Bios
Wahoo McDaniel
Nickname: Chief, Super Chief
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 280 lbs
From: Midland, TX
Birthday: Jun 19th
Pro Debut: 1961
Aliases: Mr. Columbus
Feds Worked For: WWWF, NWA, AWA, Southwest Championship Wrestling (TX), NWA-Florida (FL), NWA-Texas (TX), NWA Mid-Atlantic (NC), NWA-Georgia (GA), International Pro Wrestling (Japan), World Wrestling Council (Puerto Rico), ACW, Big Time Wrestling, UWA, NCW, SCW, IWE
Finisher: The Chop
Career Highlights: -ACW Champion (3x)
-BTW Tag Team Champion (w/ Jay Eagle)
-IWE Champion
-IPW Champion
-NCW Champion
-NWA American Champion (2x)
-NWA American Tag Team Champion (3x; 2 w/ Johnny Valentine; 1 w/ Thunderbolt Patterson)
-NWA Florida Champion
-NWA Florida Southern Champion (2x)
-NWA Florida Television Champion
-NWA Florida United States Tag Team Champion (w/ Billy Jack Haynes)
-NWA (Florida) World Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Jose Lothario)
-NWA Georgia Champion (2x)
-NWA Georgia Tag Team Champion (w/ Tommy Rich)
-NWA Macon Champion
-NWA Mid-Atlantic Champion (7x)
-NWA (Mid-Atlantic) World Tag Team Champion (2x; 1 each w/ Paul Jones 2nd and Rufus R. Jones)
-NWA National Champion
-NWA North American Tag Team Champion (2x; w/ Thunderbolt Patterson)
-NWA Southwest Tag Team Champion (2x, 1 each w/ Dory Funk, Sr. & Terry Funk)
-NWA Texas Champion (2x)
-NWA Texas Tag Team Champion (w/ Antonio Pugliese)
-NWA United States Champion (5x)
-NWA World Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Mark Youngblood)
-SCW Tag Team Champion (w/ Ricky McDaniel)
-Southwest Championship Wrestling Tag Team Champion (w/ Ivan Putski)
-Southwest Television Champion (2x)
-Southwest Tag Team Champion (w/ Ivan Putski)
-UWA Tag Team Champion
Affiliates: Thunderbolt Patterson, Mark Youngblood, Antonio Pugliese, Rufus R. Jones, Jose Lothario, Billy Jack Haynes, Tommy Rich, Johnny Valentine, Antonio Pugliese, Terry Funk, Ivan Putski, Jay Eagle, Ricky McDaniel, Paul Jones, Crusher, D. J. Peterson, Jay Strongbow, Jr., Billy Jack Strong
Notable Feuds: Johnny Valentine, Spoiler, Jerry Graham, Masked Superstar, Greg Valentine, Sgt. Slaughter, Four Horsemen, Terry Funk, Dory Funk Jr., Manny Fernandez, Boris Malenko, Waldo Von Erich, Billy Graham, Ivan Koloff, Gino Hernandez, Roddy Piper, Marc Ash
Other Facts: -Real name was Edward Hugh McDaniel.
-Born in Bernice, OK
-While in AWA, he was billed from Oklahoma City or from the University of Oklahoma
-Father of professional wrestler Zac "Little Wahoo" McDaniel
-Was a member of the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes
-One of his little league baseball coaches was former U.S. president George H.W. Bush
-According to a story told by Jim Cornette, Wahoo once was bet $50 that he couldn't run from Tulsa to Tahlequah (or, on another occasion, Oklahoma City to Norman). (Tully Blanchard relates the run being from Norman to Chickasha). He won that bet. Then, in a double-or-nothing bet, he drank a quart of motor oil.
-Played football collegiately at the University of Oklahoma
-Played football professionally for the Houston Oilers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets. While playing for the Jets, he had the name "WAHOO" on the back of his jersey
-NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson has been quoted as saying "The hardest hit I ever received on a football field was by Wahoo McDaniel"
-Lost a Loser Leaves Town Match to the Masked Superstar. He returned as the masked "Mr. Columbus". He was unmasked in a battle royal when Bobby Heenan tied his mask to the top rope, forcing Wahoo to remove the mask in order to continue to compete.
-In 1981, Harley Race no-showed an event for Paul Boesch. He had a history of doing this and this time, Boesch was very upset about it and held a tournament to determine a new NWA World Champion. Wahoo won that tournament, but the NWA refused Boesch’s petition to have Wahoo recognised as the champion and Race continued his reign.
-Voted Most Popular Wrestler by the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 1976
-Ranked # 289 in the 1991 PWI 500
-Ranked # 231 in the 1992 PWI 500
-Ranked # 194 in the 1993 PWI 500
-Ranked # 199 in the 1994 PWI 500
-Ranked # 269 in the 1995 PWI 500
-Ranked # 306 in the 1996 PWI 500
-Inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1995
-Passed away on April 18, 2002 of complications from renal failure and diabetes at the age of 63
-Posthumously inducted into the NWA Hall of Heroes in 2009
-Posthumously inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2010
-Posthumously inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2011
-Posthumously inducted into the Legacy Wing of the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019
Supplemental Information
Latest News
Wrestling organization fights back against Oklahoma State Athletic Commission
The Oklahoma State Athletic Commission (OSAC) is continuing to face backlash. Earlier this... Read More
The Scoop
NEWS Jinder Mahal says he quits, and he has reportedly parted ways with WWE. Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal was back in the spotlight in January, as h... Read More
“Make yourself undeniable” – Bodyslam.net speaks with Walker Stewart of NJPW
In the realm of professional wrestling, I wear two hats – one as a wordsmith for Bodys... Read More
- AEW’s Ricky Starks recalls sneak-eating king cakes, washing cars for money ahead of champions’ homecoming show
- Mickie James on Her Next Chapter In Impact Wrestling & ‘Bound for Glory’
- Ric Flair Interview Recap
- AEW ‘Grand Slam’: Sammy Guevara on His Journey from Working at Taco Bell to Facing Chris Jericho
Polling Booth
Why didn't you vote in the Oklafan Year End Polls?
Current Champions
Native American Wrestling
Heavyweight Champion
Marlboro Slim
- Indigenous Land Champion: Rez Dawg
- Openweight Champion: J. R. Orullian
- Tag Team Champions: Texas Outlaws