P. N. News: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|American professional wrestler (born 1966)}}

{{Infobox Wrestler|

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}

name=Paul Neu

{{Infobox professional wrestler

|image=PNNews2.jpg

|name = P. N. News

|names= "The Rapmaster" PN News<br>'''Cannonball Grizzley'''<br>American Avalanche<br>Mighty Avalanche

|height=6family ft 3 in (191 cm) =

|weight=image 402 lb (183 kg) =

|birthname = Paul Neu

|birth_date = [[July 9]], [[1969]]

|names = American Avalanche<ref name=Cage/><br />Avalanche<ref name=OWOW/><br />'''Cannonball Grizzly'''<ref name=Cage/><ref name=OWOW/><br />Mighty Avalanche<ref name=Cage/><br />Paul Neu<ref name=OWOW/><br />Paul the Grizzly<ref name=Cage/><br />P. N. Neuz<ref name=Cage/><br />P. N. News<ref name=Cage/><br />Raging Bull<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE5zSbh_35g | title=Legend of Doom v Raging Bull | website=[[YouTube]] | date=September 22, 2015 }}</ref>

|death_date =

|height = 6 ft 2 in<ref name=Cage/>

|birth_place =[[Omaha, Nebraska]]

|weight = 403 lb<ref name=Cage/>

|resides=

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|7|9|mf=y}}<ref name=Cage/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/290097|title=Various News: Wrestling Birthdays, Wrestling Returns to ESPN Classic Tonight posted by Larry Csonka on 07.09.2013}}</ref>

|billed=

|birth_place = [[Omaha, Nebraska]], U.S.<ref name=Cage/>

|trainer=[[Brad Rheingans]]

|billed = Omaha, Nebraska<br>Motown

|debut=[[1987]]

|trainer = [[Brad Rheingans]]<ref name=Cage/>

|retired=

|debut = January 3, 1987<ref name=Cage/>

|}}

|retired = 2016

}}

'''Paul Neu''' (born July 9, 1966) is an American [[professional wrestler]]. He is perhaps best known for his stints in [[World Championship Wrestling]] and [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] under the [[ring name]] '''P. N. News''' and accompanying [[hip hop]]-influenced persona.<ref name=Cage>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228|title=Cagematch profile}}</ref><ref name=OWOW>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/p/p-n-news.html|title=OWOW profile}}</ref>

==Professional wrestling career==

===Early career (1987–1991)===

'''Paul Neu''' is a [[professional wrestler]] known as P.N. News in [[Extreme Championship Wrestling|ECW]] and [[World Championship Wrestling|WCW]].

After debuting in 1987 and a two-year run in the [[Don Owen (wrestling)|Don Owen]] owned, Portland Territory as The Avalanche, Neu traveled to [[Europe]] to compete for the [[Catch Wrestling Association]] under the ring name Cannonball Grizzly in 1989.<ref name=Cage8>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&page=4&s=700|title=Cagematch match listings, page 8}}</ref>

===World Championship Wrestling (1991–1992)===

Neu entered [[World Championship Wrestling]] in [[1991]] and given a gimmick by [[Virgil Runnels Jr|Dusty Rhodes]] of a jolly rapper by the name of '''"The Rapmaster" P.N. News'''. He would come to the ring and do a [[Hip hop music|rap]] before his match and before he finished his opponent with his finisher '''The Broken Record''', [[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Splash|a top rope splash]], he would have the production crew start his music again.

Upon his return to the [[United States]] in 1991, Neu joined [[World Championship Wrestling]]. He made his debut for the promotion on the May 11 episode of ''[[WCW WorldWide|World Wide Wrestling]]'' as P. N. News, a [[Rapping|rapper]] [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#G|gimmick]] fashioned after [[P.M. Dawn]],<ref name=GAB>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/82532/Dark-Pegasus-Video-Review:-Great-American-Bash-%5C%5C91.htm|title=Dark Pegasus Video Review: Great American Bash '91 posted by J.D. Dunn on 12.21.2008}}</ref> where he defeated Terry Bronson in 44 seconds.<ref name=CageMatches>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&view=matches&gimmick=&jahr=&liga=&region=&land=&art=&artmatches=&gegner=&partner=&suchbegriff=&Start=650#matches|title=Cagematch match listings}}</ref>

He soon began a brief [[Feud (professional wrestling)|feud]] against [[WCW World Television Championship|World Television Champion]] [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|"Stunning" Steve Austin]]. At [[The Great American Bash (1991)|The Great American Bash]], News and [[Bobby Eaton]] defeated Austin and his partner [[Terry Taylor]] in a [[scaffold match]].<ref name=Cage8/><ref name=GAB/> During a [[house show]] on June 21, News inadvertently injured Dave Sheldon, who was performing under the [[ring name]] the [[Angel of Death (wrestler)|Angel of Death]]. The injury came about when News [[Botch (professional wrestling)|botched]] his [[Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Splash|Broken Record]] finishing move during their match, as he splashed Sheldon's knees instead of his torso, which sidelined Sheldon for almost an entire year in order to recover. As a result, News was taken off television, his feud with Austin was dropped, and he was used solely at house shows and sporadically at [[pay-per-view]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/270821|title=Ask 411 Wrestling 01.23.13: Undertaker vs. Austin, Royal Rumble, Drug Addicts, More posted by Ryan Byers on 01.23.2013}}</ref> Despite this, News faced Austin in a match for the World Television Title at [[Clash of the Champions XVII]] on November 19, but was unsuccessful in winning the title.<ref name=Cage8/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/217779/The-Chrononaut-Chronicles:-Clash-of-the-Champions-XVII.htm|title=The Chrononaut Chronicles: Clash of the Champions XVII posted by Joel Thomas on 01.31.2012}}</ref> News also twice unsuccessfully challenged [[WCW World Heavyweight Champion]] [[Lex Luger]] on WCW's December 1991 UK tour, being pinned by Luger in London on December 10 (first night of three shows) and [[Sheffield]] on December 13.<ref>[https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1991 "WCW @ London, England – December 10, 1991 ... WCW World Champion Lex Luger pinned PN News with his feet on the ropes for leverage" "WCW @ Sheffield, England – Arena – December 13, 1991 ... WCW World Champion Lex Luger pinned PN News" ''History of WWE'' - WCW 1991]</ref>

His highest profile feud in WCW was with the then-[[WCW World Television Championship|Television Champion]] [["Stone Cold" Steve Austin|"Stunning" Steve Austin]]. Austin would retain his title time and again by outside interference from [[Jeannie Clark|Lady Blossom]] and by the 10-minute time limit running out just as he was about to be pinned. Their feud culminated at [[The Great American Bash]] in 1991 when accompanied to the ring by [[Salt-N-Pepa]] and with [[Bobby Eaton]] as his partner, defeated Austin and his partner [[Terry Taylor|Terrance Taylor]].

After their feud, News was moved down the card and on December 21 at [[Starrcade (1991)|Starrcade]], News teamed with [[Steve Armstrong]] in a losing effort to [[Ron Simmons]] and [[Tommy Rich|Thomas Rich]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/65437|title=Going Old School: Starrcade '91 posted by Matt Adamson on 02.18.2008}}</ref> On January 21, 1992, News made his final television appearance, defeating [[Diamond Dallas Page]] at [[Clash of the Champions XVIII]].<ref name=Cage8/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/218146/The-Chrononaut-Chronicles:-Clash-of-the-Champions-XVIII.htm|title=The Chrononaut Chronicles: Clash of the Champions XVIII posted by Joel Thomas on 02.03.2012}}</ref> Following this, News wrestled solely on house shows before being released on March 15, 1992.

After that, Neu was pushed down the card. In a match with [[David Sheldon|The Angel of Death]], Neu hit his top rope splash and came down hard on Angel's leg and knees, breaking his leg and effectively ending his career. Neu was taken off television until his WCW contract expired following the incident.

===Catch Wrestling Association (1992–1998) ===

In ECW, he was a part of a wrestling [[stable (professional wrestling)|stable]] called [[Da Baldies]].

After leaving WCW, Neu returned to the [[Catch Wrestling Association]] in late 1992 under his Cannonball Grizzly ring name and gimmick.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&page=4&s=600|title=Cagematch match listings, page 7}}</ref> On November 5, 1995, Grizzly and [[John Layfield|John Hawk]] defeated [[August Smisl]] and [[Ulf Herman]] to win the [[CWA World Tag Team Championship (Germany)|World Tag Team Championship]] for the first time.<ref name=Cage6/> On December 16, Grizzly and Hawk lost the titles to Smisl and Tony St. Clair.<ref name=Cage6>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&page=4&s=500|title=Cagematch match listings, page 6}}</ref> After the loss, Grizzly began teaming with his cousin [[Mantaur|Bruiser Mastino]], with their tag team being known as The Brotherhood.<ref name=Cage6/> On July 7, 1996, Grizzly and new tag team partner [[Road Dogg|Jesse James Armstrong]] won the World Tag Team Title before losing them to August Smisl and Ulf Herman on August 3.<ref name=Cage6/> After the title was vacated, Grizzly and [[Robbie Brookside|Wildcat Brookside]] won the title on December 21 after defeating Tony St. Clair and Mick Tierney in a tournament.<ref name=CWA>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=5&nr=58|title=CWA World Tag Team Championship title history}}</ref> They would hold the title until it was vacated in July 1997.<ref name=CWA/> On October 10, 1998, Grizzly would then face Brookside to determine who would claim the vacant [[CWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship|Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship]], but he lost the match via countout.<ref name=CageMatches2>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&view=matches&gimmick=&jahr=&liga=&region=&land=&art=&artmatches=&suchbegriff=Suchbegriff&Start=450#matches|title=Cagematch match listings, part 2}}</ref> Neu left the promotion in late 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&page=4&s=300|title=Cagematch match listings, page 4}}</ref> two years before its closure and replacement with the European Wrestling Promotion (EWP) for which Neu would return to Europe to work.

===British wrestling (1993–2016)===

He is currently wrestling in Europe as '''Cannonball Grizzley'''.

Neu was also a familiar face in [[Professional wrestling in the United Kingdom|British Wrestling]] at this time, wrestling for [[All Star Wrestling]] as American Avalanche and for [[Orig Williams]]' BWF as Raging Bull, including appearances on Williams' ''Reslo'' [[Welsh language]] TV wrestling show on [[S4C]]. Fellow wrestler [[Robbie Brookside]]'s [[Video Diaries|Video Diary]] filmed in 1993 for [[BBC2]], includes footage of Neu both in the ring and backstage out of character. Neu, as Avalanche, has continued to make appearances for All Star into the 21st century, often teaming with [[Joe E Legend]] as an arrogant American heel tag team, or as part of the World Riot Squad heel faction.

===Extreme Championship Wrestling (1999)===

On September 17, 1999, Neu, under his P. N. News ring name and character, debuted in [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] in a losing effort to [[Spike Dudley]].<ref name=Cage3/> At [[Re-enter the Sandman]] in October 1999, News joined Da Baldies, a [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#S|stable]] composed of wrestlers who were all [[Baldness|bald]]. At [[November to Remember (1999)|November to Remember]], Da Baldies (News, [[Angel Medina (wrestler)|Spanish Angel]], [[Tony DeVito]] and [[Vito LoGrasso]]) defeated [[New Jack]] and The Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks ([[Axl Rotten]] and [[Balls Mahoney]]) in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Handicap match|handicap match]].<ref name=Cage3/> On November 19, News and LoGrasso lost to The Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Loser Leaves Town match|Loser Leaves Town match]], ending Neu's stint in ECW.<ref name=Cage3/>

===European Wrestling Promotion (2000–2012)===

==Championships/Accomplishments==

On November 17, 2000, Neu, as Cannonball Grizzly, returned to German/Austrian wrestling and won the EWP's first-ever Hardcore Knockout Tournament after defeating Hercules Harrison in the semi-finals and then Big Tiger Steel in the finals.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=1&nr=467|title=EWP Wrestling Festival 2000}}</ref> Ten days later, he won the EWP World Heavyweight Championship after defeating [[Bam Bam Bigelow]].<ref name=Cage3>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&page=4&s=200|title=Cagematch match listings, page 3}}</ref> On November 26, 2003, Grizzly lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Thunder.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&page=4&s=100|title=Cagematch match listings, page 2}}</ref> On December 17, 2011, Grizzly defeated Thunder to reclaim the EWP World Heavyweight Title.<ref name=Cage1>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&page=4|title=Cagematch match listings, page 1}}</ref> On October 6, 2012, he defended the World Heavyweight Championship against [[Dave Finlay|Fit Finlay]], although their match ended in a no contest and thus resulted in Grizzly retaining the World Heavyweight Title.<ref name=Cage1/>

*CWA Iron Man Champion (3x)

*CWA Tag Team Champion (1x with Brian Armstrong, 1x with John Hawk, 1x with Wildcat Brookside)

==Personal life==

*EWA World Heavyweight Champion

Neu was married to a woman named Connie.<ref name=OWOW/> He has since married Anja von Stanic, whom he also trained as a professional wrestler in 2007 and managed him while both were members of a [[Glossary of professional wrestling#S|stable]] called The Firm before Anja retired from professional wrestling in 2008.<ref name=Cage/><ref name=Firm>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=6104&page=8|title=The Firm's Cagematch profile}}</ref>

*EWA Iron Man Champion (3x)

*EWP World Heavyweight Champion

==Championships and accomplishments==

*EWP Iron Man Champion

*'''[[Catch Wrestling Association]]'''

*NWA (Pacific Northwest) Tag Team titles (2x with Mike Golden)

**[[CWA World Tag Team Championship (Germany)|CWA World Tag Team Championship]] ([[CWA World Tag Team Championship (Germany)#Title history|3 times]]) – with [[John Layfield|John Hawk]] (1), [[Road Dogg|Jesse James Armstrong]] (1) and [[Robbie Brookside]] (1)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/wttcwa.html|title=CWA World Tag Team Championship history}}</ref>

*WAW Heavyweight Champion

**Vienna Catch Cup (1998)

[[Category:1969 births|Neu, Paul]]

*'''European Professional Wrestling'''

[[Category:Living people|Neu, Paul]]

**EPW Iron Man Tournament (2004, 2005, 2006)

[[Category:People from Nebraska|Neu, Paul]]

*'''European Wrestling Association'''

[[Category:Omahans|Neu]]

**EWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name=CageTitle/>

[[Category:Professional wrestlers|Neu, Paul]]

*'''European Wrestling Promotion'''

**EWP Iron Man Championship (1 time)

**EWP World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)<ref name=CageTitle/>

*'''[[Pacific Northwest Wrestling]]'''

**[[NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship#Title history|2 times]]) – with Mike Golden (1) and Buddy Rose (1)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/pnwttnwa.html|title=NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship history}}</ref>

*'''Professional Wrestling Alliance (Germany)'''

**PWA Weltmeisterschaft Championship (1 time)

**PWA World Cup Championship (1 time)<ref name=CageTitle>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&view=erfolge#erfolge|title=Cagematch title listings}}</ref>

*'''''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''''

**PWI ranked him #'''86''' of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the [[Pro Wrestling Illustrated#PWI 500|PWI 500]] in 1991<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.de/?id=2&nr=228&page=12|title=Awards}}</ref>

**RWA International Championship (2 times)<ref name=CageTitle/>

*'''[[World Championship Wrestling]]'''

**Rookie of the Year (1991)<ref name=Cage/>

*'''''[[Dave Meltzer#Wrestling Observer Newsletter|Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''''

**[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Worst Worked Match of the Year|Worst Worked Match of the Year]] (1991) <small>with [[Bobby Eaton]] vs. [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|Steve Austin]] and [[Terry Taylor]] in a [[scaffold match]] at [[The Great American Bash (1991)|The Great American Bash]]</small>

*'''Other titles'''

**EWA Iron Man Championship (5 times)<ref name=OWOW/>

** [[Nebraska Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame]] (Class of 2019)

==References==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

*{{IMDb name|2487064|Paul Neu}}

*{{professional wrestling profiles}}

{{CWA World Tag Team Championship}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:News, P. N.}}

[[Category:1966 births]]

[[Category:American male professional wrestlers]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:Professional wrestlers from Nebraska]]

[[Category:Sportspeople from Omaha, Nebraska]]

[[Category:1987 professional wrestling debuts]]

[[Category:CWA World Tag Team Champions]]