Athletes - Mike Plotcheck

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	Athletes - Mike Plotcheck

Mike Plotcheck a.k.a. Bart Gunn is a professional wrestler.

Plotcheck was famous in the World Wrestling Federation (now the WWE) as one-half of the tag team The Smokin' Gunns with his storyline brother and former WWE star Billy Gunn. The team were WWF World Tag Team Champions three times before breaking up and engaging in a brief feud. Their first match against each other involved Bart dropping Billy face first into the top rope, supposedly injuring Billy.

Plotcheck would then recreate the Midnight Express tag team as "Bodacious Bart" with partner "Bombastic Bob" (Bob Holly). The team had limited success.

Ironically, Plotcheck's biggest success in the WWF was what eventually led to his release. When the WWF announced a shoot tournament called the Brawl for All, in which the competition would be real and winners would not be predetermined, Plotcheck volunteered to participate. Plotcheck actually drew partner Bob Holly in the first round, whom he defeated on points. The tournament may have been intended as a vehicle to establish newly signed "Dr. Death" Steve Williams as a legitimate tough guy, but any such plans went awry in the second round when Plotcheck knocked Williams out, stunning everyone. After knocking out the Godfather in the semi-finals, Plotcheck was a heavy favorite to knock out Bradshaw in the finals. He did handily, and Shawn Michaels, who was on commentary for the final match, suggested Plotcheck "just opened the door to a new future".

Afterward, Plotcheck feuded both Holly and Williams, both angry with him for beating them in the tournament, the latter who masked himself and pushed Plotcheck off a stage.

To continue capitalizing on the impressive Brawl for All showing, the WWF set up a Brawl for All match between Plotcheck and heavyweight boxer Eric "Butterbean" Esch at Wrestlemania XV. Esch knocked out Plotcheck within 30 seconds. His legitimacy ruined just as he had ruined that of Williams, Plotcheck was briefly repackaged by the WWF as "Lefty," but fans were apathetic and he was soon released. It has been rumoured that WWF officials set Plotcheck up to fail in his match with the far more experienced Esch, as punishment for knocking out Williams and ruining booking plans.

After leaving the WWF, Plotcheck found success wrestling in Japan with New Japan and All Japan Wrestling under the ring name "Mike Barton."

Profile

Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.85 m)
Weight: 265 lbs
Birthday: December 27, 1963
Hometown: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Trained by: Denny Kass and Blackjack Mulligan
Debut: 1991
Previous identities: Bart Gunn, Mike Barton, The Hammer, Black Bart, Brett Colt, Bodacious Bart
Previous managers: Sunny
, Jim Cornette

Finishing and signature moves

Left Hook Punch
Barton Buster / Bart Buster
Barton Cutter
Barton Death Star

With Billy Gunn====

Sidewinder (Combination sidewalk slam (Bart) / flying legdrop (Billy))
Double Russian legsweep
Back suplex into neckbreaker
Back body drop into piledriver

Championships and accomplishments

2-time International Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions (with Kip Winchester
)
3-time WWF World Tag Team Champion (with Billy Gunn
as The Smokin' Gunns)
WWF "Brawl for All" Champion (1998)
2-time PCW America's Heavyweight Champion
1-time NWA Tag Team Champion (with Bob Holly
as the Midnight Express)
1-time AJPW Tag Team Champion (with Johnny Ace
)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 377 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Mike Plotcheck ]

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