Don Callis

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Don Callis
Statistics
Ring name(s)	Cyrus Cyrus The Virus Don Casablancas The Jackyl The Natural Don Callis
Billed height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Billed weight	95 kg (210 lb)
Born	October 13 Winnipeg, Manitoba
Trained by	Tony Condello
Debut	1989
Retired	2004

Don Callis is a Canadian former professional wrestler and manager, best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling as color commentator Cyrus the Virus.

Contents 1 Career 2 Wrestling facts 2.1 Finishing and signature moves 2.2 Quotes 3 Championships and accomplishments 4 Personal life 5 External link

[edit] Career

Don Callis became a wrestler after looking for a sport to play while attending the University of Manitoba, where he earned a Degree in Political Studies. He was trained by local wrestling promoter Tony Condello and debuted in 1989. Wrestling under the name Don Casablancas, Callis formed a tag team with Rick Martel known as "The Supermodels". He also teamed with The Psycho as "The Mercenaries of Mayhem" under the tutelage of their manager The Golden Sheik.

In 1990 Callis debuted with the West Four Wrestling Alliance, where he became a five time Heavyweight Champion.

Callis began a heated feud with former partner Rick Martel in June, 1994. He also toured in Japan, South Africa and Lebanon. He received a tryout match with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1996, and was eventually hired as a manager.

On September 20, 1997, Callis debuted in the WWF as "The Jackyl", the leader of a group of wrestlers known as the "Truth Commission" (a take on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission). An article in WWF Magazine claimed that he was a lower-level WWF employee during the early 1990s, and that he developed a messianic complex when he led a group of WWF superstars out of Kuwait when they were stranded there during the Gulf War. The stable was not particularly successful, with their biggest achievement being their victory over the "Disciples of Apocalypse" at the 1997 Survivor Series.

Callis returned to television in 1998, forming a stable known as "The Parade of Human Oddities". The group consisted of "freakish" wrestlers, including "Golga" (a masked John Tenta ("Earthquake"), and Howard Stern Show regular Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf, and had entrance music performed by the Insane Clown Posse. The stable did not last long, and Callis eventually became the manager of Hell's Henchmen. He requested and was granted a release from the WWF later that year.

In late 1999, Callis debuted in ECW as "Cyrus", a commentator who was presented as working for TNN, the TV network that was broadcasting ECW. His character represented many of the real problems between ECW and TNN at that point, as he constantly criticised the violent nature of ECW programming. Callis teamed with the anti-hardcore Steve Corino, and eventually formed a stable with Corino, Yoshihiro Tajiri and Rhyno known as The Network. He engaged in a long-term feud with commentator Joel Gertner, which culminated in a match on October 1, 2000 at the "Anarchy Rulz" event, in which Gertner was triumphant. ECW would declare bankruptcy soon after.

With ECW gone and World Championship Wrestling purchased by the WWF, Callis returned to university, eventually earned a Master of Business Administration. He also briefly operated the No Holds Barred Wrestling Camp, a Winnipeg based wrestling training camp.

In 2003 Callis debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) as a "Management Consultant". During this time he claimed credit for the Ultimate X match, which he said he devised to settle the dispute over who was X champion once and for all. He engaged in a power struggle with then Director of Authority Erik Watts, and used his power to make life difficult for Jerry Lynn, repeatedly fining and suspending him. On January 28, 2004 Callis succeeded in ousting Watts from TNA when he defeated him in a match for control of TNA.

Callis departed TNA on good terms later that year, having been offered a job in International trade that made use of his MBA. Callis is all but retired from professional wrestling, although he made an appearance at the ECW reunion show Hardcore Homecoming on June 10, 2005.

Callis also wrote weekly wrestling columns for the Sun media group, and co-hosted a local Winnipeg radio show called "No Holds Barred" with Joe Aiello on 92 CITI FM.

[edit] Wrestling facts

[edit] Finishing and signature moves

• Claw
• Superkick
• Figure Four Leglock
• Football Tackle

[edit] Quotes

• "Don't you K-5 me."
• "Excuse me... Excuse me..."
• "Cut...Cut...Cut"
• "The Network is not very happy..."
• "It's only wrestling, Joey Styles!"
• "If God were a wrestler, he would be Rob Van Dam."
• "I'm the Canadian Caesar!"
• "Tremendous!"
• "Paul bring me the ECW TV Title and while you're at it get me a cup of coffee!"
• "Paul you're gonna give me the ECW TV Title and you're gonna like it and me, I'm gonna love it!"

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

• Border City Wrestling

• 1-time BCW Can-Am Tag Team Champion (with Terry Taylor)

• West Four Wrestling Alliance

• 5-time WFWA Canadian Heavyweight Champion

[edit] Personal life

Don Callis has expressed an interest in participating in Canadian politics, and worked as a Media Relations Specialist for the Canadian House of Commons in the early 1990s.

[edit] External link

• Don Callis's columns at Canoe.ca