when she turned one??!! Ya. You ain't mark van halen dude. U are an imposter.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Justin partneyMay 31, 2014 at 5:18 PM

    His real name is Scott. I hung out with him every day for six years when I lived in santee ca. He is an awesome dude. A crane accident at work stopped his wrestling career. He is an awesome guy.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment