Nick Gage

Nicholas W. Wilson (born September 22, 1980)[2][3] is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) and Game Changer Wrestling (GCW). Wilson currently wrestles under the ring name Nick Gage in GCW and various other promotions on the independent circuit. He is also the only man who have won the big three of deathmatch tournaments with Tournament of Death, King of the Deathmatch and GCW's Tournament of Survival.

For the author and journalist, see Nicholas Gage.
Not to be confused with Nicolas Cage or Nick Page.
Nick Gage
Birth nameNicholas W. Wilson
Born (1980-09-22) September 22, 1980
ResidenceCamden, New Jersey, U.S.
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Nick Gage
Billed height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Billed weight206 lb (93 kg)
Billed fromNational Park, New Jersey
Trained byCZW Wrestling School
John Zandig[1]
DebutFebruary 13, 1999[1]

Along with being the first-ever CZW World Heavyweight Champion, until early 2011, Gage had wrestled at nearly every CZW show and had competed in more CZW matches than any other wrestler. In addition to these accomplishments, he has held the World Tag Team, Iron Man, Ultraviolent Underground, and Death Match championships during his CZW career.[4] Gage's brother Chris Wilson was also a professional wrestler and performed in CZW under the ring name Justice Pain.[5]

In April 2011, Gage was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to second degree bank robbery.[6]

Professional wrestling career

Combat Zone Wrestling (1999–2010)

Gage is known for being the first ever CZW World Heavyweight Champion and for being part of the H8 Club tag team. Before teaming with Nate Hatred as the H8 Club, Gage won the CZW World Tag Team Championship with Zandig. Gage would also find great success in his run for the CZW Ironman Title, which he had several brutal matches with the likes of LOBO, The Wifebeater, Nick Mondo & Mad Man Pondo. One of the most notable matches from the time period was the first ever, 200 Light Tubes Death Match against The Wifebeater. He would later team up with Hatred and wrestle such teams as The Briscoe Brothers, VD, and The Backseat Boyz. Together, they won the tag team championship from the original H8 Club of Wifebeater and Justice Pain. Gage and Hatred would break up in 2003 when Hatred joined Messiah's stable, the Hi-V. Gage and Hatred would embark on a bloody feud against one another, competing in a Tables Match, Cage Match, Dog Collar Match, as well as a 200 Light Tubes Death Match. The two would trade the Big Japan Death Match Title between one another. Gage would take part in Cage of Death V: Suspended, as a part of Team Zandig, to take on the Hi-V.They feuded for nearly one year, and met in the Cage of Death match at Cage of Death V. At the end of the match, Hatred turned on Messiah and rejoined Gage. After reforming, they regained the tag championship, but lost it to The Blackout. At Cage of Death VI, The H8 Club of Nick Gage and Nate Hatred faced the H8 Club of Wifebeater and Justice Pain, with the winners winning the right to the H8 Club name. That night, Nick Gage and Justice Pain turned on their partners joined each other.[7] They would then win the tag team championship and hold it for many months before losing to Necro Butcher and Toby Klein.[8][9]

Even after the loss of the Tag Titles, Gage and his brother would continue to feud with The Tough Crazy Bastards. Gage would find himself in the finals of the annual, Tournament of Death, along with the Necro Butcher and CZW owner, John Zandig. In this match, Gage would, literally, get set on fire, due to a botched Suplex, which saw Gage deliver it to Zandig, over the top rope and off the apron, onto a flaming board, which incorporated other Ultraviolent qualities. Gage would ultimately lose the match, as a result of being driven through several Panes of Glass, as well as a table, by Necro and his use of the Death Valley Driver. At the following show, Gage would interfere in Necro's No Rope Barbed Wire Match with one, J.C. Bailey. Gage, and his brother, Justice Pain's feud with Klein and The Butcher, would carry on all the way until Cage of Death 7. At Cage of Death 7 in the Cage of Death match, with Justice Pain and Zandig on Gage's team and Joker and Toby Klein on Necro's team. After Cage of Death, Gage and Necro Butcher fought in a triple threat no rope barbed wire match with J.C. Bailey for Bailey's Ultraviolent Underground Championship, which Gage captured that night.[10] Gage later became color commentator for CZW DVDs, replacing Eddie Kingston. On July 29, 2006, Nick Gage won Tournament of Death 5 defeating Brain Damage, JC Bailey, and Drake Younger in the final round. After this, Gage began exhibiting strange behavior. He attacked LuFisto after she won the Iron Man title, had incidents with Zandig and Justice Pain, and insulted the fans on many occasions, most notably on commentary.[11] He has since been removed from his commentary position. At Last Team Standing on October 14, he and Justice Pain made it to the finals of the tag team tournament. However, he left the arena before the last match. The next night, he lost the Ultraviolent Underground Championship to Drake Younger.

At Night of Infamy 5, problems between Gage, Lobo, and Zandig continued, leading to a Cage of Death match between the three, which called for the loser of the bout to hang up the boots and retire. Before the match started, Gage's enemy LuFisto came to the ring and entered herself in the match. Gage won by pinning Zandig, forcing the CZW owner into retirement.[12] The next month, Gage was scheduled to face LuFisto in a one on one match, but LuFisto was injured and the match was canceled.[13][14] Gage would end up facing his brother, Justice Pain, for Pain's CZW Heavyweight Championship at CZW's eight anniversary show, H8. The match ended early due to the result of Gage receiving a stinger, as a result of a botched Pain Thriller from his brother. Nick Gage would remain out of action until the end of the year.

Gage made his return to CZW at the ninth annual Cage of Death event on December 8. He defeated Messiah and Ruckus in a Triple Threat Match to become a three time CZW World Heavyweight Champion. Gage's third reign as the Heavyweight Champion would last seven months, as he successfully defended his title against the likes of Drake Younger, Danny Havoc, Devon Moore, Ruckus & Eddie Kingston. However, Gage's run would come to an end at A Tangled Web, in which he lost to Drake Younger in a Tangled Web Death Match, due to interference from Notorious Inc. member, Devon Moore. Gage would face Moore at the following show in a No Ropes Barbed Wire Taipei Death Match. Gage would soon take up arms with his old tag team partner, Nate Hatred, to reform the infamous H8 Club. The H8 Club would go on to face Notorious Inc. at Down With The Sickness, as well as BLKOUT at Cage of Death X. Gage and Hatred would then move on to a bloody feud with Billy Gram's Cult Fiction, Brain Damage & Deranged, which, ultimately, culminated at CZW Tournament of Death 8, when Nick Gage defeated Deranged in a No Ropes Barbed Wire Fire Match. At that very same event, Gage would end up defeating Jon Moxley & Scotty Vortekz in the second round, advancing to the third, and final, round, against Thumbtack Jack. Gage would have to be airlifted to hospital after taking a bump onto a light tube, which resulted in a laceration severing an artery in his arm. Gage had made a full recovery and was back at CZW Best of the Best (only 1 week later) and participated in an attack on Thumbtack Jack.

Following his injury at TOD, and his attack on Thumbtack Jack at Best of the Best, Gage, along with Nate Hatred, would feud with The Best All Around in their hunt to regain the CZW Tag Team Titles. However, the hunt would prove to be a failure as they did not win the titles. The H8 Club would go on to turn heel, as they took up arms with the Switchblade Conspiracy, and attacked the new CZW owner, D.J. Hyde. In response to the attacks, Hyde would replace himself in the upcoming Tournament of Death: Rewind, and in his place would be Nick Gage, who would take on the former owner of CZW, John Zandig. Gage would defeat Zandig in the opening round in a Panes of Glass Match, but would come up on the losing end to MASADA in the second round in a Home Run Derby Death Match.

"The Future of Hardcore" would cross paths with Thumbtack Jack once more before the end of the year, as they faced one another for Jack's Ultraviolent Underground Championship, in a No Ropes Barbed Wire Match at Cage of Death XI. Jack would come out the victor in the contest, only to be attacked by a returning, J.C. Bailey. In May 2010, Gage went to Japan and wrestled for Big Japan Pro Wrestling after an interval of nearly 10 years. Gage, as a member of the stable CZW Japan[15] originally created around 2000, competed at BJW 15th Anniversary Show, teaming with Jun Kasai and DJ Hyde.[16]

Gage wrestling at CZW Tournament of Death 9

Apart from his performances in CZW's Tournament of Death, Gage has also taken part in the IWA Mid-South King of the Deathmatch tournament, having competed in four of them. During 2003, Gage entered the tournament during the CZW vs IWA-MS angle, which was going on at the time. Gage was able to take out Dysfunction in the first round, by defeating him in a 4-Corners of Pain Match, followed by defeating "Mean" Mitch Page in a Barbed Wire Canvas & Light Tube Ropes Match in the second round. However, Gage would end up on the losing end during the third round when he lost to Mad Man Pondo in a Bed of Nails & Caribbean Spider Web Match.

Various promotions (2007–2010)

After his return to professional wrestling in December 2007, Gage would return to the IWA-MS for their 2008 King of the Deathmatch. The Future of Hardcore, along with Danny Havoc, would defeat the former photographer, Whacks, in a first round Light Tubes & Ladders Match. The following night, Gage would defeat Freakshow in a Taped Fist Texas Death Match, but would be defeated by Devon Moore, his rival in CZW at the time, in a third round Pyramids of Pain Death Match, which featured Moore, Gage & "Diehard" Dustin Lee.

Less than a year later, Nick would find himself at the 2009 King of the Deathmatches. Nick Gage would lose in the opening round against Thumbtack Jack in a Deep Six Death Match, which consisted of Chains, Fish Hooks, and a No Ropes Barbed Wire stipulation.

"The Man" has also competed in two consecutive Carnage Cups. At Carnage Cup 2008, Gage defeated Devon Moore in a Fans Bring The Weapons Match in the first round, followed by defeating Prophet in an Ultraviolent Boards Match. However, Nick Gage would lose in the finals to Danny Havoc, in a 4-Way 200 Light Tubes Death Match also involving Freakshow and Corey Shaddix.

At the 2009 Carnage Cup, Gage would pick up a victory over Insane Lane and Freakshow in the first round, advancing himself to the second round. Gage would be defeated, once again, by Thumbtack Jack, in an Ultraviolent Boards & Thumbtack Cinderblocks Death Match.

Return to CZW (2014–2015)

During Tournament of Death 13 in 2014, DJ Hyde announced that Nick Gage would return and be the first entrant into Tournament of Death 14. At CZW's Tangled Web on October 18, 2014, Matt Tremont challenged Gage to a match when he is released from prison.[17]

Gage made his in ring return at Proving Grounds 2015 against Drew Gulak. At Tournament of Death 14, Gage returned to Tournament of Death, losing to Conor Claxton in the first round.

Return to independent circuit (2015–present)

On April 10, 2015, Nick Gage made his first appearance in wrestling after being released from prison at Jersey Championship Wrestling's Tag Team J-Cup Tournament. Gage interrupted a promo by The Rogues, Jeff Cannonball and Brandon Kirk, hitting Cannonball with a chair and then his boot scrape and giving Kirk a chokebreaker. Gage and Lucky 13 would then lose in the first round to the Beast Squad, consisting of Monsta Mack and Kyle the Beast. After the match Gage turned on Lucky with a series of chokebreakers.

With Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) being his new main home since 2015, Nick Gage has declared Absolute Intense Wrestling his 2nd home for professional wrestling debuting in 2015. In 2017 Gage entered a feud with Tim Donst. On November 24, 2017 at AIW Hell On Earth 13, Gage defeated Donst to win the AIW Heavyweight Championship. Gage would retain against Donst in the rematch at GCW Rulers Of The World on December 29, 2017.

On January 14, 2018 Nick Gage made his Style Battle debut in Episode 8 of Season 1. Gage faced WALTER in a no-contest which spilled outside of the ring when both men refused to listen to the Referee. The brawl ended when Keith Lee joined the fray and Clocked Gage in the face with a forearm.

July 28, 2018 Nick made his debut in Nova Pro Wrestling, losing a street fight to Tim Donst. The fight saw chair shots, a suplex through a closet door and a pack of light tubes over Gage's head ending the match.

Game Changer Wrestling (2017–present)

On June 3, 2017, Nick Gage won the Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) Tournament of Survival 2, defeating Matt Tremont in the finals in the start of what would be a trilogy of matches between the two. On Sept, 16th, 2017 Tremont defeated Gage in the 2nd match of the trilogy in the finals of the Nick Gage Invitational II. Gage won the 3rd match, along with the GCW Heavyweight Championship in the 3rd and final series, at GCW's 2nd anniversary event "Ready To Die" in a Three Layers Of Hell Match on December 16, 2017.

On April 5, 2019, Nick Gage defeated Shinjiro Otani at GCW's Joey Janela's Spring Break 3 Part 1. On April 6, at GCW Orange Cassidy's Doing Something, Nick Gage defeated UltraMantis Black in a Christmas-themed Deathmatch. At the end of the match, Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) interfered and attacked Gage. The host of the event, Orange Cassidy spat mist at MJF's face with Gage doing his finisher to MJF after.

During his title reign Gage became the longest-reigning GCW Heavyweight Champion with a record of 722 days, with his reign ending on December 8, 2019 after losing to AJ Gray.[18] Due to his work as GCW World Champion, Gage was named by Sports Illustrated as the 10th Wrestler of the Year in 2019.[19]

Personal life

Wilson grew up in National Park, Gloucester County in New Jersey.[20] As a child, Wilson idolized Lawrence Taylor.[20] Wilson and his brother Chris trained together as professional wrestlers.[20]

In an interview in early 2010, Wilson stated he had been addicted to oxycontin and other painkillers for at least 10 years.[3][20] At the time of the bank robbery in 2010, Wilson was homeless, after being evicted from the house where he had lived with his girlfriend and her mother.[3][20]

2005 arrest

Wilson was arrested in 2005 for possession of stolen property.[20] He pleaded guilty, and paid a $250 fine as well as court costs.[20]

Bank robbery and incarceration

On December 30, 2010, New Jersey authorities announced that they were seeking Wilson for robbing a PNC Bank in Collingswood, New Jersey on December 22.[2][21][22] During the robbery, Wilson handed a note to a female employee at the bank demanding money, and got approximately $3,000.[20] Following the robbery, Wilson and his girlfriend went to Atlantic City to gamble.[20] Wilson surrendered to authorities on December 31, 2010.[23] On March 15, 2011, Wilson pleaded guilty to second degree robbery and on April 29 was sentenced to five years in prison. His guilty plea was part of an agreement for a lesser sentence.[3] He was eligible for parole on March 31, 2015, after serving 85% of his five-year sentence.[3][6][24] He was released on parole in April 2015 but violated parole and was re-incarcerated.[25] He was released again in November 2016. Wilson was also ordered to pay compensation to both the bank and the female employee from whom he had demanded the money.[3]

Championships and accomplishments

References
General
Specific
  1. "Nick Gage". Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  2. Caldwell, James (2010-12-30). "Other News: Police seeking independent wrestler Nick Gage for allegedly robbing a bank, CZW issues statement". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  3. Zatzariny Jr., Tim (April 29, 2011). "Former Pro Wrestler Sentenced in Collingswood Bank Robbery". Collingswood Patch. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  4. "CZW Statistics". Archived from the original on 13 January 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  5. "Combat Zone Wrestling - Cage of Death VI". 2004-11-12. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  6. Alvarez, Bryan (2011-04-29). "Fri update: More from Toronto, Gage to prison, major UFC change, WWE shareholders meeting,Mania buys". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved 2011-04-30.
  7. CZW (December 2004). Cage of Death VI (DVD). Smart Mark Video. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
  8. "Combat Zone Wrestling - Only the Strong: Scarred for Life". 2005-05-02. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  9. "Combat Zone Wrestling - High Stakes". 2005-09-07. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  10. "Combat Zone Wrestling". 2006-01-14. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  11. O'Mac, Ed (2006-09-14). "News Update". Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  12. Riotstarter (2006-12-09). "Live Results from Cage of Death 8!". Archived from the original on 17 February 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  13. O'Mac, Ed (2006-12-29). "On January 13th: LUFISTO VS. NICK GAGE - 1st Time Ever!". Archived from the original on 17 February 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  14. Goulet, Genny (2007-01-08). "Retirement..." Archived from the original on 25 January 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2007.
  15. BJW 15th Anniversary Show ~Death & Crazy That's The Way Of The BJ-World~ : Six Man Tag Team Barbed Wire Razor Blade Death Match Archived 2010-05-11 at the Wayback Machine Yahoo! Sportsnavi (in Japanese)
  16. BJW 15th Anniversary Show ~Death & Crazy That's The Way Of The BJ-World~ - CAGEMATCH.DE (in German)
  17. "Results from Saturday's CZW Tangled Web 7". czwrestling.com. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  18. Cagematch-Titles
  19. Barrasso, Justin (December 28, 2019). "The Top 10 Male Wrestlers of 2019". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  20. Zatzariny Jr., Tim; DiBacco, Deena (January 11, 2011). "Pro Wrestler: Desperation Led Me to Rob Bank". Collingswood Patch. Archived from the original on May 29, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  21. "'Ultraviolent' wrestler suspected in bank robbery". American Broadcasting Company. 2010-12-30. Archived from the original on 2011-01-03. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  22. "'Combat Zone' wrestler wanted in S. Jersey bank heist". Philly.com. 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  23. Barna, John (2010-12-31). "Pro wrestler Nick Gage surrenders to authorities; he faces bank robbery charge". NJ.com. Retrieved 2011-01-01.
  24. Caldwell, James (2011-04-30). "Other News: Independent wrestler Nick Gage given prison sentence for bank robbery scandal last year". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2011-05-01.
  25. "CROWBAR SURGERY, NICK GAGE UPDATE, RVD VS. MORRISON FOR FIRST TIME EVER AND MORE - PWInsider.com". www.pwinsider.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  26. https://www.cagematch.net//?id=5&nr=2418
  27. https://heelbynature.com/all-elite-wrestling/jon-moxley-tops-2020-pwi-500-list/
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