The Golden Grappler

GG is thick. He's not overly muscled but he's got great tendon strength and he knows how to use it. What does he look like under his trademark golden mask? Don't ask us. He never takes it off. NEVER. He showers in it. Makes public appearances in it. If he has a wife, he probably… you know… in it.

This is where it's gets tricky. Sit right back and you'll hear a tale.

In 1964, a wrestler by the name of Davis Denton competed in the old Portland territory. He was a pretty boy, loved by the ladies. In 1972, after years on top, he lost a hair versus hair match to a young rookie named Johnny Tyler. Denton was horrified and humiliated. On the next show, he arrived wearing a golden mask, swearing to never remove it until his hair grew back. To go with it, he’d adopted a cruel and vicious style in the ring and became the most hated man in Oregon. He was dominant in this new role, holding the Oregon State Title for six years undefeated at one point. As the 80s rolled around, the promoters wanted to go a different direction and traded the man known as “The Golden Grappler” Davis Denton to a promoter in New York for a couple of tag teams.

Denton was irate. He quit the business that night, vowing never to come back.

In 1983, the man in the golden mask re-emerged. By all accounts, it was the same man with the same style… yet he had forgone his Christian name and was only the Golden Grappler now. He went on a tear through the South, winning titles in Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana. The latter is where he thrived, the most hated man on the Bayou. In 1986, he lost a Loser Leaves Town match and did exactly that.

In 1989, the Grappler emerged once more… slightly different in body shape but with the same brutal style. No one could confirm that it was the same man who would be over 25 years in the business at this point and when asked, the Grappler would give the same reply - “You want to find out? Take the mask.” Many tried and all failed as the Grappler was one of the top heels in Texas and California.

In the mid 90s, the Grappler suffered a severe injury in a match and disappeared again. Of course, soon he would return.

And so it went. A long run on top, a disappearance, a long run on top, gone again. Most of the time, he looked the same. Sometimes he was slightly different… different enough for many to wonder if the person under the hood had changed. Many believed it was a family tradition - the mask being passed on from father to son. Some said that the Grappler always had a student - always two there were - no more, no less, and when one went down, the other rose up to replace him.

The mask almost came off a handful of times in the 2000s when he competed mostly in the Southwest US and Mexico. He worked for Blackjack Lynch in Texas and some of the shadier promoters south of the border.

In 2006, he lost a mask vs mask match in Mexico. In lucha libra tradition, that would usually mean he would voluntarily unmask himself and declare his name and identity for the entire world.

He ran. He escaped through the crowd, punching and swinging the whole way. A riot ensued from the crowd angry that they paid their hard money for a stipulation that wasn’t lived up to. The Grappler - in any form - was barred from competing in Mexico ever again. He was blacklisted by many promoters in the States as well, essentially being forced to retire.

It has been ten years since the Golden Grappler has been seen inside a wrestling ring and as 2016 gets underway, the Grappler makes his return to do what he always said he does - “Make them hurt. Make them beg. Make them bleed. Make them lose.”

Running kick to the mush of a doubled-up opponentGG has been known to use a weapon or two. He’ll load up the boot or mask if the situation calls for it so his two moves he’s known to finish matches with will often be “enhanced” by some weaponry from his arsenal.

Maybe

???

TBD

Heel