John Nord

John Nord

Career[]

John Nord started wrestling in late 1984 asThe Barbarian forBill Watts'Mid-South Wrestling under managerSkandor Akbar. In 1985 and 1986 he changed hisring name toNord the Barbarian and wrestled in singles andtag team competition under managerAdnan El Kassey in theAmerican Wrestling Association (AWA). He frequently teamed withBruiser Brody while there. The two facedGreg Gagne andJimmy Snuka as part of a triple main event atWrestleRock 86.

Nord then went toWorld Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) under managerGary Hart where he feuded withKevin Von Erich for the World Class Championship. He challenged Von Erich for the WCCW Championship at the 3rd Annual David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions at Texas Stadium in 1987.

In 1989, he returned to the AWA under the nameYukon John. A lumberjack gimmick where he would come to the ring with an ax, dressed in blue jeans, flannel shirt, animal skin hat, and boots. He mainly competed in singles competition until forming a tag team in 1990 withScott Norton. They feuded briefly with the Texas Hangmen. When the AWA stopped promoting, he moved toPacific Northwest Wrestling.

In 1991, Nord went to theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF) asThe Viking. He soon changed his name toThe Berzerker and was managed byMr. Fuji and he feuded withDavey Boy Smith and Jimmy Snuka. His most preferred method of winning matches was by throwing his opponents out of the ring and getting a "count out" victory, all the while holding his wrist, licking his hand, shouting "Huss! Huss!" à la Bruiser Brody, and intentionally falling flat on his back. He wrestled as part in an Eight Man Tag Team Elimination Match at the 1991Survivor SeriesPay-Per-View event. He was the last man eliminated for his team. He then feuded withThe Undertaker, at one point attempting to stab him with his sword. In 1992 he won a 40-manBattle Royal, aired onWWF Prime Time Wrestling, but left the WWF the following year.

Nord next went toAll Japan Pro Wrestling in 1994 and stayed until 1997 when he showed up inWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW) with bleach blond hair under his real name, John Nord. He wrestled mainly onWCW Saturday Night and started a long winning streak that culminated with a match against another streak holder,Bill Goldberg, on July 4, 1998. Nord lost the match, had a short-lived team withBarry Darsow, and was soon gone from WCW.

Nord retired from wrestling and went to work at his brother's auto dealership, Nord East Motors inHilltop, Minnesota.

Personal life[]

Nord has a son, Joe that wrestled in the heavyweight division for the University of Minnesota.

In wrestling[]

• Finishing moves

• Falling powerslam
• Inverted suplex slam
• Camel clutch

• Signature moves

• Big Boot, sometimes to an opponent tied up in the ropes
• Leg drop
• Throwing the opponent over the top rope for a countout

• Managers

• Adnan El Kassey
• Mr. Fuji
• Oliver Humperdink
• Skandor Akbar
• Gary Hart

Championships and accomplishments[]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI Rookie of the Year (1985)
• PWI ranked him #422 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003

External links[]

• WWE.com Profile
• Profile