Val Venis

Real Name: Sean Morley
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 240 lbs.
Date of birth: March 6, 1971
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Pro debut: July 1991
Trained by: The Missing Link
Finishing move: The Money Shot

Biography

– Upon completing his training, Morley spent a year with the British Wrestling Federation in England, where he captured the promotions heavyweight title. His first ring name was Scott Borders.
– Morley moved onto Ozark Mountain Wrestling, where he enjoyed an eight months stay.
– Morley next turned up with the World Wrestling Council (WWC) in Puerto Rico.
– On November 26, 1995, Morley and Rex King defeated Kevin Quinn and Christopher Daniels for the WWC Tag Team title in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
– Morley pinned Bronco for the WWC Television title on May 30, 1996.
– Morley formed a regular tag team with The Canadian Glamour Boy Shane Well.
– It was during his time in Puerto Rico that Morley started excepting bookings in Mexico and Japan. He spent time in All Japan Pro Wrestling and EMLL in Mexico.
– In Mexico, Morley wrestled under a mask and was called Steele. His mask looked like real steel, and Morley enjoyed a successful run south of the border.
– On April 4, 1997, Morley won the 4th Annual Grand Prix Tournament in Mexico City, Mexico.
– Steele captured the CMLL Heavyweight title from Rayo de Jalisco Jr. on April 18, 1997 in Mexico City.
– The World Wrestling Federation contacted Morley, and offered him for a try out in the summer of 1997 in Des Moines, IA.
– On October 21, 1997, at All Japan’s 25th Anniversary Show, Morley, Satoru Asako and Masao Inoue beat Daisuke Ikeda, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi and Yoshinori Ogawa.
– Morley returned to Mexico, awaiting a call from the WWF.
– The WWF invited Morley back for a second tryout in November 1997. He took part in a WWF training camp two months later.
– Vince McMahon and Vince Russo, then editor of the WWF magazine and a member of the creative team, developed the Val Venis gimmick for Morley.
– McMahon’s plan was for Venis to be a heel, but when he saw the positive reaction Val received, he made him a babyface.
– Venis feuded with Kaientai, a group consisting of Taka Michinoku, Sho Funaki, and Mens Teioh.
– Venis made his WWF PPV debut at the 1998 “Fully Loaded,” and defeated Jeff Jarrett.
– Terri became infatuated with Venis, setting up a feud between Venis and Dustin Runnels.
– On September 18, 1998, Steele, Universo 2000, and Dr. Wagner, Jr. beat Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. and The Headhunters at EMLL’s 65th Anniversary show.
– Venis beat Runnels at the 1998 “Breakdown.”
– Val formed a team called Supply and Demand with the Godfather.
– Venis became the obsession of Ryan Shamrock, Ken’s “little sister,” leading to their feud over the Intercontinental title.
– With Billy Gunn as special guest referee, Venis pinned Shamrock for the IC title at the “St. Valentine’s Day” massacre when Gunn made a fast three count.
– The massive Nicole Bass next courted Venis.
– Bass and Venis beat Jarrett and Debra in a mixed tag match at “Over the Edge” in Kansas City, MI.
– Venis pinned Steve Blackman at the 1999 “Rebellion.”
– Venis, Mark Henry, Gangrel, and Steve Blackman defeated The Bulldog and the Mean Street Posse at the 1999 Survivor Series.
– At the 1999 “Armageddon,” Venis defeated the British Bulldog and D-Lo Brown in a triple threat match to win the European title.
– On January 6, 2000, Venis and Ricky Santana defeated the Headbangers and Huracán Castillo Jr. and Savio Vega in a three-way dance tournament final in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, to capture the IWA Tag Team title.
– Venis served as the special guest referee in the Kat/Terri catfight at Wrestlemania 2000.
– Venis defeated Rikishi for the Intercontinental title at the July 4, 2000 “Smackdown” taping in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Trish Stratus was in Venis’s corner.
– At Fully Loaded 2000, Venis successfully defended the IC title against Rikishi in a steel cage rematch.
– After Stratus was pinned by Chyna for the IC title at Summerslam, Venis broke off his relationship with Trish.
– On the September 4, 2000 edition of “Raw,” the Right To Censor group abducted Venis. The following week, Venis joined the RTC.
– At No Mercy in Albany, NY, RTC (Venis and Richards) defeated Chyna and Billy Gunn when Eddy Guerrero interfered.
– At Armageddon ’00, Venis defeated Chyna.
– The WWF sent Venis to Les Thatcher’s Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA) in Cincinnati on a rehab stint in September 2001.
– On December 8, 2001, Venis and Steve Bradley defeated the Island Boys for the HWA Tag Team title in Batavia, OH.
– In 2002, Morley’s ring name was changed to The Big Valbowski.
– After a long absence from WWE television, the Big Valbowski popped up on “Raw” in November 2002. His ring name was changed to Sean Morley, and he became Eric Bischoff’s Chief of staff.
– On the March 24, 2003 episode of “Raw,” Chief Morley declared the World Tag Team championship vacate, and announced that he and Lance Storm were the new champions.
– Morley reverted back to Val Venis at the 2003 Judgment Day PPV.
– On January 9, 2009, Venis was released by WWE.
– Morley debuted under his real name in TNA on January 4, 2010
– At Genesis ’10, Morley defeated Daniels.
– In March 2010, Morley left TNA due to scheduling conflicts with CMLL
– On September 5, 2010, Venis defeated Vendetta Pro Champion Rik Luxury by DQ
– On May 29, 2011, Venis, Giant Bernard & Derrick Neikirk defeated The Freak Squad (Dom Vitalli, Frenchy Riviera & Gabriel Gallo) to win the EXW Tag Team Titles