Johnny Grunge

Michael Durham
Data
Ring name	Johnny Grunge Johnny Rotten Equalizer Zap Mike Durham
height	191 cm
Fighting weight	119 kg
birth	July 10, 1966 Sulfur , Louisiana
death	February 16, 2006 Peachtree City , Georgia
Announced from	Compton , California
debut	1987

Michael Durham (born July 10, 1966 in Sulfur , Louisiana , † February 16, 2006 in Peachtree City , Georgia ), better known as Johnny Grunge , was an American wrestler .

Career

Beginnings

Durham made his wrestling debut in 1987 and was best known alongside Rocco Rock as one half of the Tag Team Public Enemy . His first major appearance as a solo wrestler had Durham as Mike Durham on July 6, 1990 in what was then the World Wrestling Federation . There he appeared a total of eight times; his last engagement with the WWF he had on January 9, 1993. Between these appearances Durham was active a few times in the independent wrestling scene and took there a change of gimmick. At the New York-based Promotion International Championship Wrestling , he appeared as Equalizer Zip . In the WWF he continued as Mike Durham . At his last WWF match, Durham had changed the gimmick again and now appeared as Johnny Rotten .

Independent / Eastern Championship Wrestling

After leaving the WWF, Durham toured the independent wrestling scene. There he met the later Rocco Rock . On September 18, 1993, both made their debut in Extreme Championship Wrestling . They formed the tag team Public Enemy and Durham now took on the ring character of Johnny Grunge . There they both specialized in the hardcore style and expanded it to include the tag team division. They were the first tag team to use tables and chairs for their matches. A year later (1994) they both won the ECW Tag Team titles for the first time .

Durham remained permanently with the ECW until April 29, 1995. On May 1, 1995 he appeared again for the first time as a solo wrestler and as Johnny Rotten in the independent scene when he was hired for a show by the United States Wrestling Association . He then returned to the ECW and remained there until January 5, 1996.

World Championship Wrestling / World Wrestling Federation

On January 8, 1996, Public Enemy made his debut in World Championship Wrestling . Although Durham was occasionally committed to shows at the USWA, Public Enemy was able to win the WCW World Tag Team title on September 23, 1996. Her last match at WCW was with Public Enemy on August 18, 1998.

Durham and his partner made their debut at WWF on February 16, 1999, where they appeared in the newly created Hardcore Division . But since this concept was quickly abandoned by the WWF, both only had seven appearances. Her match against Team Xtreme , which took place on March 30, 1999, is legendary . After that gig, Durham and Ted Petty joined the NWA.

National Wrestling Alliance / Independent

Petty and Durham made their debut on June 17, 1999 in the National Wrestling Alliance , where they could immediately win the NWA World Tag Team title. This was followed by a few appearances at the WCW. Petty and Durham now stepped up in the independent scene. Mainly they were hired by the hardcore promotion Xtreme Pro Wrestling and the X Wrestling Federation .

Durham's longtime partner Ted Petty died in 2002. So he competed as a single wrestler until June 2004. His last appearance as an active wrestler had Durham on June 19, 2004, when he was committed to a show at the hardcore promotion Pro Pain Pro Wrestling .

Hardcore homecoming and death

Induction into the Hardcore Hall of Fame (2006)

On June 10, 2005, Durham took part in the ECW reunion show Hardcore Homecoming , hosted by Shane Douglas . He died on February 16, 2006 as a result of complications related to sleep apnea syndrome . In the same year he was inducted into the independent Hardcore Hall of Fame .

successes

title

• Eastern Championship Wrestling / Extreme Championship Wrestling

• 4 × ECW Tag Team Champion with Rocco Rock

• National Wrestling Alliance

• 1 × NWA World Tag Team Champion with Rocco Rock
• 1 × NWA National Tag Team Champion with Rocco Rock

• Century Wrestling Alliance (National Wrestling Alliance)

• 1 × CWA Tag Team Champion with Rocco Rock

• Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling (National Wrestling Alliance)

• 1 × TCW Tag Team Champion with Rocco Rock

• World Championship Wrestling

• 1 × WCW World Tag Team Champion with Rocco Rock

• Main Event Championship Wrestling

• 1 × MECW Tag Team Champion with Rocco Rock

• Superstars Of Wrestling

• 2 × SOW Tag Team Champion with Rocco Rock

• i generation superstars of wrestling

• 2 × i-Generation SoW Tag Team Champion with Rocco Rock

• World Wrestling Association New Jersey

• 1 × WWA New Jersey Junior Heavyweight Champion as Johnny Rotten

• International Championship Wrestling

• 2 × ICW Tag Team Champion as Equalizer Zap with Equalizer Zip

• Cleveland All-Pro Wrestling

• 1 × CAPW Heavyweight Champio as Johnny Rotten

Awards

• Hardcore Hall of Fame (Class of 2006)

Web links

• Profile on Cagematch.de