Because you never know.
Name
Hoff
Age
28
Height
6’ 5"
Weight
275 lbs.
Hometown
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Past Affiliations
The Thrillogy (5/04-10/04)
The Underground (11/03-3/04)
Wrestling Style
A talented, explosive power wrestler with excellent technical skills. Not afraid to take risks.
Theme Music
"Black" by Sevendust
Entrance Style
The lights go down and strobe lights flash over the arena. The opening riff of Hoff's familiar theme song blare over the speakers, and as the main guitar riff hits, the trademark silver fireworks explode at the top of the stage. Strobe lights flash as Hoff steps out onto the stage, pausing to survey the crowd. After soaking in the fans’ reaction, he makes his way to the ring. Hoff slides into the ring under the bottom rope and pops up to his feet, heading to the near corner. Hoff climbs up, puts his left foot on the second rope and his right foot on the top, and raises his right fist into the air, closing his eyes and soaking in the cheers (or boos). After a few moments, Hoff hops off of the ropes, ready for action.
Entrance Attire
No special entrance attire. Usually wears boot-cut blue jeans, a black or white T-shirt, and a leather jacket when outside the ring. Often wears his own signature "H" logo t-shirt, as well.
Ring Attire
Electric blue "short-style" tights (ala Billy Gunn) with a white, black-bordered "H" on the left leg. Has matching blue kneepads with the white "H", and black boots with kickpads and a dull finish. Wears black wrist tape on both arms. Doesn’t change for street fights and brawls, for the most part, but fights those in street clothes. Also has several alternate versions of the costume, including red, silver, gold, black, and blue with a black H instead of a white one.
Finishing Moves
The Future Shock -- Hoff's premiere finisher. Similar to a Screwdriver, Hoff hooks the opponent in a rear facelock, lifting them up for a reverse suplex. Hoff holds them in the air, letting the blood rush to their head, before dropping them in a sitout brainbuster. A devastating maneuver, Hoff has proven that even seven-footers can feel the effects of Future Shock.
The Anklelock -- A simple and effective hold that can be applied at any time. Hoff grabs a downed opponent by the ankle, flips them onto their stomach, and torques their ankle at a violent angle. The resulting pressure is enough to makke most opponents tap out within moments. Hoff usually doesn't set the move up, preferring to simply "catch" his opponent at an opportune time. With his strong arm muscles, he can apply the necessary force to garner a submission.
Signature Moves
The SPINEBUSTER~! (front or "Batista" spinebuster)
- Often comes "out of nowhere" as Hoff is getting up from the mat. A momentum-swinger.
Short-Arm Clothesline (followed by flexing and posing)
"The Big Elbow" Elbow Drop off the Top
Top-Rope Superplex
Cross-Body to the Outside (pescado)
Often counters a DDT attempt with a bridging Northern Lights suplex.
Basic Moveset
Hoff is a more than capable technician who has put on his share of clinics. However, recently he's tried to define his style a bit more. Something of a suplex machine, the newer Hoff relies more on beating the hell out of his opponent before hitting some big moves. He's not a true brawler, and still uses a lot of basic wrestling maneuvers: headlocks, neckbreakers, backbreakers. However, the days of him working a body part are mostly behind him. That's not to say he can't and won't pull it out occasionally. He's also a very agile big man, and will throw out some high-risk stuff, as well as a big dropkick.
Generally, Hoff will wear down his foe a bit before starting to hit his arsenal of suplexes. Vertical and belly-to-belly are his favorites, but he's also a fan of the gutwrench, backdrom, German, Northern Lights, and the Perfectplex. He's got lots of power, and will also come at a guy with a snap powerbomb, powerslam or a DDT. Loves to hit the pendulum-style backbreaker, especially before going up top. It would be fair to say he works a "main event" style as well, with lots of big spots and lots of dramatic build.
Manager/Valet/Sidekick
None
Catchphrases/Trademark Gstures
"Welcome to the future."
Very vocal, and very animated.
History/Background/Career Highlights
Hoff joined the OAOAST in November of 2003 as a member of the Underground in dramatic fashion, hitting fan favorite Zack Malibu with a huge spinebuster and costing him, and indirectly, Team Malibu, a match against the invading Underground force. Soon thereafter, he had his first OAOAST match – a street fight against Zack, where he was only pinned after a belt shot and two School’s Out superkicks, showing remarkable toughness.
In the months to come, tension would rock the Underground. CWM, the group's leader, would lose an Ambulance match to Malibu, and subsequently be attacked by the Underground itself and supplanted as leader by The Superstar. As a means of securing his sopt, Superstar sent Hoff to the hospital to brutally assault CWM, in the hopes he would never wrestle again. Despite obviously not wanting to do this, as he looked up to CWM, Hoff did as he was asked. Unfortunately for all involved, CWM recovered from his injuries, and set his sights on both Hoff and Superstar. This only added to the tension between Hoff and Supes, the last two remaining members of the Underground. Eventually, Hoff and CWm would get into the ring at Zero Hour in February '04, engaging in a vicious, unsanctioned brawl which resolved nothing. CWM left the contest suspended from the OAOAST...and Hoff left with something to prove.
After Superstar left the OAOAST under controversy, Hoff attempted to mend his ways. Citing a desire to prove himself, he helped get CWM's suspenion removed, and challenged the icon to a match at Anglemania 3. Hoff even went so far as to get CWM cleared medically. While CWM was suspicious, the fans warmed up to Hoff, who, free from the Underground's grasp, showed an amount of class previously unseen in him. CWM accepted Hoff's challenge, and the two clashed for what would be the last time at Anglemania. Despite kicking out of CWM's vaunted finisher, the Pollycutter, he eventually lost the match. However, he won something much nobler: the respect of the fans, and a handshake from CWM. Hoff's former mentor finally accepted his apology, and Hoff was free to move on to the next stage of his career.
No one knew what was next for the big man, but one prophetic sign at Anglemania read simply, "Hoff is the future." Would that hold true? Only time could tell. One thing was for certain: Hoff has made his impression on the OAOAST, and will continue to do so for years to come.
Following a brief feud with the monster, Gibraltar, and a couple of unsuccessful title shots, Hoff declared himself a truly changed man and vowed to "clean up" the OAOAST, styling himself a superhero and leading to his highest popularity yet. However, in a few short weeks this would all come crashing down as it was revealed that Hoff had struck a deal with Zack Malibu and Calvin Szechstien to form "The Thrillogy," a supergroup comprised of allegedly the best the fed had to offer. On the night of School's Out 2004, backed by his new allies, Hoff hit a sneak attack on Crystal, stealing the 24/7 Title from her. With his first gold ever around his waist, Hoff and the Thrillogy looked poised to dominate the OAOAST.
In the summer of 2004, Hoff would see highs and lows. He would go on to dominate as 24/7 Champion, but he and the Thrillogy would lose to Crystal and her allies at the Great Angle Bash in a brutal Wargames contest. Hoff won the July Emperor of the Deathmatch contest, but under some controversy. The next night, he would be confronted with a demon from his past, as fellow OAOAST wrestler Chris Stevens would make their prior relationship public. In Hoff's head, Stevens would capture the 24/7 Title on August 5th. However, one week later, Hoff would regain the strap with help from the Thrillogy. They could not, however, save him from Gunner Sharps, and Hoff lost the 24/7 Title a second time at August's AngleSlam. He would feud with both men in the aftermath, losing to Stevens the next month in a no-disqualification match at Dirty Deeds.
Coming off the loss to his arch-rival, Hoff decided he was gunning straight for the top: the OAOAST World Title. However, Crystal, the then-champion, rebuked his challenge, citing that he hadn't beaten anyone without the Thrillogy's help, and that he wasn't worthy of a title match. In reply, Hoff challeged Crystal to a non-title contest, with the stipulation that if he won, he would receive his title shot at October's PPV, World Without End. Hoff beat Crystal with a fluke roll-up, earning his shot. However, in the weeks that followed, Hoff would focus his energy on his goal of becoming champion, going so far as to turn away help from his Thrillogy teammates. This would, in turn, form a rift between Hoff and Thrillogy leader Zack Malibu, one which seemed unfixable.
However, despite the challenge ahead of hm, despite the turmoil beside him, Hoff perservered and became the eighth World Champion in OAOAST History, defeating Crystal in a memorable match with an exhilirating finish. After the match, Hoff and Crystal shook hands, and the fans, impressed with Hoff and his changes in attitude, were firmly in his corner.
The night after World Without End, the new champion greeted the screaming, cheering fans with a new lease on life, looking to become a fighting champion. Unfortunately, he would never get the chance. Before Hoff was set to give Crystal a rematch, the champion was laid out by an unknown assailant, and put on the shelf with a gruesome knee injury. The OAOAST Title was stripped of him, and the big man could do nothing about it. In the aftermath, the evidence has all pointed to one man: Zack Malibu. All the while, Hoff rehabbed his knee and dreamed of his return, and of revenge on Malibu, and on getting what he believes to be his rightful title back around his waist.
The big return would come on January 6th, 2005, on the first HeldDOWN of the new year. At the conclusion of the show's main event, a six-person tag involving Malibu, Hoff stormed the ring, laying out both members of Black T before absolutely destorying Zack to a massive reaction. However, Hoff's joy was short-lived, as Chris Stevens, his longtime rival, came out and revealed he was the one behind Hoff's attack. Now, Hoff was faced with the question of what to do next, and how to make Stevens pay. He'd get his revenge in a steel cage match, beating Stevens in a bloody revenge match.
After the Stevens affair, the only thing left to do was regain the World Title he never lost. However, this would prove a challenge. The then-current champion, Drek Stone, wasn't about to give it up, and Stevens was still a thorn in his side. Hoff almost bested the odds anyway, in front of his hometown crowd, but in the end there were too many factors aligned against the big man. However, Hoff demanded one last title shot at Anglemania IV, and his wish was granted. He and Drek engaged in one more epic contest, with Stone squeaking out a controversial win. In the following months, Hoff and Drek would meet again on several occasions, including a show-stealing match at the Great Angle Bash, where Hoff used Stone's own cheap tactics against him to finally beat the Reckless One.
With Chris Stevens out of the picture, Hoff found his good friend Axel holding the title he desired. Over the spring, the two men fought side-by-side, both gaining momentum while developing a close friendship. That friendship would be put on trial in the summer. At the Battlebowl event on the 4th of July, 2005, Hoff won the 20-man battle royal to earn a title shot. The camaraderie shared by the big man and his good friend Axel all but vanished as Hoff attempted to one-up Axel, defending his title shot as though it were a championship. The game of one-upsmanship continued until Angleslam, where Hoff made history by beating Axel in an emotionally charged matchup, winning the OAOAST Championship for a second time. The two men left the battle with a handshake, and Hoff was on top of the world.
However, inside, the big man was miserable. Lost in the middle of a civil war, his title seemingly set aside, Hoff saw his friends in the business leave for greener pastures. As he tried to keep his spirits up, Hoff found his passion waning. On October 6th, Hoff appeared before a live crowd and delivered a passionate yet controversial speech, where he laid his championship down, stepping away from the business, seemingly forever, in one of the most shocking goodbyes in wrestling history.
But was he really gone? Early in 2006, the big man made a surprise appearance in the crowd at a HeldDown! show, ending in a raucous confrontation with Tony Brannigan. Rumors abound as to the big man's status, but we heard very little from the man himself. Even his good friends in the business were seemingly in the dark. That all changed in March, when Hoff showed up backstage to attack Brannigan. The two met in the ring the next week, and what happened would change the face of the business as DREK STONE showed up after a hiatus of his own. As a shocked crowd looked on, Stone helped Hoff to victory over Tony the Body, then HUGGED, shocking the wrestling world even further.
The two bitter rivals turned friends would make their official return to the ring at Anglemania V, taking on the tag team of Black T. In a wild, innovative match, a rusty Hoff eventually fell victim to Dan Black's Heart of Ice crossface. Hoff, however, wasn't done with Dan Black, challenging him to a rematch at April's Living Angleously. But Dan one-upped the big man, challenging him to a submission match! It was the Heart of Ice against the Anklelock, but once again, Hoff fell in defeat. But all was not lost. Hoff and Drek took one more shot at Black T, at the OAOAST's first ever Syndicated event. At that show, in a steel cage, the master plan came together. Axel intervened, helping Hoff and Stone to the victory, and announced himself as the new OAOAST President! The power players were in place...
...or were they? The Board of Directors had other plans, stripping Axel, Drek and Hoff of power. Now, as we move toward a new era in the OAOAST, amidst invaders from another federation, these three men will have one more chance to gain power. Alongside his good friends Axel and Drek, will hoff right the wrong? Or will the prodigal son be denied, and sent away by the company? Only time will tell...
Title History
OAOAST Heavyweight Champion of the World (x2)
10/31/04 -- 11/11/04: defeated Crystal, stripped of title due to injury
8/28/05 -- 10/6/05: defeated Axel, vacated title
OAOAST 24/7 Champion (x2)
5/23/04 -- 8/5/04: defeated Crystal, lost to Chris Stevens
8/12/04 -- 8/29/04: defeated Chris Stevens, lost to Gunner Sharps
Greatest Matches
Hoff vs. CWM @ Zero Hour, 2/29/2004 -- no-holds-barred, unsanctioned brawl
Hoff vs. CWM @ Anglemania III, 3/26/2004
The Thrillogy vs. The Bleeding Souls @ The Great Angle Bash, 6/27/2004 -- Wargames eight-man, two-ring cage match
Hoff vs. Chris Stevens © @ HeldDOWN~!, 8/12/2004 -- 24/7 title match
Hoff vs. Crystal © @ World Without End, 10/31/2004 -- OAOAST World Championship title match
Hoff vs. Chris Stevens @ Anglepalooza, 1/30/2005 -- steel cage match
Hoff vs. Drek Stone © @ Zero Hour, 2/27/2005 -- OAOAST World Championship title match
Hoff vs. Drek Stone © @ Anglemania IV, 4/3/2005 -- OAOAST World Championship title match
Hoff vs. Drek Stone @ The Great Angle Bash, 6/26/2005
The Battlebowl @ Battlebowl, 7/4/2005 -- battle royal for the #1 contendership
Hoff vs. Axel © @ Angleslam, 8/28/2005 -- OAOAST World Championship title match
Hoff and Drek Stone vs. Black T @ Anglemania V, 4/2/2006
Hoff vs. Dan Black @ Living Angleously, 4/30/06 -- submission match
BONUS! Hoff's debut match: vs. Zack Malibu @ HeldDOWN~!, 11/27/2003 -- unsanctioned street fight
