May 1st 2026 12:53am

Sign Up / Sign In|Help

 

Introducing Niles Plonk, 'the Classiest Man in Pro Wrestling'—and Missouri Winemaker by Day

Introducing Niles Plonk, 'the Classiest Man in Pro Wrestling'—and Missouri Winemaker by Day

Posted: Mar 11th 2019 By: WineSpectator.com

We go ringside with the man of grapes you love to hate.

Forget Hulkamania: Whatcha gonna do when the Plonkémania runs wild on you?! There's a new bad guy in wrestling: Niles Plonk, "the Connoisseur," is here to "bring a little class" in a glass to the ring—and crush his opponents like a vat of Cabernet.

By day, Kraig Keesaman is a mild-mannered Midwestern winemaker and proprietor of Windy Wine Company in Osborn, Mo. But by night (and on most weekends), the sixth-generation farmer transforms himself into his alter ego, a 6'2", 209-lb. unabashed wine snob who calls his opponents "Two Buck Chucks" and strides out to the ring with a glass in hand and classical music blasting at his back.

"Basically every negative stereotype you can think about wine is him: snob, hoity-toit, uptight, better than everybody," Keesaman told Unfiltered of his Plonk persona. "He's definitely a bad guy."

Keesaman, who's been wrestling since age 17, had the idea in 2016 to create a "wine snob" character for his career with the Midwestern wrestling league Journey Pro KC. After developing a storyline and deciding on a name ("Vic Vintage" didn't quite make the cut), Keesaman became Niles Plonk, a Napa Valley vino connoisseur who wears a smoking jacket and enunciates the silent "Ts" in Mer–lot and Caber-net.

"Niles is kind of a cliché name—no offense to anyone named Niles—for that type of snobbery, [and] obviously Plonk is a reference to the wine world," Keesman said. "He likes to correct people and tell them that it's Plonké."

Though there's no question that Plonk is a villain—or a "heel," in wrestling terms—in the league, Keesaman isn't shy to admit he sees a little bit of himself in the character, whom he based off of some of his favorite bad-guy wrestlers growing up, like Ric Flair. "In wrestling, the best characters are ones that are kind of a reflection of yourself, just amplified by 500 percent," he said. "There are times, with anybody, that you bite your tongue and you have to restrain yourself in situations, but in a wrestling ring I'm allowed to let that out."

But only a little bit: "Our personalities are completely different. I'm not a bad guy; I'm not an elitist in the least bit. To me, wine is not a social status; wine is about having fun with your peers and opening up." His "peers" in the ring, though, should be aware that his brand of fun includes signature moves like "grape stomping" his hapless opponents and dropping a "corkscrew-elbow" to the back.

 

Printable version Email to a friend

Supplemental Information

Latest News

1
The Scoop

The Scoop

NEWS A&E starts back on Sundays with a WWE block. From 7-9pm will be part one of a two part biography series on the Von Erichs, followed by “LFG”... Read More

All Columns

Upcoming Events

There are currently no upcoming appearences.

Complete Calendar

1

Spotlight in History

  • 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title

Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

  • 04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
  • 04-26 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
  • 04-26 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
  • 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
  • 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
  • 04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
  • 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
  • 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
  • 04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
  • 04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
  • 05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
  • 05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
  • 05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
  • 05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title
05-01
  • Prince Maivia May 1st Today!
  • Americos May 2nd
  • Kari Wright May 2nd
  • Barrett Brown May 2nd
  • Don Fields May 2nd
  • Big Bossman May 2nd
  • Nightmare [1st] May 2nd
  • Lily McKenzie May 3rd
  • Lester Welch May 3rd
  • Johnny Humble May 3rd
  • Malik Mayfield May 4th
  • El Hijo del Mascara Sagrada May 4th
  • Bull Schmitt May 4th
  • Dory Funk May 4th
  • Jay Hazzard May 4th
  • Miss Diss Lexia May 5th
  • Princess Victoria May 5th
  • Pat O'Dowdy May 5th
  • El Matador Dos May 5th
  • Maria Brigitte May 5th
  • Bill Watts May 5th
  • Olivier Vegos May 5th
  • Zane Morris May 5th
  • El Gallardo May 5th
  • Claire Watson May 6th
  • Hercules May 7th
  • Richie Adams May 8th
  • Jake Danielsson May 9th
  • Billy Brown May 10th
  • Tito Santana May 10th
  • Sunny War Cloud May 10th
  • Jerry Brown May 10th
  • Rook Tyler May 10th
  • Psycho May 11th
  • Charming Charles May 11th
  • Big J May 11th
  • Sensei Jamo May 12th
  • Bill Howard May 12th
  • Brock Baker May 12th
  • Sol Yang May 12th
  • Dave Ryda May 13th
  • Little Boy Blue May 13th
  • Prince Mahalli May 13th
  • Maggie Rae May 13th
  • Karl Krupp May 13th
  • Lars Manderson May 13th
  • Pete Maguire May 13th
  • Stan Kowalski May 13th
  • Danny Hodge May 13th
  • Payton Scott May 13th
  • Shawn Bragan May 14th
  • C. M. Burnham May 14th
  • Robert Fuller May 14th
  • Tommy Rogers May 14th
  • Scott Irwin May 14th
  • Steve Williams May 14th
  • Big Van Vader May 14th

More Look Back In History