Rhyno

Terrance Guido Gerin (born October 7, 1975) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Rhyno (or Rhino). He is a freelancer, appearing for various promotions such as All Elite Wrestling (AEW), National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), and on the independent circuit. He is best known for his tenures in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), WWE, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he is a 2024 TNA Hall of Fame inductee.

Gerin started his career in the Canadian independent circuit as Rhino Richards. He was signed by the American promotion ECW in 1999, where he shortened his name to Rhino. He remained with ECW until it closed in 2001, where he was the final World Heavyweight and World Television Champion. He then joined the World Wrestling Federation (later renamed WWE) with several other ECW wrestlers and was involved in the Invasion angle, in which ECW and WCW alumni joined forces against WWF wrestlers. He worked as Rhyno for WWE until 2005, when he signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and defeated Jeff Jarrett to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He lost it two days later and remained with TNA until 2010.

In 2015, Rhyno returned to WWE. He initially worked in NXT, its developmental territory, and was promoted to the main roster in December. During his time on the SmackDown brand, he teamed with Heath Slater and won a tournament to become the inaugural SmackDown Tag Team Champions. He left WWE again in 2019 and returned to TNA.

Early life

Gerin was born on October 7, 1975, in Detroit, Michigan. He is of Italian descent, with his ancestry being Venetian. He graduated from Annapolis High School in Dearborn Heights, Michigan where he was on the wrestling team. Gerin trained in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1995–1998)

Gerin trained as a wrestler at the Can-Am Wrestling School located in Windsor, Ontario under Scott D'Amore, with whom he later reunited in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He began training on September 24, 1994, and had his first match on March 10, 1995. Gerin made four appearances in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as enhancement talent under the ring name Terry Richards. Richards lost to "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan on the August 5, 1995, edition of ''WCW Saturday Night''. WCW Television Champion The Renegade defeated Richards on the September 9 edition of '' WCW Pro''. Richards and Johnny Swinger lost to the Nasty Boys on the September 16 edition of ''WCW Saturday Night''. His final appearance was a loss to Road Warrior Hawk on the September 23, 1995, edition of ''WCW WorldWide.''

In the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), Gerin lost to Henry O. Godwinn on the November 6, 1995, episode of ''Monday Night Raw'' (wrestling under the name "Terry Richards"). He was part of the losing team in a six-man tag team match against The Truth Commission at the June 23, 1997 '' WWF Shotgun Saturday Night'' taping (aired June 28)."WWF matches wrestled by Rhyno"
The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved June 25, 2018. Gerin then adopted the ring name Rhino Richards and began wrestling in Canada, where he formed a stable known as "THUG Life" with Joe Legend, Zakk Wyld (Keith Assoun), Christian Cage, Bloody Bill Skullion, Brett Kimball, and Sexton Hardcastle (later named Edge). He wrestled a dark match at the June 29, 1998 ''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night'' taping, defeating Breyer Wellington.

Catch Wrestling Association (1997–1998)

In 1997, Gerin relocated to Hanover, Germany, where he began competing for the Catch Wrestling Association (CWA) under the ring name "Rhino Richards". On October 10, 1998, he teamed with XL Legend to win the vacant CWA World Tag Team Championship, defeating Rico de Cuba and August Smisl. The titles were vacated in October 1998 when Gerin left the promotion after signing with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).

Extreme Championship Wrestling (1999–2001)

Gerin debuted in ECW on February 19, 1999, at a live event as "Rhino Richards", teaming with Nova to defeat the Full Blooded Italians (Tracy Smothers and Little Guido). After working a few live events during his early months in the promotion, Gerin made his televised debut as a heel on the June 25 episode of ''ECW Hardcore TV'' as "Rhino", a comically aggressive, psychotic, and unstable powerhouse wrestler who reveled in extremely violent wrestling and ferocious brutality. He was introduced by Steve Corino and Jack Victory as Taz's opponent in a match, which Rhino quickly lost.

Rhino made his first pay-per-view appearance at Heat Wave, where he aided Corino and their new ally Yoshihiro Tajiri during their matches. When ECW debuted on national television with a weekly show on TNN, the alliance of Rhino, Corino, Victory and Tajiri joined Cyrus to form a group called The Network. Cyrus represented TNN and was viewed as criticizing the hardcore wrestling style of ECW. Rhino's first match at a pay-per-view took place at Anarchy Rulz, where Rhino and Corino unsuccessfully challenged Tommy Dreamer and Raven for the ECW World Tag Team Championship, but were defeated. On the October 1 episode of ''ECW on TNN'', Rhino received his first opportunity for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship against Mike Awesome, which he failed to win. In late 1999, Rhino began feuding with The Sandman, and at November to Remember he teamed with the Impact Players to defeat Dreamer, Raven, and Sandman.

On January 29, 2000, Rhino competed against Rob Van Dam for the ECW World Television Championship. Van Dam retained the title but fractured his ankle which forced him to vacate the title. A tournament was set up to crown the new champion and Rhino participated in the tournament for the vacant title. He defeated Spike Dudley on the March 10 episode of ''ECW on TNN'' and advanced to the tournament final at Living Dangerously after The Sandman was eliminated by forfeit. Rhino faced Super Crazy in the finals of the tournament later that night, which headlined the show. Rhino lost after interference by RVD. However, Rhino won the World Television Championship on April 22 by defeating Yoshihiro Tajiri at CyberSlam, thus beginning his first title reign in ECW. Throughout mid-2000, Rhino continued to feud with The Sandman, defeating him in a title match at Hardcore Heaven. During that match, Rhino performed a '' Rhino Driver'' to the Sandman's wife and valet, Lori. Rhino would then defend the title against Sandman, a second time at Heat Wave. Before the match, Rhino attacked the couple and attempted to force Lori's head into a toilet. Rhino would go on to retain the title.

He lost the title to Kid Kash on August 26 at Midtown Massacre, but regained it a little over two weeks later on September 9. After winning his second World Television Championship, Rhino resumed his feud with Rob Van Dam, defeating him to retain the title at Anarchy Rulz. Rhino continued his title reign by successfully defending the title against New Jack at November to Remember and Spike Dudley at Massacre on 34th Street.

Rhino won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship on January 7, 2001, at Guilty as Charged, defeating Sandman in a squash match immediately after The Sandman had won the title from Steve Corino in a three-way tables, ladders, chairs, and canes match. He defended the title twice, defeating Sandman on January 12 and Spike Dudley on January 13, 2001, on the last two ECW shows and was the final World Heavyweight Champion and World Television Champion as the company folded in April.

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (2001–2005)

Team RECK and The Alliance (2001−2002)

Following the closure of ECW, Gerin signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). He debuted on the March 19, 2001, episode of '' WWF Raw is War'', in Albany, New York at the Pepsi Arena, under the ring name Rhyno as a heel, aligning himself with Edge and Christian. Rhyno went on to help Edge and Christian defeat The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz for the WWF Tag Team Championship in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match at WrestleMania X-Seven on April 1. On the April 19 edition of ''SmackDown!'', Rhyno defeated Kane to win the WWF Hardcore Championship. At Backlash on April 29, he defeated Raven to retain the title. At Judgment Day on May 20, Rhyno, Edge, and Christian formed a stable with Kurt Angle known as Team RECK, with all four members reaching the semi-finals of the King of the Ring tournament. Rhyno was eliminated from the event by the eventual winner, Edge. He won the Hardcore Championship a total of three times in mid-2001.

On the July 9 episode of ''Raw is War'', Rhyno "invaded" the WWF along with other ECW wrestlers. The group, led by former ECW owner Paul Heyman, went on to merge with rival organization WCW later that night, forming The Alliance. At Invasion on July 22, Rhyno competed in the main event the Inaugural Brawl match; five-on-five tag team match where Team WCW/ECW (Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page, (WCW) Rhyno and the Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) (ECW)) defeated Team WWF (Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, The Undertaker and Kane). Rhyno feuded with Chris Jericho due to Jericho insulting Stephanie McMahon, the on-screen owner of ECW, on numerous occasions. One notable moment during the feud saw Rhyno ''Gore'' Jericho through the SmackDown! stage set on the August 9 episode of ''SmackDown!''. This culminated in a match between the two at SummerSlam on August 19, in which Rhyno lost to Jericho. On September 23 at Unforgiven, he defeated fellow ECW alumnus Tajiri for the WCW United States Championship. He held the title for just under a month before losing to Kurt Angle on the October 22 episode of ''Raw''. As a result of his loss, Rhyno was "suspended" from The Alliance on the October 25 episode of ''SmackDown!''. The suspension was an angle concocted to explain Rhyno's absence while he underwent cervical fusion surgery for two herniated discs in his neck. The surgery was successfully performed on November 12.

Various alliances (2003–2005)

Rhyno returned to WWE television sixteen months later on the February 27, 2003, episode of ''SmackDown!'', aligning himself with Chris Benoit and turning into a face as they defeated Matt Hardy and Shannon Moore. He subsequently joined the SmackDown! brand. Rhyno and Benoit went on to unsuccessfully challenge Team Angle for the WWE Tag Team Championship in a triple threat tag team match also involving Los Guerreros at WrestleMania XIX on March 30. At Judgment Day on May 18, Rhyno teamed with Spanky and Chris Benoit to lose to John Cena and The Full Blooded Italians ( Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli). After losing to Benoit in the opening round of the United States Championship tournament on the June 19 episode of ''SmackDown!'', Rhyno turned on Benoit during Benoit's match against Eddie Guerrero for the United States Championship at Vengeance on July 27, thus turning heel once again. At SummerSlam on August 24, Rhyno competed in a fatal four-way match for the United States Championship against Guerrero, Benoit and Tajiri, but failed to win the title. Rhyno's feud with Benoit was resolved in a singles match between the two on the September 11 episode of ''SmackDown!'', which Rhyno lost.

Rhyno made his first appearance in the Royal Rumble match at the Royal Rumble on January 25, 2004, by entering at #6 but was eliminated by the eventual winner Chris Benoit. On the February 12 episode of ''SmackDown!'', Rhyno got disqualified in a match against Hardcore Holly for shoving the referee. It led to a rematch between the two at No Way Out on February 15, which Rhyno lost. On the March 22 episode of ''Raw'', Rhyno was drafted to the Raw brand in the 2004 WWE Draft Lottery. Later that night, he unsuccessfully faced Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Championship. The next week on ''Raw'', he turned face once again by first squashing Lance Storm in a match and then forming a tag team with Tajiri. The duo defeated Jonathan Coachman and Garrison Cade in a tag team match at Vengeance on July 11. In the fall, Rhyno and Tajiri began pursuing the World Tag Team Championship and entered a feud with the champions La Résistance (Sylvain Grenier and Robért Conway), unsuccessfully challenging them for the titles at Unforgiven on September 12. Rhyno and Tajiri received another title shot against La Résistance on the November 15 episode of ''Raw'' in a triple threat match, also involving William Regal and Eugene. Regal and Eugene won the titles.

On the January 10, 2005, episode of ''Raw'', Rhyno lost a Royal Rumble qualifying match to Edge. Rhyno was released from his WWE contract on April 9, along with his friend Matt Hardy due to a public argument with his wife that took place at the WrestleMania 21 afterparty. He made his final appearance on WWE television at the WWE-produced ECW reunion pay-per-view One Night Stand on June 12, where he lost to Sabu.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2005–2010)

NWA World Heavyweight Champion (2005–2006)

After time on the independent circuit, Gerin made his debut in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on July 17, 2005 at No Surrender, as Rhino, reverting to the ECW spelling of his wrestling name. He debuted by hitting then- NWA World Heavyweight Champion Raven with the Gore following a match with Abyss, thus debuting as both a heel and a member of Planet Jarrett.

These events led to a match being scheduled between the team of Rhino and Jeff Jarrett and the team of Raven and the returning Sabu at Sacrifice on August 14. During the Sacrifice preshow, Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko informed Jarrett, who had lobbied for a title shot for several weeks, that if he could pin Raven, he would receive a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Unbreakable on September 11. If Jarrett lost the match, he would be prohibited from receiving an NWA World Heavyweight Championship match for one year. Later that night, during the tag match, Jeff Hardy returned to TNA, attacking Jarrett and enabling Rhino to Gore and pin Raven. An irate Jarrett, furious at having lost his shot at the title, watched as Zbyszko announced Rhino to be the new number one contender immediately after the pay-per-view went off the air. Rhino faced Raven at Unbreakable in a match which saw him accidentally ''Gore'' a shopping cart in homage to his WWF Hardcore Championship bout with Raven at Backlash in the WWF. Despite interference from Jarrett, Raven retained his title after hitting Rhino with an '' Even Flow DDT''.

Rhino fought Jeff Hardy in the main event of the debut episode of '' Impact!'' on Spike TV on October 1. The match was declared a no-contest after both Abyss and Sabu interfered. At Bound for Glory on October 23, Rhino, Abyss, Sabu, and Hardy faced each other in a Monster's Ball match, which Rhino won after hitting a second rope '' Rhino Driver'' on Hardy. Later that night, Rhino won a 10-man Gauntlet match to determine who would face Jeff Jarrett for his NWA World Heavyweight Championship after Kevin Nash, Jarrett's scheduled opponent, was rushed to the hospital due to a legitimate injury. Rhino went on to defeat Jarrett and win the title. Rhino lost the NWA World Heavyweight Championship back to Jarrett on a 2-hour prime time special episode of ''Impact!'' on November 3.

Starting with the November 26 episode of ''Impact!'', TNA started airing promos about Rhino's career and personal life in preparation for his title rematch at Turning Point on December 11. He lost the rematch to Jarrett after a guitar shot and interference from all of Team Canada.

Various feuds (2006–2008)

In 2006, Rhino then wrapped up a brutal feud with Abyss, who (due to his alignment with Planet Jarrett) halted Rhino's war on Team Canada. The feud saw Abyss '' Black Hole Slam'' Rhino on to several chairs, and Rhino smash Abyss through a steel wall with the ''Gore''. Their singles feud ended at Against All Odds on February 12 when Rhino Gored Abyss off of a fifteen-foot ramp on to four tables. Rhino became a member of Sting's four-man team of "Warriors", joining A.J. Styles and Ron Killings to fight Jeff Jarrett's "Army" in a Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown on April 23, which Rhino's team won.

On June 9, after Rhino defeated Jeff Jarrett at a TNA house show in the old ECW Arena in Philadelphia, he publicly acknowledged that he had been offered a contract to come back to WWE and wrestle for the new ECW. He stayed with TNA. On July 11, Rhino made an open challenge against WWE for their current incarnation of ECW. The shocking revelation was that he did not like the direction of the new ECW and threw the "real" ECW World Heavyweight Championship (hidden in a burlap sack as Rhino stated WWE threatened legal action if he showed it) into an oil drum and burned it (he later admitted that it was a replica, and he still has the original belt at his home).

He then feuded with Monty Brown and Samoa Joe. This resulted in the three men competing at Hard Justice on August 13, which ended with Samoa Joe winning by pinning Monty Brown after slamming Brown through a table. Rhino then entered into a feud with Christian Cage, playing off their former history together in WWE, Japan, and Canada. The feud continued when Christian and Rhino faced off in an Eight Mile Street Fight at Bound for Glory on October 22. Christian won after a con-chair-to with a ladder, a broken table, a street sign, and some chairs on top of Rhino. This feud culminated on the November 16 episode of ''Impact!'', where he faced Cage in a six-sides of steel barbed wire match. Cage won the match after Rhino's ''Gore'' sent him through the door of the cage.

Near the end of 2006, Rhino entered into a program with A.J. Styles. This started with Rhino trying to help Styles with his situation with Christopher Daniels, only to have Styles pull away and accuse Rhino of getting into his business, thus turning him heel. Rhino lost to Styles at Turning Point on December 10 after Styles faked a knee injury and then pinned Rhino with a roll-up. At Final Resolution on January 14, 2007, Rhino defeated Styles in a Last Man Standing match. Rhino set up tables in anticipation of sending Styles through them with a Gore. Styles saw what was happening and declined to get up, thus losing. After the match, Rhino swore he was not through with Styles and gave him a Rhino Driver on the entrance ramp.

At Against All Odds on February 11, Styles defeated Rhino in a Motor City Chain match after dodging a Gore and rolling up Rhino for the pin. Styles then challenged any wrestler in TNA to wrestle him at Destination X on March 11 in the debut of the Elevation X match and Rhino accepted the challenge. At Destination X, Rhino defeated Styles in the Elevation X match after a Gore, and stomping on Styles' fingers. On March 22, Rhino was chosen as the third member of Kurt Angle's team for the Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown on April 15, along with Samoa Joe and eventually Jeff Jarrett and Sting. Team Angle was successful at Lockdown after defeating Christian's Coalition in the Lethal Lockdown match. Rhino had a big spot in the match when he Gored Tomko through the cage door.

Rhino went through short feuds with Christopher Daniels and The Latin American Xchange before moving on to his next big feud with James Storm. On the June 21 ''Impact!'', Storm and Robert Roode defeated Rhino and Eric Young. Following the match, Storm poured beer on Rhino, causing him to snap. Two weeks later, Rhino had a sit-down interview with Mike Tenay and revealed that he was a recovering alcoholic, and that caused him to snap after being covered with beer.

The feud between Rhino and Storm resulted in a match at Victory Road on July 15. Storm won the match after hitting Rhino with a beer bottle. After the match was over Storm and Jackie Moore attacked Rhino and poured beer into his mouth and left him bleeding in the ring. At Hard Justice on August 12, Rhino lost a Bar Room Brawl to Storm, after Storm smashed a beer bottle into the back of Rhino's head, but Rhino beat him at No Surrender on September 9. After the match, he gored Moore. Rhino then feuded with Raven, resulting in a Monster's Ball match at Bound for Glory on October 14 between Rhino, Raven, Abyss, and Black Reign which Abyss won.

At Turning Point on December 2, he was scheduled to participate in a match teaming with Abyss to take on Black Reign and Rellik, but he was replaced by Raven due to injury. After battling a kayfabe alcoholism relapse (brought on by the James Storm storyline), Rhino officially made his return at Against All Odds on February 10, 2008 when he Gored Storm, which caused Eric Young to retain his World Drinking Championship. On March 9, Rhino defeated Storm at Destination X, in the second official Elevation X Match, making Rhino 2-0 in Elevation X.

Alliance with Christian and TNA Front Line (2008–2009)

The next week, Christian Cage had to find a tag partner to help him fight A.J. Styles and Tomko and asked Rhino to join him, but Rhino refused due to their past history (Cage had since turned face). Tomko, Styles, and Team 3D attacked Cage after his tag team match with Kevin Nash. The following week on ''Impact!'', Cage managed to get Rhino on his side during an interview with Jeremy Borash. At Lockdown on April 13 in the Lethal Lockdown match, Rhino pinned Storm to get the win for Cage's team. Rhino went on to form a tag team with Cage and they competed in the Deuces Wild Tag Team Tournament to crown new tag team champions by beating The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) to qualify. The tournament took place at Sacrifice on May 11 where they beat the team of Robert Roode and Booker T, but lost in the second round to Team 3D after Brother Ray hit Rhino with a kendo stick. Rhino beat James Storm to qualify for the King of the Mountain match at Slammiversary on June 8, where Samoa Joe retained the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Since then, Rhino formed a tag team with Christian Cage. At Hard Justice on August 10, Rhino and Christian Cage defeated Team 3D to end their feud.

Rhyno and Christian quietly went their separate ways, with Cage going to main events and Rhino along with then TNA Women's Champion Taylor Wilde starting a feud with The Beautiful People and Cute Kip shortly after Hard Justice. At Bound for Glory IV on October 12, Rhino along with ODB and Rhaka Khan (who recently turned face) defeated The Beautiful People and Cute Kip in a Bimbo Brawl. On the October 23 episode of ''Impact!'', Rhino confronted Sheik Abdul Bashir over political views. He was later attacked by Bashir. The feud ended after Rhino got revenge and defeated Sheik at Turning Point on November 9.

On the November 20 episode of ''Impact!'', Rhino attacked The Main Event Mafia, but the Main Event Mafia fought back and placed him in a casket. The next week, Rhino officially joined A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe, naming the group the TNA Front Line. Rhino decided the Front Line had to have more members if they wanted to beat the Main Event Mafia, and, much to the surprise and questioning of the group, asked Team 3D to join the Front Line. Later in the night, Team 3D agreed to join the Front Line, helping Styles and Joe attack the Main Event Mafia. At Genesis on January 11, 2009, Rhino lost to Sting in a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match.

Heel turn (2009–2010)

At the Lockdown pre-show on April 19, Eric Young defeated Danny Bonaduce. After the bout, Bonaduce attacked Young, but Rhino came to the ring to aid Young and then gored Bonaduce. He then began an angle in which he trained Jesse Neal

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