Jump to navigation Jump octoberfest los angeles 2015 search “Dave Finlay” redirects here. Debuted in 1974, Finlay has held over 20 championships around the world throughout his career, including the WCW World Television Championship and the WWE United States Championship. Finlay’s first match was for his father’s promotion in Glynn in 1974, when he filled in for a wrestler who no-showed.

He then won a tournament to crown a new British Light Heavyweight champion and fill the vacant position, defeating Ringo Rigby in the finals. During this time, Finlay also began to wrestle in Japan, then in Germany and Austria for the European promotion Catch Wrestling Association. While holding the British Heavyweight championship, he teamed with former rival Jones to win the CWA tag title from Tony St. 1996, going by the ring name of The Belfast Bruiser.

After Regal pinned the Bruiser in a parking lot brawl on 29 April episode of Monday Nitro, the feud died down thereafter. The injuries sustained from the match would lead to Bruiser being removed from his scheduled tag team match with Regal at Slamboree. Finlay returned to WCW on 1 October 1997 by defeating Dave Taylor at a live event. He made his televised return on 25 October episode of Saturday Night as Fit Finlay, sporting a new look of short bleached-blond hair and no mustache. He defeated Barry Houston in his televised return match.