James Michael Curtin (born 30 January 1983) is an English former
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...
. He is signed to
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
as a writer on
Raw. During his time as an on screen performer in the company, he worked under the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name or nickname used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons ...
Drake Maverick. He has also worked for
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (abbreviated as TNA Wrestling or TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Canadian media company owned by busines ...
, under the ring name Rockstar Spud.
During his first decade, Curtin performed as Rockstar Spud, and worked in the British
independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit (often shortened to the indie circuit or the indies) is the collective name of independently owned promotions which are deemed to be smaller and more regionalized than major national promotions. ...
, winning several championships in promotions like
International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom (IPW:UK),
One Pro Wrestling
One Pro Wrestling (abbreviated as 1PW) was a British professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion. 1PW was founded in 2005 by Steven Gauntley. Originally run by the now defunct retail chain 1 Up Games, the company's headq ...
(1PW),
Revolution Pro Wrestling
Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro/RPW) is a British professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on 26 August 2012 by Andy Quildan after separating from International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom.
Revolution Pro Wre ...
(RPW), and
XWA Wrestling. In 2012, he appeared in the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA, later Impact Wrestling) program
British Boot Camp, winning the competition and being signed to a contract with the promotion. In TNA/Impact, he was a
two-time X Division Champion.
Curtin left Impact in October 2017 and signed a contract with WWE that same month. He performed under the ring name Drake Maverick, first as the
on-screen General Manager of
205 Live,
the brand created by WWE for their
cruiserweight division (205 lbs. and under), and served for a brief time as the manager of
AOP on ''
Raw''. In 2019, he became more active as an in-ring competitor, becoming an
eight-time 24/7 Champion. He was released from the company in April 2020 due to budget cuts resulting from the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. Following his release, WWE still had Curtin compete in the multi-month
Interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship tournament. Despite losing in the finals, he was given a new WWE contract and joined the NXT brand, where he formed a short-lived tag team with
Killian Dain
Damian Mackle (born 20 February 1985) is a Northern Irish professional wrestler currently performing on the independent circuit under the ring name Big Damo (shortened from his initial ring name Damian O'Connor). He is best known for his time in ...
and
Grayson Waller, until he returned to the main roster as part of Raw, and was released once again in 2021. He returned to WWE a year later, working as a part of the creative team.
Professional wrestling career
Independent circuit (2001–2014)
James Michael Curtin
was born in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
on 30 January 1983.
He was originally trained by Jack Storm and Chris Gilbert at the K-Star Wrestling promotion in the
Perry Barr
Perry Barr is a suburban area in north Birmingham, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It is also the name of a Government of Birmingham, England#Council constituencies, council constituency, managed by its own ...
area of Birmingham, before eventually coming under the tutelage of "Charming" Don Charles at the SAS Wrestling Academy.
[ Under the ring name Spud, he went on to perform in many ]independent promotions
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit (often shortened to the indie circuit or the indies) is the collective name of independently owned promotions which are deemed to be smaller and more regionalized than major national promotions. ...
within the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe.[ While on the independent circuit, Spud's first major appearances came with the Revolution British Wrestling promotion in 2003.][ On 30 August 2003, Spud defeated Jack Hazard to become RBW's first British Welterweight Champion, a title he held for several months before losing it to "The Gift" Ross Jordan in an Iron Man match in December 2003.][
Spud began working for ]Frontier Wrestling Alliance
Frontier Wrestling Alliance (FWA) was a professional wrestling promotion in Britain. Established in 1993 as the Fratton Wrestling Association it soon became the Frontier Wrestling Alliance six years later and until 2007 when it lost a scripted ...
in 2004, and was brought up into the main roster to be used as a jobber for a short time, competing against many larger opponents.[ During the start of 2005, however, FWA began showcasing their flyweight division; later that year, Spud entered into a ]tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concen ...
to crown a Flyweight Champion.[ He made it to the tournament final, where he was defeated by Ross Jordan, who became the first FWA Flyweight Champion.][ However, Jordan was only awarded the match after the referee stopped the contest due to a ]kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe (pronounced ) is the portrayal of staged events within the industry as "real" or "true", specifically competition, rivalries, and relationships between participants. The term has evolved to become a code word ...
injury to Spud's leg.[ The pair continued to feud for over 14 months, with Jordan repeatedly attacking Spud in attempts to re-injure his leg.][ The feud ended when Spud defeated Jordan in a ]Last Man Standing match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick, gimmick matches" in the Glossary of professional wrestling terms, jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick m ...
at ''FWA Last Fight at the Prom'' on 30 September 2006.[
Following a talent trading agreement with the FWA, Spud made his first US appearance in April 2006, competing for ]Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011; the promotion was subs ...
during their two-night ''Weekend of Champions'' shows.[ Spud appeared during ROH's first tour of shows in the UK in August 2006, ''Unified'' and ''Anarchy in the UK''.][ He competed under the FWA banner during the British Under 23's Championship event, being FWA's entry into the tournament to crown the first champion under 23 years of age.][ However, Spud lost to the tournament's eventual winner Sam Slam in the first round.][
Upon the FWA's relaunch, Spud performed under his Rockstar gimmick with an over-the-top entrance including a female security guard, a band, and a groupie.][ At the comeback show, New Frontiers, Spud was placed into the FWA Flyweight Championship Tournament and won the qualifying fatal four-way match.][ He lost in the next round to ]Jonny Storm
Jonathan Whitcombe (born 19 April 1977) is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jonny Storm. He has worked for many independent promotions across the United Kingdom, including the Frontier Wrestling Alliance, Real ...
.[ In 2010, Spud became locked in a war of words with Storm and would take part in multiple FWA Flyweight Championship tournaments.][ His feud with Storm culminated in a match at New Frontiers 2011, which ended in a no contest.][
]
Spud competed regularly for the International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom promotion right from its creation in 2004.[ Through 2005, Spud had a high-profile feud with Jack Storm, which culminated in a street fight in January 2006.][ While in IPW:UK, Spud became one half of the ]tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establis ...
''Dragon Hearts'', with fellow wrestler Dragon Phoenix.[ On 24 September 2006, Dragon Hearts defeated The Untouchables in a ]Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match
A tables, ladders, and chairs match, often abbreviated as TLC, is a type of professional wrestling match that originated within the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE).
The TLC match is a variation of a ladder match, which is modified to c ...
to become IPW:UK Tag Team Champions.[ The Dragon Hearts also got involved with IPW:UK's inter-federation feud with ]Frontier Wrestling Alliance
Frontier Wrestling Alliance (FWA) was a professional wrestling promotion in Britain. Established in 1993 as the Fratton Wrestling Association it soon became the Frontier Wrestling Alliance six years later and until 2007 when it lost a scripted ...
, and even though Spud is a regular for that promotion he wrestled on the side of IPW:UK in a match against Team FWA.[ The Dragon Hearts teamed up with Leroy Kincaide to face off against Iceman, ]Jonny Storm
Jonathan Whitcombe (born 19 April 1977) is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jonny Storm. He has worked for many independent promotions across the United Kingdom, including the Frontier Wrestling Alliance, Real ...
, and Jorge Castano in a match that saw both Phoenix and Spud suffer injury. Phoenix suffered a deep wound to his head while Spud suffered what appeared to be a separated or dislocated shoulder due to a dropkick
A dropkick is an Professional wrestling strikes, attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet; this sees the wrestler twist as they ju ...
at the hands of Storm.[ Storm and Spud faced off in a grudge match in early 2007 with Spud picking up the win.][
Spud went on to represent IPW:UK in the joint FWA vs IPW:UK Final Frontiers show losing to Hade Vansen.][ After a losing effort against IPW:UK Tag team champions Swiss Money Holdings in IPW:UK's debut in Liverpool, Luke Dragon Phoenix left the promotion disbanding The Dragon Hearts.][ Back to singles action, Spud went on to face Big Brother contestant Billi Bhatti in a losing effort thanks to the Hated Heroes.][ Spud recently defeated Dave Moralez and Eamon O'Neill to advance in the opening rounds of the British National Championship but was defeated by Sam Slam in the Quarter Finals.][ Spud's last recent appearances for IPW:UK have seen him in losing efforts to former Gladiator's and current TNA star Magnus Nick 'Oblivion' Aldis.][
Spud returned to the promotion after 6 months under his "Rockstar" character and defeated Lion Kid to become the IPW:UK Cruiserweight Champion.][ Spud has appeared for the London and ]Midlands
The Midlands is the central region of England, to the south of Northern England, to the north of southern England, to the east of Wales, and to the west of the North Sea. The Midlands comprises the ceremonial counties of Derbyshire, Herefor ...
based promotion SAS Wrestling since its establishment in 2005.[ He has waged war with long-time nemesis Jack Storm after he turned on him in the "Bring Your Jeans" show of November 2005.][ Spud battled against Team Charming members for nearly a year to get his hands on Jack Storm.][ He faced him eventually in the final of the first SAS UK Wrestling Championship tournament by pinning his foe after a hard-fought encounter thought by many as UK Match of the Year in 2006.][ Spud lost the championship a month later thanks to Jack Storm's manager Charming Don Charles, and in another long feud eventually wrestled him in a one on one Bring Your Jeans Streetfight match pinning him with one foot after a steel chair shot to the head.][
Spud became SAS UK Champion once again by defeating Jack Storm in April 2008 in a steel cage match.][ Recently Spud turned his back on the fans by attacking Phil Bedwell, citing the fans not caring about him as much as they do about the former alcoholic as his motivation, and evolved into his 'Rockstar' persona.][ Spud defended the championship for most of 2009 against Derise Coffie and Bubblegum before finally losing the championship to Bubblegum in a Steel cage match in June 2010.][ Spud would continue to sporadically appear of IPW before leaving for ]Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (abbreviated as TNA Wrestling or TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Canadian media company owned by busines ...
.[
After the feud between FWA and IPW:UK ended, the XWA promotion was founded from the remains of the FWA.][ Spud feuded with XWA Flyweight Champion El Ligero, defeating him in a last man standing match to become champion with help from The Kartel and Martin Stone to form 'The Firm' faction.][ Spud won the annual Goldrush rumble to become the No 1 Contender to the XWA Heavyweight Championship while still the XWA Flyweight Champion, which he succeeded in doing after beating Sam Slam at the 2009 Last Fight at the Prom.][ However, Curtin was stripped of the XWA Flyweight Championship due to his lack of defences and also lost the XWA Heavyweight Championship later in the year to Johnny Phere. Spud, since losing the XWA Heavyweight Championship, suffered a number of defeats and was then injured in September 2010 in a match with Nathan Cruz.][ Spud made his return in February 2011, confronting Cruz and his former allies Team Rockstar for abandoning him in the annual XWA Goldrush Rumble.][
]Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Los Angeles, California. As of 2024, it is on an extended hiatus. It was created by pro wrestlers Disco Machine, Excalibur, Scott Lost, Joey Ryan, Super ...
made their first tour of the UK in February 2006 where Spud teamed with Topgun Talwar and Aviv Maayan faced Excalibur
Excalibur is the mythical sword of King Arthur that may possess magical powers or be associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. Its first reliably datable appearance is found in Geoffrey of Monmouth's ''Historia Regum Britanniae''. E ...
, Disco Machine and Ronin in a 6-man tag team match where Spud was pinned by Excalibur.[ At PWG's second UK show in October 2007 Spud faced off against Joey Ryan.][ Ryan pinned Spud after a Superkick.][ Spud also became one of the top British stars in the ]One Pro Wrestling
One Pro Wrestling (abbreviated as 1PW) was a British professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion. 1PW was founded in 2005 by Steven Gauntley. Originally run by the now defunct retail chain 1 Up Games, the company's headq ...
roster since its inception in 2005. Still competing under the out matched underdog gimmick
A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand out ...
, Spud had a longtime feud with American wrestler Sterling James Keenan and the super heavyweight Abyss
Abyss may refer to:
Religion
* Abyss (religion), a bottomless pit, or a passage to the underworld
* Abyss (Thelema), a spiritual principle within the system of Thelema
Film and television
* ''The Abyss'' (1910 film), a Danish silent film s ...
.[ Spud and partner Luke Dragon Phoenix resurfaced in 1PW to win the Tag Team Titles in their debut as a team, but Spud left the promotion in the Winter of 2007 after losing the 1PW Tag Team Titles to The Damned Nation along with partner Luke Dragon Phoenix.][ Spud later returned to 1PW at The 3rd Year Anniversary, as Hubba Bubba Lucah's mystery tag team partner to finally cause the disbanding of the Damned Nation.][ On 15 November 2009, he defeated Darkside to win the 1PW Openweight Championship.][ On 20 September 2014, Spud made his debut for Chikara, losing to Juan Francisco de Coronado.
]
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling / Impact Wrestling
British Boot Camp and Ohio Valley Wrestling (2012–2013)
On 5 September 2012, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) announced that it had completed filming of British Boot Camp that began airing on 1 January 2013, it also including Spud.[ Spud won the competition and earned a spot in the TNA roster.] Spud made his debut on 7 February episode of ''Impact Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (abbreviated as TNA Wrestling or TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Canadian media company owned by busine ...
'', in an interview segment that was interrupted by Robbie E
Robert Strauss (born October 1, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and Manager (professional wrestling), manager. He is signed to WWE, where he is a Producer (wrestling), producer, the on-screen assistant to the NXT general manager Ava (w ...
and Robbie T and ended with Spud attacking Robbie E. Spud made his in-ring debut on 21 February episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', defeating Robbie E.
Spud returned on 18 July episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', when he took part in the Destination X episode of ''Impact Wrestling'' and entered a tournament to determine the new X Division Champion; he was defeated by Greg Marasciulo in his first round three-way match, which also included Rubix.
Then, Spud was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) is an American professional wrestling promotion, professional wrestling promotion and former developmental territory based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is currently run by Al Snow, Matt Jones (radio host), Ma ...
, TNA's developmental territory and made his debut on 13 March 2013 episode of ''OVW''. He defeated Cliff Compton
Cliff Treiber (born November 2, 1979) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring names Domino and Cliff Compton. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Before being prom ...
for the OVW Television Championship
The OVW Television Championship was the secondary championship of Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), started on January 5, 2005. When the title was originally conceived, the champion defended against randomly selected opponents, with the winner receivin ...
, making him the first man to win the title in his debut match. He would go on to defend the title for 59 days and making several successful weekly defences before losing it to Randy Royal.[
]
Team Dixie (2013–2014)
On 28 November episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud returned as Dixie Carter
Dixie Virginia Carter (May 25, 1939 – April 10, 2010) was an American actress. She starred as Julia Sugarbaker on the sitcom ''Designing Women'' (1986–1993) and as Randi King on the drama series ''Family Law (American TV series), Family La ...
's new chief of staff. Later on the night, he hosted an in-ring Thanksgiving dinner with the entire heel roster only to be interrupted by Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler and amateur wrestling, amateur wrestler. He first earned recognition for winning a Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 100 kg, gold me ...
and the faces of TNA which ended in a brawl. On 30 January 2014 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', he attempted to interrogate The Wolves (Davey Richards
Wesley David Richards (born March 1, 1983), best known under the ring name Davey Richards, is a retired American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. Best known for his time in Impact Wrestling, TNA Wrestling and Ring of Honor, and for ...
and Eddie Edwards) over who The Investor was, only to get beaten down. After Team Dixie was defeated by Team MVP
MVP most commonly refers to:
* Most valuable player, an award, typically for the best performing player in a sport or competition
* Minimum viable product, a concept for feature estimating used in business and engineering
MVP may also refer to:
...
at Lockdown
A lockdown () is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely.
The term is used for a prison protocol that us ...
, MVP, having become the director of wrestling operations, abolished the position of chief of staff.
However, when his TNA contract was up for renewal in April 2014, Carter, upon her return, awarded him a 'substantial contract extension' in reward for his loyalty to her, and also retained his position as her chief of staff. Through TNA's relationship with Wrestle-1
was a Japanese ''puroresu'' or professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion, founded in July 2013 by Keiji Mutoh following his resignation from All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). The core of the promotion's roster was formed b ...
, Spud made his debut for the Japanese promotion in Tokyo on 6 July, teaming with Ethan Carter III
Michael Hutter (born March 18, 1983) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and promoter better known by the ring name Ethan Carter III (or simply EC3). He is signed to the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), where he is a f ...
in a tag team match, where they were defeated by Tajiri and Yusuke Kodama. On 4 September episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud came out to the ring with Ethan Carter III and cut a promo about Carter's anger at those who he held responsible for TNA President and his aunt Dixie Carter getting put through a table.
On 8 October episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Ethan Carter III called him out and gave him a chance to make amends. Carter condemned Spud for his failure to stop Bully Ray
Mark LoMonaco (born July 14, 1971), known by his ring name Bubba Ray Dudley (also spelled Buh-Buh Ray Dudley), is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE under a legends contract. He is best known for being one-half of the Dudley B ...
from putting his aunt, TNA President Dixie Carter
Dixie Virginia Carter (May 25, 1939 – April 10, 2010) was an American actress. She starred as Julia Sugarbaker on the sitcom ''Designing Women'' (1986–1993) and as Randi King on the drama series ''Family Law (American TV series), Family La ...
, through a table, EC3 would then publicly humiliate Spud by calling him a loser and slapping him in the face. In the end, Spud fought back and immediately punched Carter, and turning face in the process. Rather than physically retaliating, EC3 fired him from his position as the Carters' chief of staff. On 22 October episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud teamed up with Eric Young in a losing effort against EC3 and EC3's new ally Tyrus in a Tag Team tournament.
X Division Champion (2015–2017)
On 23 January 2015 episode of ''Impact Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (abbreviated as TNA Wrestling or TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Canadian media company owned by busine ...
'', Spud won the Feast or Fired match with an opportunity for the TNA X Division Championship
The TNA X Division Championship is a men's professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of TNA's second then- weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The cur ...
. On 13 March episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud's feud with Carter ended in a Hair vs. Hair match, which Spud lost. The following week on 20 March episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud defeated Low Ki
Brandon Silvestry (born September 6, 1979) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Low Ki. He is known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, TNA Wrestling, Ring of Honor and Major ...
to win the X Division Championship. On 27 March episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', he successfully defended his title against Low Ki in a rematch. On 1 May episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud lost his X Division Championship against Kenny King in a ladder match, also involving Tigre Uno
Tigre Uno (born April 4, 1981) is a Mexican professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is also best known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a one-time TNA X Division Championship, X Division Champion. Outside of ...
and Mandrews. However, Spud won the title back on 29 May episode of ''Impact Wrestling'' during a Gauntlet match.
On 10 June episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud vacated the title to gain a title shot for the World Heavyweight Championship. That same day, Spud faced Kurt Angle for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Championship is a professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). It is the promotion's principal championship. Like most professional wrestling championships, the title is won ...
but failed to win the title. Later, he began feuding with Austin Aries
Daniel Healy Solwold Jr. (born April 15, 1978), better known by his ring name Austin Aries, is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, TNA Wrestling, where he is a t ...
. He defeated him on 5 August episode of ''Impact Wrestling'' in a name vs. career match, ending Aries's career at TNA. On 23 September episode of Impact Wrestling, Spud challenged his former rival Ethan Carter III for his TNA World Heavyweight Championship, in a losing effort. During late 2015, Spud took part in the first ever TNA World Title Series as a member of Group UK, on 7 October episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', defeating Grado in the first round, thus earning him 3 points. He later failed to qualify for the Round of 16 following losses to both Drew Galloway
Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June, 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre.
Galloway began his career in 2001 in the United Kingdom wit ...
and Bram who were also competing in Team UK.
In February, Spud started an alliance with his former rival Ethan Carter III in order to even things with Hardy and Tyrus, defeating them in a tag-team match on 16 February episode of ''Impact Wrestling''. At 2016 Lockdown, Spud came out, supposedly to stop Reby Sky
Rebecca Victoria Hardy (née Reyes; ; born August 6, 1986) is an American actress, model, professional wrestler, and television personality. She gained prominence as a model, appearing in various magazines including Playboy, and later transition ...
from attacking EC3. However, he would close the cage door on EC3 to help Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore Hardy (born September 23, 1974) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he a former List of TNA World Tag Team Champions, three time TNA Wor ...
retain his TNA World Heavyweight Championship, turning heel
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...
once again in the process. He would follow up, with encouragement from Matt Hardy, by delivering a conchairto to EC3 with his head on the steps. On 9 March 2016 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud aligned with Matt Hardy and Tyrus to form a stable, after explaining his actions as getting revenge against Carter for his cruel treatment of him last year. The trio would go on to face EC3 and Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero Hardy (born August 31, 1977) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and also appears on partner promotion WWE on its NXT (WWE brand), NXT brand.
He is re ...
in a losing effort. On 29 March episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Matt Hardy, Rockstar Spud, Tyrus and Reby Hardy were defeated by Carter by disqualification in a Four On One Handicap match. On 10 May episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', he was defeated by Carter in a Six Sides of Steel match. At May Mayhem, Spud and Tyrus were defeated by Jeff Hardy in a Ladder match. On 31 May episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud and Tyrus were defeated by The BroMans in a number one contendership match to challenge Decay
Decay may refer to:
Science and technology
* Bit decay, in computing
* Decay time (fall time), in electronics
* Distance decay, in geography
* Software decay, in computing
Biology
* Decomposition of organic matter
* Mitochondrial decay, in g ...
for the TNA World Tag Team Championship
The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling #World Tag Team Championship, world tag team championship (professional wrestling), championship which is owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) professional wrestlin ...
at Slammiversary. On 21 June 2016 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', he challenged Braxton Sutter
Jesse Guilmette (born June 3, 1980) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, he is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) with the ring name The Blade. He is known for his tag team work with Andy Williams (guitarist), The Butch ...
, Spud interrupting him when Sutter scheduled match against indy wrestler Balam. Sutter went on to defeat Spud and following his victory, was viciously attacked by Spud. During several months, Rockstar Spud and Braxton Sutter have many confrontation, during X Division matches. On 1 September edition of ''Impact Wrestling'', Rockstar Spud viciously attacked Sutter with a chair during an Ultimate X match, and attacked him once again on 8 September edition of ''Impact Wrestling'' after his match against Drew Galloway
Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June, 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre.
Galloway began his career in 2001 in the United Kingdom wit ...
, breaking one of his teeth. The feud ended in "Empty Arena, No Turnbuckles" match 15 September edition of ''Impact Wrestling'', which was won by Sutter. At Bound for Glory, he participated in the Bound for Gold but was eliminated by Tyrus.
On 27 October episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud took part in the Team X Gold match teaming with Decay against DJ Z, Braxton Sutter and Mandrews ("Go for Broke"), in a losing effort. On 3 November episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud and Decay lost a three-way match against Go for Broke and The Helms Dynasty. They were defeated once again in a three-way tag team match against Go for Broke and The Helms Dynasty, this time in an elimination match. At " Total Nonstop Deletion", Spud was defeated by Broken Matt Hardy's son King Maxel. The same night, he lost at the Tag Team Apocalypto after his partner, Swoggle, attacked him. On 5 January episode ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud called out Swoggle, seeking revenge for his betrayal but lost an impromptu match. A frustrated and angry Spud then ostensibly quit TNA. On 12 January 2017 episode of ''Impact Wrestling'', Spud returned as Aron Rex's manservant, who was now portraying a "Liberace
Władziu Valentino Liberace (May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987) was an American pianist, singer and actor. He was born in Wisconsin to parents of Italian and Polish Americans, Polish origin and enjoyed a career spanning four decades of concerts, ...
"-esque character. On 19 January 2017 episode of Impact, Aron Rex and Spud defeated Robbie E and Swoggle. The partnership with Rex abruptly ended due to the company's new management and Rex no longer being contracted with Impact Wrestling.
Spud was made the new ring announcer for ''Impact Wrestling''. On the Impact broadcast aired on 27 April, Spud was viciously attacked with a hammer by Swoggle, who accidentally has his pants ripped off by Spud earlier in the night. This led to a feud which culminated on 29 June 2017 edition of iMPACT in a Mumbai Street Fight, where Spud revealed during the match that he did intentionally have Swoggle's pants ripped off. He, however, then accidentally ripped the pants off the referee(who was the size of Swoggle), eventually leading to him losing to Swoggle. On 30 October 2017, it was reported that Spud was officially released two or three weeks earlier by Impact Wrestling. Curtin reportedly requested the release himself after Impact told him the promotion would reduce his salary.[
]
WWE
205 Live General Manager (2017–2020)
Curtin signed with WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
in October 2017, but had to postpone his debut until his U.S. work visa
A work permit or work visa is the permission to take a job within a foreign country. The foreign country where someone seeks to obtain a work permit for is also known as the "country of work", as opposed to the "country of origin" where someone h ...
was renewed. On 30 January 2018 episode of '' 205 Live'', he made his debut as a face
The face is the front of the head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affect th ...
under the ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name or nickname used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons ...
Drake Maverick and was appointed the new general manager of the brand. In his first appearance, he scheduled a 16-man WWE Cruiserweight Championship tournament that would culminate at WrestleMania 34
WrestleMania 34 was a 2018 professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was the 34th annual WrestleMania and took place on April 8, 2018, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, held for ...
.
On 3 September episode of '' Raw'', Maverick accompanied the tag team AOP ( Akam and Rezar) as their new manager, thus turning heel
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...
. On 5 November episode of ''Raw'', Maverick led AOP to their first reign as Raw Tag Team Champions. At the Survivor Series
Survivor Series, branded as Survivor Series: WarGames since 2022, is a professional wrestling event produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving ( ...
pay-per-view, Maverick was in AOP's corner for their match against The Bar ( Cesaro and Sheamus
Stephen Farrelly (born 28 January 1978) is an Irish Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw (WWE brand), Raw brand under the ring name Sheamus.
Prior to joining WWE, he wrestled on th ...
), threatened by The Bar's associate, Big Show
Paul Donald Wight II (born February 8, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under his real name of Paul Wight. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) f ...
, Maverick wetted his pants, distracting The Bar long enough to allow AOP to score the victory. On 10 December episode of ''Raw'', AOP lost their title to Bobby Roode
Robert Francis Roode Jr. (born May 11, 1976) is a Canadian retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he is a Producer (professional wrestling), producer and was formerly an in-ring performer.
Roode is known ...
and Chad Gable
Charles Edward Betts (born March 8, 1986) is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler. He has been signed to WWE where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Chad Gable and also portrays the masked luchador El G ...
in a three-on-two handicap match, that also involved Maverick. He quietly ended his partnership with AOP when Akam suffered an injury. While acting as a heel on the main roster, Maverick remained acting as a face general manager on ''205 Live''. In a dark match before the 9 April episode of ''SmackDown'', Maverick managed EC3. However, the owner of WWE, Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy McMahon ( ; born August 24, 1945) is an American businessman and former professional wrestling promoter. McMahon, along with his later-estranged wife Linda McMahon, Linda, is a co-founder of the modern WWE, the world's largest ...
was reported to have disliked the match and manager spots, so the partnership was not brought to television.
Following the introduction of the WWE 24/7 Championship
The WWE 24/7 Championship was a professional wrestling Professional wrestling championship, championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion, promotion WWE. It was a tertiary championship open to anyone—regard ...
, Maverick chased the current holder of the championship on ''Raw'', ''SmackDown'' and ''205 Live'' throughout the next few months, becoming more active as a wrestler. During his title pursuit, Maverick would create flyers of whoever the current champion was and handed them out to fans, backstage personnel, and superstars in various places. WWE management liked Maverick's ideas and, in regard, gave him a little push. On 29 May episode of ''SmackDown'', Maverick and R-Truth
Ronnie Aaron Killings (born January 19, 1972) is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs under his real name, stylized as Ron Killings and R-Truth.
Killings worked for World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) ...
interrupted the Shane McMahon
Shane Brandon McMahon ( ; born January 15, 1970) is an American businessman and retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known for his tenures in WWE.
The son of Vince McMahon, he is a fourth-generation wrestling promoter as a ...
Appreciation Night in an impromptu match for the title, which Maverick lost. On 18 June, Maverick (disguised as R-Truth's ally Carmella) surprised R-Truth in the parking lot of the arena, pinned him for the title and immediately drove off in the referee's car. This marked his first championship win in WWE. Maverick also became the second holder - after R-Truth - to hold the title for over one day. However, he lost the title to R-Truth during his wedding, two days later. During the following episode of ''Raw'', Maverick had a rematch against R-Truth for the title, but he was quickly defeated. On 1 July episode of ''Raw'', Maverick attacked R-Truth with a suitcase and pinned him in the backstage area, while the latter was fleeing from a mob of wrestlers to become a two-time 24/7 Champion. However, Maverick lost the title to Truth 14 days later when Truth pinned him on his hotel room bed during his honeymoon. Throughout the following weeks, he would win and lose the title four times. As part of the 2019 WWE Draft, Maverick was drafted to SmackDown brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...
, though he would still serve as general manager of 205 Live.
NXT (2020–2021)
On 12 April 2020, Maverick was announced as a participant in the Interim NXT Cruiserweight Title Tournament, representing Group A in the tournament. On 15 April 2020, Maverick was originally released from his WWE contract as part of budget cuts stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. Despite this, he was still expected to compete in the Interim Cruiserweight Title tournament. Maverick's release was put into his storyline for the tournament, as he continuously stated that he was not going to leave WWE without the Cruiserweight Championship. He would get into the finals against El Hijo del Fantasma, when he was defeated. After the match, Maverick was offered an NXT contract by Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque (; born July 27, 1969), also known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive and former professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he serves as its chief content officer.
Levesque began his wres ...
which he signed immediately, re-hiring Maverick after he was originally supposed to only work the tournament.
Soon after, Maverick would form a tag team with Killian Dain
Damian Mackle (born 20 February 1985) is a Northern Irish professional wrestler currently performing on the independent circuit under the ring name Big Damo (shortened from his initial ring name Damian O'Connor). He is best known for his time in ...
. On 23 December episode of NXT, Maverick and Dain lost to NXT Tag Team Champions Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan in a Tag Team Street Fight match for the Tag Team titles. Following this, both Maverick and Dain entered the 2021 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, and they defeated Curt Stallion and August Grey in the first round on 15 January episode of ''205 Live''. However, the duo were eliminated in the second round by MSK on 27 January episode of ''NXT''. On the NXT Takeover: Stand & Deliver pre-show, Maverick and Dain defeated Breezango ( Tyler Breeze and Fandango
Fandango is a lively partner dance originating in Portugal and Spain, usually in triple metre, triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, tambourine or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is u ...
) to earn a future NXT Tag Team Championship match. Maverick and Dain would receive their title opportunity on the following episode of ''NXT'' where they faced the reigning champions, MSK, in a losing effort. After the match Dain and Maverick were both attacked by Imperium
In ancient Rome, ''imperium'' was a form of authority held by a citizen to control a military or governmental entity. It is distinct from '' auctoritas'' and '' potestas'', different and generally inferior types of power in the Roman Republic a ...
. On 25 June, Dain was released from his WWE contract, thus disbanding the team. Following Dain's release, Maverick would then form a tag team with the debuting Grayson Waller, where they faced off against Imperium's Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner on the 24 August 2021 episode of ''NXT'' in a losing effort. Maverick then faced Ridge Holland on the premiere episode of ''NXT 2.0'' on September 14 in a losing effort, marking his final appearance for the brand.
Return to Raw and second release (2021)
Maverick returned to the main roster after being drafted to the Raw brand as part of the 2021 Draft, and won the 24/7 Championship twice. He was once again released from WWE on 18 November.
Backstage roles (2022–present)
In February 2022, it was reported that Curtin had once again been rehired by WWE, now working as a member of their creative team.
Other media
In January 2011, Curtin appeared as his Rockstar Spud character on BBC Three
BBC Three is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes for a 16 to 34-year-old target aud ...
's '' Snog Marry Avoid'', where he was given a "makeunder". He also played a small part as a clown in a short film called ''Light the Lights''.
Curtin as Drake Maverick has appeared in the video game
A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
s ''WWE 2K19
''WWE 2K19'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K. It was released worldwide on October 9, 2018, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It is the twentieth game in the ''WWE'' series, th ...
'' and ''WWE 2K20
''WWE 2K20'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K. It was released worldwide on October 22, 2019, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It is the twenty-first installment of the ...
'' as a manager.
Personal life
On 8 September 2019 Curtin married American professional wrestler Renee Michelle.
Curtin is a supporter of Premier League
The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
football club Everton FC
Everton Football Club () is a professional association football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founded in 1878, the club was a foun ...
and the Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
ice hockey team.
Championships and accomplishments
* Anti-Watershed Wrestling
** AWW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[
* British Real Attitude Wrestling League
** BRAWL Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)][
* Future Championship Wrestling
** FCW Tag Team Championship (1 time)][ – with Carlos
*Infinity Pro Wrestling
**Infinity Trophy (1 time)
* International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom
** IPW:UK Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
** IPW:UK Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dragon Phoenix][
** Extreme Measures Tournament (2005)][
* K-Star Wrestling
** KSW Commonwealth Championship (1 time)][
* ]Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) is an American professional wrestling promotion, professional wrestling promotion and former developmental territory based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is currently run by Al Snow, Matt Jones (radio host), Ma ...
** OVW Television Championship
The OVW Television Championship was the secondary championship of Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), started on January 5, 2005. When the title was originally conceived, the champion defended against randomly selected opponents, with the winner receivin ...
( 1 time)[
* ]One Pro Wrestling
One Pro Wrestling (abbreviated as 1PW) was a British professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion. 1PW was founded in 2005 by Steven Gauntley. Originally run by the now defunct retail chain 1 Up Games, the company's headq ...
** 1PW Tag Team Championship
The One Pro Wrestling (1PW) Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship created and promoted by the British promotion One Pro Wrestling. The title was established in 2006, and became defunct upon the company's clos ...
( 1 time)[ – with Dragon Phoenix
** 1PW Openweight Championship ( 1 time)][
* '']Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...
''
** Ranked No. 100 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...
in 2016
* Revolution British Wrestling
** RBW British Welterweight Championship ( 1 time)[
*]Revolution Pro Wrestling
Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro/RPW) is a British professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on 26 August 2012 by Andy Quildan after separating from International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom.
Revolution Pro Wre ...
**RPW British Cruiserweight Championship
The Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro/RPW) promotion
Promotion may refer to:
Marketing
* Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix e ...
(1 time)
** Undisputed British Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Dragon Phoenix
*River City Wrestling
**RCW Championship (1 time)
* SAS Wrestling
** SAS United Kingdom Championship (2 times)[
** SAS United Kingdom Title Tournament (2006)
* Southside Wrestling Entertainment
** SWE Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* Tri-County Association Pro Wrestling
** TAP Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)][
* ]Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (abbreviated as TNA Wrestling or TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Canadian media company owned by busines ...
** TNA X Division Championship
The TNA X Division Championship is a men's professional wrestling championship created and promoted by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). It debuted on June 19, 2002, at the taping of TNA's second then- weekly pay-per-view (PPV) event. The cur ...
( 2 times)
** British Boot Camp Winner (2013)[
** Feast or Fired (]2015
2015 was designated by the United Nations as:
* International Year of Light
* International Year of Soil __TOC__
Events
January
* January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
– X Division Championship contract)
** TNA World Cup (2015) – with Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero Hardy (born August 31, 1977) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and also appears on partner promotion WWE on its NXT (WWE brand), NXT brand.
He is re ...
, Gunner, Gail Kim, Davey Richards
Wesley David Richards (born March 1, 1983), best known under the ring name Davey Richards, is a retired American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. Best known for his time in Impact Wrestling, TNA Wrestling and Ring of Honor, and for ...
, and Crazzy Steve
** Global Impact Tournament (2015) – with Team International
* Wrestling Association of Rugby
** WAR Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[
* ]WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
** WWE 24/7 Championship
The WWE 24/7 Championship was a professional wrestling Professional wrestling championship, championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion, promotion WWE. It was a tertiary championship open to anyone—regard ...
( 8 times)
** Bumpy Lifetime Achievement Award (2020)
* XWA Wrestling
** XWA Flyweight Championship (1 time)[
** British Heavyweight Championship (1 time)]
*HCW Championship Wrestling
**HCW Rumblemania Winner (1 time)
* Xtreme Intense Championship Wrestling
** XICW Midwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* Other titles
** Go4 Championship (1 time)[
]
Luchas de Apuestas record
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maverick, Drake
1983 births
Living people
English male professional wrestlers
Sportspeople from Birmingham, West Midlands
Expatriate professional wrestlers
Professional wrestling authority figures
Professional wrestling writers
WWE 24/7 Champions
21st-century male professional wrestlers
TNA/Impact X Division Champions
Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champions
Undisputed British Tag Team Champions
OVW Television Champions
21st-century English sportsmen