Eugene FitzPatrick

Eugene Michael Fitzpatrick (born 22/10/1953) is an Irish Pro Wrestler currently competing for Ringside Wrestling. He is the current rW Ringside Champion. He was also a former Core Wrestling Icon Champion, as well as one-time owner of Core Wrestling.

Biography

Eugene Michael Fitzpatrick was born in Dublin, the Republic of Ireland in 1953, to a gin addicted mother, and a father who belonged to the Irish Republican Army during the struggles. Born and raised a Catholic, his mother died when he was 10 years old, and his father died when he was 12. With the family being poor at the time, and neither parent holding down a permanant job, they were poor and was taken into care along with his brother and sister. The eldest of the three, Eugene was seperated from his siblings and soon after ran away from his foster family. He lived on the streets of Dublin, until he was pitied by a bar owner, who gave him a job as a pot boy in his pub. This is where Eugene first got his taste of alcohol; something that would be his greatest friend and greatest enemy for the rest of his life.

The bar which Eugene worked, the Penny Farthing, was known across Ireland for it's shoot fighting league, something that Eugene became more and more fascinated by, to the point that at the age of 15, he joined it's ranks. After initial losses, was trained by shoot fighter Terry Yogan, who mentored the young lad during the early part of his career. Eugene rose through the ranks, earning a far greater reputation, and more money than he could of dreamed of. At the age of 20, he was advised by Yogan to enter the world of professional wrestling, where he was told his fortune would grow.

Fitz began his wrestling career in 1970, travelling to London and rising to the top of the ranks in British Wrestling, fighting many greats including Giant Haystacks, Shirley Crabtree and Kendo Nagasaki. It was in this period that he met his wife, Kathy. Fitz won the British Heavyweight Championship several times. He then began touring around the Commonwealth, including Canada, India and Australia, also winning many Commonwealth titles. He then went to America, and to the highly paid ranks of their league.

As he's career grew, so did his family. A daughter Eliza was born in 1978, and a son, James, in 1984. America proved to be an extremely worthwhile venture, and he soon won his first World Championship, defeating Stephen Lynch in a 2 out of 3 falls match at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1984. This would lead to be the first of many.

Fitz could hardly believe his life. From an awful neglected childhood, growing up on the streets, to becoming Champion of the World and with a legacy. He soon had more money than he knew what to do with, becoming a millionaire by the age of 35, and investing it wisely. He bought a mansion in Palm Springs and life could not have been happier.

Somehwere down the line, Fitz lost his way. The culture of wrestling took its toll on him, and he became a heavy smoker and drinker, often neglecting his family who had previously stood by him. His indulgences were ruining him, and he proceeded to cheat on his wife, unbeknownst to her. It wasn't until later that it became clear where the problems were eminating from; he had cancer.

Up until that point in his life; Fitz wasn't a heavy drinker and he didn't smoke, due to what he saw his father become, he always associated that lifestyle with him, but he got throat cancer despite this, and he thought why should he continue to not have these indulgences if he was going to suffer the consequences anyway? He was 36 years old with a young family. It wasn't fair.

After 8 weeks of gruelling chemotherapy and two operations, he went into remission and the cancer went. But this changed Fitz. He didn't care about fairness anymore, life hadn't been fair to him, so why should he be fair to it? He continued to smoke and drink heavily, but also regained his physique due to intense training, and returned to the ring.

This is where Fitz developed his sadistic side. He not only beat his opponents now, he mamed them. He ruined the careers of people who he saw as thorns in his side, he broke the legs of men who tried to kick him, he assaulted people who looked at him strangely. He got a kick out of the misfortune of others, laughing and celebrating the fact that they had gone through something traumatic like he did.

As his wrestling career slowed down, his hatred didn't. Nothing is more prevalent than when he was hired to Core Wrestling as Vice President. Matt Lanier needed some experience to support, and Fitz proved to be a great help in the first few months helping shape Core Wrestling into a global promotion. However, his support was going to change. He attacked Daniel Adams and bloodied him up in the ring upon his first television appearance, and engaged in a feud with him which lasted years. He then proceeded to concoct a plan to steal Core Wrestling from under Lanier's nose; he framed him for the murder of his girlfriend Laura Brown.

Fitz took control of the company in a period known as the 'Era of Fitz', and in this period formed one of the most powerful factions to date; The British Empire featuring Legacy Champion Fred Fusion as well as the tag team champions. Fitz went on a period facing many of Core's good guys, including Jack Diamond (whom he defeated for the Icon Championship, which he held for only a week before losing it back to Diamond) and Sidarian.

The When Worlds Collide PPV proved to be on of the most successful in Core history, pitting the British Empire versus 5 American opponents including Daniel Adams, Jantz Spalding and Jack Diamond. Fitz lost the company to Matthew Lanier in a match for Total Control of the company after several wrestlers interfered to ensure that Era of Fitz ended. Fitz returned later on to join the EPW contingent after it was purchased by Matthew Lanier and it invaded Core. He was defeated Matthew Lanier once again at the Core-EPW Inter PPV before leaving Core Wrestling.

Since Core Wrestling, he has not had the greatest time. His wife of 36 years left him, his daughter (who was Core Color Commentator for a period) disowned him, and Fitz once again turned to alcohol. His life is much more simpler now; alcohol, cigarettes, hookers, moving from hotel to hotel. He is hardly spending the money he has saved up for 40 years, and is still wrestling and earning, the only reason being he likes to hurt people. At 55, Fitz is not as quick as he use to be, but not many people like to enter the ring with a psychopath.

His first few months upon arrival at Ringside Wrestling saw it take Fitz a little getting use to, people now realising that Fitz had spent time in an institution after the death of his son. He became intent on returning to wrestling, and also became intent on doing whatever he could to reach the top once more.

He went on a undefeated streak which lasted months, defeating many along the way. This is where he had his first major altercation in Ringside; Commonwealth Champion Jimmy Thunder. Him and Thunder feuded for weeks, and after a vicious attack by Fitz which cost him a shot at the Commonwealth title, Thunder vacated his title in order to fight Fitz at the pay per view, and that match became one of the violent and sickest matches in Ringside Wrestling history, halted onl when both competitors were rushed to hospital. A final match was called at Ringside's Tides of Change PPV after a brief hiatus, headlining the PPV. The match went two and throw all through the night, until Thunder managed to nail a roll up for the pin. Fitz, fuming at this, brutally attacked Thunder, and put him out of action for months.

With Thunder out the way, Fitz was now intent on getting a title shot. He began attacking and destroying the staff of Ringside wrestling, in a successful attempt to get the attention of rW President John Mark Blackburn. Fitz made him an offer seemingly too good to refuse. Fitz offered the ailing Ringside Wrestling franchise 2 million dollar in order for him to be granted a title shot. After much deliberation, Blackburn rejected Fitz's offer, surprisingly much to Fitz's glee, as was revealed the next week on Tradition, when Fitz introduced Robert Maxwell as a new major shareholder in Ringside Wrestling, shares bought mainly with Fitz's money. Maxwell wasted little time in granting Fitz that title shot. The match itself against rW Champion Derek Barlow will go down as one of the most controversial in history, after it was revealed referee Sam Worth was bribed to allow a Eugene Fitzpatrick win, with a fast count and giving Fitz the upper hand by pretending to be unconcious. Fitz was Champion. And his look on life became totally different.

He relished being Champion, and despite the calls that his reign is disputed because of the cheating in the matches, he has proven that he will do whatever it takes to be champion. Fitz proved many of his doubters wrong at the next months Greed pay per view, when he squarely defeated Derek Barlow for the title, and hang onto the gold as he looks to cement a long title reign.