Mike Shaw

Michael Paul Shaw (May 9, 1957 – September 11, 2010) was an American professional wrestler who was best known for his stint in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Norman the Lunatic, and as Bastion Booger in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE).

This article is about the professional wrestler. For the Family Affairs character, see Mike Shaw (Family Affairs).
Mike Shaw
Birth nameMichael Paul Shaw
Born(1957-05-09)May 9, 1957
Skandia, Michigan
DiedSeptember 11, 2010(2010-09-11) (aged 53)
Marquette, Michigan
Cause of deathPulmonary embolism
Spouse(s)Kelly Shaw
Children2
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Aaron Grundy[1]
Big Ben Sharpe
Bastion Booger
Cousin Mike
Friar Ferguson
Jed Grundy
Klondike Mike
Makhan Singh
Man Mountain Mike
Mike Striker
Norman the Lunatic
Norman the Maniac
Trucker Norm
William Danger
Mike The Danger
Billed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Billed weight401 lb (182 kg)
Trained byKiller Kowalski
Debut1981

Professional wrestling career

Canada and early career (1981-1989)

Mike Shaw started wrestling in 1981 in Vancouver's NWA All-Star Wrestling using the ring name Klondike Mike. In 1981, he wrestled in the WWF as Mike Smith, in a losing effort against former world champion Pedro Morales on All Star Wrestling. In 1982, Shaw began wrestling under his real name for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta. In 1984, he connected with wrestler The Great Gama "Singh" and was bestowed the ring name of Makhan Singh, forming the stable "Karachi Vice" with Gama and Gary Allbright as Vokhan Singh and managed by Judah Rosenbloom and following the rebirth of Stampede Wrestling in 1985, by Abu Wizal and feuded with the likes of Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, Bret Hart, and Chris Benoit.

World Championship Wrestling (1989-1991)

Stampede Wrestling closed in December 1989 and just prior to the closure, he received the opportunity to join World Championship Wrestling as Norman the Lunatic. He was managed by Theodore Long, who led him around with a giant key. This key was symbolic of Long's potential to recommit Norman to the insane asylum he came from if he did not follow orders. Norman carried a teddy bear with him. Norman eventually broke away from Long, and turned face (being renamed Norman the Maniac). He feuded with Kevin Sullivan, and even received title shots against NWA World champion Ric Flair. He later adopted a trucker gimmick ("Trucker Norm"), ostensibly in memory of his late father, a long-haul truck driver. Shaw then wrestled in Memphis' USWA as Jed Grundy.

Global Wrestling Federation (1991)

In 1991, Shaw wrestled in the Global Wrestling Federation under his "Makhan Singh" gimmick, where he joined The Cartel with Cactus Jack, Rip Rogers, and Scott Anthony.

Mexico (1991-1992)

Shaw wrestled in Mexico in the 1990s as Aaron Grundy, the brother of Solomon Grundy,[2] in EMLL and on the Mexican independent scene. Solomon Grundy was an established wrestler in the promotion and in Mexico.

World Wrestling Federation (1993-1994)

In April 1993, Shaw briefly wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as (alternately) The Friar and Friar Ferguson, a "mad monk". The WWF received negative feedback from the Catholic Church of New York, so they dropped the character.[2][3] Shaw was then (allegedly as punishment for his weight) given the ring name Bastion Booger in June 1993, with the gimmick of an unkempt, slovenly and gluttonous man who wrestled in dingy, too-small, gray/beige singlets tailored to give him the appearance of a hunchback. Shaw's debut as Bastion Booger saw him lose to Virgil on the June 19, 1993 edition of Superstars,[4] though he did win a rematch the following week. Booger achieved only marginal success, primarily serving as a jobber to the stars. Booger's biggest victory in the WWF was a clean pinfall over Owen Hart on All-American Wrestling just prior to Hart's main event push. Booger's only WWF pay-per-view appearance was at the 1993 Survivor Series, teaming with Bam Bam Bigelow and The Headshrinkers in a loss to Men on a Mission and The Bushwhackers.

He feuded with Bam Bam Bigelow after "falling in love" with Bigelow's valet, Luna Vachon. While teaming with Bigelow on the January 3, 1994 episode of Monday Night Raw, Booger kissed Vachon, causing Bigelow to get angry.[5] Booger and Bigelow faced each other the following week, and Bigelow won the match after Vachon distracted Booger by blowing him kisses.[6] Booger was scheduled to appear in the 1994 Royal Rumble match, but was replaced; the kayfabe explanation was food poisoning. He lost his final match on WWF TV to Koko B. Ware in April 1994 and left the WWF in August 1994.

Independent circuit (1994-1999)

After leaving WWF, Shaw kept the Bastion Booger gimmick. He wrestled in the independent circuit in Michigan and Canada for Border City Wrestling.

He feuded with Typhoon in 1995 in indy American promotions losing all the matches to Typhoon. On December 15, 1995 he returned to Calgary as Makhan Singh defeating the Gothic Warrior at the Stu Hart 50th Anniversary Show.

Shaw retired from wrestling in 1999.

Return To WWE (2007)

On December 10, 2007 during the WWE Raw 15th anniversary special, he returned as Bastion Booger in the opening segment, in which Triple H jokingly suggested that Big Dick Johnson (another character whose unsightly physical appearance had been used by WWE for comic effect) was Booger's son.[7]

Jakks Pacific added Bastion Booger to the Classic Superstars line, series 25 in 2008.

Return to independent circuit (2006-2009)

Shaw worked for various independent promotions in his final years, and trained several wrestlers in Saginaw, MI. He returned to wrestling on June 3, 2006 losing to Danny Demanto at National Wrestling Superstars in South River, New Jersey. His final match was in Paramus, NJ on July 24, 2009 in a losing effort against Prince Akkanatan.

Wrestling school

Shaw opened a wrestling school in his hometown of Skandia, Michigan.[8]

Personal life

Shaw was married to a woman named Kelly, they had two children, Joshua and Amanda.[9]

Death

Shaw died of a pulmonary embolism on September 11, 2010. He was 53 years old.[10]

Championships and accomplishments
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References
  1. "Mike Shaw". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  2. Oliver, Greg. "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Makhan Singh". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2012-07-15. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  3. RD Reynolds and Randy Baer (2003). Wrestlecrap – the very worst of pro wrestling. ECW Press. ISBN 1-55022-584-7.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  4. http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/superstars93.htm
  5. Zimmerman, Christopher. "Monday Night Raw: January 3, 1994". The Other Arena. Archived from the original on May 30, 2003. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  6. Zimmerman, Christopher. "Monday Night Raw: January 10, 1994". The Other Arena. Archived from the original on October 26, 2006. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  7. Keller, Wade (2007-12-10). "Keller's WWE Raw Report 12/10: Ongoing review of 15th Anniversary episode". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  8. Professional Wrestling Schools
  9. Oliver, Greg (April 21, 2015). "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Makhan Singh". Slam! Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2016-03-06.
  10. "Multi-gimmicked Mike Shaw – Norman, Makhan Singh, Bastion Booger – dead at 53". SLAM! WRESTLING. 2010-09-12. Retrieved 2010-09-12.
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