Dave Sullivan (wrestler)

Dannenhauer attended Westside High School, where both he and his brother wrestled. He and his brother attended the University of Nebraska Omaha, where they played football for the Omaha Mavericks. Dannenhauer went on to play in the short-lived United States Football League (USFL) before ending his playing career. He went on to serve as an assistant coach for the Mavericks before joining Washburn University as offensive coordinator for the Washburn Ichabods.{{cite web|last=Doug|first=Barber|title=From 'The Equalizer' to Dana's Head Viking|url=http://www.enterprisepub.com/news/from-the-equalizer-to-dana-s-head-viking/article_bf2aa366-b7dc-54d1-9a40-096473ff731b.html?mode=jqm|work=Washington County Enterprise and Pilot Tribune|date=September 2, 2003|access-date=September 14, 2014|archive-date=January 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103123356/http://www.enterprisepub.com/news/from-the-equalizer-to-dana-s-head-viking/article_bf2aa366-b7dc-54d1-9a40-096473ff731b.html?mode=jqm|url-status=dead}}

In 1989, Dannehauer decided to become a wrestler after meeting Harley Race at a high school tournament. He trained under Len Denton and debuted later that year.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}} Danenhauer started wrestling in the National Wrestling Alliance territory Pacific Northwest Wrestling under the ring name "The Equalizer". He teamed with The Grappler as "The Wrecking Crew", with the duo winning the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship on two occasions.

In 1990, he would tour on and off with Catch Wrestling Association for two years under the name "The Barbarian". He also occasionally wrestled under this name in France in matches taped for satellite TV channel Eurosport.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6X4ZyUF90Y | title=Catchen/Wrestling Tony St. Clair vs Barbarian EWF Frankreich ca. 91 | website=YouTube | date=August 29, 2010 }}

In 1991, he briefly wrestled in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, most notably losing a match to Scott Norton on March 21 at the Tokyo Dome.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

In 1992, Danenhauer left PNW for the Global Wrestling Federation where he wrestled as "Captain Ron".{{cite web | url=http://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=1551&view=matches&gimmick=&jahr=&liga=84®ion=&land=&art=&artmatches=&partner=Partner&gegner=Gegner&suchbegriff=Suchbegriff#matches | title= Matches von Dave Sullivan, GWF | access-date= February 6, 2010 | publisher=CageMatch.net | language=German}} He worked in Puerto Rico for the World Wrestling Council. He would tour the United Kingdom for All Star under the name "American Hawkwind."{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

In 1993, Danenhauer joined World Championship Wrestling as The Equalizer, and teamed briefly with Rick Rude as his tag team partner/bodyguard. They feuded with Dustin Rhodes and Road Warrior Hawk.{{cite web | url= http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/clash2.html#XXIV | title= CLash of the CHampionms XXIV | date= August 18, 1993 | access-date= February 6, 2010 | publisher= ProWrestlinghistory.com | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101128103446/http://prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/clash2.html#XXIV | archive-date= November 28, 2010 | df= mdy-all }} He also teamed with Paul Orndorff.

His biggest push started in the summer of 1994 when he became "Dave Sullivan" the dyslexic brother of Kevin Sullivan who regularly mispronounced his own forename as "Evad". He was being picked on by The Nasty Boys and brought Kevin in to help him against them. He was injured by them, so Kevin Sullivan brought in Cactus Jack to help them out. After Kevin and Jack took care of The Nasty Boys, they split up, and Jack left. Hulk Hogan made his WCW debut that summer, and Sullivan became his biggest fan. Kevin hated Hogan, and problems started brewing.{{cite book | author=RD Reynolds and Randy Baer | title=Wrestlecrap – the very worst of pro wrestling | publisher=ECW Press | chapter=Hulkster's in the house | pages=[https://archive.org/details/wrestlecrapveryw00rdre/page/155 155] | year=2003 | isbn=1-55022-584-7 | chapter-url-access=registration | chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/wrestlecrapveryw00rdre/page/155 }}

Sullivan started teaming with Hogan and Sting against Ric Flair and his henchmen, and Kevin soon turned on Dave, which started a feud that went into 1995. After his feud with Kevin ended, Dave fell in love with Kimberly, the valet of Diamond Dallas Page. Page took offense to this and started a feud with Dave that lasted all summer. During this feud, Dave gave Kimberly presents, which infuriated Page even more, and at point won an arm wrestling contest at the 1995 Great American Bash which resulted in him going on a date with Kimberly. Sullivan eventually lost the feud and moved on.

Sullivan's next feud was with Big Bubba Rogers. Sullivan had a pet rabbit that he brought to ringside with him, and Bubba was allergic to rabbits. Bubba started wearing a surgical mask to keep from inhaling the allergens, but Sullivan would always pull it off and get the victory. Danenhauer left WCW in early 1996 after participating in the first World War 3 event.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

Danenhauer retired from professional wrestling in 2001 due to the cumulative impact of injuries sustained in his football and wrestling careers. He relocated to Bentonville, Arkansas, where he worked for Wal-Mart as a fitness trainer. In 2001, he began working as offensive coordinator for the Vikings football team of Dana College in Blair, Nebraska. He was appointed head football coach in 2003 and later athletic director.{{cite web|title=Varsity Bowling Added To Dana College Athletics|url=http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/44315877.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140914143756/http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/44315877.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 14, 2014|work=WOWT|date=May 4, 2009|access-date=September 14, 2014}}

In 2020 he was inducted into the Nebraska Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame. His Class also included Gorgeous George and Local Wrestler Tony Cortez.

"Dave Sullivan" came out of retirement in 2022 with the MWA Midwest Wrestling in Lincoln, Nebraska as a manager.

• Empire Wrestling Association
• EWA North American Championship (1 time){{cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=2000|edition=4th | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 }}
• NWA Pacific Northwest Wrestling
• NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champion (2 times) – with The Grappler{{cite book|first=Royal|last=Duncan|author2=Gary Will|title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|chapter=Portland: NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title|pages=317–320|year=2000|isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}
• Professional Wrestling Federation
• PWF Eastern States Championship (1 time){{citation needed|date=December 2019}}
• PWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Baby Huey (1) and George South (1){{citation needed|date=December 2019}}
• Southern States Wrestling
• SSW Heavyweight Championship (1 time){{cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | chapter = Tennessee: SSW Southern States Wrestling Title [Beau James] | page = 209 | year= 2000 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}
• United States Wrestling Federation
• USWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with John Bradshaw
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
• Worst Gimmick (1994){{cite journal|last=Meltzer|first=Dave|authorlink=Dave Meltzer|date=January 26, 2011|title=Biggest issue of the year: The 2011 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards Issue|periodical=Wrestling Observer Newsletter|publication-place=Campbell, CA|pages=1–40|issn=1083-9593}}
• Worst Wrestler (1993, 1994)

{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Dana Vikings

| conf = Great Plains Athletic Conference

| startyear = 2003

| endyear = 2009

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2003

| name = Dana

| overall = 2–9

| conference = 2–8

| confstanding = 10th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2004

| name = Dana

| overall = 2–9

| conference = 1–9

| confstanding = T–10th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2005

| name = Dana

| overall = 5–6

| conference = 4–6

| confstanding = T–6th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2006

| name = Dana

| overall = 6–5

| conference = 5–5

| confstanding = 5th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2007

| name = Dana

| overall = 4–7

| conference = 3–7

| confstanding = 9th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2008

| name = Dana

| overall = 3–8

| conference = 2–8

| confstanding = T–9th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 2009

| name = Dana

| overall = 0–11

| conference = 0–10

| confstanding = T–10th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Dana

| overall = 22–55

| confrecord = 17–53

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record End

| overall = 22–55

| bowls = no

| poll = no

| polltype =

| legend = no

}}

• List of gridiron football players who became professional wrestlers

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb name|2529078|Bill Danenhauer}}
• {{professional wrestling profiles}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Dave}}

Category:1960 births

Category:Living people

Category:American male professional wrestlers

Category:Dana Vikings athletic directors

Category:Dana Vikings football coaches

Category:Fictional characters with dyslexia

Category:Nebraska–Omaha Mavericks football players

Category:Professional wrestlers from Nebraska

Category:Sportspeople from Omaha, Nebraska

Category:Washburn Ichabods football coaches

Category:Washington Federals/Orlando Renegades players

Category:Nebraska–Omaha Mavericks football coaches

Category:Players of American football from Omaha, Nebraska