Retro Wednesday: A Jail-Breaking Debut

After being one the company's top heels in the late-1980s, the Big Bossman started feuding with his former partner, Akeem, as well as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan after receiving insults about his family. Bossman became one of the top babyfaces in the early 90s, nearly winning the Intercontinental Championship from Mr. Perfect at WrestleMania VII.

Then comes the spring of 1992. We get a series of vignettes from a scary-looking ex-convict, blaming the Big Bossman for his wrongful accusation. This person, whose name was later revealed to be Nailz, made his WWE debut after a Big Bossman squash match against a jobber on an episode of Superstars of Wrestling. He immediately made a bone-chilling impression by handcuffing Bossman and hitting him repeatedly with a nightstick. This caused Bossman to take time away from the ring, healing from his beating received by Nailz.

Big Bossman finally gained retribution at Survivor Series, when he defeated Nailz in a Nightstick Match. One month later, Nailz was released from the WWE, due to what is rumored to be a heated and threatening altercation with Vince McMahon. Upon leaving the WWE, he had a very brief stint in WCW. After that, he wrestled for small promotions, but has not been popular for nearly 20 years.

However, during his WWE stint (albeit short), he was the scariest looking?and sounding?person on the roster. That mug? Incomparable. Those promos? Creepy, to say the least. Nailz could have been used as a top heel for the company, and his staredown with the Undertaker could have build into something big if he would have stayed around long enough.

What a weird gimmick... but it worked.

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