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Assassin

Height: 6' 1"

Weight: 264 lbs.

From: Parts Unknown

Birthday: Aug 28th

Pro Debut: 1956

Aliases: Joe Hamilton, Jody Hamilton, Assassin #2, Assassin #1, The Flame, Mighty Bolo, Ricky Monroe, The Iron Russian

Feds Worked For: MSW, NWA, NWA-West, TSW, UWF, WCW, All South Wrestling Alliance (GA), All Star Wrestling (NE), Big Time Wrestling (MI), Capitol Wrestling Corporation, Central States Wrestling (IA/KS/MO), Championship Wrestling from Florida (FL), Championship Wrestling from Georgia (GA), Continental Championship Wrestling (AL/MS/TN), Continental Wrestling Association (AL/TN), Deep South Wrestling (GA), Florida Championship Wrestling (FL), Georgia Championship Wrestling (GA), Gulas Wrestling Enterprises (TN), Gulf Athletic Club (TX), Gulf Coast Championship Wrestling (AL/MS/TN), International Championship Wrestling (TN), International Wrestling (Canada), Japan Wrestling Association (Japan), M & M Promotions (NM/TX), Maple Leaf Wrestling (Canada), Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (NC/SC), Mike London Sports (AZ/CO/NM), Northwest Wrestling Promotions (Canada), NWA Hollywood (CA), NWA Mid-America (AL/TN), NWA Wrestle Birmingham (AL), P. L. Pinkie George Promotions (IA), Pacific Coast Athletic Club (CA), Pacific Northwest Wrestling (OR/WA), San Francisco (CA), Southeast Championship Wrestling (AL/TN), Southwest Sports (TX), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO), World Championship Wrestling (Australia), World Wrestling Alliance (IN), World Wrestling Council (Puerto Rico), Wrestling Promotions (AZ)

Finisher: Assassin Hammerlock

Signature Moves: 2nd Rope Dropkick, 2nd Rope Elbow Drop

Career Highlights: -ASWA Georgia Champion
-ASWA Georgia Tag Team Champion (3x; 2 w/ Rock Hunter, 1 w/ The Enforcer)
-ASWA United States Tag Team Champion (2x; 1 each w/ Super Gladiator and Assassin #1)
-Continental Champion (4x)
-IWA Tag Team Champion (w/ Assassin #1)
-NWA Alabama Champion
-NWA Americas Tag Team Champion (w/ John Tolos)
-NWA Central States Champion
-NWA Columbus Champion
-NWA (Florida) Southern Champion (2x)
-NWA Florida Television Champion
-NWA (Florida) United States Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Assassin #1)
-NWA (Florida) World Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Assassin #1)
-NWA Georgia Champion
-NWA (Georgia) Southeastern Tag Team Champion (5x; 4 w/ Assassin #1, 1 w/ Rock Hunter)
-NWA Georgia Tag Team Champion (16x; 12 w/ Assassin #1, 2 w/ Assassin #2, 1 each w/ The Professional and Toru Tanaka)
-NWA Georgia Television Champion
-NWA (Georgia) World Tag Team Champion (w/ Assassin #1)
-NWA (Los Angeles) Beat the Champ Television Champion
-NWA Louisiana Tag Team Champion (2x; 1 each w/ Assassin #1 and Angel [1st])
-NWA Macon Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Assassin #1)
-NWA North American Tag Team Champion (3x; 2 w/ Assassin #3 [Roger Smith], 1 w/ Nick Roberts)
-NWA (Northern Division) Southeastern Tag Team Champion (w/ Don Carson)
-NWA (Southeastern) Gulf Coast Tag Team Champion (3x; 1 each w/ Assassin #1, Don Carson, and Billy Spears)
-NWA Southern Tag Team Champion (w/ Assassin #1)
-NWA Tennessee Tag Team Champion (3x; 2 w/ Rock Hunter, 1 w/ Ron Fuller)
-NWA (Vancouver) Canadian Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Assassin #1)
-NWA (Vancouver) World Tag Team Champion (w/ Assassin #1)
-TSW Louisiana Champion (2x)
-TSW United States Tag Team Champion (6x; 4 w/ Assassin #1, 1 each w/ Ernie Ladd and Angel [1st])
-WWA Tag Team Champion (w/ Assassin #1)
-WWC North American Tag Team Champion (w/ Assassin #1)

Affiliates: Assassin #1, Assassin #2 (Hercules Hernández), Assassin #2 (Randy Culley), Assassin #2/Assassin #3 (Roger Smith), Assassin #3 (Nick Patrick), Ernie Ladd, Angel [1st], John Tolos, Doug Gilbert, Toru Tanaka, The Missouri Mauler, Percival Pringle III, Paul Orndorff, Paul Roma, The Equalizer, Fire, Rock Hunter, The Enforcer, Super Gladiator, The Professional, Nick Roberts, Don Carson, Billy Spears, Ron Fuller, Paul Jones, Masa Saito, Great Bolo [1st]

Notable Feuds: Rito Carreon, Tito Carreon, Jerry Miller, Bobby Christy, Jean Gaollois, Paul Gaollois, Eddie Graham, Dick Steinborn, Ray Gunkel, Lou Klein, Bob Armstrong, El Mongol, Nick Kozak, Jerry Kozak, Dan McIntyre, Grizzly Smith, Luke Brown, Jack Brisco, Jimmy Valiant, Dusty Rhodes, Ray Candy, Johnny Weaver, Haystacks Calhoun, Mr. Wrestling II, Jerry Brisco, Danny Hodge, Rufus R. Jones, Bugsy McGraw, Charlie Cook, Skip Young, Doug Gilbert, Dory Funk, Jr., Ray Gordon, Mike Graham, Mike Clancy, George Scott, Roberto Soto, Luis Hernández, Bill Dromo, Tommy Seigler, Gorgeous George, Jr., Steve Keirn, Alberto Torres, Ramón Torres, Don Leo Jonathan, Don Curtis, Giant Baba, Mr. Moto, Rocky Johnson, Jay Strongbow, Hiro Matsuda, Vittorio Apollo, Ox Baker, Mark Youngblood, Vince Bryant, Bob Ellis, Tito Montez, Sandy Scott, Skandar Akbar, Michiaki Yoshimura, Chati Yokouchi, Reggie Parks, Assassin #1, Curtis Iaukea, Karl Von Brauner, Taro Miyaki, Wahoo McDaniel

Other Facts: -Real name was Joseph Nicholas Hamilton, though he was usually called "Jody". He was born Joseph Zwaduk III, but changed his name to Hamilton in 1953.
-Step-Brother of pro wrestler The Missouri Mauler (AKA Larry Hamilton). Together they were known as The Hamilton Brothers (Larry & Joe Hamilton)
-Father of wrestling referee Nick Patrick
-Former father-in-law of pro wrestling referee Mike Adkins
-Enlisted in the Army when he was 16 by stretching the truth about his age. By the time they found out, he was 17, which was legal age at the time.
-Former Golden Gloves boxer
-Trained for pro wrestling by Mike DiBiase, Nick Roberts, and Sonny Myers
-Debuted in 1956 against Rip Hawk at the age of 16.
-As Joe Hamilton, he used the nickname "Silent". Hamilton has revealed in recent years that the "Silent" moniker was because he was not a very good at interviews and promos.
-When he was just 19 years old, he and his brother, Larry, headlined a show at Madison Square Garden, drawing a record 20,335 people to see them wrestle Antonino Rocca and Miguel Perez. To this day, Joe remains the youngest wrestler to ever headline a main event in the Garden.
-Although Hamilton was considered to be Assassin #2, he is the most well known and had a singles career before and after he teamed with Tom Renesto (Assassin #1) which prompts people to think Hamilton is Assassin #1. Technically, Hamilton debuted as the Assassin a few weeks before Renesto was called in to be his partner.
-Competed with Renesto as The Assassins everywhere except in Jim Crockett Promotions, where they were known as The Bolos. This was because Renesto had established himself in as 1/2 of the Bolos before teaming with Hamilton.
-Former member of The Paul Jones Army
-Former member of The Stud Stable
-Headed up the WCW Power Plant training facility during the 1990's.
-Helped to train Erik Watts and Jack Swagger for pro wrestling
-Inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1994
-Former owner of Deep South Wrestling in McDonough GA. It was a developmental fed for WWE from 2005-2007
-His autobiography "Assassin: The Man Behind the Mask" was co-written by Scott Teal and released in 2006.
-Inducted into the NWA Hall of Heroes in 2011
-Inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2013 (w/ Assassin 1 as The Assassins)
-Passed away August 3, 2021 at the age of 82.