Derrick Neikirk

Real name: Derick Neikirk
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 245 lbs.
Date of birth: September 5, 1974
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Pro debut: 2000
Trained by: Les Thatcher
Finishing move: The Round Trip

Biography

– Neikirk began his sporting life in baseball, playing as a catcher. He was picked by the Detroit Tigers in the 1996 MLB Draft
– Neikirk spent 1996 playing for the Tigers’ minor league affiliates, the Gulf Coast League Tigers and the Visalia Oaks
– In 1999, Neikirk left the Tigers program and spent a year playing for the Adirondack Lumberjacks
– His baseball career having stalled, Neikirk began training under Les Thatcher at the HWA
– Neikirk debuted for HWA on December 12, 2000, losing to Matt Stryker
– On July 10, 2002, The A Squad (Neikirk & Chet Jablonski) defeated Cody Hawk & Tony B to win the HWA Tag Team Titles
– On July 13, The A Squad defeated Cody Hawk & Race Steele to retain the HWA Tag Team Titles
– On December 21, 2004, Team Elite (Neikirk & Mike Nox) defeated Navajo Warrior & The Crock to win the IZW Tag Team Titles, however, a controversial finish would see the titles vacated after the match
– On January 18, 2005, Team Elite defeated Navajo Warrior & Hawaiian Lion in a Best Of Three Falls Match to win the vacant IZW Tag Team Titles
– In February 2005, Neikirk signed a WWE developmental contract and would report to Deep South Wrestling later that year
– On December 22, Neikirk defeated Mike Mizanin to win the DSW Heavyweight Title
– On January 26, 2006, Neikirk defeated Palmer Canon to retain the DSW Heavyweight Title
– On February 2, Neikirk fought Mike Knox to a time-limit draw to retain the DSW Heavyweight Title
– On March 16, Neikirk defeated Danny Gimondo to retain the DSW Heavyweight Title
– On March 30, Neikirk fought Mike Taylor to a no-contest to retain the DSW Heavyweight Title
– On June 9, Neikirk defeated The Miz in a No-DQ Match to retain the DSW Heavyweight Title
– Neikirk began working ECW branded house shows in July 2006. He would also occasionally appear on ECW TV as one of Paul Heyman’s masked security force
– On March 8, 2007, Neikirk & Mike Knox defeated The Majors Brothers (Brett & Brian) to win the DSW Tag Team Titles, but they would not defend the titles before WWE dropped Deep South as a developmental territory
– Following this split, Neikirk & Knox were moved to the FCW territory
– Neikirk was suspended by WWE in January 2008, following a breach of the company’s Wellness Policy. He was released from his contract whilst still suspended
– On June 30, 2009, Neikirk won the vacant NWA Arizona Heavyweight Title
– On July 14, Neikirk defeated Mike James to retain the NWA Arizona Heavyweight Title
– On August 9, Neikirk defeated Tyson Tyler to retain the NWA Arizona Heavyweight Title
– Neikirk lost the NWA Arizona Heavyweight Title to Mike James on August 11, only to regain it on October 3
– On March 15, 2011, Neikirk defeated Andrew Hellman to retain the renamed EXW Heavyweight Title
– Neikirk worked a Smackdown dark match on June 29, 2011, but it came to nothing, and Neikirk opted to retire from wrestling shortly thereafter
– Neikirk came out of retirement for a pair of appearances for Arizona’s WSW promotion in late 2016